Mario has always been a pretty fun series throughout the years. We had Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy to show us that Mario games can be a thing of beauty. They can launch you into a world of adventure, but we started to miss the good ole days where Mario could punch. Then the space theme started to bear down on the gamer until you just couldn’t take it anymore. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the space theme and I was glad that 3D Land brought things back into perspective. 3D Land is easily the best portable Mario game and even the big console games could learn a thing or two from this one.

Should I even bother mentioning what the plot is? I probably should, so here goes! Princess Peach is captured by Bowser and now Mario must embark on an adventure of epic proportions to save her. He may appear to be heroic and not afraid of anything, but this game shows that Mario does tend to panic at times and that he must hurry. Peach must not be allowed to stay in Bowser’s clutches for long….not if Mario can help it! Evidently, the Castle guards aren’t coming to help and Luigi must have better things to do. (Although, you find out the true reason why Luigi isn’t here towards the end of the game. All that I will say is that it was a pretty interesting twist!)

The gameplay is the main reason as to why we play Mario games in the end. Ultimately, that is still the most important factor of a game and Mario never fails. The traditional 3D gameplay feels like Mario 64 and the level designs are a great help as well. The game feels like it could be a sequel to Mario 64 and we get a lot of grass levels that are pretty fun. There aren’t really any bad levels and you can breeze through the game without needing a break from the gameplay. (Prince of Persia stylus gameplay was not quite as fun)

The levels are all pretty short and they can typically be completed in around 2 minutes. The levels are short, but there are a lot of them and you also will likely need to replay them for Star Coins. The game would be very short if not for the Star Coins since you can breeze through the game. That being said, there is a decently large amount of replay value because of how fun the levels are and because of the Star Coins. There are over 10 different worlds because of the bonus levels so you will definitely have a lot of levels to complete.

The graphics are solid and are some of the best that you will see in a Mario game. Mario looks sharp and the levels pop out at you. The soundtrack is also pretty solid and they’re catchy. You may not remember a large amount of them, but they won’t get in the way while you’re playing the game which is always the important thing.

Mario is the selfless hero as per usual, but he doesn’t look all that great. He’s a decent character I suppose, but he’s just not as cool as Sonic. I’m glad that Peach fought back and it would appear that she continues to get tougher. She nearly took out Bowser and his legions of minions! It should be noted that Bowser really means business in this game since you face him right away. His fireballs are impressive and he gives Mario a nice fight, but it’s ultimately futile. Mario isn’t the type of plumber to lose when it counts.

Mario 3D Land definitely holds its own against the other Mario games. I dare say that it may have been more fun than Mario Galaxy and Galaxy 2. I didn’t care for the space theme and it was great to be back on the grassy levels. It still couldn’t defeat Mario 64 or Sunshine, but I doubt that any future Mario game could match up against those elites. Mario 3D World looks promising and it could be an extension to this one. I will definitely keep you tuned about that game. This may be the ultimate new Mario game and the perfect starting point for a next generation of fans. Mario games will never become outdated and a thing of the past as this game shows that Mario is as fun as ever.

Overall, this is a pretty solid Mario game. Think of it as the Mario 64 2 that we never got to see. Aside from the fact that Mario still can’t fight back, it definitely feels like a sequel. If you’ve been waiting for Bowser and Mario to finally meet up again in battle, then you’re definitely in luck. I recommend this game to all gamers and it’s something that just about everyone will enjoy. It’s a step up from most Mario games and that in itself is pretty impressive. This is one game that will ultimately receive a lot of play time and still have replay value when other games are on their last legs.

Overall 7/10

Sonic Lost World is the big Sonic game for the current generation (Yes, the Wii U is a part of the current generation along with PS4 and Xbox One) This time, Nintendo would be pulling the strings, so it would be interesting to see how that would work. This one was supposed to be very similar to Mario Galaxy, but would that be a wise move? Only time could tell and since we have had enough time, it’s time for things to get real!

The plot of the game is simple enough. Sonic and Tails are chasing Eggman, but he proves to be far too powerful to be defeated and he damages the airplane. It is revealed that Eggman has enslaved the Deadly Six and he’s using them to conquer the world! Sonic steps in to see that justice is served, but now he must deal with Eggman and the Deadly Six! The stakes get especially high when his friends start to die and he can’t save them!

