Game Review : Kidz Bop Dance Party! The Video Game for Wii

I'm whole heartily addicted to dance video games, which is in itself is sort of sad as I'm really not a good dancer in the first place. Though when no one is looking I dance my little heart out to the wii which is not only great exercise but it's the type of exercise you get into and really don't even realize you are doing it in the first place. The biggest problem is Connor usually wants to play with me and with some of the adult themed titles he really has a super hard time keeping up and just ends up getting frustrated.

Kidz Bop Dance Party! The Video Game is a Wii dance game that is truly made for kids. The included songs are popular songs but they are redone with kids in mind. Twenty four songs are included like : Party In The USA, Paparazzi, Since U Where Gone, Thriller, and many more. The songs will appeal to kids as well as get them moving. The game itself though the graphics are not nearly as good as some of the other dance games I have played they are very very colorful and unlike some of the other dance games you can to some extent customize your own avatar.

Now what really sets this title apart from some of the more adult skill level dance games is the actual game play. Kidz Bop Dance Party! is beyond simple in its controls. Actually I'm not so sure if it's a good or a bad thing but practically anyone can play it and as long as you keep the controller moving you can score pretty well no matter if your dance moves really are anything like what's happening on the screen. Connor loved the fact that "he could do it" but if I played it with him I found the whole experience aggravating as I didn't seem to score much differently if I just jumped around like a crazy person or actually attempted to follow the moves.

Now my honest opinion after really thinking about it... I will completely forgive Kidz Bop Dance Party for being geared towards kids, being super simple to control, and lacking some of the graphical aspects of my own dance games. The reason for this is Connor was beyond excited that he could play this game without any help from "Mom" and if it gets him up and moving burning off some of that excess energy it's beyond worth its faults. So all in all if your looking for a kid friendly easy to play dance game for the Wii, we really do recommend it.

Kidz Bop Dance Party! The Video Game is available right now and you can pick up a copy on Amazon!


Disclosure: We were given a copy of Kidz Bop Dance Party! The Video Game free of charge, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors

Win a copy of Shrek Forever After for Xbox 360!

Thanks to Activision I have a copy of Shrek Forever After The Final Chapter for Xbox 360 to give away to one lucky winner! Shrek Forever after is available right now on pretty much all of the gaming platforms, Xbox 360, DS, Wii, PS3 and PC! Connor has had a blast playing for almost an hour at a time and he is only THREE! No reading skills are required as the helpful pigs will talk you through the instructions but parents may have to help the younger players with some of the tough challenges. Older players and adults will really enjoy the four way multiplayer option available on some of the versions and the more complex fighting combos that are possible. You can play as Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, or Puss in Boots but you will need all four to complete some of the challenges!

To Enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Just check out Shrek Forever After The Final Chapter and let us know why you would like to win this game or what feature is most interesting to you.
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  
  
  
  • For an extra entry - Please post each extra entry in a separate post  :
  • Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add my button to your sidebar and let me know its there. (please note if you have our old button on your sidebar you'll need to update the link/image) 
  • Subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • Let people know about the giveaway on Twitter with a link to the giveaway! 
  • Join our Facebook Page!
  • BONUS - I'm allowing a fifth entry for a limited time for those of you who have previously blogged/linked to us in exchange for an entry. Update all the links you have on your site going to our old url (sevendogs) to superheroboy.com and get a extra entry. All you have to do is replace superheroboy in the link where sevendogsandababy appears. 
  • This contest will end July 31st at midnight!

 Disclosure: I was given a copy of Shrek Forever After  for review, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

Bring Shrek Forever After home in video games!

Shrek movies are a huge hit around this house and Connor is still watching his Shrek The Halls (the Christmas special) movie at least once a week. So when we recieved a copy of Shrek Forever After the video game to review we were pretty excited. Connor after about thirty minutes of playing finally figured out how to move the characters about and actually did pretty well with the fighting system as though more complicated combos are possible it is possible to win the battles by just hitting the A button like mad. Sure he lost more battles than he won but for a three year old and the very first time I just set him loose with a video game all by himself he did impressively well. No reading skill are required though they do need to know which button is the A button and which is the B button to follow the directions given by the "helpers" throughout the game.

