Nintendo has plenty of things coming out this year that will please some of the pickiest gamers. While we aren’t excited about all of the new editions, we are looking forward to a new Mario title and the DSi XL among other things. A new Prince of Persia title and several options for owners of the DSi or DSi XL that are looking for more than gaming are in the works, too. Soon you will have a chance to read the classics or cook with the masters. It’s obvious that in some respects, Nintendo will be providing an interesting year.

March 28
The new Nintendo DSi XL™ hand-held system launches March 28 at a suggested retail price of $189.99. The screens of the Nintendo DSi XL are 93 percent larger than those of the Nintendo DS™ Lite model, providing a more vivid and engaging play experience. The screens of the Nintendo DSi XL also feature a wider viewing angle, letting friends and family members join the fun. The new system launches in both Burgundy and Bronze colors, and comes loaded with pre-installed premium software Brain Age™ Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Express: Math and Photo Clock, as well as two free applications: the Nintendo DSi Browser and Flipnote Studio™. Nintendo DSi XL will also come with a larger pen-like stylus that allows for a more comfortable grip and enhanced ease of use when playing games that use the Nintendo DS touch screen.

America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking Let the experts guide you and your cooking family through 300 delicious recipes from the most watched cooking show on public television! ~ Get cooking in America’s Test Kitchen! America’s beloved cooking show spent hundreds of hours testing 300 recipes that span everything from entrees to delectable desserts, so all you have to do is follow their lead and have fun cooking. Watch technique videos, listen to instructions, and use voice commands as the software walks you through every step of the cooking process. ~ Everyone’s a chef!

WarioWare™: D.I.Y.: Every WarioWare game has featured a frenetic mix of wacky, five-second “microgames,” but WarioWare: D.I.Y. adds the next evolution to the same crazy gameplay: making your own microgames from the ground up. Design your own games! Create your own microgames from scratch, or customize previously existing ones. Create custom graphics, compose music, and design your own gameplay rules, OR borrow any of these elements from other microgames and tweak them as you see fit.

April 20
Capcom’s Monster Hunter® Tri, an epic action game for Wii, launches in the United States on April 20. The game lets players customize their character, armor and weapons in order to protect a town from majestic monsters as that town rebuilds following a devastating earthquake. Online play will be available for all players with broadband Internet access at no additional cost. Online text chat is fully functional and online voice chat is enabled using the Wii Speak™ microphone, which is sold separately. At a suggested retail price of $59.99, limited quantities of Monster Hunter Tri will include the new Black Classic Controller Pro™, while both Black and White versions of the controller will be available separately at a suggested retail price of $19.99. The game will also be available without a controller at a suggested retail price of $49.99.

May 3
Picross 3D is poised to become a puzzle game phenomenon when it launches for the Nintendo DS family of products on May 3. In Picross 3D, players start with a cube and smash away smaller blocks to reveal an object, shape or symbol. Delivering more than 350 unique puzzles and more made available for download on a regular basis after launch via the Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection service (broadband Internet access required), the game takes the mind-bending fun of Picross into the next dimension

May 18
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands™ from Ubisoft will launch May 18 on both the Wii and Nintendo DS platforms. Boasting amazing graphics with fantastic action and puzzle-solving game play, the Wii version will be the first in franchise history to feature a two-player cooperative experience. As an added bonus, the Wii version of the game will exclusively include the 1992 Super NES™ version of the original Prince of Persia game.

May 23
Super Mario Galaxy™ 2, the sequel to the smash-hit galaxy-hopping original game, launches May 23 for the Wii™ console. The game includes the amazing gravity-defying, physics-based exploration from the first game, but is loaded with entirely new galaxies and features to challenge and delight players. On some stages, Mario™ can pair up with his dinosaur buddy Yoshi™ and use his tongue to grab items and spit them back at enemies. Players can also have fun with new items such as a drill that lets our hero tunnel through solid rock.

