Holiday Gift Idea: Take "Skylanders Giants" For a Test Drive at Your Local Best Buy Store

What a great time I had on a recent visit to my local Best Buy. Prominently located at the front of the store was a living room-like endcap that featured a super-unique new console game called Skylanders Giants. The display was fun and inviting so we stopped and checked it out.

The game itself is completely unique. It integrates these super cool figures and accessories that actually link into the game via a special pedestal-like device that plugs into your console.  The figures represent the avatar or character you play in the game. Simply place your figure on the pedestal and the game changes to represent that character! You know instantly you made the link as the Skylanders figure and the pedestal light up. Once the game registers the figure used (pretty much instantly), you are allowed to play that character and use any unique abilities it has.

Which character you choose dictates what areas of the game you have access to as well as what abilities you can use to defeat your enemies. The kids thought it was amazing.  When it was their turn, they simply dropped their figure onto the pedestal to make the change in the game.

The graphics are colorful and stylized with a slight World Of Warcraft feel. The gameplay is easy to follow yet challenging. My 6 year old learned the controls fast enough as to not get frustrated and my 9 year old was fighting bosses in a short time.

It's fun to see a game that extends beyond the console and your TV. You can buy different figures and accessories to add new gameplay and adventure.  All are 100% compatible with the base starter set. I can easily imagine my kids playing with the figures without even turning on the game itself! The options for creativity and imagination are greatly expanded with a game like Skylanders Giants.

I am not embarrassed to say I played the game far too long before handing the controls over to my kids!

Visit Best Buy online to find out if there is an in-store demo at your local store and to learn about the Skylanders Giants Exclusive Launch Loot Bonus for those who pre-order the Skylanders Giants Starter Pack or Portal Owners Pack for any of the following platforms:  PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, or 3DS.

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.  All opinions expressed are his own.

Holiday 2011: NASCAR Unleashed (Nintendo Wii Game)

I am a gamer; I have been as long as I can remember. Although I have my favorite genres, I am willing to play anything and a good race car game is always welcome. Recently we received a copy of Activision’s NASCAR Unleashed for the Nintendo Wii (also available on other platforms).

I’m not going to dilly dally about this game: It is fun and we had a blast. My nearly 5 year old twins loved it as well as myself and my 8 year old son. The controls are simple and are quickly picked up. It only takes a few moments to understand what to do (although it took a while to get good at it).

The game is action packed and goes 1000 miles an hour right away. The interface and gameplay were simple enough to allow the twins to make it around the track while also detailed and accurate enough to keep me pumped trying to win the races.

What stands NASCAR Unleashed apart from its peer games is that this game allows you to smash up your competition. Heck, it is even encouraged! Not only do you need to control and navigate your car through a series of complex tracks, you need to “manage” your competitors as well. The added element of crash and mash added a great deal of fun to the game. The kids LOVE to wreck the other cars too.

The graphics are decent, the physics are accurate, and the interface is easy to pick up. Add in the ability to smash the other cars and you have a winner. NASCAR Unleashed is a great game and the entire family had fun playing it.

NASCAR Unleashed is rated E for Everyone and retails for $39.99 and is available for the Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo 3DS.  You should be able to find it at most major game retailers.


Thank you to Activision for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Holiday 2010 Review: Bakugan Defenders of the Core (Wii Game)

I just recently tried Bakugan Defenders of the Core by Activision for the Nintendo Wii. I want to say right up front this game is great fun, even if you aren’t into Bakugan.

Bakugan Defenders of the Core stays true to the core concepts of the card/figure game, but you do not need to understand that game to enjoy Defenders of the Core. The graphics follow a comic book style and are simply stunning, very colorful and the effects are dazzling.

There are a few choices to play: you can jump right to a battle, multi-player, or choose the storyline. I chose to follow the storyline option for my play as I knew this would offer me the most complete experience.

The story is interesting and engaging, unraveling a lot like a TV cartoon. The game play itself is broken up into brawls, RTS style play, and cut scenes to drive the story forward. I found the variety interesting and it kept my attention. The controls are a refreshing mix between motion control and a classic video game interface. Although straightforward, there are many controls to remember and there will be a learning curve for most.

