Sony and Nintendo's E3 Handheld Line-ups revealed...

There is only three days to go before one of the biggest events in the gaming calendar gets underway in Los Angeles, and already the rumors have been circulating.

E3 2014  (AKA The Electronic Entertainment Expo), promises an exciting line-up of games and news of future releases for almost every games console in existence, so what does this mean for the Nintendo 3DS and Sony's PS Vita  handheld gaming devices?

As well as the usual E3 conference, which this year takes place at 6pm on Monday the 9th June 2014 Pacific Time (or a very early 2 a.m. BST on Tuesday 10th June 2014 for UK fans who wish to watch the live-stream of the event),  Sony has also decided that it will show a total of seventy different games in its gaming booths, including several PS Vita titles such as:

(click on each link for more information about the game or trailers)

•Big Fest 

•Disgaea 4: A Promise revisited 

•Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed

•CounterSpy 

•Freedom Wars

•Gravity Crash Ultra

•Gunship X

•Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

•Hyper Light Drifter 

•Invizimals: The Alliance

•Legend of Raven

•MechRunner

•Metrico 

•MLB 14 The Show

•Murasaki Baby

•One Way Trip

•PS Vita Pets

•PixelJunk Shooter Ultimate

•Race the Sun

•Rogue Legacy 

•Super Exploding Zoo

•Switch Galaxy Ultra

•To Leave 

Meanwhile, Nintendo has opted for the second year in a row to not participate in an official E3 Press conference. Instead, they have chosen to stream their own special Nintendo Direct broadcast at 9pm on Tuesday the 10th June 2014 Pacific Time (that's 5 p.m. BST for UK fans).

As well as their various announcements for the Wii and Wii U, Nintendo are also expected to reveal a few new 3DS titles, including an as yet unnamed Starfox 64 adventure and Project S.T.E.A.M (Strike Team Eliminating the Alien Menace).

Furthermore, Nintendo have already announced that the presentation will reveal a brand new NFP (AKA Nintendo Figurine Platform/NFC Featured Platform) range of toys. For those of you who have never heard of NFP, these are special figurines that have Near Field Communication built into them, which allow them to interact within virtual games in the same way that Skylanders or Disney Infinity figurines do.

This year's E3 is shaping up to be quite exciting. If you wish to watch the Press Conferences for yourself, both the Playstation.blog and official Nintendo websites will be streaming the relevant conferences live as they happen in Los Angeles.

Alternatively, PS4 owners may wish to watch the Sony Conference on the PS4's UStream app, or those of you with Youtube accounts will be able to gain access to the Ustream website by clicking the link in the E3 trailer video. Please note, that an age restriction does apply to the Ustream site and viewers will be required to give their birthday details before being allowed to view any of the live footage. Lastly, GameSpot will be offering its readers the chance to watch all the E3 conferences live, so there really is no excuse to miss out on the action.

Just a little reminder for UK fans:

The Nintendo broadcast won't be taking place at E3, but will be streamed live from the Nintendo HUB (on the Nintendo website) at 5 p.m. on Tuesday the 10th June 2014, British Standard Time.

Meanwhile, Sony's Press conference will be streamed live on any of the various channels listed above at 2 a.m. (early morning) on Tuesday the 10th June 2014.

HAVE YOUR SAY...

Which shows/announcements are you most looking forward to at this year's E3 conference?

If you have any comments, suggestions or wishlists for the E3 conference, then why not leave a comment in the box below? Mini Gamers loves to hear from you.

Sony Stops PSP Hardware Shipments In Native Japan: The End Is Nigh For Sony's First Handheld Console...

Sony has announced its decision to no longer ship PSP units to stores in Japan after almost a decade, with similar halts to shipments in Europe and North America occurring later in the year, which essentially means an end to the production run for the portable gaming unit.

The PSP was first produced in 2004, and was initially exclusive to Japan before being released worldwide in 2005.The device sold steadily throughout its years on the market, and while it never achieved the sort of success enjoyed by Nintendo with its family of Dual-Screen products, it sold over eighty million units during the height of its success.

The decision to suspend production and shipment of the PSP seemingly coincides with  the launch of two new software bundles for the PS Vita's Slim model, which has superseded its predecessor in terms of popularity.

