Check out some newly revealed features of Nintendo Labo!

March 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Nintendo recently unveiled Nintendo Labo, which combines the magic of NintendoSwitch* with the fun of DIY creations. Nintendo Labo kits offer interactive build-and-play experiences designed to inspire creativity and discovery in people of all ages. And there’s much more left to discover about Nintendo Labo.
Today, Nintendo revealed three new videos that showed off some more details about Nintendo Labo, as well as additional features of the first two Nintendo Labo kits – the Variety Kit and the Robot Kit – which launch on April 20.
All three videos can be viewed here, here and here.
One particularly cool feature that’s part of the software included with each NintendoLabo kit is Toy-Con Garage, which can be accessed in Discover mode. Toy-Con Garage introduces basic principles of technology in a fun and accessible way, allowing you to combine various simple inputs and outputs to invent new ways to play with your Toy-Con projects.
In addition to Toy-Con Garage, the Toy-Con projects in each kit offer numerous ways to have fun as you Make, Play and Discover different experiences.
Robot Kit
  • Build your own wearable Toy-Con Robot suit and assume control of a giant in-game robot, completing challenges and destroying in-game objects to unlock powerful new abilities.
  • If you’re feeling competitive, you can even challenge a friend in two-player local battles or compare your high scores/rankings with other players! (An additional Robot Kit and Joy-Con controllers are required for two-player mode; sold separately.)
  • Nintendo Labo encourages you to use your imagination and creativity to customize your cardboard Toy-Con creations in a variety of ways. The Robot Kit even allows you to customize and level-up your in-game robot.
  • Learn more about the Nintendo Labo Robot Kit in this new video.
Variety Kit
  • Toy-Con Piano: After assembling your 13-key Piano, you can host an impromptu recital or record your songs and play them back for your biggest fans-in-the-making. Experiment with different sounds and pitches to create something truly unique – even a song composed entirely of cat noises!
  • Toy-Con Motorbike: Grab ahold of your newly constructed handlebars and race through different tracks, challenging CPU opponents or collecting targets across mountainous terrain. You can even create your own custom tracks, so start planning your designs now!
  • Toy-Con Fishing Rod: There are many exotic fish to discover, and some of the deep-ocean fish are particularly tricky to catch. Show off your collection in Aquarium mode and have fun creating your own fish with different shapes and colors – simply insert and scan different cards in the Toy-Con Piano to get started. (Assembled Toy-Con Piano is required to access Aquarium mode.)
  • Toy-Con House: Befriend the cute creature living in your Toy-Con House (shown on the Nintendo Switch screen) and discover different ways to interact and play with it. There are a variety of experiences to discover, including mine cart races, bowling and jump rope.
  • Toy-Con RC Car: The RC Car is full of unique and surprising features. Since the Variety Kit includes materials to build two Toy-Con RC Cars, you can race against a friend, set up obstacle courses or even compete in a sumo-inspired challenge to try to knock your opponent’s RC Car over (additional Joy-Con controllers are required; sold separately). Create a path using the reflective stickers included in the kit, and set the car to auto-drive along a specific route using the IR Motion Camera on the Right Joy-Con controller.
  • Learn more about the Nintendo Labo Variety Kit in this new video.

For more information about Nintendo Labo, visit https://labo.nintendo.com/.

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Kirby Encourages Fans to Perform Random Acts of Kindness

February 16, 2018 by Leave a Comment

While the nation celebrates Random Acts of Kindness Day this weekend, Kirby, the charming hero known for his powerful Copy Abilities, is preparing a celebration of his own at this year’s Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle. Attendees of Emerald City Comic Con will not only be among the first to play the Kirby Star Allies game for the Nintendo Switch system and try out Kirby’s new Copy Abilities before the game launches on March 16, they will also have the chance to earn cool Kirby themed items for being nice to people around them – just like Kirby himself!

In Kirby’s new game, he uses a new ability to turn his enemies into friends to create a powerful team to save Planet Popstar. But despite his friendly appearance, Kirby brings some seriously powerful new moves and abilities to his new game that would even impress the most hardened video game players. In fact, Kirby’s moves in Kirby Star Alliesare some of his most powerful and impressive yet.

And just like Kirby, attendees of Emerald City Comic Con will have the opportunity to unleash some powerful moves of their own – the power to make the world a better place through acts of kindness! Kirby would be so proud.

Select Nintendo representatives will be walking around Emerald City Comic Con March 1-4 to reward people for performing random acts of kindness for other people. If these mobile Nintendo teams catch a Comic Con attendee doing something nice, from holding the door for a stranger to picking up litter, that person will get the chance to earn fun Kirby themed items.

