Music Games

Singstar Dance - You can dance and sing, in this amazingly fun game. Play alone or with a group to songs by the Backstreet Boys, Lady Gaga, La Roux, and New Kids on the Block. The game features the entire SingStar library of downloadable content, with many songs starting to be available with both dance and singing. Singstar Dance requires the Playstation Move Controller. The game is absolutely addicting in the amount of fun you can and will have. You can play with adults, kids or a mix of both. It does not matter who you play with, because when Singstar Dance is involved it’s time to get the party started! This is the game you need to have under your tree this year. It’s the one game your whole family can enjoy together, regardless of age!

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock - The party continues with the latest release from the Guitar Hero team. With a brand new, included guitar, in the bundle, you and your friends/family can rock your way through a selection of songs. From Queen to Muse, Def Leppard to Linkin Park, some of the hottest rock tunes are included. There is also the ability to tap into the vast, Guitar Hero library of songs, while a variety of bands continue to add their music to it, to offer the ultimate rocking experience for Guitar Hero fans. This game may appeal to the whole family, but it is recommended for older kids, due to the complexity of playing the various instruments (which may be frustrating for young children). You’ll at least need a Guitar, but you can play other instruments like Bass, Drums, and a Mic to sing. The game offers the ability to play in Story Mode or Quickplay Mode, which just lets you pick whatever songs you want, and from there you can jam. For families with older kids, teens or college students, this is one of the presents you’ll want to get the family, this year.

DJ Hero 2 - Get your turntables ready! The sequel to the popular DJ Hero is doper, more challenging and full of crazy mixes that will make anyone who plays successfully the ultimate DJ Hero. The bundle we received came with two turntables, a microphone, and the game. This is pretty much all you need to start spinnin’. We must confess that it is really hard to use the mic and sing/rap these mixes easily. They are confusing and overlapping, but that is not the real gem of the game. The best part is spinning wicked mixes and performing “tricks” that make each mix sound dope and unique. This game can take you head to head with your friends both online and off in the ultimate DJ battles. Fun for parties or playing on your own, DJ Hero 2 is unique from other music games because it puts you in control, in the driver’s seat, at the club, and really who wouldn’t want to experience that? This game is recommended for older kids, especially teens, if you are getting it for the family.

Just Dance 2: We liked Just Dance, so we were sure we’d like the sequel, especially since it features a bunch of new songs. Just Dance was the game that started the dancing craze in gaming. It was the first to offer such dancified motion. Available only for the Wii, up to four players can boogie down to songs by Beyonce Knowles, Blondie, Madonna, Donna Summer, Fatboy Slim, The Jackson 5, Ike and Tina, Benny Benassi, Qunicy Jones, and Cher. This is no different than the original. It just features new music, and new dances. Dance games are all the rage right now. It’s time to go back to the roots of dancing video games by picking up a copy of Just Dance 2.

Michael Jackson: The Experience: The Wii, PSP and Nintendo DS versions are available in time for the holidays. Jackson fans with PS3′s and Xbox’s will have to wait until early next year to receive their copies. The game is a dance game based on the dances, songs, and music of the legend of pop, Michael Jackson. There are multiple modes of play (mostly following avatars of Michael Jackson as he dances). The game features all of his best songs including Bad, Thriller, Billie Jean, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal and Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough, as well as his The Girl is Mine duet with Paul McCartney. If you love music, then you need to own this game. However, it may not be available for you this holiday. Just keep that in mind before purchasing the Wii version or the PSP/Nintendo DS versions, which feature less songs.

Colorful Kidfare

Plants vs. Zombies: Ok, as a hardcore kind of gamer, I (we) rarely ever fall for the puzzle style games. That is, unless they are a game like Plants vs. Zombies. We really enjoyed this game when it became available for the PC. Now that it has been released on the Xbox, we’re giddy in our excitement. Who wouldn’t want to play any game with zombies? Further, who wouldn’t want to counter attack the zombies with plants? You know, if we’re ever in the zombie apocalypse, we know the best defense is shooting plants, of course! This game is incredibly addicting. The kids love it almost more than we do. The concept is really simple. Zombies are trying to get to your house and your only line of defense is shooting, eating and sun spitting plants, exploding cherries, and big hunks of rock. It is your job to set up a defense before they breech the perimeter. You’ll have fun doing this with or without the kids, so get this game right away!

Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time: These crazy little rabbids are fun and the kids love them. In the latest adventure, they travel in a washing machine looking time machine through various periods of history. Their goal is to go back in time and change history. You’ll play through a selection of minigames, taking advantage of the Wii MotionPlus capabilities. The thing we like about games like this is it inspires the kids to want to learn more about actual history. As the rabbids travel through prehistoric times where cavemen are attempting to make fire, and as they explore the histories of the Mona Lisa, the Titanic and the Pony Express, your children are learning about unique historical concepts without setting foot in a classroom AND they are having fun while doing it.

Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 - It’s the cast of Harry Potter, in Lego form. You’ll explore scenes from the first four books/movies of the popular Harry Potter series, all while playing as a Lego! This game is fun. You often do not know what you’re doing exactly, but since there is so much world to explore, you can get away with just fooling around and still have fun. This game is addictive, even if you are not a Harry Potter fan (but c’mon who has kids and isn’t at least entertained by the films?!). It excites the inner child within you. I do not know a child who did not or does not play with Legos, at some point in their lives. Some of us adults still play with Legos. This game gives adults an excuse to play games with their kids, and trust us, the kids will be as into it as the adults. This is a MUST HAVE game this season, because if you do not own it, you’re just not cool!

