PS Vita Update: ICon Changes, PS4 link button and Parental Controls Given New Feature...

Yes, there has been yet another system update for the PS Vita console this week, and with it, users may notice some interesting changes to their normal PS Vita icons. Here is what has been updated in system update 3.00:

 (PS4™ Link)

The (PS4™ Link) application has been added. With this application, you can use your system to remotely control a PlayStation^®4 system. When you are playing a game on the PS4™ system, you can also display information from that game on your system using the second screen feature.

(Parental Controls)

The (Parental Controls) application has been added.
 Users can now manage the overall length of time that children and teenagers can play on the console, as well as set and manage the types of games and videos that children and teenagers can have access to. It is also possible to restrict access to some of the PS Vita's other applications such as the Internet browser, for example.

(Photos)

(Panoramic Camera) has been added to the camera application. Camera enthusiasts can now make use of the new Omnidirectional, Tall and Wide modes to take panoramic photos. As with the standard camera images, it is also possible to view the panoramic images you have created, and it is also possible to attach the created images to your messages in order to send them to other Vita users.

(Friends)

The application layout has been improved.

(Messages)

The (Group Messaging) application name and icon have been changed to (Messages).

The application layout has been improved.

You can now send and receive messages with friends and players who use PS4™ systems or PlayStation^®App.

Users will also receive 'Game Alert' messages for games that they play online etc.

(Party)

The icon for the (Party) application has been changed to (Party).

You can now voice chat and text chat with friends and players who use PS4™ systems.

PSN^SM

 The "PlayStation^®Network" has been renamed "PSN^SM".

(Email)

You can now sync the contacts saved in your email account from services such as Gmail™ (Google's email service) or Yahoo! Mail, and then use, edit, or delete these contacts on your system. To sync your contacts, you must adjust settings for your CardDAV account.
Select (Contact List) > (Options) > [CardDAV Settings] > [Add CardDAV Account], and then follow the screens.

(Content Manager)

You can now use Wi-Fi to connect your system with a PS3™ system, and transfer data between them.

Connect the PS3™ system to a wireless access point, and then connect the PS3™ system with your system using the access point. Your system and the PS3™ system must be connected within the same network.

• To use this feature, the system software of the PS3™ system must be version 4.50 or later.

When copying PSP™Game software from a PS3™ system to your system, your system now checks if update data is available. If available, it is automatically downloaded.

• To use this feature, the system software of the PS3™ system must be version 4.50 or later.

(PS3™ Remote Play)

The (Remote Play) application name and icon have been changed to (PS3™ Remote Play).

(Sourced from: http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/psvita/)

Halloween Fun With The Folks Of Animal Crossing: New Leaf

 

 

*WARNING!!! CONTAINS SPOILERS*

 

Halloween is upon us once again, and for those of you who enjoy playing the 3DS title Animal Crossing: New Leaf, this can mean only one thing: the Halloween festival is about to begin!

 

As the game is played in real-time, players will have to wait until 6pm tonight (British time) in order for the Halloween festivities to commence, but here at Mini Gamers HQ, we thought that a little sneak-peak might be just the thing to put Animal Crossing fans in the Halloween mood...

 

 

 

If you have been playing the game regularly since the beginning of October, then you will have already met up with a mysterious character named Jack who has asked your Animal Crossing character to collect some spooky masks (from the accessories section of the Able Sisters shop) and some Candy (from Nook's store).

 

Halloween in Animal Crossing: New Leaf is not all that different from Halloween in real-life, except it's a lot more fun. From 6pm tonight, fans can expect to see the residents of their town walking around in strange, colourful pumpkin-head costumes, similar to the one which the aforementioned 'Jack' wears.

 

 

 

 If your character stops and talks with any of these residents, they will be asked whether they want to give a treat (in the form of the collected candy) or risk a trick instead. If your player is brave enough to refuse to hand over their collected candy, then they will be challenged to a mini-game such as Rock, Paper, Scissors or Charades, etc.