The game follows the plot of the movie which we have yet to see and I don't totally want to ruin it for myself so I haven't played all the way through the game. However the idea is Shrek has been tricked by Rumpelstiltskin to sign a contract in which he is transported into a alternate reality where Shrek never married Fiona and ogres are still feared and being hunted. You have to solve puzzles and fight your way through both worlds (the alternate and real Shrek world) while enlisting the help of all of Shrek's friends. You have to use all the characters to make it past all the challenges and switching between characters is super easy as all you need to do is push one of the arrow keys. This is actually the one thing Connor needed the most help with while playing as he's really a bit too young and though sometimes he knew what character he needed he couldn't always select them himself. He did catch on pretty quick to the fact that horseshoes means he needed donkey. I guess all that time he spends with me and my horses does wear off on him!

The graphics are quite good and the cut scenes are excellent. Overall I wouldn't consider this a super challenge for the serious gamer but as a family friendly game it's very entertaining. Kids will enjoy the storyline and it's actually fun enough that I sat down and spent awhile playing on my own. Dad's and older kids will find the real entertainment in the fact that there is a FOUR way multiplayer option. You and up to four friends can all play together sort if like those old style arcade games.

You can pick up your own copy of Shrek Forever After The Final Chapter on Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PC or PS3 right no on Amazon!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Activision and received the items necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

How to Train Your Dragon adventures from home!

We've not yet been lucky enough to see the How To Train Your Dragon movie, I debated and debated about taking Connor to the theater to see it as he's a huge fan of dragons in general but in the end decided he's still just not quite ready enough to sit still long enough to see a full movie in public. We have however been playing the How To Train your Dragon game on the 360 and Wii as of late.

Both versions of the game on the 360 and Wii are very simular other than the controllers as though you end up with a little more movements required to play the Wii version in many ways the Wii version is the simpler of the two to play especially for younger players as you can get away completing the fighting sequences by just shaking the controler and hitting buttons like mad but I'm getting ahead of myself here.

How to Train your Dragon is very simular to the pokemon type games as there are basically two aspects of play. Choosing a dragon down to customizing it the way you want and then caring for the dragon by feeding and giving him attention. This is honestly my favorite part of the game as I'm one of those crazy farming game lovers and I really enjoy the challenge of getting my dragon to full stars. You end up having to complete mini games to get all the resources you need to take care of you dragon and I would be absolutely fine with the game if this is all that was involved. As well as taking care of your dragons you can compete in tournaments to gain experience and unlock more "story" parts of the game that involve a lot of exploring.

The tournaments are fun and again remind me a lot of a pokemon type battle. Though both the Wii and 360's fight sequences are pretty much the same if you are dealing with a younger player the Wii version in many ways is the better way to go as you can really accomplish a lot with the Wii controller by just really moving the controller around like mad and pushing buttons. Not saying you wont loose a ton of matches that way, but if push comes to shove not a ton of skill is needed to accomplish the battles if you have a little patience.

Though I'm sure many people love the exploring and story line sequences of this game I really was not interested all I wanted to do was get back to caring for my dragon and battling. Maybe once I've seen the movie and understand more of the storyline my attitude will change but then again that's just my play style.

You can buy your own copy of How To Train Your Dragon on Wii, 360, PS3 or DS right now on Amazon!

I have two copies of How to Train Your Dragon to give away to my readers. A Wii and DS version.


To Enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Just check out How to Train Your Dragon and let us know why you would like to win this game or what feature is most interesting to you.
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  
  
  • For an extra entry - Please post each extra entry in a separate post  :
  • Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add my button to your sidebar and let me know its there. (please note if you have our old button on your sidebar you'll need to update the link/image) 
  • Subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • Let people know about the giveaway on Twitter with a link to the giveaway! 
  • Join our Facebook Page!
  • BONUS - I'm allowing a fifth entry for a limited time for those of you who have previously blogged/linked to us in exchange for an entry. Update all the links you have on your site going to our old url (sevendogs) to superheroboy.com and get a extra entry. All you have to do is replace superheroboy in the link where sevendogsandababy appears. 
  • This contest will end June 30th at midnight!

 Disclosure: I was given a copy of How To Train Your Dragon  for review, we were not compensated for this post in any other way. My opinions and comments on items we review are always my own and are never influenced by sponsors.

Guitar Hero for Valentines Day!

