Pokemon B&W Version 2 On Its Way - Time To Get Ready!!!

Well, no doubt by this stage, all of you rabid Pokemaniacs are going bonkers at the thought of another awesome Pokemon adventure - I know, I am!!! Guru's been a HUGE fan of the Pokemon saga right from the start and he's gotta say, that there really hasn't been a dud instalment in the whole series! In fact, Pokemon Black & White Versions were probably one of the best Pokemon releases ever!

With October drawing closer (and the impending release of Pokemon Black & White Version 2 on the 11th) Pokemon Masters and Novices alike need to start prepping for a return trip to the Unova region where they'll be exploring a gigantic gameworld, capturing and training all manner of Pokemon, as well as, showing off their Battling skills against other Trainers and Gym Leaders alike. IT'S GONNA BE FREAKIN' AWESOME!!!

If you wanna be sure to have all the info, maps, and secrets ready for when the game releases, the best way is to score yourself 'The Official Pokemon Unova Strategy Guide: Volume 1' for Pokemon Black & White Version 2. This brilliant tome comes in two flavours - the standard version and an unbelievably wicked hardcover Collector's Edition - and is basically the Enchiridion (Adventure Time reference, for those in the know) for all you Pokemon trainers out there.

Within its magical pages you'll find a complete walkthrough of the games, including essential details on the new Gyms, Trainers, and challenges you'll face. There's even tips and tricks for evolving Pokemon, a fantastic poster map of Unova, and a sneak peek at post-game surprises! All in all, 'The Official Pokemon Unova Strategy Guide: Volume 1' is a must read for anyone who wants to become a Pokemon Legend in the latest game. It gets two big thumbs up from the Game Guru!!!

Guess What? Nintendo's 3DS Has a Big Brother!!!

BIGGER, BETTER & THREE TIMES THE FUN!!!
Guru checks out Nintendo’s eXtra Large 3D Gaming Experience…

Nintendo’s new 3DS XL is gonna be BIG!!! Really BIG!!! In fact, the screens on Nintendo’s new 3DS are actually 90% larger than the original, so you won’t have any problems seeing all that vibrant 3D eye-candy while playing video games. Dubbed the ‘XL’ (or eXtra Large, if you prefer), it’s the big brother to the 3DS and Guru’s gotta say it sits really sweet in the hands.

Even though it’s massive in comparison to its predecessor, it doesn’t actually feel that large or unwieldy in your mitts. It’s a bit like The Doctor’s T.A.R.D.I.S. you know it’s big (particularly if you’re standing on the inside, of the T.A.R.D.I.S. that is), but wrap your hands around the outside (of both the T.A.R.D.I.S. and the 3DS XL) and it really does feel stacks smaller than it actually is. Does that make any sense? Maybe... Maybe not! But at least Guru got a chance to toss in a Doctor Who reference. ;-)

Anyways, the 3DS XL is really easy to get used to even with small hands like me, and if you’re anything like the Guru, you’ll love the extra visual real estate. It’s totally freakin’ awesome!!! Particularly if you like showing off all of your gaming skills!

 

It’s also a great handheld for when you’re chillin’ out with your mates, as it’s easy for them to scope out the action ‘over-the-shoulder’ style. The 3DS XL is also being released in a cool collection of funky flavours including silver + black, blue + black, and my personal favourite, Mario red + black – it looks wicked!
 

Guru’s sure that the XL will be a huge hit with fans of the 3DS, and for people out there looking for a 3D handheld console, you can’t do much better than this. Game Guru absolutely loves it – gotta get my hands on one!!!

 

More Mushroom Kingdom Platform Mayhem With Mario!!!

NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. 2
3DS / 3DS XL
Single & Multiplayer
Rated: G
Mario is back for another thrilling dose of Super Mario Bros. platform adventuring, and this time he'll be commin' at you in 3D. The awesome debut of New Super Mario Bros. 2 coincides with Nintendo's release of the bigger and better 3DS XL, so you just know that the game is gonna be HUGE!!! 

