Released on 18-Nov-2011

• Bank Holiday Games!

  
  

  It's the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, which means we all get an extra day off. So with the weather being predictably unpredictable, why not spend it in the company of some great games?

  Here's our handy guide for some of the best games to enjoy this bank holiday weekend, with ideas for children, for friends and family, or for getting some serious single-player gaming done!

  Games for the kids:

  

  If you have a kids and a Kinect, there's really only one choice - Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure, giving the chance for the little ones to play along with all their favourite Pixar characters, like Woody and Buzz, Remy the Rat, Lightning McQueen and the Incredibles. Kids will love using the Kinect to interact with their Pixar friends, lifting, steering, flying, swimming and smashing their way through a variety of fun games that will keep them occupied for hours, and feeling like they're part of the story.

  
  

  

  For more quirky fun with their favourite characters, it's hard to go wrong with our wide choice of LEGO games. Kids can take a trip to Hogwarts and help Harry Potter and chums defeat Voldemort, set sail with the Pirates of the Caribbean, use the Force in Star Wars, or hero-up alongside Batman or Indiana Jones. With classic adventures recreated in LEGO's trademark building blocks, and delivered with LEGO's trademark sense of humour, there's plenty for kids of all ages to enjoy - and for parents to enjoy once the children have gone to bed!

  

  Skylanders continue to be a big hit with the kids, and you'll be a big hit with your kids if you bring Skylanders home! The age-old battle of good versus evil is brought to life not only through the video game itself, but enhanced by the collection of character toys that interact with the game. There's a whole host of cool characters to collect and who join are brought to life in the game via the Portal of Power, so the opportunities for new games and new challenges are endless!

  Games for friends and family:

  

  When's the plenty of people round, a little friendly competition always goes a long way. Where better to find out who's best than at the Olympic games? And who better to play with than Mario and Sonic? Well, as luck would have it, Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games is chock full of fun contests that test a wide variety of skills, with unique ways of interacting with the action. There's everything from sprinting to table tennis, canoeing to show-jumping, as well as some imaginative twists in the 'Dream' events, like a long-jump that takes you flying from cloud to cloud. And all for a lot less than a ticket to the real Olympics!

  

  If you - or your party - starts to get a bit more active, then there's always Just Dance 3. The latest chapter in the hugely successful dancing game series continues to challenge all to bust their best moves. This time there's an even wider variety of dancefloor-classic songs from almost every era and a range of different game modes to keep the party fresh and four-player action for the ultimate dance-off! It's compatible with Wii, PlayStation Move and Kinect, and pushes motion controls to their funky limits!

  Games on your own:

  

  Looking for a game to put some serious single-player hours into? Well, you can always journey into space with Mass Effect 3, one of the biggest and most talked-about games of the year. This sci-fi adventure is as much an in-depth role-playing experience as it is a third-person shooter, promising a journey where you choices really define the way the game is played. Thousands of people all over the world have committed almost as many hours following Commander Shepard across the Trilogy, so why not spend this weekend finding out just why?

  

  If you prefer your role-playing a little more traditional, then the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Pandora's Tower are two fantastic offerings. Questing in fantasy worlds, battling mythical beasts, swords, sorcery and an ending based on how you play - the whole RPG experienced wrapped up in a complete package! Skyrim offers a first-person adventure and dragons, while Pandora's Tower gives you classical music and a very personal quest. Either game will take up your entire weekend!

  

  For time consumption of a different kind, Minecraft has finally made its way to Xbox 360 thanks to Xbox LIVE. This 8-bit phenomenon has become a global cult classic, with it's simple sandbox gameplay: mine things and then build things. What sounds so simple becomes perilously addictive as your skills and ambitions become greater and greater still, and the long weekend is ideal to get settled into a time-sucking game like this!

  Published: 30/04/2012

• Games for the kids

  GAME rounds up a selection of the best portable titles to keep youngsters entertained and out of trouble.

  Spooky puzzling

  The latest chapter in the popular puzzle adventure franchise, Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call (DSi, DS Lite) features a prequel storyline that invites players to help the top-hatted professor solve his very first case, the eerie mystery behind the Misthallery spectre. With more brain-teasing treats than any previous series instalment, all of which are suitable for players of all skill levels and intertwine with the story in clever ways, youl need to explore and investigate environments, interview residents and solve the puzzles that confront you to crack the case.

  Magical adventures

  Based on the last three Harry Potter books and final four films, Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, 3DS, DSi, DS Lite, PSP, PC) allows players of all ages to immerse themselves in their favourite characters and environments as they discover new adventures in the Muggle and wizarding worlds. Blending family friendly action gameplay, puzzle-solving and exploration with the distinctive brand of LEGO humour and charm, players will encounter new faces, challenges and magic that equip them with the tools necessary to challenge a host of foes.

  Monstrous pets

  Combining adoptable pet monsters with safe social networking, games, stories, missions and educational puzzles, Moshi Monsters is a social online world for kids aged 6-12 that has become a phenomenon with over 50 million registered users worldwide. The first video game in the series, Moshi Monsters: Moshing Zoo (DSi, DS Lite) offers fans a fresh take on the Moshi universe with new locations to explore in search of rare pets, plus a variety of mini-games, puzzles and awards to win that should make it perfect for keeping the little one's busy for hours.

  A new dimension in gaming

  Offering 2D and 3D gaming without the need for special glasses, Nintendo 3DS Console Metallic Red with Mario Kart 7 ushers in a new era of handheld play. Boasting touch screen, analogue and motion controls, the ability to take 3D pictures and videos, plus full support for DS Lite and DSi games, it delivers the excitement of the new alongside cherished older features. Mario Kart 7 also mixes old and new to great effect, with 16 fresh courses and 16 classic ones, new airborne and underwater sections to compliment the on-track action, and kart customisation options to deliver one of the slickest racing games to date.

  Platforming evolved

  Mixing the best of Mario games from yesteryear with new ideas and technology, Super Mario Land 3D (3DS) is must-play title for newcomers and series veterans alike. It allows players to run, jump, hover and glide through a series of magical worlds, collecting coins, bumping question blocks and stomping on enemies in the first Mario platforming environment displayed in true 3D. The next evolution in Mario gameplay, players will experience an exhilarating new sense of depth, distance and speed as they navigate environmental challenges to reach the finish line and explore fantastical levels in search of fresh items, power-ups and hidden secrets.
  

  Published: 08/12/2011

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