Games Guru: I’m thinking you’re in a place called The Streets of Godrics Hallow. Use your invisible cloak to pass enemies with stealth. Now, go over to the six Muggle Borns to free them. The Streets is an area that rewards you for exploration. Keep that cloak on. Use your potions to deal with multiple enemies. One of the keys is to avoid big battles with a lot of enemies coming at you. That’s why you have that cloak! If you get lost, make a little map of the area in pencil on a pad as you go — so you remember where you’ve been.

Games Guru: Here are the big ones:

– Unlock all modes and tracks:  959595
– Unlock Unlimited energy: 721953

I want to unlock professor z. The game said that I need to get to a skyscraper in Tokyo arena, but where is the skyscraper?

Games Guru: Begin by looking for ramps on your left and right. Use turbo before you hit one of the ramps, and jump once you get to the top. You’ll land on the roof and claim your precious trophy!

Games Guru: I’m guessing you mean multipliers. Here are the codes:

Invincibility: QQWC6B
Score x2: 74YKR7
Score x6: XK9ANE
Score x8: HUFV2H
Score x10: H8X69Y

NFL BLITZ EA for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network; Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older. Gameplay: 8.5 Graphics: 7.0 Sound: 9.0 Replay Value: 8.3 Overall Score: 8.3 Pros: Over-the-top gaming, strong online mode, players catch fire. Cons: Graphics are on the weak side, needs bigger playbook, “hard mode” isn’t difficult enough.

But football isn’t quite over: The Super Bowl is right around the corner.

So the time might be right for this truly over-the-top arcade game.

NFL Blitz is a cartoon-ish, downloadable tidbit featuring crushing hits on defense and amazing 50-yard throws. Add the sometimes-hilarious comments from the color guys in the booth and strong online play. The result is a game that’s really hard to put down.

If Madden is the lengthy mega-meal for fans of sports videogames, NFL Blitz is the quick dessert. You don’t have many plays to choose from, just 9 on defense and 17 on offense. There’s no create-a-player. There’s no draft. There are only 7 players on each side of field.

WHAT YOU GET

But what you get (as you do with NBA Jam) are wacky players that get so hot when you’re on a roll, they give off flames. You’ll play the Blitz Gauntlet, a ladder of teams, over and over until you play all NFL clubs. And you’ll encounter some surprises. These include some fantasy squads – bosses like gladiators, peg-leg pirates and smiling hot dogs in a bun.

I find that playing on Hard Mode is the best way to go after getting your feet wet on Easy Mode. Otherwise, there’s very little challenge. After you defeat the fantasy teams mentioned above, you can play as them, too. Just key in their special codes at the beginning of each game.

On offense, winning is often about looking down the field to find an open player and pressing buttons to throw the ball at the right time. But there is some wiggle room as far as creativity during plays goes. On offense, you can leap high over the pack or spin like a dervish. You can even give the tackler the stiff arm. With a satisfying “ding,” down he goes. His bell has been rung!

The comedic announcers are also essential to the kooky mayhem. Sometimes they wish they were more famous so they could be in a bigger game like Madden. Sometimes they say silly things like “in the end zone like a mobile phone!” They seem to like corn dogs a lot, too. And they get as excited as fans. You never see them, but you imagine they’re shaking with glee as they call the action on the field.

ONLINE WITH BLITZ BUCKS

The makers of NFL Blitz really want you to play online, so they’re offering Blitz Bucks to entice you. Win online and you’re rewarded with fake money that helps you get cool things like Big Head Mode when you play. Plus, you get Blitz Bucks if you’re the player who presses the taunt buttons the most.

Blitz Bucks are also essential for creating your Blitz Elite League. These card packs full of players require strategizing if you want a balanced team. Or you might choose to buy some powerups like an Earthquake, which shakes the field, possibly causing a fumble.

I’ve rarely had as much quick fun online with a sports game than I’ve had with NFL Blitz. While there’s the occasional lag during plays, I quickly was matched up with three other people to play in co-op mode, two for each team. Whoever my partner was, he knew the game as well as I did.

Yet the real key is on defense. Take control of a player and constantly try to sack the opposing quarterback. The same goes for blocking a punt or a field goal. That’s the way to winning online – and offline, too. Also, you can try to time your interceptions. The game makers say that if you’re near the ball and press the top controller button at either one-third, one-half or two-thirds of a second after a pass, your defenseman will catch the quarterback’s throw. That’s hard to time, so just try for an interception without thinking too hard about it.

THE BAD AND THE GOOD

There are things that I don’t like, however. Every player seems to have the same physical attributes, so they look nothing like the real-life players. So quarterback Eli Manning looks just as muscular as defenseman Justin Tuck. And while they often throw tantrums, when you check out their faces, there’s no emotion whatsoever.

Still, the old NFL Blitz used to sell for around $40 when you bought it in the store. The downloadable version is about $15. It’s completely worth the price of admission for access to one of the more clownish, cartoon-ish, generally super-fun games out there today.

Games Guru: I really don’t know what the weird letters mean. But here are your codes:

- KMRWLSS – Show Enemies on Minimap

- HJEKTPU – Unlock Kruncha

- TSDYHBZ – Unlock Spaceman

- YUXUZF – 80000 Studs

- Change the calendar to December 12-24 to unlock Santa Claus

How do you win in this game? Any tips?

Games Guru: You need patience and strategy to win at Ninjago. Here’s some help!

– You start each level with a limited number of bricks, so create the most important buildings and units first.

– Towers can be upgraded as well as units. This will improve range and damage against passing foes.

– Use more than one builder at a time to increase the speed of construction of buildings and units.

– Press the X button to flip the top and bottom screens, and use the stylus to move the box around the minimap.

– Look for red bricks and minikits in missions to unlock characters and codes.

– Building a brick bank near brick piles will reduce the amount of time your builders take to return bricks.

– Increase the duration for which spells are performed with this code: PYHEESD

What’s going on in this picture? What is this dog doing and what is he thinking?

If you can think of a funny caption for this photo, just post it in the comment form at the bottom of this page. After we approve it, your funny caption will be on this page for everyone to read.

Thanks to “Chris” for this great photo. Have you taken a funny photo? Send it to us.

Click here to write captions for more funny photos.

