The arrival of Mario Kart on the Nintendo 3DS has both the ring of initiation and frustration to it. On the one hand, having yet another core franchise on the console is a further step towards legitimising a device often dismissed as a gimmick. On the other, it still suffers from that uniquely Nintendo problem of being hamstrung by past success.

From the outset you should have a pretty good idea of whether you’re going to enjoy this game or not. If the previous, more or less identical, iterations floated your boat then part seven won’t pull anything funny to put you off. If, for some unfathomable reason, you expected this to be the title to finally strike out boldly and break the mould then you were always gearing up for disappointment.

As has become the tradition, Mario Kart 7 borrows elements judiciously from previous titles then tosses in a handful of new features in the hope it will be enough to justify a whole new purchase. In truth almost every Mario Kart title has failed to make those new elements – usually new characters, items and tracks – particularly substantial, but the unchanging fundamentals of the game are solid enough that we can politely pretend not to notice. In this, Mario Kart 7 is no different.

The first point of difference is the ability to pimp your ride, in a moderate fashion. This is a place the series has slowly been meandering towards for some time but don’t go in expecting the full-on body shop tinkering that has become de rigueur in more serious racing games. Racers select a body, tire and parachute combination to produce a cart with its own subtle mechanical quirks and a shallow level or cosmetic individuality.

On the track you will notice the difference in acceleration, speed and handling as compared to your opponents but, as is the Mario Kart way, knowing the gameplay basics will easily compensate for any statistical variance. And those basics will be immediately familiar to anyone who has even sampled the series before, with various traits imported from the past. The duration-sensitive power slides of Mario Kart DS combine with the speed-boosting coins of Super Mario Kart and trick jumping system of Mario Kart Wii for an experience that can be called neither original or lacking.

The games biggest claim to freshness comes in taking tire off tarmac and launching racers into the air and under the seas. Racing off large enough jumps causes the cart’s hang glider or parachute to deploy, giving you limited control over a quick descent back to track. Similarly you can plunge your vehicle right under water for sluggish alterative routes. Both ideas add exciting new visual elements to the races but fail to alter strategy even slightly; there’s no midair mastery or submarine supremacy to be achieved, just the same workhorse racing as ever.

Where the new twists do shine is in making a case for the handheld’s much maligned 3D abilities. Even when a 3DS game has managed to incorporate 3D visuals well (which has been rare) most games still tend to be a more satisfying and comfortable play with the slider down at 2D. With Mario Kart 7, however, that sense of depth manages to enhance on both an aesthetic and gameplay level to the point it almost seems essential. The ability to see upcoming items and traps in 3D affords a more exact perspective, allowing for pinpoint slalom action that would never feel safe in 2D. And with the dramatic ups and downs of the flying and diving elements the glasses-free depth adds an exhilarating sense of vertigo that no amount of flat animation could replicate.

Even without 3D the game still looks classy as hell, track design is some of the most intricate to date, character animations have been upped beyond casual head tilts and the whole thing runs at a flawless 60fps. Chuck in some comprehensive multiplayer angles (including restricted download play functions) and the production is difficult to fault.

If you can live with the fact that much of what you’re getting you’ve probably already paid for at least once before then Mario Kart 7 is a given for fans of the series. Beyond the recycled gameplay there’s a sense of spectacle the series has never had before backed by the solid production values expected from a Nintendo tent pole.   [8]

It took five years, a cycle that wound from boffo sales through to abject ridicule, but the Nintendo Wii has finally proved its worth; The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword singlehandedly vindicates the company’s iffy motion-control strategy. You might well feel cheated having waited so long for the console to get where it was going but once you walk away from Link’s latest adventure that aura of disappointment that has dogged the Wii from day one will have been dispelled for good.

Considering Nintendo’s headline plumber has found his way into such a wide and varied array of games I think it’s fair to say that the Zelda titles have become the company’s purest hallmark. A legacy like that is a double-edged sword – you have expectations piled a mile high but there’s also a passionate built-in fan base and a template for success that’s proved itself time and again. Team Zelda has, at very least, hit the sweet spot with each incarnation – everything you expect plus just enough freshness to keep fans intrigued – but with Skyward Sword they’ve knocked it right out of the park.

