Active Life Extreme Challenge Wii Game Bundle with Mat Review

Active Life Extreme Challenge is a Wii game from publisher Bandai Namco Games that is designed exclusively for game play with the Active Life Mat.  The game can not be played without the mat but you can buy them together in a bundle.  A fun, energy-requiring action sports game, Extreme Challenge is rated E for Everyone and it was released on August 11, with a list price of $59.99 new.

To set up game play, you simply plug in your Active Life Mat to one of four accessory inputs in your Wii.  You use the mat and one Wii controller to play.  Play options include single player, multi-player in any of the three game modes, you can view and delete player data, view rankings, and explore other options.  Three game modes are Extreme Challenge (tournament style), Challenge Mode (new rules and goals), and Free Play (the quick play mode).

Play is simple.  The mat is laid out with central control pads and front, back, left and right buttons on each side.  Some of the games require use of the mat and a Wii controller, while others only require the mat.  The intensity of movement varies.  There are about 15 different activities across the various game modes.  There are six basic activities in Free Play mode to help get a feel for the game.  BMX races require constant up and down movement (virtually running in place) in a pedal like fashion with the mat while you also steer using the controller.  This coordination may be tough for younger players so you might have to team up for that one if playing with kids.

Street Luging is a bit more laid back as the player sits on the mat and guides the luge back and forth using the arrow pads.  Other cool games including jump rope, which works on timing and jumping coordination.  Other activities include rock climbing, base jumping, skateboarding and many more.

The Active Life Extreme Challenge Wii Bundle is a great value and a fun family game experience.  It is a great solution for parents who struggle to get kids to be active because they “just want to play video games”.  Parents and kids can play together and the activity is fun and energetic.

Active Life Extreme Challenge Product Features include:

MySims Agents Wii Game Review

MySims Agents is a life simulation game from publisher Electronic Arts, released on the Wii September 29th.  Building on the long-running and multiple game Sims franchise, in MySims Agents, players play a special agent on a mission to uncover and foil the sinister plans of Morcubus, the corrupt CEO of MorcuCorp. Players will search for clues and solve cases across the city and far beyond as they piece together his nefarious plans.

Rated E for Everyone, MySims Agents would be thematically appropriate for all ages.  However, based on game play, it would likely be most fun for agest seven to eight and older.  Game play is fairly simplistic with a multitude of fun puzzles and curiosity driving investigation.  But, it might be a bit too hard for younger kids to understand and follow.

Older players with a more sophisticated level of Sims game play experience may find some of the dialoge and settings in MySims Agents to be a bit childlike.  However, the same charm and creativity that have driven Sims success for years are present in the MySims Agent Wii game.

Product features of MySims Agents Wii game include:

Game Rating: E for Everyone
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: September 29, 2009
List Price: $49.99
Genre: Life Simulation

Video Game Review by Neil of Game Room Reviews with contributions from Trent

Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! Wii Game Review

Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! Wii Game is a classic movie trivia game that has been transformed from a DVD board game to a Wii game that released from Warner Bros. and game publisher Screen Life on November 17th. There are multiple game play modes from single player games to multi-player game modes for up to four players.

The Scene It brand has long been one of the most successful board game movie trivia games around. Truly designed with the well-educated movie fanatic in mind, the new Wii Scene It game includes options for one to four player competition that offers social fun. There are lots of cool games including straight trivia, scene reveals, invisible image detection, and many more

What really makes Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! fun is that it is a great test for movie experts who like to face the ultimate trivia challenge. If you have played the Scene It movie board games, an advantage of the Wii game versus the DVD game is that play control is much more realistic with the Wii. Unlike the board game that relies on players to monitor responses, the Scene It Wii game records answers and you are given points not just for correct answers, but for your speed of response.

Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! Wii video game is available in-stores and at major online retailers for a suggested retail price of $39.99. For movie fans with a Wii, it makes for a great holiday gift and it is good family fun. Scene It is rated T mostly because of some of the movie clips in the game in which you watch scenes with modestly suggestive themes, and then respond to follow up trivia questions.

