Special DSi Feature Helps Japanese Hearing Impaired Schoolchildren...

Japanese schoolchildren with hearing impairments have been given a new way of learning thanks to the brainy guys at Nintendo. They have now developed some nifty software for use with their handheld DSi consoles, which helps to convert speech (from teachers and peers) into readable text.

According to Venturebeat, The new learning software is currently being pioneered throughout  Japanese schools in the Okinawa and Tottori Prefectures, with the help of a telecom company called NTT, and is part of a larger scheme to allow hard of hearing pupils, or even those with learning difficulties  access to speech-to-text services and other learning resources and materials in order to boost their chances of educational success. 

The software on the DSi means that teachers' speech is immediately translated into text and then it is saved to a cloud-based server, where it can be downloaded 'live' to the special DSi handhelds whilst in the classroom, so that children can read and keep track of what is being said during their lessons, or it can be saved so that it can be studied later.

A similar scheme has recently been highlighted by Microsoft's Imagine Cup, which featured a winning entry from Ecuador's 'Team Falcon' that was based on the concept of turning speech into sign language symbols via an on-screen device.

This latest development could be seen as a positive step in enhancing the educational experiences of children with difficulties and disabilities, and is a good example of how gaming technologies can be used outside of the main gaming community.

Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 - What Can We Expect?

The final installment of Lego Harry Potter (Years 5-7) is about to land onto the PSP and Nintendo DS/DSi and 3DS consoles. What can we expect from the game, and will Harry's 3DS debut be as popular as the other Lego titles before him?

Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 promises to be an family-fun, action-packed game from start to finish. Players can play through a total of twenty-four different events spread across the remaining titles of the Harry Potter books - Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, and of course, The Deathly Hallows.

The game will also seek to build upon the various spells and incantations learnt in Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4  and will teach players to master more advanced magic including the Unforgivable Curses. in the fight against the evil Lord Voldermort and his army of Death Eaters.

The game will also introduce new locations including Godric's Hollow, The Ministry of Magic and Grimmauld Place, amongst others.

Although the gameplay varies very little between the various platforms, the 3DS version of Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 has the advantage of greater depth and stunning visuals to add to the adventure, and Mini Gamers sees no reason why this game shouldn't be as brilliant as the previous 3DS Lego titles - Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars and Lego Pirates of the Caribbean

Official UK Trailer

Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 is set to launch in the UK on Friday the 18th of November 2011. Look out for the full review of the game shortly afterwards.

Game of the Week: Virtual Villagers - A New Home (DS/DSi)

The popular PC games franchise, Virtual Villagers, finally landed onto Nintendo DS/DSi consoles this week. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the series, Virtual Villagers is a real-time, strategy-based virtual life simulation.

 Players must help to take care of a  tribe of people after their previous home has been destroyed by a volcanic eruption, and they are now forced to work to rebuild their homes and the tribal population. The Nintendo DS version is actually a condensed volume of the first three games from the PC series.

Virtual Villagers does seem to naturally suit the Nintendo DS consoles, and Mini Gamers is surprised that there has not been a DS console release of this game until now.

The overall gameplay is simple: Players can assign tasks to the villagers. They can choose from a selection of jobs such as Farmer (grow new plants and crops), Priest (nuture the souls of your tribe, boost morale), Parent (give birth and raise children to adulthood), Builder (erect huts and other buildings for the tribe),or a Healer (to heal sick or wounded villagers)  etc. This will help your tribe to grow, develop and settle into their new homes.

As this game is played in real-time and features a strong story progression, your tribe members will continue to learn new skills and grow in ability within the task that you have set for them, even if you are not playing the game - The tribe continues to function even when your DS/DSi is turned off!

The same can be said about the Villagers lifespans. Villagers who are born into the tribe will start off as babies and progress through childhood, adulthood and old age, where they will ultimately die.

However, it has to be said that the entire life process can be fulfilled quite quickly, so you might lose more inhabitants to death than you want to. Nevertheless, players do have the option to 'freeze time' overnight if they wish, which can be useful if you want to build a very skillful tribe or limit the amount of deaths or illnesses that occur whilst you are away from the DS console.

The game also features over sixty different puzzles for players to solve. Players must raise the villagers skills up to a specific level in order to solve puzzles, which takes a bit of time and patience, but is very rewarding, as these puzzles provide clues, which will then help the player to unlock the secrets of Mysterious Island.

 Virtual Villagers: A New Home  also contains a good selection of mini games, which can be completed to earn extra skill points or to speed up certain daily tasks. The mini games include tasks such rain-dancing, fruit-picking or fishing and even sawing wood, amongst others, and they help to add extra entertainment value to the game.