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn: We are huge fans of the original titles in the Golden Sun series. Though we miss the old characters, such as Isaac, Garet, Felix, Sheba and Jenna, a few of those oldies make an appearance here. This is a new generation of adepts, who are the children of the original two games. While the difficulty of the game isn’t extreme (it is a game both kids and adults can play), the look of the graphics and the overall feel of Golden Sun: Dark Dawn will both give the tingles of nostalgia to old fans of the series and inspire a generation of new fans. This is a new adventure in an age-old story of good vs. evil. While the DS isn’t the best gaming system out there, it is certainly the right platform for the next chapter in one of our very favorite gaming series’.

Sonic Colors: Sonic fans rejoice. Though this is a more modern take with cooler graphics than the old school Sega games we used to play, there are so many elements of the old games that reach out to those who miss these earlier titles. You are still Sonic. You are still running around like a crazy hedgehog in order to get gold rings and finish in record time. You also return to fight Dr. Eggman, and save an alien race known as the Wisps, who he is using in his intergalactic amusement park, in his latest attempt to take over the world. Sonic Colors is a great way to introduce a new generation of young gamers to one of the legendary characters in early gaming history, and have fun while doing so as you indulge in playing the latest Sonic adventure.

Disney’s Epic Mickey: We wanted to play this game ever since it was announced and debuted at E3. The colorful world and the introduction of Mickey in a more mature game setting seemed irresistible. In Epic Mickey, you’ll be using your paint brush to battle enemies and fix the world created by Yen Sid that Mickey has helped to damage. Using a paint brush and thinner, characters and objects in the environment can be re-envisioned by painting or removed with paint thinner. The in game morality system determines the path your character takes in this open ended game. With the kind of gameplay Epic Mickey offers, kids and parents can enjoy Mickey’s first video game adventure on the Nintendo Wii, together. With familiar friends and faces, this game will be a winner in any holiday stocking this season.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold the Videogame: Any gamer who likes Batman is going to like this title. Initially, we thought it’d be something the kids would enjoy more than us, but apparently we were wrong. While the game is repetitive it also offers some really cool gameplay options. This is a knock em, sock em, beat em up kind of Batman game based on the animated series of the same name. You’ll play co-operatively with another superhero, such as Robin, Blue Beetle, and Bat-mite. The game is available for Wii and Nintendo DS, with up to two different players simultaneously playing in the Wii version. There is no better way to celebrate after the holidays than playing as Batman and Robin with your child, which is why we recommend you pick up a copy of Batman: The Brave and the Bold today.

Super Scribblenauts: Puzzle lovers unite. This is fun, a puzzle game, and a learning tool. It involves thinking as you come up with words and spelling. Kids who have yet to learn to read or write may be frustrating trying to play this without a friend or family member helping them. You play as Maxwell, and unlike its predecessor, Super Scribblenauts allows you to add characteristics to objects you type, creating them in order to help you move through the puzzles. This is one of those learning games that seems to fun to actually be a learning game. If you want the kids to expand their cranium this holiday, this is the video game you’ll want to buy. Learning that is fun; what more can you ask for in a Nintendo DS video game?

MySims SkyHeroes: You’ll have a blast playing and customizing with the kids, as you play the latest MySims title together. This is a game that is available for all the major consoles and the DS. We prefer it on the Xbox, but it is not too different between systems. You will have the chance to customize your character and the planes you fly, as you take to the skies. Gameplay involves racing, shooting down enemies, and a variety of other options. You can earn a variety of bonuses/boosts to help make your missions easier, as you help the good guys take on the evil Morcubus and his group of drones. From Boss Battles to Co-op play, this game has everything in a colorfully designed package, which will appeal as much to its E10 audience, as it will their parents.

Kinectimals: Who doesn’t love adorable animals? This is one of the first titles available for the new, Xbox 360 Kinect system. You (and the kids) will have the chance to interact with animals as though they are your pets. However, these aren’t just any ordinary animals. There are a selection of baby cat cubs, including a Cheetah, Royal Bengal Tiger, Black Panther, African Lion and African Leopard. You’ll have the opportunity to unlock additional cubs, through gameplay, including Bornean Clouded Leopards, Servals and Bobcats. On the Cute-o-Meter this game gets an absolute ten. Of course you should not expect this to be a hardcore game. This fits strictly under the cute and cuddly and it is recommended for parents and their children or animal lovers who want to bond with virtual animals.

Donkey Kong Country Returns: This holiday, give it all to the Kong, Donkey Kong, with Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Nintendo Wii. You’ll play as Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong as you navigate through a selection of familiar mine cart levels. As the Kongs you can swing from vine to vine and collect bananas. The story has you collecting stolen bananas, that the animals of DK Island have taken while under the spell of the Tiki Tak Tribe. Fans of Donkey Kong can rejoice. Though the graphics are updated, Donkey Kong Country Returns has the look and feel of previous titles in the Donkey Kong series. Besides, what family member won’t go bananas over this title?