 

If your character wins the game, the defeated resident will give you some of their candy, but if your character loses, the resident will 'trick' your character in various ways, including causing weird 'horned' hairstyles or ridiculous outfit changes, or some of the items in their pockets being transformed into jack 'o' lanterns, etc.

 

 

 

Not all residents will be roaming around collecting candy either. Some residents will choose to stay in their homes. This is where the spooky masks you have been collecting will come in rather handy. Each of these residents is scared of one particular mask. If you go to their house wearing the mask that scares them the most, you will be rewarded with some special lollipops.

 

If you get the choice of mask wrong, you will again be challenged to a mini-game. Win this, and you will be given some of the sweet-like candy. Lose the game however, and you will get tricked again.

 

Willingly giving your candy away to other residents who are trick-or-treating around the town will also reward you with potential information about which masks will scare each of the home-based residents, which can be extremely useful.

 

 

The infamous 'Jack' will also be making regular appearances around your town tonight. He will ask your character for some candy. The normal sweet-like candy that your character has purchased from Nook's store will give the option of one of two rewards: either some items of spooky furniture  or some spooky masks so that your character can continue to scare the home-based residents into giving up those lollipops.

 

Every time Jack receives a lollipop (his favourite sweet) from your character, he will reward you with some extra-special items from the Creepy Series instead.

 

 

The format of Halloween celebrations in Animal Crossing hasn't changed that much over the years, but it is still very entertaining, especially when viewed in 3D. If you aren't busy trick-or-treating tonight, then it might be worth taking a look at Animal Crossing: New Leaf. We are sure that you won't be disappointed. Happy Halloween to all those who celebrate it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Affordable "TuneIn" App Brings Radio To The PS Vita and PS3

The PS Vita can often be considered as more of a media centre rather than just a handheld games console, and a new affordable application called 'TuneIn' is now set to extend the media offerings of the PS Vita to the medium of radio.

TuneIn allows users to stream over 70,000 AM, FM, and Internet radio stations, podcasts and shows from all over the world instantly. The application (which can be downloaded from the games section of the PS Store) also allows users to search for specific radio stations or genres of music, and even allows users to search for radio interviews and song selections from their favourite artists, although Mini Gamers did find this portion of the application a bit limited.

The TuneIn application is set to be released for PS3 this week and for the PS Vita early next week. Moreover, it is expected to be FREE to download for PlayStation Plus customers.

Nevertheless, even users who haven't signed up to PlayStation Plus yet will be pleasantly surprised at the applications price tag as the PS Vita version is expected to cost as little as £0.79 to download!

3G Vita users will gain maximum benefit from the TuneIn radio application, as they will be able to turn their PS Vita into a handy portable radio device everywhere they go. Not bad for such a reasonable price tag.

If you enjoy listening to the radio, then this is definitely the application for you. Overall rating: 10/10.

AABS ANIMALS REVIEW [PS VITA]

Aabs Animals is a new downloadable exclusive game title for the PS Vita. This game is different from almost every other pet simulation video game on the market in that the goal of the game is not really centred around caring for your new virtual pet at all.

Aabs Animals does not ask users to feed, wash, or even entertain their chosen pet (who all seem to be different breeds of cats for some reason). Instead, the idea is that gamers use the game's Augmented Reality backgrounds and PS Vita camera to create different digital screenshots featuring their virtual pet, and spend time petting their animals and adjusting their positions. It sounds pretty basic, and it is.

Like most PS Vita titles, this game does feature some unlockable trophies, but not in the way you'd expect. In Aabs Animals, trophies are unlocked by how much time users spend playing the game rather than a reward for anything that the user achieves within the game itself, and with only five trophies on offer, it is actually possible to unlock ALL the trophies within a mere six minutes of gameplay, which for its £3.99 price tag, does seem a little bit ridiculous.

There are some good points about Aabs Animals however, for example, two percent of the purchase price actually goes to the Headquarters for the Relief of Animals in Emergencies charity, which is a noble cause to support. Furthermore, the game's simple style and cute furry graphics means that even non-gamers are likely to enjoy it.

