Justice League: Cosmic Chaos” is the latest game from Outright Games in collaboration with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Released on March 10th, this all-new open world action adventure game is made for Justice League fans of all ages. In the game you can play as one of four characters; Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman or Cyborg. You can play solo in single player mode or team up with 2-player co-op mode. The game is available to play on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox X|S and Steam. So you have plenty of options as you battle Mr. Mxyzptlk, the trickster from the 5th Dimension. Throughout the action-packed missions, you must defeat hordes of enemies using each hero’s unique abilities to restore peace. I like that you are able to switch between each character and how each character has their own powers that are needed throughout the game.

From Superman’s Heat Vision and Super Breath to Wonder Woman’s Truth’s Pull and Batman’s exploding Batarangs there is plenty of fun to be had as you aim to restore peace across Happy Harbor. The gameplay is fun and filled with exciting puzzles to complete and outfits with special upgrades to unlock and customize. Throughout the game you also interact with other Justice League members Green Lantern, The Flash and Aquaman who make fun cameos. As you search for The Artefacts of Justice, which can be found by fighting baddies and completing quests. There is plenty of content with 30 powerful attack and defense items to be found including Green Arrow’s Bow and Raven’s Cloak. There are even fun side missions that allow you to search Happy Harbor for clues that lead you to villains, bounties, and even secret locations.

The open world aspect of the game really makes this game fun for all ages. There is tons fun characters including one of the first villains that the Justice League fought against together in The Brave and the Bold Issue #28 in 1960, Starro the Conqueror, the mind controlling alien. Lastly, for a limited time only, if you pick up a physical copy of DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos on the Nintendo Switch, it comes with an exclusive character keychain. I am excited to continue playing this game and exploring the world and collecting items. Definitely worth checking out for all fans of Justice League.

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

In what feels like a weird (yet delightful) mishmash of Super Smash Bros meets Nicktoons Unite comes Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl which is… pretty self explanatory, actually! For no narrative reason, all your favorite Nicktoons, both new and old, are pitted against each other for some good ol’ fighting. There’s really no build-up to these fights or trajectory of difficulty that I could gather while playing the game, but just a lot of fun to be had from having Spongebob smack Nigel Thornberry off a building. Sometimes simplicity truly goes a long way! 

There isn’t a lot of variety when it comes to the fighting locations and the characters are limited to headliners such as Spongebob, Patrick Star, Aang, Reptar (my personal favorite character to play as) etc – but the game does a good job at utilizing each character as you play as them and giving them unique fighting moves that are specific to their characters. I can’t properly articulate how delightful it is to play as Reptar and shoot fireballs at a character like Danny Phantom or Catdog. 

The game doesn’t try to do anything too visually impressive in terms of scope or even just character designs, but honestly, considering that the game is going for nothing more than a nostalgic, Nickelodeon arcade riff on Super Smash, Tekken, Mortal Kombat, etc. it makes sense to keep everything simplistic and not overextend the concept further than it has to go. 

Even with that being said, and how I think the game is a whole lot of fun within the context of what it is – there is a certain ceiling for this game and it isn’t super high by design. Yes, it is really fun to play as these characters and see these wacky character meetups – but there isn’t much more under the surface to make you wanna pick up your Switch to play it again over something else. Once you’ve finished a majority of the fights, played as a majority of the characters, and unlocked some of the secret extras, it might just have you moving on to the next game instead of playing through for a second or third time.

It all depends on what you’re expecting from your brawl games. If you want nothing more than recognizable characters from your childhood to pit against each other, you’ll have a good time and it’ll be a fun addition to your collection. Just don’t expect anything much more than the general concept you’re being sold.

“Goosebumps Dead of Night”

Playstation, Xbox One, Steam, Nintendo Switch

Cosmic Forces

Our Score 4 out of 5 stars

“Goosebumps Dead of Night” is a family-friendly way for Goosebumps fans of all ages to engage with some of their favorite R.L. Stine stories and characters while getting spooked a bit. Slappy has escaped from the pages of Goosebumps and reunited his family of Monsters. It’s up to you to stop Slappy’s dastardly plan to unleash the Goosebumps monsters into our world. Hide from monsters summoned from classic Goosebumps tales while exploring and solving puzzles in an effort to trap Slappy back into his book. Can you survive Slappy’s wrath and defeat him?