All right, this game definitely had a lot more emotional scenes than the average Sonic game. The whole second half of the game used a lot of emotion as Amy and Knuckles started to have their life force sucked away from them and Sonic isn’t even able to help them. I won’t say whether they die or not, but let’s just say that the population of the planet probably shrunk pretty drastically towards the end of the game. Knuckles talked very tough until he was no longer able to do so and it shows us that he is not to be underestimated. He implied that he could actually defeat Sonic and that he would have saved them all a lot faster. Amy gets a decent role as she tries to remind Sonic how dire the situation is, but he doesn’t seem to get the memo. Amy and Knuckles don’t actually try to help Sonic as they may have realized deep down that they’re no match for his opponents.

Tails is a lot better than how he was portrayed in Sonic Colors and is slowly starting to look like his old self. He’s still not as good as he was in the good ole days, (Sonic Adventure 2 Battle) but he is a solid character. We find out some startling plot twists about how smart he truly is. Tails is definitely not a fighter anymore, but he’s a solid support character to have at the ready and his bond with Sonic is decently strong. It could be stronger as it was shaken thanks to Eggman, but he tried. Tails had one of the most “emotional” moments in the whole game and it does make you double think Sonic’s decisions. Tails is smart enough to deactivate the device on his own, so why do they really need Eggman? Just something to think about.

Sonic is the main character, but you probably could have guessed that with your eyes closed. Personality wise, Sonic’s pretty solid and he makes sure to mock his opponents whenever he has a chance. He is always ready to disrupt Eggman’s plans and he doesn’t back down from any of the villains. He almost seems to be amused by their threats and he definitely has an air of confidence about him. The main problem that I would have is the fact that Sonic has been seriously depowered in the recent games. In the cutscenes, you can see how slow Sonic is moving and makes the average debater really think that Rainbow Dash and (gulp) Mario could outrun him. (Check out Mario’s speed feats in Brawl. He nearly took Link down for the count) One of the villains nearly destroys him with a sandwich and the old man seemed to be a lot faster than Sonic. They’re doing pretty good on Sonic’s personality (Although I still miss all of his lines from SA2B.) but they definitely need to show his speed more.

Eggman is another one of the major characters in this game, but I did not like his portrayal. He gets some really intense lines, but they don’t match his personality and it just didn’t make sense. His “Heroic” moments were pretty cheesy and he’ll never become a truly cool character at this point. I’m not even going to mention SA2B this time, but Eggman needs to sharpen his coolness skills. Orbot and Cubot are definitely not helping and they should be written out of the script.

I think that we’re all interested to hear about the Deadly Six. They were definitely hyped a lot and they could become the next big thing right? Well, they do have their positives, but I’m not sure how long they could last before they start to become stale. Zavok is the leader of the group and he’s easily the best member.

It all starts with his character design and then things just move up from there. He seems like a villain who can actually fight Sonic in hand to hand combat and he doesn’t need gimmicks. That’s why it was a little disappointing when he used a giant monster at one point, but at least we got to fight him hand to hand later on. One problem is that Sonic Lost World doesn’t really let you get close and personal during a fight and we have to rely on speed and tricks to win. I would have liked a no holds barred fight like when we fought Gamma or Shadow in the past. Those were pure fights where you just had to take your opponent down for the count. That being said, Zarok does have potential and while his overall ability may disappoint some, he’s tough enough in the end. The game does use a lot of comedy so we couldn’t expect him to be the next Metal Sonic, but he’s still pretty good.

The other members aren’t quite as good unfortunately. Zazz is pretty annoying and he’s one of the weaker members. I don’t think that this guy would really be a match for Mario, let alone a guy like Sonic! Zazz can’t really be taken seriously and I believe that he can’t overcome that big problem. We’ve also got Zeena and she’s not much of a fighter either. Her cutscenes should be taken pretty lightly and her abilities are really not impressive. There aren’t really any reasons to like her at the moment.

We’ve also got Master Zik who seems to be the wisest one in the group. I didn’t like how he appeared to be vastly faster than Sonic in the cutscenes and he was really all talk. He wasn’t ready for a fight of this level, but did anyone really expect him to be on Sonic’s level? Zomom is a guy who likes to eat his sandwich. I’ll never forget the cutscene where he nearly defeated Sonic by accident with it. He’s a very weak fighter and he’s one of the slowest guys that you’ll encounter so…why is he fighting Sonic? Please Understand that I don’t fully understand! Finally, we have Zor. Zor can’t really fight either, but at least he realizes that this won’t affect the cosmic scheme of things. He seems to accept the fact that Sonic and friends are out of his league and is mostly there to be defeated.