June 7
Sin and Punishment: Star Successor, the breakthrough shooter game for Wii from legendary developer Treasure, will launch across North America on June 7. The game features nonstop action with two playable characters and international online leaderboards to track high scores. Using the Wii Remote pointer functionality, the game offers unprecedented precision in the shooter genre.

June 14
100 Classic Books transforms the Nintendo DS family of products into a library of timeless literature when it launches on June 14 at a suggested retail price of $19.99, highlighted by 100 works from authors such as William Shakespeare, Jules Verne, Jane Austen, Mark Twain and more. Readers can adjust the size of text, place bookmarks and even download new content via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service (broadband Internet connection required).

June 27
Metroid™: Other M, the incredible new Metroid game developed for Wii through a collaboration by Nintendo and the world-renowned Team Ninja, launches June 27. The game looks at the classic franchise from a new perspective: While much of the game is reminiscent of 2-D side-scrollers, players can switch the perspective into 3-D at any time as they explore the twisting passages of a derelict space station and delve deep into a cinematic, never-before-told story of bounty hunter Samus Aran’s past. This new approach uses a new control scheme in which players use the Wii Remote™ controller held sideways to battle enemies and navigate the expansive, gorgeous environments in classic Metroid fashion, then aim at the screen with the Wii Remote pointer to blast foes in first-person and hunt the world for clues and hidden passages.

Summer 2010
In a unique partnership with Square-Enix, Nintendo of America will publish Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies in the Americas when the game arrives in summer 2010. Dragon Quest IX has sold more than 4.15 million copies in the Japanese market. Nintendo and Square-Enix will now work together to bring this title to the Nintendo DS consumer base in the Americas.

Late 2010
Disney Guilty Party is the official title of the highly anticipated first collaboration between Disney Interactive Studios and its recently acquired studio, Wideload Games. The fun and hilarious mystery party game is set for release in the second half of 2010, exclusively for Wii.

Majesco’s Nintendo DSi exclusive Ghostwire: Link to the Paranormal uses incredible augmented reality technology through the Nintendo DSi Camera. Launching this October, the game lets players become a ghost hunter as they interact with the paranormal.

For WiiWare:

March 1
Capcom’s Mega Man™ 10 builds upon the huge impact of Mega Man 9, a completely new adventure rendered in classic 8-bit style. This new game looks and sounds as awesomely retro as its predecessor.

March 8
Max & the Magic Marker from Press Play turns the Wii Remote into an orange magic marker that’s literally magic. Players draw lines and objects to help Max reach objects and his ultimate goal.

March 22
The long-awaited indie cult classic Cave Story comes to WiiWare with new game play, artwork and music enhancements. It’s classic gaming reborn for 2010.

March 29
WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase is a standalone product exclusive to the WiiWare service and available only from the Wii Shop Channel. The game contains more than 70 new microgames and features interoperability with the WarioWare: D.I.Y. game for the Nintendo DS family of products. Players that own both games can transfer content between the two via a local wireless connection, and can even play user-created microgames on their television using WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase.

Spring 2010
Swim and spin through the primordial ooze in Nintendo’s Art Style: Rotozoa™ as you absorb tiny organisms that match the colors of your tentacles. As you absorb more organisms, your tentacles grow. The challenge increases as additional tentacles are gained, but power-ups can help you survive and thrive.

Rage of the Gladiator from Ghostfire Games is an intense fighting game that asks players to perfect their well-timed moves against an array of opponents. The game is compatible with the Wii MotionPlus accessory.

And Yet It Moves from Broken Rules requires players to rotate the world to help their line-drawn protagonist progress. Walls become floors and floors become ceilings in this surreal twist on the platformer genre.

For Nintendo DSiWare:

Spring 2010
Nintendo’s Photo Dojo™ is poised to be the cult hit of 2010 when it launches this spring. The game first asks players to pose for 13 pictures and input 10 sound effects. Once that’s done, the player becomes the main character in a hilarious side-scrolling fighting game. Create up to eight characters and do battle alone or against a friend on a single Nintendo DSi or Nintendo DSi XL system.