Games Guru: Here’s how to get in some really nice Mario Kart-type racing.

– Winning grand prix circuits unlocks additional circuits, tracks and characters. Each character has unique powers, so you’re bound to find a fave that fits your skill level and style of play.

– Each character has a Light and Heavy kart, and you can unlock more karts by breaking track records in time trials. Light karts have better acceleration and handling and faster defensive charge rates, but they are slower. Heavy karts are fast and have better offensive charge rates, but they have slower acceleration and are harder to handle.

– Every track has lots of Omni-Nodes — those glowing badges that look like Ben’s Omnitrix. Drive through one and get a special alien power to boost speed or attack and slow down opponents.

– Each character has an offensive power that blasts racers and hazards out of the way. Perform stunts to charge up your offensive power. Doing different stunts one after another gives you a combo bonus and charges your shield faster.

– Every character also has a defensive shield to block most attacks and prevent damage from some hazards. Drifting charges your defensive power.

– If you’re falling behind, driving through a pick-up might give you an Ultimate Omni-Node. When activated, it maxes out your speed and power for a short time, letting you gain on opponents and blow them off the track.

Games Guru: I’m not sure where you are, but did you get the horn from Bakkara? That allows you to break through walls. You can find Bakkara past the cave area.

Games Guru: It depends on what system you’re playing. Here are codes for the PC version:

1. Activate Ability To Put Portals Anywhere – Type: sv_portal_placement_never_fail # (1 or 0)

2. Activates Ability To Fly and Pass Through Walls – Type: noclip

3. Change Game Speed – Type: host_timescale # (default=1) [0.1 = 10% of original game speed, 2 = twice the original game speed, etc.]

4. Change Gravity Effects – Type: sv_gravity # (600=normal)

Games Guru: Sorry. I don’t have codes to this one. If I’m right about where you are, you have to get the Artifact Part in one of the cells first. Then, chase the blue-colored inmate until he falls, then put him in the Blue Cell. Continue on!

Games Guru: I assume you mean Bowser’s Block Party.

- When he’s a tornado, hit his gold cube five times.

- When he’s a cube, avoid his fire, then hit him five time in his gold cube.

- When he’s a snake, wait until he gets to the center and kick him, even though there’s fire. Do this three times, and you’re victorious.

BEST WII GAME

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

The action-filled puzzles, the touching adventure story of Link and Zelda, and the smooth way you fly on the back of your loftwing! All of these combine to create a world you’d have so much fun living in. Since creator Shigeru Miyamoto might be retiring soon, this could be the last great Zelda game of this era. Sure, there are some camera-angle issues. But overall, this is a superior game.

BEST XBOX 360 GAME

Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure (Activision)
Rated E10+

Skylanders heralds an amazing comeback for Spyro. The ambitious adventure story has all the cool elements of a role-playing game. But here’s the key: When you buy Skylanders, you can use your characters and your saved game on your pal’s system via the Platform of Power – whether it’s Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, PC or 3DS. And those computer-chip-enhanced action figures are nicely detailed, too.

BEST PS3 GAME

LittleBigPlanet 2 (Sony)

So many people these days want to be game designers. With LittleBigPlanet 2, you can make all kinds of games — from platformers to shooters to role-playing games. If that weren’t enough, the story mode featuring Sackboy and an intergalactic vacuum cleaner is one of the most engaging tales of the year.

BEST NINTENDO 3DS GAME

Super Mario 3D Land (Nintendo)

This Super Mario is just super inventive. From the get-go, the way the levels are designed make you smile and wonder, “How’d they do that?” The 3D works well (unusual for a 3DS system that has had its problems to overcome). And it’s the world’s greatest Mario in all his heroic, comedic glory.

BEST NINTENDO DS GAME

Professor Layton and the Last Specter (Nintendo)
Rated E10+

The Layton games always bust your brain. But they make you think while you have fun – and that’s hard to do. Here, you deal with a giant, long-fingered, dark specter as you solve the mystery of Misthallery. It makes you feel like you’re in a world that’s slightly creepy. But it’s one full of artistic graphics and superior music, too.

BEST COMPUTER GAME

Portal 2 (EA for Mac, PC)
Rated E10+

The great writing makes you laugh constantly. The puzzles leave you slapping your head, but always make you come back for more. If you love science fiction, Portal 2 lures you into its strange world, a world you don’t want to leave (well, except when you can’t figure out a puzzle). This is a game to savor; you never want it to end. A couple of puzzles each day did it for me and made my time with that excellent wit and sidekick Wheatley last even longer.

BEST MASHUP

Nicktoons MLB (2K Play for Kinect)

It’s really a game that’s pretty darn smart. Combining a vast selection of kooky Nicktoons characters like SpongeBob with real-life baseball players like Big Papi, it’s a total blast to play. It’s also probably the first game to let you pitch, bat and field by using Kinect. While it has a few flaws (sometimes it’s too easy), it feels like the real thing – in a hilariously inventive Nicktoons world.

BEST OVERALL SPORTS GAME (TIE)

NBA 2K12 (2K Sports for PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, PSP, PC)

There’s just so much to NBA 2K12. If you like old-school basketball superstars, you can match up Michael Jordan against Magic Johnson. If you’re a hardcore fan, NBA 2K12 lets you tweak and coach to your heart’s content. Go deep and start out before the draft as coaches interview you for a life in the pros. It only gets better from there.

NCAA Football 12 (EA Sports for PS3, Xbox 360)

In some respects, NCAA Football 12 is better than this year’s Madden. The attention to detail is admirable. When you type your last name in your profile, it not only goes on your player’s jersey, the announcer also calls your name when you play. You can play as your high school team, too. And that’s just the beginning.

BEST RACING GAME

Forza Motorsport 4 (Microsoft for Kinect)

Boy, is this a smooth game or what? You can play it casually and just use your hands as a controller to steer via Kinect. Or you can get as complex as you want and make it a real racing simulation. If you dream of being a racecar driver who travels the world for speedy adventure, this is the game for you.

BEST GAME FOR YOUR LITTLE BROTHER OR SISTER

Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster (Microsoft for Kinect)

You’ll have fun, too, as you play with your younger siblings in an interactive storybook. The graphics are like something from a fairy tale – beautiful and mysterious. Because many characters from the show are here, it’s a great way to start young kids out with games.

