Mini Gamers

Paint Park [PS Vita] Review - The Game That Gives A Whole New Meaning To Finger Painting

2012-04-19T21:33:00.001+01:00

Paint Park is the latest free game to grace the PS Store. As its name suggests, Paint Park is a drawing and painting application, which allows users to engage with the PS Vita touchscreen in order to create some interesting works of art.

Paint park is relatively simple to use. Users can choose from four different paintbrushes, which vary in shape and size, and a nice pallette of twelve colours, including the usual shades of white, black and grey, a way that gamers can use photographs as a background for their artistic creations and a magnifying glass so that gamers can perfect those finer details.

Nevertheless, whilst Paint Park will probably thrill most users who are looking for five minutes of fun, it does have some minor bad points too. For example, although the game does allow users to share their creations with others and take part in drawing competitions with friends, there is no online mode, so pictures can only be shared via Ad hoc mode.

Also, this game does not feature an eraser tool, which is rather strange for a drawing application, but users do have the option of using the white paint tool to correct any mistakes on the standard canvas, so this needn't be too much of a problem.

Despite its obvious minor flaws, Paint Park is a lot of fun and, as it is a totally free application, it is easy to overlook its bad points. This game is perfect for some hands-on drawing when you are out and about. If you are budding artist, this might well be the perfect game for you. Overall rating; 8/10.

Treasure Of Montezuma Blitz - A Gem of a Freebie, Or A Crystal Clear Rip Off?

2012-04-15T16:48:00.001+01:00

Treasure of Montezuma Blitz is a gem-matching game which recently became available on the PSN store exclusively for the PS Vita, and best of all, the game is completely FREE - or is it?

The game itself is excellent, featuring a number of unlockable items including special Totems, and various items to give players an advantage during the game.

Nevertheless, whilst the game itself is completely free for users to download, it does contain a number of small, hidden optional costs, which have the potential to make this game one of the most expensive PS Vita titles you could own.

First of all, the in-game currency is called Crystals, and this currency can be used to purchase various totems or gem-bursting items etc, but up 1100 'Crystals' are also extracted at the start of each of the game's five rounds as well.

The game starts with a good amount of Crystals, and there is a chance to win some Crystals back during the game, but it is surprising how quickly the required number of crystals needed to even start a game seem to disappear. So how can you play the game now?

Well, players can win bonus Crystals by playing a daily scratch-card mini-game, which takes place once per day and features random amounts of Crystals (from 200-100,000), but even then, it could take a few days before players have one enough currency for even one round of the game.

The only other option is for players to purchase more Crystals via their online PlayStation Network accounts. There are different price packages available from the PSN store, the cheapest of which is just £2.99 for 1000 gems or up to £15.99 for 100,000 gems.

Nevertheless, although the game does feature a 'free' way to win new Crystals, it is more likely that players will be tempted to choose the easier and faster option of buying more Crystals, and as the game uses a high proportion of Crystals per round, this apparently 'free' game suddenly becomes circuitously expensive.

Worst still, this game only allows the user five lives, which means that after five rounds the game is over, and users cannot play the game until the lives have been replenished. Again, there are two ways that players can replenish these lives. The free way is to wait fifteen minutes before starting the next five rounds, during which time, all five of your lives will be atomatically restarted.

Nevertheless, players are once again given the opportunity to purchase another five lives immediately. This time for 79p. Although this might sound like a small amount, the cost can quickly mount up.

Furthermore, there does not seem to be any valid ezplanation as to why players' crystals are being extracted at the start of each round, but the more cynical amongst us might reason that the game has been specifically designed to encourage gamers to splash their cash.

The sheer brilliance of this game is not in question, but the fact that it includes potential expenses does raise a serious challenge to the notion that Treasure Of Montezuma Blitz is a 'free' game just because it costs nothing to download. When it comes to this game, the old adage of 'you don't get something for nothing' is only too apparent.

HAVE YOUR SAY...

Have you downloaded this game yet?

What are your thoughts on the potential hidden costs involved?

Should this game be described as a 'FREE' game?

Whatever your thoughts on this issue, please leave your comments in the comments box below. Mini Gamers looks forward to hearing from you.

Game of the Week: Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure [3DS]

2012-04-07T13:58:00.000+01:00

Have you ever fancied trying a Professsor Layton game but worry that you might get stuck on some of the more difficult puzzles? Well, this might just be the game for you.

Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure features a gripping Layton-esque storyline, but replaces the usual brainteasers and conundrums with some truly stunning rhythm and dancing minigames.

The main story is set in Paris, and follows the life of Raphael, an infamous thief known for stealing famous works of art only to return them days later. A few years ago, his father disappeared, leaving behind a coin, which contained a mysterious symbol.

Upon discovering that a bracelet on display at The Louvre bears the same symbol, Raphael goes to investigate the mystery behind this symbol, and soon encounters a girl named Marie, and an elusive enemy who seems intent on impersonating Napoleon.

The gameplay is varied. Each of the rhythm minigames utilises different aspects of the 3DS, including swiping the stylus to match up with other dancers, tapping the touch screen to hide behind statues, pressing buttons to fight off groups of enemies and tilting the console to dodge attacks.

The game also features parodies of past Sega rhythm games such as Space Channel 5 and Samba de Amigo. Throughout the story, players will visit various locations where they will solve puzzles and earn coins used to unlock special bonuses such as extra chapters.

This game is beautifully animated and is truly engrossing from start to finish, but the main storyline can be completed within a relatively short period of time, which is its only major flaw as far as we could see.

If you love puzzle RPGs or if you want a 3DS title to rival Rhythm Paradise, then this is definitely the perfect game for you. Overall rating: 8/10.

Google Creates Augmented Reality Glasses...

2012-04-04T00:23:00.102+01:00

There have been some truly futuristic advancements in recent years, but now Google have taken things one step further, with their new Augmented Reality glasses

The development, which has so far been codenamed as Project Glass, will allow users to access current weather, date and time information, route planners, and even appointment and event reminders as well as send SMS messages to friends and much more. The glasses feaature a pop-up-head display, and the main functions can also be voice-activated.

Google has recently released this video trailer which showcases the glasses' main abilities:

These glasses really do seem like something that we would expect to see in a science-fiction film, and the fact that something like this is possible in reality is truly a cause for celebration.

There is currently some debate over when the glasses will actually be released to the public, but some experts claim that the final product could be available for purchase by the end of 2012, although this is yet to be proven.

It is also unclear how much the glasses will eventually cost, although a price range of around £250-£500 is thought to be realistic at this stage.

