Sony fans were delighted to discover that all of the classic PSP and PSOne titles were available for download on their PS Vita consoles on Tuesday the 22nd April 2014. These screens from PS Vita users on the NeoGAFforum show some of the games available:
However, it now appears as though the downloads may have been made available in error as they have all since been removed. According to theVG247.comwebsite, it appears as though the games may have been added in error as Sony has now withdrawn all the classic titles. However, the website also claimed that: "some of the titles still work following their removal." [Sourced from: http://www.vg247.com/2014/04/24/sony-removes-recently-added-psone-psp-classic-games-from-vita-store/]
There has been no official explanation from Sony as to why the titles were available for download in the first place, but the most plausible explanation is that there was an error during one of Sony's many software emulation tests, which made the games available briefly, but this has yet to be confirmed.
HAVE YOUR SAY...
Were you lucky enough to get one of the classic games before Sony removed them from the PSN store? If so, why not leave us a comment in the comments box at the end of this post (or by clicking on the 'comments' link under this post in the Home page), and let us know. Mini Gamers is interested to know your thoughts and opinions on this issue.
Join Mario as he competes in his very own golfing world tour! Choose to play as one of several characters from the Mario universe, including Princess Peach, Yoshi, Bowser, Luigi and many more. There are thirteen standard characters and a further four characters will be unlocked throughout the game.
The game starts with an interesting tutorial, which teaches the player all about how to correctly power their shot, alter camera angles and switch between auto shot and manual swing, which all becomes very useful as you progress through the game.
There are also several different courses to choose from including:
The Forest Course
The Seaside Course
Yoshi Lake
Cheep-Cheep Lagoon
Bowser's Castle
DK Island
Wiggler Park
All the courses come with their own colourful environment and different challenges to overcome. For example, Yoshi Lake golf course contains many pools of water, which are difficult to avoid, making it a more difficult course than The Forest Course, which is one of the more realistic type of golf courses in the game.
As with normal golf, the main objective is to get the golf ball onto the Green in the minimum amount of shots. Mario Golf: World Tour allows players to choose whether they play the course using manual swing, or auto shot. Having the auto shot function is great for beginners as it means that the impact timing is preset for them so they only have to work on setting enough power for their shot. Here at Mini Gamers,we found the auto shot to be preferable on some of the more awkward terrains.
Players also have a limited number of Power Shots. Power shots are very useful for when players wish to make the ball travel over long distances. The exact number of power shots available per course will increase over time.
Coins will also be awarded at the end of each game. The higher the player's overall performance, the higher the rewards they will reap. Coins can be used later to purchase upgraded balls, clubs and clothing.
As well as playing a round of golf, more experienced players can attempt several golfing challenges. For example, in the Ring Shot challenge, players must aim to hit the ball through a series of metal rings littered about on the golf course. In order to succeed, the player must hit the ball through every ring without fail. A successful challenge will result in unlockable bonuses and/or coins.
In conclusion, Mario Golf: World Tour is a fun game that will excite Mario fans of all ages. The game is quite similar to other golfing games on the market in terms of its overall format, but the colourful graphics, wacky character animations and inventive challenges make it very appealing to avid sports gamers as well.
The game comes out on the 2nd of May 2014. If you are still unsure whether the game would actually appeal to you, then the demo version is available to try now from the Nintendo 3DS eShop. Overall Mini Gamers rating: 8/10.
Sony has announced that it will be selling all of its shares in the video game developer,Square Enix, who are best known for creating some of the classic RPG adventure series' such as Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts and Dragon Age.
The shares will reportedly net Sony an approximate £891,525 million by the end of the fiscal year. This is the latest move by Sony to 'slim down' some of its financial burdens, which has resulted in the company reducing operating costs by closing a number of its retail stores, selling off buildings, cutting ties with some of its less profitable game studios, and reducing its workforce.The company is also reported to be selling its PC business and spinning off its struggling TV division.
These recent changes may seem a little troubling, especially as Sony has not given any particular reason as to why it has suddenly decided to sell its Square Enix shares. Nevertheless, video games is a rapidly changing and fast-paced industry and perhaps Sony is merely trying to claw back some profit from its less successful business assets. No one really knows for sure.