Super Mario Galaxy 2: Mario heads back to space to take on his longtime enemy Bowser, in a new attempt to save Princess Peach. This is quite similar to Super Mario Galaxy, but there are different galaxies to explore. Essentially, this is a continuation of the previous title. If you are a Mario fan then you know the story, you know your mission, and you’ve been waiting for the release of this title since it was announced at E3 over a year ago. You’ll take on familiar looking enemies in unique environments. Mario is always a crowd pleaser in our home, so it’s always going to be a game the entire family enjoys playing. As far as family games go, this is the one to buy this holiday season.

Super Mario All-Stars: Limited Edition: For a limited time, you and the kids will have the chance to re-visit Mario and the old gang. This is a reissue of the Super Mario All-Stars game that was released for the SNES. We both had SNES consoles and we also owned the SNES version. Now, it has been upgraded for play on the Wii. You’ll get to navigate through familiar themes, levels and sounds as you play through Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3. The game also comes with memorabilia, a 32-page booklet that hardcore Mario fans with appreciate. Mario is the plumber that started an entire generation of gaming, so why not own his most popular games, with support for the Wii? You owe it to yourself and your family to bring a little Mario into your lives this holiday.

More Mature Family Fun

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1: This is going to be a game you buy based on name alone. A lot of the movie to video games aren’t as great, and this one is not spectacular. However, fans of the Potter series will enjoy the familiarity of the elements. Like the movie, this is the first of a two-part video game series. The game is fairly quick for experienced gamers and prevents little challenge. However, it does feature first-person shooter moments and less experienced gamers or older kids who are fans of the series are going to get more out of this title. There is a reason this is on the family guide and not the hardcore gamer guide. Buy this for your family and not for you. It is going to be a game played because it’s Harry Potter, not because it presents awesome, challenging gameplay.

Spiderman: Shattered Dimensions: Play as four different Spidey’s in four different dimensions (with four different voice actors, including the extremely talented Neil Patrick Harris). When the “Tablet of Order and Chaos” is shattered into pieces during an altercation with Mysterio, various dimensions of the Marvel Spidey Universe are affected. You’ll weave your way from web to web, while playing as the Amazing Spidermanr, a 1930′s Spiderman known as Spiderman Noir, the future Spiderman (Spidey 2099), and young Ultimate Spiderman. The game switches between first and third perspectives, and uses an array of acrobatic and combat tactics to help you through a slew of situations on your quest to restore order and balance to the multiple realities. While parents and older kids can really get into this rated T title, it’s best the little ones avoid it until they are old enough to appreciate the storyline.

Madden 11 - Football fans rejoice at the release of a brand new Madden. Honestly, it is not so different from Madden 10, but what differences are there…make all the difference! Featuring a tighter gameplay offense and new play-calling system known as GameFlow, the offensive action is seamless. While defensive play continues to remain weak, it is not so bad that it is going to interfere with playing this game. Plus Madden 11 features the hottest players in the NFL today, including Super Bowl MVP, Drew Brees, who dons the cover of this new Madden game. While Madden 11 has been out for a while, those who haven’t had a chance to pick this up need to. This version of Madden is much friendlier to beginners, thanks to GameFlow, so this would be a great place to start your kids, by introducing them to the fun that is Madden.

NCAA Football 11 - If you love college football, getting a copy of NCAA Football 11 is a no-brainer. This game offers tighter, more realistic play than past versions. We’re Michigan fans. There is no greater sport in the Midwest than college football, and we get our fill here with NCAA 11. You’ll play as your favorite players and top teams. If you’re anything like our family, then you’ve started your kids off on the right track, getting them into your favorite team. Nothing says bonding like a football game played together with parents and kids taking turns on plays and cheering each other on. Pick this up for your favorite football fans and it is bound to be a very Happy Holidays in your house.

ModNation Racers: Developed with the whole family in mind, this crazy, animated kart racing game is a crowd pleaser. The coolest part of ModNation Racers is the “mod” part, as you step into the design and development seat. A central part of the game is the User Generated Content you have the ability to help develop and then share with a network of other gamers around the globe. You and your family will have the chance to develop unique characters, cars and race tracks with track environments in excellent detail. The races become your world, which you make on your own, and then can utilize. Download the content of others and race on your own in this unique game for the Playstation 3. There is also a PSP version, but we think the PS3 one is cooler.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit: It’s time for the family to head to Seacrest County for a fast-paced advneture. It will have you racing through an open course world or online against various other racers. Due to the interactive nature of the game, which now allows friends to race head to head in the new social network developed for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, we recommend this for families with older kids. Featuring tons of exotic cars, pulse pounding police chases and a selection of race styles and race destinations, its no wonder Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is being named the number one racing game of 2010. This is an exhilarating ride no matter whether you are the one in the driver’s seat or not and is bound to already be on your older child’s must have game list this holiday.

Technorati Tags: Video Games, Family, Gamerrazzi, Holiday Gift Guide, 2010, Family Games, Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, Lego Harry Potter, Need for Speed, Singstar, Maddenn 11, NCAA Football, ModNation Racers, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Monopoly Streets, MySims, Kinectimals, Super Mario Galaxy, Guitar Hero, DJ Hero 2

Just like any other area of gaming, the quest to design the perfect casual game is competitive. This year there were some tough contenders. Here is a list of our ten favorite games in the casual arena. We recommend you pick one (or all) of these up for the casual gamer in your life!