Augmented Reality has proven popular in recent years through handheld gaming devices such as the 3DS and PS Vita, and it is good to see that the technology can now be utilised in wider applications. Nevetheless, the high price of the technology may serve to dampen its popularity when the glasses finally hit the shelves. Only time will tell...

Internet Privacy Challenged?

2012-04-01T15:10:00.051+01:00

The Government could soon make a serious challenge to the United Kingdom's right to Internet privacy, it has emerged.

The Government wants access ts to all emails, text messages and Internet use and will propose new legislation in order to give permission for the police, MI5 and other intelligence agencies to monitor personal communications throughout the UK.

The Home Office claims that the legislation is necessary to "obtain communications data in certain circumstances to investigate serious crime and terrorism and to protect the public." [sourced from:http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2165201/uk-government-access-emails-texts-web]

Nevertheless, the decision has been heavily criticised by groups such as Big Brother Watch, a civil liberties organisation, who consider the govement plans to be an open attack on civil rights:
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"This is an absolute attack on privacy online and it is far from clear this will actually improve public safety, while adding significant costs to internet businesses," said Nick Pickles, director of Big Brother Watch.

The new bill is a highly controversial piece of legislation and is likely to have a direct impact on how people now choose to access Internet applications such as Social Media sites like Twitter or Facebook or Skype.

So, what do you think of the Government plan? Why not vote on our latest poll and let us know your opinion.

GAME closes 277 stores...

2012-03-27T10:22:00.079+01:00

Retail giant, GAME has gone into administration today, closing around 277 of its videogame stores across the country. The once popular retail chain had been struggling to compete with online purchases and various Downloadable Content sites, it has emerged.

Over 2000 jobs are now thought to be at risk in the wake of the closures. Another 333 stores are to remain open while a suitable buyer is sought.

Administrators, PwC, have confirmed that the business had been rocked by: "heavy competition from online retailers and ambitious international expansion..." [sourced from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17512143]

All gift card transactions from both GAME and Gamestation stores have since been suspended, and no cash alternative is currently being offered, leaving many customers disappointed.

Game Group plc has commented on the closures:"This decision [to enter administration] is taken after careful consideration and ceaseless interrogation of every possible alternative." [ibid.]

Help! My Vita Won't Turn On/Off...

2012-03-11T11:59:00.001Z

Imagine the following scenario:

You have just purchased, downloaded and installed a copy of the full (£29.99) version of the Unit 13 game onto your lovely new PS Vita. You have almost completed your 'basic training' in the game, and are looking forward to undertaking a co-op mission with friends, when suddenly, your Vita screen goes completely black.

To your delight, you notice that the PS button is still glowing, so you know that the console must still have power somewhere, right? Panicked, you try to press the on/off switch, but nothing happens...

It sounds like the stuff of nightmares, doesn't it? Nevertheless, this is the very scenario which we were confronted with at Mini Gamers HQ recently, and it took our best research to get the console right again, so we thought that we would write this post just in case any of our fellow PS Vita owners experience the same thing.

Now, we should be completely clear in stating that Mini Gamers is still unsure as to what exactly prompted the console to suddenly cut out. We certainly don't want to imply that the Unit 13 download contributed to the failure in any way - at least not without firm proof.

However, it is true that many PS Vita forums have been awash with complaints that the Unit 13 demo version, (not the FULL version which Mini Gamers was playing,) has indeed contributed to some pretty nasty PS Vita failures recently.

Nevertheless, as yet, there is very little evidence at this stage to suggest that the full version of the game is capable of this kind of glitch, and most gamers who purchased the full version seem incredibly happy with it - as well they should, because the little that we did experience of the game, was simply awesome!

As always, the most important thing to do in any crisis is to remain calm. After searching online for answers, Mini Gamers discovered that there is a quick and easy way to get your PS Vita working again after this type of crash. Of course, we cannot guarantee that this will work for every situation, but here goes:

1) if your PS button is still glowing, you need to perform a HARD RESTART. To do this, simply hold down the power button for approximately thirty seconds, until you see the PS button stop glowing.

2) The console should now restart in the normal way. The following Safe-Mode screen will be displayed:

3) Select Option 1 to restart your console. The PS Vita should now operate normally.

Please note, if you feel that your PS Vita database may have become corrupted in some way, then it may be easier to select Option 2 instead. This will restore the PS Vita database before restarting - this is NOT the same as 'resetting' the console, and won't affect things like messages, camera images, or saved data, but may take several hours to complete.

It may also be worth noting that Safe Mode can also be started manually by holding down the Power button, R button and the PS button at the same time until the Safe Mode screen appears. Then select the option you require.

HAVE YOUR SAY...

Have you ever experienced a PS Vita console crash before?

Do you know why it occured?

If you have any comments to make about the PS Vita's performance or wish to give or seek advice from other blog readers about this issue, please leave a comment in our comments box below. We'd love to hear from you...

Apple iPad 3 renamed as 'New iPad'?

2012-03-08T17:05:00.000Z

Here at Mini Gamers, we sometimes like to look at new handheld gadgets, as well as all the latest video game technology, so after our current PS Vita fest, we felt it was the ideal time to take a look at the new Apple iPad 3, which has now been officially named 'New iPad'.

So, what has the iPad's newest member got to offer us (apart from a slightly mundane product name)? We have done our best to find out. Firstly, the specifications for the New ipad are as follows:

The processor is an Apple A5X ARM-based unit, which has been designed with quad-core graphics but is still a dual-core based unit, which Apple claims is very fast. The New iPad also has a retina display, which allows you to view apps and photos with wonderful clarity.

As with previous models, there is the trusty fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, to help safeguard against any mucky fingerprints when using the touchscreen, as well as support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously, making it the perfect tool for business people.

You can now record full HD videos on the iPad 3 with an iSight camera . The rear camera is set at 5 megapixels and has a 5-element lens plus auto face-detection, an automatic focus lock and image stabilisation for video. Once again there's tap-to-focus included as well.

A new Dictation app is now included within iOS 5.1 on the new iPad. Instead of typing, tap the microphone icon on the keyboard, then give the iPad your instructions and then simply tap the 'DONE' tab, and iPad converts your words into text. You can use dictation to write messages, take notes, search the web, which means a lot less use of the touchscreen.

Apple has also announced iPhoto for the iPad, which offers some pretty nifty professional photo editing tools. Furthermore, iMovie can now deal with full HD video. iOS 5.1 and iTunes 10.6 are available today as free software updates.

