Over the past few years, Jillian Michaels has made quite a name for herself in the videogame market, selling over a million units in her last fitness title. Now the guru is back and ready to get us all back into shape with Jillian Michaels Fitness Adventure for the Xbox 360 Kinect.
Features Include:
Core Exercise Modes:
Fitness Adventure Mode – featuring over 50 predefined circuits filled with freeform-style action (running, climbing and jumping) and plenty of surprises all set in a unique jungle temple environment. Reach for those bonus medallions along the way for extra points.
Fitness Training – Select from ten predefined circuits with 12 exercises each that have been handpicked by Jillian to give you the best results based on your personal goals. Or create and save a custom built circuit by choosing from any of the exercises within the game.
Social Integration: Check out how you stack up against your friends’ performance in the online leaderboards. Keep up the great work because Jillian will monitor the boards and honor the best performers on her Facebook page.
Stats and Fitness Calendar: Review your performance on completed workouts and preview or change upcoming scheduled workouts in your training plan. See the number of Adventure Levels, Training Circuits, and Single Exercises completed, calories burned, and how much time you’ve put into each.
For a fitness title, Fitness Adventure seems pretty jam-packed and breaks apart from the genre by incorporating some nice scenery and an actual objective for players to tackle. You can check out the scenic screens down below as well as a new trailer for the workout game. Are you planning on inviting Jillian into your living room? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
After landing on several platforms in the past, Max and the Magic Marker has finally released for the Nintendo DS as of today. For those unfamiliar, Max and the Magic Marker has players take the role of young Max. After finding a magic marker, he doodles up a monster who breaks loose into the world and it’s now up to him to track down the beast using the very pen that started his adventure.
Easy Interactive released this statement about Max and the Magic Marker’s DS release:
“With the unique use of the DS Stylus in the newest iteration of Max and the Magic Marker, we really wanted to continue to provide players with a innovative gaming experience that is both educational and fun,” said Michel van Elmpt, Managing Director, Easy Interactive. “With new in game content including never before seen levels and challenges, players must use the stylus as their very own magic marker and let their creativity shine.”
Features Include:
Embark on an adventure through three stunning worlds as they come to life
Take on challenges leaping through 15 levels using the power of the marker to draw objects into your very own world
Solve a variety of problems and puzzles in order to unlock rewards
Intuitive use of the DS stylus as the magic marker allows players to let their creativity soar
Featuring the original soundtrack by Danish band Analogik, the colourful correlation of music provides a more realistic appeal to the audience
Those who are looking for yet another innovative platformer on the DS can now find Max and the Magic Marker wherever videogames are sold for $29.99.
The official trailers for the upcoming Studio Ghibili animated feature Arrietty are now available for download, in both English subtitled and dubbed versions. Hayao Miyazaki, the creator of Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponyo, brings to life the much-loved children’s novel, The Borrowers, by Mary Norton, for his latest feature. Given the amazing track history both Miyazaki and Studio Ghibili have for telling beautiful stories with breathtaking animation, Arrietty is sure to be no exception. Madman will be proudly releasing the title on 12 January next year.
Watch the trailer below to get your first glimpse at the whimsical adventure of 14-year-old Arrietty, who lives under the floorboards of a sprawling mansion set in a magical overgrown garden with her father and mother. Constructing their lives and belongings from borrowed items; their peaceful life is changed when the curious Arrietty accidentally allows herself to be seen by Sho, a 12-year-old human boy. The two form a friendship that grows throughout the length of the film.
As of tomorrow, you’re all welcome to step foot in a nice, safe, friendly city free from crime. Or not. Tomorrow Gameloft will be releasing the third opus in their open world crime simulation series, Gangstar Rio: City of Saints. To get you warmed up for the wave of crime, Gameloft have released some screenshots of their upcoming title that’ll sure to have you running to the App store, picking up a brick, smashing the window and stealing the game. Just kidding, we all know the App Store isn’t real. Even if it was, I’d still suggest just paying for it, save the crime sprees for Gangstar Rio.