Not even thinking I went out to eat and shopping for Valentines Day with a friend of mine last night, mind you last night was a very unusual one for Alabama.. we had quite a bit of snow and though the roads were clear when I left home around seven when I started home after shopping around ten every bypass on the way home was frozen solid. Which wouldn't have been a super huge deal but southern drivers are not at all used to ice and it seems that everyone the moment they felt their tires slip a little decided that hitting the breaks is the best policy. To make a long story short I drove the entire way home going about 40 down the enterstate praying that no one would hit me. Why am I telling you this story? Well before I left our little shopping trip my friend had asked me what I thought she should buy for her hubbie for Valentines Day and at the time I really didn't have an answer for her. Though on the way home it was the one thing I thought about to help calm my nerves as I watched everyone swirve around me.

If your looking for a great last minute Valentines Day gift for your other half or even a teenager in your life, I really swear by the Guitar Hero series of games. When the series first came out I really thought the Guitar Hero fad would be limited to teenagers and younger kids who were still in that whole "I wish I was a rockstar, mindset" but honestly after staying up late nights and playing Guitar Hero with some of my friends I've realized it's really a great game to play as a group or even as a family. One of my good friends plays it reguarlly with her kids including her three year old who I guess is fairly good at the drums!

The most recent addition to the Guitar Hero family is by far one of my favorite choice for the dads I know as the song selection is one of my favorites. Guitar Hero Van Halen has an awfully rocking soundtrack most of which are Van Halen based though the "extra" songs are really the ones that get me giddy. Including 25 Van Halen songs including some that have some really awesome guitar solos for those of you that really love the guitar controller best. The extra songs are really my favorite though including Billy Idol's White Wedding, The Offspring Pretty Fly for a White Guy, Weezer Dope Nose and so many awesome others. Though I think this title may be a little light in songs compared to some.. the ones you get are really great possibly some of the best overall songs I've seen thus far. Guitar Hero Van Halen is available right now on Amazon!

If your looking for a bit bulkier title Guitar Hero 5 includes a massive 85 songs with something from almost every genre. This title will keep you busy for hours as it really does seem like the song selection is almost unending. As well you can play it on party mode which allows you to switch players during songs to make it a real challenge if you have a big group. Guitar Hero 5 is also compatible with Guitar Hero World Tour and you can download the songs from World Tour into Guitar Hero 5 to give yourself an even larger song base. Some of my favorite songs included are Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit (always a fun one to attempt to get your buddy to sing while they are a little intoxicated or even some unsuspecting parent.. heh) as well as Bon Jovi You Give Love a Bad Name. Guitar Hero 5 is available right now on Amazon as well!

I can't get this to you by Valentines Day obviously.. but I have a copy of Guitar Hero Van Halen for PS3 to give away to one lucky reader!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Just check out the Guitar Hero website and tell which title you'd most like to own and what your favorite song is from the title!
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add my button to your sidebar and let me know its there. (please note if you have our old button on your sidebar you'll need to update the link/image)
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • Let people know about the giveaway on Twitter with a link to the giveaway! 
  • THREE extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • BONUS - I'm allowing a fourth entry for a limited time for those of you who have previously blogged/linked to us in exchange for an entry. Update all the links you have on your site going to our old url (sevendogs) to superheroboy.com and get a extra entry. All you have to do is replace superheroboy in the link where sevendogsandababy appears. 
  • This contest will end March 15th at midnight!

While I wait for my real baby I can play with one on my DS!

Who needs a doll when you can have your very own interactive baby on your Nintendo DS? My Baby First Steps is a interactive game where you love and care for a growing toddler. The only bonus is you don't have to spend every waking moment running after them and screaming jump/touch/fall on that. Phew, Wait I must be talking about my normal typical day.

Actually up till now I've never played a sim game where I had to take care of an actual human. Dogs yes, farms yes, even strange little monsters who were quite demanding but there seems something awfully complicated about making a sim toddler. However, My Baby First Steps actually delivers! Sure it leaves out the whole being exhausted 24 hours a day part, which is all for the best, but you can teach your little electronic baby quite a few things. Depending on what your assigned to do for the week you have to do everything from teach your baby to walk, talk, and even give him or her baths and read to them.

The game is much more challenging than I thought it would be, I felt a genuine sense of frustration trying to get my little electronic toddler to talk, far less than getting a real one to talk but certainly it wasn't just handed over. Not so much that the average elementary school kid would not be able to play but I was actually a little amused by the fact that it actually made a challenging game out of raising a child. Only if the kids knew how hard it really is!!! Some reading is required to play and complete challenges so I'd say it would be best for children 6+ or younger kids with above average reading levels.

