Warner Bros Interactive have promised that as well as featuring a general co-op mode, their latest game Batman: The Brave and the Bold (based on the cartoon of the same name) will also feature a special Wii & DS connectivity mode, which means that DS users can choose to team-up with their Wii friends as the irrepressible 'Bat-Mite' (Batman's biggest fan) and help the caped crusader to defeat his foes.
The game has many playable iconic heroes and villains from the Batman universe including Robin, Green Lantern, Hawkman,and Blue Beetle, and will also feature cameo appearances from other DC superheroes such as Aquaman and The Flash.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold allows players to explore the dark alleys of Gotham City and even features interplanetary travel to strange alien planets and exclusive locations. Missions will include fighting foes such as Poison Ivy and Catwoman or solving puzzles and mysteries.
The game is still in production, so very little is known about its gameplay content at present, but it is destined to become a family favourite. The game is set to debut in the UK in September 2010.
Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker is the fifth game in the Metal Gear Solid series.The game has been produced by the same team that created Metal Gear 4 and is set to be one of the best stealth titles on the PSP to date.
The main storyline is set in 1974 - four years after the events in the Portable Ops game. Snake, (AKA Big Boss) must travel to Costa Rica where a rogue CIA unit have taken over the country and have bought with them their last nuclear warhead nicknamed "Peace Walker", which the well-armed rogue soldiers intend to use as a means of deterring any resistance. It is up to Big Boss and his Militaires Sans Frontières guerrilla group to save the day once again. They must use their all stealth tactics to dispatch the enemies and rescue the local inhabitants.
The aim of the game is to complete all missions without getting caught or killed.This PSP-exclusive title features all of the excitement of the other four games. Like the other games in the series, Peace Walker utilises third-person gameplay. Fans of the series can choose to hit the enemy with tranquiliser darts or bullets and even flip or choke enemy soldiers in close combat. Big Boss can also crouch down, which makes stealth attacks much easier.
The previous games in the Metal Gear Solid series have been somewhat criticised for having complicated and lengthy cutscenes or unclear plots, however both of these flaws have been addressed in this game with shorter, more focused gameplay making for a more enjoyable title.
For those of you who prefer to game with friends, Peace Walker features optional co-op play on every single mission throughout the game, and also features a multiplayer mode for up to five persons. Play team death matches or practice capture and defence tactics in a Capture The Flag type game.
Peace Walker is a great stealth title and fans of Metal Gear Solid 1-4 are bound to be impressed with the latest game. If creeping through jungles searching for enemy soldiers is your idea of a good time, then this is the game for you. Overall rating: 9/10
Lego Harry Potter has arrived! This game allows players to act as the boy-wizard himself, and features many impressive elements from the first four books and films in the Harry Potter series. The game has gained much hype during its production, but the final product is a masterpiece and is definitely another smash for TT Games, who produce the Lego Games series. Please note, that the following is a review of the DS version of Lego Harry Potter only, as the PSP version has not been released yet, although we are sure that it will be just as spectacular.
Players start the game in The Room Of Requirement and move from there into the main story modes. There are many magical skills to learn, including Levitation, Transfiguration (changing one object into another) and Potions. All interactions and spell-casting is controlled by the stylus.
Furthermore, there are 140 different playable characters to choose from. These include Harry's two best pals, Ron and Hermione, as well as a few quirkier characters like Hagrid's faithful Neapolitan Mastiff, Fang. Each character has its own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to magic and broom-flying etc, which helps to keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.
The most impressive element in Lego Harry Potter is the Game Map. Almost every iconic location from the Harry Potter universe has been included here - shop for wands in Diagon Alley, drink Butter Beers in The Three Broomsticks, meet Centaurs, Spiders and Giants in The Forbidden Forest, and explore Hogwarts until your heart is content. Furthermore, all of the locations are presented in the 3D Lego-style that fans of the series have come to expect.
One of the major pitfalls of other Harry Potter games to date has been how to get players to navigate around such a magnificant universe without getting lost or bored. Lego Harry Potter has simplified this very adequetely, by adding a marker on your locations map, which tells you where to go next. This will also help younger gamers to navigate more easily.