Product features of Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! Wii game include:

• Play on your own, or compete against friends and family in 2-4 player multiplayer that can be played with as few as one Wii Remote controller.
• Demonstrate your knowledge of recent Hollywood blockbusters and enduring movie favorites by answering more than 2,800 fun trivia questions, interspersed with movie clips.
• Test your store of trivia and your ability to think fast with 23 challenging puzzle categories.
• A new and improved single player option, as well as party play modes.
• Personalize your playing experience with fun 12 all-new movie-themed avatars and have fun with a new, very entertaining game host.

Game Rating: T for Teen
Publisher: Screen Life
Release Date: November 17th
List Price: $39.99
Genre: Classic Games/Trivia

Video Game Review by Neil of Game Room Reviews

We Cheer 2 Wii Game Review

We Cheer 2 Wii Game is a dance game follow up to last year’s We Cheer, one of the most popular cheerleader video games of all time from video game publisher Bandai Namco, available November 3rd. There are multiple game play modes from single player games to multi-player game modes for up to four players.

We Cheer 2 brings high-energy cheerleading fun to your living room – players must cheer, dance, and jump their way to cheer victory, to routines choreographed to a licensed soundtrack of top music hits you know and love (full soundtrack release is pasted below my signature). We Cheer 2 features both male and female characters, all of which are fully customizable, from cheer outfits to hair and skin tone, eye color, hair color, etc.

We Cheer 2 appears to be a game targeted more for girls and young woman.  It offers competitive play opportunities as you try to build your championship squad.  The game is Rated E for Everyone 10+, because of Lyrics and Mild Suggestive Themes, which are indeed rather mild, but the game play is likely too challenging for anyone younger anyway.  You have to be well-coordinated and rhythmical to follow the motion and cheer sequences.

Despite the fact that the We Cheer 2 Wii game seems more centered girls and young woman, it is certainly a game that teen boys and girls might have some fun playing together, assuming you are not a shy or reserved guy.  Husbands and wives might also find some joy watching each other move around to the 30 top music hits included in the game.

Whether you are a cheerleader, a former cheerleader looking to relive your glory years, someone looking for a fun form of interactive exercise, or a couple looking for good fun together, We Cheer 2 Wii game is available in-stores and at major online retailers for a suggested retail price of $39.99.

Product features of Family Game Night 2 Wii game include:

• We Cheer 2 features a brand new soundtrack of 30 chart-topping, family-friendly hits that will get you energized and ready to cheer.
• Dance as part of the ultimate cheer team as you lose yourself in the music and the moves and give in to We Cheer 2’s addictive gameplay.
• Customize more than 40 male and female characters to create your perfect team with features, including hair, eyes, eyebrows, lips, skin tone and face art, as well as all sorts of attire.
• Wave your Wii Remotes like pompoms and perform full-body dance moves and cheers using the brightly colored on-screen trace lines as a guide.
• Choose from several modes ranging from Training Mode, Exercise Mode all the way to Championship Mode.

Game Rating: E for Everyone 10+
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Release Date: November 3rd
List Price: $39.99
Genre: Dance Games

Video Game Review by Neil of Game Room Reviews

Family Game Night 2 Wii Game Review

Family Game Night 2 Wii Game is the follow up video game collaboration between video game publisher Electronic Arts (EA) and board game champion Hasbro, available October 26th.  With five all new games, the second edition of Family Game Night provides an excellent opportunity for families to play together by incorporating their favorite family games with the Wii, a perfect system for electronic family fun.

Family Game Night 2 for the Wii includes the classic Hasbro games: Operation, where you are the doctor trying to retrieve strange objectives from your patient’s body; Connect 4×4, the classic strategy game with a new twist where players try to get for same-colored chips in a row; Jenga, the game of wit and skill where you must remove blocks without toppling your tower; Pictureka, which challenges you to quickly find hidden pictures in a jumbled mess of images; and Bop It!, a game of quick thinking and rhythm.

Back to emcee your family game night is Mr. Potato Head, who hosts in a brand-new “Game Show” mode which transports players to a live television game show studio complete with an audience and “Challenge Wheel.”

If you played and enjoyed the first Family Game Night from EA, you are likely to enjoy Family Game Night 2.  Of course, much of the fun depends on what types of games you like.  If you like more strategic and quick thinking Hasbro games, Family Game Night 2 might be a good fit.  Some of the lesser known Hasbro games, like Bop It!, are very fun if you like quick moving games.