I have to say that the Deadly Six should probably not appear again. Zavok was easily the best member of the group, but he was really the only decent member. The others are all basically non combatants and would be better in sport games. It’s still hard to take any of them seriously after what Eggman did to them and they’re no match for Sonic. I think Sega needs to go back to their roots and give us enemies like Shadow and Metal Sonic. Those guys were true threats!

Gameplay wise, I would definitely say that the game has a lot of the same elements as Mario Galaxy. It’s essentially a mix of Mario Galaxy and Sonic Colors so the gameplay is really fun. The levels flow pretty well and the controls are pretty fluid. There was one level with the search light that was extremely difficult. It was easily the toughest part of the game and made the final boss look like kid stuff. One Mario element that I should mention is the fact that Zavok turns into a giant monster and they’re in a fire area. If that’s not borrowing from Mario, then it’s time to pack our bags and head to Nintendo’s Gamecube commercials! You will probably miss the Pro Controller in this game, but the Gamepad is still better than the Wii Remote. The controller scheme will be back to normal for the next gen so you just have to hold out and make the best of it.

The game has a pretty solid soundtrack. You won’t really remember many of the tunes after completing the game, but if you try to think about them hard enough, then I’m sure that you will remember a bit. The villain’s have a pretty catchy tune and the music is mostly somber aside from that one.

Animation wise, the game is pretty good. We’re not at Adventure 2 Battle level, but it does look better than Sonic Colors. I’m not sure if it beats Sonic and the Black Knight overall, but the gameplay looks sharper. I still have to get a little used to Sonic’s look, but it’s pretty good. It helps to convey his confidence and determination. That’s good since the games have basically cut out all of the other epic characters like Shadow and Silver.

Overall, this is a solid addition to the Sonic franchise. The series is definitely in the comedy genre now and Sega will likely try to keep it light and friendly for as long as they can. I will definitely miss the intense days of Adventure 2 Battle, but the new games are fun as well. I do believe that they should tone down the comedy and bring back some of the all star characters, but at least they took a step in the right direction by adding some new characters. They should also remove the Wisps as they are unnecessary and are actually some of the worst parts of the gameplay. Tails finally got some new feats and we got to see that Sonic is definitely the toughest character on the block at the moment. I definitely recommend this game and maybe you’ll enjoy the emotional moments. It definitely makes things interesting and adds a new dimension to the game…or it tries too at any rate. If you got the Deadly Six Edition, then you also get to try out a bonus level which is pretty fun. You get to fight all of the bosses again, but they’re slightly modified and ready to take you down for good!

Overall 7/10

Generator Rex always looked like a pretty fun show, but I haven’t gotten around to seeing it yet. Either way, the game was a must buy since it’s a 3D beat em up. Those games are always very fun and you’ll have a lot of fun spamming the attack buttons to lead you all the way to victory. Easy Trophies also make it a keeper Could this game live up to the hype?

Well, the hype was definitely immense as the Gamestop employee even told me that I had made a good choice. He claimed that Generator Rex wasn’t your average cash-in and that it was actually pretty good. It was under 10 dollars so what would be the harm? The plot involves Generator Rex as he must find all of the pieces of the super important blueprint to keep them safe before Van Kleiss can get his hands on them. Rex also needs to make sure that Circe is okay since she seems to be heading for the dark side.

The plot is very simple and that’s expected since the game has less than 10 hours. The gameplay is what you’d typically find in a cash-in video game as it’s 3D with a very simplistic method of attack. You have about 3 different attacks per weapon and I recommend spamming the light attacks forever. Just keep on attacking and the villains will never have time to fight back. Once you get the Omega Builds, the game gets that much easier. The fact that the game is really easy and basic isn’t a crushing loss since we would expect no more from this game during the get go.

I’ve actually grown fond of this gameplay that we find in a lot of the cheaply priced games. (Thor, Batman, Hulk and dozens of other games that I could mention) The game is still in 3D and simple or not, it’s a pretty fun experience to take all of the opponents down. The gameplay also does get a quick variation for some levels as you get a sky diving level. That one was pretty fun and while it was easy, it was a nice change of pace. There’s also a level where you’re on a motorcycle and while the controls may have been a little sketchy, I always love a good race!

One warning that I would give to people interested in the game is the fact that there isn’t much replay value. After you’ve beaten the game, you can go and find the last remnants of DNA and get trophies, but not even that will last for very long. There are upgrades that you can buy, but you’ll probably attain that shortly after you finish story mode since there aren’t many upgrades to buy and they don’t cost that much money. I ended up having over 50000 left in reserve after I got the Platinum trophy. Replaying levels can be good for another time, but since there are cutscenes that can’t be skipped and the levels aren’t exactly Adventure 2 Battle level, you won’t want to keep on replaying them.