Not too long ago Atari released the iOS version of Atari’s Greatest Hits, and now Android smart phone and tablet users can download this from the Anroid Market. It allows the user to browse a catalog of over 100 classic Atari games and allows them relive the past.
Some of the games included in this bundle are Missle Command, Pong, Red Baron, Warlords and Asteroids. The App is free to download and comes with Missle Command, but it costs $0.99 for different collections of games or $9.99 for the complete bundle of games.
For Atari fans, it’s a fantastic bundle bringing back the gaming experience from 30 years ago. This is something that can provide entertainment to all types of users.
Follow Atari on Facebook & Twitter for upcoming promotions:
Sonic Generations Platform(s): Xbox 360 (Reviewed), Playstation 3, Nintendo 3DS Publisher(s): Sega Developer(s): Sonic Team Genre(s): Platformer/Adventure Release Date: November 1st, 2011 (US) Price: $29.99 – AVAILABLE HERE
Overview
Sonic may have had his ups and downs over the years, but no one can deny Sega’s blue mascot his place as a true legend in the world of videogames. With Sonic Colors arguably breaking the “Sonic Cycle” last year, fans have been expecting big things out of Sonic Generations. Why wouldn’t they though? This title packs in nine past worlds, where players can take control of both Classic and Current Sonic. To make things better, each version of Sonic will get to trek through these stages with their own unique abilities. Yes, Sonic Generations had the promise to be great, but did Sonic Team put together a work of art or hype fans up for a tragedy? Here is my review for Sonic Generations.
Story
Sonic Generations starts off with the likes of Amy Rose, Tails, Cream, and many past faces from the series celebrating Sonic’s birthday. Shortly into the celebration, a dark and mysterious beast known as the Time Eater abruptly interrupts the fun and sends everyone into a colorless dimension, trapping all of Sonic’s friends into many of the past worlds that were prominent in this mascot’s history. Due to the past being altered, Sonic’s younger self is also in this limbo and seeing the current threat, both blue blurs must work together to restore the past and present back to it’s normal state with the power of speed.
There isn’t a huge, oscar-worthy storyline present as the whole narrative seems a bit cliche for the series, but that really isn’t the point of Sonic Generations. This game as a whole is one gloved fist of nostalgia, filled with the charms and quirks that have kept the series relevant for the past 20 years. As you would expect, Current Sonic still has that same chip on his shoulder that he has carried since he was given a voice, so not much has changed in that area. The Classic Sonic however was given a flawless rebirth, being completely mute and only able to portray emotion through expressions and sound effects. Don’t get me wrong, I still like the new Sonic and his personality that has developed over the years, but Sonic Team did a fantastic job on making the retro hedgehog more likeable overall.
Hardcore fans will also be elated to know that most of the other characters have also been fully restored for Generations, just the way you will remember them. From chili dogs to light jabs at the series’ infamous decline, there is certainly a lot to experience this time around and the writing in Generations can easily be enjoyed by all due to it’s accessible nature. If I had any gripe, and this is just nitpicking when it comes to the story within, I simply would’ve liked to have seen a bit more. Yeah, Sonic Team touches base on nearly every game in the series in one form or another, but not a whole lot of those past titles are given much representation in the plotline, as the game is truthfully divided into three arcs and has just a handful of proper cutscenes. Either way though, the light plot is still rather interesting and I never felt like cringing throughout Generations’ entirety, which is quite an accomplishment for a modern Sonic title in my opinion.
Gameplay
If you have been itching for that classic Sonic experience or have been simply wanting better levels for the more modern hero to trek through, you will be happy to know that Sonic Generations gives you both. As I mentioned, there are nine worlds in the entire game. Each world features a newly redesigned version of it’s former self, while also providing a brand new layout for whatever hedgehog hasn’t traversed the location in the past. This means that there are 18 areas in all, and each fit in with the gameplay styles of both current and classic Sonic. Ever wanted to roam Green Hill Zone in the same way that Sonic Adventure and it’s predecessors played out? Now you can. The same could be said about playing famous stages such as City Escape and Emerald Coast in 2D. The variation is certainly there, but I couldn’t help but feel out of place when going from 2D stage to a more open 3D one. Now to be honest, the game does let players choose to go on to the next area right after beating it with just one hedgehog, but I personally felt the urge to complete each stage with both before proceeding further in the game.