 Nevertheless, it could be argued that as the game doesn't feature any pet care tasks of any kind or any way of really interacting with your chosen pet at all (besides using the touch screen to pet it), the makers of Aabs Animals have removed some of the essential elements that make Pet Simulation games fun, thus leaving gamers with a stale and very limited 'five-minute wonder', which really isn't worth the money that we were asked to pay for it. Here at Mini Gamers HQ we say save up your money and buy a tamagotchi instead - much more enjoyable!!! Overall rating: 1/10.

Real Boxing [PS Vita]: The Affordable Game That Really Packs A Punch!

We here at Mini Gamers HQ were a little bit suspicious when we saw that Real Boxing had been priced for download at a mere £7.99. With so many other PS Vita titles retailing for almost triple that amount, we began to wonder why the game had been given such a low price tag. Nevertheless, within minutes of downloading the game, we realised that we had in fact purchased a real bargain...

 

The first thing that players will be expected to do upon starting the game is to customise their boxing avatar. Although the customisation options are less sophisticated than some of the current games on the market, players can name their avatar as well as choose the colour of an avatars shorts or trousers, gloves and/or boots, alter their hairstyle, and even add a range of interesting tattoos to help give their avatar a more personal look.

 

Next, Players are treated to a thorough tutorial. Real Boxing allows gamers to choose whether to conduct their boxing moves via the PS Vita buttons or the dual analogue sticks.

 

Mini Gamers found it better using the analogue sticks for movement and the buttons for defence and attack moves, but this may not be the same for everyone. Nevertheless,  the controls are surprisingly easy to master, with the D-Pad controlling left fist punches such as jabs, uppercuts, and left hooks, whilst the X, O, Square and Triangle buttons do the same for the right fist. Each of these moves can be easily duplicated by the left and right analog sticks as well.

 

 

Holding down the R button will allow your avatar to protect his face from any direct punches, whilst briefly pressing down the R button during your opponents attack will allow your avatar to dodge the oncoming blow and even give him the chance to execute a cheeky counter-attack.

 

The main object of the game is to drain your opponents health bar as quickly as possible whilst trying to stop them from depleting your avatar's stamina and destroying their health bar.

 

Stamina can be restored by simply standing still and not throwing any punches, but your avatar's health bar will continue to deplete with every successful punch from your opponent, so defence is equally as important as attack in this game.

 

 

There are two main mini games included in Real Boxing. Firstly, there is a Clinch mini game. If your avatar's stamina bar and health bar are both almost depleted, then holding both the L+R buttons together will allow your avatar to execute a clinch (AKA a grapple).

 

Once in the initial clinch, players must move the PS Vita console from side to side very gently so that the moving indicator arrow stays in the 'green zone'. A successful clinch earns your avatar some extra stamina and can even increase their health bar slightly, making a knockout from your opponent less likely.

 

Secondly, if your avatar has been knocked out by their opponent, the game automatically enters the KO mini game. Essentially, what this entails is a mad button-press of the L + R buttons before the on-screen count reaches ten.

 

If you manage to successfully fill your avatar's energy gauge before the count reaches ten, your avatar will get up off the mat and the fight will resume. However, if an avatar gets knocked out too many times during a round, it becomes impossible to fill their energy gauge and you will lose the fight against your opponent.

 

 

 The game features three game modes: Career Mode consists of three tournaments that begin with a group stage and progress to a few knockout rounds, where your avatar will hopefully earn a championship belt and the chance to increase either their strength, speed or stamina, which will hopefully help your avatar to progress in subsequent matches. Bonus points will also be awarded if players manage to successfully execute the challenge set at the beginning of the tournament.

 Exhibition mode allows players to jump straight into the ring against a CPU opponent. This is good for gamers who are just looking to fill a bit of spare time and also makes for excellent practise when playing against other gamers in multiplayer mode.

Real Boxing also features both online multiplayer and local multiplayer, which means that players can choose to test their boxing skills against online opponents or challenge their friends in ad-hoc mode.

 



 

This game has been brilliantly designed by its creators, Vivid Games, and has made the leap from the iPhone to handheld console very well. In fact, any flaws in the game are minor.