The soundtrack is decent and while there are some good tunes, you won’t remember them by the time that you leave. The animation…is pretty bad for a PS3 game. It really looks like an older PS2 game and can even bridge the way to a PS1 game. Definitely not something that will be able to help the PS3 overthrow the gamecube.

The main characters weren’t anything special either. Agent Six gets a lot of hype but he doesn’t get any good scenes and he never challenges any of the big bosses. Generator Rex is about what you’d expect and he talks a good game without anything to back up. He gets suckered several times and he doesn’t really recover from that. Circe wasn’t a good character either as she had some serious problems trying to choose a side to help. The villains were all one shots and Van Kleiss was basically suckered at the end.

Overall, this is a decent popcorn fun video game. It’s sold for less than 10 at most places and that makes it a decent buy. You’ll have fun while you’re playing it, but you should only expect it to be a temporary hobby and it’ll be over very soon. It’s good if you just want a little placeholder game to last for around a week. I recommend this game if you want a platinum or to sit back and play a fun game. If you’re looking for an incredible PS3 experience, make sure that you go and buy Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations!

Overall 7/10

All right, I’ve been on a Madden roll lately! Madden 10 was definitely one of the weaker additions to the franchise, but Madden 2012 was one of the best ones that I’ve played in a while. I figured that Madden 2011 was the bridge between the two games and I’m happy to say that I was right. It’s a solid game that was much better than 2010, but not quite at 2012’s level.

The gameplay speed is decently good. There is no longer a button to sprint with so the game is all about tactical awareness. You want to make sure that you know where you are going and that you have great reflexes at the ready. Running the ball works pretty well with this new style and it’s definitely a blast to try and out think the defender. Stiff arms work to an extent, but you must time them well and it’s still a matter of chance. I don’t typically any other techniques as I barrel into the opponent for epic yardage.

Passing the ball is one area where this game made dramatic improvements. When you throw a bullet pass, you can definitely tell that you’re throwing it with a lot of speed. The throws are very quick so it’s harder for the defender to jump in front and grab the ball before your frozen player can catch it. Throwing long balls is still pretty tricky as the defender has all of the time in the world to grab an easy pick. If your guy is wide open then you’ll be okay, but otherwise I don’t recommend the deep bombs.

For once, I can also mention that the defense has improved. I’ve been fine with playing defense in all of the Madden games and I typically aim for sacks. In this game, you can finally go for interceptions as it’s a lot easier than usual. It can still be tough and your player may not always do what you want him to do, but it’s fun to try.

One criticism about the defense would be the tackling aspect. When you’re going for a sack and try for a quick dive, you player will just fall on his face. The “dive” barely covers any distance and your player will be walking with the amazing speed of lead. In this game, you’re much better off trying to just barrel into your opponent and maybe even get a fumble out of it.

Oh yes! I have to mention the new Fumble Battles! I really do not like these and they’re just not that fun. When a player fumbles, you have the chance to get it back by hitting the required buttons a lot of times and beat the computer. The computer is really good at this and will typically win. I just don’t like that this occurs for just about all fumbles. Not every fumble should be a big battle. I also think that it could have been handled in a much better way.

Punting and kicking are pretty good as well. The meter simplifies things and makes it easy enough to kick a nice field goal. I like to go for it on 4th downs, but if it’s a serious game then I definitely want to be prepared to go for the game winning field goal. One tip that I would give is to make sure that the Accel clock is off. It takes the fun out of parts of the game since it skips seconds for you.

Animation and graphic wise, this game is about the same as the others. Either you’re a fan of it or you’ll think that it looks dated. I’ve enjoyed the animation for all of the Madden games since 2002 so I’d say that this one definitely looks good. There are definitely more animations to sift through before a game, but if you stick around and watch them, the game becomes even more realistic.

Overall, this is definitely a solid football game. It’s easily one of the better Madden games and for the most part, I’d say that the game got everything right. It’s a game that will keep you entertained for dozens and dozens of hours and you’ll never run out of things to do. The franchise mode looks as sleek as ever and you’ll feel like you’re in a real season! I’d highly recommend buying this Madden or going for 2012. Either way, you’re in for some epic football action!