Nintendo’s Metal Torrent™ delivers a frantic barrage of gunfire that fills the screen. Players try to convert opponents’ bullets into cubes that, when collected, increase their score and fill an energy meter that powers special weapons. Online Leaderboards record scores and movies of top games.

X-Scape™ from Nintendo immerses players in an exploratory adventure involving more than 20 planets. Players will pilot their tank through 3-D tunnels, fire at enemies and even battle ancient weapons that resemble giant robots.

Technorati Tags: Nintendo, Capcom, DSi, Wii, DS, DSi XL, Upcoming Games, Video Games, Spring 2010, Summer 2010

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for Wii is a new installment in the popular Prince of Persia series and presents a new adventure within the Sands of Time universe. After leaving his father’s kingdom to prove his worth, the Prince is drawn toward a mysterious realm.

He quickly discovers that he must harness his acrobatic abilities and powers over the environment to not only survive, but to save a mystic palace from unfathomable evil. Game features include:

•Classic Gameplay Reinvented: By utilizing the Prince’s acrobatic prowess, players will be able to perform unparalleled feats from maneuvering through treacherous traps and combating massive enemies, to solving elaborate puzzles in an effort to survive.

•Create Your Own Path: The Prince will possess supreme mastery over his environment and enemies. By manipulating his power over sand, The Prince will uncover new areas to explore that will only be accessible by wielding his new powers, skills and abilities.

•Impressive Graphics for Wii: Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands utilizes advanced technologies to deliver a smooth, clear and impressive graphical experience on Wii. With 15 hours of original storyline as well as alternate paths, secret areas and unlockables, The Forgotten Sands™ provides players with a significant adventure that rewards exploration and encourages replay ability.

•A Blockbuster Experience: Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands will treat players to a variety of unforgettable locales that complement the Wii’s unique controls and capabilities. Epic in-game moments aim to have fans on the edge of their seats as the Prince battles with ferocious beasts and colossal bosses.

For more information on Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands please visit: www.princeofpersiagame.com

Technorati Tags: Prince of Persia, The Forgotten Sands, Wii, Video Game, Screen Shots, Game, Upcoming Release

San Francisco – January 29, 2010 - Today Ubisoft announced Dawn of Discovery: Venice, the add-on for the PC version of Dawn of Discovery, the acclaimed real-time strategy and simulation game released earlier this year. Dawn of Discovery: Venice will combine the signature gameplay mechanics of the series and the richness of the Venetian culture with an all-new online multiplayer mode. In addition, Ubisoft announced Dawn of Discovery: Gold Edition, which will include the original Dawn of Discovery and the Dawn of Discovery: Venice add-on. Both the add-on and Gold Edition are due to release February 25, 2010 in North America via download only.

“With Dawn of Discovery: Venice, we are proud to bring a whole new dimension to gamers by letting them experience new multiplayer challenges online with their friends” said Adam Novickas, director of marketing for Ubisoft. “We are confident that this add-on will please long-time fans of the series as well as newcomers to the franchise.”

For more information, please visit http://dawnofdiscoverygame.com.

Key Features of Dawn of Discovery: Venice:
New Venetian setting:
The rich Dawn of Discovery environment is complemented with a new Venetian setting offering new possibilities of interaction:

Build two new Venetian ship types: the small and big tradesman cog
•
Develop secret cabinets, infiltrate your enemies and sabotage their expansion

Multiplayer:
Play Dawn of Discovery online in multiplayer mode:
Choose to play versus or co-op to defeat the AI by combining your techniques

Up to 8 players

New Challenges and Quests:
•Up to 60 new items and 300 new quests with two new types: trading race and ship boarding
•
Discover and exploit a new type of island, the Volcano island
•
New scenarios to face new challenges with new achievements, medals and crests

About Dawn of Discovery:
Experience the award-winning combination of city building, commerce, discovery, diplomacy and combat. Create your own nation with a unique blend of simulation and real-time strategy. Journey across the globe to explore, trade and learn technologies to expand your empire and to make your own history. With its extensive and immersive campaign, Dawn of Discovery guarantees never-ending gaming fun for novices and experts alike.