For those concerned with chronology this newest incarnation of Link is the earliest to date, his quest is a sprawling epic that sews the seeds for many elements of the older games. This version of our hero comes from a city in the clouds known as Skyloft, a peaceful floating land elevated above troubled Hyrule by the creator Godess to keep a hugely powerful artefact safe. Needless to say by the time Link, and his best buddy Zelda, come of age the woes of the land below manage to find their way to the city in the clouds.

When Zelda disappears into demon-infested Hyrule under mysterious conditions Link naturally finds himself trailing her, guided by powerful unseen forces to fulfil his heroic destiny. Yes, it’s the same story every Zelda game tells and once again it’s told in a unique enough fashion not to be stale – but this time it’s different. The story is larger, grander and more essential than the series has attempted before.

That’s basically Skyward Sword’s leitmotif; just like the old games, but better. And when those old games are consistently counted among the greatest ever made you know something special must be happening. The story is wonderful, to be sure, but had the game not stepped courageously outside the series’ accepted fundamentals we might have simply had a great game on our hands, rather than one of the greats.

The basic action-adventure gameplay of the core Zelda games hasn’t changed significantly since Link first went 3D in the days of Nintendo 64. His first foray on the Wii, Twilight Princess, included the obligatory motion controls but there was nothing in the amusing gimmick that affected things fundamentally. Thanks to the 1:1 motion control of the MotionPlus accessory, however, Skyward Sword is a whole different beast.

Ever since the Wii concept first surfaced the idea of motion-controlled combat was an exciting tease but neither hardware nor software ever made good on the promise. Even as Sony and Microsoft jumped into the game with more sophisticated motion controllers there never seemed to be any evidence that such carry on would ever surpass traditional button tapping as the most satisfying gameplay style. Skyward Sword is the first game to truly challenge that truism.

There’s no point in describing the affects of the pitch-perfect sword fighting system; it’s exactly what you imagined motion controlled games would be like before you got let down by actually playing them. There’s few feelings in the gaming world that are quite as rewarding as having sparred to a standstill with an enemy and finally understanding its weakness to gain the upper hand. It’s a mix of cerebral puzzling and physical execution that currently has no rival, a buzz that makes simply pushing buttons already feel archaic.

With a combat system that good the game likely could have coasted along into critical success without much further effort if it weren’t for the expectations attached to the Zelda name. Knowing the fans wouldn’t be happy with simply reinventing the action gameplay wheel, the developers have gone and created some of the most cleverly designed overworld and dungeon elements the series has yet seen. Furthermore they have ditched the segmented nature of the two and stitched them together, unifying the navigation, puzzling and combat sections in an exceptionally rewarding fashion.

As per usual, gamers will need to learn to use Link’s full array of gadgets and weapons – with the likes of a remote flying beetle and whip among the new additions – to traverse the cunningly nefarious temples and dungeons. Other new tweaks, like a stamina wheel that dictates how long Link can sprint for and an item upgrade system, add additional considerations to the already robust lateral thinking workouts.

On the production side things are as you would expect – predictable in the most comfortable way. Recycled sound effects are soothingly familiar and the orchestral scores still amongst the most memorable of any videogame. There’s no getting around the Wii’s power limitations but in respecting those limits the creators have put together a visually arresting world without overtaxing the hardware. Nintendo has always stood ready to prove raw power comes a distant second to artistic vision and Skyward Sword is a veritable master class in that concept.

Only the most stubborn of traditionalists will be able to muster more than a niggling criticism of this watershed title. Whether or not it came too late in the Wii’s lifecycle shouldn’t concern anyone but the shareholders – what matters is it’s here now and the gaming world is much the better for it.   [9.5]

When it comes to source material, it’s hard to get more epic than The Lord of the Rings. J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy universe is richly detailed and has been the stage for more than its share of large scale battles and world-saving quests. Snowblind Studios are jumping on that magic bandwagon, with a completely original tale running parallel to the events of the famous books. Against the odds, the result is an amazingly average game.

