Deca Sports DS Review

March 19, 2010 By Momstart 4 Comments

Hudson Entertainment sent us Deca Sports to review on the DS

The beloved Deca Sports franchise is back in action and on the Nintendo DS for the first time! Hudson Entertainment’s Deca Sports DS is now available in stores everywhere for $29.99. Deca Sports DS makes ten all new sports, including golf, cheerleading, arm wrestling and clay shooting, more accessible than ever with multiplayer functionality and customizable teams.

My three year old daughter finds Deca Sports a lot easier to play than Mario World on the DS. She is able to play some of the games after we show her how. I think her favorite was the golf, rugby, cheerleading, sky diving, ping pong, wall climbing, arm wrestling, bobsled, sepak takraw and finally clay shooting. Oh wait, she likes them all. The characters are children and cartoonish. I think that and the music appeals to her. It’s also the touch screen movement that makes play easier for her to do. She can try a bunch of different things and eventually gets it to do what she wants. Kids learn so fast these days.

I was terrible at Ping Pong and ok at Arm Wrestling. I really enjoyed Sky diving and Bobsled even though I always came in about third when I tried the bobsledding.

About Golf:

Golf gives you complete control, grab your diver or the club you want and get the shot you desire. By using the stylus you have the control you need for the power you want.

About Rugby:

While playing Rugby I was wondering if this really is a gentlemen’s sport. I mean it seems some play pretty rough. Good think it’s on a video game.

About cheerleading:

About Sky Diving:

You pick your team and then you jump out of an air plane. On your way down you have to move into formation. Then you have to make sure you are facing the correct direction. You race to get as many done as you can before the time runs out.

About Ping Pong:

I completely sucked at ping pong. I could hit it back but I would get skunked whenever it was my turn to serve.

About Wall Climbing:

Wall climbing is a race. I love races and using the stylus was easier in this one than in some of the others. You guide your person up the wall from point to point.

About Arm Wrestling:

Arm wrestling was another one that I was ok at. I found it difficult to determine which type of movement I was supposed to do for what. I do enjoy the thrill of winning though when I did accidentally defeat my opponent.

About Bobsled:

During the Bobsled run you have to make sure you take those turns as fast and safely as you can. You steer with the L and R buttons and watch the edges as they’ll only slow you down. I had a hard time figuring out how to handle the turns but I still really enjoyed it.

About Sepak Takraw:

This is a game I had never heard of before now. It’s like volley ball but you get to kick. You get to use your feet, knees, chest, and head to hit the ball over the net.

About Clay Shooting:

I would have to say that I like clay shooting too even though I didn’t mention it above. I have always loved games where I get to shoot something.

Hudson Entertainment is the North and South American subsidiary of Hudson Soft, an international provider of games and entertainment content founded in 1973. Hudson Entertainment focuses on four key businesses: console retail games, digital download content, mobile games, and music. Hudson introduced best-selling videogame franchises including Bomberman, Bonk, Military Madness and Deca Sports. Hudson’s mobile division is a leading supplier of games and personalized content. Through numerous partnerships with record labels, Hudson has become a leading provider of digital music and video content. For more information on Hudson Entertainment, please visit www.hudsonent.com.

Filed Under: review Tagged With: Deca Sports, DS, hudson entertainment, video game review

Rooms: the main building Preview

March 4, 2010 By Momstart 1 Comment

Thanks to Fortyseven Communications on behalf of Hudson Entertainment I received a demo copy of Rooms for the Wii. I popped it in and gave it a shot. This is my preview:

Game Description:

In Rooms, players use various items and the guidance of their host, Mr. Book, to navigate a series of surreal mansions. With the right combination of intellect, strategy and various objects, players must carefully shift pieces in the current room around, in a manner similar to slide puzzles, to keep moving forward. Players are also rewarded with a bonus if the background is placed correctly. With more than 100 rooms and a level editor to create even more, players will be enjoying their own unique puzzle adventure for ages to come.

Rooms: the main building launches March 23 for the Wii and DS for $29.99.

Playing the Game:

Rooms took me a little bit to get into. I felt like the introduction was just a little bit too long. I had to keep hitting the A button to continue the conversation.