BEST WRAP UP OF A GREAT SERIES

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5 – 7 (WBIE for PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, 3DS, DS, PSP, PC)
Rated E10+

They didn’t reinvent the wheel, that’s for sure. But they didn’t need to. The last Potter books and films were pretty dark. But the intelligent people who made this game were able to add a humorous lightness to that darkness – without any dialog. That’s not a simple thing to do. Plus, the graphics, puzzles and magic are really terrific.

BEST MOVIE ADAPTATION (TIE)

Cars 2 (Disney Interactive for Xbox 360)
Rated E10+

Here’s a case in which I think the game was better than the movie. Full of thrills and spills, Cars 2 even has an enjoyable tutorial. Each Car has its own personality, and the addition of a spy story is often full of drama. The replay-ability is really high, so you have fun beyond the story mode. Too bad you have to pay to go online.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Game (Ubisoft for Xbox 360)
Rated E10+

Here’s another case in which the game sometimes exceeds the action within the movie. Before it was released, I had my doubts. After all, the Tintin movie is based on an old kids’ book that’s more popular in Europe than in the U.S. But the gamemakers combine a real love for boy journalist Tintin with some truly hair-raising adventures. The result is entertainment that’s as good as the movie – and, once or twice, even better.

BEST DOWNLOADABLE GAME

Bastion (Microsoft for Xbox 360)
Rated E10+

It’s almost worth buying a 360 just to play this little game that could. The big-voiced narrator is both dramatic and hip. The cool weapons do all sorts of crazy things. The music is so memorable, you’ll be humming it when not playing. The epic story and smart dialog is better than those in more expensive console games. If you haven’t gotten it yet, what are you waiting for?

BEST iPAD/iPHONE GAME

Contre Jour HD (Chillingo)

This little game that costs a buck is as much fun as Cut The Rope. But there’s something about that little one-eyed blob you control. It feels like a friend. That’s because its expressions change slightly as you play. On the surface, there isn’t much of a story here. But the soft, effective music and atmospheric artwork makes you feel there’s something bigger going on here.

GAME OF THE YEAR (TIE)

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Bastion

Runner Up: Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure

Runner Up: Portal 2

Games Guru: I can’t be positive from your description, but I think you’re talking about a Scorcher. Try getting him by using a fast Critical Strike.

Games Guru: Here are some codes:

- Control Animals: natural wonders
- Defeat Everyone: black death
- Destroy Individual Enemy Empire: torpedo# (# is which empire you want to destroy.)
- Fast Build: aegis
- Furious the Monkey: furious the monkey boy
- Instant Loss: resign
- Instant Win: i r winner
- Removes the fog of war: polo
- Reveals the full map: marco

LEGO HARRY POTTER: YEARS 5-7 WBIE for PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, 3DS, DS, PC; Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older. Gameplay: 8.5 Graphics: 8.5 Sound: 8.5 Replay Value: 8.5 Overall Score: 8.5 Pros: Lots of spell casting; fun puzzles to solve; beautiful environments. Cons: Repetitive gameplay; nonplayable characters get stuck on each other; no online play.

This finale to LEGO Harry follows the same blueprint that all the LEGO movie-based games do. Collect a ton of studs. Build bridges and vehicles to get from one place to another. Solve puzzles, such as finding an escaped toad for a wizard.

GETTING STARTED

Begin in a playground featuring some slides and a seesaw. Boy, are there a lot of studs in this small area.

It’s fun to use Harry’s wand to make toast of the environment and collect your LEGO pieces. And the zapping, crashing sounds along with the vibration in the controller help make the experience feel real.

Immediately, you find a helper in this first level to, in this case, help open the gate. Ron is helpful, too. His power lets you build or open things when they’re colored blue.

GETTING AROUND THE GLITCHES

There are a lot of LEGO people around, sometimes too many. In a small error of game design, these nonplayable characters can get stuck on one another. If that happens to you and they block your way, just bump into them to separate them.

It’s nice to see game designers devise new ways to use the Xbox’s processing power by adding so many characters to a crowd scene. But I really don’t know what purpose they serve beyond overpopulating places, such as a town square.

SPELLS AND SECRETS

The biggest fun feature in LEGO Harry is dueling with other characters. Use various spells depending on the weaknesses of your particular foe. And you need quick reflexes to win. Dueling was in the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean game, and I’m really glad it’s in Harry, too.

This LEGO Harry is darker and creepier than last year’s game, just like the last movies in the series. But there’s always some humor to temper the scarier moments. This is a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

And you’ll find more of the strange secrets hidden within once you finish the main game and return for Free Play mode. In fact, you’ll see that when you complete the primary storyline, you’re only 50 percent done. Go back and have some more fun!

While it’s not that different from the last offering, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 gives you a ton of enjoyable gaming. And you’ll meet 200 Potter characters along the way, a huge number.

If you don’t want to say goodbye to Harry just yet, here’s a fine way to spend time in his world — throughout the holidays and beyond.

The Games Guru reviewed LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 on an Xbox 360.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD Nintendo for Wii, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older Gameplay: 9.0 Graphics: 8.0 Sound: 9.0 Replay Value: 7.5 Overall Score: 8.7 Pros: It’s a brand-new Zelda; inventive ways to play; riding Loftwing. Cons: Jaggies on graphics show the Wii’s age; tips can be confusing; controls take getting used to.

Nintendo has brought you another thrilling serving of the silent hero Link’s mysterious epic adventures. This time, he travels between two worlds to rescue the lovely Zelda. (The reason it’s called Skyward Sword probably has something to do with the controls. You lift your Wiimote high over your head to the sky to get super sword power.)

RESCUING LOFTWING

Begin your escapade high above the clouds in a fantasy kingdom overseen by a beautiful ancient goddess. There’s an awesome monument high above the town. You must check out the goddess statue and explore its nooks and crannies to move forward in the game. You also meet the quirky townspeople along the way, including kids who want to bully you.

In the first hour or so, your primary goal is to rescue your beloved Loftwing, a giant red bird who is your loyal friend as well. You ride on his back for a competition — but you must free him from a well-hidden dungeon first. Tip: When Zelda comes to help you find Loftwing, don’t leave that green perch on the cliff (like I made the mistake of doing). Just look around there — carefully.