These same mobile teams will also be surprising people waiting in lines around the convention with the opportunity to play Kirby Star Allies for Nintendo Switch in Handheld Mode. The game will also be available to play at the Nintendobooth in TV Mode.

“Many of our classic characters are heroes in numerous ways, but Kirby epitomizes what it’s like to be powerful, but also kind,” said Cindy Gordon, Nintendo of America’s Vice President of Strategic Communications. “While we love bringing our games directly to fans at events like this, we wanted to do something a little different this time to show that teamwork and kindness are two of the most powerful forces around.”

Kirby Star Allies is one of the largest and most robust games in the Kirby series – and the first on Nintendo Switch! In the game, Kirby can recruit enemies by tossing out hearts to gather friends for a party of up to four characters. This newly formed party can be used to solve clever puzzles or unleash powerful friend abilities. In addition to familiar Copy Abilities like Sword, Fire, Ice, Stone, Bomb and more, Kirby will have access to new abilities like Spider, Artist and Staff. Some Copy abilities can even be imbued with different elements, such as wind, water, fire and electricity. Kirby uses this large collection of powerful moves and abilities to make his way through a wide variety of colorful and challenging worlds.

Up to four players can play together in local co-op, with one player controlling Kirby and, for the first time in the series, the other players taking control of the recruited enemies (additional accessories may be required in multiplayer mode). Players can still embark on the adventure solo, though, with team members automatically controlled by the game.

Emerald City Comic Con runs March 1-4 at the Washington State Convention Center at 705 Pike St., Seattle, WA 98101. For Comic Con hours and more information, visit https://www.emeraldcitycomiccon.com/.

For more information about Kirby Star Allies, visit https://kirby.nintendo.com/star-allies.

Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch/.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo Switch™ system and the Nintendo 3DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.5 billion video games and more than 710 million hardware units globally, including Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS™ family of systems, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo GameCube™, Wii™ and Wii U™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names, such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Americas. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at https://www.nintendo.com/.

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New Video Games and Apps for Kids- and the kid in all of us

November 15, 2017 by Leave a Comment

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.

 

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Brutes.io App

June 9, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Have your children been playing .io games as much as mine? At first, I didn’t know what ‘.io’ meant. After doing some research, I learned that ‘.io’ represents an entire class of multiplayer games. Some are focused on action, like traditional free-for-all bouts. Other .io titles are more puzzled-based, challenging gamers to think while they play. And some .io games are focused completely on strategy. The point is, ‘.io’ represents just about any modern multiplayer game, with one key feature: they’re free to play!

Brutes.io is a brand-new game on Poki. Like other .io titles, it loads in the browser, without downloading any special apps or making purchases. But, Brutes.io takes a little bit longer to load than other games. That’s because it has rich, 3D graphics. Very old computers might not be able to handle Brutes.io, but any modern device will have no problems at all.

Inspiring Sights and Sounds
I’ve never seen such pretty graphics in a free game. The first level in Brutes.io is called Grimm Graveyard, which is a haunted mountain region. There are spooky cliffs, tiny caves, and narrow bridges abound. The environment feels alive, as ominous thunder and flashes of lightning strike the ground. Old, bare trees sway and creak in the wind. All the while, high-energy music plays in the background. The soundtrack at Grimm Graveyard is reminiscent of children’s Halloween music. It’s playfully dark, goofy, and fun!

Controlling Beasts
The controls in this game aren’t nearly as complex I would’ve thought. With such modern graphics and layered levels, I assumed that there’d be too many buttons to memorize. Thankfully, that’s not the case. The controls are so simple that anyone can play, from a three-year-old to a not-so-savvy adult. There are just a pair of controls: one to move and one to punch.

Playing with the mouse is easy; the right button allows movement, and the left button punches. The keyboard controls are also kid-friendly. The arrow keys (or WASD) move the character, and the spacebar (or enter key) punches. If players have a gamepad, they can use that to control their Brute. The gamepad is recommended, as it makes for the easiest controls of all: use the left joystick to move and the X/A button to punch.

Action and Strategy
Brutes.io is essentially a fighting game, where monsters try to knock each other down. The action is very cartoonish, which means that it feels more silly than violent. I view that as a positive factor, because I won’t worry about my young ones playing. There is no blood, and when a Brute dies, it leaves a bunch of shiny orbs behind. Even though the action resembles a free-for-all, a little bit of strategy goes a long way. Players can use unique power-ups at the right time to take out the biggest players. Also, knowing when to play defense, hide, and not fight can lead to more successful rounds.

There’s a lot to uncover in Brutes.io, and now’s the perfect time to try!

