Game of the Week: Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure [3DS]

Have you ever fancied trying a Professsor Layton game but worry that you might get stuck on some of  the more difficult puzzles? Well, this might just be the game for you.

Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure features a gripping Layton-esque storyline, but replaces the usual brainteasers and conundrums with some truly stunning rhythm and dancing minigames.

The main story is set in Paris, and follows the life of Raphael, an infamous thief known for stealing famous works of art only to return them days later. A few years ago, his father disappeared, leaving behind a coin, which contained a mysterious symbol.

Upon discovering that a bracelet on display at The Louvre bears the same symbol, Raphael goes to investigate the mystery behind this symbol, and soon encounters a girl named Marie, and an elusive enemy who seems intent on impersonating Napoleon.

The gameplay is varied. Each of the rhythm minigames utilises different aspects of the 3DS, including swiping the stylus to match up with other dancers, tapping the touch screen to hide behind statues, pressing buttons to fight off groups of enemies and tilting the console to dodge attacks.

The game also features parodies of past Sega rhythm games such as Space Channel 5 and Samba de Amigo. Throughout the story, players will visit various locations where they will solve puzzles and earn coins used to unlock special bonuses such as extra chapters.

This game is beautifully animated and is truly engrossing from start to finish, but the main storyline can be completed within a relatively short period of time, which is its only major flaw as far as we could see.

If you love puzzle RPGs or if you want a 3DS title to rival Rhythm Paradise, then this is definitely the perfect game for you. Overall rating: 8/10.

Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games Review [3DS]

Gaming rivals Mario and Sonic are set to go head-to-head in another battle of Olympic proportions this week.

Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (probably the longest 3DS title to date) sees the videogaming veterans take part in a variety of sporting events that we can expect to see at this year's Olympic Games.

This game also marks the Mario & Sonic series' debut on the Nintendo 3DS. As a result, some of the events contain elements that are designed to showcase the 3DS capabilities, including the Long Jump, which cleverly utilises the 3DS' Tilt System, and the Shot Put, which involves use of the microphone.

One of the things which becomes quickly apparent is that unlike the previous games in the series, Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games only focuses on a tiny portion of the event rather than allowing players to compete from the very beginning.

 Most games actually take place near the finish line and feature various simple tasks in order to decide a winner. For example, in the Weightlifting  competition, rather than being a button-pressing test of stamina, the player is only asked to shout into the microphone at the correct time.

Whilst this mini-game style will probably make the game more accessible to younger gamers than in past titles, it does take a large amount of the enjoyment out of the game and is our main criticism of the game.

That said, Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games does feature an impressive array of events, which should keep the average gamer happy for several days at least. However, those gamers who delight in testing their 'sporting prowess' within a videogame arena might feel a little let down by this particular game.

Rather surprisingly, this game also features no 'Dream Events', which have always been a staple of the previous Mario and Sonic games in the past, and have always provided a very entertaining alternative to the real Olympic Games.

There is a single-player storyline to entice gamers, although it does feature some lengthy cutscenes, but they are of good quality and the single-player campaign does add some much needed replay value to the game.

In conclusion, although Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games is a good debut title for the 3DS, its new mini-game style left us feeling slightly cheated as it did not feel as though we were taking part in an olympic sporting event. Nevertheless, the single player campaign does slightly make up for this. Good for younger gamers or casual gamers looking for a game to play in their spare time. Overall rating: 7/10.

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.

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...

Nintendo Launches EuroSport Video Services...

Nintendo have launched a new Eurosport 3D Video service, which can be downloaded for free from the 3DS e-shop. The Eurosport service is completely separate from the Nintendo Video service which launched in July this year, and will focus exclusively on sport.


The new video service allows for Spotpass downloads of  various two or three-minute 3D Sports clips, all provided by the popular WATTS programme. The videos are expected to feature funny sporting outtakes and various 'sporting action' clips, all shown in fantastically clear 3D.