As for the way Sonic controls this time around, both versions each have their own distinct feel due to the 2D and 3D level designs. Modern Sonic is faster than he has ever been and can fly through loops at a lightning pace. Also returning is the boost technique, along with the jumping homing attack that helps you quickly fly through the large levels while bashing all enemies in the process. If you have played Colors, Adventure, or any of the more recent Sonic titles, this method of control will feel very familiar as nearly everything we know about this new-age hero has remained unchanged. This may worry some who disliked those entries due to bugs or the gimmicks attached, but I actually found the modern Sonic to feel faster than his younger kin due to how responsive the controls were this time around.
Classic Sonic has also been left almost untouched as far as control goes. You can still hold down and grind up speed by tapping the jump command, or the player can now tap one button and get nearly the same result. Platforming is a big part of this hedgehog’s levels, as each jump’s timing can either make or break the momentum you have going at the time so just like the past, obstacles must be taken into consideration before just blazing through non-stop.
While both Sonics control with ease, the level design is what truly defines each re-imagined stage from the next. Unfortunately, the highly varied and nostalgic affair is a bit hit and miss. The game starts out brilliant, tapping upon the roots of the series in the Green Hill Zone. A few stages later, I encountered the true icing on the cake, which was none other than City Escape. I’m sure many of you remember this stage back in Sonic Adventure 2, but this time around everything flows even smoother than before and the final result of both the 3D and 2D versions players get to experience is truly magnificent. It isn’t until Crisis City from Sonic ’06 where the game starts to lose it’s momentum a bit. As many of you know, the past few titles in the franchise have had some level designs that didn’t click. Crisis City magnifies this fact even further as even though the stage is now glitch free (from what I could tell, anyway), there still is some problems that remain from that point on.
You see, Sonic has always been a game all about speed rather than platforming. Yes, the platforming is very important, but the reason why the classic games are more loved is because they were built with speed in mind. The last three stages let the player build up a good bit of speed and then it’s like they can’t make up their mind if they want to throw in platforming-heavy sections at random times, which completely stops any adrenaline rush and has the player come to a complete and abrupt stop at several points. This lead to myself being completely immersed and ready for action, to then skyrocketing off an edge because I dared to execute Sonic’s #1 trait. In the Sonic Colors stage, even our classic friend suffered due to these constant stops, as the “Wisp” gimmick took over and made the entire area feel like a massive chore. Even with all that said, I still feel like the redesigns are much better than before, but ending the game with such tedious work dampered my overall feelings of the past few games that were represented.
I can say though that the boss stages are all fun to play and redeemed any of my frustrations due to their imaginative designs. These foes are quite large and end each era of levels with a nice feeling of meaty satisfaction due to their innovative concepts used. The reason why I say this is because it’s never just one task the player must achieve to succeed. Bosses take many different elements from their particular era and mix them together for one epic battle. The only downside of this is that to get to these battles, the player must perform one of the challenges from each world to obtain a key, which in turn unlocks one of the locks needed to open the massive boss door. There are 90 challenges in all that range from races to time trials and while they definitely lengthen the game, I felt that the mandatory obligation to finish three threw off the general sense of progression. On the upside though, these challenges still give 90 more reasons to continue playing after you finish the story, and with the grading score, red rings to collect, newly added skill customization, and all of the many secrets buried within, Sonic Generations offers what feels like an infinite amount of replay value.
Visuals/Audio
NEVER…and I do mean never has Sonic ever looked as good as he does here. Every detail of both Sonics completely capture everything a rabid fan would expect to see, and then go even further by giving us enhanced animations and a fine coat of polish. The stages are also beautiful, bringing back popular locations that are booming with both bright colors and life while staying true to their original concept. You can really tell that Generations has been a pure labor of love for Sega, and I can’t imagine anyone leaving the experience unsatisfied considering just how much is offered overall from a visual standpoint.