The Introduction:

There is a boy and he finds a gift. When he opens the gift it transports him to a new world and he runs into the book. The book is his guide and is going to help him reach the exit. The kid just wants to go back home but follows the instructions hoping to get done soon.

The Play:

The object is to get to the final room. It’s a puzzle game, you have to find a key to unlock rooms and then go from puzzle piece to puzzle piece until you can get to the exit. Each level adds a stage of difficulty and objects get in the way.

There are things to help you along the way but to continue to gain these you have to defeat more levels. With each level you get to a new room and closer to the exit. Just remember, if you enter a room with water in it you will drown. I died very quickly because I wasn’t thinking and entered a room full of water.

There will be more options for play but they are locked down until later in March.

My Thoughts:

As I stated above, I didn’t like the feel of the introduction and almost put the game down. I’m happy that I didn’t though because I love puzzle games. I’m addicted to puzzle games. You know, I would be playing puzzle games all day long if only I didn’t have children or a life. My other thoughts are that this would be better on the DS, and it is available on the DS in addition to the Wii. I would prefer the closer screen and smaller play area for this game. I would also be interested in testing out the level editor. That sounds like a whole lot of fun.

Features

•    Designed for Nintendo: Point and Click Controls that are perfect for the Nintendo Wii Remote™ and the Nintendo DS Stylus™.
•    Play inside of intuitive and amusing rooms as you use objects and your wits to escape from it.
•    Over 100+ rooms to go through as you make your way through the buildings of this mystifying world.
•    Includes a Level Editor to create your own levels!

Platform Specific Features:

Wii

Two player competition. Square off against another player: Items in rooms are placed so that you are racing against the opponent as they try to exit the room first. Players cannot enter the opponent’s area but the exit for both players is the same

Create AND share your levels: You have all the objects necessary to build your level from the beginning. Brag about the quality of the levels you’ve created by sharing them with your friends!

Filed Under: Video Games, review Tagged With: DS, hudson entertainment, Nintendo DS, Rooms, video game preview, Wii

Pony Friends 2 Wii and Nintendo DS 5 Copies #giveaway

February 20, 2010 By Momstart 413 Comments

On February 23, Eidos Interactive is releasing the sequel to the top selling DS Game Pony Friends, Pony Friends 2. I am not receiving anything for this giveaway so I’m just going to be posting the information and photos they sent me. I’m happy to do this, and look up the game before saying yes. There are some great reviews of the first game and the new one. Here are a few Examples:

metacritic Pony Friends review – one of them is from a 13 year old girl that loved the game.

Gamespot Pony Friends 2 review – not a lot of reviews because it isn’t even out yet.

Overview

PONY FRIENDS 2 allows players to create their perfect pony and take part in a comprehensive range of fun activities. Featuring 12 ponies (four new breeds), each with different personalities, players can customize every aspect of their appearance. Taking special care of their pony to keep it clean and healthy, players can take it on trail rides across different landscapes and environments. Grab the reins, photograph wildlife and unlock countless secrets on the journey.

PONY FRIENDS 2 features an exciting competitive mode across all formats. Players can compete in races and trick competitions alone or with friends on Wii and DS. Trade ponies and even talk to them on Nintendo DS!

Features

Race, compete and trade with your friends: Enter race and trick competitions to win trophies! Experience multiplayer racing and trick competitions on Wii.
Explore 25 diverse trails, befriend wild ponies and photograph wildlife to discover secrets: Take the reins and ride your pony on a range of trails and through open areas, alone or with a friend. Photograph a variety of wild animals and earn the friendship of wild ponies.
Earn new accessories and create a special look for your pony: Choose and personalize your ponies and trade with friends!
Discover the PONY FRIENDS world and get to know your ponies at your own pace: There’s always something new to explore. Groom and take care of your pony to keep it happy. Talk to your pony on DS and watch how it responds to your voice!

Screenshots:

PONY FRIENDS 2 is rated E (Everyone). Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board website at www.esrb.org for more information about ratings. PONY FRIENDS 2 is now available at North American retailers for the suggested retail price of $29.99 for Wii and $19.99 for DS. The official website can be found at http://www.ponyfriends.com/.

Pony Friends 2 is available on the PC, DS and Wii. I have 3 DS and 2 Wii copies to giveaway.

To Enter:

Please visit Eidos Interacltive and tell me what other game they make you would love to play.