Nevertheless, Sony's latest home console, the PS4 has soared to the top of the home console charts, outselling Xbox One by 7 million units to 5 million units worldwide, which suggests that Sony's popularity is far from dwindling.
Following the surprise announcement from Nintendo Direct, that another Japanese import, Tomodachi Life would receive its European release on the 6th of June 2014, we have been wondering exactly what this quirky game would entail. This is what Mini Gamers has managed to find out so far:
Like Animal Crossing, this game is played in real-time, making it very realistic in some ways.
Unlike other life simulation games to date, you do not directly interact with the in-game world as a playable character. You can put your own Mii into the game, but this Mii will function separately from you as the player. Instead, a players role is more like an external figure. It is your job to watch over the island residents, help them make some pretty life-changing decisions like how to tell their sweetheart that they want to marry them, etc., Take care of basic needs such as getting residents to take a bath or have some food, change their clothes etc, and much, much more!
Miis will sometimes ask you directly to play a selection of mini-games with them.
It is possible to create Miis of real-life celebrity figures by taking a photo of their face (from a poster, the TV or a magazine) and converting it with the 3DS Mii-Maker.
Miis can get married. Married Miis are eligible to move into some exclusive apartments on Chin Island. Married Miis can also have a number of children each. The Japanese reports of the game have listed this number as limited to only three children per couple, but this has yet to be confimed. There have even been some rumours of some baby-related mini-games,
The Island can hold up to a maximum of 100 Mii residents. This includes all children born to married Miis on the Island.
Children born in the game are given the choice of moving into their own apartments once they are fully grown, or they can be sent on a special trip via the 3DS' Streetpass function, where they can visit Tomodachi Islands on other 3DS systems. Any children sent on a trip will send postcards to their parents and will periodically return to visit them at various times.
Players can alter the words that the Miis in Tamodachi Life speak to each other, suggest ways of responding to situations and even rewrite the words to the song lyrics that each Mii sings.
Players can enter the dreams of any Mii on Chin Island - there truly are some weird ones too!
The screenshots and the Nintendo Direct trailer also showed cats and dogs, so it would seem as though pets will also be available in the game, but this has yet to be confirmed.
The game will not feature a multiplayer online mode. Tomodachi Life plays very much like a single player game. Nevertheless, the game will come with social media integration possibilities, so you can take pictures of your Mii and upload it to Facebook to share with friends etc.
It would seem as though there is a lot to do and discover in this game. The subtitled Japanese trailer does seem to show the various marriage and child-rearing elements of the game in much more detail:
Tomodachi Life seems a little hard to define at the moment, but it contains so many varied elements that its humour and quirky style is bound to make it very popular amongst the gaming community. The 6th of June 2014 cannot come soon enough!
Nintendo has today revealed an exciting new Life Simulation game, Tomadachi Life (Tomodachi is the Japanese word for 'friend'), which will be releasedfor the Nintendo 3DS on the 6th June 2014. The game allows players to create Miis of almost anyone they can think of and bring them to life in their own virtual world.
The game takes place on Chin island, a special place inhabited by variousMiis, which the player can import from their 3DS Mii Maker or via the 3DS QR code reader. Miis can also be created by using the 3DS camera or the in-game creation tools.
Once created, these little avatars can be given their own voice and then players can set about creating a unique personality based on some slider inputs. The game is open-ended and almost anything can happen as new Miis interact together to form their own virtual communities.
Miis can perform various actions, such as eating, trying on different outfits and doing many leisurely activities such as going to the beach or dining at a restaurant, etc. As more Miis are introduced into the game, different interactions will become available and new events will occur. Miis can develop new skills and experience social developments such as friendship, romance, and rivalry, as well as take part in some bizarre musical numbers.
If you are curious about how all these elements work together, then the latest Nintendo Direct broadcast seeks to answer your questions:
Tomodachi Life cleverly blends together many core elements from other Life Simulation games. If you have enjoyed games such as The Sims 3, Enchanted Folk or Animal Crossing, then this may be the perfect addition to your collection. Mini Gamers looks forward to bringing you further news about the game as it develops.