There will be separate US models for both the AT&T and Verizon networks. Both CDMA and GSM iPads can now easily roam internationally.

The new iPad delivers the same battery life as the iPad - that's 10 hours - with around 9 hours if you're using LITE (North America only). Furthermore, all models feature Bluetooth 4.0.

It certainly sounds impressive! There is no way of knowing exactly how successful New iPad will be in the tablet and smartphone market, however, especially as Apple has taken the unusual step of still manufactering the Apple iPad 2, allbeit at a lower price than the third-generation model, which will put the iPads in competition with one another, but is guaranteed to earn Apple a tidy profit in the bargain.

The iPad 2 price reduction means that the older model is expected to retail at around around £329 in the UK, and the price changes are expected to take effect from the 16th of March 2012, when the New iPad is finally released to the general public.

So, have you pre-ordered your New iPad yet? Let us know what you think of it. Mini Gamers welcomes your comments.

Playstation Network Maintenance Causes Chaos For PS Vita Users

2012-03-05T16:22:00.001Z

A routine maintainance schedule for the Playstation Network yesterday, caused chaos for several PS Vita users. Although Playstation had done its best to warn users to expect a period of about fourteen hours maintenance, during which, all of its online services including the PSN store, would be unavailable, it appears that many PS Vita fans were left confused after worrying 'NW' and 'NP' error codes began to appear in various applications on their new console.

The maintenance took place between 8pm last night, and 10am this morning. However, PS Vita users were dismayed and worried when they suddenly found that the majority of applications on their console stopped working. This is because the majority of social functions on the PS Vita, including Group Messaging, Party, Online Play, Near, Google Maps and of course, the PSN store all need to access the Playstation Network.

Within hours of the maintenance getting underway, various online forums featured threads about the error codes, which were preventing users from accessing their favourite PS Vita content. In some extreme cases, users even described how they had restarted their routers several times, or even set up new wi-fi settings for their home network in order to try and get access.

Although many forum users did realise that the the sudden loss of access to the Playstation Network was due to maintenance, it was around 5am before the PS Vita displayed an NP error message which actually stated that the network was currently undergoing maintenance. Things have since returned to normal and Playstation Network access has been restored to most users.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss Review [PS Vita]

2012-02-29T15:44:00.002Z

There is little wonder why Uncharted: Golden Abyss has become one of the two leading PS Vita titles in the UK to date. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Uncharted series, the game is an Action-Adventure, similar to the Tomb Raider series, but this time featuring the rather ruggedly handsome Nathan Drake as the main protaganist.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss is the series' first ever handheld version, and it is has therefore been designed as a prequel, which is set some time before the events of the original PS3 game, entitled: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune.

This is helpful, as it allows new gamers (who may not have had the chance to play the other three PS3-only games) to familiarise themselves with the in-game mechanics and main characters of the series, and also provides extra background information for existing fans.

The game has been specifically designed for the PS Vita, by a company called Sony Bend, in association with Naughty Dog, who were the company that first bought the Uncharted series to life on the PS3.

Nevertheless, it is clear that Sony Bend has been careful to preserve the core elements of the original games, and in doing so, have helped to create a portable version of the game, which is every bit as engrossing, exciting and graphically beautiful as the home console versions, which is really quite an achievement for a console of this size.

Moreover, Nathan Drake can now move, fight enemies and explore the in-game enviroments in a whole new way thanks to the PS Vita's touchscreen capabilities. For example, when Drake is climbing up ledges, gamers simply have to tap the next ledge and Drake will climb up to it, which makes those annoying accidental falls and missed jumps a thing of the past.

When fighting enemies, a quick swipe across the touchscreen in the direction of the on-screen arrow allows our main character the chance to use some brand new stealth attack patterns. If you are a traditionalist, however, you still have the option of using the button-controls like in the previous three games, but we found it more fun to use the touchscreen. It's just a matter of preference.

Other traditional elements of the Uncharted series have also been altered for the portable version. For example, treasure items are now organised into sets rather than appearing in list form, and there seems to be more of an emphasis on exploration than with the other games. Puzzles are also plentiful, so there is lots of lovely replay action to be had.

In conclusion, it is difficult to explain how magnificent this game is to anyone who has not yet experienced it for themselves, but one thing is certain - if you are considering a brand new PS Vita, then this title is a must-have. Overall rating: 10/10.

Modnation Racers: Road Trip Review [PS Vita]

2012-02-27T00:21:00.001Z

Yes, those cute little Mods have returned to the race track. This time however, they are racing on a whole new handheld system, so how does the new PS Vita version of Modnation Racers, called Modnation Racers: Road Trip, compare to the original game?

Those of you who are familiar with the original game will know that it was heavily-centred around content customisation, meaning that everything from Mod characters, Tracks and even Karts could be upgraded and customised with various outlandish and wacky designs.

The content customisation is still a huge feature of this game, but has been given the typical PS Vita overhaul that one would expect, so that the rear touchpad and front touchscreen are used in order to complete the desired effects.

Now even your karts can be customised with either a quick tap, or a gentle swipe of the finger across the screen, which seems to make the whole thing a lot less time-consuming than in the original game. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? We'll let you decide that for yourselves.

Tracks can be created simply by drawing the desired shape on the front touchscreen, which definitely enhances the ease with which new designs can be brought to life in the game.

Weapons have also been given an upgrade in this sequel, and can be upgraded to a maximum of three levels to make them even more powerful. Moreover, there are a total of seven different controls layouts to try. If the button combination you are currently using seems a little awkward, try using a different layout - you won't be disappointed.

As with the PSP game, there are Quick Race, Multiplayer and a Single Player Career Mode to complete, all with various challenges to test your racing skills. However, whilst the Quick Race mode works well on the PS Vita, the Career and Multiplayer Modes do seem a tad disappointing.

For a start, the Multiplayer in this game seems to be focused on time trial races instead of the ability to compete against friends in an actual, non-timed race. This is disappointing given Sony's plans that the PS Vita be viewed as a socially-centred handheld (a feature which has already been strongly utilised by other launch games).

Furthermore, the Career Mode does not seem to feature an actual playable storyline at all, but instead consists of different racing challenges designed to improve player's skill and accuracy on the race track, which is quite frankly a hollow and tiresome exercise, which it is necessary to complete if players which to unlock all of the customisable items on offer.

In conclusion, Modnation Racers: Road Trip on the PS Vita did not turn out to be everything we had hoped it would be. The customisation features are definitely brilliant, and the touch controls really do make the process a lot easier than in the previous game, especially when designing new race tracks.