Overall 8/10

Lego Marvel got a lot of hype when the release date drew near. DC has owned the Lego side of things for a long time and Marvel was finally ready to take what was rightfully theirs! This game would have over 100 characters and have a plot which would feature many well known heroes and villains. Was it a success!?

Well, the Story Mode has 14 levels. Each level has a final boss, but they also tend to have one (or more) other bosses before that point. Each level focuses on a different group of heroes (Some appear more than once, but it’s understandable since they’re so popular) and they go to challenge the villain. Spiderman ends up saving the heroes quite a few times.

The plot revolves around the fact that Loki has assembled a powerful villain group and they’re looking to get the Cosmic Bricks. Along the way, the Tesseract also gets involved and the Avengers must reclaim it. The plot starts off as being pretty Avengers centered, but don’t worry, The Xmen come to help as well. They get their own plot once the Tesseract is in their area and they’re forced to deal with the Juggernaut. It was good to see Cyclops back in action since it’s been so long and it was a very nostalgic experience. We don’t want to forget the Fantastic Four either and Mr Fantastic gets a decent role. The Thing tries to say his catchphrase a lot, but it may be tougher than he thinks.

The game is largely inspired by the MCU for the Avengers cast so it was especially interesting to see how they interacted with guys like Spiderman and the Xmen. Agent Coulson is pretty good in the game and he always seems to be on alert. Nick Fury is constantly sipping from his giant cup of soda (I assume that it is soda) and he’s always throwing the cup around, which is where Coulson comes in. Maria Hill also has a tendency to drop her cup as well, so Shield definitely shouldn’t be around fragile objects.

The ending of the game is pretty intense and you’ll want to stick around for the sequel. The sequel probably won’t be out for a while, but you can definitely keep busy in this game. Lego Marvel has a very large amount of replay value and there are so many things that you can do. The hub world is pretty huge and there are loads of side missions (The races are epic) and things that you can do to have fun. Once you are aboard the Hellicarrier, you can also access the shop for characters and other cool things. You can head to Deadpool’s room and read some comics, or you can even make your own character. With all of the characters around, I don’t think that you’ll need to make anyone, but it can be fun to see yourself fighting super villains.

After beating all of the levels the first time, you can go back to rescue Stan Lee and collect all of the collectibles. If you don’t want to use the same characters, you can bring anyone that you want. From Thanos to Galactus to Agent Coulson, the game’s made sure to give you a very solid arsenal of characters. Each character has a specific type which enables him/her to break certain kinds of blocks or use their powers to the fullest. You’ll want to find the right combinations to get everything right on the first go.

The comedy isn’t bad either. The characters are used for comedy, but you should be prepared for that if you’re buying a lego game. Captain America gets a lot of good lines and while the villains may not come across as smoothly, they do their best. The animation is lego centered so it’s not going to look like Mario Galaxy 2, but the facial expressions are pretty fun. Iron Man and Nick Fury tend to have the best expressions from all of the characters. The gameplay is similar to Marvel Ultimate Alliance. There are less attacks per character, but with such a large roster, we can definitely overlook that. If you like overhead, then you’ll definitely like the gameplay a lot. Either way, you’ll enjoy flying as it is done pretty well. I still haven’t mastered the controls, but you can definitely cover a lot of ground in a very short amount of time.

This is a pretty fun game to buy. There are a ton of Marvel references to be on the lookout for and it’s a nice way to get to know the universe. My only warning would be that the game does have some glitches (Getting stuck in between a wall and a bush for example) but you can always exit and come back later. If you’re in two player mode, then you can just have the second player blow you up which will sometimes end the glitch. As I mentioned earlier, there is a lot of replay value so this game should last you a long time. You definitely get your money’s worth with this purchase and I’m sure that you’ll enjoy the game.

Overall 7/10

Bakugan has spawned several video games in the past and I am proud to say that I own them all. I did not review the first game as it was before I started reviewing games, but it was great. The second game had a very solid battle style, but I deducted points since it was so short. Finally, we have this one. The gameplay is completely different from the previous installments, which could definitely pose a problem. Was the game fun anyway? I suppose that it’s time for us to find out!

You play as an original character who looks very similar to the guy from the first game. I like to think that it’s the same guy, but that would present some plot problems. Nonetheless, he becomes a pretty good character by the end of the game, but never becomes as exciting as the hero of the first game. The main character uses Drago and the game starts you off with a bang! Dan has challenged you to a brawl and he’s using Maxus Drago, the ultimate Bakugan monster. Things go haywire and the main character is sent to an alternate dimension!

