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.

Half-Term 'Boredom Busters' For Kids (Nintendo DS)

It is Half-Term for many kids in the UK this week, and whilst many will be happy to have a break from the daily routine of schoolwork and timetables, it is not usually long before boredom sets in.

However, if you, or your family are the lucky owner(s) of a Nintendo DS, then Mini Gamers may just have the solution. We take a look at Nintendo's range of fun, educational gaming software, which is sure to keep the kids happy, entertained and educated during the half-term break.

A Little Half-Term Reading:

What is it?

Produced by EA Games, the Flips videogame series turns the DS/DSi console into an E-reader. Each standard game cartridge contains between 6-8 unabridged novels from several popular children's authors like Eoin Colfer, Enid Blyton and Rick Riordan.

The books are completely interactive. As well as using the stylus to turn each page, the stories contain sound effects and animations, hidden items to collect, (such as coins or codes,)  simple explanations about various characters, and the chance to unlock bonus content such as interviews with the author or further short stories.

Who Does It Appeal To?

Boys and Girls aged between 6-12 years of age. Obviously, basic reading ability is necessary for this product.

Where Can I Find It?

Most Video Game stores have various Flips titles in stock. Some Waterstones stores also feature limited stocks. Online retailers such as Play.com and Amazon.co.uk do feature New and Used copies for as little as £8.00.

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Time To Get Those Brains In Gear:

Although videogames often get bad press for rotting children's brains and turning them into media zombies, the Nintendo DS also features a range of junior titles devoted to Brain Training and Problem Solving. The new Junior Brain Trainer 1, 2 and 3 (Maths Edition) are perfect for getting young children's brains into shape before school starts again.

What is it?

Junior Brain Trainer is based on the successful Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training, but it has a big advantage over the adult version in that is closely linked to the current National Curriculum Key Stages 1 & 2 to help develop reading, writing, spelling, maths, geometry, logic and problem solving skills, alongside what children are already being taught in the classroom.

Junior Brain Trainer utilises daily mini-games, which children can play to unlock various bonus content including quizzes and stories and other games.

Who Does It Appeal To?

Boys and girls aged between 5-11 years of age.

Where Can I Find It?

Most Video Game stores have the three Junior Brain Trainer titles in stock. Online retailers such as Play.com and Amazon.co.uk also feature New and Used copies for as little as £10.99.

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Find The Inner Artist:

Their are currently a few titles on the Nintendo DS which deal with the subject of Art, but Let's Draw has an uncomplicated style of teaching, which makes it the perfect tutor for young budding Picassos.





What Is It?

Let's Draw turns the DS into a portable Artists' easel. Children can use the stylus as a crayon or paintbrush and create a whole host of fun characters and designs.

However, the fun doesn't end there - once the art has been created, it can then be brought to life with full motion and sound effects in the Animation Studio mode. Children can also play a range of ten mini-games featuring their own creations.

This title also has spoken instructions, which means that it will be easy for even very young children to learn the various drawing techniques featured in the game.

Who Does It Appeal To?

Girls and Boys aged between 5-12 years of age with an interest in drawing.

Where Can I Find It?

This retails in most Video Game stores for around £14.99, but can be cheaper online. Retailers such as Play.com and Amazon.co.uk also feature New and Used copies for as little as £9.99.

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Unlock The Hidden Chopin:

Every fancied having a full music tutor that could fit inside your pocket? Easy Piano covers basic music theory and practical lessons within a fun and uncomplicated interactive framework.



What Is It?

Easy Piano is a virtual piano tutor for children. It comes with its own Piano Keyboard attachment and colour-coded stickers for the keys, which slots into the bottom of any DS or DS lite console.

 Unfortunately, the Easy Piano game and its attachable device is NOT COMPATIBLE WITH NINTENDO DSi CONSOLES as they do not have a Game Boy Advance slot at the bottom.

Easy Piano teaches children how to read and understand written music, as well as teaching basic lessons on pitch and timing. It features several music-related mini-games and even allows children to compose their own tunes.

Who Does It Appeal To?

Girls and Boys aged between 7-14 years of age with an interest in piano music.

Where Can I Find It?

This retails in most Video Game stores for around £24.99, but can be cheaper online. Retailers such as Play.com and Amazon.co.uk also feature New and Used copies for as little as £9.95.

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So, that completes the Mini Gamers recommendation list for some educational and interactive Half-Term fun. We hope that you found it useful.

One final tip however, The Nintendo DS also features many other educational titles that we haven't had time to mention.  Why not spend some time browsing the Internet to see what other titles are currently on offer.

Please note, the New and Used prices quoted in this blog post were correct at the time of publication, but they are subject to change, thus it might be worth shopping around to find some good bargains. 



Game Of The Week: Art Academy (DS)

If you've ever wanted to paint or draw like a pro, then this new game could be just what you are looking for. Art Academy on the Nintendo DS teaches you how to draw and paint via step-by-step tutorials.

With the help of your tutor, "Vince" (in relation to the Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh, we think), you will soon be making  artistic masterpieces of your very own.

As some of you may already know, Art Academy (DS) has been adapted from the popular DSiWare titles Art Academy: First Semester and the sequel Art Academy: Second Semester and utilises elements from both semesters.

Essentially, Art Academy transforms your DS into a fully workable canvas. You can choose from different thicknesses of pencils and paint brushes, and a pallette of ten paints from which you can devise your own shades and tones.

All these art materials behave exactly as they would on a real canvas. For example, when the 'water' tool is added to your paint it will visibly thin it down.

Unlike other drawing and paint games such as Paint By DS, Art Academy is a fun, educational tool and allows you to create your own works of art from scratch rather than just colouring in designs by other artists.

The game contains ten in-depth lessons, which covers Art theory and gives practical tips in how to construct a particular picture or image. Learn how to shade items correctly to create the illusion of depth, or how to create perspective within a painting amongst other things.

Many of the lessons are based on the works of actual artists such as Albrecht Dürer, John Constable or Leonardo Di Vinci.

The Free Paint Mode allows players to paint or draw any image that their heart desires. However, For the less adventurous artists amongst you there are over 50 images for you to get your initial ideas from. If you are using a DSi or DSi XL console you can also take photos and store them as images within this mode as well.

In Art Academy you can also store up to eighty of your favourite creations on the game cartridge itself and show them to your family and friends.  The game also contains a Downloadable Demo so that you can encourage other people with a Nintendo DS system to get interested in Art.

Art Academy UK Trailer

In conclusion, this realistic tool has a lot to offer for art enthusiasts and amatures alike. The varied painting and drawing styles are very interesting and the lessons are both fun and easy to understand.

If you like art and wish to improve your skills or if you just want to have some creative fun, then this is definitely the game for you. Overall rating 9/10.