However, if this game featured a better Multiplayer campaign and a proper storyline in Career Mode, it would have been an undisputable winner.

If you fancy a casual racing game with quirky characters, and no complicated campaigns, then this is definitely the game for you. If, on the other hand, you want a racing game with a solid Career Mode and good storyline, this game will most likely leave you feeling empty. Overall rating: 7/10.

Everybody's Golf Playstation Vita Review

2012-02-25T00:00:00.290Z

With so many good titles appearing on the PS Vita since its launch a couple of days ago, Mini Gamers had a little bit of difficulty deciding which of the UK launch games to review first, so we have chosen that 'oldie but goodie' of a franchise - Everybody's Golf (also known as Hot Shots Golf in North America).

The original Everybody's Golf series has proved incredibly popular amongst casual sports fans on the PSP in the past, and we couldn't wait to get our hands on the latest (Vita) version to see what had changed...

Well, it seems that the brainy guys at Clap Hanz have subscribed to the old adage of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' with this title, as very little in the main gameplay seems to have changed. Players can still set shot power and distance via the 'X' button, take part in various Single Player or Multiplayer tournaments, and unlock various upgrades and customisable options for their on-screen avatar.

However, the main game does have some new features, courtesy of the PS Vita's front touchscreen capabilities: Touch the ball at the beginning of the game to reposition it on the tee, touch your character to have him or her speak to you, or even rustle the leaves on nearby trees.

The graphics are also greatly improved from the original handheld versions of the game, and now look sharper and more realistic than ever before, making the graphics seem closer to Home Console quality,whilst still retaining their rather colourful look.

Nevertheless, it has to be said that the real beauty of Everybody's Golf on the PS Vita exists mostly in its online abilities and features. For example, the Online Club House acts as the central hub. From here, players can enter any one of the floors or lobbies available.

Once in their chosen lobby, players can chat to other virtual golfers from around the world. This is done via text-based speech bubbles, and is fairly easy to master after the first attempt.

Players can select from a set of well chosen phrases by pressing the L button, or if they are feeling adventurous, they can try to type a message on the Vita's touchscreen keyboard, by pressing the R button but this only allows for a minimum of characters and can prove difficult sometimes.

The Online Clubhouse is also a great way to make new 'friends'. Simply tap on any of the avatars in the online lobby and you will see a summary of their online profile, including their screen name, age range (if given), gender (if given) and country of residence. Press the Triangle button to send them a 'friend request' message.

If you decide that you want to add them to your Vita's Friends List, you will then be notified everytime your new 'friend' is online. Plus, if your 'friend' happens to be in the Online Clubhouse at the same time as you, a little yellow square with a smiley face will appear by the side of their chosen lobby.

Furthermore, the same little yellow square symbol will also appear in any Online Tournament Booking Lists, so you can always make sure of booking the same tournaments as your online 'friends'. Incidentally, players' lobby avatars are shown as tiny dots in the on-screen map. Lobby colours are as follows:

*Blue: Male Players

*Red: Female Players

Yellow: Friends

Disclaimer: *This is just an approximation. Although we found both red and blue dots in the lobby, we often found that players had chosen to disguise their real gender by choosing avatars of opposite genders. Please remember that there are some strange people out there in the real world and online, and choose your virtual 'friends' as carefully as you would choose your real ones...

Once you have added friends to your list, you can also use the triangle button whilst in the lobby to communicate to any friend who is also playing the game at the same time as you, and you can use the Group Messaging or Party Chat functions of your PS Vita to send private messages or even speak to them live over the internet.

There are two types of Online Tournament: The Daily International Tournament, and Unofficial Tournaments.

In the Daily International Tournament, players can choose to take part in three separate tournaments, all with different rules and regulations to test the skill of even the most professional of golfers.
The scores from these tournaments are then uploaded via the PSN store, and can be viewed by other Everybody's Golf users. Rankings change daily, so this is a good way of measuring your golfing prowess.

Meanwhile, Unofficial Tournaments are small online golf matches between various players. The tournaments run every half an hour throughout the day or night, in order to cater for various world time zones, but must be booked by the allotted time. Press triangle whilst in the online lobby to view tournament details.

Scores from the Unofficial Tournaments are NOT uploaded, but are a fun way to play golf. Players can also use the L or R buttons between rounds to communicate via text with other players in the tournaments.

Pre-selected text phrases include things about various scores, general chit-chat and congratulations for winners. Furthermore, all phrases which apply to that particular round (such as I scored a bogey) appear at the top of the phrase list, so they are easy to find. This helps to give the game a much more realistic feel to it.

Winning tournaments or achieving high scores during the game may also help to unlock new trophies, which also adds that extra incentive to play.

In conclusion, whilst the main gameplay of Everybody's Golf hasn't really changed too much on the PS Vita, this is not such a bad thing, as it gives the game that kind of cosy, familiar feeling for fans of the original series, and also serves as a brilliant introduction to the franchise for new players.

The online features are what really make this game a good launch title though and is where the game manages to impress us the most. If you are looking for a fun and quirky game with loads of online interactivity, then this is definitely the best PS Vita game for you to own. Overall rating: 10/10.

PS Vita Review: What's So Good about the Playstation Vita?

2012-02-22T18:12:00.186Z

It has been a bit of a sombre launch for Sony's latest console, with only two of GAME's stores choosing to open at midnight last night for those a hundred or so gamers who were desperate to get their hands on a PS Vita before the official UK launch.

Nevertheless, despite an apparent lack of interest, Mini Gamers was determined to get to grips with, what could potentially be a very interesting piece of gaming technology. So, what's so good about the PS Vita?

First Impressions:

The PS Vita is definitely a lot thinner and lighter than its predecessor, with a sleek finish on the outside. We immediately notice several new additions to the usual PSP-type design. Small, round silver power and volume buttons at the top of the console, add to the stylish feel of the console, and a lit up 'Home' button, featuring the Playstation logo is found on the left hand side.

Furthermore, the usual UMD-slot has now been replaced by a nifty cartridge slot. However, unlike the 3DS, whose cartridge slot is open and easily accessible, the PSV's new slot is covered (a bit like a mobile phone's charge slot) and proved quite tricky when we eventually placed our first game cartridge into it. However, after a bit of practice, we were fine.

The initial menu screen seems a lot sharper and brighter than ever before, and features many items which were not available on the PSP. Many of these new features (such as 'Near' and 'Party') are to do with the concept of multiplayer and social online interactions, which is also a heavily-promoted feature in many of the PSV's software titles.