Soon, you’ll jump off a plank into the clouds. Don’t worry; you won’t die. Coming to your rescue is your trusty Loftwing. Take off on his back and fly down, down, down through a hole in the swirling clouds. It’s an exciting ride.

THE CHALLENGES

Skyward Sword comes packed with a soundtrack CD celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the Zelda game series. Another package features a special golden Wii Motion Plus remote. You need the precision of Motion Plus to, say, aim your sword properly when fighting bosses at the end of levels. But sometimes either your aiming or the device isn’t that precise. That causes you to lose a battle.

Like many of the Zelda games, the puzzles can be difficult, and that’s usually a good thing for the series. With Skyward Sword, Nintendo added a feature that lets you get a hint when you’re stuck. Just press down on the Wiimote’s D-pad.

Beware: The hints can be vague and confusing. At first, they can be more puzzling than the puzzles themselves. Early on, these hints can feel especially useless when you have to rescue a cute Kikwi from a tree. Tip: Roll into the trunk.

DESPITE GLITCHES, AWE-INSPIRING

Once you figure out the ins and outs of the game, the lands that you explore are vast and wondrous ones. Move through a treacherous volcano to get to the eerie Earth Temple where you fight the fiery-mouthed Scaldera. Feel awe when you travel to the Isle of Songs. Halfway through, explore the Ancient Cistern, defeat the six-armed Koloktos and get yourself a very useful whip.

Sure, the Wii is showing its age as far as graphics go (which is why there will be a new Wii next year). While Skyward Sword tries to give you the best graphics ever on the Wii, it still suffers from the jaggies. It’s a credit to the people at Nintendo that the story and game are so compelling, you don’t always notice the problems with displaying the artwork.

Despite its few glitches, Skyward Sword is the Wii game to get this season. With over 40 hours of play, it will keep you magically occupied for weeks on end.

What’s going on in this picture? What is this Scoutmaster doing and what is he thinking?

If you can think of a funny caption for this photo, just post it in the comment form at the bottom of this page. After we approve it, your funny caption will be on this page for everyone to read.

Thanks to “Michael S.” for this great photo. Have you taken a funny photo? Send it to us.

Click here to write captions for more funny photos.

Games Guru: What a great game! Here’s the key: Watch out for those eyes, and don’t let him spot you. You will have to blow up a big wall at some point. This will alert Scarecrow. Run and hide while he’s checking things out. Then, pass the wall and the bat signal on his back.

SKYLANDERS: SPYRO’S ADVENTURE Activision for 3DS, Xbox 360, PC, PS3, Wii. Rated E10+ for Cartoon Violence. Gameplay: 8.7 Graphics: 8.8 Sound: 8.5 Replay Value: 8.8 Overall Score: 8.8 Pros: A deep world, action figures store your powers, action figures work on other consoles. Cons: No online play, a few camera angle issues, dialog can be corny.

Combining a toy with a game is a good idea that might put new life into the Spyro series. That’s why I gave it a Boys’ Life E3 award back in June. But now that it’s out, is Skylanders all it’s cracked up to be?

Let’s find out. When you start with the console version of Skylanders, you’ll get a couple of movies telling you about this magical land that floats high in the air. You’re introduced to Master Eon, the wise old Skylander with a British accent who looks after The Core, the power source for this bright and happy country. Well, it used to be bright and happy.

When a hooded evil creep called Kaos brought his dark cloud over the land, Spyro and his gang tried to fight off his minions. And they did well. So Kaos went to Plan C and blew up The Core. Now, it’s up to you to restore calm to this peaceable kingdom.

EXCITING AND FUNNY, BUT CORNY

The story can be exciting and funny, full of tornadoes and weird monsters like Chompers. But it’s corny, too. Some of the things the characters say are just too dorky. And they sometime repeat themselves, yammering on about how you’re going to save them constantly.

Still, there’s so much to the story and game, you block this out as you play and level up. Skylanders isn’t really a platformer. It’s an action adventure with some role playing game elements. So as you get more powerful, you’ll get some kooky things, too, like a pot that’s a hat. And your weapons will get stronger, too.

If you’re really into exploring, the game will take a longer time to complete. So the replay value is high. But as you search the nooks and crannies, the camera angles sometimes block your vision. This doesn’t happen as you move through the main story. Mainly, it happens when you get obsessive and go hunting for hidden treasure chests and goodies that aren’t easily seen.

PORTAL OF POWER

But the big bell and whistle for Skylanders is that the game comes with three action figures. Each one has some intricate features. For instance, the three-inch Dark Spyro has red eyes with black pupils, white fangs and silver horns and wings.

Each of them has special abilities. For instance, the blue, fish-like Gill Grunt shoots water and can go into special areas like rushing waterfalls that are forbidden to those without water powers.

Also included is a Portal of Power that lights up. Plug it into the console. Boot up the game. Put your action figure on the platform. With a magical whoosh and some bright colors onscreen, Spyro is in your game. Over 30 other action figures can work with the game, too, if you choose to collect them all. It’s pretty darn cool.

Additionally, if you have the action figures that come with the 3DS, you can take them to your pal’s house, even if he has another format like the Xbox 360. All of the powers you’ve accumulated from playing the game on the 3DS are transferred as you play on the Xbox. These are smart toys that remember!

CHALLENGING IN A GOOD WAY

So how’s the game itself? At first, you think things will be easy. Shoot a few Chompers, collect the booty in treasure chests, move some turtles around to reach protected areas, and level up. But that’s just early on. As you go through the game, it gets harder. I was actually stymied for a while at a pretty difficult puzzle that asked me to move a bunch of square stones in exactly the right way to get to a portal. And if that’s in the first few levels, you know it’s going to get more challenging (in a good way).

Here’s a special note on the 3DS version. The game looks impressive in 3D as the towns in the sky come to life. The game doesn’t have the deep beginning and dialog to the story that’s on the console and PC versions. But the upside is, it gets you into the game more quickly. I also noticed that you have more powers right away, like the ability to jump and double jump.