For more information about Ubisoft please visit www.ubi.com.

About Ubisoft:
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified line-up of products and partnerships. Ubisoft is present in 28 countries and has sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2008–09 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of 1.058 billion euros.

© 2009 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. Dawn of Discovery, Sunflowers and Sunflowers logo are trademarks of Sunflowers GmbH in the U.S. and/or other countries. Sunflowers GmbH is a Ubisoft Entertainment company.

Technorati Tags: Ubisoft, Dawn of Discovery, Venice, PC Game, Gaming, Computer, New Levels, Press Release

Players Must Use Brainpower to Unscramble Konami’s Latest Family-Friendly Word Puzzle Game

El Segundo, Calif. – Jan. 27, 2010 - Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced KrissX for Xbox LIVE® Arcade is now available. In this downloadable word puzzle game, players are tasked with deciphering challenging brainteasers and putting their trivia knowledge to the test.

In KrissX, gamers’ must help Wordsworth the Owl on his mission to solve jumbled word puzzles by switching around letters and following clues. If players are successful, they will be rewarded with badges and high scores. As players progress through the game, they can explore 150 vibrant stages while choosing to play at a leisurely pace or facing a timed challenge.

With over 3,500 words to unscramble and a variety of game styles including Quests, Time Attack Mode and Timeless Play, gamers can expand their daily vernacular as they discover secret puzzles that provide endless replay value. Addictive gameplay, uncomplicated controls and intuitive tutorials provide an interactive and fun gaming experience for players of all ages.

Developed by Regolith Games ltd, under the Blitz 1UP label, KrissX is now available on Xbox Live Arcade for 800 points. For the new trailer and assets, please visit www.konami.com/downloads.

About Konami
Konami is a leading developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties. Konami’s titles include the popular franchises Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, DanceDanceRevolutionCastlevania, among other top sellers. The latest information about Konami can be found on the Web at www.konami.com. KONAMI CORPORATION is a publicly traded company based in Tokyo, Japan with subsidiary offices, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, Japan, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. in the United States and Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany. KONAMI CORPORATION is traded in the United States on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KNM. Details of the products published by Konami can be found at www.konami.com.

Technorati Tags: Konami, KrissX, XBOX Live Arcade, Video Game, Gaming, Digital Entertainment, Wordsworth the Owl, Puzzle Game

Game Rating: E
Game Publisher: Graffiti Entertainment
Platform: Nintendo DS
Release Date: June 9, 2009
Buy this at: Amazon for $27.49

When I think of hardcore gaming, I generally exclude games on the Nintendo DS. In all actuality, I exclude most of the games that Nintendo has to offer. Many of the games are casual and family-oriented. Even the more popular game series offered, such as Mario, are hard to take seriously in a hardcore gaming arena. Sure, back in the day, Mario was it, and I still love the Mario games released regularly, but I don’t see them in the hardcore gaming arena.

Some of the games I do consider more hardcore involve the Final Fantasy series and the Legend of Zelda series. These games are more roleplay based, involve fighting, but even these games appeal to the casual crowd. I figured “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” would fall in amongst these types of games. I assumed there would be fighting, some swordplay especially, and plenty of action. Sadly, “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” let me down in all of these areas.

The biggest problem with “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” is the pace. It seems like the introductory story goes on forever. It takes a while to get into the battle. The story isn’t overly original, and it really didn’t get me that excited for what was to come once gameplay began. The other big problem is how frustrating it can be to play the game. Most games have some type of guide to point you in the direction of where to go and what to do. Not so with “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled”.

The graphics for “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” leave much to be desired. Honestly, I thought that I was playing a game I would have found on the Gameboy Advance. While there is technically nothing wrong with these types of games (I admit to still replaying some of my favorite Gameboy Advance SP games), especially if the story is compelling, with 2D style graphics and a less than engaging storyline, “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” doesn’t have that much going for it.