Straight from the pages and screen of your favorite Goosebumps books and films is the latest installment in the Goosebumps franchise. “Goosebumps Dead of Night” is a first person RPG that transports the player directly into the world of R.L. Stine. Players are immersed in dark and eerie locations while being tasked with having to collect missing book pages while warding off creepy clowns, werewolves, angry garden gnomes and the one and only Slappy! Visually the game looks great and captures the spirit of the series quite well. The foreboding soundtrack adds to the games appeal and certainly helps with several jump moments. It was a lot of fun going from level to level and seeing which story characters you were going to encounter next as each task brings the player closer and to closer to a final showdown with Slappy high up within the Tesla tower.

If you are new to first person RPG’s then it may take a little while to get used to the controls and how to navigate around the different levels but, once you have that all down the game provides is a lot of fun. Parents of younger players may want to check the game out first as there are some parts which can be a little frightening. Fans of the books will obviously want to check this out on one of the four available platforms (Playstation, Xbox One, Steam, Nintendo Switch) as “Goosebumps Dead of Night” is a great continuation of the Goosebumps franchise and one that both parents and youth will enjoy playing time and time again.

Format: Nintendo Switch
Digital Publisher: Outright Games
Developer: Wild Sphere
Genre: Adventure and Racing
Players: 1-4 Player
Age Rating: E [Mild Cartoon Violence]

Developed by Wildsphere Studios, “Gigantosaurus: The Game” is an all new ROARsome adventure based on the world of the hugely popular CGI animated show “Gigantosaurus”. The series is currently airing its 1st season on Disney Junior worldwide. Season 2 and 3 have already been commissioned by The Walt Disney Company, France Télévisions and Super RTL. This show is really cute and easily entertains my seven year old daughter. It is one her favorite shows on Disney Junior.

“Gigantosaurus: The Game” allows families to join in the fun together, side by side, with 1-4 player action across prehistoric, vibrant worlds, epic racing levels, puzzles and challenges. You can explore and race across the vast, prehistoric world of Gigantosaurus in a one-of-a-kind dinosaur adventure. You are able to play as your favorite dinosaurs from the show –Rocky, Tiny, Mazu, and Bill on a daring quest to help Giganto and escape extinction. as they discover secrets, solve puzzles and save the day.

If you get tired of just exploring the world there is also “Dino Racing” where you can hop in your race kart for a super rally to reach the next adventure zone and find out who’s the fastest dinosaur. There is also a fun team up where you and up to 3 friends can control your favorite dino and create co-operative adventures together.

I found this game to extremely fun and very easy to use for the youngest kids to their adults, where it is fun for the whole family. The graphics are solid and the game play is very intuitive. I had a slight issue with the camera angles where I would have liked to use the second joystick to control the camera but it is not allowed. The cut scenes are cute as well and kids will love them since they get to have a mini-adventure with their favorite characters and their voices as well.

The Dino Racing mode is also very fun and reminds me of a kids version of Mario Kart. I can see my family playing this game for months to come as their is tons of content to explore throughout the world. There are also fun side missions in the main game where you have to collect seeds to plant trees, which is easily navigated by the helpful on-screen hints provided by the game, so there is no way to get lost in the big world.

Official Premise: Explore and race across the prehistoric world of Gigantosaurus. This Disney dino tale is part saving the world, part super race, and all giant fun! Rocky, Tiny, Mazuand Bill have scary problems –like the meteor that’s blocked up Giganto’s volcano! Only you and your dino friends can dare to solve puzzles and save the day –but you might need Giganto’s powers too! And the end of each story is the start of a super rally to the next zone. Will you be the most roarsome adventurer or the fastest racer?

“Batman: The Telltale Series”
Telltale Games
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
DC Entertainment
Release Date: November 14, 2017
Rating: Mature
Platform: Nintendo Switch

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I have played a few Telltale games to date including “Game of Thrones” and “Guardians of the Galaxy”. I was super excited to see that “Batman: The Telltale Series” came out back in August of 2016 but I never played it. When I saw it was came out on the Nintendo Switch, I was thrilled.  The teaming up of Telltale Games, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and DC Entertainment is a match made in heaven for comic book nerds! This game plays so well on the Switch and really adds some great physical features using the joysticks that is not available on the other platforms. Having playing a few Telltale games before on systems like PS3 & PS4, this was my favorite experience and having it be Batman only makes it cooler! Must own!