All of the videos can be replayed again and again until they get replaced by new content. However, it is not yet clear whether the videos will be updated on a weekly basis (like some videos in the Nintendo Video section) or in a more sporadic fashion.

Nevertheless, Mini Gamers is certain that the Eurosport video service will make an exciting addition for Sports fans and will no doubt encourage a few more sales of the 3DS handheld console in the Christmas rush.

Latest 3DS System Update Brings 'New Look' 3D Video Recording Features...

The latest system update for the Nintendo 3DS promises to bring with it some very interesting new features, including the ability to record video footage on the console and play it back in 3D!

The update which will become available after 6pm on the 7th of December 2011, will offer users the chance to take a set of 10-minute video recordings on their 3DS and also allow for some special 3D freeze-frame animation using the 'Frame-pick' video mode, which, incidentally, is just one of a few video recording modes on offer.

As well as the new Video Recording mode, 3DS users will also find additional game content in their Mii Plaza from today, including the ability to use Spotpass to download global content.

Furthermore, Nintendo has added a special Streetpass Map so that you can see where exactly in the country you have managed to obtain your current Streetpass Hits from, although unless you are a well-seasoned traveller, this probably won't matter too much.

 Finally, the 07/12/11 system update adds an all-new Streetpass Quest adventure, called - strangely enough - Streetpass Quest 2, although, we should point out that the new quest won't actually become available until you have successfully completed the original Streetpass Quest game twice through, thus collecting all the hats on offer... time to start collecting our coins again, methinks?

The latest 3DS system update has been long-awaited (having been delayed since early November), but the new features are very interactive and should help in attracting plenty of new 3DS fans in the run-up to  the 2011 Christmas season.

Netflix Comes To The UK - What Does This Mean For Our Consoles?

Netfllix, (the American DVD movie rental and video streaming company), has announced today that it plans to bring its resources to Britain. Nevertheless, instead of a DVD rental service, Netflix will be offering a video streaming service to TVs, PCs and videogame consoles for a small monthly fee.

It is thought that Netflix  has decided to extend its services to the UK after problems with the DVD rental portion of its business led to the loss of around 800,000 subscriptions to the American version of its business.

Nevertheless, it is thought that the Netflix video streaming service will have a positive impact on UK video game consoles, including the 3DS, which has tried to forge its own links to the American version of Netflix already, and which is already geared to showing 3D videos via its own video streaming service.

It is thought that the Netflix service may also be offered on the upcoming PS Vita console, however, we must point out that there are no direct plans for this at the moment.

No commencement date for the UK version of Netflix has been announced yet, but it certainly seems as though Netflix is determined that its launch should attract as many potential customers as possible.

Remember to check in with Mini Gamers over the coming months for more news on this exciting development.

Game of the Week: Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure [3DS]

Spyro gets his first outing on the 3DS today in a new spin-off action game, which has been entitled: Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure.

The concept of the game is simple: There are a group of beings called 'Skylanders', who help to protect an area of their world known as the 'Skylands'. Now an evil tyrant, called Hektore, has frozen these magical beings and banished them down to Earth. Only the legendary Portal of Power can bring the Skylanders back to life!

 This game is particularly interesting, as it allows players to use specially-designed interactive figurines (some provided with the game itself) which can be connected to the console via a special hub known as 'The Portal of Power'.

Although this is not an entirely new idea in videogame entertainment, it is certainly an ambitious undertaking for a handheld console. What's more, is that up to 32 figurines can be purchased for use in the game so the virtual enviroment and character abilities can be expanded.

Characters also remember previous upgrades and in-game experience each time they are placed back in the Portal of Power, and in this way the whole virtual world of Skylanders really does seem to come to life.

Three figurines are thought to be included in the 3DS version of Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure - Dark Spyro, Gill Grunt and Trigger Happy, and each character comes with its own set of magical weapons and abilities. Some shops have also sold the game with either Stealth Elf and/or the Ignitor figurines instead.