Extra Entries:

Advertise this giveaway on any giveaway site, blog, or facebook and tell me where you advertised it (include link to giveaway). 5 Extra Entries for each one you do
Subscribe to my blog (recommended so that you don’t miss winner’s announcements)
Follow me on twitter tell me your twitter ID
Tweet about the giveaway and include a link to the giveaway
Comment on any other non-giveaway post
Use any of the share options below, digg, stumble…

The contest will run until March 8th 11:59 pm Pacific. All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Eidosinteractive is providing the copies of the game for the giveaway.

Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: DS, Eidos Interactive, giveaway, Nintendo DS, PC game, Pony Friends 2 review, Pony Friends review, video game giveaway, Wii

Nitro Need for Speed DS

December 8, 2009 By Momstart 455 Comments

With all of the time I have to just sit around you would think I could spend it playing video games on my Nintendo DS but that’s only if I could keep my eye open or concentrate long enough on a post.

I added Need for speed to my Holiday Video Game Gift Guide. Why? Because I love car racing games. I haven’t played it yet and I probably won’t purchase it. EA has offered to send me one to review but I just can’t picture me having time to play it. My husband only plays XBox 360 games so I don’t think he would play it either.

We love how far customization has come in video games the cars and driving looks so real now.

Game Description:

Extreme Tracks – From the streets to off-road territory to unexpected places like a rollercoaster, each track features big air jumps, smackable objects, shortcuts, and more.
Heroic Driving – Dodge the cops or overtake rivals by triggering spectacular Heroic Driving Moves like jumping over cars or racing on two wheels.
Pick and Personalize Your Ride – Choose from over 30 licensed cars, ranging from modern to classic to exotics to tuners. Then use the stylus to paint unique decals for the doors and the roofs, making each car a one-of-a-kind racer.
Show Off in 10 Game Modes – Put your best driving moves to the test in a variety of exciting and action-packed race modes including Elimination, Circuit, Smack’m'all, Tag the World, and many more!
Launch Your World Tour – Take your awesome driving skills on the road in street races in six cities around the globe. Beat the world’s best to unlock new cars, tracks, and challenges.
Drive with Skill – Use your best driving techniques to hit triggers and impose your car’s graphic style on the world, or use a strategic boost to blast into the lead. The cops are gunning to take you down, though-so always race with skill and be prepared for anything!
Race in Nitro-Charged Multiplayer – Up to four players can battle it out in intense WiFi races. You can even share some tracks, cars, and game modes with friends who don’t own the game!

So without a review…

Enter to win a copy for your DS.

To Enter:

Visit Need for Speed Nitro at EA and tell me your favorite aspect of the game.

Extra Entries:

Advertise this giveaway on any giveaway site and tell me where you advertised it. 10 Extra Entries
Subscribe to my blog
Follow me on twitter tell me your twitter ID
Blog about the giveaway include a link to me and to the sponsor for 10 extra entries
Tweet the giveaway (every time you tweet you get an entry) Link to the giveaway please!!!
Comment on any other non giveaway post and come back and tell me you did
Use any of the Share options at the bottom of this post: Dig, Stumble, or fav me on Technorati (two entries for each one)
Add my button/blog to your blogroll/friend list 3 extra entries

Leave a comment for every entry

The contest will run until December 28th 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org. All rules can be found under giveaway rules. I can not guarantee any shipping timelines and giveaways are running long right now because of my surgery recovery. Good Luck!

Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: DS, EA, giveaway, need for speed nitro, video game

Winter’s Tail DS Donation and #giveaway

December 1, 2009 By Momstart 258 Comments

Meet Winter the Dolphin

Winter’s Tail was created by Scholastic and Crave Entertainment. It was sent to me on behalf of Scholastic for review and donation. The only problem is that since I want to donate it as a Christmas Present to a local charity they only take new unopened toys. So I’m not going to open it for review.

I will give you all of the product details that I was sent to include with my review.

Take an exciting journey on your Nintendo DS and learn about the real-life story of Winter, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin who overcame incredible odds. Including fun mini-games and a fully interactive storybook based on the Scholastic Book Winter’s Tail, read by the authors Juliana, Isabella and Craig Hatkoff. The release date is set for November 24^th. Rated E for Everyone!