As well as the traditional Story Mode, Lego Harry Potter features some interesting side missions for players to undertake if they wish to do so. Most of which, include some form of puzzle-solving and can often lead players into the more complex and secretive areas of Hogwarts. Of course, there are also the usual Lego Studs to collect along the way. Moreover, the game also features a co-op mode, so you can play alongside your friends and help to defeat the evil Lord Voldermort.
In conclusion, this is a brilliant game that is likely to interest gamers of any age. The main stories are interspersed with hillarious cutscenes and will keep the whole family entertained. This is definitely one game everybody should own. Overall rating: 10/10.
The release date for the PSP version of "Lego Harry Potter" has been delayed. For PlayStation Portable fans of the Lego Games series this news has obviously come as a huge disappointment, as many people have already pre-ordered the game and expected to receive it in the post this Friday.The delay will not affect any other formats, including the Nintendo DS, so those gamers can still look forward to receiving their game at the expected time.
No reason has been given for the delay as yet. Nevertheless, it should not be too long a wait for PSP users, as the game is going be released two weeks later - 7th July 2010, and it has to be said that Lego Harry Potter looks set to be another gaming smash for the developers, TT Games. Hopefully, it will be worth the extra wait...
"Nothing between you and the experience."[Nintendo 3DS Slogan]
Nintendo's President and CEO, Satoru Iwata demonstrated the lastest console to join the DS family during the Nintendo Press Conference at E3 yesterday. This revolutionary console allows players to play a selection of DS titles in 3D without the need for spectacles or other 3D devices. This is what the first image of the 3DS actually looks like:
As you can see, The console looks like any other DS system, although it does feature an analog stick above the D-pad on the left-hand side. It has a 3.5-inch widescreen LCD display, and There is a 3D depth slider control on the side of the system, allowing players to choose exactly how much of the 3D effect they want. There's also a gyro and motion sensors in the system, and the analog stick is actually a slide pad. There are two camera lenses on the outside of the system, so users can take pictures and view them in 3D.
Furthermore, In an attempt to reduce smudges caused by the Stylus on the new 3D system, (which Nintendo has admitted would reduce the quality of any 3D effects,) only the bottom screen of the console will feature Nintendo's usual touch-screen technology, whilst the top screen will be specifically for 3D. The system is also capable of displaying 3D Hollywood movies, but they aren't announcing any specific details at the moment.
Iwata also discussed Nintendo's reasons for wanting to produce a console with full 3D capabilities. He said: "When 3D effects are added to gaming, there's a better sense of height, width, and depth in gaming worlds, so it's easier to navigate them."
As for the wireless capabilities of the 3DS, it is good news. Unlike the older forms of DS console, The 3DS can automatically detect Wi-Fi access points and other 3DS systems, and can therefore communicate with them more easily.
Iwata also discussed the types of DS and DSi titles that gamers could expect to appear on the new system. Amongst those mentioned were: DJ Hero, Kingdom Hearts, Resident Evil, Batman, Assassin's Creed, Professor Layton, Ridge Racer, and Metal Gear Solid. There was also some indication that a new sequel to the Nintendogs game, called Nintendogsand Cats may also receive the 3D treatment in the future.
However, it will still be a long wait before gamers can actually take one of these consoles home. The 3DS is due to be released to the public in March 2011, but if the final product is as good as it promises to be, then it is sure to be worth the wait...
Sony's Computer Entertainment America CEO, Jack Tretton had some exciting news for PSP fans at E3 yesterday. He promises that Sony will release more than 70 new titles for the handheld console by the end of 2010.
SONY CEO JACK TRETTON
Amongst the most popular games revealed yesterday, were God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Resident Evil, Kingdom Hearts, The 3rd Birthday, Valkyria II, and Patapon 3. Tretton also revealed that the PS3 virtual pet EyePet would also be making its debut on the PSP at some point this year.