Official DS/DSi Trailer

In conclusion, this cute and gentle game will not suit everyone, but is likely to appeal to fans of strategy games and real-life virtual simulations such as Animal Crossing, Enchanted Folk or My Sims. The attention to detail about each villagers thoughts and feelings help to create a very realistic virtual environment and makes this an incredibly charming game.

It has easy-to-understand controls, which also makes it a good game for younger gamers to enjoy, but does not exclude older gamers who are looking for a simple and fun little game for those spare few  hours. Overall rating: 8/10.

Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call Gets November UK Release Date!!!

It has been a long and anxious wait for Professor Layton fans in the UK, but at last a scheduled UK release date for the fourth Professor Layton game, Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call, (AKA the last specter/specter's flute) has finally emerged.

According to the Play.com website, Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call should be heading to  UK stores on the 25th November 2011.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with  the Professor Layton series, Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call is a prequel to the other games in the series, and tells the story of how Professor Layton came to meet his young apprentice, Luke Triton.

In this adventure, the pair seek to uncover the secret of the 'Spectre's Flute', an ancient artifact that is used to summon a Spectre who, it is said, helps to protect a local village from harm...

The game contains many familiar faces from previous Professor Layton games, such as Granny Riddleton, and also introduces a few new characters into the mix, including Professor Layton's new assistant, Emmy Altava.

Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call is exclusive to the Nintendo DS and DSi, but will also provide an interesting interlude before the Professor and Luke make their debut on the 3DS in the fifth game of the series, Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle next year.

Mini Gamers is very pleased that the official UK release date has been announced. We are seriously keeping our fingers crossed that the date will not be changed between now and November. Remember to check in with the Mini Gamers blogsite for more news on this game as it develops.

Professor Layton 2011: The Specters' Flute and Mask Of Miracle E3 News...

*Professor Layton 4 UK RELEASE DATE ANNOUNCED. CLICK HERE for details*

Professor Layton and the last Specter (formally known as Professor Layton and the Specter's Flute in Japan,) has been confirmed for European release via a new trailer which was shown at the 2011 E3 Conference in Los Angeles.

The above trailer, (which is the same as the Japanese trailer but with no speech and an enhanced musical score,) comes on the back of an American Trademark request filed by Level 5 inc, the videogame developers behind the Professor Layton series.

A set of screenshots for Professor Layton and the Last Specter have been released alongside the new trailer.

The trailer and screenshots end months of speculation about whether the fourth Professor Layton game would actually ever be released outside of Japan.

There has been no specific release date Professor Layton and the Last Specter yet, although some sources are quoting 'Fall 2011' as a possible time-frame for the North-American release of the game.

However, this raises questions about the European release of the fifth Professor Layton game - Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle, which is set to debut on the 3DS system in late 2011.

Originally, Mini Gamers reported that the game had been given a July 2011 release date. According to online retailer Zavvi, this has now been changed to the 7th of October 2011.

However, it could be said that the release of the fourth Professor Layton game is somewhat bittersweet for 3DS fans. 

If it is true that Professor Layton and the Last Specter is heading to Western shores in the Autumn of this year, it makes the October release of Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle much more unlikely. Unless of course, Level 5 inc choose to release both games simultaneously - one game for the DS/DSi and the other for the new 3DS console? Unfortunately,it is impossible to say at this present time.

Here at Mini Gamers, we are overjoyed to know that a European release for the Professor Layton and the Last Specter has now been confirmed, and we anxiously look forward to its release and the subsequent release of Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle on the 3DS. Hopefully it won't be too long before we have some definite UK release dates. 

 Keep checking the Mini Gamers blogsite for more news on this story as it develops! 

Game Of The Week: Lego Battles: Ninjago (DS/DSi)

LEGO Battles: Ninjago  is the sequel to the Lego Battles game, produced by critically acclaimed TT Games and developed by Hellbent Games.

In this exclusive DS/DSi title,  players aim to become a master of Spinjitzu - a form of Martial Arts in which characters spin and become tornadoes to defeat their enemies, as they restore harmony to the world.

 Players can choose to fight for both good or evil, by battling as either heroic Ninjas, villainous Skulkins, or as one of the bonus hidden hero characters in the two single-player campaigns, or test their skills in a variety of Battle Mode challenges, and even play against family and friends in some exciting multiplayer showdowns.

The single-player Story Mode is both funny and engaging. The main plot centres around two brothers, Sensei Wu and  Lord Garmadon whose father is a Spinjitzu Master. When their father passes away, the two brothers are put in charge of the 4 Golden Weapons - the Scythe of Quakes, the Nunchucks of Lightning, the Shurikans of Ice and the Sword of Fire (pictured above).