PS Vita Home Screen: LiveArea

The main screen of the PS Vita interface is called: Live Area. From this menu, players can interact in online social forums, check the progress of any current downloads and access games and game information.

The best thing about this area is that it is entirely controlled via touch. For example, to select a game, players only need to tap on any icon with their fingers. To close an open Live Area application, simply peel the displayed 'page' away from the screen. This is both stylishly accomplished and very futuristic.

Welcome Park:

Our first introduction to the new features of the PSV were via the console's Welcome Park, this interactive tutorial proved very useful in showing us all the varied touchscreen or tilt aspects of the new console, and also gave us an opportunity to earn some interesting trophies.

Trophies:

For those of you who haven't got a PS3 console at home, the concept of trophies will be brand new to you. Basically, for every game that you play on the PSV, you will be awarded certain trophies for different achievements. For example, in Everybody's Golf, you can unlock a trophy by simply competing in the Daily International Tournament just once.

This gives added incentive to play PSV games, furthermore, the details of your latest Trophies can then be shared with your fellow PSV gamers via the 'Near' social interaction application if you wish.

AR Cards:

When the Nintendo 3DS first came bundled with its own set of Augmented Reality Cards, we were totally bowled over by the sheer quality of them, that was until we managed to have a look at Sony's PS Vita collection of wide-angled AR Cards.

Although the cards are quite plain in appearence and certainly less colourful then the yellow and black 3DS cards, they can be used with standard PS Vita games such as Reality Fighters (see screenshot above) and also come with its own set of AR Mini Games, which can be downloaded for FREE from the PSN Store.

The first set of PS Vita AR games are Table Football, Cliff Diving and Fireworks, which is not actually an AR game in and of itself, but can utilise the AR technology to create stunning real-life backdrops for the virtual firework displays.

Sony also intends to create more free AR software for PSV users in the future. This brilliant Youtube trailer shows the range of AR Mini Games which should become available over the next few months:

Downloading:

Our next stop was to check out some PS Vita goodies from the PSN store. Here we also noticed that Sony's promise to have EVERY PS Vita core title available for download was being fulfilled. Every launch title was definitely available for download, as well as some PSN exclusive PS Vita titles like Escape Plan, which was available for download at the stunning price of £9.99!

Nevertheless, Mini Gamers wanted to really test the PS Vita's downloading prowess, so we opted to download a couple of films instead. Normally this would have taken around two hours on a standard
PSP console, so we were pleasantly surprised that it only took around twenty minutes on the PS Vita!

The best thing about the PS Vita's downloading process though, was that we could check the progress of the download in the main LiveArea, but were able to continue playing our new games and exploring the console while the download was taking place. This was never possible on the original PSP console as was a really refreshing aspect of the new handheld.

Software:

Mini Gamers will be looking at some of games available for the PS Vita more closely in the coming days, so we won't dwell on any specifics here, but we do feel the need to mention how sharp and clear the graphics were in the games which we tried. The games appeared to be of Home Console quality rather than that of a mere handheld.

Furthermore, some of the finely-tuned Vita only controls really led to some quality gameplay, such as the ability to trace a pathway for Nathan Drake with our fingers in Uncharted: Golden Abyss, but that's another story...

Conclusions:

The debate over whether the PS Vita is a good or bad console continues, but our first impressions of the device is that it is both gaming-centred and socially-orientated meaning that it creates its own exclusive community where people can now play their favourite handheld games not in isolation, or with a sparse collection of friends, but together, through a solid worldwide network, online.

The PSV has a lot of good aspects to it, such as a touch screen interface, sharp, quality graphics, fast downloads and multimedia functionality, which are all fantastic qualities for such a tiny handheld to possess, but which are somewhat shared by other handhelds (3DS) and gaming tablets (iPad 3) in the current entertainment market, which may help explain why the PS Vita has not yet managed to achieve dominance in this field.

However, the PSV has been able to offer some great gaming titles during its initial launch, and this has also been enhanced by a fully-working download service and Internet Browser, which was something that the Nintendo 3DS was unable to do for several months after its initial launch.

All in all, the PS Vita is most definitely a next-generation handheld, and it offers a range of fun and interactive ways for PSP fans to play the latest range of top-quality Sony games, without needing to fork out for an expensive PS3 console. This handheld definitely deserves some respect. Overall rating: 10/10.

PS Vita Launch Titles: What titles will be available from Day One?

2012-02-17T00:00:00.026Z

It is now less than a week until the official European launch of the PS Vita, which should hit the shop shelves on the 22nd of February 2012. However, if you haven't decided which PS Vita title you should choose first, our exploration of some of the initial launch titles should help you.

The official UK launch titles are as follows:

Asphalt: Injection

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift II Plus

Dynasty Warriors Next

FIFA Soccer

Little Deviants

Lumines:Electronic Symphony

ModNation Racers: Road Trip

Michael Jackson: The Experience

Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus

Reality Fighters

Rayman Origins

Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen

TOUCH MY KATAMARI

Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Virtua Tennis 4

WipEout 2048

There does seem to be a good mix of different gaming genres across the seventeen different core launch titles, with a further five titles said to be exclusively available for download from the Playstation Network Store on day one of the launch.

The five exclusive downloads are:

Escape Plan

Hustle Kings

Plants VS. Zombies

Super Stardust Delta

Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack

(*may be subject to change)

Many of the launch games - Everybody's Golf, Modnation Racers: Road Trip, Wipeout 2048, (to name but a few) are sequels of prior PSP titles, which means that they are likely to have a big fan base when they hit the shelves, depending on whether or not the PS Vita console itself happens to sell the required units that Sony has predicted.

Moreover, many of these games feature new controls which are designed to demonstrate the PS Vita's new abilities. For example, in Everybody's Golf, whose previous versions have always proved extremely popular, the rear touchpad of the console is used to measure the distance of the ball to the next hole, and the front touchscreen can be used to reposition the ball before 'teeing off', or even rustle the leaves on the trees, or even make your character speak to you.

There are also exciting rumours concerning the game's multiplayer abilities, which suggest that as many as up to thirty competitors will be able to compete against each other during online play, claim that a daily tournament will be available, and even hint that there will be a social forum available online for those players who wish to discuss the game, however, these details are still largely unconfirmed at present.

Nevertheless, with the PS Vita continuing to perform badly in the current Japanese gaming charts it is clear that Sony will have its work cut out to make its new handheld as popular as the original PSP console.

Some members of the gaming community are citing the high price of the console and its memory sticks as the main reason for its lack of popularity, whereas others say that ceasing the production of UMDs in favour of a new NVG cartridge format makes the PS Vita incompatible with existing PSP games, which has thus led to less interest from current PSP owners.