Overall its a really fun game, and a great addition to any sim game collection especially for younger girls. Adults will find it amusing as well and it uses just about all the aspects of the DS including the microphone during teaching the toddlers to talk. I think it falls a little too close to home at the moment for me, lol, with an almost three year old and a baby on the way I think I'll spend my time playing with my real ones. I have to admit though it would have been a really cool game to have had while I was waiting on the birth of my first baby!

My Baby First Steps is available right now and you can pick up your copy on Amazon!

Southpeak Games was gracious enough to send us a second copy to give away to one lucky reader!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Just check out the Southpeak Games website and tell us which other game from their collection you'd love to play!
  
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • Let people know about the giveaway on Twitter with a link to the giveaway!
  • THREE extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • This contest will end Feb 28th at midnight!
    

Who says I can't be a skateboarder?

Ok, confession time. There is one thing I wanted to do SO badly when I was growing up and though I tried my little heart out and even have some scars to prove it, I could never master skateboarding. Jump tiny horses over things bigger than I am, no problem, but ride a board with wheels.. not happening. I did however spend an awful lot of time nursing wounds on all my guy friends who could actually skate, which I guess is good enough.

Thanks to Tony Hawk Ride I can now at least pretend I can skate. Ride is a really unique video game. Using a controller shaped like a skateboard you can now actually stand and "skate" your way through a Tony Hawk game. Though I can't particularly say its exactly like the real thing, certainly its far safer as if you loose your balance and fall off your Ride board vrs a real skateboard it certainly hurts a lot less. It is much easier to master though I still have problems with the tricks.

The game itself seems a little unimpressive compared to most Tony Hawk games. It's a bit more basic with smaller levels. I'm sure a lot of that had to do with programming the new Ride controller but it was a tiny bit disappointing. However, the fact that there is now a skateboard controller gives future games much more options and it's really exciting as to how the controller can be used for other games as well. All in all if I wasn't comparing the new Ride game to previous Tony Hawk games its an impressive design and the controller though a bit hard to master at first is really quite challenging. It's also a great game to add to your list if your looking for a workout as it will keep you quite active.

I almost hate to say this but if your kids are begging for a skateboard and your still not so sure that its a great idea it's also a great alternative. Especially for the cold rainy days we've been having lately!

Tony Hawk's Ride is available right now and you can pick up yours on Amazon!

A video game system for preschoolers that will burn off some steam!

We are a pretty geeked out household, that's no secret. I'm fairly sure I've told you guys more than once I met Connor's daddy through a video game. So its no surprise that my son is already showing an active interest in computers and video games himself. The problem is, he's far too young to really operate a computer game effectively though he has the mouse down pat, and he's way too hyper to sit still long enough to make it more than a few minutes even when I do find him one that is totally mouse driven.

VTech V.Smile Motion however is the perfect system for the active preschooler! The controller is very simple to use and is motion activated and it responds to being tilted in either direction and moved around. Children are not expected to sit down and be still while playing with their VTech Motion but are actually encouraged to move around! Children learn reading, math, and other skills all while having fun. I also love the fact that many of the games feature recognizable characters such as the Wonder Pets and Handy Manny which really gets their attention. The controller and functions are all very easy to use, chunky and easy to hold for little hands, and very durable. I should also add that the controller is wireless which is a huge plus but I do recommend that you purchase rechargeable batteries as wireless remotes for any video game system I've ever owned are always notorious for eating batteries way too fast.

This is an absolutely great, kid friendly, family friendly, very budget conscious system. The only thing I could at all say bad about it is the fact that if your expecting graphics along the lines of the more adult video games you may be dissapointed. However the graphics are clean just more simple than that of some of the larger video game systems. If you have played any of the other V.Smile systems its along the same lines as the games are compatible. For the price the system just can't be beat hands down though.

Compatible with all the other V.Smile cartridges and reasonable priced at under $50 for the entire system, you can actually find them on sale for under $40 this holiday season, you can't go wrong. You can check out the entire line of V.Smile video game systems, games, and accessories on the VTech Kids website.

Guitar Hero is only getting better.