The biggest obstacles with this Rated E for Everyone game is that it might be difficult to incorporate kids under 5 who may not yet be equipped to handle Wii games that require lots of motion and coordination.  Many young players need games that only require modest remote motion or button clicking.  The first Family Game Night for Wii was actually a little more kid-friendly as it included board games where time was not as much of the essence in game play.

Still, if you have quick-thinking youngsters or want to have family fun with older kids and adults, Family Game Night 2 is an excellent fit.

Product features of Family Game Night 2 Wii game include:

• Family-friendly multiplayer fun for up to four players that includes Mii avatar support.
• Sequel to the award winning Hasbro Family Game Night.
• Play classic and all-new versions of your favorite Hasbro games: Operation, Jenga, Bop-It, Connect 4×4 and Pictureka.
• Play with your Nintendo Mii in the Hasbro Family Game Show, which encompasses all five classic games included. Customize Mr. Potato Head and earn new themes and trophies.

Game Rating: E for Everyone
Publisher: EA
Release Date: October 26th
List Price: $39.99
Genre: Classic Games/Board Games

Video Game Review by Neil of Game Room Reviews

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles Wii Game Review and Giveaway

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronciles Wii Game is the latest in a the line of the hugely successful movie to game Residential Evil franchise.  Released for most popular game systems on November 17th, this new Capcom release is a must have for anyone on your shopping list that is a fan of action horror video games.

Rated M for Mature (blood and gore, intense violence and adult language), The Darkside Chronicles has a list price of $49.99.  The game promises intense horror experience with on-rails arcade style shooting zombies gam eplay that one or two players can enjoy simultaneously.

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles a follow up to one of the most successful “M” rated games for the Wii – Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. Two classic Resident Evil characters return (Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield) in this edition, while a new story line and scenarios are introduced, including the recently announced South America stage, which is unique to The Darkside Chronicles.

In the South America stage, Leon Kennedy and Jack Krauser team up. Resident Evil games have sold over 40 million units and the films have a combined gross of more than $375 million (with another feature movie on the way), proving their popularity amongst both casual hardcore gamers looking for action horror games.

There is no doubting the merits of the Resident Evil franchise.  Sometimes, as this the case with other entertainment formats, sequels can fail to live up the hype created by predecessors.  However, the early returns for this game appear to be very positive from the gamer front.

The graphics on the game are very cool, especially if you are into the blood and guts that you get from shooting a zombie in the head.  There are some intriguing and captivating settings and scenery to make the game play interest.  Game play is easy to figure out, which is often the challenge with Wii games.

The Resident Evil game franchise is just one of the examples of the reality of gaming today, in that that the merging of movies and games tends to produce even more popular adult video games that gamers truly obsess over.  This is especially true when the game came first was was fueled by a reasonably successful movie.  There appears to be no end in site for the Resident Evil franchise and Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles Wii game will not disappoint fans of the series.

Demo Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles Wii Game

Product features of The Darkside Chronicles Wii game include:

• In addition to standard Easy, Normal and Hard, the game’s difficulty level adjusts automatically based on the player’s skill level so that both old and new fans can have a fun and challenging experience.
• Engage in two-Player co-op action where you can invite friends and family to experience the horror of the Darkside Chronicles along side you.
• Experience environments and areas from classic Resident Evil titles like Raccoon City from Resident Evil 2 and the hidden Umbrella laboratory from Resident Evil: Code Veronica, as well as those new to Darkside Chronicles.
• Play as Leon S. Kennedy, protagonist of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4, his partner Claire Redfield, who appeared in Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and others still to be announced.
• Players can upgrade and customize their weapons for each battle scenario. Each playable character can be specialized for a specific combat style.

Game Rating: M for Mature (blood and gore, intense violence and adult language)
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: November 17th
List Price: $49.99

Video Game Review by Neil of Game Room Reviews

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Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles Wii Game Giveaway

(2 Winners)

We are VERY excited to offer TWO WINNERS a copy of the Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles Wii Game in conjunction with its November 17th release.  Entry in our giveaway is free and easy. Entry is open to anyone in the US only (Must be 18 and older – M Rating) for this promotion. One random winner will be drawn using random.org on December 5th, at or near 5PM CST. Please include your email in your entry or other easily accessible contact point so we can contact you if you win!

