Enjoy Family Game Night with Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy! Video Games

I often am looking for things that my family and I can do for fun while staying home. We have family game nights with board games and movie nights with new rentals. My husband and I will have an occasional at home date night where we will rent a movie to watch once the kids are all in bed. Sometimes after a long day, the two of us enjoy a little gaming to help us unwind and relax. Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! provide the perfect opportunity for us to do that.

A few of the game features:

Challenging new game content
• More than 2,400 new puzzles on Wheel of Fortune and over 3,300 new clues on Jeopardy!

Authentic voice-overs from your favorite hosts 
• Pat Sajak, Vanna White and Jim Thornton for Wheel of Fortune
• Alex Trebek and Johnny Gilbert for Jeopardy!

Unique and entertaining mini-games
• Play commercial break mini-games to unlock new, trendy outfits and other rewards

Not only did I get a kick out of the real voice-overs, but also the fact that they really made the video game hosts look like the actual hosts. Both video games are very true to the actual game shows. Wheel of Fortune is my favorite game show so I really enjoyed playing this and I am pretty good at it, if I do say so myself. There are even Mystery Rounds, Prize Puzzles and everything else that you see on the actual show.

One thing I learned is that I kind of stink at Jeopardy! It never was my strong suit, especially history based clues. I do fairly good with science and pop culture ones though so I guess that kind of makes my husband and I even. Or it would if he wasn't such a history buff. It is fun to play though and thankfully if you ring in for an answer, they give you multiple choices to choose from. So that can really help narrow down the correct response for you, especially if you are not 100% sure.

Both of these games were a lot of fun for us. While our kids are not yet old enough for them, we enjoyed having the Xbox to ourselves for a little while. If you have older kids who can play Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! with you, these would be perfect for a family game night. Or if you are like us, they are great for  mom and dad date night.

Buy
Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! are available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo Wii U and Nintendo DS.

Please note that the opinions and views expressed in this review are my own and based on my personal experience with the product and/or company. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. I received free product to review.

Skylanders Giants is the Hot Video Game this Holiday

Last year around this time, we received Skylanders Spyro's Adventure for our Wii to review. It was an instant huge hit with our boys and I admit even I enjoy playing it with them. We immediately became a Skylanders obsessed home. We have over 20 figures and a year later the boys still love playing this game. When I saw that ActiVision was releasing Skylanders Giants this fall, I just knew it was going to be another winner.

Skylanders Giants builds upon the breakthrough fundamentals of Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure — merging the physical and virtual realms with an innovative line of cross-platform toys with "brains," which players everywhere can magically bring to life in the world of Skylands. Using the mystical Portal of Power, players once again lead a team of heroic Skylanders in an all new adventure to save their world. Portal Masters will journey through new areas of Skylands, encountering new enemies, solving fun puzzles, overcoming different hazards and obstacles, and finding a variety of collectable rewards and treasure.

So obviously there is a new game, but what else is different about Skylanders Giants? Well first of all there are eight new Giant Skylanders characters. These figures are more than twice the size of regular Skylanders and they use their size to their advantage during the game. Giants can throw huge boulders out of their path, jump down from high ledges and more. Tree Rex is the Giant that comes with the game packs. We love the way the light shines through him. There are also new LightCore Skylanders characters that do the same.

Additionally, the game features new Hero Challenges, more Battle Mode gameplay, and advanced integration across console, handheld, mobile and Skylanders Universe. Gameplay is a lot of fun and this time around there are different levels of difficulty you can play. I recommend the easy level for younger children but for older kids and adults, give yourself the extra challenge of playing on the more difficult levels.

Skylanders Giants is hand down the gift to give this holiday. And I don't just mean the game and figures but all of the accessories too. I walked into Toys R Us yesterday morning to finish up my Christmas shopping and the amount of Skylanders stuff I saw was insane. Of course my kids are getting lots of it including Giants characters, storage cases, battle arena and more. If you are looking for the perfect gift for a child who enjoys video games, you cannot go wrong with Skylanders Giants.