Finally, the 3DS platform is powered by batteries, unlike the other versions which use the energy from the console. But some powerful batteries are included. (Yet why they added a screw on the bottom to put in the batteries, I’ll never know. It should just have been a latch. You have to find a screwdriver before you can play!)

Overall, this is a fine reboot to the Spyro series. The characters have so much personality and the world is so lovingly created, I bet there might be a TV show or movie based on the game sometime in the not-so-distant future. It’s a game that everyone can pick up and play. But it’s also one that takes some thinking to master. I’m not going to say it’s the perfect holiday gift, but it will be a really good present to have. And the 30 action figures? Some of you are going to want to collect all of them. I know you’ll be sending in questions about how to get past certain areas in Skylanders soon. Rest assured that my thinking cap is already on!

Games Guru: Here are some tips for the game based on the new movie:

– Use your experience points to upgrade often.

– Try to string special attacks together to quickly defeat enemies.

– Use the Claw ability to throw enemies into each other, and then use special attacks to damage multiple enemies at once.

– The Smash ability is great for destroying generators, drills and large guns.

– Scan all enemies to find their weaknesses.

– Think about what kind of enemies you’re facing before using the Mini-gun ability — that will give some enemies extra health.

– Call on your fellow Green Lanterns if you’re in a tough spot.

– Melee attacks won’t work on enemies with shields; you have to shoot the shields first.

– Ground pound can be very useful against small, fast opponents.

Pee Wee’s Nightmare! was created by Hamumu Software for Boys’ Life magazine.
Like it? Click here to play their other BL games.

Games Guru: No problem!
– Invincibility J46P7A
– Stud Magnet 6MZ56H
– Minikit Detector CSD5NA
– Glow in the Dark 4GT3VQ
– Regenerate Hearts 2D7JNS

Games Guru: Here are some tips:

– Be a Goalie: A GK who has his angles correct greatly increases chances of saving any shots that come his way.

– Personality+: Access players’ bio screens through team management to check out their strengths. Pay particular attention to the Badges, which highlight skills of your top players.

– 360-Degree Fight for Possession: Utilize the shield by holding “RT+no left stick direction” when you have a strong player in an isolated position. This gives teammates time to support you and might open up space for you to beat your mark if he gets impatient and tries to take the ball.

– Skill Move: Do the Cristiano Ronaldo Fancy Feet — hold LT pull the right stick back. Save the replay to show off to your friends.

– Pro Passing: With improvements to passing, it’s now more important to build up play in a controlled manner. Making risky one-timer passes with weak players might result in a turnover. Take a touch and turn in the direction of your pass to increase the chance of it finding its target.

– Creation Center: Create any player and build your dream team. Go to www.ea.com/soccer to browse teams and players that other gamers have created. Check the user rating of the team you want to make sure you’re downloading the best version.

Games Guru: After a three-year hiatus, the fine tennis series is back. Here are some tips:

– Andy Roddick has one of the fastest serve speeds. By using Advanced Serves with the Right Analog stick, you’ll be serving more than 130 mph in no time! Pull back on the stick to toss the ball up. When the ball is at the top of the toss, push the stick straight forward quickly to deliver a scorcher.

– Drop shots are a good way to catch your opponent off guard if they’re hanging back at the baseline. Hold down RT (RS on PS3) and hit X (Square on PS3).

– Serve-and-Volley players like Pete Sampras dominate the net game. Hold RB (R1 on PS3) while serving to rush the net, and you’ll be in a prime spot to quickly finish off the point.

– Tap B (Circle on PS3) to hit controlled top spin shots across the court and force your opponent to run down the ball. This is a good way to tire them out.

– Timing is everything. For maximum effect, release the shot button just as your player is about to swing.

– Some players are better with forehand or backhand. To switch to your better side, hold LT (L2 on PS3) to move to the far side of the ball and perform an inside-out shot.

– Eugenie Bouchard’s “Top Spin Invasion” ability increases the efficiency of your top spin shots every time you use them in a rally. Use these to run your opponent all over the court.

– Leveling up isn’t just for career mode. You can also gain experience points for your Created Player in Exhibition matches and online modes.

Games Guru: This year’s model has a cool hockey stick peripheral (with a foam tip, so nobody gets hurts). Here are some tips:

– Slapshots are hard to pull off in traffic; get open before winding up and taking a slapper.

– When trying to score in a shootout, move the Nunchuk control stick side-to-side rapidly for quick dekes.

– Skating down the ice isn’t just about speed: Try skating on a curved path if you’re struggling to get through traffic.

– When you have the puck on a breakaway with one defender, try a spin-o-rama with the B button.

– If you’re having a hard time earning Silver and Gold boosts in Peewee to Pro mode, increase the period length.

– In Peewee to Pro mode, pay attention to your coach’s feedback. The grades he gives you turn into experience points.

– If you have a Nintendo Wi-Fi connection, check online updates for the latest roster and schedule.

BASTION

Bastion reminds me of Mario because the characters are so darn lovable. There are lots of upgradeable weapons like those in Ratchet & Clank. The science-fiction story never lets up on adventure. And the dialog is full of a comicbook humor that just might make you laugh out loud.

BASTION Microsoft for Xbox Live Arcade Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older Gameplay: 9.0 Graphics: 8.7 Sound: 8.6 Replay Value: 8.5 Overall Score: 9.0 Pros: Great comic book feel; inspired use of game design; excellent, moving story Cons: Could use more online play; ending feels abrupt; great music, but repetitive

Early on, your weapons don’t do much. But by the time you’re halfway through the game, the things they do will make you go, “Wow!”

As The Kid, you’re a strong, silent hero. Your world needs help badly because a mysterious disaster called The Calamity has ravaged the world. It’s now populated by monsters with stealthy powers, like a strange gator that attacks you from underground. Your guide to unraveling the mystery is Rucks, who adds wit and warnings as you journey. Even in your darkest moments, he believes in you. In his deep, powerful voice, he says, “You ain’t in this alone. That’s a promise.”

What a great gaming experience Bastion is.

FRUIT NINJA KINECT

Fruit Ninja Kinect is one of those games that’s easy to play but hard to master. It’s done so well, you don’t even need instructions or tutorials. Your instincts tell you that all you need is arms that hack and slash.