 

The commentary is sometimes a bit repetitive, with the same phrases being offered again and again, and the fact that the menu can only be accessed via the touchscreen is slightly annoying, but none of that really matters once players immerse themselves in the action of the game.

 

This game is a must-buy for any boxing fan. It has excellent gameplay and graphics, which far excel its £7.99 price tag. Overall rating: 8/10.

 

 



Hands-On with the Hudl: Has Tesco's Tiny Tablet Got Something For The Whole Family?

 

Since the creation of the Apple iPad,  Tablets have become increasingly popular amongst many sectors of society, but this surge in popularity has often meant that most tablet devices now come with a rather hefty price tag. 

 

The well-known Supermarket giant, Tesco, has recently decided to invest in the growing interest in tablets and handhelds with its creation, the Hudl, which, at its retail price of £119.00, is decidedly more affordable than most other Tablets on the market. So, what does this handy pocket-sized device hope to offer its consumers?

 

The Hudl comes in four colourful designs with rounded corners that makes it easy to hold, whilst the 7-inch smudge resistant screen helps to deliver crystal clear HD display to the Hudl device.

 

 

The Hudl also allows users to stream the latest movies from Blinkbox, which, unlike most monthly subscription sites (Netflix, or Lovefilm for example), charges viewers on a pay-per-view basis, with an option to either rent a title for up to thirty days, or buy a title to own.

 

Furthermore, the Hudl features a slot for a Micro-HDMI to HDMI-cable, which allows users to connect their Hudl up to the big screen so that the whole family can enjoy the entertainment as well, however, it must be noted that this isn't actually included with the device and must be purchased separately, which is a slight disappointment.

 

Moreover, the Hudl boasts an impressive quad-core memory chip, a ten point multi-touch screen and an in-built gyroscopic sensor, as well as access to thousands of the latest gaming titles from Google Play,  which is great news for all the gamers out there

Music lovers have also been catered for with the Hudl. Users will have access to thousands of music tracks through either Blinkbox  or Google Play. Furthermore, the Hudl's in-built stereo speakers mean that users can choose to share their music with their mates, or opt for a pair of Hudl headphones when travelling on the bus or playing music at night etc.

 

Avid readers will also have the option to download and store several books from the Google Play store, including all the latest book releases. Thus, the Hudl makes the perfect travel companion, by keeping all forms of downloadable entertainment in one easily accessible place.

 

 

 

The Hudl also features a camera, which has a 2 megapixel front-facing fixed focus and a 3 megapixel automatic rear-facing focus. Unfortunately these kind of megapixels are not particularly great, and are often found in some low-end mobile phones.

 

In fact, some of the main concerns about the new Hudl device centre around the fact that the camera does not produce clear images: "Images look washed out and grainy, and any range in lighting conditions within a single scene seems to cause the camera all kinds of problems"

[Sourced from: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/tablets/tesco-hudl-1183138/review/6articleContent]

 

Thus, whilst the Hudl seems to work perfectly well as a media player, it will not necessarily appeal to any amateur photographers out there. Unfortunately, it appears that the video function also produces similarly blurry and unfocused results.

 

However, its reasonable nine hours of battery life, coupled with the fact that it has an micro SD slot which can expand the Hudl's storage capacity to an optional total of 48GB, may go some way to redeeming this little device. 

 

 

The colourful rubber backing is handy when the device is being used by young children as it provides extra grip, but does give the Hudl a rather clunky look rather than the polished and sleek look of the new Nexus 7, for example.

 

The Hudl comes with Chrome, the quick and simple browser from Google. It comes pre-loaded with the most popular Google apps like YouTube and Google Maps, plus  access to over one million apps and games available for immediate download on Google Play.

 

Furthermore, Hudl uses the Android operating system, so users can access the very latest apps on Google Play easily.

 

 

The Hudl also features Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi capabilities, which makes browsing the web, conducting video calls and sharing music and photos across other Wi-Fi devices very simple. 

