Sunday Roundup: 4/1/12

You never know what you’re gonna find when you go into a dollar store. Sometimes you’ll find super cheap toys, other times you’ll find semi-stale candy that you hadn’t seen in years. Or sometimes you’ll find amazing NEW games for just $5!

 

 

 

Now Playing: Pushmo

It’s a rare time for me: there isn’t anything coming out in the foreseeable future that I actually want to play. So what does that mean? Downloading games I wanted to get long ago (and if I’m lucky, sifting through the backlog)! Pushmo is a 3DS exclusive puzzle game that has you pushing and pulling blocks as you hop your way to the goal. I’ve been able to spend some time with the game already, and I must say, as far as puzzle games go, this one has a lot going for it.

 

Worth Playing vol. 3: Puzzle Game Madness

I did it for one of my favorite genres (the fighter) and I’ve got to do it for another genre close to my heart, the puzzle game. Whether you’re connecting colored gems, filling in gaps, solving brain teaser, or shooting shiny balls at other shiny balls, the puzzle game is a staple to the video game community that isn’t going anywhere. And with so many excellent games to sink your teeth into it can be hard to determine which games offer the best challenge, the most addictive gameplay, and the most satisfaction upon completion. Vol 3 of Worth Playing is here, so let’s get this underway.

 

Video Review: Tetris the Card Game

I recently got my hands on Tetris; The Card Game and was able to get a few good games in over the past two weeks. Though it’s not entirely like it’s video game counter-part, the card game is a fun spin-off of the main franchise. I’ve put together a short video going over the basics and what makes the game fun and cool. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Now Playing: Professor Layton and the Unwound Future

The third outing for the crime solving quizzical sleuths with British accents is just as grand as the first two adventures. Luke and Hershel (That’s Professor Layton’s first name, BTW) are mysteriously transported 10 years into the future, where a corrupted Professor Layton has thrown the city into ruin, a future Luke is trying to save it, and puzzle are coming out of every nook and cranny imaginable. It’s classic Professor Layton writing and puzzle solving at its best, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve been devoting a lot of time to All Zombies Must Die! as of late, but the professor and Luke keep budding their way into my time, and for good reason!

 

Quick Hits: iPhone Gaming Madness

This past week (and as my phone currently told me today is still going on) EA had a massive sale on all their iPhone video games. Most games were $.99 and my girlfriend game me a $10 iTunes gift card, so picking up a few was an easy choice. I’ve played through a few and wanted to touch on each lightly, mayhaps to entice one of you to get one yourself.

 

 

Review: Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights

What sort of tomfoolery is this? A video game on a Nintendo handheld featuring a wise doctor and a young sidekick solving puzzles and unraveling a mystery that isn’t a Professor Layton title? Rubbish! A definite imitation of the sublime puzzle solving of the Professor Layton series, Konami’s Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights distinguishes itself with a variety of gameplay methods, unique visuals, and a handful of interesting puzzles. Is there room in this world for two top hat wearing puzzle solvers with British accents? No. No there is not.

 

The Humble Indie Bundle and Why You Should Buy It

As the holiday season is already in full swing and Christmas is right around the corner, I have been in a spirited mood as of late. No doubt many people like the holidays because of the gifts they’ll receive (I know love it for that reason), but an equal or greater number of people like to give more than receive. As 2011 comes to an end, we as gamers can help out those that really need it this holiday season, and we can score some truly amazing games in the process.

 

 

Sunday Roundup: 12/18/11

Last week was half-priced PS2 games at GameStop.

This week was half-off GameCube games.

I went nuts.

 

Review: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

Top hats, English accents, and a plentiful amount of puzzles make up the excitement that is Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, the second title in the venerable handheld series. Taking place after the events that unfolded during The Curious Village, this new adventure has Layton, Luke, and Flora uncovering the mysteries surrounding the Elysian Box, which is said to kill anyone who opens it. The suspense is high, the puzzles challenging, and the story surprising for Layton and crew, and I was absolutely absorbed in the game in no time. Put your thinking caps on ladies and gents: you’ll need them.