War in the North focuses on three new characters and their quest to stop a sorcerer named Agandaur from helping Sauron to do evil things. In the north. Players can take control of Eradan (the human Ranger guy), Andriel (the elf woman who does magic and healing, because that’s women’s work) or Farin (the dwarf who likes dwarf things). If you’re hoping for an exciting journey with memorable characters, don’t bother. This paragraph gives them more depth and personality than the game’s writing ever will. The trio plod from place to place, killing all the evil things and stopping the bad guy, but honestly it was hard to tell if they even wanted to be there.

Not that you could blame them, considering how lifeless the Northern Regions seem to be. The game could have been a great chance for Lord of the Rings fans to explore new places from within the universe, but while the books are filled with fascinating people, the game is populated by disinterested and poorly-voiced dullards. A few well-known characters will pop up during your journey, but they too are afflicted with the strange life-sapping disease which makes everyone in the North very, very boring. Even the villain – who is hastily set up to be rather important and super scary – is a cookie-cutter evil wizard from Every Fantasy Story Ever.

The story does the bare minimum required to get you into the combat, of which there is a lot. And it’s actually pretty fun to begin with. Weapons have weight to them when you swing and bits of enemies are cleaved in satisfying ways. Critical hits are nicely animated and differentiate the characters nicely during a fracas. Both Eradan and Farin can wield sharp pointy things and ranged weapons with aplomb. The elf’s magic is useful in combat, although mainly in a defensive capacity and not in a very fun way.

That feeling of boredom is never far off though, even when you’re fighting. Seemingly endless waves of enemies are thrown at you and you’ll quickly notice there really isn’t much to do aside from press a few buttons. Soon enough fighting orcs turns from an exciting bout of escapism to wondering what else you could be doing with your life.

Hacking away at enemies is sometimes replaced with turret sections, where nasties stand near exploding barrels. They’re a welcome change of pace until you realise they are completely out of place and not very good. Occasionally – and by that I mean “all the time” – you’ll have to switch up and fight trolls. This means fighting the same way you did before but now the enemy is bigger and has more health.

At this point, it would be prudent to mention this is a co-op game. Not because the co-op is amazing, but because it’s almost necessary. Enemies deal out massive damage and attack in large swarms, meaning your poor characters will constantly require healing, reviving, or some other kind of frantic help. Playing solo can feel almost like suicide, and making the game simply more difficult all around feels like a lazy way to make multiplayer work. That said, playing with friends is a bit more fun, and you can at least chat through the dialogue.

Best to make sure your friends are at a similar level though. War in the North is an RPG, apparently, and having one player at a much higher level will mean they end up doing all the work.

Don’t get too wrapped up in the RPG idea, though. The game again does the bare minimum to earn the label. Characters can be levelled up and skill points can be assigned to different trees. New abilities come up often – as does a variety of class-based loot – but nothing substantially changes in the game based on your choices. That goes for the dialogue and story as well, as you’ll soon find that what looks like a branching discussion with an NPC is actually the game patiently waiting for you to pick the one right response before it moves on. Having a linear story isn’t an automatic black mark, but War in the North seems to want you to think it isn’t linear at all. Objectives are condescendingly referred to as “quests” as if you had any say in taking them, and there is only one actual decision in the game (which manages to feel completely tacked on).

This title is a perfect example of why people are wary of licensed games. War in the North contains none of the charm and excitement of the original source material, and shows no signs that the developers even like Lord of the Rings. The gameplay is passable without being outstanding in any way, and relies heavily on genre standards. On top of that, it isn’t even particularly polished, with glitches, collision detection problems and the odd game-breaker that stops the story progressing. The writing – which you would think should be a priority in a game based on a series of books – looks like it was the last item on a very short checklist. A quality RPG set in the Rings universe would be warmly welcomed by fans, but this isn’t that game.    [5]

WWE ’12 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke’s. Although it is the fourteenth overall game in the combined series, it is the sequel to WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011 and the first to be developed exclusively for current generation home consoles.

