Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock Scheduled For March 2012 Release Date...

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock is currently scheduled for a March 2012 UK release, according to a brand new trailer, which features several famous Doctor Who alien races, including the Cybermen, Daleks and Silurians, amongst others.

The new trailer (shown below) also gives a greater indication of the kind of environments and gameplay which players can hope to see in the final game:

The game, which will be heading exclusively to PC, PS3 and PS Vita, centres around the relationship between the Eleventh Doctor and his new wife, River Song, as they travel through time and space, trying to solve the problem of the 'Eternity Clock', and save planet Earth from extinction.

The trailer has definitely whetted the appetites of us here at Mini Gamers, and we look forward to learning more about the game and its gameplay throughout the coming months. Watch this space!

Spot The (Not-So) Deliberate Mistake...Anyone???

It is not often in the world of handheld gaming that a simple cover design gives us such a big laugh, but that is definitely the case with Capcom's latest 3DS offering: Resident Evil Revelations, which has reportedly gone on sale with a certain spelling mistake clearly visable.

The mistake, which affects a proportion of the game sold in North America, clearly labels the game as "Resident Evil Revelaitons" (see above). The mistake has since been commented on by a Capcom representative.

Speaking to Eurogamer, the representative claimed: "We apologise for the mistake, which will be corrected for subsequent productions of the game. We are working on a solution to provide affected customers with the correct packaging. Please visit Capcom-Unity for updates." [sourced from: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-01-26-capcom-botches-resident-evil-revelations-packaging]

Furthermore, a recent  NA price-drop for the game has now been announced, although it is not clear whether this has anything to do with the packaging error, or whether Capcom has simply decided to make the game more affordable to its audience. Whatever the reason, the reduction from $49.99 to just $39.99 ought to appeal to many cash-strapped gamers out there.

Mini Gamers does not think that the spelling mistake will harm the sales of Resident Evil Revelations in any way. The game has a strong storyline and interesting gameplay, which should help keep those gamers who have been affected by the  minor packaging error happy for a long time to come, and who knows, maybe the misspelled version will become a highly-sought collector's item?

Meanwhile, those of you who are interested in Mini Gamers' impressions of the game, please read our recent review of Resident Evil Revelations by CLICKING HERE.

Game of the Week: Resident Evil Revelations [3DS]

Yes, another addition to the hugely popular Resident Evil game franchise has hit the shelves today. Resident Evil: Revelations is set in the interim between Resident Evil games 4 and 5, and features the two main protaganists, Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield alongside their newest BSSA colleagues, Parker Luicani and Jessica Sherawat, as they struggle to take down various Zombie hoardes.

Resident Evil: Revelations is the second game in the series to be released for the Nintendo 3DS handheld. However, it is hoped that this game will have a more RPG feel to it than Capcom's last effort, Resident Evil Mercenaries, which caused quite a stir upon its release when information about the game's arcade-style perma save function came to light.

In the latest game, (set in 2005), BSSA agents, Chris Redfield and Jessica Sherawat are dispatched to a ocean liner called the SS Queen Zenobia, which has been the victim of another Il Veltro terrorist attack, and now has a raging viral outbreak aboard. To make matters worse, contact is then lost with both of the agents. Now it is left to Jill Valentine and Parker Luiciani to find them...

For fans of the Resident Evil series so far, there will be lots of familiar elements, including a limited supply of ammunition, nevertheless, there are also many 3DS-exclusive features too, such as the ability to use the stylus to solve puzzles or swap between weapons.

This game also features several new elements to the classic gameplay too, such as the ability to swap between a first-person and third-person shooter viewpoint so that players can choose which shooting style suits them best throughout each level of the game.

Also, a new piece of equipment known simply as the Supply Scanner allows players to detect items that have been hidden around the game's different environments.

In conclusion, this game is likely to appeal to any Resident Evil game fan without question. The eerie, dark environments and the stunning 3D visuals help to engage players into the storyline. One disappointing aspect of the game is that there does not appear to be such a variety of enemy types as one would expect from this franchise, but there are still lots of things to find, solve and do in this game. Overall rating: 8/10

Crush 3D Review: Is It Really Worth The Wait?

Yes, Mini Gamers is back and our recent technical difficulties seem to have been resolved! Well, what better welcome back present than a review of Sega's latest 3DS offering, Crush 3D: With Another Dimension.

For those of you who were not lucky enough to play the original game when it debuted on the PSP system back in 2007, Crush 3D is essentially a Puzzle game. Players have to collect a set of marbles hidden around different rooms in order to gain access to an exit door which then leads on to the next level, and so on.