Japanese owners have now been offered discounts on the PS Vita and and any downloadable content, but it is not yet confirmed whether PSP owners in Europe or America will be offered similar discounts.

It will be interesting to see whether stopping the shipment of PSP consoles will help to boost sales of the PS Vita, which, despite being popular (especially in Japan), has yet to equal the PSP's sale success.

HAVE YOUR SAY...

Are you a PSP owner? What do you think of Sony's decision? Will it increase PS Vita sales?

If you have any comments to make about the above article, then why not leave us a comment and share your thoughts with other readers out there? Mini Gamers loves to hear from you!

New Pokemon X and Y Online Battles Announced!

According to information published today by Nintendo, Pokémon X and Pokémon Y fans can now participate in seven new International online competitions.

Players will have the opportunity to earn Championship Points toward a possible invitation to the 2014 Pokémon World Championships by participating in the 2014 International Challenge May or June tournaments.


The worldwide tournament series allows new and experienced Pokémon competitors to battle others online. Here’s the upcoming Pokémon X and Y  Online Competitions schedule:

• May 16–18: 2014 International Challenge May. [Registration Closed]
• June 6–8: Think Fast Competition: Single Battle.
• Late June: 2014 International Challenge June.
• July: Eevee Friendly Match [Name TBD].
• July: All Star Battle [Name TBD].
• August: Think Fast Competition: Double Battle.
• Fall: Fairy-type Cup [Name TBD].
• Fall: Halloween Party [Name TBD].

The Think Fast Competition:  This will be one ten minute Single Battle, with a 30-second preview of the opponent’s Pokémon and just fifteen seconds to choose a move each turn. Only the fastest thinkers will win!

In August, the Think Fast Competition: Double Battle means that players will be forced to go into battle without seeing a preview of their opponent’s Pokémon team, and each player can have only one Pokémon in reserve, a total of three Pokémon per side in each battle.

Eevee Friendly Match: [Name TBC]. Only Eevee and its evolved forms of Pokémon  can participate in this battle.

The Rotation Battle format: adds a new component to the competition.

 International Challenge June : Put your battling skills to the test. The 2014 International Challenge June is open to all Pokémon X and Pokémon Y players around the world.

The July All-Star Battle [Name TBD] will use the Double Battle format where up to two Legendary and Mythical Pokémon can be included on a team.

The Fairy-type Cup [Name TBC] occurs in this Winter, and it’s a competition where entry will be limited to Fairy-type Pokémon. The battle format is still yet to be confirmed.

the Halloween Party [Name TBD]  will take place this October and will feature a special Single Battle competition for Ghost-type Pokémon only. Every contestant’s Battle Box must include Gourgeist.

 Pokémon UK National Championships are set to take place between May 24th and May 25th 2014, in Manchester.

Registration deadlines for the Think Fast Competition: Single Battle and the 2014 International Challenge June are coming up quickly, so you will need to register in order to get a possible invitation to the 2014 Pokémon World Championships, which take place August 16–17 in Washington, DC.

Pokemon Art Academy Spin-Off WILL Get UK Release...

Nintendo have announced that a special Pokemon edition of Art Academy will be released for the 3DS in Japan,  North America and Europe throughout 2014.

The game was originally thought of as a Japanese exclusive, (given the popularity of the Pokemon franchise in Japan) but UK fans can now look forward to drawing their favourite Pokemon characters when the game debuts in Europe on the 4th July 2014.

According to the game's specifications, players can take part in forty step-by-step art lessons, which will teach them to paint and draw many different Pokemon, including: Picachu, Oshawott, Charizard, Torchic, Fletchling and Fennekin, amongst others.

As with the other Art Academy games, lessons will gradually increase in skill and difficulty, allowing players the chance to really see their progress. Players will start out by sketching the basic Pokemon cartoon shapes, but will later be taught to add depth, colour, shading and perspective to their drawings.

This special Pokemon edition of Art Academy will also allow players to take pictures using the 3DS camera and use them as a reference when creating their art in the Free Paint mode, which lets players draw their own Pokemon characters from scratch or allows them to use provided images of over 100 Pokemon as reference.