I know people may trash Nintendo Switch saying it is not up to par like XBOX One X, which is not but it is also special in it’s own right that those systems don’t offer. I love the ability of having this game essentially on the go and in such high quality video and sound.  this game also features an award-winning cast of talent, including Troy Baker in the role of Bruce Wayne, Travis Willingham as Harvey Dent, Erin Yvette as Vicki Vale, Enn Reitel as Alfred Pennyworth, Murphy Guyer as Lieutenant James Gordon, Richard McGonagle as Carmine Falcone, Jason Spisak as Oswald Cobblepot, Dave Fennoy as Lucius Fox, Anthony Ingruber as John Doe, and Laura Bailey as Selina Kyle. No shortage of voice over talent here.

There are five episodes includes in this complete season collection:
Episode 1: Realm of Shadows / Episode 2: Children of Arkham / Episode 3: New World Order / Episode 4: Guardian of Gotham / Episode 5: City of Light

Please note for all parents, all episodes have been rated ‘Mature’ and make sure you know that this is NOT for kids. It is rated M for a reason. So no kiddie hanging around, this is mommy/daddy’s game. I am trying to rate each chapter and I am having a really hard time figuring out which I enjoyed more. I can honestly say that each chapter is better than the next. The first takes a little to get started but picks up speed quick! My favorite is probably City of Light if I had to choose right now. I really enjoyed Lady Arkham. She was a great villain in this season. Cool to see Batman going up against someone new and bad-ass to boot.

If you are looking to find out more information, VGR is the place to go to get all the trending video game news. Since the Nintendo Switch was a little late to this game only getting it in November of 2017, there is already a second season released called, “Batman: The Enemy Within” and is currently available on most platforms, except the Switch 🙁  So hopefully they have that in the plans coming up soon! I would love to see how they can even advance the technology with the Switch for future installments. Hopefully we won’t have to wait to long.

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Release Date: October 23, 2014
E10+ for Everyone 10 and older: Cartoon Violence
Genre: Platformer
Publisher: Game Mill Entertainment
Developer: 1st Playable Productions

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

Right from the start, “Big Hero 6: Battle in the Bay” was off to a bad start. I thought there was something wrong with my 3DS and it turned out the game isn’t presented with 3D effects. I mean come on, there are indie games that are coming out in 3D and a big game like “Big Hero 6” is not. Very disappointing. The game difficulty is extremely easy. The bad guys are no challenge at all, in fact I beat the first boss while checking my email on my phone. You play as each of the five main characters mixed up throughout the game’s 20 levels, which will take the average gamer about an hour or two to beat. The other main issue is that Baymax, who is the best character in the movie is merely background noise. Big miss here for sure.

Official Premise: Following on the heels of their super hero debut, the Big Hero 6 team has targeted a dangerous gangster named Yama and his legion of out of control fighting robots! Take control of the stars of the film in this action packed combat platformer! Send robot’s flying across the screen as Hiro with his electro-mag gauntlets! Zoom through levels at top speed as Go ! Slice and dice as Wasabi with his plasma blades! Smash and burn as Fred in his Kaiju monster super suit!

“Big Hero 6: Battle in the Bay” features no spoken dialogue or cut scenes at all along with bland and repetitive sound design. One thing this game does have though to add slightly more game play instead of jump flying through each level is that there is some in-game collectibles. You can collect various hidden items in each level including a cat, a plus symbol consisting of five cubes and the word HERO spelled out. Finding these items will provide health upgrades as well as trophies, art work and more. Unless you are completely obsessed with “Big Hero 6” and need to have everything from the movie, this is a definite pass.

Previously, we have received the Ear Force PX4 wireless gaming headset from Turtle Beach, which was a great product…that is until I saw Turtle Beach’s Ear Force Stealth 500P Premium Fully Wireless Gaming Headset with DTS Headphone:X 7.1 Surround Sound…drool. This is the ultimate gaming headset and this all-new headset design features 50mm Neodymium speakers. Not only just does it just look snazzy, this beautiful device also delivers some epic sound.