FRUIT NINJA KINECT Microsoft for Xbox Live Arcade Gameplay: 9.0 Graphics: 8.5 Sound: 8.0 Replay Value: 9.5 Overall Score: 9.0 Pros: Fun, easy play; lots of modes; truly fun facts Cons: No online multiplayer; upgrades cost money; sounds could be better

All kinds of fruit are tossed up into the air, and it’s up to you to cut them. When they’re sliced, they make a satisfying cutting sound, something between a slurp and a smash. And you earn points as you go. Watch out for cannonballs. Hit one and your game is over. But avoiding them without missing a chop of the fruit will allow you to rack up a high score, which you can post online.

There are bonuses, too. At one point, I got to chop one piece of fruit 33 times to add extra points. After the game is done, you even get a fun fact about fruit. Did you know that some pear trees can grow in -40 degree temperatures?

Maybe it’s just that the idea of mixing a powerful ninja with fruit is funny. But I found that playing with a friend is really amusing to the point of laughing crazily. Just don’t chop too hard in case someone gets in the way!

Unfortunately, they’re charging Xbox Live points for upgrades to your ninja sword. They should be free. But you don’t need no stinkin’ upgrade to love this fun game. It really is a step forward for Kinect.

INSANELY TWISTED SHADOW PLANET

I’m not sure how to describe the look of this game. If I said the world was often black and white, you’d think it’s boring. Well, it’s black and white but often really exciting.

INSANELY TWISTED SHADOW PLANET Microsoft for Xbox Live Arcade Gameplay: 8.5 Graphics: 8.5 Sound: 7.0 Replay Value: 8.0 Overall Score: 8.2 Pros: Pilot a flying saucer; mysterious artwork; lots of powerups Cons: Can feel repetitive; could use a better tutorial; story needs fleshing out

The short intro has no dialog. But, to the tune of Star Wars-like dramatic music, you see a small, evil alien at a control panel. He’s changing a world full of brilliant color into one full of shadows and strange beasts and poisonous plants. And, lucky you – you’re dumped into this weird world.

You start out with a lowly flying saucer. But as you move through the nooks and crannies of the levels, your vehicle becomes bigger and stronger. And you get useful tools, like laser rays and a device that helps you move rocks. Plants bite or use tentacles to grab at you. Giant spiders try to stomp on you.

But don’t go too fast through these dark caves in an effort to escape. You might miss a cool upgrade hidden in the crevices or caves. If you do miss it, you can come back later. Just call up a map and check out the areas where you haven’t been.

As you move through the many environments, you’ll notice the game feels a little repetitive. But the whole idea of exploring the world in your own flying saucer is really engrossing in a Metroid kind of way. And the art style is so unique, it feels like a whole new world of scifi magic.

FROM DUST

It’s a little like the Pikmin series, except with a twist. In From Dust, you take control of a tribe that lives during a time when odd, dinosaur-like beasts roamed the world with humans. Your goal is to create a village oasis for the tribe, no small feat in a world full of natural disasters and crazy-large animals.

FROM DUST Microsoft for Xbox Live Arcade Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older Gameplay: 7.5 Graphics: 8.8 Sound: 7.5 Replay Value: 7.7 Overall Score: 7.7 Pros: Create your own civilization; timed missions; beautiful artwork Cons: Way too hard in many places; can’t opt out of timed missions; repetitive

To help your tribe survive, you can manipulate soil and sand to make dunes, mountains and hills. It’s a lot more fun, though, to take a big batch of steaming lava and move it to where there’s too much water. And you can move what amounts to a small plane full of water to where it’s needed (often near fire-breathing plants).

The lush world you make is often beautiful and so is the background music. But, whoa, if you don’t make a village or two and get to the end of a level in time, something like a tsunami roars in to take down the village you just created.

From Dust could have been an outstanding game. But the game makers made this one too hard!

Pedro and the Pearls of Peril was created by Hamumu Software for Boys’ Life magazine.
Like it? Click here to play their other BL games.

What’s going on in this picture? What is Pedro doing and what is he thinking?

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Games Guru:

- Use the A button to perform a quick 180° turn. It can save your life when you have to escape enemies quickly.

- Power-ups are scattered around in every mission. Look for them to gain temporary invincibility, Max Ammo or Unlimited Stealth Force Meter (which allows you to transform into Stealth Force form). These power-ups will also completely refill the associated meter.

- When driving a high speed in Vehicular Mode, you can double tap the transform button while steering left or right to perform a quick drift and turn faster.

- With the bigger characters like Optimus and Soundwave, you can ram into and destroy smaller enemies.

- Some weapons, like Ironhide’s Photon Frags, have a large area of effect. Use them to take out multiple enemies at once.

- In some missions, the goal is not to defeat all of your enemies. Pick your fights and concentrate on your mission objectives.

 

Games Guru: Poo Money happens, well, when you get on an animal and press a controller button. Say you have the Wii version. You press Z and the animal poops out silver or gold, which you can use as easy cash.

Walkie Talkie Disable can only be used if you’re a Battle Droid (Commander) or Imperial Spy in the Complete Saga game. Use the walkie talkie and it will give all droids a good electric shock for a while.

Super Gonk, also in The Complete Saga, allows the usually very slow Gonk Droid to go almost as fast as Sonic. Gonk can jump higher, too!

Is there a way to avoid enemy attacks without being a ghost?

Games Guru: You get to play as ghosts of characters after you complete the Story Mode in full. But there are many ways to avoid enemy attacks. For instance, try being an Astromech Droid in Free Mode.

How do you open the Bounty Hunter levels? I’m already halfway through the game and they still haven’t opened. Can you help me?

Games Guru: Keep going, young Jedi. You have to finish the whole game for the Bounty Hunter levels to open.

Thank you for your info on the Droid factory minikits locations, but I am having trouble finding the room that you use the droid to mix the colors. Can you tell me where it is? Thank you again.

Games Guru: Okay, you should be in the second section of the Droid Factory, right? Now, find the spot with the three wind generators on the floor. You will find a walkway heading south from the middle generator. Follow it, making sure to work any knobs or switches you may encounter. Now if you head east, you will find a grapple station. Zip up, shoot the target on the wall and use R2 to open the door.