Furthermore, all of the artwork created in the Free Paint mode can be uploaded via the Miiverse application of the 3DS to be shared with other players around the world. A new Japanese trailer shows some of the techniques that will be explored during the game:

(Having trouble viewing this trailer? CLICK HERE)

We here at Mini Gamers HQ are very excited about the prospect of a new Art Academy game and we look forward to bringing you all a full review of the game when it launches in July.

Nintendo Appologizes For Tomodachi Life Same-Sex Exclusion - Is It Too Little Too Late?

Nintendo have today issued a further apology to ts fans following the mass outcry about the lack of same-sex couples in their upcoming life simulation game, Tomodachi Life, which is scheduled to be released in America and Europe on the 6th of June 2014.

Nintendo had previously defended its position about the lack of same-sex marriage within the game by claiming that the game was "Not a social commentary" on gay marriage. Today however, Nintendo sought to clarify their position via a message posted on the Nintendo website. The full message can be read below:

We are committed to fun and entertainment for everyone
2014-05-09

We apologize for disappointing many people by failing to include same-sex relationships in Tomodachi Life. Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to change this game’s design, and such a significant development change can’t be accomplished with a post-ship patch. At Nintendo, dedication has always meant going beyond the games to promote a sense of community, and to share a spirit of fun and joy. We are committed to advancing our longtime company values of fun and entertainment for everyone. We pledge that if we create a next installment in the Tomodachi series, we will strive to design a game-play experience from the ground up that is more inclusive, and better represents all players.

Sourced from:  http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/c4FWbi-Uave2T9R1h7SFzX0aoa-d4pgx

Tomodachi Life's exclusion of same-sex couples (however unwitting that exclusion might be) has angered many fans and attracted the attention of Gay and Lesbian Rights groups such as GLAAD. A Spokesperson for GLAAD recently criticised Nintendo:  "In purposefully limiting players' relationship options, Nintendo is not only sending a hurtful message to many of its fans and consumers by excluding them, but also setting itself way behind the times," [Sourced from: http://venturebeat.com/2014/05/08/glaad-to-nintendo-lack-of-gay-characters-in-new-life-sim-is-hurtful-and-behind-the-times/]

It is yet unclear whether the lack of same-sex relationships in Tomodachi Life will definitely have an adverse effect on sales when it is released in Europe next month, but it is a shame that Nintendo did not consider this issue before choosing to release the game to a Western audience. Let's all hope video games producers can learn a lesson from Nintendo's mistake and make games without such inequality in the future.

Sparkle 2 Coming Soon To PS3 and PS Vita...

Yes, the award-winning match-3 game is back with new challenges, new game modes and over ninety different levels in the aptly titled Sparkle 2, which will be available for download from the PS Store soon.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Sparkle series, Sparkle 2 is an addictive indie game where players must score points by matching rows of orbs of the same colour. The gameplay is simple: Tap where you want to shoot an Orb. Match any three Orbs of the same colour to clear them and earn points. Make several matches in a row to earn special power-ups. Try to prevent your orbs from falling into the abyss as you search for amulets that will give you the ability to change the game rules and help you score even bigger matches.

Sparkle 2 is expected to take full advantage of the Vita's touchscreen capabilities and will feature HD graphics, which its predecessor sadly lacked. Little is known about the actual gameplay at present, but this interesting teaser trailer looks very promising:

(Having trouble viewing this trailer? CLICK HERE)

Sparkle 2 will be heading to the PS Vita and PS3 on the 21st of May 2014, with a PS4 version also debuting later in the year. If you like match-3 games but are still unsure whether the game will appeal to you, a free trial version will be available to download from the PS Store within the next few days. Watch this space!

Nintendo stands firm over 'No Gay Couples' Tomodachi Life Policy...

Nintendo of America has announced that its  Tomodachi Life 3DS game will NOT be altered to allow same-sex couples to fall in love or get married when the game is released in America and Europe in June. The announcement comes after it was revealed in a Kotaku article last month that the Japanese game had originally contained a 'glitch' that allowed same-sex couples to exist within the game. This was part of a software bug which, as well as allowing same-sex relationships, also allowed Tomodachi Mii characters to be assigned to various already-married Mii households within the game.

Nintendo quickly created a patch code to correct the glitch, which then made it impossible to assign new Mii characters to married households, and furthermore, made it impossible for same-sex characters fall in love, get married or have children. Same-sex couples were never part of the original game as gay marriage is still illegal in Japan.