I had to laugh the other day as I came across some video footage of Connor during last Christmas when he spotted one of those "music" games on demo at our local video game store. He was dancing his little heart out in the middle of the store. I think it was really then when it hit me why Guitar Hero was really so popular. Music is universal, no matter if your one or eighty everyone can identify and I think we have all at least once had at least a daydream of being a famous musician. I grew up with friends that were in the industry and honestly I can tell you with 100% honesty that I really have no desire to become famous, sure I love recognition for what I do as much as anyone else, but fame has no appeal. Regardless though I still wish I could play an electric guitar and Guitar Hero, well, makes that at least somewhat a reality for me.

Guitar Hero's newest game, Guitar Hero Metallica, is hands down my favorite Guitar Hero to date. If you have played any other Guitar Hero games the game play format has not really changed enough to comment on. Honestly if anything this is in my opinion the most challenging Guitar Hero yet, so if your a seasoned player you'll enjoy the slightly different progression on leveling. Otherwise the game works basically the same. What has changed is the amazing soundtrack which by far if you ask me floors all the previous versions. With a huge selection of Metallica songs to pick from ranging across the entire lifespan of the band your bound to find something you love and there is a cool selection of songs from other bands that I absolutely love including : Alice in Chains, Judas Priest, Queen, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, and even Lynard Skynard gets a cameo. Heh, sorry had to throw that last band out there as I do live in Alabama after all.

Regardless if this is your first Guitar Hero experience or just an extension of the game for you. Its really hard to resist Metallica, I can honestly say that the whole epic nature of the band itself lends itself perfectly to the game. Really I think my only complaint at all is it really makes you work, some of the previous versions of the game were almost too easy and this one will really put up a challenge especially as you progress.

You can pick up your own copy of Guitar Hero Metallica on Amazon right now.

Connor loves his veggies!

I feel so blessed that Connor is a huge veggie hound. Actually he usually prefers his veggies to meat most days. I'm not sure how or why this happened as it was as a child I refused pretty much every vegetable known to man. My cousin still jokes that all I ate growing up was nachos and pizza but that's not quite accurate but I will be the first to admit there were more things I wouldn't eat than would.

Luckily Connor does not seem to have that problem and he will eat pretty much any vegetable happily especially if you give him a little Hidden Valley Ranch dressing to dip the raw veggies in. Regardless of if your children love their veggies or not I've yet to meet a kid that did not absolutely love video games. Hidden Valley has a great new website with a cool selection of family friendly online video games that get kids thinking about their vegetables in a fun way! The games on Hidden Valley's Veggie Adventures are fun and easy to play even for the younger players. I spent a few minutes playing the games the other day and what should have been a few minutes ended up being almost an hour. I was determined to make it to the store with my veggies without loosing any, heh. I've yet to do it but lucky Hidden Valley's Veggie Adventures will save your game so you can come back and try again!

Hopefully your kids love their veggies as much as Connor does but regardless Hidden Valley's Veggie Adventures is a great place for kids to play games for free safely online and hopefully it will get them thinking about their veggies in a whole new light. A big thanks to Mom Central for letting us know and Hidden Valley for coming up with some cool games for us to play!

Petz Horse Club

I recently did a review of the Ubisoft Petz Dog Pack and Cat Pack but not everyone is a dog or cat person and I'm not sure about you guys but I think every little girl dreams of owning her own horse at some point in her life. I've been lucky enough in my life to have called over a dozen horses mine over the years but its been about five years since I've had a horse to call my own but that does not mean I do not think about them every single day. I never outgrew my love of horses and if you ask my parents they would be happy to tell you that for the first 20+ years of my life that they were the main focus of my life. So needless to say I'll take my horse fix anywhere I can get it so I was pretty excited to see Petz Horse Club show up here for review.

Petz Horse Club focuses on a pretty diffrent storyline of previous horse games I've played. Where most horse games seem to focus heavily on horse care and competition this particular horse game focuses on the player finding and taming wild mustangs. Though you can compete with your horses its not the main focus and you will find that most of your time in the game is spent riding your horse around the wilderness looking for new wild horses to tame. This is kind of fun like a little virtual horse collection, heh. The thing I was most curious about the game before it arrived is how the wii controls would be used and I was pleasently surpised to find out that the controls for the horse simulate real riding as much as I've ever seen a game do so. You hold your reins (aka the controllers) pretty much the same way you would if you were riding a horse english (with two hands not one like you do with western.. for those of you who have not ridden a horse before) and though I don't think you could every really simulate riding a horse in a game it does give you a small glimse into what its like.