Game Trailer:

Game Highlights:

From the #1 New York Times Best Selling Authors of Owen & Mzee
Immersive interactive story – Based on real life events
Fish Facts – Teaches children about dolphins, marine biology and conservation
Whale Words – A glossary that teaches pronunciation and definitions
Fun Micro-games reinforce the meaning of each chapter
Storybook editor, paint & color mode & more!

To Enter:

Visit Winter’s Tail and let me know which interactive feature you like most on the site.

Extra Entries:

Leave a comment for every entry

The contest will run until December 14th 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org. All rules can be found under giveaway rules. I can not guarantee any shipping timelines and giveaways are running long right now because of my scheduled surgery. Good Luck!

Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: Crave Entertainment, DS, scholastic, video game, video game review, Winter's Tail

Video Game Gift Guide

November 27, 2009 By Momstart 3 Comments

I work with quite a few different video game companies right now and wanted to do a Holiday Gift Guide just for them.

Scholastic:

Meet Winter the Dolphin Winter’s Tail:Take an exciting journey on your Nintendo DS and learn about the real-life story of Winter the Dolphin. Based on the Scholastic Book from the #1 New York Times Best Selling Authors of Owen & Mzee, the game includes the fully interactive book “Winter’s Tail” read by the authors Juliana, Isabella and Craig Hatkoff. The game will tell Winter’s story in a variety of ways – both in storybook format and by using mini-games to illustrate important points

HerInteractive Games:

Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy, players become Nancy Drew as she heads undercover at an elite all-girls boarding school to discover the culprit behind threatening notes and dangerous accidents that seem to be targeted towards the academy’s valedictorian candidates. Immersing themselves in the boarding school culture, players will explore the campus, help other girls with projects and navigate the social scene. To build the case, players will also surreptitiously snoop through dorm rooms and snap cell phone pictures of evidence they come across.

The Hardy Boys Treasure on the Tracks

Code masters:

Dragonology, the video game, will bring the book’s magical world of dragons to life in an absorbing and exciting interactive adventure for younger gamers. Embarking on a journey to become a Master of Dragonology, players learn ancient dragon tracking techniques and travel to exotic locations to study, protect and preserve these dangerous and secretive creatures. Through 16 exciting mini-games, gamers can play with and fly their own rescued European Dragon while discovering five other rare species of dragon, including the Frost, Asian Lung and Mexican Ampithere.

D3 Publisher

Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow, developed by tri-Crescendo, the studio behind the acclaimed Eternal Sonata, will be available exclusively on Nintendo DS in the Spring of 2010. The game continues the series’ contemporary approach to traditional Japanese role-playing games and is set two years after the original 2007 Blue Dragon story. You can find out more about Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow by visiting www.d3publisher.com.

Based on the new TheCW4Kids live action TV series, Kamen Rider Dragon Knight is an intense action-packed hero game where players will have the opportunity to experience the exciting Kamen Rider adventure firsthand. The players will be able to play as all 13 Kamen Riders, each with their own unique Advent Cards and unique abilities in multiple game modes allowing the players to fight head to head or fight tons of enemies as you explore Ventara and stop the menacing plot of General Xaviax.

The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun

Family Party 30 Great Games: Outdoor Fun: Martial Arts Mania! Be a Karate expert!
Team Sports Minigames! Home run derbies, quarterback skills challenges, and soccer scoring challenges. Individual Athletics! New climbing, running, and balance games
Incredible Variety! Mazes, Martians, and much More!

Astro Boy: The Video Game ASTRO BOY: THE VIDEO GAME, players become the iconic hero, Astro Boy, and take to the streets and skies on an epic adventure to save Metro City from the clutches of the evil President Stone and his robot army. Utilizing Astro’s entire arsenal of iconic weapons and abilities–Finger Lasers, Arm Cannon, Butt Machine Guns and Drill Attacks, players will battle hordes of robot enemies and colossal bosses including some never-before-seen enemies across Metro City and the mysterious Surface. Using an intuitive combat system that adds depth to gameplay, players will experience classic platform action and exhilarating flight combat levels as they use Astro’s unique rocket boosters to hover, avoid enemies and zip out of the way of danger. For more information on ASTRO BOY: THE VIDEO GAME, including game features, screenshots, and videos, please visit: www.AstroBoytheVideogame.com.