The story for “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” isn’t anything new, especially for the roleplay genre. The story takes place in the kingdom of Bel Lenora. In this world, it is the norm to use magic. Anyone who is not capable of using magic is looked down upon. History tells the tale of a man, Vai, who couldn’t use magic and he brought destruction and devastation to Bel Lenora. One of the generals of Bel Lenora banished Vai from the kingdom bringing an end to the war he brought with him.

The game begins sometime after these events. Fifteen years after Vai’s banishment, Kairu (the main character you play) shows up in Bel Lenora. The young man is not capable of using magic, so the people of Bel Lenora are very suspicious of him and his intentions. Kairu is a orphan and he is adopted by the same general who banished Vai. The people of Bel Lenora do not trust Kairu, and they want to banish him because of this, fearing he will bring tragedy to the village as Vai did so many years ago.

Kairu has a sister who is capable of using Fire Magic. Her name is Aurora. Throughout the game, there are a series of playable characters. These characters include Vai (the man originally banished from Bel Lenora), Isa (a woman who uses two scimitars as weapons), Rogurd (a treasure hunter who uses a large pole axe and has one eye), and Nym (who can use summons during battles). In all, you can play up to eight different characters, with the option of playing up to three of them at a time.

Kairu’s adoptive father wants to believe Kairu is good and can use magic. He sets him up to go through a series of tests/quests. His hope is that this will bring out the magic in Kairu. When it becomes clear that Kairu is incapable of using magic, his father has no choice but to banish him or face an uprising from the people who believe he is the second coming of Vai.

When Kairu is exiled, he heads to Artania with Aurora. Once there, they must find their way back to Bel Lenora to tell the people about the powerful forces being built up in Artania. Both Kairu and Aurora must spend time in Artania first, getting to know the people and trying to figure out what is going on with these powerful and potentially dangerous forces, with the intent of stopping them.

Enjoyment/Fun Factor: 2 out of 5 stars

This game has features that you’d typically see in an RPG style game. The primary exploration happens in Artania. As you explore, you head through a variety of dungeons. You must solve a puzzle to get through each dungeon, which is the most interesting part of the game. These designs are somewhat clever so I do have to give Studio Archcraft props for that.

Once you get through quite a bit of the game, you will be able to take on a variety of alternative quests (on the side). The game spends an excessive amount of time developing the plot. You’ll spend a lot of time just waiting around for the action to start happening. From there, you get to explore the world and are exposed to an insane amount of battles. You literally go from one battle to the next, once the actual battle sequences happen, making the entire battle part of the game frustrating as you try to keep up with the action.

This makes the pace of the game very erratic. You go from slow, barely moving, to frenetic battles, back to slow, plodding plot unfolding and storytelling and then insane battles again. Really, by the time you get to battles at all, you will most likely be too bored to want to continue. Within the battles, you’ll also be able to make a series of tactical moves based on the skills of the players you have in your party and the location/movements of your enemy.

You can play up to eight different characters. Up to three of these eight characters can be in your party. Most of the characters have their own distinct skill and/or weapon style. You will want to keep your party balanced with a wide variety of skills. There is also one character that has no specific skills. You can customize this character as you see fit. Characters travel across a large number of locations. Travel occurs by foot or using one of the many vehicles located throughout the world.

During battles, you’ll have a variety of options. You can roam around the field. Battles are done in turns. Your team takes turns inflicting damage with attacks (spells, skills and physical infliction of damage), using items, and combining moves with other party members to inflict more damage. As mentioned, you will battle over and over, barely able to move from one battlefield to the next before you’re in another. What is even worse, is you’ll need to have characters who can use magic, because physical attacks just won’t cut it. Considering your main character can’t use magic, this just plain sucks. In the end, the excessive amount of battles and long periods of “supposition” between battles both become way to repetitious to be truly enjoyable.