I’ll admit I was hardly salivating at the thought of getting my hands on this game. Although my love of professional wrestling dates back to the days Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage and Andre the Giant it has all but perished now. There is no doubt that developers have been able to utilise their experience from previous iterations in the series and the advancement in the power of the console and for the most part it has been put to good use. It is good to see that this title was developed purely for the PS3, 360 and Wii without diluting the product on the many other gaming devices.

In gameplay the grapple system has now changed in that characters can perform moves that are based purely on your opponents’ physical state. This means that you will have an opportunity to perform an attack whilst down and also interrupt opponent’s moves. AI has been improved so that players will not be able to overuse the same moves to win bouts easily. The big new feature is called the Dynamic Comeback where just like on the TV shows wrestlers can make unbelievable comebacks and grab victory from the jaws of defeat.

Although there are a few areas that need improvement in gameplay to make the game feel more fluid and realistic one thing stuck out for me as something that needs work. Your character for the most part will walk around the ring in an almost zombie like manner, this is resolved by holding down the sprint button but can result in issues with collisions, either with the ring itself or other wrestlers where you will be bounced back and then vulnerable to an attack.

There are various modes available for you to play; in fact there is actually a ton of gametime available even excluding the variety of online play. In WWE Universe you can participate in matches and storylines; Road to WrestleMania allows you to play in pre-scripted storylines over 18 months and covering 2 WrestleManias – the stories cover three acts where you assume the role of Sheamus, Triple H and Jacob Cass. You can also create characters in the creation mode. This is actually quite impressive where you will be able to create very detailed male (Superstars) or female (Divas) wrestlers, their costumes, names, moves, entrances, abilities and then play them. You will also be able to create arenas and share them online.

The overall presentation of the game is excellent; it captures all the hype, glitz and glamour of the live shows. The visuals, lighting and rendering is the best I have seen in a wrestling game, there is no doubt that fans of the series can quickly feel at home with what is offered. Over 60 Superstars and Divas are on offer to play with many more available as DLC.

Any fan of the genre and series will enjoy what has been put together. Newcomers are going to find it hard work and I would strongly recommend giving it a rent before deciding if it is for you. There is almost an expectation that you are familiar with all the moves and controls right from the time you start and you will find the AI unforgiving to anyone who can’t quickly come to grips with the gaming mechanics. As a complete package it has a lot to offer.    [7.5]

When you want to apologise to a loved one you give them flowers, some gift they always wanted, or take them out for a fancy dinner. If you want to apologise to a vast audience of fighting game fans- you make King of Fighters XIII. After their previous and nearly universally reviled entry, SNK Playmore is working to make amends. While it isn’t the most adept definition, it certainly is on the right track.

As with most fighting games, you won’t be getting this for the story mode (which I would like to take a moment to mention that I would appreciate if more fighting games took cues from the latest Mortal Kombat offering) but unlike XII this at least has a story mode. King of Fighters XIII marks the final installment in which Ash Crimson plays the lead protagonist. You’d think with something that started 8 years ago in King of Fighters 2003, the creators would help catch up players new and old to the story. Instead, it starts out with a vague idea of what’s occurring only to become a series of vague choose your adventure textual choices that results in multiple ways to get to the final bosses. In each path, you’re given small snippets of the over-arching story. The overall plot is ambitious and the ending unfolds in fantastic fashion, however the disjointed in-between scenes seemingly does it’s best to obfuscate this. To its credit, regardless of characters, it ends in the same way. Allowing a more easy to understand canonical story.

Once you reach the final bosses, you quickly discover the game continue the tradition of “SNK Boss Syndrome”. While it never reaches the proportions set by Rugal of past games, they are cheap and absolutely frustrating. I wanted to avoid using the term ‘cheap’ but there are several cases during the fight where the boss is just flat out better or I feel I have no absolutely any answer for. There are patterns and methodology to the fights but it can quickly spiral when a hop your character does is almost instantaneously followed up by a full screen attack by the boss. Making the difference between victory and defeat a matter if the computer decides to use a particular move or not. Which is a shame really. The story, visuals, and music build up in an ominous and exciting way. It just loses its appeal if you’re forced to replay it over and over again in hopes of beating the boss.