On level V (of episode IV), I’m stuck in the beginning of the level after getting out of the garbage and getting into the room with all the empires. I can’t wave through once putting on the disguise helmet, and there are only 4 characters that level starts out with. PLEASE HELP!

Games Guru: You are talking about a fairly lengthy level, and I am not sure what part is slowing you down. If it is fairly early on, you may need to return to the levers and throw them a second and possibly a third time to get everything right for your escape. If you are talking about the end of the level, you will find LEGO blocks that you need to assemble then shoot. You will find the door to end that part of the level behind the blocks once you assemble and shoot them.

I am wondering if you can tell me where the minikits in episode two, chapter two – droid factory – are. I am missing one and I even have the minikit detector and still can’t find it. Can you help?

Games Guru: Minikit number 1 is in a canister at the beginning of the hall in the very beginning of this level.

Minikit number 2 is in the wall near the conveyor belts.

Minikit number 3 is in the room in which you use the droid to mix colors.

Minikit number 4 is on a high, high platform way above the main floor.

Minikit number 5 is in the astromech control panel not far from where you found minikit 4.

Minikit number 6 is in the first room with all of the hot lava/molten metal.

There is a door with a question mark above it. How do you get in?

Games Guru: Collect all of the mini-kit pieces throughout the game and a whole ton of Studs, and the door will open for you.

On the General Grievous level, how can I defeat him?

Games Guru: Here’s the easiest way out: When you are in Dexter’s Diner, go to Codes and enter: 4PR28U. That will make you invincible.Too easy? Beating Grievous is no easy task; it will require the combined skills of Obi Wan and Cody. Do jumping attacks to back Grievous up, then have Cody shoot objects that might explode around him. Should Grievous hide out of reach, use the Force to build platforms that help you get a good shot at him.

How do I get past the gunship level on episode 2?

Games Guru: You have to help me here. Are you in the arena? If so, destroy the giant orb in the middle. Hint: You can destroy the laser cannons in this part of the mission. In fact, destroying the cannons will lower the shields over the generator coils, and you can then go in, destroy the coils and finish the mission.

Oh, and did I mention that you should also destroy any enemy ships in the area before they destroy you?

This may sound tough but remember, every time you destroy something, the wreckage will likely give you a heart.

Can you give me a tip or two to pass Utapau: Seventh Level? I am absolutely, positively stumped.

Games Guru: Have you tried stepping on all of the tiles along the bottom and right sides of the room? Who knows what might open to you?

When you are in the room with the barrels, try dropping down the ledge.

Once the tables have turned and the clones are no longer working with you, try dropping off the ledge after the second turret.

What’s behind the door with the question mark, and how do you get in?

Games Guru: This door opens only after you achieve Jedi status on all levels in every episode. It will enable you to buy additional characters.

How do I unlock the bonus level?

Games Guru: By achieving Jedi status on every mission in the game.

Nicktoons MLB 2K Play for Kinect/Xbox 360, Wii, DS

That’s going to change when Nicktoons MLB is released on September 13.

The recipe is this: Take the photorealistic real-life players from The Bigs series of games. Then, add a team full of humorous Nicktoons characters, everyone from SpongeBob to Danny Phantom.

If that’s not enough technical wizardry for you, there are Kinect features like Distance Derby, basically a home-run derby mode. But it’s more than that; you can bat and pitch through a full game as well.

LOTS OF CHARACTERS, PLAYERS AND MORE

Here’s the big question: Do the wacky animated characters like the hilarious Fanboy and Chum Chum work well with the real-life sports heroes like Big Papi? Or does it all seem weird and fake?

Because so much work has been put into this game, the combination never seems odd. There are 300 major league players in the game. Most of the MLB players are presented in an almost photorealistic way.

Yet it’s not the superstars who give you the most joy. It’s the Nicktoons characters. All two dozen have their own unique way of walking to the plate. For instance, SpongeBob’s cohort Patrick always seems to fall down before he gets to the strike zone.

They play at a dozen venues, everywhere from Giants Stadium to Fenway Park and strange locations like an underwater baseball coliseum called the Poseidome, inspired by SpongeBob’s Bikini Bottom. My favorites are Danny Phantom’s wraith-filled Ghost Zone and Fanboy and Chum Chum’s Frosty Freeze Field (where you can homer a ball into the mouth of an abominable snowman).

ON KINECT

I previewed the game on Kinect, and while it’s a little strange to bat or wind up and throw a ball without holding a Louisville Slugger or a Rawlings, you get used to it. Batting is a little tough, but once you get into the groove of timing the pitches, it works well. In fact, it gets easy. (That means your dad won’t mess up.)

The most variety of movement using Kinect comes with pitching. There were at least three different pitches to choose from. Cup your hands as if you’re gripping the ball. Then, as you wind up, move your hand to the fastball or slider or curve ball area in red to your right. It’s pretty cool.

And the Kinect camera is very responsive to your movements – most of the time, though not every time.

Of course, you can play with the controller as well, when your arms get tired from batting and throwing. It’s too bad you can’t play as your Xbox Live avatar, though.

The one thing I couldn’t detect is whether or not each player has his own strengths and weaknesses. But I could see that each batter had a blue-colored batting area in the strike zone where you shouldn’t pitch to. Those were sweet spots that can result in a mammoth home run – and embarrassment on your part. That’s because GIR, one of the announcers, might call you out for your error. “You’ve got mashed potatoes for a hand!” snickers the scrappy robot.

COOL BONUS – AND VOTE!

As you play, you’ll unlock one of 54 baseball cards featuring characters from your favorite shows, some of which aren’t featured in Nicktoons MLB. All have fun facts on the back, and the occasionally funny one-liner. After loading the bases, I unlocked the Sandy Cheeks card. As I read the short nugget of information, I discovered that the perky squirrel that lives on Bikini Bottom has the world’s largest collection of acorn memorabilia.

Ultimately, there’s something uniquely imaginative about having so many different cartoon heroes on your team at the same time. You can’t hear the banter in the dugout, but you really wish you could.

Although the game won’t be released until Sept. 13, there’s a kind of All Star voting that you can participate in right now. You can choose the characters and MLB players who will compete online on the 13th in The Epic Showdown, a veritable battle of the ages. Here’s the link: www.2KPlayball.com

Nicktoons MLB will be released in plenty of time for the baseball playoffs and the World Series. If the game makers tweak it properly, it could be the coolest fantasy league you’ll find.