With such gorgeous graphics, the soundtrack truly needed to hit this one out of the park. I can easily say that this is yet another home run for Generations though, as the game gives one of the most soundtrack-worthy tracklists that we have seen released in the past decade. From remixes of those classic Crush 40 songs to the revamped versions of tunes from the past, players will never have a problem in keeping their volume at full blast. Classic Sonic’s sound effects are used well for the 2D stages, as this former mascot still has the same effects played when jumping, snagging a ring, or scampering across a stage in record time. The voice actors also do a good job in reprising their roles, even with Cream and Charmy Bee’s irritating but “lovable” dialogue being featured. To make things even better, players can now even customize each level’s audio with 50 different songs from the series as a whole.
Overall
2011 marks Sonic’s 20th Anniversary, and Sonic Generations is a gift to all those who stuck with the series during the good times…and the bad. Sonic Team’s recreations of the past stages may not be perfect for the game’s entirety, but one can’t help but smile while their memories come rushing back. The classic stages are fast and nostalgic, and the 3D levels have now shown that this studio still know how to make Sonic great again, as they were easily my favorite portions of the game as a whole. Is this the best Sonic game to date? Not quite. What Sonic Generations does offer though is a chance for fans to cherish the past, forgive the missteps of the present, and look towards the future. For now though, we can strap on a party hat, grab a chili dog, and celebrate Sonic’s birthday with this massive high note of the franchise.
If you haven’t picked up any Metal Gear Solid game, but don’t feel like going back to the older generation consoles then you will be quite happy to hear that the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection has just been released in North America on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Of course those who’ve already played the originals should pick them up as well so they can see just how well the games look now that they have been re-mastered in HD.
The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection will contain Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. The bundle will cost $49.99 for the normal edition, but you can also pick up a Limited Edition version which will include a number of special bonuses such as a specialized package and a massive 248 page art book named “The Art of Metal Gear Solid.”
There has already been a plethora of DLC packs for Dead Rising 2 Off The Record since the game was released, but none of them are quite as interesting as the two released today. However before we get into the most interesting one, let’s learn about why Frank is dressed as a Fire Fighter up there.The Fire Fighter Skill (160MSP/£1.69) pack which costs 160 MSP or $2 will give Frank a boost in speed while carrying or helping survivors, allow him to kick open doors and immunity to any fire damage. Plus he comes with a mustache as well.
However if you want to break your game a bit, then you may want to download the Gamebreaker pack which costs 400 MSP or $5. This Gambreaker pack will do exactly that, make it extremely easy for you to win and break the game’s difficulty, not that there was much. The bonus content added will be Super Speed, Super Damage, Instant PP, stupider zombies, and even a God Mode where you will be able to just kill everything in sight. Sounds like this would be the pack for anyone who just wants to have a good ol’ zombie killing time with little to no risk themselves.
For those who were concerned about the legitimacy of an actual Puella Magi Madoka Magica movie, those concerns can be put to rest. In fact, you will be getting three movies for your enjoyment as it has been confirmed by the latest issue of Japanese magazine Newtype that there will be three Puella Magi Madoka Magica movies released in Japan.
However before you get too excited, it is worth nothing that the first two films will be a recap or retelling of the original series and the third movie will actually be new content. This is certainly an odd thing to do, though for those who have never seen the original series it could be a fast and simple way to catch up before watching the third film. It will be interesting to see if Aniplex of America will pick up these movies for localization such as they did for the original series. What do you think about this?
With only a three days left until Skyrim, everyone is extremely eager to see anything that they can about the world that they will soon be giving all of their free time to on November 11th. Bethesda is taking advantage of that and today they released a new video which gives us a look at the world of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
You can catch the video below and take a look at some things that will be occurring in Skyrim as you begin your adventure as well as witness just how amazing the game looks now. Especially when it comes to the appearances of the various characters you will encounter. Just remember, only three days to go until the 11th and then we can all be Dragonborn.