Moreover,  both the figurines and the portal/hub are non-platform-specific, which means that figurines which are supplied with the Wii version of the game, for example, can also be used with the 3DS version.  Nevertheless, with an average price of £8 per figure, it may take gamers a long time to actually complete their collection.

The 3DS version of  Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is more of a platform-adventure than the other versions. Players must collect special 'crystals' which allow them to unlock bonus levels. Whenever players successfully finds a crystal, they will enter into a timed-battle against one of the Skylander enemies. If they win the battle they can unlock the bonus levels.

Another feature of the 3DS version include the ability to 'tag-team' between the supplied Skylander figurine characters, enabling players to make the most of their combined skills and experiences.

The 3D environments are stunning and really do add to the illusion that the player is battling dark forces in an actual magical realm.

Official TV Trailer

In conclusion, Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure is a unique game that seems to suit the 3DS very well. The game has tons of replay value and will appeal to platform-adventure fans of all ages. Definitely a game that it would be nice to see at the bottom of your Christmas Stocking this year. Overall rating: 9/10.

Review: Spider-Man: Edge Of Time [3DS]

Everyone's favourite neighbourhood Spider-Man swings into action in his very first 3D outing this week in Spider-Man: Edge of Time.

What is immediately apparent is that this particular game has at least attempted to build on the success of the last Spider-Man game title, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, which saw Peter Parker's alter-ego split into four distinct personalities from four alternative universes.

Edge of Time has a similarly strong narrative plot, with Future Spider-Man uncovering a plot to assassinate the his past-self with a dose of anti-venom. Nevertheless, actions in one time zone have serious repercussions on the other, can our hero use this knowledge to his advantage?

Nevertheless, where the strong narrative in Spider-Man: Edge of Time could be seen to potentially form the backbone of the game's success, it is more often than not the reason that the game seems static in places.

For example, having two Spideys in the same place but in two different time zones means that players are often be expected to play through the same levels with only minor adjustments to allow for the past/future changes. This can get a little boring at times.

Of course, the main objective of this type of game is to 'get the bad guys as quickly as possible', but even in this task, the game only seems average at best. Enemies are reasonably easy to beat in most of the levels, except during the big Boss Battles, where one would expect things to get a little bit harder.

However, Spider-Man: Edge of Time soon becomes a game of two different extremes, as these aforementioned Boss Battles seem to take the combat to an almost 'impossible-to-beat' standard, with several Bosses having huge energy bars that hardly seem to drain, or weak-points that are difficult to locate. Although this is fun for the first few levels, it soon becomes frustrating.

Nevertheless, Edge of Time does have its good points too. Graphically and audibly speaking, the 3DS version of Spider-Man: Edge of Time is probably the closest representation of the home console version(s) of the game that players could ever wish for.

The game is fully voice-acted and the banter between the characters really does make the player feel part of the Spider-Man universe, which is then further enhanced by some incredibly slick 3D graphics, which are guaranteed to impress all who see them, and rounded off with some pretty solid camera angles.

There are also some really good timed events within the game too, these help to elevate some of the tediousness caused by some of the more static levels within the game. The dramatic tone of the music also helps to build the tension here too, helping to convinced even the most normally calm person that he/she is about to run out of time any second.

Furthermore, the so-called 'Web of Challenges' function has been carried over from Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, providing successful players with a new selection of bonus missions and challenges to undertake once the main campaign mode has been completed. This does help to enhance the game's replay value slightly.

Official Debut Trailer

In conclusion, the 3DS version of Spider-Man: Edge of Time is a good visual representation of the home console versions and has some limited interesting features. Nevertheless, the game features difficult bosses and repetitive gameplay, which is likely to bore most hardcore gamers within a matter of hours. Overall rating: 6/10.

Professor Layton VS. Phoenix Wright TGS 2011 Trailer Revealed...