The game has a system of advancement and unlocks that mirror the regular non-video game. You can collect Bakugan, special abilities, and traps. I found I was able to replay my favorite cut scenes and brawls, a great feature. One fun feature is your provided apartment. You are given a place to “live” where you can practice, check out your rewards, and talk to your fellow brawlers. Character customization is vast and very fun in itself. I found my own character with an Afro and jump suit!

(Click any image to enlarge)

Bakugan Defenders of the Core by Activision was great fun and, even though I do not know much about the regular card game, I was able to play right along and enjoy myself. Although the game is rated 10 years and up, my 7 year old was able to navigate and play to a degree. The content and themes were not at all to old for him, but use your own judgment as the game contains fantasy violence.

I certainly recommend this game for a great gift this year as it should provide many hours of entertainment. You can find this game for a variety of platforms at GameStop, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, ToysRUs.com, and other major video game retailers.

Thank you to Activision for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Holiday 2010 Giveaway: New Carnival Games (Wii Game) [CLOSED]

I just recently received 2K Play's New Carnival Games for the Nintendo Wii for review. New Carnival Games has over 30 games and attractions, all the stuff you would expect to see at a real carnival and more. This game does a great job capturing the sights and sounds of a carnival. The graphics are charming and all ages will enjoy the personalities of the “carnies”. The game is set up very intuitively and players of most ages will have little difficulty navigating from venue to venue.

Once inside one of the 5 themed venues, there are a variety of games and activities to try. Some are free to play and earn tickets while others cost tickets. Each game or activity has the opportunity to win prizes, over 300 total! In each venue there is at least one game that can be unlocked as well.

I found most of the actions required to perform each game or activity simple enough with just one or two motions or buttons required. I do want to mention that there were a number of games where I simply couldn’t discern the difference between a winning motion and a losing one. Swinging the remote in different ways produced the same result regardless. I think over time I may have been able to figure out the difference (if there was one), but I fear a child would get frustrated (or bored for an adult). Yet there were some games that just felt great and it was easy to learn exactly what motion resulted in positive results.

(Click any image to enlarge)

Over all 2K Play's New Carnival Games Wii game is fun and engaging for the entire family. I imagine there are enough games and variety that most will find a few they love and have fun even if some are hard to master. The MASSIVE prize system is very appealing to kids and it would not be hard to see kids being addicted to collecting them all promising hours and hours of play.

You can purchase this game, which retails for $39.99, at many major retailers of Wii games, such as Best Buy, GameStop, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Target, and more.

Thank you to 2K Games for sending us a complimentary product sample to base this review upon.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a copy of the "New Carnival Games" Wii Game.

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Browse the selection of children's video games offered by 2K Play. Then leave a comment telling me the name of another 2K Play video game you think would be engaging for a child to play. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2)

For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, sign up to receive Newsletters at Nintendo. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments telling me you did.

4)

For 1 extra entry each, if you are a Friend of mine on Facebook and/or if you have "liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 1 extra entry each, follow 2K Games on Twitter and/or "Like" 2K Games on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.

6)

Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

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Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

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Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

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Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, December 20th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Holiday 2010 Review: Power Gig "Rise of the SixString" (Xbox 360 Game)

You can rock out and learn to play the guitar with Power Gig: Rise of the SixString. Power Gig is the only 6 string guitar game on the market today that actually teaches you how to play the guitar. Similar to other guitar games, Power Gig makes itself stand out because of its wireless controller that is a real electric guitar.

Power Gig operates much like other guitar games, with colored dots that tell you when to strum, but it’s a little more complex because of its teaching structure. After mastering the game, you will know how to play the 6 string electric guitar. The game itself (Rated T) is fun and super addictive, entertainment for any older child, teen, or adult. It also includes some really great music by Eric Clapton, Kid Rock, Breaking Benjamin, Dave Matthews, Godsmack, and John Mayer, to name a few.

Neither of my kids (9 & 3) were particularly interested in this game but both my husband and I couldn’t wait to break it out and play. My husband, who is not much of a musician, quickly grew tired of the game and gave it up. I, on the other hand, loved it. I have always wanted to learn to play guitar, and this is just the right avenue to do it, and it’s way cheaper than lessons. I have spent hours playing it, much to my family’s dismay, and can’t wait to master it. This game would truly make a great Christmas gift for any aspiring musician in your life.