EyePet allows gamers to raise a cute little virtual pet on their console and was very successful on the PS3 last year. The PSP version is thought to utilise the PSP's GO!Cam, an attachable camera that has previously been used the Invizamals game. The PSP version will also allow gamers to create their own toys for their EyePet. Details about the gameplay are very sketchy at the moment, but the trailer looks promising:
Although the majority of the Sony Conference focused on the PS3, it is good to know that Sony has not forgotten about the fans of its handheld. The PSP has been accused of dwindling sales over the past few months, but the addition of so many new titles is bound to gain the PSP all the attention it deserves.
For those of you who don't already know, E3, (Electronic Entertainment Expo,) is one of the largest annual gaming tradeshows in the world, where the next generation of games and gaming hardware is revealed to the top dogs of the gaming industry, and the 2010 line-up is already proving to be very interesting indeed.
Announcements for the DS are expected to include a reveal of Nintendo's plan for a 3D console
Meanwhile,several rumours are also circulating that Sony's PSP announcements will include plans for a new PSP console called The PSP 2, although I must stress that this is purely conjecture at this stage.
So far, there has been no clear winner at E3 2010, but handheld gamers are sure to hope that either Sony or Nintendo walk away with the best overall line-up this year. Check back with 'Mini Gamers' over the next few days to see exactly what Nintendo and Sony have to offer fans of their handheld consoles...
Rooms: The Main Building is an innovative new title for the DS. Players must help the central character known as 'Mr. X' escape from a mysterious building by completing a set of sliding puzzles. The game, which boasts over 100 levels, was developed by Natsume Inc, a Japanese video games production company whose other well-known titles include the Harvest Moon series.
As the plot goes, poor Mr. X receives a strange gift on his birthday. When he opens the gift he finds himself transported into the world of Rooms. Mr. X can only go home when all of the sliding puzzles have been completed and the mystery of the strange building has finally been solved...
As well as sliding puzzles, the game features some clever twists to keep players entertained. These include keys, telephones, ladders, magic cupboards and much more, which the player must utilise in order to solve the game. Furthermore, Rooms also features a 'level editor' mode, so that players can create and play their own sliding puzzles.
This game looks very interesting on the surface. However, it has one overriding flaw - unlike other sliding puzzles, which allow the player to slide the titles in any direction they choose, Rooms only allows players to move a tile if 'Mr. X' is standing in the square at the time. This soon leads to frustration when trying to solve the puzzle, and turns the art of sliding puzzles into a monotonous chore.
It is a shame that Natsume Inc chose to include such an annoying mechanism in this title, as the actual idea behind the game is so inspired and unique. It is not so much that this is a bad game, it actually has a lot of potential, but be prepared to spend a lot of time scratching your head in frustration when the tiles do not move as you want them to. Overall rating: 4/10
The World Cup is only one week away, and as with other popular sporting events, there is usually a Gaming title to accompany it. The EA Sports game
'2010 FIFA World Cup: South Africa' on the PSP is no different.
In this game, football fans get to experience all the buzz and festivity of the actual world cup. Players can choose from any one of the 199 teams featured and take them from qualification to a good virtual reproduction of the World Cup final. All of the 10 official stadiums have been reproduced as well.
Every part of this game has been engineered to give fans an authentic experience of this year's World Cup. Thus, players will be treated to highly realistic scenes of confetti, waving flags, stramers and cannons - all designed to reproduce the excitement and anticipation of the actual game.
The PSP version of this game also features some welcome new changes to the other titles in this series. For the first time on PSP, Players can now create a virtual avatar of themselves, wear the shirt of their favourite team and lead them to World Cup glory.
Furthermore, the analogue stick can now be utilised in an all-new shooting mechanic, which gives players total control over the ball, leading to more precise shots. Players must strike the ball with the finesse needed to curve it around the wall and past the keeper for the winning goal.
Players can also earn power boosts during the game: Dominate opponents, build momentum and propel your chosen squad to victory. Players can also choose how to boost their team, and which aspects they wish to boost - offense, defense, the entire squad or just your goalkeeper.
The overall presentation of this game is excellent. The virtual players now look even more like their real-life counterparts. Moreover,the unique camera angles helps players to focus in on all the exciting moments of gameplay without losing the clarity of the graphics.