The characters have the same personalities, but they seem to be a lot weaker. Dan has no idea who Maxus Drago is and he just uses the standard version. The Vexos have been attacking the planet and they’ve kidnapped/taken control of nearly every monster. Drago escapes and the main character uses him to fight the villains. Will one monster be enough to stop everyone else?

The other characters aren’t able to help in this battle since the Vexos have created a way to make them unable to brawl. Dan and friends can only watch as the main character takes on legions of villains by himself. Will the main character be able to defeat them all, or is it a lost cause already?

The actual story mode is pretty short and you’ll probably finish it in under 4 hours. This game definitely wasn’t created for its length, but that’s a small downer. I won’t be taking major points off for that since the content that’s in the game is really fun. The actual story mode never drags on and while the graphics aren’t the greatest, the character designs are good. The villains are fairly uninteresting although Spectra isn’t bad. At least he had a cool design to back him up.

Let’s get into the gameplay, which is the meat of the game. The gameplay is definitely similar to the classic DBZ BT series, but with giant monsters. You’re in complete 3D environments and you knock the opponents out with solid combos and energy blasts. One critical part of the battle is the blocking factor. You can usually block in a fighting game, but Bakugan takes it to the next level. You can block just about any attack and quickly start your counter.

Why do we care? Well, this really means that you’ve got to stay alert at all times. When two fighters are taking random swings at each other, there can be many different block/counters in a single barrage. Your reflexes need to be in top shape to handle this. The concept was definitely risky, but I’d say that it payed off. It makes the battles a little more exciting. Each Kaiju monster gets two cards to help him out during the fight. Usually, you’ll have some sort of energy blast and a large combo, or a barrier. Once you’ve built up enough energy, you can go ahead and use the card. They aren’t a huge factor, but they can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

The game has many positives, but replay value may be an issue. The gameplay is awesome so you’ll always have fun through multiplayer, but if you’re playing by yourself, then it may get old. The A.I. isn’t especially difficult and there really isn’t anything to do once you’ve gotten all of the items in Story Mode. You’ll eventually come to the point where there’s really no reason to play. Replay Value may hurt the game a little, but multiplayer is the important part.

I definitely have a soft spot for the Bakugan franchise. With this game out of the way, I only have one game in the series that I need to play. The first three games were very good so the fourth will have big shoes to fill. Considering that it’s a Bakugan game, I doubt that it will present much of a problem. The soundtrack for this game is pretty good and while it’s not up to par with the first one, it’s definitely good enough. I’d highly recommend buying this one as soon as you can. It may not last you as long as a Final Fantasy game, but it’s just so fun that you need to play it. Such a great experience just can’t be missed when the price isn’t even so high. I enjoyed the game so much that I even went and got the Platinum!

Overall 8/10

Family Game Night is a pretty fun franchise since you can just jump in and start playing the games. You don’t need to worry about entering really hard levels or wondering where you are up to in the plot. That being said, there aren’t a lot of minigames to choose from, which means that the game won’t have as much replay value as other games that focus on recreational activities. I’ll talk about each of the games and then we’ll see how the game stacks up.

First, let’s talk about Connect 4 Basketball! The game is pretty fun, but the aiming can be difficult to master. One problem is that the balls are launched pretty quickly, which means that many players may just fire 4 balls into the same spot as quickly as they can. It’ll become more of a speed battle than a battle of wits at that point. I guess that would be where the tricky aiming would come into play. It’s a decently fun game, but it’s not something that will hold your interest for a very long time. That being said, it is my second favorite game in the video game.

Next up, we have Sorry! Sliders. This one is my least favorite from the batch. I’ve never been a fan of the game, (I do like the Sorry! game though) and it takes a lot longer to finish a round than the others. The controls are simple enough and the computers usually won’t do so well, but this game is meant to be a multiplayer experience anyway. Still, I would recommend skipping this minigame.

Another game on the list is Yahtzee! Bowling. I’m not a huge fan of this minigame either. The actual card part is fun since it’s essentially Poker. Poker is one of the best card games and the rules are simple, but effective. The bowling is really unnecessary and doesn’t really add anything to the game. It just ends up slowing everything down and making the minigame less enjoyable. The game is all right, but relies heavily on luck and that doesn’t really translate well into a video game.