The Ear Force Stealth 500P, along with the Elite 800, is the first DTS Headphone:X 7.1 Channel Surround Sound headset for PS4 or PS3. Since this is said to be fully wireless, that is no lie either, you are able to enjoy this without the need for an adapter or wire to the controller. You are also able to setup custom DTS Surround Sound modes, each with four EQ Presets.

What strikes me as odd though is that the Stealth 500P is much much better than the Ear Force PX4 except that for some strange reason it dropped compatibility with Xbox 360. It works perfectly though with PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Mobile Devices though. This latest model also has a great battery life lasting over 15 of gaming per charge.

After using the Ear Force PX4, I noticed that there was some interference between the wireless but this device has crystal clear wireless surround sound. It also has intelligent channel-hopping in order to achieve that interference-free wireless. I can’t wait to see what Turtle Beach comes with with next but it is going to be quite hard to top this one guys!

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Platform: XBOX 360
Developer: Harmonix
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Rating: E+10
Release date: October 21, 2014

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

It has been a few years since I have played games like “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero”, but when those games were big, I used to be mega huge into those games. We had a band and competed online. It was a blast. Those games seemed to have tapered off in the last few years…until now (sort of). “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved” is the latest game from Harmonix, the team behind games like “Rock Band”. This game is an XBOX One and XBOX 360 exclusive game. The game is totally hands free and uses the KINECT in order to control. The game itself is quite unique. Your hands are the instruments. I think that is pretty rad, this game would have a perfect score except the choice of the songs are a disappointment since they filled with trendy hits and no classics. Still a fun time and a great pleaser during parties.

Official Premise: Players enter the magical realm of Fantasia selected by the legendary sorcerer Yen Sid to hone their musical and magical prowess as his new apprentice. Perform to hit songs by using natural gesture-based motion gameplay. Tracks from Bruno Mars Queen Fun. Kimbra and AVICII and other top artists. Transform and remix music via magical manipulators in real-time like never before. Explore breathtaking environments with a motion controlled “muse”. Discover worlds filled with hidden musical interactions designed to engage players and encourage creativity.

While you are playing a song, you have two basic ways of interacting either swiping and punching. You are scored in points based on the accuracy of your movement. While playing you collect magical energy, which is used to unlock items to use throughout the game. I was certain quite exhausted after a few go-rounds at this game but it is quite fun. If you are used to the the regular rhythm-action games, this is a whole new experience. The music is blended well with the animation.

Here is the full tracklist included at launch for “Fantasia: Music Evolved”: Dvořák – “Symphony No. 9 from the New World”; Vivaldi – “The Four Seasons: Winter, 1st Movement”; Avicii– “Levels”; J.S. Bach – “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor”; Bruno Mars – “Locked Out of Heaven”; Cee Lo Green – “Forget You”; David Bowie – “Ziggy Stardust”; Depeche Mode – “Enjoy the Silence”; Drake – “Take Care” (ft. Rihanna); Elton John – “Rocket Man”; The Flaming Lips “Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Pt. 1”; Fun. – “Some Nights”; Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”; Imagine Dragons “Radioactive”; Inon Zur – “Scout’s Theme” (ft. Lindsey Stirling);
Jimi Hendrix “Fire”; Kimbra – “Settle Down”…

…whew! [deep breath] Lady Gaga “Applause”; Liszt “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2”; Lorde – “Royals”; M.I.A. – “Galang”; Missy Elliot “Get Ur Freak On”; Mussorgsky – “Night on Bald Mountain”; New Order – “Blue Monday”; Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”; Peter Gabriel – “In Your Eyes”; Police – “Message in a Bottle”; Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”; Tchaikovsky – “The Nutcracker Medley”; The Who – “The Real Me”; The White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army” and Mozart – “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”

If this game is anything like “Rock Band”, Harmonix is going to expanding upon these track list probably weekly most likely. I hope that they steer away from the trendy pop hits and get some real good songs in the mix. I can easily see myself revisiting this day often. It is a fun way to just let loose and just a really cool idea to be able to control the music with your hands. You always looks at a conductor in a band and think “Wow, he is running the show here”. Well with “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved”, you are the conductor.