PS Vita Pets, the first true pet simulation to emerge on Sony's handheld system, has today been given a proposed release date of the 4th of June 2014. The game, which merges together elements of the virtual pet simulation genre with some action-adventure elements thrown in as well, has a very family-orientated feel to it.
There has been some dispute among the gaming community of late as to whether the game's title of 'pets' is misleading, as it tends to suggest that there will be various domesticated animals on offer when in fact the game actually only features dogs.
However, Kevin Oxland, Creative Director forSpiral House, today explained that the high quality realistic animations and the task of making these dogs actually talk to the player has meant that the overall concept of 'pets' had to be kept simple, which is why only dogs have been included in this game. He said: "We could only include dogs. The fidelity of the dogs, the quality in the animation, the adventure and all the dialogue, which we translated and recorded in many different languages, require a lot of resources and time to get right and the team worked hard to bring you a quality experience..." [sourced from: http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2014/04/02/playstation-vita-pets-release-date-new-gameplay-details/]
Of course Spiral House are no stranger to pet simulation games as they were also responsible for bringing the PS3's loveableEyePet to Sony's original portable handheld, thePSP. However, it will be some time before we can see whether Playstation Vita Pets can equal Eyepet's success in the casual gaming market.
Some new screenshots for the game have also been released, along with the main box art image (shown above). The screenshots appear to show some of the adventure parts of the game. More information has also been provided about the virtual dogs' ability to talk in human speech with the players. According to Kevin Oxland, the game will feature "a huge script of dialogue for each of the dogs. In total we have around 10,000 lines of spoken dialogue in the game." [sourced from: http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2014/04/02/playstation-vita-pets-release-date-new-gameplay-details/]
More detailed descriptions of exactly how the dogs will be essential in helping the player to unlock the secrets of the island's buried treasure, has also been revealed. It seems that the player's chosen puppy will help by sniffing out clues, digging in unexpected places and crawling through areas of the game map that players could not otherwise be expected to access.
Some gamers have already criticised the game, accusing Sony of trying to copy Nintendo's success with theNintendogs series. Nevertheless, PlayStation Pets has tried very hard to separate itself from other virtual pet games on the current market, and whilst cute pet simulation games will not appeal to everybody, this game is very innovative and helps to widen the appeal of the PS Vita by offering casual gamers and younger gamers an adventure title with a difference. This is definitely one to watch!
Nintendo has announced through their official Japanese website that after nearly an entire decade of offering unique downloadable content for various Nintendo games, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, will be coming to an end. This means the end of online functionality for over sixty Wii and Nintendo DS titles.
The service is expected to end on the 20th May 2014, and includes online applications such as: online play, matchmaking and leaderboards for many Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi games such as Animal Crossing: Wild World, 100 Classic Books, Mario Kart DS, and Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass to name but a few. A full list of the affected titles for both Wii and DS can be found here.
Nintendo have stressed that not all online services will be affected and that applications such as The Wii's Internet Channel, Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, Nintendo DS Browser, Nintendo DSi Browser, Nintendo DSi Shop and YouTube will be completely unchanged.
There was further bad news for fans of the Nintendo Video Service on the 3DS. The application which allows users to watch and download free 3D film trailers, animated shorts, SKY 3D trailers and various 3D videos will also cease its services on the 31st March 2014. Purchased and downloaded 3D videos from the Nintendo eShop will be unaffected by the cessation of this service.
No reason has so far been given for why these services have been discontinued, but we can all hope that these changes may hail the arrival of some newer and more exciting services from Nintendo in the near future. Fingers crossed!
It's finally here! The latest installment of Dr. Kawashima's hugely successfulBrain Training franchise is set to arrive on the 3DS in the UK for the very first time. Dr. Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused? was first announced back in 2012, but despite several rumours that the game would be scheduled for European release on the 8th March 2013, it failed to appear - until now.
The game, (which is also known as Dr. Kawashima'sConcentration Training outside of Europe,) offers another difficult set of mental agility challenges for players to complete, but whereas previous titles in this series have tended to focus more broadly on logic, mathematics comprehension, perception and long-term memory recall, each of the exercises in Dr. Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused? have something to do with concentration and training the player's working (short-term) memory to stay focused whilst facing various distractions.