We also have Bop It! Boptagon. This one is easily one of the best minigames and I’d say that it may have the second most replay value. It’s essentially “Simon Says” as you follow the commands that are on the screen. This one does take concentration as the sudden lights can make you pick something that you weren’t planning on picking. Your reflexes actually work against you in this game which is a nice change of pace. If you are buying this video game, I would assume that this minigame is the main reason for your purchase.

Finally, we have Scrabble Flash. This game is my personal favorite out of the bunch. Picking out the words hidden among the letters can actually be pretty challenging. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart and it takes a good vocabulary. Some of the words may seem obvious, but others can be extremely difficult to pick out. This game never really gets old and has a great level of replay value.

Those are all of the minigames that are in Family Game Night. You can challenge the Game Show, but it’s basically just a mode that lets you play all five of the minigames. You should do it for the PS3 trophies, but there’s not much of a point to play it otherwise. The animation for the game is sub par at best and I would say that there are many Nintendo 64 games that show more heart. The mascot can be extremely annoying and is essentially a Mario that went wrong.

This definitely wouldn’t be the highest game on my list to recommend, but if you want to check it out…by all means. It’s certainly not the worst game that you could get and it’s much better than Family Game Night 3. This can be a fun little game to play with your friends or to use as a way to relax. That being said, if you want to play a real Party game, check out Mario Party 4!!

Overall 6/10

It is now time for the Madden 2012 review! As I hinted in my Madden 2010 review, Madden 2012 definitely improves and brings things closer to the good ole GC era. I don’t own Madden 2011 yet so I do not know if it’s a bridge that started the uphill battle, but once I buy that game, you can expect a review for it as well.

For once, let’s just skip to the main part of the gameplay right away. Immediately you can see a huge difference in the game. The gameplay is a lot quicker and everything seems to flow a lot better. The controls can still be a little delicate; you must move in a straight line and be careful not to turn the joy stick or your character will start to stutter and slow down. That being said, there are ways to quickly turn and dodge defenders, but it’s a learning process. I’ll take the speed and precision over the slowness that Madden 2010 presented any day!

The passing game is also improved and deep balls are a little easier to command. They still aren’t exceptionally easy, but they’ll do. It’s always a risk since the defender may decide to jump up and grab an easy pick, but the risk is part of the fun right? I found it easiest to throw down the middle to the tight end, as he was usually open and it’s hard to mess up such an easy play. There are fewer things that can go wrong in this case.

The running game is definitely more enjoyable as well. It can still be risky to use outside pitches, but they’re more fun to use now that the running back is fast again. Quarterback scrambles are also fun and if you play your cards right, you’ll net some pretty large gains. The way I see it, a running play usually won’t get you more than a few yards, but it’s still worth it for that rare occurrence where you break free for 20+ yards. It’s all about barreling into the defensive line until they give way. You can think of it as an endurance battle!

Kicking the ball is still relatively easy, which is definitely a good thing. I am confident with kicks from 30 yards and under but once we hit 40, I will definitely have a tough time getting the goal. The animation is still pretty solid and while it’s not very different from Madden 2010, you can still tell that the animation is better in this game.

I may as well dedicate a few lines to the music. I’ve never played a sports game where I thought that the music was incredible and this one is no exception. While playing the game, you won’t even care what the music is. In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to forget that there is music playing at all. I wouldn’t say that the music is awful, but it is sub par. As I mentioned earlier, this is the case with just about every sports game so I’ve come to expect it.

There are still other modes to play, like making your own character in Superstar mode. I personally don’t really use them as Franchise Mode is the only one that I really care about. I hope that they add minicamp mode again someday, perhaps in Madden 2013. It’s the only other mode that I would just play around with for a long time. Franchise mode is great but some things can take a while though, thanks to the long loading times if you want to skip the Preseason. Still, you can’t go wrong with Franchise mode, as it’s a great way to feel like you’re really in the NFL. Now if only they could figure out how to do this with PSN, a whole league would be epic. Something like Fantasy Football, but with actual games. It would be tough to set up, but also pretty awesome.

I definitely recommend getting this game since it’s the best next gen Madden game that I’ve played so far. I can safely say that Madden 2009 and 2010 don’t hold a candle to this one. This is a great way to get into the sport and also a way to have fun during Football season. Play as your favorite team and enter the new season. The gameplay is exciting as always and thanks to Franchise mode, there is a lot to do. Even without Franchise mode, you could find yourself playing this game for dozens and dozens of hours to come.