Ben 10 Alien Force Ben10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks

EA

Nerf N-Strike Elite. Much improved over the first Nerf video game by EA. This one has more of a purpose as you and your partner reach goals to get to the next part of the game, using your nerf gun.

SimAnimals Africa Wii Lions Sims Animals. Journey to the heart of Africa where you control the wild kingdom! Interact with exotic animals in the wild including lions, elephants, gorillas and more as you explore the jungles and savannas of Africa. Discover the animals’ secret abilities. Solve challenges to earn new items, animals, and levels. Collect unique items to receive badges. Get in touch with your wild side and discover the ultimate secret of the kingdom with SimAnimals Africa!

Littlest Pet Shop Friends video game on Nintendo DS and Wii brings the party to you with a new cast of quirky pets and their best friends. You’ll get to deliver invitations, serve up cake and ice cream, and style out your pets as you prepare for the LPS party of the year!

Littlest Pet Shop Online is an exciting, safe, all-new virtual world where your kids can play fun games, customize their pets and decorate their pets’ home, connect with friends, and make new ones too! Your kids will experience LPS like never before!

Boom Blox Bash Party. Explore exciting new themed worlds with unique physics and dramatic visuals. Create chaos, watching puzzles and explosions unfold, while drifting under water, or floating in zero gravity. For even more strategic destruction, BOOM BLOX Bash Party also features all-new Blox, tools and characters. Experiment with the explosive and infectious Virus Blox, or the ever-moving Conveyor Blox. Experiment with new shapes like Cylinders and Wedges, or use the new Cannon and Slingshot toys to sling and launch blox. Even the new cast of characters is in on the action. Grab hold of the characters and send them flying. They are just like Blox now, so you can topple, bash and sling them like never before.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Like earlier video game releases in the Harry Potter franchise, the action in Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince the Video Game revolves around the exploration of Hogwarts and the action that results from what you uncover. The game features a variety of play modes and unique features. During their adventures, players will have a chance to engage in exciting wizard duels, mix and brew magical ingredients in potions class and take to the air to lead the Gryffindor Quidditch team to victory. Players may even get sidetracked by Ron’s romantic entanglements as they journey towards a dramatic climax and discover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince

Spore Hero. My whole family liked trying out the game and creating your creature is the most part of the game. As you go around the planet and discovering things and fighting other creatures (most of them just need to have the affects of the red meteor removed) you gain more body parts. As you gain more body parts you gain more powers and abilities. Each body part is capable of doing something else a hero needs the ability to do. My 2 year old’s only compliant was there was not enough purple. It is much more fun that Spore for the PC.

In The Sims 3, get inspired by the endless creative possibilities and unexpected moments of surprise and mischief! I think they have made it easier to play. I liked setting up my sim or rather watching my husband do it. He created our entire family, and my daughter of course picked out as much purple as she could. You can create lifelike Sims with a unique personality and take them anywhere in the neighborhood. Select from dozens of personality traits such as brave, artistic, kleptomaniac, clumsy, and romantic.

Need for Speed NITRO delivers the thrill of high-speed racing to all types of gamers with exciting gameplay, accessible controls, and competitive multiplayer events including four player co-op career mode. Featuring an incredibly deep yet intuitive visual customization system, Need for Speed NITRO lets players hit the streets in style with their personalized dream car. Recently crowned IGN’s “Best Racing Game” on the Wii and Nintendo DS at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, Need for Speed NITRO is this holiday’s most fun and exciting arcade racing game.

GI Joe Rise of Cobra. G.I. JOE The Rise of Cobra for all major video game consoles will feature an exclusive storyline that picks up where the live-action movie, from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, in association with Hasbro, leaves off, allowing players to re-create and re-live the greatest moments from the film, cartoon series and action figure toy line. The game will feature 16 playable characters – including 4 unlockable COBRA characters – each with unique abilities and weapons. Adding to the adrenaline rush will be an intense single-screen co-op mode allowing two players to easily unite as a team in a classic struggle between good and evil to defeat the powers of COBRA.