Platform: Playstation 4
Developer: Avalanche Software
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Release date: September 23, 2014
Rating: Everyone 10+

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Disney Infinity” is back and better for its second edition called “Marvel Super Heroes”. Superheroes have never been bigger and this latest 2.0 edition features 16 Marvel figurines and 40 power discs (82 in total to be released in future wave), so there’s no shortage of options at all. After playing the original “Disney Infinity”, I found myself picking it apart quite a bit. This game really improves on the first games issues and delivers a mush more fun and content filled game. It is still not perfect but it is a blast to play and I have a feeling I will be playing this for many months to come.

“Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes” is split up into different two game modes much like the original. There is the Playset mode and Toybox mode. In the playset mode, you can transport into the world of one of the hit franchises from the game and generally run anywhere between 6–10 hours in length, so they are no incredible long but do back some great content. The Toybox mode still allows players to create their own games and worlds, using items unlocked in Playset mode.

When it comes to figures, we get the following three franchises covered to start including “The Avengers”, “Spider-Man” and “Guardians of the Galaxy”. In the Starter Pack, we get Iron Man, Black Widow and Thor. Captain America, Hawkeye and Hulk are available in single character packs and complete the roster for “The Avengers”. I cannot wait for Wave 2 to come for this franchise since Loki and Falcon have been confirmed!

Next up is “Spider-Man”, only with the web slinger himself, we also have Nova, who is included in the play set. Venom, Iron Fist and Nick Fury are available as single character packs. I am a bit taken back that Nick Fury is seated with Spider-Man. I am sure some young kids aren’t going to make the connection just yet since he is primarily seen with “The Avengers” in the film and TV series.

Lastly and easily my favorite film of the year, we have Guardians of the Galaxy. Included in the playset is Star-Lord and Gamora, while Drax, Groot and Rocket Raccoon are available in single character packs. Future wave 2 release for this series include Ronan and Yondu, so there is plenty of growth and expansion available here as well.

Unlike the first game, you are only able to play specific characters in specific playsets. This new edition allows you to collected “Cross Over Tokens” scattered throughout levels in order to bring character like Nova, Iron Man, Rocket Raccoon and Hulk into more than one playset. This gives the game and entirely new dynamic and I really enjoyed it.

These new figures are really a big improvement over the first game. I really enjoyed the “Guardians of the Galaxy” characters. The abilities were great and really run to play with. My real surprise honestly has to be Nova from “Spider-Man” play set. I really enjoyed him as well. With “The Avengers” each of them are equally amazing. Hulk has a great special move. Iron Man can sort of glide. Captain America has his shield to through around. There are 16 characters and I spent a lot of time just fighting with myself to figure out who I should try first.

Since there are 40 power discs in wave one, I will highly a few of my favorite. S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier Strike is a great ability. Infinity Gauntlet is a rare and very powerful disc. If you are an “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” fan, getting to ride in Lola is a blast. There is also Ability discs that allow Team Up with characters like YOndu, Winter Soldier and Ant-Man. In the toy box, the customization for “Guardians of the Galaxy” is pretty cool with Groot’s View and Groot’s Roots.

Also a very cool expansion feature is that you are able to take all of your original Disney Infinity figures and power discs and they can still be used in the Disney Infinity (2.0 Edition) toy box. You cannot use original play sets though with the 2.0 gam though. This adds a lot more ability to play with this new game and to have original Disney Infinity characters meeting 2.0 edition characters.

The control are a bit tighter in this new edition. I felt that the driving in the first game was absolutely horridenous and this time around it is much smoother. The violence is not too bad but I am honestly not a fan of the ability to turn on civilians in the game. You are able to drive down the street and literally plow down people. I am sorry but this isn’t “Grand Theft Auto”. There isn’t any blood or anything, so it doesn’t seem that bad but still could have been tamed a bit and feels very unnecessary.

November 4th brings us a new wave of Disney Original figures for use in the Toy Box. Included characters in the first batch are Donald Duck, Aladdin, Jasmine, Tinker Bell, Stitch, Hiro Hamada & Baymax from Big Hero 6, Merida and Maleficent. I can’t wait to check these characters out. Hopefully in the the next edition of “Disney Infinity” isn’t to far, far away 😉 Fingers crossed Disney! Cross over to the Dark Side!