With that out of the way, let’s get on to the good stuff.

Visually the game builds off of XII, which is to say, gorgeous. The gigantic sprites are beautiful rendered and easily set the bar of what pixel art can be in video games today. Expanding on the roster to a substantial 33 characters to include fan favorites such as King, K’, and Billy Kane. Mai bears special mention as the outcry of not including her in the previous iteration was something I saw quite a bit of in various corners of the Internet and the developers seemed to want to compensate with some less-than-modest animations.

The gameplay is as smooth as an marble orb, covered in oil, rolling down a steep hill, on black ice. The controls, animation, and strategy provide and ebb and flow that has to be played to truly appriciate. It brings a lot of traditional trappings from older King of Fighter games that bring a large variety and strategy to the table. If you were a big fan of King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, you’ll feel right at home. The online multiplayer isn’t always ideal but it does work. It’s possible to maintain some semblance of an offline combo timing though your confidence in it may wax and wane as the matches progress. Recently they did announce they plan on patching the online experience- so fingers crossed- it’ll help players to continue practicing for the long haul.

The mission modes provide useful bread and butter combos as well as flashy impractical combos. If you ever wanted to test your execution skills, this is the game for you. Here in the states there seemed an innumerable number of streams of professional players trying to chew through missions to no avail. Mission mode videos are still cropping up. It is humbling but the practice and precision needed helps not only helped me in this game but I saw noticeable improvements when I went back to play other fighting games. If you get stuck, you can watch a demo of the combo being performed. Allowing you to better understand the timing involved.

If you’re new to fighting games or you haven’t played in a long while, King of Fighters XIII will break you. Form you up again, to immediately re-break you. The game does very little hand holding and if you’re up for the rough ride, you’ll be rewarded with one of the best King of Fighter experiences to date. Apology accepted SNK Playmore.   [8]

Black Box is back! After spending a couple of years of the diversions of the stonking Skate games, the preeminent Need for Speed developer returns to its roots and the racing genre with The Run, a game which has been in development for over three years and looks to keep the franchise at the head of the arcade racing class.

With some of the best iterations of the decade long series behind them (including fan favourites Most Wanted and Underground), Black Box was the perfect developer to take the Need for Speed series into the stratosphere and with a longer development time than ever before, few would have been willing to bet against them.

Need for Speed The Run is more story based than most games in the series with the narrative focusing on the misadventures of Jack Rourke, on The Run (get it) from a shadowy and powerful criminal organization that will stop at nothing to get their revenge on poor Jackie boy.

Owing money he can’t possibly hope to repay, Jack turns to a highly illegal but highly lucrative race across America, attempting to beat 200 other drivers to New York and claim a cool $25 Million in prize money.

The Run features a number of features new to the series. The first, and most obviously pushed in early marketing, are “out-of-car” sequences. These sequences see Jack take part in various quick time events, God of War style and are spaced sporadically throughout The Run’s breakneck trip to New York, providing variations on the standard racing and chases that dominate the game.

While these quick time events do provide variation alright, they just don’t really fit in with the aesthetic and actually end up detracting from the game as Black Box can’t really make the game look all that good outside the car, with clunky textures and plain ugly environments at perfect opposition to the in-race visuals. Luckily these events are few and far between and are minor annoyances rather than the stop signs they could have been.

Happily the second addition to the Need for Speed canon iis much more successful. For the first time in the series, The Run introduces real-world locales, cities and highways, even if they are massively modified in some cases. Perhaps the strongest aspect of the game, the actual run across America is made incredibly compelling by the dynamic environments and the stunningly detailed world provides the player with a literal progression while also helping drive the game forward.

Despite being a game firmly set in the arcade style, The Run can get bogged down by too much scripting and a little too much AI, ahem, cheating. The story does sometimes get in the way, forcing players into particular situations during races that happen no matter what you do. A little more randomness with game world would have done wonders and made police chases or position racing all that more compelling.