So, what exactly has the game got to offer fans of the series? Well, Dr. Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused? offers a total of thirty daily exercises and minigames, including eighteen exercises which have never appeared in the previous Brain Training games. Furthermore, many of the featured core exercises can be uniquely tailored for brain training enthusiasts of all abilities.
For example, Devilish Calculations challenges players to recall the answer to a previous mathematical problem while paying attention to the next one in line. The questions come thick and fast and it will take all of a player's concentration skills to successfully remember all of the required information without making any mistakes.
Meanwhile, Devilish Mice, challenges players to simultaneously track the path of some mice while they are being chased by cats. It sounds simple but it's a lot harder than it might first appear.
However, this is where the game usefully adapts itself to the player's performance and understanding. If players struggle during the exercise and seem to perform badly, then the game dynamically adjusts the difficulty based on the player's real-time results. By offering a difficult challenge from the start and shifting the difficulty to match the player's individual performance, Dr. Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused? constantly pushes players to attain new high scores, helping them to stay alert, engaged and to use their short-term memory to its fullest.
As well as putting themselves to the test with the daily challenges on offer,players can also build up their concentration skills via the Training Supplements mode, which seeks to further train the brain using other exercises from those that are completed during the daily challenges. Players who are feeling confident in their short-term memory capabilities may also wish to complete the difficult Concentration Challenge
Furthermore, Dr. Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused? has now made it even easier for players to compete against friends and family by using multiple save slots to keep different profiles on a single Game Cartridge.
Like many other 3DS games, Dr. Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused? will now use the 3DS' StreetPass to trade data with other users of the game and allows players the chance to compete against one another to attain the best brain training challenge scores.
The actual UK release date for the game is yet to be confirmed, but with more screenshots and a newly-designed European boxshot cover design slowly emerging on the Internet, it would seem that Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training days are far from over.
The following video presentation from Nintendo Direct (originally filmed in December 2012)helps to give an idea of the gameplay and challenges that players can expect to see during the game. If you are having trouble viewing the video on your device, please CLICK HERE.
As with the previous games in the series, Dr. Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused? has a nice 'adult' feel to it, whilst still remaining entertaining and accessible enough to appeal to slightly younger gamers as well, making it a very good family game.
If you enjoyed the previous Brain Training games but are looking for a new challenge, or if you just feel that your short-term memory could do with a work-out, then this is definitely the perfect game for you. Overall rating: 9/10.
Keep checking in with the Mini Gamers blogsite for more release date and gameplay information on this game as it arrives!
Jack Tretton has formally announced his decision to step down from his position as the President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America [SCEA] after almost twenty years with the company.
This decision has reportedly been a "result of a mutual agreement between Mr. Tretton and SCEA not to renew their contractual relationship", according to the official Sony press release. [sourced from: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jack-tretton-to-step-down-as-president-and-ceo-of-sony-computer-entertainment-america-248876781.html]
Jack Tretton first began working at the SCEA during its inception in in 1995 and has been personally overseen the development of every single PlayStation gaming console to date, including the PS Vita handheld.
He has become a familiar face to many PlayStation fans, who have witnessed him giving several presentations at big gaming events like E3 over the years. During these presentations, Tretton never failed to show how proud he was of the SCEA and how grateful he was to its many fans for their continued support in the growth of the PlayStation brand.
Today, Jack Tretton echoed those sentiments in the following statement: "Serving PlayStation fans for the past 19 years has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my career. Your passion for gaming inspired me every day. I want to thank you for constantly pushing PlayStation to deliver breakthrough gaming and entertainment experiences, and to never settle for “good enough.” The embodiment of this commitment can be found in the PS4, which has quickly become the #1 next-gen console worldwide...thanks to you. We’ve shared many memories over the past two decades and I’ll always be grateful for your support." [sourced from: http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/03/06/a-message-from-jack-tretton/]
Tretton has also been noted as helping to lead the company to several important company milestones, including surpassing fifty million units sold with the PlayStation 2 in North America, and aggressively growing the PlayStation business in Canada and Latin America
Most recently, Tretton led the record-breaking launch of the PS4, which sold more than one million units in 24 hours in North America and is now considered to be the number one next generation gaming console in North America and worldwide.