Filed Under: Video Games, christmasguide Tagged With: Codemasters, DS, EA Video Game Guide, EA Video Game Holiday Guide, Her Interactive, Holiday Guide, Nintendo DS, review, video game, Video Game Christmas Guide, Wii, XBOX 360

Spore Hero Came out let’s celebrate with a Spore #giveaway

October 8, 2009 By Momstart 370 Comments

This is the big reason why EA and Maxis studios invited me out to play with them for the weekend. The brought me, my husband, my daughter and my son to San Francisco. My Sister-in-law lives there so it was an amazing opportunity to not only spend time with family that we don’t see very often but to play games before anyone else gets to see them.

I did write about my family vacation once, but I feel that since this is the reason we went there I should mention it again with this giveaway.

I don’t have a copy of Spore Hero yet but I played it there and it was so much fun. You get to make all kinds of heroes and my kids got to play. Zoe created the most purple monster/hero she could make. It’s great to see her have fun with her dad. So this vacation was awesome and we’ll have very fond memories of it forever. Now, I’m not going to tell you too much because I’m going to do a giveaway for Spore Hero in a week or two. But one thing I want to mention is that Spore Hero is for the Wii and they also released a game for the Nintendo DS. The Nintendo DS, unlike most games that are released at the same time is a completely different game. Spore Hero Arena.

Create your own Hero with over 150 parts and powers, now for the first time in 3-D on the DS!
Fight dangerous enemies in arenas across the galaxy, from all – out 4 creature "Battle Royales", to capture the crown "King of the Planet" challenges, and much more!
Summon over 15 devastating Bio-Power attacks, from lightning strikes to deadly ground stomps!
Brawl with your friends in 4 player wireless and 2 player Wi-Fi action!

Play an original Spore story, in the same galaxy as Spore Hero for Wii. Travel to a variety of planets, completing missions, and challenging opponents who have been corrupted by an evil power. Fight to become the ultimate Spore Hero and save the galaxy!

I will write more about both games next week. For now, I’m going to write more about Spore. When we were at EA Studios with EA Play they didn’t have copies of the game we came to see because it wasn’t done yet. I mean we were playing on test machines. It was above AWESOME. So, they gave us a copy of Spore and the expansion pack. My husband wanted to know what we were going to be looking at so right before we went on our trip he purchased Spore.

I want to give one lucky reader the copy that EA gave my family.

I haven’t played spore, but I met some of the artists and creators. They were very nice and informative and said that in creating spore knowing your math skills is an understatement. You can create everything in Spore from you creatures to your civilizations. We saw people that made spaceships and themed creations. There is an on-line network where you can share your spore creations and download others for your game. It’s similar to The Sims in my opinion.

This game has really low reviews on Amazon, but it’s more about creating than playing. I mean it’s loads of fun if you are creative. Spore Hero is quite a step up from Spore but Spore is in my opinion from watching my husband play with my daughter a fun creative game.

I know that if I devoted more time to game playing I would enjoy it too.

Product Features

Edition: Standard

Epic journey from the origin and evolution of life through the development of civilization and technology and outer space exploration
Play any way you choose in the five evolutionary phases of Spore: Cell, Creature, Tribe, Civilization, and Space
Grow, evolve, interact with and battle other cultures, and conquer the planet
Visit literally millions of planets full of other player’s creations
Single-player game provides unlimited worlds to explore and play

To Enter:

Tell me what your themed civilization would be? (be creative, Simpsons, Star Wars, go crazy)

Extra Entries:

Vote for me for 5 extra entries

Non-bloggers get an extra entry for every e-mail they send out linking to this giveaway cc louise@looksblue.com (be sure to leave a comment for every person you e-mail, for example if you e-mail 10 different people leave 10 different comments)

Subscribe to my blog
Follow me on twitter tell me your twitter ID
Blog about the giveaway include a link to me for 10 extra entries
Tweet the giveaway (every time you tweet you get an entry) Link to the giveaway please!!!
Add my button to your blog/blog roll 10 extra points if it is on your homepage
Dig, Stumble, or fav me on Technorati (two entries for each one)

Comment on any other post and come back here and tell me you did.

Leave a comment for every entry

The contest will run until October 26th 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org

Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: DS, Nintendo DS, spore hero, Spore PC Game, video game review, Wii

Remember Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boy #giveaway.