Without further ado:

CSI: Fatal Conspiracy - If you love CSI, which many people do, then you are going to love this game. CSI: Fatal Conspiracy was obviously developed for fans. Those who are not into the show won’t get how cool this game is. The real fault here is in the fact that it is not going to appeal to those who do not like CSI, so all those casual gamers who do not like CSI can stop reading and move on to the next, non-CSI oriented game on this list. This game corresponds with season 10 of the series, so you’ll be playing with the team that is led by Laurence Fishburne. This is shorter than your average video game, like you’d expect a casual games to be, with five primary cases you’ll work through.

The benefit is you’ll get to play with nearly every member of the CSI team, almost as if you were in the show, yourself, and the cases are weirdly interesting (they get better as you go along in the game). You’ll also be led around, as you look for evidence and then head back to the lab to process it. Naturally, you are going to get the best experience playing the PC-version of this game, due to its casual nature, but it is also available for Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3. If you have a CSI fan in the family, pick this up! Or, you may want to check out the latest CSI DS version, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — Unsolved!

Plants vs. Zombies - To quote Ashtyn, “this is the “FUNNEST” casual game ever.” There is something totally awesome about plants shooting zombies to death, but, you know, they don’t just die. They fall apart before they die. When you get to the roof levels you can beat them with corn. It’s fabulous and it promotes nutrition (ok, maybe not). If anything, it makes you want to start storing up corn in the event of the zombie apocalypse! Either way, this game is fun for adults, fun for kids, and it’s also addictive.

A word of warning for those who choose to play this on the Xbox. It’s harder, so frustration levels may grow for the little ones. Regardless, if we had to rank casual games in order of “you must own this or you suck” this would be listed at number one. Buy yourself this PopCap game right away, for the holidays. Then, go and buy a copy for all your family and friends. You won’t regret the purchase.

Super Scribblenauts – If you have kids, and you worry about them not getting anything out of the games they play then we highly recommend Super Scribblenauts. This is a game of words. It promotes reading, writing (typing) and spelling. You play as Maxwell and the object of the game is to collect Starites by inputting words that are a part of the game’s vocabulary. The game allows the addition of adjectives in front of the objects (i.e. blue frisbee) or you can get even more creative (i.e. teeny weeny polka-dot bikini). Maxwell receives clues about what items to input, so this is a brain-bending puzzle game. The thing is, Super Scribblenauts is actually a LOT of fun. This is a game of imagination and versatility. Available for the DS, your kids won’t want to leave home without it.

Family Feud Decades It’s time for FAMILY FEUD! We’ve both been addicted to the Facebook version of Family Feud. We admit it. Even if the answers are lame, cheesy, and not usually what we expect. Well, we are a glutton for punishment, because Family Feud Decades offers not one, but four different versions of the game everybody secretly hates (due to it’s sometimes lack of realistic answers) yet cannot seem to stop playing.

Family Feud Decades offer over 2,500 different questions and the cool thing is that you get to play with questions and a theme/set that reflects one of four decades; the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s. You get to play in single player or party mode, choose from three levels of difficulty, and you get to customize your look. Dom’s a hippie and Ashtyn is all hardcore and grungy. While this is fun for a bit of time, you won’t want to spend hours upon hours with this game. Still, if you want to find a way to play a fun game with the family this holiday, this is the one for you!

Tetris Party Deluxe - This game is going to succeed on the mere fact that this is Tetris. The old game you know and love has been re-invented for a modern audience. You can play in six different game modes with plenty of enhanced playing options. Customize your game with your Mii to make play a little more personal and play against your friends in fast paced, colorful, multiplayer rounds of Tetris. The fun is in the chance to play Tetris, yes, good old fashioned, classic-style Tetris, with a group of friends. This is fun for groups of adults, groups of kids, families of all shapes and sizes and anyone else who likes Tetris. We recommend you get this as a stocking stuffer or keep it for yourself!

Hollywood Squares - Calling all Hollywood Squares fans! This game falls into the same trap all of the other games shows to video games fall into. Hollywood Squares is fun to play in short spurts or with large groups. It is not going to be something you’ll want to play on your own for days at a time. This one is not quite as cool as Family Feud Decades for the mere fact that questions are limited and easy. However, if you have kids, this game will be fun, because they will be able to participate. That is the point of a game like this!

You’ll pay through 20+ different games with your customized avatar and your squares consist of celebrities like Kathy Griffin and Brad Garrett. The AI for the game isn’t exactly difficult, even when playing on the hardest mode of game play, but if you get a group of kids, they will be all over this like white on rice. We do not recommend this strictly for adults for the mere fact that these questions are bound to get boring, but for the youngsters, this offers some great fun!

Sonic Colors DS - Retro Sonic fans, get your kids! It’s time to introduce them to the buzzing blue hedgehog from your childhood/teen years. Good things come in small packages, so the way to enjoy Sonic in a casual setting is on the DS. You (and your children) have the chance to enjoy Sonic in a whole new adventure (it is also available for Wii, too). Dr. Eggman has returned with a new, diabolical plan that Sonic has to stop, before the evil Eggman can take over the universe.