Thus, it seems like an odd time from the CEO to step down from his position. Nevertheless, it seems as though Jack Tretton wishes to leave the company on a high note. In a message posted to the Playstation blog earlier today, Tretton announced: "I leave knowing that the PlayStation brand has never been stronger, PlayStation 4 momentum continues to accelerate, and the future will only get brighter for our gamers" [sourced from: http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/03/06/a-message-from-jack-tretton/]
Jack Tretton will officially step down at the end of March 2014. The current Vice-President of SCEA, Shawn Layden, is set to take over from Tretton on the first of April this year.
Layden announced that he is very excited to be given the opportunity to lead the Playstation brand into the next generation. He said: "It's an honor and privilege to join Sony Computer Entertainment America and be a part of the team that is leading the next generation of gaming and entertainment. SCEA is committed to delivering breakthrough gaming experiences that inspire fans and exceed their wildest expectations. As PS4 shows us every day, there has never been a better time to be part of the PlayStation community and I look forward to working with our retail, development, publishing and network partners to further demonstrate why PlayStation is the best place to play." [sourced from: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jack-tretton-to-step-down-as-president-and-ceo-of-sony-computer-entertainment-america-248876781.html]
It remains uncertain how the departure of such an influential figure such as Jack Tretton will ultimately effect the PlayStation brand, but Shawn Layden, (a fifteen year veteran with the Sony Computer Entertainment corporation himself,) certainly has some very big shoes to fill if he is to succeed in his mission to continue the success that the SCEA has seen under his predecessor.
Forma.8 is a new action-adventure game from Italian indie game developers, Mixedbag. The plot for this game is a fairly simple one.
The game is set in the future, where a small space probe known as Forma.8 has been abandoned on a small alien planet with one important mission - find and recover a powerful energy source deep under the surface before it’s too late to save humanity.
However, things are not as simple as they first appear, and Forma.8 will have to face many battles (and boss battles) with some unforeseen hostile enemies before it can finally complete its mission. Nevertheless, this game is very innovative in that it is up to the players of the game to decide how and where the game unfolds next.
Forma.8 starts with no powers, no weapons, and no hints of what to do or where to go. There is no verbal communication in the game at all, instead everything is conveyed to the player with images, sounds, and the gameplay itself.
Players must explore the planet independently, collecting powers sometimes having to deal with alien hostiles along the way, and gradually unlock the rest of the story. Physics plays a big part in the game too; everything in the in-game world is physics based, with plants, ropes, liquids, enemies, rocks,etc., all interacting and reacting in a realistic way, which helps to add unexpected twists to the game.
The graphics of Forma.8 are also very unique, and consists mainly of hand-drawn vector lines, which have then been rendered in HD to create a very smooth-looking, slightly strange but beautifulenvironment.
Very little is known about Forma.8 at the moment as the game is still in development, but is expected to become available for download from the PS store by Spring 2014. If you want a space adventure with a difference, then this might just be the game you are looking for.
Sony has announced a God Of War Collection for the PS Vita. The collection will feature both God Of War 1 and God Of War 2, and is expected to feature updated and improved graphics and new touchscreen capabilities.
For those of you who are still unfamiliar with the series, God Of War is an action-adventure, which is loosely based on Greek mythology. The use of a mixture of combat, platformer and puzzle elements, as well as an engaging and emotive plot, have helped to make the God Of War games extremely popular over the years.
Players must take on the role of Kratos - a Spartan Warrior and Demigod, who has been forced to serve the Greek god, Ares, in order to save his own life, but this action later leads to the murder of his wife and child, which then sees Kratos turn on the gods of Olympus as he seeks vengeance against those who have wronged him.
A trailer of God Of War Collection can be viewed below. If you are having trouble viewing the trailer on your device, then please CLICK HERE:
God Of War Collection will be released on the 8th of May 2014. It will feature the first two games of the series on a single game cartridge. It will also mark the debut of the God Of War series on the PS Vita. If you have never played a God Of War game, but the idea of battling against the Greek gods appeals to you, then this may be the perfect time to go ahead and introduce yourself to the series.