Really my only complaint with horse games, this one included, is that unlike the dog and cat games there is never an option to breed your horses. I've always wanted to have a game where you actually bred horses and then competed with the offspring, having the skills based on the parents combination, and I was hoping a little that this would be an option seeing as you pretty much have a large pool of horses to choose from but still nothing. With horse games becoming more and more popular hopefully we will see one in the future though!

Petz Horse Club would make a perfect gift for a horse lover in your life. It's simple enough that young children could easily learn to play and mom will enjoy it as well. You can can pick up your own copy of Petz Horse Club for Wii on Amazon!

I feel a little like I'm playing air guitar!

Wake up your inner Wayne and Garth because air guitar is the coolest thing ever especially if your playing Guitar Hero On Tour Decades for the DS. Playing Guitar Hero on the DS has always been portable fun and a great way to entertain the kids on road trips but the Guitar Hero on Tour Decades has quite possibly my absolute favorite hands down soundtrack of any of the Guitar Hero games I have played thus far.

The game play itself is very simile to Guitar Hero On Tour the previous DS release. However the soundtrack received an impressive upgrade. Some of the best songs from the 70s, 80s, and 90s bless this awesome On Tour upgrade. I honestly for the first time ever cannot say that I even remotely dislike one single song on the soundtrack. REM, Bon Jovi, Stone Temple Pilots, Linkin Park the list goes on and on and they are all awesome. Hey for our Alabama readers you can even rock out to Sweet Home Alabama. heh. Seriously for those of you that do not live in Alabama you'd be excited to know that if you listen to the radio here in Montgomery a few hours at a time you will hear Sweet Home Alabama at least three times a day or more.

The coolest aspect of Guitar Hero On Tour Decades is the brilliant multi player option. For those of you that have multi kid households you know how much it can kill a budget to buy double copies of the same game just so your kids can play together with the DS wireless link. However for those of you that already own the original Guitar Hero On Tour you will be beyond delighted to know that the Guitar Hero On Tour Decades is not only backwards compatible with the original On Tour but you can play them together without any hesitation. Meaning one player can have the first On Tour and the second player can have Guitar Hero On Tour Decades and they will share songs without skipping a beat.

The only disadvantage to Guitar Hero On Tour Decades is the controller. The controller on the new Decades version is exactly the same as the On Tour original version. Though its not bad it is slightly uncomfortable until you get the hang of it. I was really expecting an upgrade on the controller but I guess they took the stance if it isn't broken don't fix it.

Guitar Hero On Tour Decades is available right now and you can get your copy on Amazon!

Kung Fu Panda is back for the Wii!

I recently did a review for the Kung Fu Panda game from Activision. Well Kung Fu Panda is back for the Wii and DS in a whole new way. Kung Fu Panda : Legendary Warriors follows the stories of Po and the rest of the Furious Five in a whole new way.

The first Kung Fu Panda game plays a bit like an adventure/fighting game. Though it does offer co-op and multi player modes its primarily built to be a first person game or a head to head fighter. You fight your way through the levels and learn a bit more of the story as you go. The graphics are beautiful, the levels are detailed, it's the ideal single player game with the added bonus that it can be played in a group mode.

However, Kung Fu Panda : Legendary Warriors is built primarily to be played as a multi player game. It screams multi player in every level though it still can be played single player. If you grew up in the arcade like I did the closest game I can compare it to is Gauntlet. The levels are not quite as detailed which lends itself to playing much smoother in a co-op mode.

If you get tired of playing in the story (co-op) mode you can then go head to head with your friends in sort of a Kung Fu Panda death match. Draw the symbols on the screen to activate special moves and defeat you friends. Actually if you have both the DS and Wii version you can link them together to unlock even more special moves which is sort of a neat twist. There are also mini games to play if your pressed for time and just need a little stress relief.

If I had to choose between the two Kung Fu Panda games I'd have to ask you what is your game play style. If your all about playing with friends (on the same game system) I'd say that the Kung Fu Panda : Legendary Warriors is the far superior game, but with that said if your a graphics freak or lone player I enjoy Kung Fu Panda a bit more in the single player mode.

It is somewhat satisfying to kick some warrior booty with the Wii remote!

Kung Fu Panda : Legendary Warriors is available right now on Amazon!