In addition, a new 'Two button' control system for inexperienced gamers and a new penalty system (whereby gamers can practise their shot before actually taking it) also help to bring a new level of accessibility to the game.
EA Sports has clearly tried hard to give fans an authentic World Cup experience with this title. If you have ever dreamt of leading your country to footballing glory then this is definitely the game for you. Overall rating: 9/10.
It could be argued that handheld gaming is undergoing a bit of a 'drought' recently, but don't worry, here are five things that handheld gamers should put in their diaries:
Yes, the boy-wizard is scheduled to be practising his potions on our handhelds sometime next month, and reports of the new Lego game are certainly promising. As expected, players will be able to control several aspects of Harry's daily life, including his lessons and his first four battles with Voldermort as well as exploring a very detailed Lego version of Hogwarts. All of this will be presented in the bright, humorous style that fans of the series have come to expect.
No doubt this will be a popular game for players of all ages. Not long to wait now!
The sequel to the ever-popular DS game is back, and this time, Maxwell's world is even more interactive than ever! As well as new challenges and puzzles to explore, the game's dictionary has now been modified to include multiple adjectives so Maxwell can now choose to have 'Rainbow Wings' or 'Robotic Roller skates' for example.
Furthermore, it is clear that Warner has been listening to fans of the original 'Scribblenauts', as Maxwell can now be controlled by the D-pad controls and not just via the stylus - thank goodness for that!
'Super Scribblenauts' is due to be released some time in September this year, and you can rely on 'Mini Gamers' to bring you the review.
The third incarnation of the best-selling PC Game of all time is finally coming to consoles some time in September 2010, and the DS version promises to be a real treat. For the first time, 'The Sims 3' offers handheld gamers the chance to play a game which is closer to its PC counterpart.
Players will be able to control multiple characters as part of a family and will be allowed to give them unique personality traits and decorate their homes in whatever style they wish. Furthermore, as a console exclusive, players unlock all-new Karma Powers. Wield the ultimate control over your Sims giving them wealth, beauty, and love - or take it all away with the click of a button.
It certainly sounds exciting! Hopefully this will be one game that actually manages to live up to the hype! Expect a full review when the game is finally released to the public.
Yes, you read that correctly, the team behind the 'Everybody's Golf' games are due to release this sporting title onto the PSP in early July 2010. Now players can get to experience the game of tennis as never seen before.
'Everybody's Tennis' works on the same principle as its predecessor - to make the game of tennis accessible to people of all ages and abilities, so expect bright, colourful graphics and quirky characters.
As with 'Everybody's Golf', characters can be customised using items that are unlocked throughout the game. The overall gameplay is said to be easy for novices to interact with, but the games developers are promising an advanced shot system for more confident gamers. This is definitely a game which should be on every sports-gamer's wishlist.
Nintendo have announced plans to create a fully-3D DS console, without the need for wearing those ridiculous spectacles! Furthermore, Nintendo has promised that the new console will be backwards-compatible with older forms of the DS and DSi consoles.
It is difficult to see how this might work, but the 3D DS is set to be unveiled at this year's E3 convention in Los Angeles next month. If you can't wait, the Nintendo DSi already possesses a DSiware title which utilises 3D technology:
This kind of technology in a game console is a handheld gamer's dream! However, there may be a long wait before the console is actually released to the public. Watch this space...
It has a quirky title, and even quirkier gameplay, but 'ModNation Racers' on the PSP definitely deserves the top spot on this week's gaming charts. This game is a sort of cross between 'My Sims Racing' and 'Little Big Planet'.
The aim of the game is to beat competitors in different racing competitions to unlock customisable items. The game has two main racing modes: Single Player Race and MRC (ModNation Racing Championships) Career Mode.
In Career Mode, you play as a young newcomer to the racing circuit called Tag. Your goal here is to complete a set of challenges whilst racing. The higher you place in each race, the more customisable items you unlock.