Every electronic device has its little glitches and problems from time-to-time. One of the most common errors to occur on the PS Vita happenswhen downloading videos. Users are told via a pop-up dialogue box that the copyright protection information for their recently downloaded film purchase or rental is not valid.
This error means that the downloaded content cannot be played, which is especially annoying if the purchase in question is a rental copy, which is due to expire in the next few days, etc. However, we are pleased to announce that Mini Gamers has researched this issue, and has found a simple solution that should solve the problem relatively quickly. We have also compiled a step-by-step guide on how to solve this issue, which we hope will be helpful, and we have also attempted to answer a few questions that you might have about this issue:
Why does this error occur?
According to Sony, this error occurs when the PS Vita system needs certain user-permissions like video or music usage to be activated or deactivated on the system.
Sometimes this error can occur when trying to download content onto a new memory stick, or if a user has two PlayStation devices which share one account (like a PS4 and a PS Vita, for example), where the downloaded content can only be used on one device, but sometimes this error can occur randomly without a known cause.
How can this error be solved?
In order to solve this problem, users must reset the user-permissions on their console. This sounds complicated, but is actually easy. The following steps will help you to activate and deactivate the user permissions correctly:
1.Go to Settings.
2. Select the PSN tab.
3. Select the System Activation tab.
4. Select the Music/Video Playback option.
5. Select the DEACTIVATE option.
(this is very important, as selecting 'activate' will not work at this point.)
6. [OPTIONAL STEP If you have other purchased videos stored in your PS Vita*]:
If you have bought other films from the Playstation Store, which you know played correctly before this error, select one of these films and try to play it. The selected film should now also display the same error code - "The Copyright Protection information is not valid."
*NB: If you have only rental films stored on your memory stick, please skip this step and move on to Step 7.
7. Turn off the PS Vita. Wait approximately 5 seconds and then turn it on again.
8. Go to Settings.
9. Select the PSN tab.
10. Select the System Activation tab.
11. Select the Music/Video Playback option.
12. Select the ACTIVATE option.
13. Go To Videos.
14. Select the film that had the error. It should now play normally.
My Vita video download STILL doesn't work!
What can I do now?
If you have followed all the steps above correctly, your problem should now be solved in most cases. Nevertheless, if you are still experiencing problems after reading this guide, then your PS Vita may require additional support to get it working again.
PlayStation Support can be contacted on the following number: 0844 736 0595 (UK customers only), and should be able to help you within 48 hours of your enquiry. Alternatively, you can email them: networksupport@uk.playstation.com.
Please note, if you live outside of the UK, the correct contact information for your country can be found HERE.
We hope you have found the above information both useful and informative, and that it has helped you to resolve your video playback issues.
Do you have any additional advice or comments that you wish to share with other readers about this problem? Why not leave us a comment and let us know. Mini Gamers loves to hear from you!
Play to Cure: Genes in Space is the world’s first FREE mobile game that uses the collective force of players to analyse real genetic data and help beat cancer sooner.
The game is essentially a Sci-Fi, arcade-style, action-adventure, in which players must explore the far reaches of deep space, identifying and collecting a mysterious substance called Element Alpha.
Players must take on the role of an employee of Bifrost Industries, one of the biggest traders of the substance, the main task is to collect as much Element Alpha as they can and trade it for upgrades to your spacecraft to help you manoeuvre the asteroid filled space course.
Sounds interesting, right?But how does playing a video game actually helpCancer Research UK to beat cancer? Well, the collectible substance of Element Alpha within the game actually represents real genetic cancer data that scientists across the world analyse on a daily basis to detect the presence of anomalous cells, which could potentially be cancerous.
By collecting Element Alpha and navigating their spaceship through the cosmos, players are actually locating specific and significant genetic changes, which will help scientists to discover cancer causing genes and develop new life saving treatments.
By playing Genes in Space players will be contributing their own time to analysing significant amounts of genetic data which would have taken scientists hours to do.