Disguising his plan under the guise of a brightly colored, amazingly fun, interstellar amusement park that floats above Sonic’s home planet, Dr. Eggman invites Sonic to show him he really is up to nothing nefarious, but looks can be deceiving. When Sonic discovers a race of aliens being held captive at the park that Eggman is using to harness their energy, it is up to him to put an end to it. This is classic Sonic fare, as you travel through loop de loops collecting coins and taking on baddies. With the DS, you can take the game with you anywhere you go, and trust me you are going to want to. When you buy this for the kids this holiday you’ll be sure to want to play Sonic Colors yourself, too!

The Sims 3 - Expanding upon earlier titles, The Sims 3 has already proven its success in its first week of sales. Everything you love about The Sims, the open-ended gameplay, the life simulation structure, and the interactivity with an AI community of Sims is available in The Sims 3. Instead of Wants and Fears, grant your Sims wishes to achieve greater amounts of Lifetime Happiness. Your Sims can experience the life cycle from baby to elder and even face death from old age or through an accident like fire or drowning. The Sims around you have the ability to grow and flourish, as well, thanks to the new story progression option. Either way, The Sims 3 is another great gaming option that will allow you to waste hours upon hours of your life, playing it!

Bejeweled 3 - A PC favorite amongst casual gamers, the latest Bejeweled version, Bejeweled 3, has been released, just in time for the holidays. In this highly anticipated sequel from PopCap games, Bejeweled 3 offers play in four standard modes: classic, zen, quest and lightening, as well as four secret modes: Butterflies, Diamond Mine, Ice Storm, and Poker. There are eight different gem styles in a variety of the different modes and levels, and the combinations of gameplay options allow for endless amounts of gameplay. We know many people already addicted to Bejeweled 2 and the original Bejeweled title. It won’t take long for you and your loved ones to get just as addicted to Bejeweled 3 when you purchase it for them this holiday.

Monopoly Streets - Think of a tripped out version of Monopoly and you have Monopoly Streets. Our Xbox Avatar got to ride on the ship, and it was wicked cool, during some of the games we played. It’s Monopoly in a variety of settings you unlock as you go along. The first one is a 3D version of the classic board, dubbed Monopoly City. You can, of course, also play on the classic board, but what’s the fun in that. You play against a selection of crazy AI characters that act stupid-silly the entire game. The goal is to collect properties and money without going bankrupt. You can do that buy buying houses, building on them, getting cash from the Community Chest and taking a Chance. While this isn’t the coolest game on our list, it definitely provides hours of fun for the whole family.

Technorati Tags: Gamerrazzi, 2010 Holiday, Gift Guide, Top Ten, Casual Games, Video Games, PC Games, Bejeweled 3, Monopoly Streets, Sonic Colors, Hollywood Squares, Tetris Party Deluxe, Family Feud Decades, Super Scribblenauts, Plants vs. Zombies, CSI: Unsolved, CSI: Fatal Conspiracy

*N Sync – Bye Bye Bye
Black Eyed Peas – Shut Up
Blondie – Heart Of Glass
Chris Brown - With You
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Diana Ross and The Supremes – Baby Love
Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
Gossip – Standing In The Way Of Control
Gwen Stefani – What You Waiting For?
Jamiroquai – Cosmic Girl
KC & The Sunshine Band – That’s The Way (I Like It)
Kid Cudi vs Crookers – Day ‘N’ Nite
Kool And The Gang – Celebration
La Roux – Bulletproof
Lady Gaga – Poker Face
MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This
New Kids On The Block – Hangin Tough
Outkast – Hey Ya!
Paula Abdul - Straight Up
Pitbull - I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)
Reel 2 Real feat. The Mad Stuntman - I Like To Move It
Ricky Martin - Living La Vida Loca
Run DMC vs Jason Nevins – It’s Like That
Salt N Pepa – Push It
Shaggy – Boombastic
Sir Mix A Lot – Baby Got Back
Soulja Boy – Crank That
The Backstreet Boys – Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)
The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
The Pussycat Dolls – Don’t Cha

While we’ve heard more Lady GaGa, Pussycat Dolls and La Roux than we’ve ever cared to in a single weekend (the kids kept wanting to dance to songs they knew), the party was a smashing success!

SingStar Dance is not only a karaoke game, it is a dance game. Up to four players can play at one time, two dancing, using the Playstation Move controllers and two using microphones to sing. We managed to take quite a few pictures and videos of the festivities. While, initially, none of the kids wanted to get into playing the game, all it took was one dance number before they were all clamoring for the controls. Of course, the adults who claimed they were too afraid of making fools of themselves also ended up wanting to play. This includes Ashtyn’s mom who is rockin’ it out to “U Can’t Touch This” in the following video:

Of course, I (Dominick) convinced Ash to dance with our six year old nephew, B. As you can see, she is better than a six year old. However, I am not sure if that is saying much!

Of course, it would not be a birthday party without the birthday boy enjoying himself and he did. This had to be one of his favorite birthdays. You only turn 16 once, and we wanted to make it special for him. Luckily, we caught him having a good time on camera!

Of course there were cute moments (Lil B our nephew dancing with our friend Kris’ daughter):

…and surprise dances caught on tape! Notice how the adults have really gotten into this!

Of course, you should note there is not a single video with Dom in there dancing. We tried and the dancing is just not very wheelchair accessible, BUT the good news is wheelchair users can still participate by getting judged on their singing or just freestyling as their friends dance, so this game is not totally non-inclusive!