Enter Your Email to Win a Nikon Coolpix 10MP Digital Camera

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Squeeballs Party Wii Game Review

Squeeballs are a collection of 12 little round creatures manufactured on a secret island in the Pacific.  Before being distributed to the world for little boys and girls, the toys must be tested.  This is where you come in as the player.  Your job in the Squeeballs Party Wii Game from Aksys Games, released on October 15th, is to put the characters through a series of tests in 11 party games and over 150 challenges.

You can blow up, cook, slice, bat, bowl, shoot, and bounce the Squeeballs in single games, head-to-head matchups or four player party mode.  The eleven party games take place in a variety of settings including lava canyons, bowling alleys, kitchens, science labs, and snow-capped mountains.

The Squeeballs Party Wii game edition is a family-friendly game that is rated E for Everyone (10+).  The opening scene of the game gives you a good indication of the direction the game takes.  While it might seem a bit over the top to some parents to have your kids knocking over bowling pins with little creatures on them, or swatting Squeeballs with a racket, the experience is relatively mild.

The game has an E rating for players 10 and older, though younger kids (5-10) that are not overly sensitive or akin to violence should have no problems seeing the clever fun of the game. If you do have a more sensitive child or are especially concerned with violence, you might want to watch the Squeeball Party Trailer to get a feel for the appropriateness of the game for your family.

One hugely tremendous benefit of Wii Squeeballs is that it is one of the easiest games for kids to play.  Too many “family” Wii games require coordination with buttons and remote that some kids can’t handle.  Squeeballs bowling is a simple armswing and release of a button.  Other games are similarly easy to play.

The sounds and lively action in the game are what give it an upbeat and fun feeling.  Each Squeeball takes on its own look and personality, and each has a different high pitched squeal and laugh.

Video Game Release Date: October 15, 2009
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+ (Cartoon Violence)
Genre: Party

Game Review by Neil of Game Room Reviews

Birthday Party Bash Wii Game Review

Finding family Wii games is tough, despite the fact that Nintendo created a truly broad-based video game system that appeals to all ages. The challenge is that some games appeal to teens and young adults because of their themes or content. Perhaps they are inappropriate as well. Often, the difficulty of games comes into play as well. However, finding a game that appeals to everyone in the family and is easy enough for all to play, is difficult.

Birthday Party Bash is a new Wii video game from 2K Play that offers a fun and interactive game that is appropriate for kids, offers a reasonable ease of play, and allows parents to play with young kids. The game allows you to design your own birthday party in a theme you choose, and then to play party games until your hearts content.

There are 10 theme rooms for boys and girls. You can invite family and friends using enclosed invitations, you can choose your theme room, play new versions of classic birthday party games, and sing happy birthday at the climax.

Some of the themes include sports, glamour, music, pirate, stuffed animals, monsters, princess, and more. There should be a theme that works for any young boy or girl. As you play, you will find that some of the games are very easy for small children (4+) to grasp. Some others might be a bit more challenging. You can simply play together and trade back and forth as a team. It’s a party so have some fun!
Video Game Release Date: July 14, 2009
ESRB Rating: E

Game Review by Neil of Game Room Reviews

Boom Blox Bash Party Wii Game Review

Based on the popular block bashing puzzle game Boom Blox, the Steven Spielberg EA Game Boom Blox Bash Party offers a family-oriented Wii video game for fans of Jenga who want to strategically (and harmlessly) blow stuff (blox) up.

In a sequence that allows users to advance from one level to the next, you can fire cannon balls and various blox constructions attempting to knock over the buildings and collect diamonds. You can play in outer space, you can bomb shops, you can make towers crumble, shoot hocky pucks at targets, and much more, surprisingly in a family-friendly fashion.

There are three ways to play Bash Party on the Wii. You can play Co-op Play where you work together on individual play. You can do Competitive Multiplayer action. You can also work as a Team Multiplayer. There are over 400 levels of single and multiplayer strategic destruction so you don’t have to worry about getting board with the constructions.

Bash Party is amazingly addictive. While it provides a constructive and fun outlet for young ones, it is entertaining for adult fans of popular games like Tetris. The gameplay concept is similar in that the idea is to knock out important pieces of the building constructions to create a domino falling effect. There are portions of the game that may be challenging for kids under 5 or 6, but much of the basic game play is manageable.
Video Game Release Date: May 19, 2009
ESRB Rating: E

Game Review by Neil of Game Room Reviews