Power Gig: Rise of the SixString is available now at most major retailers, such as Best Buy, GameStop, Wal-Mart, and more. You can find more information, including a retailer near you, on their website, www.powergig.com. The Power Gig: Rise of the SixString game for Xbox 360, including the guitar, retails for $149.

Thank you to Power Gig for sending us a complimentary sample product to base this review upon.

Holiday 2010 Review: Zhu Zhu Pets - Wild Bunch (Wii Game)

The kids love Zhu Zhu Pets and we own quite a lot of them. I would say it is not an exaggeration that at one time we had nearly every piece available. As a parent however, I always quietly shuddered to myself each time they wanted to play with them as they needed too much help to get everything set up. So when we had the opportunity to review the Zhu Pets: Wild Bunch game by Activision for the Nintendo Wii I was excited. Maybe now my kids could enjoy the Zhu Zhu Pets they love so much without all the set up and clean up.

This game is based on your classic side scroll and collect game (think original Mario Bros.). Initially I thought a side scroll game dynamic was aged and restrictive, but after playing for a bit I realized it was just perfect for my kids. Activision also did a fantastic job keeping it fresh with a great deal of vertical and reverse movement.

The goal of the game is to move about each level collecting coins, keys, and power ups (very classic) while trying to “tag” members of the Wild Bunch. To tag a Wild Bunch Zhu Zhu you simply need to run over them making this game very appealing to my nearly 4 years old twins. Although the basic goal of each level is very simple, to really perform well it does require some skill and the exploration of hard to get to areas. My younger kids can easily meet the requirements to complete a level while my 7 year old can remain challenged trying to access all the loot hidden in difficult to reach places.

(Click on any image to enlarge)

The graphics are colorful and cute and the controls are intuitive and simple. The personalities of the Zhu Zhu pets are captured perfectly and the kids really enjoyed playing them as characters.
If you have kids 4 years old and up, consider Activision's Zhu Zhu Pets. It is fun and engaging. I would certainly recommend this game for all Zhu Zhu lovers. I must admit I had some fun playing it myself and look forward to some of the harder levels!

Zhu Zhu Pets: Wild Bunch is also available for the Nintendo DS and in a limited edition version for the Wii, which includes a Zhu Zhu Pet hamster. You can find one or both versions most places where Nintendo games are sold.

Thank you to Activision for sending us a complimentary sample product to base this review upon.

Holiday 2010 Review: Disney Pixar Cars Toon "Mater's Tall Tales" (Wii Game)

My family has loved the Disney Pixar Cars movie and themed toys for years so it is a treat to review a copy of Mater’s Tall Tales from Disney Pixar for the Nintendo Wii game system.

The game is themed after the Mater’s Tall Tales television show and will be instantly recognizable to anybody who has watched the show. All six sections of the game are based on actual Tall Tales episodes; you get to play through missions as Lightning McQueen with Mater as your guide.

I was very impressed by the variety of methods you need to control your car in each section. You are required to change the controls for each event so you are never bored. Each section has clear and understandable animated instructions as well. No reading is required to learn how to play.

My favorite section was "Monster Truck Mater". This section has plenty of variety and the goals of each episode were fun and engaging. The graphics for all sections was amazing and very pleasing to look at.

My seven your old son Jake also logged quite a few hours with Mater’s Tall Tales. He has a different idea of fun and spent all of his time in the "Free Play" area that allows you to play any of the unlocked sections that you choose. Once Jake realized that each event yielded money you could spend on fun upgrades for your car, he couldn’t stop playing. The idea of customization was just up his alley.

Overall Mater’s Tall Tales is a fun game and it varied enough to keep even an adult entertained. The difficulty was low enough as not to frustrate but not so easy that it was boring. The replay value for me is light, but for my seven year old son the game is the perfect mix of adventure and progression promising countless hours of fun.

Mater’s Tall Tales from Disney Pixar will make a great stocking stuffer for any kid this holiday…Even if that “kid” is in his 40’s… You can find this game at the Disney Store and most places where current Wii games are sold.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Disney Interactive Studios and received the Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales Wii game to facilitate my review.