 

Parental controls can be set quickly via the use of a simple pin number, making the Hudl a very family-orientated Tablet device. Furthermore, the Hudl allows users to conduct their Internet searches via Google Safe Search for added protection.

 

 

 

 

In conclusion, although the Hudl may not be the best-looking or most high-functioning tablet on the current market, its colourful design and easy-to-use interface is definitely appealing for first-time tablet owners. The Hudl is particularly aimed at those users who enjoy downloadable entertainment and readily provides this.

 

 As one of the cheaper tablet devices on the market, the Hudl really would appear to give its users value for money in terms of entertainment and Internet browsing capabilities, despite some obvious flaws, such as the camera functionality. Overall rating: 8/10.

 

 

 

 



PS Vita TV Could Change Handheld Gaming For Good!

 Sony have unveiled a brand new micro-console, which will allow users to play their existing PS Vita, PSP  games on their television screen, and even stream some PS4 content directly to the television as well via an HDMI cable connection and the use of a Dualshock 3 controller, which is thought to come bundled with the device and an 8GB memory stick.

The new console, known as PS Vita TV will also allow users to use many of the television streaming and social networking services that are already featured on the PS Vita and PS4.

The fact that the new device does not need an in-built screen also has a direct impact on the price. In fact, the slim-line 6 x 10cm PS Vita TV is going to cost around ¥9,480 (£60), or with a bundle price of around ¥14,280 (£95). when the device launches in Japan on November 14th, 2013.

Although there have been no definite details about the European release of PS Vita TV just yet, the lower price tag and the opportunity to take handheld gaming onto the big screen is likely to make this device a popular choice amongst the array of handheld and mobile gaming devices available to date, and helps to bring the gap between home consoles and handhelds even closer together than ever before.

Mini Gamers will be reporting on the progress of PS Vita TV as it develops. Watch this space!

Nintendo Announces the 2DS...

 

Nintendo has announced that it will be releasing its latest dual-screen console on October the 12th 2013. The 2DS is supposed to be a new take on the 3DS model, which allows users to take advantage of the latest 3DS titles, without  actually having to play them in 3D.

The introduction of a 2D model of the 3DS is a strange one. For a start, the 3DS already comes equipped with a 3D depth-slider, which allows users to lower and turn off the 3D effect if they so wish, which makes the notion of a 2D console rather obsolete.

Nevertheless, one of the advantages of this latest addition to the Nintendo dual-screen range, is that it will come with a lower price tag than its predecessor. Nintendo claims that the 2DS will come with a recommended retail price of £109.99 when it is released in the UK, at least £50 cheaper than the current 3DS prices. Nintendo also claim that the 2DS will be fully backwards compatible with older Nintendo DS titles as well, meaning that gamers will get more value for their money.

Although the 2DS is an exact replica of the 3DS in terms of its gaming  functionality, the outer design of the new console is very different. For the first time, the 2DS will not have the clam-like feature that has been prevalent in the other DS consoles. Nintendo have removed the hinge between the upper and lower screens, and have instead opted for a block design which is very reminiscent of one of  the earlier Nintendo Gameboy consoles.

A further advantage of the 2DS is that it may also help to quell the fears of those who claim to experience bad side-effects from viewing the 3D images on the 3DS console, or those with eyesight problems that prohibit them from enjoying auto-stereoscopic 3D, at last giving those affected another way of enjoying the latest gaming titles.

Nevertheless, despite having a few basic advantages, the 2DS console does seem rather retrograde. Mini Gamers is doubtful whether the ability to display 3D images in a 2D format is the USP that most gamers will be looking for when deciding what console to put at the top of their list this Christmas. The question remains: Is 2D now the new 3D?

 

HAVE YOUR SAY...

 

 

What do YOU think about the new 2DS console?

 

Had you decided against a 3DS console, and if so, has the 2DS inspired you to try the latest 3DS titles in a 2D format?

 

Whatever your opinion on Nintendo's latest console, why not share it with us by commenting in our Comments Box below. We'd love to here from you.

 

 

 

Still undecided about the 2DS? Watch the latest trailer here.