Whatever the good or bad points of the PS Vita console, it is an interesting addition to the handheld gaming scene and represents an important move away from handheld gaming as a solo activity and towards a more social handheld gaming experience.

Please remember to check out our PS Vita hands-on review once the console launches in Europe on Wednesday.

PS Vita UK Trailer Launched

2012-02-15T18:04:00.001Z

Sony have launched the official European PS Vita trailer. The trailer features the brand new slogan: 'The World is in Play,' and features people in almost every walk of life (from beauticians to train commuters etc,) taking part in movie-style scenes that seem to show them in a variety of videogame genres, all claiming to be part of a world which merges the boundaries of gaming and real-life.

The expensive one-minute trailer shows a definite move towards a more cinematic form of videogames marketing, as first seen in the early nineties, and also shows Sony's commitment to advertising their latest handheld.

The trailer is part of a multi-million pound advertising campaign, which Sony hopes will help to promote the PS Vita throughout Europe. In America, Sony is reportedly spending over $50 million to promote the console.

The PS Vita is focused not only on ordinary videogaming, but on Social Networking and social gaming, which is very strongly implied in the trailer. It is only a few days before the PS Vita's release in Europe on the 22nd of February, but it is already shaping up to be an interesting gaming device, even though there is no way of knowing whether the handheld device will be successful in the current gaming market. Only time will tell...

Don't forget to check in with Mini Gamers after the 22nd of February for our full hands-on review of the PS Vita!

3DS Playable Demos: Have You Tried Them Yet?

2012-02-14T16:08:00.000Z

It has been a few weeks since Nintendo released the first of their 3DS playable demo for Resident Evil Revelations in the Nintendo eShop, and since that time, two more demos for CRUSH 3D and Cooking Mama 4 have emerged.

Each demo showcases a particular level or aspect of the featured game. These demos can be downloaded for free, and can be used for 30 plays each, which gives players plenty of time to decide whether they like the game or not.

Crush 3D: Test out the various game mechanics and get a feel for the game.

Although the demos which are currently available are all of currently available shop titles, it is hoped that the eShop demos will soon feature games before their release date, allowing players to experience the latest 3DS titles way before they hit the shop shelves.

This not only avoids the disappointment of buying a game that one is not satisfied with, it also offers a good opportunity to explore the game mechanics and environments that will appear in the full version of the game.

Resident Evil Revelations: Check out the zombie hoardes in this game.

Future playable demos are thought to include games such as Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Metal Gear Solid: Snake 3D and Rayman's Origins, amongst others.

Mini Gamers has checked out the various demos ourselves, and was pleasantly surprised how good each demo was at portraying many aspects of the full games, including the stunning 3D graphics in most cases, although we do think that these demos should have been a feature of the Nintendo eShop from day one.

Whether you want to make pizza with Cooking Mama, enter Danny's mind in Crush 3D, or kill the zombies in Resident Evil Revelations, these demos should leave you feeling pretty satisfied and wanting to purchase the full title - if you haven't already. A very good addition to the Nintendo eShop's 3DS content.

Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games Review [3DS]

2012-02-10T19:11:00.000Z

Gaming rivals Mario and Sonic are set to go head-to-head in another battle of Olympic proportions this week.

Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (probably the longest 3DS title to date) sees the videogaming veterans take part in a variety of sporting events that we can expect to see at this year's Olympic Games.

This game also marks the Mario & Sonic series' debut on the Nintendo 3DS. As a result, some of the events contain elements that are designed to showcase the 3DS capabilities, including the Long Jump, which cleverly utilises the 3DS' Tilt System, and the Shot Put, which involves use of the microphone.

One of the things which becomes quickly apparent is that unlike the previous games in the series, Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games only focuses on a tiny portion of the event rather than allowing players to compete from the very beginning.

Most games actually take place near the finish line and feature various simple tasks in order to decide a winner. For example, in the Weightlifting competition, rather than being a button-pressing test of stamina, the player is only asked to shout into the microphone at the correct time.

Whilst this mini-game style will probably make the game more accessible to younger gamers than in past titles, it does take a large amount of the enjoyment out of the game and is our main criticism of the game.

That said, Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games does feature an impressive array of events, which should keep the average gamer happy for several days at least. However, those gamers who delight in testing their 'sporting prowess' within a videogame arena might feel a little let down by this particular game.

Rather surprisingly, this game also features no 'Dream Events', which have always been a staple of the previous Mario and Sonic games in the past, and have always provided a very entertaining alternative to the real Olympic Games.

There is a single-player storyline to entice gamers, although it does feature some lengthy cutscenes, but they are of good quality and the single-player campaign does add some much needed replay value to the game.

In conclusion, although Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games is a good debut title for the 3DS, its new mini-game style left us feeling slightly cheated as it did not feel as though we were taking part in an olympic sporting event. Nevertheless, the single player campaign does slightly make up for this. Good for younger gamers or casual gamers looking for a game to play in their spare time. Overall rating: 7/10.

One Piece: Unlimited Cruise SP Review [3DS]

2012-02-09T00:00:00.096Z

One Piece: Unlimited Cruise SP makes its 3DS debut this week. Whilst the animé-style game series is extremely popular franchise in Japan spanning not only videogames, but also manga comics and a cartoon series too, the One Piece games have failed to attract as large a following in the West. With this in mind, the release of this game on the 3DS came as a bit of a surprise.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this game or its characters, One Piece: Unlimited Cruise SP tells the story of The Straw Hat Pirates and their Captain, Monkey D. Luffy, who all exhibit some form of supernatural power, and who are on a quest to find the so-called 'One Piece' treasure.

The 3DS version is supposed to be a port of two original Wii titles: Unlimited Cruise 1: Treasure Beneath The Waves, and Unlimited Cruise 2: Awakening of a Hero, which were released in Japan onto a single cartridge, under the title Unlimited Cruise: Special Edition. However, the second episode had to be dropped from the European version due to certain 'localisation issues'.

So, (we hear you cry,) the European version has got only one game on it, but its still a pretty good game, right? The short answer to this is 'No.' Although the game starts well enough with some brilliantly animated cutscenes and some slightly witty dialogue between the main characters, the overall enjoyment factor soon wane the further one progresses through the gameplay.

One of the main reasons for this is that all nine of the game's playable characters (which each have their own special abilities,) have difficult and somewhat awkward moves for the player to perform during battles.