Publisher: SEGA
Developer: The Creative Assembly
Rated: Mature
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Platform: PlayStation 4

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I am always a sucker for anything spawning out of the “Alien” franchise. “Alien: Isolation” promised to be the best of the recent attempts at a good game in the series. The game puts you in the in control of Amanda Ripley, the daughter of Ellen Ripley, as she searched for her mother. The story takes place 15 years after the events of the first movie and another 42 before she is found in the sequel. What I liked about this game the most is that there is only one Xenomorph that hunts you down. Now even though it is just one doesn’t mean that she is not still one tough bitch. I think literally, I died about 25 times in the first 5 minutes of playing this game. This is it horror fans, if you are looking for a great “Alien” video game adaption, look no further.

Official Premise: “Alien: Isolation” is a first-person survival horror game which captures the fear and tension evoked by Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic film. Players find themselves in an atmosphere of constant dread and mortal danger as an unpredictable, ruthless Xenomorph is stalking and killing deep in the shadows. Underpowered and underprepared, you must scavenge resources, improvise solutions and use your wits, not just to succeed in your mission, but to simply stay alive.

The game play itself is quite impressive. The campaign itself runs a very solid 15 hours, so there is plenty of content included in the primary compaign. There are at least five to seven additional missions planned to be released from now till 2015. So even if you beat the game already, there will be some great new content available to fans. If you are a horror fan, then most importantly, you will be happy that this game definitely scared the shit out of me. There is some great sound design in this game and it really created some great tension when playing, which lead to a few solid jumps as well throughout. The design of the game just looks stunning on the PlayStation 4.

I know there are tons of scary games out there like “F.E.A.R”, “Dead Space” and “Resident Evil” but this game definitely had you pausing and running for a quick change of underwear. What I loved about the Xenomorph is that it is very effective based on your moves and your actions, it responds to you and you need to be able to act very very fast or get ready to start the mission over.  Sega really did a great job here. There are a few small issues like the story is a little light and some of the missions get a bit repetitive but it gets quickly overlooked in my eyes when you find yourself hiding in a locker waiting for the Xenomorph to pass you and hopefully not find you. You better cut your nails before you play because this is a real nail-bitter.

Now if you are excited to get to play a Ripley’s daughter, you are going to love the two bonus missions that were included with pre-ordering the game. In this “Nostromo Edition” of the game it contains the“Crew Expendable” expansion pack, which features the voices and likenesses of movie’s stars like Sigourney Weaver and Tom Skerritt. It allows you to play as either Dallas, Parker or Ellen Ripley from the original film as they try and get rid of the Alien. There is also a second expansion called “Last Survivor”, which was included in “The Ripley Edition” of the game, which again allows you to take control of Ellen Ripley, as she is the last person alive on the Nostromo. There are still a bunch more expansions planned for this game, so stay tuned because the fun (if you call getting the shit scared out of you fun) to be had.

Developer: Square Enix
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Rated: Teen
Release Date: September 16, 2014

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

If you consider yourself a “Final Fantasy”, then you should be very familiar with the music from the franchise. “Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy – Curtain Call” is the sequel to the Theatrythm: Final Fantasy” released in 2012. This game builds a lot from the first game. There are new gameplay modes, over 200 songs and 60 playable characters. If you are unfamiliar with the game, it is a tap along rhythm with stylized characters battles and quests. This game is a vast improvement over the first game and is jam-packed with so much content for all “Final Fantasy” fans.

If you enjoy “Final Fantasy” included here are songs and characters from many new releases including “Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII” and “Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn” and classic fan favorites such as “Final Fantasy Tactics and “Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children”. Ever since I played “Final Fantasy” on the original Nintendo NES, I knew that I was in love with this music. Over the years, that love has only grown. Personally, I was growing old with the rhythm tapping games, but this really revamped my interest as this blends the aspects of an RPG so well, making this a blast to play.

The all-new modes include a Versus Mode, where you can go head-to-head along with Quest Mode, where players customize a party of their favorite characters to take across fields and into dungeons for music-based battles against series bosses and Classic Battle Mode from the first game. You can also unlock “Final Fantasy: Gather Rhythmia” to uncover new characters, songs, and collectible cards, which can be used in the all new Collecta Crystarium to power up your characters’ stats.

Thanks to Square Enix for sending us this game since it is was a real blast to check out. I have a feeling that I will be enjoying this game for months to come. The 3D aspect for me was always turned on since it brought a lot of the game itself and made the look great. The only issue I had was the lack of support to us left handed people since it definitely would come much easier to all right handed players. I would like to see where they can take this franchise yet since hopefully this is only the beginning for them.