Buy
Skylanders Giants is available in a Starter Pack for $74.99 on the Wii, Wii U, Xbox360, PS3 and 3DS Platforms. For those who already have Spyro's Adventure and a Portal of Power, there is a Portal Owners Pack avilable for $59.99 on the Wii, Xbox360 and PS3 platforms. And don't forget to check out the FREE Skylanders iOS mobile apps: Cloud Patrol and Lost Islands. Even my three year old loves playing those on my iPhone.

Connect with Skylanders
Twitter: @SkylandersGame
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SkylandersGame
YouTube: www.youtube.com/skylandersgame
Google +: plus.google.com/+skylanders


Please note that the opinions and views expressed in this review are my own and based on my personal experience with the product and/or company. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. I received free product to review. This post contains affiliate links.

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes for Wii Review & Giveaway

With four young boys in this house, there are two things that are very much loved: super heroes and LEGOs. Who am I kidding? I love them both too! And when it comes to video games, the LEGO games are this family's favorites. We have all three LEGO Star Wars games, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and the first Batman one. When I saw that LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes was coming out, I knew I had to get my hands on it for my boys (and me).

Batman and Robin return in LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes, the highly-anticipated sequel to LEGO® Batman™: The Videogame, the best-selling LEGO® videogame of all time, which has sold more than 11 million units worldwide. This time the Dynamic Duo join forces with other famous DC super heroes including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to stop the notorious villains Lex Luthor and The Joker from destroying Gotham City. Batman fans of all ages will enjoy a new and original story filled with classic LEGO videogame action and humor as players fight to put the bad guys back behind bars.

Let me just start by saying that when I showed the package to kids, they started jumping up and down and fighting over who would get to play it first. They were all very excited and this game did not disappoint. As in typical LEGO video game fashion, the game is easy for kids to pick up and play but equally fun for adults as well. I know it is rated 10+ but we let our 7 year old and 5 year old twins play all the LEGO video games and they do great with it. I personally get a kick out of the humor that they mix in. For example, when Superman is standing by idle during game play, you will see him flexing his muscles. And when he flies, you hear the Superman theme music play.

One of the awesome things about this game is that you get to play as other SC super heroes as well. Early on you will unlock Superman and along the way there is also Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern and many more. In total, there are 50 DC super heroes to play as! Superman is our favorite to play as so far because not only can he fly, but you also get to use his X-Ray vision, Heat Vision and Freeze Breath! Our boys are also itching to find Green Lantern. As for villains, you will find all of the usual suspects in The Joker, The Riddler, Two Face and so on plus Superman's arch nemesis Lex Luthor is thrown into the mix as well. This is also the first LEGO video game that the characters have voices, which is a nice change.

When you think of Batman, of course all of his awesome gadgets come to mind. There are plenty of those to go around in this game. You will get to drive the Batmobile, Batwing and Batboat and you will need to use special suits to get through certain levels. All of this makes for hours of fun game play! We have had LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes for about 2 weeks now and it is the only game my kids want to play. It is definitely a huge hit and they have plenty more to complete. Of course their favorite part is replaying a level in Free Play mode so they can choose whichever Super Hero they want. It will be awesome when all 50 characters are unlocked. This game definitely gets 2 big thumbs up from me and my boys, who can't get enough of it. You may also find mom playing a little bit after the kids are in bed. But that's our little secret!

Shop
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is available on Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 gaming platforms. ($29.99 - $49.99, depending on system). Shop GameStop now!

Giveaway
One (1) winner will receive LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes for the Nintendo Wii system.  Please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!


Please note that the opinions and views expressed in this review are my own and based on my personal experience with the product and/or company. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. I received free product to review. This post contains affiliate links.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to legal residents in US only, 18+ only and will end on July 25, 2012 at 12:01am EST. Winner will be chosen at random using Rafflecopter and will be announced in the widget. Winner has 24 hours to claim his/her prize otherwise a new winner will be picked. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. Prize fulfillment is the responsibility of the sponsoring company. This blog and its author are not responsible for giveaway prizes that are lost in transit or damaged. This blog is also not responsible if a sponsor/company does not send prize(s). Naturally, I will communicate with said company(s) several times, and make every effort to resolve the issue. Good luck!