The storyline is rather basic and involves a young teenager named Danny, who has offered to test out a brand new invention from a slightly mad - but brilliant - scientist. The machine is called a Cognitive Regression Utilizing pSychiatric Heuristics (or C.R.U.S.H machine -get it?) and it allows Danny to switch from a 3D environment to a 2D one at the push of a button. This also allows the player to access marbles that were previously hidden from sight.



It may sound simplistic, but there are a number of special rules in place which help to determine when and where Danny can perform his nifty 3D/2D switch. For example, a switch cannot take place when Danny is stood in front of an object or a solid wall, meaning that players have to rotate the camera in order to shield the object from view - think Echochrome, and you will be able to understand how this concept works. Add to this some zany enemies to battle and some cool collectibles to collect, and you have the bare bones of a really good game, with lots of replay value.

Nevertheless, whilst the original PSP version  was heralded as an innovative masterpiece, this version seems to lack a certain finesse about it, especially in the graphics department, which now features a plain-looking central character and colourful block-style environments.

However, the puzzles themselves have been refined and will tax the brains of the most hardcore puzzle enthusiast for quite some time. Spotting the solution to each level appears to get harder and harder as the game progresses, and it can often feel like quite an achievement when you have finally reached the Exit Door.

Furthermore, as this is a 3DS title, players can also make use of the Streetpass function, which allows players to leave items that they have collected in different levels of the game, so that their friends can gain access to them too.

In conclusion, Crush 3D: A Puzzle With Another Dimension makes a refreshing puzzler for the Nintendo 3DS. The puzzles are charming and difficult, and the game itself has lots of replay value. Overall rating: 8/10.

Appologies If You've Been Trying To Contact Us...

Hello Everyone,

you may have noticed that the Mini Gamers blogsite has not been answering comments or publishing its usual content over the last few days or so... This is because of some technical difficulties which we hope to resolve very soon.

We hope that you will all bear with us as we attempt to iron out these minor problems. Please rest assured that we will attempt to answer all game queries as soon as possible. In the meantime, please feel free to use the Mini Gamers Suggestion Box, which still appears to be working.

Thank you for your patience in this matter, and please enjoy the articles and interactive features during - what we hope will be a very short absence.

Yours Sincerely,
Mini Gamers.

Netflix Launches in UK: Still No Joy For 3DS Fans Though...

The American film rental company Netflix has officially launched its UK and Ireland service. As well as allowing PC downloads of all the latest film titles, for a rental fee of £5.99 per month, Netflix has also promised that its services are compatible with the PS3, Xbox and Wii home consoles as well as the Apple iPad and iPod devices.

However, one group of gamers who are sure to be disappointed with the recent launch details are 3DS fans, who had expected to start receiving Netflix on the Nintendo handheld as well...

As yet, there does not seem to be any clear plans to bring the Netflix service to 3DS customers outside of North America, (where Neflix customers have been allowed to stream film content to their 3DS consoles if they had a pre-existing Netflix account since July 15th 2011).

However, Nintendo did originally promise 3DS fans that it was 'in talks' with Netflix, and it could still be that Netflix will eventually be streamed to UK 3DS consoles via an eShop application, as originally suggested, although at this point, that is still pure conjecture.

So, what do 3DS users now feel about the Netflix UK service, now that the 3DS doesn't seem to have been included in the launch plans? Will 3DS users ever really get the full 3D films that they were hoping for, or is this nothing more than a pipe dream? For those 3DS users amongst us who  happen to live outside of North America, it seems as though it will be a game of 'wait and see' for the foreseeable future at least...

PS Vita Price Cut in Japan...

Sony has reportedly been forced to slash the price of its latest handheld console, the PS Vita, after just under four weeks since its initial launch date.

The console debuted in Japan on the 17th of December 2011, but despite its heavy pre-release promotion, the device only managed to reach number four in the Japanese gaming charts, before slipping to number five last week, which has placed it not only behind its main competitor - the Nintendo 3DS, but also behind its predecessor the Sony PSP.

Now Japanese retailers have been forced to lower the price of the PS Vita in order to entice more potential buyers. According to the GamesRader website, the price of more expensive 3G wireless model of the console has been slashed by almost twenty percent in some cases.

With the PS Vita still expected to reach its European launch date on the 22nd of February 2012, it shouldn't be too long before UK fans start to get their first taste of the handheld, which promises a lot of new features and hardware improvements, including dual analog sticks and a five-inch OLED touch-screen amongst others.