For example, Usopp, has a slingshot which can be used to fire all kinds of ammunition at his enemies, but the slingshot in the game barely seems to make a mark on the enemies and seems difficult to control, which soon becomes tiresome. What's worse, is that the same thing applies to each of the nine characters in turn regardless of their individual abilities.

In addition, progress through the game is slow (to the point of being mind-numbing) and centres around the idea of collecting every single item which has been scattered around the island in order to rid the characters of large, but pointless obstacles, such as a Giant Pillar, so that they can complete the game.
This activity is then heavily hampered by the constant re-spawning of enemies, who, (despite being defeated the first time,) seem to reappear each time the character re-enters a previously played environment to search for the objects they need.

The game does try to redeem itself through its occasional Boss Battles, but even here, the game ends up being frustrating at best as the main protaganists find themselves at the mercy of several ultra-powerful enemy attacks, which usually results in a 'loss' for the playable character.

In conclusion, although fans of the One Piece franchise may find the sharp 3D environments and witty dialogue enjoyable for a short time, the gameplay leaves little to be desired and will quickly cause players to lose interest. Although we hate to say it, this really is a game to avoid. Overall rating: 3/10.

PS Vita Minis: What's In Store?

2012-02-04T00:00:00.068Z

With only a few weeks to go until the launch of Sony's PS Vita console, Mini Gamers decided to take a sneaky little peak at the interesting collection of mini games that will come preloaded on the day of the PS Vita's launch.

The mini game selection has been carefully compiled under the rather sweet title of the PS Vita 'Welcome Park' [*translated from the Japanese, and may be subject to change] and is designed to show off and guide users through different aspects of the PS Vita, as well as challenge gamers in a variety of different tasks.

One of the first games in the Welcome Park, is called Digit Chase. The idea is that players use the PS Vita's rear touchpad, touch and multi-touch functions in order to pop virtual 'bubbles' that will appear on the screen.

This may sound simple, until the bubbles start overlapping and numbered bubbles with the same number start to appear, causing the player to work his/her fingers around the different touch sensors of the console at rapid speed. In addition, the game is timed and keeps track of the players best time.

Once they are through with the bubbles, players are treated to a moving carousel of numbers to try and defeat and another numbers game involving the Rear Touchpad, but we wouldn't want to spoil the surprise... All in all, quite a fun little game.

Sound Loop will appeal to the musicians amongst you - or at least it tries to. Record a sound-clip, using the console's in-built microphone and it will be placed as a little looping orb, which circles the centre of the screen.

Moving the orb around to a different position will affect how often the sound-clip is replayed, and with a bit of practise, the 'looping' effects can be used to create rhythmic beats, similar to those found on a DJ's mixing decks.

Players can choose to change the backing music with the simple tap of a button. We have to say though, this one will probably send even the most hardcore DJ Hero fan a bit 'loopy' by the end of the game. Not a particular favourite.

Snap + Slide is the first of two camera-themed games in the Welcome Park. The objective is simple: Snap an object using the PS Vita's in-built camera, and this game converts the image into a delightful little sliding titles game for players to complete.

Players can choose to use either the front camera or the rear camera in order to obtain a suitable image. Furthermore, the player can decide exactly how many tiled pieces the image will be broken into, thus altering the difficulty of the game. A good reinvention of a classic puzzle game.

Skate Axis helps to introduce the Tilt Sensors, which we predict are set to become an important component of many future PS Vita gaming titles.

Players must control a tiny skateboarding stick figure. The idea is that players must tilt the console to either the left or the right in order to successfully avoid several ball-shaped obstacles that appear to block the skater's path.

Each successful dodge is rewarded with a number of points. This is a fun mini game, and very innovative. Definitely worth a try (or even several tries) in our opinion.

Hello Face is another game which uses the PS Vita camera functions to its advantage. In this game, players must snap a picture of anything that looks like a face (teddy bear,Smiley-based fridge magnet, etc) and the 'face' will appear on the screen in the shape of a transparent cube, and then the game will add slightly animated features to it, such as large cartoon eyes, and the face will appear with various phrases and quotes, depending on the picture it is based on.

This game is very creative, even if it does border on the 'slightly trippy' side of life. This is definitely another Welcome Park success.

In conclusion, the PS Vita Welcome Park is an interesting and varied collection of games, which will be very useful for all those cash-strapped gamers who cannot afford the main launch games at the moment.

Plus, all of the mini games featured in the Welcome Park have unlockable trophies and rewards, so there is even more reason to replay this set of interactive tutorials.

So there you have it - details of the various PS Vita mini games that you can expect to find when the console launches in the UK on the 22nd of February 2012. We hope that you have found it useful.

Keep checking in with the Mini Gamers blog for more news of this handheld console in the weeks leading up to, and after, the UK launch. We promise you all an in-depth review of this apparent 'Next Generation' console.

Special DSi Feature Helps Japanese Hearing Impaired Schoolchildren...

2012-02-01T00:00:00.014Z

Japanese schoolchildren with hearing impairments have been given a new way of learning thanks to the brainy guys at Nintendo. They have now developed some nifty software for use with their handheld DSi consoles, which helps to convert speech (from teachers and peers) into readable text.

According to Venturebeat, The new learning software is currently being pioneered throughout Japanese schools in the Okinawa and Tottori Prefectures, with the help of a telecom company called NTT, and is part of a larger scheme to allow hard of hearing pupils, or even those with learning difficulties access to speech-to-text services and other learning resources and materials in order to boost their chances of educational success.

The software on the DSi means that teachers' speech is immediately translated into text and then it is saved to a cloud-based server, where it can be downloaded 'live' to the special DSi handhelds whilst in the classroom, so that children can read and keep track of what is being said during their lessons, or it can be saved so that it can be studied later.

A similar scheme has recently been highlighted by Microsoft's Imagine Cup, which featured a winning entry from Ecuador's 'Team Falcon' that was based on the concept of turning speech into sign language symbols via an on-screen device.

This latest development could be seen as a positive step in enhancing the educational experiences of children with difficulties and disabilities, and is a good example of how gaming technologies can be used outside of the main gaming community.

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock Scheduled For March 2012 Release Date...

2012-01-30T00:00:00.001Z

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock is currently scheduled for a March 2012 UK release, according to a brand new trailer, which features several famous Doctor Who alien races, including the Cybermen, Daleks and Silurians, amongst others.

The new trailer (shown below) also gives a greater indication of the kind of environments and gameplay which players can hope to see in the final game:

The game, which will be heading exclusively to PC, PS3 and PS Vita, centres around the relationship between the Eleventh Doctor and his new wife, River Song, as they travel through time and space, trying to solve the problem of the 'Eternity Clock', and save planet Earth from extinction.