As you move through the campaign (and that’s what this feels like), autolog will track your racing and level up your in-game avatar accordingly. The higher your level the more bonus abilities you unlock and the more points you can garner for your skills. The most obvious and handy of these is nitrous, which can make all the difference in the world.

Need for Speed The Run might not hit the same heights as Hot Pursuit or come anywhere near the legendary Burnout Paradise, but it is a polished, preened and passable way of spending your Xmas holidays.   [7.5]

Finally!  After six months of waiting (and with more than a few sullen and envious looks thrown towards our console owning friends), Rockstar and Team Bondi’s newest project L.A. Noire has finally arrived on PC.  The one and only benefit of the delayed PC release is that you get “L.A. Noire: The Complete edition”.  This includes all the previously downloadable content for the consoles including five missions, the Badge Pursuit Challenge, and all the additional weapons and outfits.

L.A. Noire is a detective based crime game set in the 1940s, made in the fashion of the original film noir – a style of dark Hollywood crime drama in the 40s and 50s with an emphasis on corruption, cynicism and moral ambiguity.  With its monotone aesthetics, low-key lighting, and the smokey voice narrating your journey, L.A. Noire is the epitome of cool.

L.A. Noire is a blend of action, detective based adventure, with a healthy amount of cinematic storytelling thrown in.  The action sequences definitely have a feel of Rockstar’s GTA about them, whether you’re speeding after someone down the streets of Los Angeles or taking potshots at a bunch of bank robbers.  But where the game really shines is the crime-solving aspect.  Investigating crime scenes, hunting for clues, and interrogating witnesses are the real stars of the show.  In particular, the interrogation aspect stands out, where you are called on to decide whether the suspect is lying, telling the truth, or maybe you’re just doubtful of their story.  This feature of the game is made possible by the ‘MotionScan’ technology used to capture actor’s real facial expressions, which are then reproduced in game.  There’s nothing quite as satisfying as catching out someone in a lie just because they looked away as they spoke, or maybe just denied your accusations a little too vehemently.  I can quite honestly say that I have not had this much fun playing a crime solving game since I first played ‘Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego’ back in primary school (and anyone of my generation will tell you that’s high praise indeed!).

The graphics of L.A. Noire are generally of a very high standard.  The art direction and the depiction of Los Angeles in the 1940s are quite superb.  And, as mentioned above, the facial character animation is extremely well done, so much so that sometimes it draws attention to the rather static (by comparison) nature of the rest of their bodies, which sometimes seems out of place.  The PC version can also run at a higher resolution than the consoles, although you will need a very powerful machine to push it to its full potential.  Some PC fans have criticized the optimization of the game, stating that it does require quite a powerful gaming rig to run on anything other than the lowest settings.

Unfortunately after all those positives, I do have a few small criticisms of the game.  From a PC user’s point of view, the game does feel distinctly like a console game, rather than a game which was developed with both platforms in mind.  In particular the movement feels somewhat clunky, with none of the fluidity that usually comes from using a mouse and keyboard.  And although the graphics are good, they are not great.  At certain times the graphics can appear quite pixilated (especially if you are forced to run the game with some of the options dialed down).  I can’t help but feel that the six month delay has really disadvantaged them in this sense, considering that PC users will be comparing the graphics to the superior visuals of Skyrim and Battlefield 3.

Overall though, these are small detractions from an otherwise excellent game.  The cinematic quality of L.A. Noire creates a deeply immersive setting, and the gameplay is both innovative and enjoyable.  And don’t forget, you can always brag to those smug console players that you received a more complete and better looking game than they ever got!   [8.5]

Most people will never get to go to Disneyland. Statistically. I freely admit I’ve never been, and I will likely never go. It’s very far away, you see, and I’m too poor. Luckily there are videogames filled with just as much colour and adventure, and as many lovable characters. But if someone could bring the magic of Disney’s park to a game, surely that would be amazing.

I will do my best to avoid being cynical, speaking as a fully-grown adult, well aware that I’m not the intended audience for Kinect Disneyland Adventures. It shouldn’t be too hard, as Frontier Games have done a particularly wonderful job of recreating the theme park in digital form. There are a few control problems and the gameplay itself is repetitive, but for kids and bigger kids this is actually a very charming and fun way to spend the afternoon.