Features

-Multiple puzzle-based dungeons to explore and conquer
-Wide variety of locations to explore/play
-Series of side quests
-Travel by foot or by vehicle
-Up to eight different playable characters
-2D Retro Look
-Select save locations and quick save option
-Multiple endings depending on how you complete your quests
-Tactical gameplay options involved in combat
-Up to seven different endings
-Battles are random and excessive
-Battles occur in turns with the player and enemy selecting between spells, skills, items, and physical attacks
-Combined attacks increase damage to enemies
-Earn gold to upgrade weapons and stats
-Offers a few, interesting Boss battles

Replayability: 2.5 out of 5 stars

While the controls for “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” aren’t that hard, getting to where you can actually do something is confusing. I figure most casual gamers will give up during the first, very long “explanatory” plot section. From there, you are supposed to explore the world, but since the directions aren’t exactly clear and you really want to get started in the battles (thinking that’s the next logical step, right?), the entire beginning sequence is very confusing.

Reading the manual that accompanies the game doesn’t help much. It tells you the basic button set up, which isn’t hard, but it doesn’t really explain you won’t be getting into playing for a while. I threw the manual in frustration. I also had trouble getting it to save initially. At first, there are save points, but there is also a quick save option, that didn’t work for me right away. I tried pressing every button on the DS to get it to save, and also tried to browse the manual, but it didn’t give me any help until I got to a save point, on my own.

The most important screen is going to be the battle menu system. This is pretty easy to use. You can press through the menu using the D-pad. It will allow you to pick between items, physical attacks, skills and magic spells. You can also accomplish flipping through this screen with the stylus. I tended to prefer using the stylus, but I can see where the D-pad comes in handy.

Other than that, I used the touch screen/stylus to play the game. I recommend this, as it is the easiest way to play, in my opinion.

Ease of Use: 4 out of 5 stars

It makes sense that I felt like “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” was something that should have been on the Gameboy Advance system. Studio Archcraft, the studio behind the development of “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” originally designed the game with the Gameboy Advance in mind. With the game nearly completed, the decision was made to switch it to the emerging Nintendo DS system since Gameboy Advance sales were pretty much stalled.

This is the biggest mistake “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” makes, because the 2D world stands out painfully on the high tech, Nintendo DS system. Every pixelated frame is overemphasized in this 2D design and it gives the game a less than appealing, overly retro yet substandard feel. For a newer title, you’d expect the smooth, 3D or beyond style of graphic development. I believe the 2D limits the appeal of “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled,” shying away casual gamers who don’t understand its retro appeal.

Despite looking old, the world is rather colorful, each environment is unique, so you don’t look like you are playing in a new location with the same design. If you like the 2D style of gaming, this game is one of the better designs. Still, for a DS game, it isn’t quite up to snuff.

Visual: 2 out of 5 stars

The music for “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” is catchy. It sounds like the majority of other roleplay games. It’s what you’d expect for this type of game. For a RPG style game, I wasn’t as annoyed with this game’s music as I thought I would be. Don’t expect booming effects or great speaker control, because the DS is limited in what it can offer sound wise. With that in mind, the audio section is where “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” succeeds the most.

Audio: 4.5 out of 5 stars

While “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” tries to be so much more than it is, the game fails in so many ways I find it hard to recommend it to any audience. The hardcore gamers will find this game too boring to partake in extended game play. The casual gamers will be too intimidated by how long it takes to get into battle, how many battles there actually are once things get started, and the overall, messy pace of the game. While “Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled” tries to be retro and appeal to fans of the Gameboy Advance on a DS system, it just isn’t up to par with other games in the RPG format, that came before it and obviously inspired it’s design.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Black Sigil, Blade of the Exiled, Graffiti Entertainment, Nintendo DS, Video Game, Video Game Review

Game Rating: E for Everyone
Game Publisher: Alawar
Platform: PC
Release Date: 2009
Buy this at: Alawar, Amazon

One of the best things about my job is that I get to review things. Anything is a potential topic for me, but one thing that I love to review is computer programs. I love casual games especially. It’s not that they are my favorite type of game, because they aren’t. It’s more that they allow me plenty of goof off time that I can still technically call work. When I get tired of writing other reviews and need a few minutes to myself, I just load up a casual game. I’m not loafing or being distracted. No way! I am working! Life doesn’t get much better than that.