I have one copy of Kung Fu Panda : Legendary Warriors for the DS to give away to one lucky reader!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Kung Fu Panda : Legendary Warriors and tell me why would you like to play it!
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • This contest will end Jan 30th at midnight!

Some girlie fun on the Wii!

Bratz Kidz is the perfect game for your next sleepover. The Bratz Girls are having a sleepover and its your job to help the girls earn new items for their clothing.

Bratz Kidz Slumber Party for Wii and DS follows the Bratz Girls as they have a girls only slumber party. As the game goes on through playing the games you earn points that earns you extra parts of the story and accessories for you Bratz girls. You can get new clothes, shoes, makeup and even nail polish for your girls and dress them any way you like. Points are earned through games you can play on your own or with your friends.

The mini games are fun play the apple pie attack game, pillow case hop, or my personal favorite bounce and dance on the beds and try to avoid getting caught by mom. heh. The games can be played by yourself or you can have up to three of your friends join you. The dancing game is absolutely hilarious as a group as someone always ends up getting caught. Once your done playing the games you can go shopping with your points. The items you buy you can then trade with friends or keep and dress up your Bratz girl any way you wish.

Bratz Kidz is available right now from Game Factory on Wii and DS and you can purchase your own copy on Amazon!

I have a copy of Bratz Kidz to give away for the DS!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Game Factory and tell me which game you'd most like to play.
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • This contest will end Jan 30th at midnight!

I'm Bond, James Bond!

I'm not even a guy but it still feels bad ass to say that famous phrase. Well for those of you who ever wanted to feel a little more like the 007 himself there is a video game out now that puts you right into the action of the world famous secret agent himself. 007 Quantum of Solace is a classic first person shooter. Much like the Call of Duty game I reviewed earlier. The boys around here LOVE first person shooters and honestly usually I don't give them much more than a quick look as I am an adventure/sim game kind of girl. However 007 is really impressive and not as gritty as other shooter games I have played.

007 Quantum of Solace follows the movie Casino Royale. I never saw Casino Royale the movie, though I have had it on my to do list it just keeps falling down the list for some odd reason. I really need to add it to my movie account at some point. However 007 Quantum of Solace the game really blows me away. You know there are some games that have amazing cut scenes but when it comes to game play though they still look similar you loose most of the detail. There was no detail spared on anything in 007 Quantum of Solace. One of the most impressive aspects to me, at least, was the fact that you can actually use the scopes on the guns without having to zoom into the scope itself. Meaning you can see down the scope of your gun as well as see the surrounding area just like you would on a real gun. This may have been done on other games but personally this was the first time I've seen it and WOW I love it!

I've actually become oddly intrested in guns lately. Connor's dad is a police officer now and guns have suddenly become a undeniable part of our life. I've always been terrified of guns but now I feel strangely intrested but I still don't have the guts to touch one in real life. 007 Quantum of Solace was the first game that really gave me the true feeling of using a gun without actually using one. I think I may be ready (maybe) to take my first gun lesson this spring. Though I do have to say the funnest thing to do on 007 Quantum of Solace is run up behind people and kick the crap out of them. Call it theraphy for a bad day.

I honestly cant tell you how 007 Quantum of Solace and Casino Royale are simular as I never saw the movie but I've heard from friends who tried out the game and saw the movie that there are some simular scenes and levels. The game is multiplayer friendly so you can get 12 of your best buddies together and play online or pair up with random players on the network. I tried this game out on the PS3 but its also availble for the Xbox 360, DS, Wii, Playstation 2, and PC.

Looking for a last minute gift for the gamer on your list?

There is one game on the market right now ready for your last minute shopping list that I can tell you hands down that if you have a dad or guy to buy for on your Christmas list, he will scream like a little girl when he unwraps it! What game is this you ask? Well that's simple : Call of Duty World at War. I need to warn you though Call of Duty is for adults only. Meaning it does feature violence, blood and guts, and other adult contact that is just not suitable for children.

Call of Duty World at War like the other Call of Duty games is quite possibly the most realistic shooting game you can buy. I've watched the boys (aka my adult male friends) play it several times and I am just blown away at just how graphically advanced it is. Every detail is accounted for from the hairs on the players heads to the details on the vehicles and weapons. If your looking for a game that will really take advantage of all of the graphical capabilities of your game system this is most certainly the game for you, with that said I didn't notice any lag while playing this on the WII or the PS3 though just from the capabilities of each system the picture is better on the PS3 version, not that's of any fault to the Wii the PS3 just has a far better video card.