We wanted our son to have an amazing, unforgettable birthday and thanks to Playstation Move and Singstar Dance he did. We recommend this for any family gathering or just to get a workout on your own.

Technorati Tags: Playstation Move, Video Games, Singstar Dance, Fun Times, Family, Party, Birthday, 16th Birthday, Kids, Dancing, Singing, Dance Game, Karaoke Game

Dallas, TX – (Feb 1, 2010) – Public voting is underway for the Gamer’s Choice Award in the Indie Game ChallengeSM sponsored by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME), and The Guildhall at Southern Methodist University. The Gamer’s Choice Award is one of more than $350,000 in prizes available to the 12 finalist teams announced today in the Indie Game Challenge. Visit www.indiegamechallenge.com between now and midnight CT, Feb. 18, to learn more about the 12 finalists and to vote.

Voters for the Gamer’s Choice Award will be entered into the Gamer’s Choice Sweepstakes, which offers a grand prize of a trip for two to Los Angeles to tour G4 studios, passes to attend a taping of the popular “X-Play” program, and a meet-and-greet with “X-Play” host Adam Sessler. The sweepstakes winner will be selected March 12.

The winning Gamer’s Choice Award team will be presented $10,000 on Feb. 19 at the D.I.C.E.™ (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit being hosted at Red Rock Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. D.I.C.E. is an annual conference hosted by the AIAS dedicated to exploring approaches to the creative process and artistic expression as they uniquely apply to the development of interactive entertainment.

In addition to the Gamer’s Choice Award, the grand prizes and category winners of the Indie Game Challenge will also be unveiled at D.I.C.E. in an awards ceremony hosted by Sessler. The six non-professional and six professional finalists are eligible for more than $350,000 in prizes, including separate $100,000 pro and non-pro team awards, an SMU scholarship and more.

Complete details about the Indie Game Challenge, the Gamer’s Choice Award and the Gamer’s Choice Sweepstakes and the official rules can be found at www.indiegamechallenge.com.

Technorati Tags: Indie Game Challenge, Win Trip, New York, Gamer’s Choice Award, Video Games, Los Angeles, Adam Sessler, G4, X-Play

1. Visit the Gamestop website at: http://www.gamestop.com/

3. Copy and paste that list into a comment here on this page at Gamerrazzi

COMMENTS ARE MODERATED to avoid spam, so it will not show up right away. People who leave multiple comments will be deleted from the contest altogether. If you do not see your comment within a day then by all means leave another one. Otherwise, do not worry as we accept comments several times a day.

ENTRY GUIDELINES:
To enter you need to be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the US. If you have won a contest within the last 30 days you are not eligible.

GET AN EXTRA ENTRY:
Want an extra entry? Twitter about this contest! Just click the Tweet button in the bottom left corner of this article’s box!

You can post the URL to your Tweet in your initial comment for this contest.

To find out about all our latest contests feel free to add us to your Twitter:

@dominickevans
@ashtynevans

You can also get extra entries (one entries for each) into our contest by:

-Posting on your blog/website about out contest with a link back to LI Kids (please let us know where to find said link so we can give you an extra entry)
-Digging or Stumbling this post (list your Digg/Stumble username in your comment)
-Becoming a Member of our Facebook Fan Page
-Subscribing to our YouTube Page

*******Please only leave ONE comment – If you Twitter, Digg, Blog about, or Stumble this contest you can post all relevant information in that comment. We will make sure to add extra entries for each extra thing you’ve done when we randomly pick winners.

CLAIMING YOUR PRIZE:
Winners will be sent an email shortly after the end of the contest. To claim your prize all you will need to do is send us your address in a reply to the congratulation email that you will receive. If we do not receive a reply from you within three days, your winnings will be forfeited and your prize will be offered to another contestant.

ENTRY DEADLINE:
We will begin emailing winners for this the week of September 1, 2009, which means you have until August 31, 2009 at 11:59 to enter.

DESCRIPTION:
(From the Gamestop Website’s About Us Page) GameStop is the world’s largest video game retailer. With over 6,100 stores located throughout the United States and 17 countries, we are the retail destination for gamers around the world.

Our GameStop, EB Games and Electronics Boutique retail locations set us apart in the industry. Everything that we offer our customers-from our expansive selection of new products, to our knowledgeable associates and our value-added pre-owned products-is geared to deliver customer satisfaction. We complement our store network with GameStop.com and EBgames.com, and publish Game Informer, one of the industry’s largest circulation video game magazines.

Together, we hold a passion for gaming, a commitment to our industry and a disciplined business perspective to continuously drive value with shareholders, customers, vendors and employees.

For more information visit Gamestop.com

Also, don’t forget to check out the Madden NFL 10 Battle of the Gridiron Tournament at your local Gamestop on August 22, 2009. For more information, check out the Battle of the Gridiron Website.

Technorati Tags: Gamestop, 0 Gift Card, Gaming, Video Games, Prize, Gamerrazzi, Madden 2010

To promote the release of Madden NFL 10 and Gamestop’s Battle of the Gridiron Tournament, to be held at a selection of Gamestop’s around the country, we’re asking that you follow these directions when posting a comment beneath this contest post, here on Gamerrazzi.