The most recent game that has kept me sane from work madness is Amelie’s Café. Filled with many positive and a few negative aspects, this game from Alawar is sure to be one of their new hits as the year rolls on. The game offers above average graphics, a cute storyline, and plenty of fun to be had all around. There are a few things I would have changed, especially what happens the deeper into the game you go, but we will save that for later in the review.

Story:
Amelie is a nice young girl that is trying to do everything to keep her grandfather’s café alive and running. Short of cooking, Amelie is in charge of management, serving, cleaning, and even decorating! While grandpa is away travelling the world, the task of fixing up this rundown shack of a café is all up to Amelie. In order to make the café a success she will need to balance managing duties with waitressing and just about everything else, otherwise the café will be sure to fail!

Enjoyment/Fun Factor: 4 out of 5 stars

Features:

Amelie’s Café is pretty basic when it comes to one of the food genre games out there. You’re running a restaurant and you’ve got to do it well to move on. The only big problem I see here is that they add quite a bit of tasks and some of them do not feel like they go together. For instance, it is your job to task your chef with making a certain food. At any given time you have about five chef stations.

Depending on how messy your chefs are (they have their own personalities and can be upgraded to be less messy) you will need to clean their station by clicking on a brush before they will continue cooking for you. This is fine, but no matter how many brushes you need, you can only carry one at a time. If this was the rule for all items, I wouldn’t be complaining, but since you can carry two food items I don’t see why you cannot carry two brushes. If that had been the case the game may not have been so frustrating at times.

Don’t get me wrong I love a good challenge. I just don’t like inconsistency very much. One other thing I am having a hard time grasping is the bonus system. There is a matching aspect to this game that allows you to have special additions that are meant to make your game easier. These things include the ability to freeze the customer’s patience level, to clean the grills, and to add extra money to your total. When you complete chains you receive these icons and need to match them up three in a row to get any of the bonus options. In most cases they end up being a pain though. Freezing people and extra money are nice, but in cases like the grill cleaning, I noticed that the grills (which are all cleaned at once) are never clean enough to make a difference.

There are three cafes to play and anywhere from 15 to 24 days to play in each café, so there is quite a bit of game play here. This doesn’t include the endless play option, which allows you to play without moving levels.

I had plenty of fun playing Amelie’s Café. I think I would have liked it more if it wasn’t so hectic and there were a few more options that allowed you to do more at one time. Still, I had no problem moving up on most levels and I did have a good time. In the diner game space, this is a pretty good addition.

Replayability: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Controls:
In this situation it seems unnecessary to even write about control usage. Your mouse serves as your controller in this fast paced, point and click game. Other than your mouse, no controller (not even the keyboard) is necessary.

Ease of Use: 5 out of 5 stars

Visual Quality:
I didn’t have any problems with the visual aspects of Amelie’s Café. The graphics are cute and they manage to compliment the story quite nicely. For a casual game the graphics are top notch with good colors and a nice level of detail. Granted, this isn’t something you would see from the likes of a Playstation3 game, but for a casual game this works just fine. Overall things look pretty darn good.

Visual: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Audio Quality:
Amelie’s Café offers your average happy go lucky, casual gaming experience music. I try to block all of the casual game music out, but when I am reviewing I will leave it on long enough to know how good or bad it is. Amelie’s Café wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t standing out either. I was actually able to ignore it being on without much of a problem. While that works perfectly for me, if you like game music it might not be for you.

Audio: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Alwar offers the try before you buy download that lets you test out a game for an hour before you buy it. I highly recommend downloading Amelie’s Café and playing it for an hour. You can get pretty far in the first hour and it will give you a nice glimpse into what to expect from this game. If you like the fast paced, food service games you should like Amelie’s Café. Overall this is a fun and challenging game with nice graphics. Alawar continues to do a great job of making entertaining games in the casual gaming space.