Although Sensai Wu wants to honour his promise to protect the weapons, his brother, Lord Garmadon is consumed with greed and wishes to possess all the weapons for himself.  A war has now broken out between the two brothers, and players get to decide which brother they wish to help: Will you assist Lord Garmadon to seize power in the 'Evil' campaign mode, or  become a Spinjitzu Master and hero in the 'Good' campaign mode? It is entirely up to you.

In the 'Good' campaign mode, players must build an army of heroes, battle the enemies and become a Master of Spinjitzu as they search and recover the powerful ninja weapons, (which have now been hidden in order to protect them,) and restore the balance between good and evil! Enjoy fun adventures and exciting missions as you travel the land of Ninjago to find the golden weapons before the evil Lord Garmadon.

In the 'Evil' campaign mode, Players must join Lord Garmadon’s Skeleton Army, who are attempting to free Lord Garmadon from the Underworld, where he has recently been banished by his brother. Help the evil lord to gain back his full strength, and then battle against Senai Wu's army of Spinjitzu warriors in order to find the golden weapons and allow Lord Garmadon to rise to power once more.

Multiplayer Mode allows you to battle against your family and friends to prove who is the best Spinjitzu Master. Play as an evil Skullen, or a Spinjitzu hero in a showdown of skills.

In conclusion, this is an interesting game. It features many traditional elements from the Lego videogame series, including a bucket-load of humorous cutscenes and creative gameplay.  If you enjoyed the first Lego Battles game and are looking for a new challenge, then this is the game for you. Overall rating: 8/10.

Game of the Week: Pokémon Black & White Edition (Nintendo DS/DSi)



The Pokémon Video Game Series has been steadily popular since its inception almost fifteen years ago. Now the new Pokémon Black and Pokémon White versions on the Nintendo DS/DSi look set to continue the trend.



For those of you who are unfamiliar with the world of Pokémon (translated as 'Monsters in my Pocket'), players must take over the role of a Pokémon Trainer. You must catch and train your Pokémon so that you can compete in battles against other Trainers, in the hope of becoming a Pokémon Master.

Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version introduce a whole host of never-before-seen Pokémon characters. New Legendary Pokémon include Reshiram ( Pokémon Black Version) and Zekrom (Pokémon White Version).

 Pokémon Black and White DS/DSi versions contain two new battle systems, Triple Battles and Rotation Battles. In Triple Battles, both Trainers must send out three Pokémon at once.

 The position of your Pokémon in the Triple Battles arena has a direct impact on the type of attack that players can perform on the opposing team. For example, Pokémon on the left or right sides can only target the Pokémon directly opposite of them and the two Pokémon in the center position on both sides, while Pokémon in the center can target all Pokémon in the field.

Players can choose to change the position of their Pokémon during their turn, but they must then wait until their next turn to launch a new attack.

In Rotation Battles  both Trainers send out three Pokémon at once, again, but instead of a three-on-three match as seen in the Triple Battles, Players must endure a one-on-one match, whereby the Pokémon in the front can be switched with either of the two other Pokémon sent out without using up a turn.

Depending on the game version, one of these two new battle types will be found in greater quantity than the other; Black has more Rotation Battles than Triple Battles, whereas the White version features more Triple Battles than Rotation Battles. 

Further gameplay changes include The C-Gear , which allows the player to control the various wireless capabilities of Black and White, including any wireless battling, trading and friend codes, as well as the new Feeling Check function.

Another unique feature of Black and White is the Pokémon Dream World, which utilises the official Pokémon Global Link website where the player can befriend and capture Pokémon  normally unobtainable in the main gameplay.

Furthermore, the Dream World function also allows players to gain special Pokémon Abilities, which are then later captured in an area known as the Entralink  after syncing the game back with the Dream World.

Moreover, in a similar way to the HeartGold and SoulSilver Pokéwalker, players can also maintain a house in the Dream World that other players can visit.

Black and White have also introduced a seasonal cycle, however, the seasons are not linked to the real-life calendar, but automatically change every four months or so.

Outside areas will appear different depending on the season, such as changing of leaves in autumn, or snow on the ground in winter. Certain areas will only be accessible during certain seasons, and different Pokémon can be found in the wild in winter when others are only encountered in the other seasons.

The overall graphics have been enhanced in the new Pokémon Black and Pokémon White versions, and the game now features more cutscenes than in previous titles.

 Character speech has now been changed from scrolling text to speech bubbles, which are shown over the character's heads. This means that it is easier to talk to other characters and it also allows more characters to talk at the same time.

Overall, Pokémon Black and White is a very welcome addition to the series. The new features enhance gameplay and provides a lot of refreshing content for fans of the series to explore. If you've ever had the desire to ''Catch 'em all'', then this game is perfect for you. Overall rating: 10/10.

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.