1. Go to the Gamestop Battle of the Gridiron Tournament Website located here: http://www.gamestop.com/gs/tournaments/mddn10/

2. Click on the Round 1 Stores Button on the page listed above

3. Browse through the list of stores listed in this PDF page and find the location closest to you (you can search by State and then city – since both are listed alphabetically on this document)

4. Come back here to this page and post a comment listing the name of the store location (i.e. Gamestop at Oak Park Mall) and the state/city where it is located

5. Complete your comment by telling us whether you plan to go the Battle of the Gridiron Tournament at the store you’ve listed

COMMENTS ARE MODERATED to avoid spam, so it will not show up right away. People who leave multiple comments will be deleted from the contest altogether. If you do not see your comment within a day then by all means leave another one. Otherwise, do not worry as we accept comments several times a day.

ENTRY GUIDELINES:
To enter you need to be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the US. If you have won a contest within the last 30 days you are not eligible.

GET AN EXTRA ENTRY:
Want an extra entry? Twitter about this contest! Just click the Tweet button in the bottom left corner of this article’s box!

You can post the URL to your Tweet in your initial comment for this contest.

To find out about all our latest contests feel free to add us to your Twitter:

@dominickevans
@ashtynevans

You can also get extra entries (one entries for each) into our contest by:

-Posting on your blog/website about out contest with a link back to LI Kids (please let us know where to find said link so we can give you an extra entry)
-Digging or Stumbling this post (list your Digg/Stumble username in your comment)
-Becoming a Member of our Facebook Fan Page
-Subscribing to our YouTube Page

*******Please only leave ONE comment – If you Twitter, Digg, Blog about, or Stumble this contest you can post all relevant information in that comment. We will make sure to add extra entries for each extra thing you’ve done when we randomly pick winners.

CLAIMING YOUR PRIZE:
Winners will be sent an email shortly after the end of the contest. To claim your prize all you will need to do is send us your address in a reply to the congratulation email that you will receive. If we do not receive a reply from you within three days, your winnings will be forfeited and your prize will be offered to another contestant.

ENTRY DEADLINE:
We will begin emailing winners for this the week of August 22, 2009, which means you have until August 21, 2009 at 11:59 to enter.

FROM THE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
GameStop, Corp. (NYSE:GME), the world’s largest video game and entertainment software retailer, today announced that it will host Madden NFL 10 video game tournaments at more than 2,900 of its U.S. locations on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009. Madden fans will battle through three rounds of tough competition in the in-store, tiered tournament.

Many of the participating GameStop locations will begin round one of
their tournaments at 2 p.m. local time; however, customers are
encouraged to contact their local store to confirm the exact start
time. All contestants must check-in at least 30 minutes prior to the start of play, and you must be at least 13 years old to participate in the event.

Participants under 18 must have a parent or guardian sign their registration form.

The top four players from each participating first round location will
advance to the second round on Aug. 29; where the top two players of
each of these competitions will advance to the Regional Finals, which
will take place on Sept. 12. The top 16 Regional finalists will
advance to the championship event, to be held on Nov. 1 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix, AZ. Finalists will receive roundtrip airfare to Phoenix, hotel accommodations, $200 in spending money and tickets to the Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers game that afternoon.

Finalists will take their stance on the Great Lawn for four, three-minute quarters against the competition on Madden NFL 10 until one player is left standing. The Grand Prize winner will receive $5,000.

For more information on Madden NFL 10 and the Battle of the Gridiron Tournament visit Gamestop’s Madden page.

Technorati Tags: Battle of the Gridiron, Tournament, Madden NFL 10, Gamestop, Madden 2010, Gamerrazzi, Giveaway, Video Games, PS3, Contest, Enter, Win, Sports Game

I’m not a major game show fan. Most of the people in my house are. My son is a game show fanatic. In fact, one of his favorite television stations is Game Show Network. If he could play game shows on the computer or on video games every waking moment, he would. I just don’t really like game shows all that much. The only ones I can stand to watch are test your knowledge games. I’ll watch Jeopardy and the Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader. I’m not so fanatical about these shows that I can’t miss them, but I do enjoy playing along with them when they are on.

On a side note, as a kid, I was in love with the Match Game. It was the craziest, kookiest game and I loved to watch reruns from the 1970s. It had to be the outlandish nature of the celebrities that participated on the show, that made it so fun to watch. That being said, it’s insanely clear to me that I prefer the games where I can actively participate in the game, by answering questions and gauging how I’d do if I were competing against the contestants. Just watching people do things that I can’t participate in is not much fun. I’m pretty sure that’s why I never dug The Price is Right.

When I found out about the Playstation Network offering Jeopardy for a downloadable purchase, I knew I had to get this game. Not only would I enjoy it, but the rest of the family would go ga-ga during time spent together. I knew that Jeopardy would be a crowd-pleaser in the Evans household. That’s part of why I’m writing this review, right now. I had the chance to download and play several games of Jeopardy, both online and off.

For the most part, Jeopardy is exactly like you’d expect. You get to play the part of the contestant on Jeopardy and to answer questions. You get to play two rounds and answer daily doubles if you select them. You get to play final Jeopardy. It’s all there. You can play in a single player mode, against family and friends locally or online against other players. Of course here are some disappointing aspects, that make this game a little less enjoyable than it could have been. Had these issues not been a part of the game. I’ll get into what’s wrong with the game a little later in this review.