Fun Family Video Games for Holiday Gift Giving

We are just a few short days away from Christmas. Can you believe it? While I have all of my shopping done, I know there are plenty of people out there who are waiting till the last minute. A gift that is sure to be a big hit for anyone on your list, both young and old, is the perfect video game. My boys are getting a bunch of video games this year, which I also love because I don't have any more room for toys. Here are a few that you might like to add to you last minute shopping list.

Zumba Fitness 2
Exercising doesn't have to be mundane and boring. With Zumba Fitness 2 you can dance the pounds away and have fun while doing it. There are 32 routines that will give you a total body workout. Great gift for someone who has fitness or weightloss on their New year's resolution list. Come with the Zumba Fitness Belt to hold the Wii controller to free up your hands.
Platform: Nintendo Wii
Rating: T (Teen)

Max and the Magic Marker
This game is different from anything yo have seen before. You not only control Max, but his Magic Marker as well! You use it to draw directly inside the game world where everything drawn becomes physical objects. These objects are used to overcome challenges and complete levels.
Platform: Nintendo DS
Rating: E (Everyone)

Just Dance Kids 2
Who says that kids have to spend cold winter days sitting around doing nothing? Get them up and on their feet with Just Dance Kids 2. It features 40 fun and crazy dance routines to kids favorite songs, including hits from today's popular artists, TV shows and movies. Sure to provide both entertainment and even a little exercise for the young child on your gift list.
Platforms: Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Rating: E (Everyone)

Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Starter Pack
Probably one of the hottest video games this holiday season. Every child will love bringing these cool figures to life in the game. Build the ultimate army of Skylanders with over 30 Skylanders to collect! Includes Portal of Power, Sticker Sheet, Poster, Trading Cards and 3 Character Figures.
Platforms: Mac/PC, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10 and older)

National Geographic Challenge!
How about a game that the entire family can sit down and play together? Players will explore the earth through geography and history, and begin a journey through the ages. With high definition videos, entertaining mini games, 4,000 different questions and high resolution images, this game is both fun and educational.
Platforms: Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Rating: E (Everyone)




I received free product for inclusion in my Holiday Gift Guide. This post contains affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Starter Pack for Wii Review & Giveaway

If you browsed any of the big holiday toy catalogs this year, like Toys R Us, Target and Walmart, you probably noticed that Skylanders Spyro's Adventure appeared in all of them. This is one of the hottest games this holiday season. When I first saw the Skylanders Spyro's Adventure Starter Pack I knew this is something that my boys would love and I just had to get my hands on it. Collectible figures that come to life on screen when you place them on the Portal of Power? YES PLEASE! OK, forget the kids. I knew that I would enjoy this too.

In Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure, you can ‘Bring Your Toys to Life’ in a boldly innovative adventure game where players collect real-world interaction figures and teleport them directly into the game using a mystical Portal of Power™. Propelled by a story-driven adventure, players take on the role of a powerful Portal Master who can control over 30 different characters, including the beloved fire-breathing dragon Spyro. Players will embark on a fantastical journey into an amazing world, where they will explore mysterious, mythical lands, battle menacing outlandish creatures, collect gold and treasures, and solve interesting puzzles while on a quest to save their world from Kaos, an evil Portal Master.

Skylanders Spyro's Adventure offers a whole new way to play. Kids can have fun playing with the many collectible figures off screen and then bring those characters to life on screen. The "interaction figures" actually store and remember the player's shared experiences such as ability, upgrades and gold collected. So the figures can be brought over to a friend's house to play on their Portal of Power. Wait, what happens if you have a Wii and your friend has an Xbox? And all of the figures can be used across all platforms. With "Cross-platform Playability" you are able to use your figures on other platforms, so you don't have to worry that your friend's is different than yours!

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