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Color Switch: Challenges

May 29, 2017 by Leave a Comment

free apps

My kids and their friends are gamers. And by that, I mean they enjoy playing all sorts of video games. From chatting with other parents, I’ve realized that older children tend to prefer console games. If you’ve spent $60 a pop on too many PS4 or Xbox titles, then you know what I’m talking about. Thankfully, it seems that most younger kids are into free games. While we may not enjoy in-game purchases and/or advertisements, free-to-play is a welcome idea. Color Switch: Challenges is a free game, and there are actually no purchases necessary (or even available, for that matter). Better yet, there are no in-game ads, either.

Color Switch: Challenges is a uniquely fantastic game for several reasons. Firstly, it truly appeals to all ages. The objective is easy to understand, the controls are enjoyably basic, and the game looks good, too. Secondly, Color Switch: Challenges is different every time you play. Here’s how it works:

Each gamer controls a colored ball. Clicking the mouse or tapping the screen moves the ball upwards. If untouched, the ball falls realistically, as if pulled down by gravity. Players must keep bouncing the ball upwards to avoid falling out of sight. But, several obstacles stand in between the start and finish lines.

Obstacles come in the form of multicolored circles, diamonds, and rectangles. Plus, every obstacle moves. Some spin, some slide, and others change size. Most of the time, players have to figure out how to move through the shapes. Passing through them requires touching matching colors only. Since the obstacles move constantly, it can be very difficult to avoid non matching parts.

The colors are completely random, which means there’s no way to cheat. Walkthrough videos will only help so much, because the timing will always vary. As such, I’ve found Color Switch: Challenges to be more mentally stimulating than other free games. It requires players to think, adjust, and actually learn as they play.

Color Switch: Challenges is new and readily available on Poki. However, it’s not the first of its kind. This game is based on Color Switch (without ‘Challenges’ in its name). The original game was one of the most successful mobile games of the past two years, with over 150 million downloads. Chances are, your children might already be familiar with Color Switch. If they are, I still recommend giving the Challenges edition a try.

This new version of the game is much more focused than the original. Challenges are essentially small puzzles. In this game, players won’t spend hours doing the same thing over and over. Instead, they will work on manageable puzzles. Getting past three obstacles at a time is encouraging and fun. It’s not daunting, and it’s far less frustrating than trying to beat an impossible-to-reach high score.

Color Switch: Challenges bridges the gap between arcade and puzzle games, providing plenty of entertainment for younger and older kids. It’s great for parents, too—whether you’re a savvy gamer or just want to dabble in the fun.

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New Games and Gaming Devices You Will Love

May 23, 2017 by 1 Comment

Looking for some fun games to play with the kids? We have some suggestions.

Mario Kart is one of those games which turn a room full of strangers into a room full of new buddies- or at least rowdy racers.  With equal parts skill, luck, and know how, Mario Kart has consistently been a gem of this gaming’s generation.  The latest in the franchise, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, dare I say may be the brightest gem so far.  With almost all characters unlocked to begin with, this game is built for multiplayer.  As the new Switch will show you, it is easy to grab a controller and play.  Each player takes the mini controller for their racer and plays.

With tons of characters to choose from, everyone can pick their favorite without arguments.  Characters of different wights and sizes act differently and effect your controls, as do the type of vehicle and even the tires selected.  The game also includes support for amiibo’s and amiibo cards, which unlock more content in game, allowing for even more customization. Mario Kart Deluxe 8 is available no for $59.99 from retail locations of via download fro the eShop.

 

We have two indie titles-  one for the 3DS and one for the Playstation 4. Fun, inexpensive, and most gamers will enjoy them and be able to play (no master skill sets required).

This is the third Box Boy game in the line, Bye Bye Box Boy , is a game where players use the power of boxes to solve various puzzles as Qbby.  This game is an enjoyable puzzle game which is simple to get into, but difficult to put down.  My 9 year old has loved every Box Boy game and this is no different, but now with a few additions like 4 new powers, baby boxes to rescue, and new environmental issues to contend with (like water, wind, and scales) there is more to do.  He enjoys the Box Boy series- it’s tough but not too tough for him to figure out after thinking about it and trying a few things, or in some cases, with some help from Dad.  Bye By Box Boy is available now on the eShop on the Nintendo 3DS and retails for $4.99.

cheap video games

Up next is a frenetic space racing game called Aaero.  In this game, you play the part of a lone ship racing along to the beat of various songs, each of which are loud thumping beats.  While racing along, you are attacked by various enemies who need some attention from your gun.  This game is fast paced and a blast to play.  Mostly, I have played it loudly and in short spurts, but can see how this game would be quite addicting.  The music is catchy, the level designs are gorgeous, and the levels are fun to play or sit back and watch someone else play.  Aaero is available now for Playstation 4, Xbox One, and Steam.  So be sure to check it out on your platform of choice, turn up the speakers and enjoy.