Overall Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Alawar, Games, Casual Games, Try Before You Buy, Download, Food Service, Diner, Point and Click, Amelie’s Cafe

From Atlas:

101-in-1 Party Megamix for Wii offers a collection of simple to play yet tough to master games that everyone can enjoy! Players will have hours of fun flying, shooting, swimming, and much, much more. Earning medals and bonus prizes by successfully completing challenges will keep players coming back, striving to unlock every last game. In addition, many games support up to four players, and players can save up to four profiles to track their individual progress. 101-in-1 Party Megamix is the ultimate bundle of endless fun at an unbeatable price!

Technorati Tags: Atlas, Mini Games, Games, Gamer, 101 in 1 Party Megamix, Wii, Trailer

Fans of the Guitar Hero World Tour game might want to check out the new schedule for the newest packs being released on XBL and PSN. Currently the Victory Track Pack is now live for Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 and Wii for Guitar Hero World Tour. The schedule for the other packs is listed below.

The Victory Track Pack features the following singles:
A Day To Remember – “NJ Legion Iced Tea”
The Sleeping – “Bomb the World”
Silverstein – “I Am The Arsonist”

Eagles of Death Metal Track Pack, available July 16th:
“Anything Cept The Truth”
“Cherry Cola”
“I Only Want You”

Vagrant Records Track Pack, available July 23rd:
Thrice – “All the World is Mad”
Alexisonfire – “Young Cardinals”
Senses Fail – “The Martyr”

Knuckle Sandwich Track Pack, available July 30th:
Protest the Hero – “Bloodmeat”
Dropkick Murphys – “I’m Shipping up to Boston”
Against Me! – “New Wave”

The Victory Track Pack is available now via Xbox LIVE Marketplace for 440 Microsoft Points and from the PlayStation Store for $5.49. The songs are also available as singles for 160 Microsoft Points, $1.99 from the PlayStation Store and 200 Wii Points.

Technorati Tags: Guitar Hero World Tour, Games, Track Listings, Upgrade, PSN, Xbox Live, Songs, Music

SAN FRANCISCO – July 2, 2009 – Today Ubisoft announced it will be publishing Heroes Over Europe, a flight combat game designed for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and Windows-based PC.

The sequel to Heroes of the Pacific, the World War II flight combat game, Heroes Over Europe builds on the game’s impressive legacy with intense dogfights, a highly detailed realistic visual presentation and even more online options.

Developed by Transmission Games in Melbourne, Australia, and powered by an all-new engine, Heroes Over Europe is set to raise the bar for flight combat games with the all new “Ace Kill” close combat action, four online modes supporting up to 16 players and fully customizable aircrafts with localized damage.

Visually, the game takes no prisoners with meticulously rendered environments including faithful recreations of London, Berlin and the French Alps, and ultra-realistic iconic warplanes of the era, all presented in stunning high definition graphics.

Heroes Over Europe is scheduled for worldwide release in September 2009.

Technorati Tags: Ubisoft, Games, Xbox 360, Playstation, Heroes Over Pacific, Heroes Over Europe, WWII, Shooter, Game, Gamer, September 2009

If you’re a fan of casual gaming you might want to check out Alawar’s newest game, Hotel Mogul. The game, classified best as a business sim, is an addicting time-management game that includes plenty of levels and lots of action.

Alawar’s Game Description:

Lynette’s conniving husband has cheated her out of her family business! What can an enterprising young woman like her do? Get revenge! Use your business savvy to help Lynette repurchase her company and send her husband to the slammer. Buy, develop and sell commercial properties to make a profit; build attractions that increase your income; and keep your eye on the bottom line as you purchase materials and hire workers. The point-and-click fun of Hotel Mogul will have you laughing all the way to the bank!

Key Game Features

Five exotic settings
35 levels
Four mini-games
Six kinds of hotels
Vibrant graphics and sound

You can test the game out for an hour by visiting the Alawar Website and checking out more about Hotel Mogul and their other great games!

Technorati Tags: Hotel Mogul, Casual Game, Alawar, PC, Sim, Hotel, Time Management, Entertainment