The trailer has definitely whetted the appetites of us here at Mini Gamers, and we look forward to learning more about the game and its gameplay throughout the coming months. Watch this space!

Spot The (Not-So) Deliberate Mistake...Anyone???

2012-01-29T16:01:00.001Z

It is not often in the world of handheld gaming that a simple cover design gives us such a big laugh, but that is definitely the case with Capcom's latest 3DS offering: Resident Evil Revelations, which has reportedly gone on sale with a certain spelling mistake clearly visable.

The mistake, which affects a proportion of the game sold in North America, clearly labels the game as "Resident Evil Revelaitons" (see above). The mistake has since been commented on by a Capcom representative.

Speaking to Eurogamer, the representative claimed: "We apologise for the mistake, which will be corrected for subsequent productions of the game. We are working on a solution to provide affected customers with the correct packaging. Please visit Capcom-Unity for updates." [sourced from: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-01-26-capcom-botches-resident-evil-revelations-packaging]

Furthermore, a recent NA price-drop for the game has now been announced, although it is not clear whether this has anything to do with the packaging error, or whether Capcom has simply decided to make the game more affordable to its audience. Whatever the reason, the reduction from $49.99 to just $39.99 ought to appeal to many cash-strapped gamers out there.

Mini Gamers does not think that the spelling mistake will harm the sales of Resident Evil Revelations in any way. The game has a strong storyline and interesting gameplay, which should help keep those gamers who have been affected by the minor packaging error happy for a long time to come, and who knows, maybe the misspelled version will become a highly-sought collector's item?

Meanwhile, those of you who are interested in Mini Gamers' impressions of the game, please read our recent review of Resident Evil Revelations by CLICKING HERE.

Game of the Week: Resident Evil Revelations [3DS]

2012-01-28T16:53:00.000Z

Yes, another addition to the hugely popular Resident Evil game franchise has hit the shelves today. Resident Evil: Revelations is set in the interim between Resident Evil games 4 and 5, and features the two main protaganists, Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield alongside their newest BSSA colleagues, Parker Luicani and Jessica Sherawat, as they struggle to take down various Zombie hoardes.

Resident Evil: Revelations is the second game in the series to be released for the Nintendo 3DS handheld. However, it is hoped that this game will have a more RPG feel to it than Capcom's last effort, Resident Evil Mercenaries, which caused quite a stir upon its release when information about the game's arcade-style perma save function came to light.

In the latest game, (set in 2005), BSSA agents, Chris Redfield and Jessica Sherawat are dispatched to a ocean liner called the SS Queen Zenobia, which has been the victim of another Il Veltro terrorist attack, and now has a raging viral outbreak aboard. To make matters worse, contact is then lost with both of the agents. Now it is left to Jill Valentine and Parker Luiciani to find them...

For fans of the Resident Evil series so far, there will be lots of familiar elements, including a limited supply of ammunition, nevertheless, there are also many 3DS-exclusive features too, such as the ability to use the stylus to solve puzzles or swap between weapons.

This game also features several new elements to the classic gameplay too, such as the ability to swap between a first-person and third-person shooter viewpoint so that players can choose which shooting style suits them best throughout each level of the game.

Also, a new piece of equipment known simply as the Supply Scanner allows players to detect items that have been hidden around the game's different environments.

In conclusion, this game is likely to appeal to any Resident Evil game fan without question. The eerie, dark environments and the stunning 3D visuals help to engage players into the storyline. One disappointing aspect of the game is that there does not appear to be such a variety of enemy types as one would expect from this franchise, but there are still lots of things to find, solve and do in this game. Overall rating: 8/10

Crush 3D Review: Is It Really Worth The Wait?

2012-01-20T13:02:00.001Z

Yes, Mini Gamers is back and our recent technical difficulties seem to have been resolved! Well, what better welcome back present than a review of Sega's latest 3DS offering, Crush 3D: With Another Dimension.

For those of you who were not lucky enough to play the original game when it debuted on the PSP system back in 2007, Crush 3D is essentially a Puzzle game. Players have to collect a set of marbles hidden around different rooms in order to gain access to an exit door which then leads on to the next level, and so on.

The storyline is rather basic and involves a young teenager named Danny, who has offered to test out a brand new invention from a slightly mad - but brilliant - scientist. The machine is called a Cognitive Regression Utilizing pSychiatric Heuristics (or C.R.U.S.H machine -get it?) and it allows Danny to switch from a 3D environment to a 2D one at the push of a button. This also allows the player to access marbles that were previously hidden from sight.

It may sound simplistic, but there are a number of special rules in place which help to determine when and where Danny can perform his nifty 3D/2D switch. For example, a switch cannot take place when Danny is stood in front of an object or a solid wall, meaning that players have to rotate the camera in order to shield the object from view - think Echochrome, and you will be able to understand how this concept works. Add to this some zany enemies to battle and some cool collectibles to collect, and you have the bare bones of a really good game, with lots of replay value.

Nevertheless, whilst the original PSP version was heralded as an innovative masterpiece, this version seems to lack a certain finesse about it, especially in the graphics department, which now features a plain-looking central character and colourful block-style environments.

However, the puzzles themselves have been refined and will tax the brains of the most hardcore puzzle enthusiast for quite some time. Spotting the solution to each level appears to get harder and harder as the game progresses, and it can often feel like quite an achievement when you have finally reached the Exit Door.

Furthermore, as this is a 3DS title, players can also make use of the Streetpass function, which allows players to leave items that they have collected in different levels of the game, so that their friends can gain access to them too.

In conclusion, Crush 3D: A Puzzle With Another Dimension makes a refreshing puzzler for the Nintendo 3DS. The puzzles are charming and difficult, and the game itself has lots of replay value. Overall rating: 8/10.

Appologies If You've Been Trying To Contact Us...

2012-01-13T13:00:00.000Z

Hello Everyone,

you may have noticed that the Mini Gamers blogsite has not been answering comments or publishing its usual content over the last few days or so... This is because of some technical difficulties which we hope to resolve very soon.

We hope that you will all bear with us as we attempt to iron out these minor problems. Please rest assured that we will attempt to answer all game queries as soon as possible. In the meantime, please feel free to use the Mini Gamers Suggestion Box, which still appears to be working.

Thank you for your patience in this matter, and please enjoy the articles and interactive features during - what we hope will be a very short absence.

Yours Sincerely,
Mini Gamers.