You begin your visit to the park by designing your child avatar, which was oddly discomfiting for me and fellow players. I was impressed by the range of options at least, and managed to fashion a rather dapper looking boy who dressed like The Fonz. After you make yourself, the game lets you loose in the park. The bulk of play is open world, with your avatar wandering around the different sections to reach the various attractions and chat to various familiar characters.

There are over 40 different Disney characters hanging around waiting to meet you, including Pluto, Snow White, Beast and Captain Hook. Each of these characters can be talked to, but the true fan will also want to use Kinect to high five Donald Duck, hug Goofy, or take pictures with their camera phone. The little actions are a nice touch kids will love, especially since each character has their own unique reactions.

Mickey Mouse is the first face to cross your path, and he’s also the one who will set you on your way through the surprisingly long quest line. The overall story and quest selection isn’t exactly filled with Shakespeare or mind-benders, but it is entertaining – moreso if you’re an eight year-old. The quests are really just motivation to explore the park and interact with the residents. And honestly, the game provides the best tour of the park possible without actually going there. Frontier have recreated almost every inch of the place, right down to small details like fences and garbage cans. It’s actually quite a shock to see so much effort poured into a licensed kid’s game. Plenty of families wander the streets, moving to and fro, but thankfully you’ll never have to line up for a ride.

Instead, another enemy appears to hinder your progress: movement. It’s both common knowledge and common sense tat Kinect titles don’t handle freedom of movement very well. The majority are either on-rails like Gunstringer or require no movement at all like Dance Central. Moving around Disneyland requires you to point to move forward, and either tilt your body or move your arm in front of you to head in that direction. The system works well enough – especially if you are a boisterous child – but at all points during free-roaming I wished I had a simple analog stick.

Luckily the attractions avoid such problems. There are 20 famous rides included in the game (aside from a few quick references to old favourites like the teacups) each with several stages to complete inside. All are lovingly replicated and contain various mini-games to complete for points. You can play croquet with Alice in Wonderland (as the ball), explore Winnie the Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood or slide down the Matterhorn. While the settings are varied, the gameplay is most certainly not, generally boiling down to using Kinect to move left and right while jumping obstacles. There are other types of sequences, such as matching the poses of dancers on the Small World ride or swordfighting with pirates, but all repeat themselves many times over before the end. Again, this is something that most likely won’t bother kids, but the game is probably suited to short bursts of play because of it.

For those that do keep coming back, there is a ridiculous amount of content to discover. There are autographs to collect, characters to meet, coins to grab, unlockable clothing items and hidden Mickeys. It feels like there’s more to do at virtual Disneyland than at the real deal. There’s plenty of opportunity for young players to make the most of it as well, since there is no way to fail challenges as such. Scores are the only way skills are measured, meaning kids can have fun oblivious or try to beat their previous runs.

But beyond being just a videogame, Disneyland Adventures stands as a kind of historical artifact. The game preserves a copy of Disneyland as it exists in the present, providing something future generations can look back on when the park as it exists may be only a memory.

The game is repetitive and often controls like a battleship in quicksand, but it’s hard not to be won over by the charm of it all. I know my adult friends had more fun than they might care to admit flailing about in front of the TV and giving hugs to pieces of their childhood. The term “family game” is often thrown out as a way of deriding something as shallow and unworthy of a serious gamer’s time, but in this case it’s a true reflection of the title’s appeal. Get the family together and explore, there’s sure to be a little magic in it for you.  [7]

The Travellers Tales Lego Video Game series of games have certainly not been around as long as the Harry Potter books and movies but have entertained and beguiled many gamers worldwide nonetheless. The franchise have covered some of the most popular children’s action hero stories from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Batman, Pirates of the Caribbean and of course Harry Potter. Last year TT released Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 which covered the first four books/movies whilst this game encompasses the final four movies.