A new trailer for the 3DS Puzzle/Adventure collaboration, known simply as Professor Layton VS. Phoenix Wright, has recently surfaced on the Internet following its unveiling at the Tokyo Game Show 2011.

The game is the result a collaboration between Level 5 inc and Capcom and features characters from both game franchises. However, it had previously been suggested that the game might actually be a fabrication - hopefully this trailer will dispel any notions that this game might be a myth!

Japanese Official Trailer shown at TGS 2011

Very little is known about the game's main storyline so far, but from what we have seen, it would seem to centre around Witchcraft, Castles and Medieval Knights.  Phoenix Wright must defend his client (the blonde woman in the dock) against accusations that she is a practising witch.

No European release has been announced yet, but the game is scheduled for release in Japan some time in 2012. The game itself will be the first time that either franchise has appeared in 3D. As a result, the graphics will juxtapose the familiar 2D images with 3D ones.

Professor Layton VS. Phoenix Wright looks like a very interesting title. Mini Gamers hopes that a European release date will be confirmed some time in the next few months.

Sony Announces 3D Headset

Sony has confirmed the existence of their first ever 3D headset, which is currently known only under its codename of HMZ-T1.

This futuristic-looking headset will allow users to view both 2D and autostereoscopic 3D  High-Definition images, which Sony claims will be equivalent to watching a 750-inch screen from a distance of around twenty feet, which is an amazingly large display for such a small device.

Furthermore, the headset will be equipped with 5.1 surround sound speakers, and the company has also suggested that the headset might well be intergrated with Augmented Reality software in the future, which will allow gamers to mix their gaming with the real world, making the headset a truly realistic and immersive experience.

There are also reports circulating around the gaming community which claim the headset has also been intergrated with motion-control technology, although we do not really know what form this will take at the present time.

The headset will be powered from a small HDMI device, which will be tethered to the headset via an HDMI cable.

Sony are of course using the Japanese gaming market as its consumer test base for the headset, which is currently said to cost around £500 RRP, (around $800). Sony will begin to trial the device on the 11th November 2011. There is no release date set for the European market however.

It sounds like something out of a Star Trek episode, but Sony's 3D headset has the potential to completely revolutionise the entertainment and gaming industries if it proves successful at launch. It also brings into question how other 3D gaming products such as Nintendo's 3DS console can hope to survive against large scale competition such as this?

3D gaming has been labelled as 'unpopular' amongst some developers of late, will the HMZ-T1 headset be the device which can put it back on track?

HAVE YOUR SAY...

What do you think about the HMZ-T1 headset?

Will you be purchasing an HMZ-T1 headset?

How do you think the HMZ-T1 headset will affect the future of the games industry?

If you wish to discuss this device with other blog readers, please leave us a comment in the box below this post. Mini Gamers would love to hear your thoughts.

Remember to check in with the Mini Gamers blogsite for more news on this device as it develops.

Super Mario 3DS Games Should Grace UK Stores By November 2011...

Yet more good news for Super Mario fans. Earlier this month, Mini Gamers reported that the first batch of 3DS Super Mario games had been given a December 2011 release date, including Mario Kart 7, which is now due for UK release on the 2nd of December 2011.

However, it seems as though Mario and co will actually be appearing on the 3DS a few weeks earlier than we originally anticipated.

The first Super Mario game has now been confirmed as Super Mario Land 3D, which  utilises a lot of the gameplay mechanics of the older Super Mario Land games, which were first developed for Nintendo's Game Boy console, but for the first time ever in a Super Mario Land game, the backgrounds and characters will appear in REAL autostereoscopic 3D, (as opposed to the chunky3D-looking characters of yesteryear,) adding a greater sense of depth and realism into the game.

New 3DS features for the game include use of the gyroscopic sensor, however, we are unsure exactly how this will be used in the game at present. Mario will also get an impressive Somersault attack move, and will be able to run even faster with the 'dash' button feature.