As the Western release of the game is based on the original Japanese codes, players in America and Europe will also be denied the chance to create same-sex couples, which has angered Nintendo fans who argue that as the game is supposed to be a realistic representation of their own social group of friends and family, they should have the right to choose to have same-sex couples within the game.

Tye Marini,a gay 23-year old Nintendo fan from Arizona, had launched a campaign urging Nintendo to allow same-sex relationships. The Social Media "Miiquality" campaign had been fighting to get Nintendo to change their mind about the marriage equality in Tomodachi Life, as he argued that fans who chose to create same-sex couples within the game would never be able to experience much of the exclusive content that becomes unlocked after characters have fallen in love.

Nintendo has responded to its angry fans by claiming that:  "Nintendo never intended to make any form of social commentary with the launch of 'Tomodachi Life', the relationship options in the game represent a playful alternate world rather than a real-life simulation. We hope that all of our fans will see that 'Tomodachi Life' was intended to be a whimsical and quirky game, and that we were absolutely not trying to provide social commentary." [sourced from: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/07/nintendo-miiquality-campaign-gay-tomodachi-life]

Nevertheless, whether the game was intended to provide a social commentary or not, as a game which has marketed itself on allowing players to recreate Mii avatars of their own family and friends and have them interact together in a realistic way, it seems rather remiss of Nintendo not to allow western same-sex couples the chance to interact together in the game when they normally would fall in love and get married etc., in real life.

However, it can also be argued that other Life Simulation games have also suffered from these kinds of prejudices in the past, including the ever-popular The Sims  franchise, who (although choosing to feature same-sex couples and marriage,) did not feature any physically-disabled Sims , which upset some players who argued that they could not create a realistic avatar of themselves within the game.

In this enlightened age when equal rights is considered to be a very important issue, it is disappointing to  see Nintendo not taking the feelings and wishes of its fans into account. If we are going to have games which feature real-life simulations, then don't the producers owe it to the fans who play the games to make them as prejudice-free and true to real life as possible?

HAVE YOUR SAY...

Is it right for the needs and wishes of different social groups to be omitted from the video games which claim to represent real-life demographics? 

What are the difficulties in trying to change or modify games to feature various marginalised sections of the community?  

Should same-sex couples be given equal rights in Tomodachi Life?

If you have something to say about this issue and wish to share it with other readers, then why not leave Mini Gamers a comment and let us know? We love to hear from you.

Sony and the Great Disappearing Games Debacle... PSOne and PSP Classic Titles Added And Then Removed From The PS Vita.

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 NeoGAF forum 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 the VG247.com website, 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.

Mario Golf: World Tour [3DS] - Hands-on preview!

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.

(Having trouble viewing this trailer? CLICK HERE)

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 Sells Shares In Square Enix

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.

Sources:

http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/180762-ps4-sales-pass-7-million-units-while-xbox-one-licks-its-wounds-and-plans-a-comeback

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2014/04/17/sony-sells-off-all-its-square-enix-shares/

Tomodachi Life: Your Questions Answered....

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:

(Having trouble viewing this trailer? CLICK HERE)

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!

One To Watch: Tomodachi Life [3DS]

Nintendo has today revealed an exciting new  Life Simulation game, Tomadachi Life (Tomodachi is the Japanese word for 'friend'), which will be released for 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 various Miis, 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:

  (Having trouble viewing this video? CLICK HERE)

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 Gets June 2014 Release Date...

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 for Spiral 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 loveable EyePet to Sony's original portable handheld, the PSP. 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 the Nintendogs 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 To End Its Video Service on the 3DS and Cease Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Services on Wii and DS...

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!

One To Watch: Dr. Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training [3DS]

It's finally here! The latest installment of Dr. Kawashima's hugely successful Brain 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's Concentration 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 Steps Down as CEO of SCEA...

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.

Sci-Fi Adventure Forma.8 Coming To PS Vita and PS4!

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 beautiful environment.

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.

God Of War Collection Gets PS Vita Release Date...

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.

"Copyright Protection Information Is Not Valid" - How To Potentially Solve This Annoying PS Vita Problem In 14 Easy Steps...

 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 happens when 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!