I have been playing Monopoly as long as I can remember but I guess I can say that I have never actually played Monopoly till I played “Monopoly: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Edition”. Even though this is not the 80’s cartoon that I grew up with, I still love it and if you are a fan of the current Nickelodeon cartoon you are going to love it also. If you are a hardcore fan of the 80’s cartoon and not a huge fan of the new series, don’t worry because there is a Monopoly edition coming out in November for that as well.

In this edition you have the ability to take over New York City and take off featured 22 locations found in current TV series like Donnie’s Workshop & Lab (Replacing Boardwalk and Park Place), Rock Bottom Boxing Club, Antonio’s Pizza-Rama, Kraang’s Lair, Shredder’s Hideout and Splinter’s Dojo. Instead of only traveling by trains in the original game, here you can travel in high tech turtle mobiles like the Patrol Buggy, Foot Clan Bike, Stealth Cycle, and ShellRaiser from the series.

There are six new collectible tokens included. Of course, you get the choice to either play for the side of good or the side of evil (or even Pizza). The tokens included are Kraang, Spike, Throwing Star, Mutagen, Shredder’s Mask, and of course PIZZA. The classic Chance and Community Chest cards are translated into Allies and Enemies cards.  This edition features  not money but Turtles cash featuring your favorite characters: $1.00 Shredder, $5.00 Raph, $10.00 Leo, $20.00 Mikey, $50.00 Donnie, $100.00 April, and $500.00 Splinter.

I was a little taken back that you couldn’t necessarily play with a token as each of your favorite turtles but I commend the brave choice to shake things up and be a little brave. If you are a turtle fan, you will no question find this game especially fun and creative. I look forward to sharing this game with my daughter as she grows up. She is two years old and already a huge fan of TMNT, so this will be popular game for sure in our house (or at least until the 80’s cartoon version comes out).

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Man o man, I haven’t played the game Simon since the early 90’s. This makes me feel old…but holy cow it is still a ton of fun. In fact, it is much more fan that I even remember despite being in my 30’s. If you know the game of Simon, you will catch up quick. You are challenged keep up with the pace and now the new trick is to also swipe the right combinations. With Simon Swipe you can four games to choose from including classic Simon with 16 levels total. You can swipe solo or get a group and have a party. It’s funny how Simon can still be the life of a party, I have no idea how fun this game would be.

Here is the official pitch “Swipe the lights to conquer the colors! To master this challenging game, you need to tap, swipe, and reverse your way to victory as you try to repeat the pattern of lights and sounds. When you hear the music and see the lights flash, you’ve leveled up and a new pattern will start. If you make a mistake, the buzzer will signal the end of the game and the unit will let you know your score.”

I have to admit, this game was still as challenging. You think it is simple that you just watch the light signal and then copy it. But with this game you can tap, swipe, and swipe and reverse. This game is also still a blast to play the game in the dark  with the music and lights, its like a dance party in your house. Since this has four games to choose from there is also tons of  challenges to keep you entertained. I warn you though The Extreme Game is quite epic and, to use the title, extremely hard…but still tons of fun. The Party Game was my favorite, which allows you to compete against your friends.

Since “Frozen” was released last November in theaters, it has flown out of the theaters and take over ever market in the world. “Disney Pop-Up Magic Frozen Game” is the latest game featuring the hit film from Hasbro Gaming. There is nothing special about the game but it is quite fun. It is also very easy for young kids. I have a two year old daughter and she is easily about to play. You have a got a spinner, you move spaces on a board and there is a side game of memory as a bonus. The game board is very “pretty” (in the words of my daughter) with with a pop-up ice palace right in the center.

You can play as Anna, Elsa or Olaf. The little pieces are cute as well. They are fairly detailed and I have a feeling might end up being played it outside of the game as well. Plus with this game you can expand the fun! You can connect the game board to other Pop-Up Magic games (sold separately) to create a longer path to follow. It is actually really cool because you can merge your favorite character with your other favorite Disney characters to create some exciting adventures. So this is a really great feature for a game that is already very reasonable priced. This is a going to be a weekly must play for our family!