 

As you'd expect the game delivers big time - it's an '11' on the Fun Factor scale of '1 - 10', so there'll be no disappointments for all you Mario fans out there. All your fave Mushroom Kingdom characters make an appearance in cameos alongside the mustachioed star himself, as he embarks on an epic quest to rescue his beloved Princess Peach.

 

Guru will give you a bit of a hint here... this time ‘round it’s all about the gold coins. The main aim of the game is to survive all the dangerous enemies and obstacles, while collecting one million of those shiny little suckers! And believe me, when the Guru says he was on a mission to get every single last one of them - but hey, that's how we roll...

 

The good news is that our little plumber friend has a bunch of tricks up his sleeves, with the funky Racoon Suit transforming him into Racoon Mario. Wearing these groovy duds Mario can use a nifty 'tail swipe' move and is able to 'float' and 'fly' as he races through levels at super speed! In addition to this, he also has his trademark 'Jumbo Mario' change-up which super-sizes him, perfect for putting the smack down on his opponents. Then there's the 'Gold Mario' and 'Fire Mario' power-ups which will leave his enemies seeing great balls of fire!  

There are an absolute stack of wicked worlds to play through and explore. Guru also got a kick outta the 'Coin Rush' game mode where you get three random levels and only one life to get as many gold coins as possible - it's way cool! Better still, 'Co-Op' mode allows you to team up with a friend, and you'll even get to score the coins they earn while playing with you. How brilliant is that?

 

New Super Mario Bros. 2 is available both on cart or can be downloaded via Nintendo’s e-shop. All in all, there's hours and hours of platforming fun to be had here with Mario and the gang. This is the sort of fast-twitch gaming never gets old and the eye-popping 3D visuals make Mario look better than ever before! Go team Mario - you're onto a winner here!!!

 

The Blocky Brilliance of Minecraft Comes to XBL!!!

MINECRAFT: Xbox 360 Edition
Xbox 360 (XBL)
Single & Multiplayer
Rated: PG
Minecraft has taken the world by storm as one of the most addictive games ever made! Start playing and you’ll find it hard to put it down.

It’s a simple concept. A first-person game where you explore and build using what you find in the game world. It’s amazing! Looking at the blocky “el-chunko” retro visuals, you’d be forgiven for writing this one off. But if you did, you’d be missing out big time!

There’s little doubt that Minecraft’s mash-up of gameplay styles (including first-person adventure, creation, and exploration) just works. It’s got tons of charm too and a healthy dose of castle defense at night (watch out for those nasty Creepers!).

So now that this blockbuster has come to Xbox 360 as an XBL download, there’s no excuses for missing out on this brilliant game.  MineCraft is one of the great videogame experiences of the decade – download and play it now!!!

A FEZ-tastic Platformer That Twists Perception!!!

FEZ
Xbox 360 (XBL)
Single Player
Rated: G
Meet Gomez... a cute liitle, pixelated 2D guy, living in a flat 2D world. Or is he?

Gomez and his Fez (little red hat) must embark on a perception twisting journey hopping between 2D and 3D to overcome all manner of obstacles, in his quest to recover the lost cube fragments.

Players need to think outside of the box, shift between dimensions, experiment and explore, if they hope to discover the many hidden treasures of Gomez’s world. It’s brain-busting fun, jam-packed with humour and criss-crossed with alternate routes.

There is no right or wrong way to play. It’s all about discovery and learning from your mistakes. FEZ is easily one of the best XBL titles around!

Retro visuals, an innovative 2D/3D perspective switching mechanic (not unlike CRUSH3D), and absolutely truckloads of charm make this one a real winner – awesome stuff!!!

Freak Out!!! Your Creations Come Alive In 3D!