Overall 8/10

I have always been a fan of the Madden series. It’s true that the games don’t seem to change very much and you could buy a Madden from 2004 and have an even better experience than if you went and bought Madden 25. The reason is not only was Madden 2004 the best Madden game of them all, but it essentially did everything right. A lot of the “improvements” that have been made have actually been bad for the series. This review is of Madden 2010, so I’ll be focusing on that year.

When launching the game, you’ve got several options. Franchise mode and many others, but that’s the only one that you need to care about. Franchise mode is what I’ve grown up with and it’s the best thing to play. I do miss the fact that we don’t have a minicamp mode anymore. You can play them in franchise mode, but what about checking them out for fun? That was one area where Madden 2010 took a turn for the worst, but let’s talk about the critical difference.

Turning the game on and paying an ordinary match is what Madden is all about. Unfortunately, the actual gameplay isn’t quite as fun as it used to be. It’s still really fun and I could play it for hours, but there are several factors that hurt it. One of these is the fact that the gameplay is a lot slower. I suppose that you could take this to be more “realistic” but it just doesn’t work. Playing on a virtual field is much different than on a normal field for many reasons. One is the fact that the field itself feels a lot smaller. Odds are that if you’re sacked in the game, you’ll lose around 10 yard because of how short the field is. Trying to run an outside route is risky because if they catch you, you’ll end up losing a whole bunch of yards.

They’ve “refined” the passing game so that your throw greatly depends on how you angle the control stick. This is okay since Madden 2004 did this as well, but Madden 2010 overdoes it. If you hold up and throw the ball, you’ll often overthrow your receiver and if you’ve got the wrong direction on the controller, you’ll probably be throwing a pick six. Making the controls more sensitive isn’t a bad thing in itself, but it takes some of the fun out of the passing game. I loved throwing a lot of deep balls and seeing what would happen.

The running game also seems to be a lot more difficult than in previous games. Because of the reduced speed of the gameplay, breaking into a sprint may not be enough to get our of the backfield. If a defender punches through the defenses, you won’t have the speed to evade him. This game seems to emphasize running between the tackles as opposed to taking outside pitches, which is too bad since that’s how I typically like my running game.

All the same, these changes may not be my favorite, but the gameplay is still very fun overall. Maybe the running game is more challenging, but that will just make a long run more satisfying right? For passing plays, it’s still easy enough to throw a short pass to your tight end or a screen pass to the running back. I may just have to lighten up on my Hail Mary type throws.

The animation is definitely solid and while we aren’t in the perfect Gamecube era anymore, the PS3 is the next best thing in terms of graphics. Yep, after the Gamecube, I believe that the PS3 has the greatest graphics from all of the consoles so far. PS4 has a shot at taking it down, but we’ll see if it can take down the Gamecube. The tackles have more variety in Madden 2010 than in Madden 2004, but the sacks aren’t as impacting. You could practically feel the charge when you sacked an opposing quarterback in Madden 2004. It was just so thrilling to see! Likewise with interceptions, but they don’t feel as exciting in Madden 2010. I’m not sure why that is, the sound effects may be lower or something. Either way, it’s minor and I’m sure that you can adjust something like that in the options menu.

Let’s talk about one major positive where I feel that the game may have improved. That would be in the kicking area. Kicking a long range field goal was virtually impossible in Madden 2004 because you could never really defy the wind currents. Your kick would go off target towards the wind or against it, but it was hard to actually get the field goal. In Madden 2010, it’s not quite as difficult and while kicking a 60+ could still be unheard of, 30-35 yards and under are a lot simpler.

Overall, the game may have made the gameplay a little less enjoyable by taking away the speed factor, but it’s still a very fun game. If you had not played the older games, then you wouldn’t even notice. The fact that kicking a field goal is now an easy task is definitely a plus as well. The animation is solid and the games are slowly adding more and more features that make it like a real football game. Some things may just slow down the flow of the game, but if you’re in the middle of Franchise mode, you’ll probably be glad to see how the other teams are doing. This game and 2009 are my least favorite Madden games that I’ve really gotten to play, but things take a turn for the better once we hit Madden 2012. I shall be reviewing that game shortly so keep an eye out for it! I’ve already said it several times, but I’ll say it one last time to make sure that the message lasts. While the review may have pointed out most of the negatives in Madden 2010, it’s still a great game. The gameplay is really fun and never gets tiring. If I wasn’t so busy with other games, I could see myself playing it for many hours. There is a ton of replay value and franchise mode could theoretically last you years if you play season after season after season. I definitely recommend getting this game if you want a fun football experience, but if you want the ultimate NFL experience, make sure that you buy Madden 2004.

Overall 7/10