It’s no secret that the gameplay could be described as ‘samey’. They all have the same general feel and work in a very similar manner with emphasis on collecting and exploring. In the HP Lego games you will be able to cast spells, use potions, unlock characters and items as you progress which in turn can be used later use during ‘freeplay’ (replaying levels with different characters and skills). The potion making aspect is interesting in which players can inadvertently trigger unwanted side effects such as being turned into a frog if mixed incorrectly.

Of course one thing you can rely on in relation to any of TT’s Lego games is that they all offer solid gameplay, excellent graphics, value for money and a generous portion of humour. It’s the hilarious antics during the cut-scenes that I really enjoy and you won’t be left short with this one. Although the games tend to be aimed at the younger audience there’s certainly plenty on offer for us older ‘kids’ entertainment wise. Of all the Lego Video games, the original Star Wars title will remain a favourite for me, but this one certainly ranks as one of the best. If you start getting lost in regards to level objectives ‘ghost’ bricks will lead you on your merry way as well as the big shiny arrows. Some of the building/demolishing objectives can at times be a little vague so the younger ones may need a hand now and then.

TT has however made a few tweaks to this game. The first was opening the world a little more for exploration, in fact much more so than any other of the previous titles. I was surprised when I arrived at Hogwarts and spent considerable time searching and collecting items without continuing the story to the next stage. You can also fire your wand in the general direction of your intended target and for the most part hit, whereas previous games were less forgiving. Lastly TT has tweaked the graphics, lighting, flow and overall look of the environments. The game also incorporates a two player split screen option as was seen in Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues, this means that there will be less frustration in movement where one player might be dragging their feet.

With the generous amount of quality games recently released the wallet may be feeling a little light but if you were looking for a game that will please the younger ones for Xmas then this is certainly not a bad choice; especially if they are Harry Potter and/or Lego gaming fans.  [8]

In many ways the latest installment of SEGA’s Football Manager series is a very easy game to review or recommend.  If you fancy yourself the next Sir Alex Ferguson, and think you have the managerial nouse to transform a lowly Leeds side back the to the giddy heights of European glory, then this is the ideal game for you.  If, on the other hand, your knowledge of football is restricted to the fact that you know the objective is to get the round ball into the goal, then you had probably better give this a miss.

FM12 is a game for football enthusiasts.  You choose a team from a huge selection of over 50 nations across the world, and then proceed to organise the intricate and inner workings of your chosen football club.  You control everything from the team’s formation and lineup, right down to player scouting, media announcements, and boardroom meetings

For those of you that are new to the series it is probably wise to clarify a few important details of what FM12 is actually all about.  It’s a game which is unashamedly no frills in the graphics department, and is focused on simply providing you with the most detailed, statistical based football managerial game on the market.  In fact, despite advertising the fact that FM12 boasts a new and improved 3D match system, I would say the graphics in this area of the game look similar to those of a FIFA title in the late 90s.

Those of you that are new to the series will understandably be a bit daunted by the sheer scope of such a detailed and complex game.  Thankfully one addition to FM12 is a new tutorial system, separate from the main game, which will help you find your way.

In a game where graphical advances are very low on the priority list, it can be hard for a series like this one to introduce any new and meaningful changes to subsequent releases.  And the same can be said for FM12, it merely fine tunes the hugely successful formula of previous versions.  There are additional filters, adjustable columns, and various other settings which can help in sorting through the mountains of information and focusing on the most important elements.

One of the few new aspects of the game is ‘conversational tones’.  I must admit that when I first read about this I thought it sounded a bit cheesy, and wouldn’t really add anything meaningful to the game itself.  However I have to admit it has turned out rather well.  You have to pick and choose with individual players and the team whether to embark on a screaming tirade to get them moving, or maybe just gently coax and encourage them along.  You are given immediate feedback from your players after these talks, and are given indication as to whether your words have had a positive or negative effect.

Overall, there’s not too much new to see here.  Sega have decided to merely fine tune their highly successful formula of the past, and it’s hard to blame them.  A few new tweaks and some streamlining will be enough to keep the die hard fans interested, and there has never been a better time to start if you’re thinking of getting into the game.