Nevertheless, with such poor sales figures in its native country, is the PS Vita just doomed to be a massive flop, or will it really shape up to be the next generation console Sony claims that it will be? Only time will tell...

HAVE YOUR SAY...

Will you be buying a Sony PS Vita when it launches in February?

Have you already pre-ordered the PS Vita? How does this news make you feel about the handheld?

How do you think the recent price slash will affect future sales of the device?

If you have something to say about the latest PS Vita developments and you wish to share it with us, please leave a comment in the comments box below. Mini Gamers would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

New DS and 3DS Games For January 2012...

January 2012 has officially begun, and with it comes a lot of new gaming titles for us to enjoy. This is the Mini Gamers January 2012 release calendar, a short guide to what should be available for our handheld consoles by the end of the month...

January 2012:

DS GAMES

JEWEL MATCH 2

Fans of Jewel Match will be treated to this brilliant sequel game, which is due to be released on the 13th of January 2012.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this game, it involves matching rows of similar jewels in order to accrue points. Other 'Match-3' games of this type include the Bejeweled series, which has become very popular over the past five years.

Jewel Match 2 will feature over 150 levels and two game modes. There will also be a chance for players to unlock new spells and other bonuses or build beautiful castles.

Another Match-3 game is Heroes of Hallas 2: Olympia, which should be heading to the Nintendo DS console on the 30th of January 2012.

Players take on the role of an ancient ruler of a place called Olympia. Players must compete in Match-3 games in order to gather materials that will in turn help to restore the land to its former glory and unlock lots more interesting bonuses.

January 2012:

3DS GAMES

CRUSH 3D

Although this game was originally considered for cancellation because of poor 3DS sales figures, it seems as though Crush 3D has had a reprieve.  Crush 3D is now scheduled for release on Friday the 13th January 2012.

Crush 3D is a new version of an existing PSP puzzle game, in which players can switch between a 2D or 3D world by simply crushing or flattening it.

The 3DS version promises over fifty challenging levels set across four separate environments. There is lots of bonus content to collect or unlock, and players can even use Streetpass to exchange gifts with friends.

WINTER SPORTS 2012:

Feel The Spirit

This is the first Winter Sports title on the 3DS, and it promises not to disappoint. Winter Sports 2012 features over fifty different challenges in six sporting disciplines. The game also features loads of slow-motion replays and unlockables.

Winter Sports 2012: Feel the Spirit is scheduled for release on the 20th January 2012.





REEL FISHING PARADISE 3D

Scheduled for release on January 20th 2012, Reel Fishing Paradise 3D has been rendered in full autostereoscopic 3D, to create a fishing simulation game like no other.

The game features fifteen different stages and features different fishing techniques, from Fly fishing to Bait fishing. Players must travel to different locations, where they can catch, keep and care for their fish in two 3D virtual fishtanks.

TALES OF THE ABYSS

The popular RPG game has its debut on the 3DS at last. Tales of the Abyss tells the story of Luke fon Fabre, sole heir to a family of aristocrats. Luke has been left with no memories of his past, following his kidnap almost seven years earlier.

  Luke has been kept sheltered and spoilt by his family since his return, but suddenly finds himself thrust into the outside world, by the  Order of Lorelei, keepers of the prophecy known as the 'Score'. 

 Luke must get along in this confusing and often hostile world. He knows nothing about those who might be his friends, or those who already are his enemies. Alone, Luke must learn of friendship and sacrifice, of duty and choice. Luke's actions could help to save the world in which he lives or destroy it.

Tales of the Abyss on the 3DS features special new animation and an 'ARTES' shortcut, which gives greater scope during battles. The game is scheduled for release on the 27th of January 2012.

Resident Evil: Revelations is scheduled for release on January 27th 2012. The game is set between the events of Resident Evil 4 and 5, and the game will seek to test players through a variety of game mechanics, including a limited supply of ammo, and more emphasis on exploration and puzzle-solving.

Thus, that marks the end of our January 2012  DS/ 3DS release calendar. We hope that you have found it interesting. Remember to check back with the Mini Gamers blogsite for more news and reviews after the games are released.

New Year 'Name That Year' Quiz...

Yes, January 2012 is here, and with it comes the promise of lots of new gaming action over the next twelve months, but do you know when some of our popular gaming franchises were first created?

To celebrate the New Year, we have put together this small just-for fun quiz. To play, simply click on the 'Start' button below. Each question has a 120-second time limit. Answer quickly for more points. Good Luck!