Game Play:
What’s there to say about game play? It’s Jeopardy. You get to use your own customizable character to take on others in a variety of settings (locally – single and multi-player and online vs. other players). You can play friends online or complete strangers. No matter how you play, the gameplay is identical. In single player, local games, you get to choose the first category. In online games and multi-player local games, you might or might not get to choose a category first. You have so much time to read a question and then you press a button to answer the question. All of your answers are selected, multiple choice, from a list of four questions.

The questions are ones you’d expect (and may have seen before) when watching Jeopardy on television. There are questions for every subject you studied in school (i.e. Science, Health, World History), Potpourri, Pop Culture, Politics, and a plethoric selection of other topics. You make money from questions you get right and lose money from questions you miss. While there are over 2,500 questions, one downside (or upside if you want to make a lot of money) is that when you cancel a game in the middle, you have to restart that exact same game over the next time you play, locally. The categories and questions also repeat from online to offline formats. This can be an advantage for a player who has gone through all of the clues.

There really isn’t much more to this game. If you’ve seen Jeopardy on television then you’ll know exactly how to play this game. If you like Jeopardy, on television, you’ll love it when you’re actually in the driver’s seat, playing your own game of Jeopardy. I played on my own and with the family, which is pretty cool to play as a single player, because you’re more likely to get the answers to the questions right with so many opinions and knowledge levels being represented. Of course, the game does get old after awhile, so I don’t recommend having 12-hour Jeopardy playing marathons. In fact, this game is best played in short bursts with kith and kin.

Enjoyment/Fun Factor: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Features:
One of the most noticeable features of Jeopardy for the Playstation Network, is the custom Avatar option. I wish this was more customizable. You get to choose from a few different guys or girls, with different skintones, choose their hair color, make a few, minor modifications and you really can’t customize much more than that. You can change your avatar’s name to your own and then you might just have to play in a game versus the customized avatars your family members create. Ashtyn found this bothersome, when the AI took over my Dominick avatar, who was whooping her butt! I would rather the AI not have access to character-created avatars, but that’s just my personal choice.

The second feature is the abundance of questions. There are over 2500 different questions covering a variety of topics. The downside, as I mentioned previously, is that categories and questions can repeat from single player mode to online play. In just my first game against total strangers, I owned at least two categories, because I’d already had the same questions in single player mode. Still, 2500 questions means that it will take quite a while to get through all of the questions and complete the entire game. Even then, who would want to stop playing?

There aren’t really any features I haven’t mentioned previously. There are single player and multiplayer modes. You can play friends or strangers in multi-player online modes. You can play your family and friends locally, as well. The game was released in its single player mode in September of 2008. Today, you can usually log on and find someone to play with online in less than five minutes. I played multiple games and each took less than a minute to find players to play against.

I feel like I’m repeating myself. This game isn’t rocket science. If you like Jeopardy, you’ll love this game. It’s that simple!

Replayability: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Controls:
While the controls are easy to use, you primarily use the X, O, triangle and square buttons for answering questions, selecting categories, etc. However, you have to read the question quickly and click the button to answer as fast as you can, or you might not get the chance to answer, at all. In single player, local games, if the AI is set to be incredibly smart, you’ll fight the “computerized” contestants to answer anything. You can turn this down a bit, so you have a better chance of answering. However, if you’re playing someone else online, be prepared to fight them for the right to answer any question. The controls could be a little bit smoother, but actually figuring out what button to press is as easy as pie.

Ease of Use: 5 out of 5 stars

Visual Quality:
The visual quality for Jeopardy is nice, but it isn’t spectacular. This isn’t the kind of game you’d expect to have a stunning visual quality. Considering I’ve played Jeopardy on various platforms, including the earliest computer Jeopardy games, with primitive graphics, way back in the 1990s, I can honestly say general graphic design has come a long way. This looks realistic, with a shiny, playing board, almost identical to what you’d see on the television show.

Your avatar, which you can choose and customize to your liking, has a human cartoon appeal, but it isn’t unpleasing. While the game looks good and the visual quality won’t affect gameplay, it isn’t so beautiful that players will be boasting about it. The color palette used is vibrant, contrast is fairly consistent and the colors are somewhat saturated.

Visual: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Audio Quality:
The audio comes through strongly, but the excessively played Jeopardy theme and boop-boop sounds as the board loads during each round, get a bit annoying by the third or fourth game you play. There is the option to turn the sound off. I recommend you do this, or mute your television. When the sound is playing, it is crisp and clear with good use of the speakers. You’ll have the option to use your headset during the multiplayer, online games, so you might not want to turn your television sound off, completely.

Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
If you like game shows and/or are a fan of Jeopardy, then you’re going to want to consider purchasing this game. At less than $20, the game is worth the fun you can have together as a family, as you play your own version of this popular game show. There are some minor annoyances that may make gameplay repetitive, the online play isn’t as exciting as it could be and once you play a few games, unless you’re a Jeopardy fanatic, you’ll probably want to take a break before the next round. Of course, this game has longevity, in the amount of questions asked and the long lasting appeal of a game such as this. So, this holiday, you may want to consider this purchase, as a Christmas present or just for fun.

Overall Rating: 3.9 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Jeopardy, Playstation Network, Game show, video game, video game review, family fun