Call of Duty World at War is fast paced, and tons of fun on single player mode but really the beauty of this game is and always will be the mutliplayer functions as no Call of Duty is complete without spending hours and hours shooting your buddies in the head. Call of Duty is not for the casual gamer. Its an absolutely gorgeous game, but the game play is brutal from watching people getting tortured to hearing the characters scream when you shoot them while they are spurting blood. Set people on fire with your flame shooter, stab them if they get too close, or practice your sniper shots. Again people this is not the game for kids but dad's everywhere are already foaming at the mouth.

Call of Duty World at War is available on almost every platform including the PS3 which personally I think the game plays and looks best on, to your PC, and of course the Wii. Which really makes me debate just which system is the most fun to play. If graphics are your thing I'd say definitely go with the PS3 or PC editions but the Wii functionality of using the controller as your gun really takes the cake as it has been my very first shooter game for the Wii and it makes an already challenging game ever more challenging not to mention incredibly fun. Playing head to head on the Wii is also great fun and will leave the guys howling for more.

I know what I will be wrapping for the guys in my life on Christmas. You guys should go and check it out too. Call of Duty World at War is rated mature and is for players 17 and up. You can read more about Call of Duty World at War at its website or purchase your own copy on Amazon!

I have a copy of Call of Duty World at War for the Nintendo Wii to give away to one lucky winner!


To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Call of Duty World at War and tell me what is your favorite guy friendly video game of all time!
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • This contest will end Jan 15th at midnight!

A gift for the casual gamer!

I had meant to feature this yesterday but I'm still sleeping more than normal after being sick and I had to prepare for my last final of the semester, which I'm overjoyed to tell you that I am officially done with the semester as of today. Needless to say I ended up passing out before I could finish the review. Not that I'm saying that my next game is at all boring as its not!

My favorite game of all time for the gameboy has always been Tetris as well its just one of those games that never gets old, and can be played for a few minutes to pass time or hours at a time and its still just as fun. Rubiks World may have just beat out my all time classic favorite as unlike Tetris you can choose between several games and by what game you play you can also choose if you want a short time killer or want to play all afternoon!

Without picking up the box I first thought to myself "Rubiks? Hmm though I have completed a Rubiks World before in real life it took me months and months." I'm not sure that just playing with a Rubiks Cube as a video game was going to be much fun especially if it takes me three months again to finish the cube. I was not so sure that would translate into a fun video game but boy was I wrong. First of all yes Rubiks World includes the option to play with your own Rubiks cube but unlike the plastic version you can set the difficulty level from a 2x2 cube to a large 4x4 cube so hopefully it wont take you nearly as long on the easier level. However, Rubiks World is so much more than just the standard cube you might have gotten as a kid.

Rubiks World has tons of fun mini games from the classic cube game to sort of a version of Tetris that will keep Tetris addicts like me entertained for hours. The game that really had me playing over and over though was a game called Switch. In Switch you move the little cubes around and when you put them in the right place it causes the other cubes to vibrate and thus eliminating the cubes and winning the level. It's incredibly addicting you will have a really hard time putting it down. The best part is the whole family will find a game on Rubiks World that they can play including a music program where you can make music with colored cubes that even the youngest gamers in the household will not want to put down!

Rubiks World is available right now and you can pick up your copy on Amazon!

I have a copy of Rubiks World for the Nintendo DS to give away to one lucky reader!

To enter :

• Leave a comment on this post. Check out Rubiks World and tell me what you think is cool about the game!
• Make sure there is a way for me to contact you - if your email address is not on your profile or you are not a blogger you may leave it in your comment or email it to me directly (angelaandconnor at gmail dot com) We have had to disqualify a lot of potential winners as of late as many people do not have emails available in their profiles or leave anonymous posts without any way to contact you.
• Please US entries only.
• To get extra credit :
  • For an extra entry :
  • Bloggers - Blog about this contest and leave me the link on your comment, or add me to your sidebar and let me know its there.
  • Non Bloggers (or bloggers) subscribe to my mailing list/RSS feed and earn another entry!
  • One extra credit per person. Please post your extra credit in a separate post.
  • This contest will end Jan 15th at midnight!