Have Sippy Will Travel

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Got gamers? Us too. These are a few of the titles that have our kids (OK, and maybe us as well) occupied during rainy days and cold nights.

Lightseekers from TOMY is an app that you can play with by using just the app, or by connecting toys or trading cards with it. Using “Connected Play” , a “proprietary technology platform that integrates video games and smart action figures” with Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Artificial Intelligence with trading cards and figures and more into the app experience. Use the figure as a controller to the game, which is a fun and pretty unique experience. I’ve not done that before, and it was pretty neat.
No portal needed in which to put the toys, you just need the app and your tablet and that is that. They interact with each other and the app via bluetooth. The interactive trading cards brings features into play and into (virtual) reality as you use them as well. The game gets better as you use it, based on feedback, reviews, gameplay, and more. Starter packs available for about $40 at stores like Toys R Us.

For the fans of the Nintendo 3DS, there is Metroid Samus Returns. Bounty hunter Samus Aran is back to finally rid the planet of the menace that is known as Metroid. A “part two” (if you will) of the 1991 Game Boy classic game, Samus Returns has new moves, upgraded weaponry, and of course foes that just won’t quit. It’s a great game for fans as well as those who have never played before. The game is $40 and for the 3DS family only. There are amiibo for the game as well, Samus Aran as well as Metroid. The 2 pack is about $30.

The LEGO NINJAGO Movie has been widely anticipated, fans have been eagerly awaiting it’s arrival. As eagerly awaited has been the The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game, which is based on the brick flick. Fans will have tons of fun battling enemies as they take on the persona of their favorite Ninjago heroes- like Kai, Cole, Zane, or Master Wu – as they fight to defend their homes from Lord Garmadon and the evil Shark Army. Available for about $40 and for many gaming platforms.

For fans of LEGO, you will want the newest LEGO Dimensions. Already in Wave 9, some of the latest buildable interactive toys are the Beetlejuice Fun Pack, Team and Fun Packs based on the popular TV shows Teen Titans Go! and The Powerpuff Girls. These are toys you place on a portal and then they appear into the game you are playing- but unlike other similar figures, in true LEGO form, you have to build these. According to my little gaming expert, the packs themselves give you the most “DLC”, or basically downloadable content given to you per set then some other games. There are also so many licenses you can choose from, which means there are a bunch of universes and characters to choose from, making game play that much more interesting.

In the fun and exciting Nintendo game “Monster Hunters”, you take on the role of explorer, warrior, and zoologist as you traverse the world around you. While you travel, you will hunt and care for eggs, which you will hatch, as well as bond with a variety of monsters you meet along the way. The scenery is quite varied, from a desert to the tundra, make your way along, battling and finding quests as you go, befriending monsters with different skill sets and even customizing your own unique monster. Use these monsters as a team that will have powerful attacks and combinations. Compatible amiibo figures also available for an additional price. $40 at most retail outlets.

Mario and Luigi are back once more to battle familiar bad guys to save BeanBean Kingdom, rescue the Princess, and even Bowser in the new Mario and Luigi SuperStar Saga & Bowser’s Minions. Yes, that’s quite the mouthful of a title, but the game is still super fun. The storyline takes place in one of Mario and Luigi’s more classic adventures- but as you play, you find out some details of what really happened and some details you might not have known. New attacks, familiar friends and foes, and fun puzzle solving are what this game is all about. Great for fans and newbie alike, this is a great game for all abilities and ages. Compatible amiibo available for additional price, the game is available for $40 at most retailers and online.