Both Super Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario Land 3D will also be joined on December 2nd 2011 by another 3DS game, this time starring Mario's brother in Luigi's Mansion 2 3D.

With all three games being released in time for the UK Christmas market, it looks like December 2011 is set to be a busy time for everyone's favourite Italian plumber!

There are still no confirmed UK release dates for the remaining two Mario 3DS games, Paper Mario and Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, but Mini Gamers is sure that they will be scheduled for release some time next year, giving Mario fans even more 3D gaming fun to look forward to.

Remember to check in with the Mini Gamers blogsite for more news updates on these games as they occur.

Nintendo's Ambassador's Programme Gets Started On 12th of August

Nintendo have recently announced details of their Ambassador Programme for the 3DS, which commences on the 12th of August 2011.

As well as an £80 price reduction in the price, in an attempt to entice new customers, Nintendo are also offering initial purchasers of the 3DS console the chance to download twenty NES and GBA games from the  Virtual Console section of the Nintendo eShop.

The twenty free games will include popular series such as Donkey Kong Jr., Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda, as well as games like Balloon Fight and Ice Climber.  Furthermore, these will be made available to existing 3DS users FOR FREE before the purchasable versions of these games are even in the eShop for new users to download, but will also stay free to registered users until later this year.

If you would like to get your hands on these games, all you have to do is to visit the Nintendo 3DS eShop just once on the 11th of August 2011, before 11.59pm (Central Eastern Time).

 3DS users who do this will automatically be entered into the Ambassador Programme and recieve the chance to download these twenty free games.

If you would like to know more about Nintendo's new Ambassador Programme, please CLICK HERE.

Game Of The Week: Let's Golf 3D [3DS eShop]

There is a new 3D game in the 3DS eShop, and it really is value for money.  Unlike the two previous 3D games which have so far graced the eShop, Let's Golf 3D is both a very modern and graphically stunning little game. It also features a good range of modes, locations and customisable features.

Let's Golf 3D is a full golf simulation game, which is a 3DS port of the Let's Golf series by third-party developers, Gameloft.

Players can take control of one of eight colourful unlockable characters and test out their skills on the golf course. More characters, costumes, locations and objects can be unlocked as you progress through the game.

There are 2 main game modes to try, Single Player and Two-Player. Single Player mode also boasts 4 different modes of play, which are as follows:

 Instant Play - allows gamers to jump straight into a game of golf in any one of the six locations on offer.

Career Mode - choose to play as one character in a variety of tournaments and try to win all of the medals on the course. Medals can be unlocked for different successes throughout the game such as your first Birdie, etc.

Challenge Mode - Try various challenges within specific time limits in order to unlock more characters and customisable options.

Free Hole Mode - Play diffent kinds of matches and a various number of holes until your heart is content.

The Two-Player Mode allows for a friend or family member to join in the fun. Simply choose a location and then pass the 3DS console between players.

It might be a downloadable port of a pre-existing game, but Let's Golf 3D really does include a lot of virtual fun. As well as choosing between the four different game modes, players can also choose between two different styles of play.

Stroke Play allows players to take part in golf tournaments. Players must complete each hole in the shortest possible number of strokes in order to stay at the top of the leaderboard and win the tournament.

Match Play allows players to face-off against another opponent.

Both styles of play will reward players with additional characters, experience points, or custom clothing and objects.

The 3D evironments are based on areas around the world. Each of the 3D environments also includes a number of animals, which players must try to avoid. For example, in England, you might find horses, foxes or rabbits running across the green, whilst, in Kenya, you might find monkeys or elephants interupting your game instead. This helps to add to the fun.

This game is very easy to pick up and play. If you are looking for an inexpensive 3D game, then you could do a lot worse than Let's Golf 3D. The game costs £5.50 and takes 1,523 blocks of data to download. Let's Golf 3D is available from the 3DS eShop now. Overall rating: 9/10.