The Zeiss VR One Plus is fun for you and the kids relax and unwind together, it’s a cool experiance. This headset device that you use with your phone offers hundreds of compatible app options that you can choose from. Anything you prefer- videos, news, gaming, virtually exploring far off places or hard to reach (perhaps even impossible) locations, all from your home. One of the coolest features is that it will fit any size head- yes, even your giant melon- and that you can wear it with glasses. That’s not always easy to find in a VR headset. We’ve all tried this out, and everyone has enjoyed it. It’s comfortable, light, and the apps are really a lot of fun to mess around with. Buy for around $129 at stores like Target or Best Buy.

For the arcade experience at home or on the go, check out the Mini Arcade Games now available.  These  scaled down, mini versions of classic games you might have played in actual arcades ( I KNOW! Kids these days….) have all the features you played, actual authentic game play and nostalgic appeal all in one tiny, handheld game. Now available are Q*Bert and Centipede and yes, they have special full color screens. Dodge obstacles and blast bad guys using the mini joystick and fire buttons and get in all your old-school gaming jollies. $19.99 at Walmart only.

Speaking of old school fun, check out the NES Classic Edition controllers from My Arcade. It works with the newly released edition of the classic Nintendo system, as well as with Wii and Wii U as an optional Classic Controller (with compatible games). You can play from as far as 30 feet away, and for more then 75 hours with 2 (not included) AAA batteries. Designed for better grip, it also seems a little smaller and lighter to me. No wires need on this bad boy! Available for about $20 from Amazon and other sites.

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Bye Bye Box Boy and Aaero #VideoGames

May 23, 2017 by 1 Comment

Check out these two indie titles-  one for the 3DS, Bye Bye box Boy and one for the Playstation 4, Aaero. Fun, inexpensive, and good for most gamers.

box boy

This is the third Box Boy game in the line, Bye Bye Box Boy , is a game where players use the power of boxes to solve various puzzles as Qbby.  This game is an enjoyable puzzle game which is simple to get into, but difficult to put down.  My 9 year old has loved every Box Boy game and this is no different, but now with a few additions like 4 new powers, baby boxes to rescue, and new environmental issues to contend with (like water, wind, and scales) there is more to do.  He enjoys the Box Boy series- it’s tough but not too tough for him to figure out after thinking about it and trying a few things, or in some cases, with some help from Dad.  Bye By Box Boy is available now on the eShop on the Nintendo 3DS and retails for $4.99.

cheap video games

Up next is a frenetic space racing game called Aaero.  In this game, you play the part of a lone ship racing along to the beat of various songs, each of which are loud thumping beats.  While racing along, you are attacked by various enemies who need some attention from your gun.  This game is fast paced and a blast to play.  Mostly, I have played it loudly and in short spurts, but can see how this game would be quite addicting.  The music is catchy, the level designs are gorgeous, and the levels are fun to play or sit back and watch someone else play.  Aaero is available now for Playstation 4, Xbox One, and Steam.  So be sure to check it out on your platform of choice, turn up the speakers and enjoy.

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch

May 23, 2017 by Leave a Comment

mario kart 8

Mario Kart is one of those games which turn a room full of strangers into a room full of new buddies- or at least rowdy racers.  With equal parts skill, luck, and know how, Mario Kart has consistently been a gem of this gaming’s generation.  The latest in the franchise, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, dare I say may be the brightest gem so far.  With almost all characters unlocked to begin with, this game is built for multiplayer.  As the Switch will show you, it is easy to grab a controller and play.  Each player takes the mini controller for their racer and plays.

The game runs at 1080p, and the graphics are spot on- levels pop with textures and colors, with characters smoothly running along the tracks.  Every track from the Wii U version of the game is included, including DLC, which makes a glorious return. Plus, the Inklings appear as all-new guest characters, along with returning favorites, such as King Boo, Dry Bones, and Bowser Jr.  My personal favorite is green Shy guy, because he reminds me of Christmas., followed very closely by Dry Bones.  My son favors likes Link or Yoshi.

With tons of characters to choose from, everyone can pick their favorite without arguments.  Characters of different wights and sizes act differently and effect your controls, as do the type of vehicle and even the tires selected. Every track has character and originality, never facing two of the same type in a row.  Some new and some classic from previous Mario Kart games, but updated for 8 Deluxe.  The game also includes support for amiibo’s and amiibo cards, which unlock more content in game, allowing for even more customization.  Most of these options come in the form of the outfit for your Mii to use in race,  which are all cool to see and even more fun to use.

Mario Kart Deluxe 8 is available no for $59.99 from retail locations of via download fro the eShop.

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