October 4, 2009 By Momstart 216 Comments

They are all at it again and this time they are on our computes and Nintendo DS’s as video games. From Take Two Interactive, Sega, and Her Interactive comes Nancy Drew Dossier Resorting to Danger on the PC and The Hardy Boys Treasure on the Tracks.

Resorting to Danger

Stop the bombs from exploding at the exclusive Redondo Spa. You, as Nancy Drew, must stop a bomber from ruining the Redondo Spa clients’ rejuvenation and relaxation. The high maintenance clients won’t be happy if they find that their retreat is about to explode, even if the bombs are more prankster grossouts than dangerous. Now, Nancy Drew is undercover as the spa gopher catering to the customers’ eccentric requests while defusing bombs. From celebrities who escape here to the receptionist at the front desk—everyone is a suspect! Who is sabotaging the spa and can Nancy catch the culprit before the spa loses all of its clients?

Features:

• First person POV empowers players to become Nancy Drew and crack the case
• Story-based experience with a compelling mystery that moves forward with logical and clear goals
• As Nancy Drew, players find clues, interview suspects, and solve puzzles to unravel the story
• Intuitive game experience is easy to pick-up-and-play, user-friendly and forgiving
• Delivers the instant gratification and rewards that mass market gamers expect
• Innovative sparkling magnifying glass system eliminates endless searching for vague clues
• Clear goals with lots of hints help the player navigate and solve the mystery
• Lifelike characters with intriguing profiles and realistic graphics immerse the player in the mystery
• Organic, story-based problems and puzzles involve true ‘detective’ work – not just observation and deduction
(e.g. defusing bombs and snooping in private offices)
• Redesigned UI gives player more options to interact with the environment
• Point Rewards: The better sleuth you are, the more points you can earn to unlock bonus content
• In-game riddles, activities, and puzzles add more brain-teasers to the game
• Alternate endings: 6 different endings depending on choices the player makes

System Requirements:

Windows XP/Vista, 1 GHz CPU, 256MB of RAM, 300MB hard drive, 32MB DirectX 9.0 video card,
16MB sound card, 24X CD-ROM

The Hardy Boys Treasure on the Tracks.

The Hardy Boys Treasure on the Tracks

Recover Royal Treasure on the Rails in Europe! You, as the Hardy Boys, are invited onboard the Royal Express traveling from Paris to St Petersburg to follow the mysterious trail of the Romanov Family treasure. As you take the journey that the family planned to take themselves all those years ago, can you unlock their secret – and give someone back a life that seemed destined to be trapped in fading memories forever?

At-A-Glance
Title: The Hardy Boys®:
Treasure on the Tracks
Platform: Nintendo DSTM
Publisher: Sega®
Distributor: Sega
Rating: E for Everyone with Mild Violence
Release: September 1, 2009
MSRP: $19.95

Features:

• Play as Frank and Joe Hardy on a royal Russian train to solve the mystery.
• Snoop around in the train cars, interrogate suspects, and solve interactive puzzles.
• Switch characters to play as a highly trained international female spy you meet along the way.
• Paint pictures, search for hidden clues, and dodge pursuers using the stylus.
• Travel through a rich European landscape, including stops in Vienna, Paris, Prague, Warsaw, and St. Petersburg.
• Take risks without starting over – the game will automatically return you to the point before the fatal mistake.

Two winners will each get one copy of both games (40.00 Value)

The Hardy Boys Treasure on the Tracks

Nancy Drew Dossier: Resorting to Danger

To Enter:

Visit Her Interactive and tell me what other games you find interesting.

Extra Entries:

Comment on any other review post and come back here and tell me you did.

Leave a comment for every entry

The contest will run until October 26th 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org

Filed Under: christmasguide, giveaway Tagged With: Christmas Toy Guide, computer game, DS, Hardy Boys, Her Interactive, Sega

EA presents Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Nintendo DS

September 15, 2009 By Momstart 598 Comments

Thanks to my trip to San Francisco provided by EA Play, I have a copy of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince game on the DS to giveaway. I didn’t see the game on the DS but I saw it on the Wii and I was so impressed. I think EA pushed the graphics of the Wii to the max with this game. Rated E for everyone.

Harry wielding a wand in 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' the Video Game

Wand-based spells & pranks.

Potion mixing in 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' the Video Game

Mix it up in Potion Class.