Holiday 2010 Review: thinkSMART (Nintendo DS Game)

ThinkSmart is an excellent game for older children and adults. It’s a fun and fast paced collection of stimulating and brain-twisting puzzlers created by the renowned Ravensburger team that challenges players to improve their brain power. It features 18 mini-games with three levels of difficulty that promote language skills, logical thinking, math skills, memory, reasoning, and pattern recognition. It can be customized with either a boy or girl coach and for either left or right handedness, a feature I find very important because my husband and I are both lefties as well as our youngest son. Many games do not take left handedness into account, which makes it challenging to play some games on the DS. This game can be played singularly or as a multiplayer game. It also keeps track of your progress on your profile, so you can see your improvement as you play and get feedback.

For my nearly 9 year old son, this game is right at his level on the “easy” or “medium” setting. It is a great tool for him to use to expand his knowledge as well as practice what he already knows. And, it does it in a fun way which makes it better than just doing homework. I will say that I really enjoyed playing it as well on the hardest level, and so did everyone who tried. Amongst my favorite mini-games were the hundredboard in the math setting where you map out a given amount on a number board, every game on the language section, and the rapid math.

This game truly was fun for us all and we are happy we got the opportunity to try it out. This would make a great gift for any child older than eight years who can read and enjoys games that make them think. ThinkSmart for Nintendo DS retails for just $19.99 or less and can be found at most retailers of DS games, such as GameStop, Amazon.com, and more.

Thank you to Mentor Interactive for providing a complimentary sample game for us to base this review upon.

Giveaway & Review: Backyard Sports Sandlot Sluggers (Wii Game) [CLOSED]

As I may have mentioned in the past, the main reason I agreed to purchase a Nintendo Wii for our household is because it seemed like a great way to keep my family active, especially during the hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter. Although, we have tried some excellent exercise-based games, Backyard Sports Sandlot Sluggers allows my children to be active without a formal exercise routine.

We already had a baseball bat attachment for the Wii remote that came with an accessory pack we had previously purchased. Although it definitely is not necessary to have this attachment to play this baseball Wii game, it certainly adds to the realism of the role playing.

My children are 6.5, 3.5, and 3.5, so the Mini Games mode is the one that best fits their attention span. Each Mini Game is fairly short and allows the player or players to choose the activity they happen to be in the mood for at that time.

My children enjoyed being able to choose their team and their character. It really makes the game go faster having set choices rather than creating a completely customized character. In other games with that feature, my 6 year old can spend quite a long time just designing a character, which is fine when he is playing by himself, but not when there are multiple players.

Out of all the Mini Games, "Break Out" is the one that all our children enjoy. It is focused on only batting. Since we do not usually allow our children to swing big sticks around in the house, they really enjoyed this activity. I never realized how much giggling and laughter from delight could come from swinging a pretend bat until my 6 year old son played "Break Out" for the first time.

The great thing about Backyard Sports Sandlot Sluggers is that even preschoolers can enjoy the different activities. Our twins actually do not care about their scores or who wins. They just love playing this interactive baseball game and being able to affect the character on the screen.

Even though batting is clearly one of their favorite activities, I think the one that my 6 year old enjoys the most is Pickle. In this game, the player needs to shake the Wii remote to make their character run between the bases and try to tag the opposing runner's team out. I have never seen him laugh so much. Plus this game gives him quite a workout.

Needless to say, this game was a huge hit with our children. My husband did not like how much he had to adjust the way he hit in order to time his swings correctly, but such things were not an issue for the children. They cannot wait until the next game Backyard Sports Rookie Rush comes out this November.

To learn more about Sandlot Sluggers for Wii, DS, or XBox 360, visit BackyardSports.com . This game retails for just $19.99 and is currently available at Amazon.com, GameStop, Best Buy, Target, Toys R Us, Walmart, and other major video game retailers.

Thank you to Backyard Sports for sending us a sample game free of charge to base this review upon and for providing another game for our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive Backyard Sports Sandlot Slugger (for the Wii).

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Browse the selection of Sandlot Sluggers characters. Then leave a comment telling me which character you or your child would like to play the most. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2)

For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND BackyardSports.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4)

For 1 extra entry each, if you are a Friend of mine on Facebook and/or if you have "liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 1 extra entry, "Like" Backyard Sports on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Facebook profile.

6)

Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)

Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)

Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

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Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

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Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, September 6th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!