The video below gives more details about the mobile gaming app and exactly how it can be used to identify various cancers. Please note, if you are having trouble viewing this video on your device, CLICK HERE
The data analysis goes back to Cancer Research UK scientists at two key points: Firstly when Players map their route through the Element Alpha. Secondly when players fly their spaceship through the intergalactic space course to collect this substance.
Gaming has always been fun, but now Cancer Research UK have found a way to make it useful and important as well. If you would like to give the game a try, then it can be downloaded now from either the Google Play or the Apple App Storenow.
Traditionally, video games developed solely as film tie-ins do not have the best reputation for providing quality gaming entertainment, with many such tie-ins being accused of being at best, shallow, interactive repeats of the actual films they represent, and at worst, action-driven, pointless, money-grabbing entertainment titles, which really have very little to do with the actual films they are named after at all.
An article written by Charlie Roberts from Gamemoir.com best summed up this general attitude when he wrote: "With every summer blockbuster that hits our screens these days, there always seems to be a tie-in game limping along behind it, desperately trying to wring out the last few dregs of cash from the pockets of those that the film didn’t drain completely of funds. And let’s be honest – they always suck..." [Sourced from: http://gamemoir.com/2013/08/13/tie-in-games-suck/]
Nevertheless, it cannot be easy to produce a game that can successfully live up to the hype and excitement caused by its big budget film counterpart. However, this is exactly what film producers Warner Bros. are trying to achieve with their latest film, The LEGO Movie, which itself has been inspired in part by the success of the licensed LEGO video game series, made popular by TT games and the LEGO Creator video games' series developed bySuperscape.
As with any major movie, the video game tie-in promises to be equally special. So, what exactly has the aptly-titled The LEGO Movie Videogame got to offer the gaming community? Well, this game is of course based on the plot of the film, which is set entirely in the LEGO universe and centres around an ordinaryLEGO Mini-figure called Emmett who works as a construction worker, and whois mistaken as being the Special (the greatest Master Builder who can save the universe).
With the help of an old wizard named Vitruvius, and a tough young woman named Wyldstyle, as well as Batman, Uni-Kitty, Benny, and a pirate named Metalbeard, Emmet has to forget his usual routine of simply building things according to their instructions, and discover the power of his own imagination if he is ever going to defeat the evil Lord Business - a tyrant who is bent on destroying the universe on Taco Tuesday and recreating it as he sees fit by gluing it all together.
In the game, players must take control of Emmett and his merry band of recruits. Players must explore the in-game environments to collect and use LEGO instruction pages. In turn, these pages can then be used to build construction sets in order to harness the awesome power of the so-called Master Builders.
This game will be the first LEGO title to feature a new kind of animation style that has apparently been modelled on the movements of actual real-world LEGO Minifigures. Furthermore, the game will feature more than ninety separate characters inspired by the film and a total of fifteen exciting levels.
The game (like the film) has been made with kids and family gaming very much in mind. The usual hilarious cutscenes found in previous LEGO game titles can also be seen here, and the colourful environments will be instantly appealing to younger gamers.
Tom Stone, Managing Director at TT Games Publishing said recently: "We’re thrilled to be able to give kids the joy of re-living Emmett’s adventures in becoming virtual Master Builders with The LEGO Movie Videogame. Players will be taking on the ultimate mission to save the LEGO world and use their virtual building prowess to build unimaginable sets and creations.” [sourced from: http://www.ttgames.com/games/lego-movie-videogame.php]
The game's teaser trailer, which was released in December last year, also shows a number of gameplay elements that will be used during the game:
* If you are having difficulty viewing the trailer in your current browser, please CLICK HERE.
The LEGO Movie premieres today in all major UK cinemas, with the game being released on all available formats on Friday the 14th of February 2014. It is not yet certain whether this game will match up to the high quality of the other LEGO Videogames, but Mini Gamers is hopeful that the game will find itself ranked alongside the usual top-notch titles developed by TT Games to date.
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Nintendo has provided further information about the eagerly-awaited 3DS cross-franchise title Professor Layton VS. Phoenix Wright, which is due to be released in Europe on the 28th March 2014.