Harry exploring Hogswart with friends in 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' the Video Game

Explore Hogswart’s mysteries.

The Story
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince the Video Game, Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the casdstle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort’s defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information.

Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different, but equally unavoidable adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn’t counted on Romilda Vane’s chocolates. And then there’s Hermione, simmering with jealously, but determined not to show her feelings. Yet as romance blossoms throughout Hogwarts, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

Gameplay
Like earlier video game releases in the Harry Potter franchise, the action in Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince the Video Game revolves around the exploration of Hogwarts and the action that results from what you uncover. The game features a variety of play modes and unique features. During their adventures, players will have a chance to engage in exciting wizard duels, mix and brew magical ingredients in potions class and take to the air to lead the Gryffindor Quidditch team to victory. Players may even get sidetracked by Ron’s romantic entanglements as they journey towards a dramatic climax and discover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince.

Key Features for DS

Enter a world of magic: Explore Harry’s world in your own time, and choose how you want to play the story of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Collect magical rewards: mix potions, discover hidden items, defeat bullies and play mini-games.
Master powerful spells by using your stylus as your wand.
Play pranks on your enemies by throwing stink pellets and using spells to stop them in their tracks.
Share the adventure by challenging your friends to fun wizard games like Gobstones, Exploding Snap and Wizard Skittles.
Warm up for the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup by leading training sessions and practice your skills as Keeper, Chaser and Seeker.
When you get stuck, call on Nearly Headless Nick for clues and tips to help you complete your challenges.
Swap famous Quidditch player cards with friends.

To Enter:

Tell me which book was your favorite?

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The contest will run until October 5th 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org

Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: DS, EA, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Scooby-Doo First Frights Action Adventure Game For Wii, DS or PS2 #giveaway

September 3, 2009 By Momstart 479 Comments

Being released on September 2009, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Torus Games are releasing Scooby Doo First Frights.

PLATFORMS: Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2

The game is not out yet so I haven’t had a chance to review it. They will be sending me a review copy some time in the future but they wanted me to go ahead and write about the giveaway. So here is information on the game.

PRODUCT OVERVIEW:

In Scooby-Doo! First Frights, the complement to the upcoming live-action and CGI Warner Bros. DVD release Scooby Doo: The Mystery Begins, players take on the role of young Scooby-Doo and teenage versions of the newly formed Mystery, Inc. crew to solve their very first cases.

Scooby-Doo! First Frights is intended for Scooby-Doo fans of all ages. Fans will be able to explore spooky environments as Scooby, Shaggy or any of the super-cool teen Mystery, Inc. team. The action-adventure game features co-op play allowing two members of Mystery, Inc. to work together to solve puzzles, combat enemies, and collect clues before unmasking each episode’s mysterious villain – all while gaining prestige as world famous sleuths!

Once players have solved the mystery, they can return to completed levels in Explore mode with any unlocked character, costumed character or villain to access new areas. With ghosts and ghouls around every corner, high school has never sounded so fun!

PRODUCT FEATURES:

Multiple Mysterious Environments: Featuring four all-new mysteries spread over more than 20 levels; explore the Phantom Cruise Ship, Haunted High School, Foreboding Castle and more!

Sleuthing times Two: Switch between characters or play with friends at any time using two player co-op with easy drop-in, drop-out gameplay.

Spooky Disguises: With access to a variety of spooky disguises, players can camouflage themselves in super-powerful costumes with new abilities unique to each character.

Back to the Beginning: Become part of the Mystery, Inc. team and solve their first cases with hours of entertainment in Story or Explore mode.

Solve Exclusive Mysteries: Each story has a new setting with a mysterious villain created specifically for the game. Collect clues and try to solve the mystery!

If you liked this post or wish to gain and extra point vote for me here.

By Parenting

To Enter:

Tell me who is your favorite Scooby Doo Character

Extra Entries:

Vote for me for 10 for 5 extra entries

None Bloggers get and extra entry for every e-mail they send out linking to this giveaway cc louise@looksblue.com (be sure to leave a comment for every person you e-mail, for example if you e-mail 10 different people leave 10 different comments)

The contest will run until September 21 11:59 pm Pacific. The winner will be selected by www.random.org

Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: DS, PS2, Scooby Doo First Frigts, Wii

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The Hardy Boys Treasure on the Tracks.

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