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Format: Playstation 4
Developer: Bungie
Publisher: Activision
Rated: Teen
Release Date: September 9, 2014

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Let me start by pointing out that I am casual gamer. If you are looking for a super in depth review for hardcore gamers, I would suggest heading over to IGN or sites like that. I have been tracking “Destiny” since it was announced and I participated in both the games Alpha and Beta stages over the last few months. This is in no way a complete review, I would consider it a first impression. Since I have played the game in both Alpha and Beta, I already had a decent knowledge of the game by the time it was finally released. Since the final game was released, I have probably put in about 5-7 hours into this. I would like to go over some the games key features along with my reactions and observations so far. Let’s start with the fact that if you love Bungie’s past games like “Halo”, I feel pretty confident saying that you will love this.

The real bulk of “Destiny”, like the “Halo” games, definitely is going to come from the multiplayer game play. If you are into multiplayer games, then this game is pretty awesome for you. I enjoyed what I played so far in the solo campaign, but I just wasn’t really blown away. The story is mediocre and didn’t really pull me in. The visuals are decent but again nothing outstanding. Honestly, I know the game costed $500 million to make and I just expected more of a “wow factor” from that price. To me it looks like a high-def version of any one of the “Halo” games. Like I said though, I still enjoyed it and I am sure that I am going to get a lot of play in the multiplayer setting. A note that you should know that this game does require a crap load of hard drive space in order to play as well as either a premium XBOX Live Gold or in my case PSN membership.

Some times the load screens are pretty brutal but to their credit, they are some really big locations. But that is actually easily fixed (or maybe fixed already by the time I am writing this) with a patch. That is one thing that is good about this game is that the fans are definitely going to be very vocal and Bungie will be listening as well and fixing what they can pretty quick I am sure. This is their baby and they will be nurturing for quite a while. I read that Bungie has big plans for “Destiny” like plans for a new game every other year with an expansion in-between.  Also a new trend is video games is including big names celebs. Kevin Spacey did it with “Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare”. This game has Bill Nighy and Peter Dinklage, so that is definitely a notch on the win side for me!

Here is the basic jist of the game “In Destiny you are a Guardian of the last city on Earth, able to wield incredible power. Explore the ancient ruins of our solar system, from the red dunes of Mars to the lush jungles of Venus. Defeat Earth’s enemies. Reclaim all that we have lost. Become legend.” You have to create your character, which is quite fun then kick some ass and along the way power-up with unique and customizable weapons, gear, and vehicles. There are tons of personalization to be had here. You can then also take your character throughout every mode in the game campaign, multiplayer etc.

There are three different classes of Guardians to choose from. First is Hunter, which is Master of the Frontier. They are known for being quick with a gun and deadly with a blade, as well as cunning and ruthless. Next is Titan, known as Armored Engine of War. They have lightning-charged fists, while their armor and shields make them nearly invincible. Last is Warlock aka Wielder of Arcane Power, who know how to weaponize their curiosity and harness the Traveler’s light in patterns never before imagined and since are capable of incredible acts of devastation. I am sure they will have more classes in future updates.

There are five different game modes to enjoy throughout the game. The first is Crucible mode, which is a very competitive multiplayer, where you can earn you rewards and bragging rights. Explore mode is an on-demand adventure, where you can revisit the worlds to seek out valuable resources in order to upgrade your weapons and gear. Of course there is the Story mode, which is the basic campaign that follows the cinematic story. Strike mode is a cooperative multiplayer, where you can form a Fireteam and kick some ass. Lastly, Tower mode, is a third person social space where you can regroup, rearm, and form new alliances. These modes are explored on four locations including Earth, Mars, Moon and Venus.

Lastly, if you are smart enough to get this game on Playstation 4, you are in luck since we can exclusive content only for PlayStation 4 owners called the Ultimate Destiny Experience. This included the following: Exodus Blue Competitive Multiplayer Map, Dust Palace Strike. There are two new weapons included: Monte Carlo and Hawkmoon. There are three super cool new ships including the Aurora Wake, Outrageous Fortune and Crypt Hammer. Lastly there are three gear sets including Maniford, Argus and Vanir. This is “exclusive” supposedly till Fall 2015 but still a year before anyone else. If you are playing this game too let me know what you think and definitely shoot me your tags, so we can join up in game as well for a multiplayer jam session.