As well as racing around the track at high speed, you can choose to slow down your competitors by using a variety of weapons that can be collected from little bubbles that lay across the track at certain points. The weapons include: Smoke Bombs, Electric Pulses and Fire Bolts amongst other things. Points are awarded for how many competitors you manage to hit with your weapons and from how far away you manage to get a direct hit. This adds an extra competitive edge to the game and increases the fun.
Another racing element in this game is the 'Boost' button. The Boost meter has to be filled up before players can use the boost. The way to do this is to perform daredevil stunts on ramps throughout the race, or by 'Side Stomping' (overtaking your competitors by force). Once the boost meter has been filled, it is very effective in helping you to beat your fellow racers.
In the Single Player Race, you can choose from a group of Mods, vehicles and racing tracks to showcase your driving skills on. Here you can also choose the speed of the race, how many laps you wish to try and how many AI competitors you wish to compete against. The Single Player Race mode is also a chance for players to use their own custom designed Mods, Vehicles and Tracks.
That brings us neatly to the best feature of 'ModNation Racers': Everything is customisable, from your own Mod character to the track on which you race and the vehicle you choose to drive. Furthermore, the unlockable items can be recoloured to your specifications using 128 different colours! Moreover, some of your Mods facial features such as eyes and ears can be customised separately, so if you want to create a Mod with one large scary eye and one small eye, that is now possible.
Most of the content is locked at the beginning of the game, so it might be an idea to play the career mode first and unlock a few of the better items, but customising your game is easy and can be completed in a few simple steps. Players can also choose to display their creations on the Web and can download other players' creations as well.
The game utilises the PSP's directional controls and button pad as well as the left and right buttons, but this can sometimes prove a little tricky when racing against a large number of competitors.
Having said that, the game has two control layouts, (A and B,) to adapt the game for either PSP or PSP Go users, but which can be manually selected for either handheld. These layouts switch the acelerator controls from the R button to the X button and vice versa. If you are having trouble using your boost button in the first layout, try switching to layout B and see if this improves things.
Overall, this is a fantastic racing game for the whole family to enjoy. If you liked the customisation tools in 'Little Big Planet', or if you are a big fan of other racing franchises, then this is a game you would be interested in. A real winner! Overall Rating: 10/10.
When I first saw this game advertised, I was not really sure whether I would like it or not. However, I decided to take a chance and order it anyway. I'm really glad that I did.
'Hasbro Family Game Night' allows gamers to play four of Hasbro's best-selling games on their DS. The games included on this volume includes: 'Battleships', 'Bop It', 'Connect 4' and 'Operation'.
Players can pit their skills against a variety of computerised opponents or challenge their friends and family in wireless mode. There are different backgrounds and awards that can be unlocked throughout the game. Mr. Potato Head acts as host for each of the games that you play and also decides which player goes first in each game.
Each of the four games has a 'classic mode' and a special game mode that gives players the chance to play a unique version of the game. For example, in 'Battleships', players can choose to use enhanced weapons against their opponent, including grenades, torpedoes, rocket launchers, etc.
Essentially this DS title is just a compilation of mini-games, of course, but each game is presented in a aesthetically-pleasing 3D-style and the award system makes it a fun game to replay over and over again. 0verall 'Mini Gamer' rating: 8/10.
'The Sims 3' is coming to consoles in autumn of 2010. That's great news, of course, but dispite releases being confirmed for Wii, X-Box, PS3 and DS, no release has yet been planned on PSP. One possible reason for this could be the PSP's supposed poor sales in the UK and Europe, although this is only speculation.
However, it does seem strange that EA has decided not to opt for a PSP release this time around especially as 'The Sims 2' PSP games ('Pets' and 'Castaway') were very popular. Also, the PSP version of 'The Sims 2' was the first handheld version to offer gamers a realistic handheld experience of the original PC game and its expansion packs. Thus it seems odd that EA would deliberately choose not to release 'The Sims 3' on the PSP.
Moreover, there is another point to be made in relation to this issue. Should games developers be allowed to restrict popular games to only a few consoles, or should games that are likely to have a wide appeal be produced for all formats? What do you think?