FREAKYFORMS: Your Creations, Alive!
3DS (Nintendo eShop)
Single Player
Rating: G
Taking inspiration from creative adventures like the innovative Drawn to Life and Spore, FreakyForms is the Nintendo 3DS take on the popular genre. This is another awesomely cool download from the Nintendo eShop which really delivers the goods.

The name of the game is to create a bizarre collection of crazy creatures called Formees and then use them to explore an obstacle filled game world. As you progress, more and more features become unlocked, allowing you to create new Formees and explore new areas.

The more Formees you create, the bigger your world becomes, making the possibilities endless. This is brilliant stuff for the creative at heart or anyone with a wild imagination. It’s stacks of fun and you can even send and receive new Formees via Street Pass and QR Code images. All in all, Freaky Forms totally rocks – wicked!!!

Awesome Algebraic Adventures With Finn & Jake!!!

ADVENTURE TIME [Collection 1]: My Two Favourite People
DVD
121 mins
Rated: PG
There’s little doubt that Adventure Time tops Guru’s list of fave cartoons of all time! If you’ve even got a passing interest in videogames, you’re sure to get a kick outta the crazy adventures of Finn and Jake in the marvellous land of Ooo. A weird fantasy world where magic is real and the Candy Kingdom (which is ruled over by Princess Bubblegum) has subjects which are walking and talking sweets of the edible kind. The show is jam-packed with lashings of bizarre humour, wacky characters, and crazed storylines.

Speaking of characters, we have the hyperactive hero of the tale Finn (a 12 year old boy who wears a Rabbid hoodie) who throws himself into every adventure without thinking and his adopted shape-shifting dog sibling, Jake, whose magical morphing abilities are only matched by his mischievous nature, as the stars of the show. You’ll also meet sweet Princess Bubblegum, Lady Rainicorn, Cinnamon Bun, Marceline the Vampire Queen, Tree Trunks, LSP (Lumpy Space Princess), and resident bad guy the Ice King who can’t help himself when it comes to kidnapping princesses. However, the most memorable has to be Jake and Finn’s roommate (they live in a Treehouse), the nerdy jack of all trades Beemo (BMO) who’s all gadgets and techno geekery. BMO is a walking talking Game Boy, mashed up with a retro Mac and a bunch of ancient videogame consoles – the coolest character by far!

Created by Pendleton “Pen” Ward, Adventure Time started out as a short, which after doing the rounds was picked up by Cartoon Network and became an instant cult hit with kids, teens, and even adults! This isn’t your typical kid’s cartoon, and as a result, it shouldn’t be missed! Hugely influenced by Videogames and Dungeon & Dragons, Adventure Time is overflowing with pop culture references and quirky humour. Even the stories play out like quests from an ancient 8-bit Role Playing Game (RPG) like The Legend of Zelda, or one of those “Choose Your Own Adventure” and “Fighting Fantasy” game books - only a little more twisted. Random events keep viewers on their toes and the adventures all have a lunatic logic that makes total sense if you go with the flow. When you’re finally hooked, you’ll find it almost impossible to sit through any episode without cracking a smile.

This is the first collection of episodes dubbed ‘My Two Favourite People’ and it contains 12 episodes on the DVD. Some of the Guru’s favourites make the cut including ‘Trouble in Lumpy Space’ where Jake gets accidently bitten by Lumpy Space Princess (LSP) and via Werewolf Rules catches the Lumps, ‘Slumber Party Panic’ where sugar craving zombies crash a castle slumber party and ‘Evicted’ which introduces us to resident goth-girl, Marceline the Vampire Queen. All in all, this is the perfect introduction to the exploits of Finn and Jake for the uninitiated and anyone who already knows the show, will probably want to add it to their DVD collection. Guru did – he just couldn’t help being a fanboy! In two words, Adventure Time is FREAKIN’ AWESOME!!! Be sure to check it out…

Also stay tuned in the coming weeks for Guru’s review of Adventure Time [Collection 2]: It Came From the Nightosphere.