So far, the exact plot details have been a little bit sketchy, but Mini Gamers can now reveal some more concrete facts about the game's storyline. The game first takes place in London, where both Phoenix Wright and Professor Layton - along with their trusty sidekicks -Maya Fey and Luke Triton, happen to mistakenly cross paths when they are both invited to meet a mysterious young woman called Espella Cantabella, whereby they suddenly find themselves transported to a strange, medieval world known as Labyrinthia.
Labyrinthia is ruled over by a shadowy figure called The Storyteller who has an apparent gift for prophecy, as every story penned by The Storyteller later seems to come true, sparking rumours about 'magic' and 'evil witches' amongst Labyrinthia's inhabitants.
It does not take long for the locals to point the finger of suspicion in the direction of Espella Cantabella, and a local witch hunt begins. Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright decide to combine their unique puzzle-solving and crime-fighting abilities to save Espella and clear her name of any wrongdoing.
Nintendo has now revealed exactly how these two giant franchises will combine together throughout the game. Firstly, Phoenix Wright, (best known from theAce Attorney series of games), returns to the courtroom, determined to uncover the truth about the events happening in Labyrinthia and prove that Espella could not possibly be guilty of such crimes.
As in the traditional Ace Attorney games, Phoenix Wright will be required to examine evidence and question witnesses. However, Phoenix Wright will now be able to use Hint coins - a staple game mechanic of the Professor Layton series - in order to narrow down the options when presenting evidence, or as a way of gaining helpful information when cross-examining witnesses.
Furthermore, it has also been suggested that Professor Layton will occasionally be allowed to raise objections within the court room, not only for the defence, but also for the prosecution, where necessary.
Nintendo have also provided further details about the game's bonus unlockable content. This content such as twelve short new episodes for the game, as well as oversixty exclusive illustrations and all the main theme music from the game, will become available once players have completed the main story.
Nevertheless, how much of the content that players will be able to access will depend upon how many Picarats players have managed to accumulate throughout the puzzle-solving portions of the game. The faster a puzzle is solved, the more Picarats will be awarded, which is another staple of the Professor Layton series.
A new teaser trailer for the game has also been launched, showing some of the cutscene sequences from the game, along with the new pre-order information for the game. If you are having trouble viewing the trailer, then please CLICK HERE.
Level 5 inc. and Capcom have clearly put a lot of thought and hard work into producing a game that will appeal to fans of either franchise. Level 5 inc's involvement can clearly be seen in the inclusion of many Professor Layton game mechanics, whilst Capcom's essential Ace Attorney structure will be instantly recognisable to the game's many fans. Mini Gamers looks forward to bringing you our own full-review when the game launches next month.
Nintendo has stated that it is prepared to purchase as many as 9.5 million shares - at 12,025 yen apiece - in an extraordinary buyback deal amounting to around $1.1 billion US Dollars (approximately £649,525,000).
The deal has been offered in an effort to calm worried Nintendo shareholders after the company's third dismal financial forecast in three years,revealed heavy losses of around £205 millon.
According to an article on the Bloombergwebsite, among the shareholders now wishing to sell their shares back to Nintendo, is the family ofHiroshi Yamauchi - the former CEO and President of the company, who is largely credited with turning the Nintendo brand into the successful video gaming powerhouse it is known as today.
Hiroshi Yamauchi worked at Nintendo for 53 years
Hiroshi Yamauchi had around ten percent of shares in Nintendo at the time of his death on the 19th September 2013. These shares were subsequently divided between his four children after he died.
It is still unclear whether the family wish to sell all of their entire percentage of shares back to Nintendo, or just a portion of them. Nevertheless, with Nintendo share prices having steadily fallen by almost eighty percent since 2007, the buyback scheme could not have come at a more appropriate time.
Other board members will all face pay-cuts of up to twenty percent. It is not known how long these pay-cuts will remain in effect. Nevertheless, Iwata's pay is likely to remain halved for the next five months at least, in recognition of the company's recent losses.
Nintendo do seem to be making a sincere effort to recover from their recent loss but it will only become apparent in next year's financial report whether or not any of these special measures have helped to yield future profit for the company. Only time will tell...