Ollie Goes to Town was created by Hamumu Software for Boys’ Life magazine.
Like it? Click here to try their other BL games.

Games Guru: Final Exam is just too complex to explain. But here’s Midterm 3: Make a reverse 180. Then do “follow that car.” Then do “don’t scratch your paint.”

Games Guru: A lot of the codes are for t-shirts. Here are two others:
Unlock Frank West: 83561942
Unlock Wesker: 72962792

Games Guru: You might want to pick up a strategy guide and then omit what you’ve done and what you haven’t done in the game. This is one thing that really annoys me about games. When you’re that close to finishing, you should get hints as to what to do to complete a game!

Do you know where some hard-to-find treasure boxes are?

Games Guru: This game has many, many treasure chests. Most are right in front of you. Some are harder to find. Here’s a clue for one of the early ones: After you get your first mirror shard in Moonlight Mansion, go through the brown door and you’ll find the chest with the Rainbow Map.

Games Guru: These should help:
– To select any level: CHEATO JIGGYWIGGYSPECIAL
– To get infinite health: CHEATO HONEYBACK

Games Guru: Win at the 10 worlds. For World 11, hit the secret red gates in both the Hollow Diamond and Converse stages. For World 12, after finishing World 11, get 2006 bananas in the main game.

NCAA FOOTBALL 12 EA Sports for PS3, Xbox 360 Gameplay: 8.7 Graphics: 8.0 Sound: 7.4 Replay Value: 9.0 Overall Score: 8.7 Pros: Road to Glory feels very real; Mascot Mash is hilarious; High School Mode! Cons: Occasional graphics glitches; far too much advertising; needs to feel even more exciting.

Arguably, college ball is a more exciting sport. When fans go wild in mutual appreciation of a touchdown play, it’s a roar of human power like nothing else.

So does NCAA Football 12 live up to the real-life experience? It comes pretty close, even though there are some issues.

THE TOUCHDOWNS

The first thing I did when I booted up the game was play Mascot Mash. Here, all of your players look like the enthusiastic mascot of your favorite college team, whether it’s LSU’s Mike the Tiger or USC’s Tommy Trojan. When you play four quarters of Mascot Mash, you get the feeling of an arcade game, maybe something like Big Head Mode in NBA Jam.

But mascot mode, fun as it is, is just window dressing to a varied game that can be extraordinarily deep. There’s strategic coaching and crucial player trading – if you want it. Or keep it simple by choosing from the limited number of plays you’re given, then passing, running, kicking and defending.

It all depends on how you want to play.

Another fun part of the game is the really cool Road to Glory. You’ll begin as a high school player. (They probably have your high school to choose from.) Type your name when you create a player, and that goes on the back of your jersey.

The announcer will even call out your actual name from time to time. Plus, as you progress and get better, you’ll get interest from colleges and even offers for scholarships. The background graphics aren’t all that and the players look older than teens, but it’s very exciting.

LEARN BY DOING

When you play the high school circuit, you have one play to choose from (unless you call an audible). It seems like the early portion of Road to Glory is kind of a subtle tutorial that doesn’t exactly tell you how to do things. It lets you learn by doing. It’s more fun than the tutorial that explains everything.

Once you’re done with your high school career, choose from a few scholarships offered from big colleges that want you as a second-string player. Or you’ll be first string at a smaller school.

I picked a scholarship to USC, where I had to practice, practice, practice passing against an amazing Trojan defense to please the coach. Despite my five-star high school career, practice before a game was the only way to get to play — eventually — on Game Day.

For some reason, NCAA Football 12 made me really want to get on the good side of the coach. So I practiced carefully to get experience points. It wasn’t easy! Every time the USC defense intercepted one of my passes, points were deducted.

For this review, I’ve concentrated on the Road to Glory mode. But there’s a lot more here.

In Dynasty Mode, you can work your way up as coach. Or you can just play the season. You can set one of 200 sounds for the pregame show. As you choose from nearly 400 plays, your goal toward making the bowls becomes more real. When you tackle defense, the strength of your hit has an impact on whether the runner or receiver goes down. If you’re not close enough to reach out and grab, you can lunge and leap to get your man. The list goes on.

THE FUMBLES

This doesn’t mean NCAA 12 is perfect. You will see frames drop, which results in the occasional jerky-looking movements. You will see words misspelled when you’re given hints that too often repeat themselves during long load times. And sometimes on 4th down in Road to Glory, the plays you’re given don’t include a field goal option – even if you’re close enough to kick it through the uprights.

When I first played, the EA server for playing online was not working. But then it worked fine.

And then there’s the rampant advertising. It seems to be everywhere, not only in banners around the field. Ads are part of score recaps and half-time, too. It’s really annoying, especially since the price of the game is $60. For those dollars, you’d think they’d limit advertisements. I just hope that there won’t be video commercials in games any time soon.

Despite these issues, NCAA Football 12 has moments that are far more electrifying than Madden. It doesn’t have the big football superstars with million-dollar contracts. But it has something that’s just as important: It has heart.

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Games Guru: These are the very rarest of Pokemon and are really hard to find. Here’s a simple way to find shiny Pokemon — but it takes patience, a ton of patience. When you find the area a Pokemon is in, save the game. Walk around until the Pokemon appears. If it’s not shiny, press L+R+Start+Select. This resets the game. You’ll have to keep doing this until the Shiny One appears – if you have the patience. Someone calculated that finding a shiny is about 1 chance in 8,000.

Dear Games Guru, do you have any other tips?

Games Guru: Here are a few that might help.

Snow Drifts. When winter hits Unova, explore as much as you can. Because of snow piling up, you can walk to aras that are inaccessible during other seasons. You’ll find plenty of new items and Pokemon!

Use TMs Wisely. Technical Machines now have unlimited uses. This can give you a wider spectrum of moves and help you overcome a difficult battle.

Make Friends, Help Friends. Black City and White Forest are the first version-exclusive areas in a Pokemon game. Going into a friend’s Entralink of the opposite version and speaking to the Trainers in their Black City/White Forest will sometimes let you bring that Trainer to your own town. New Trainers cause new items to appear at the shops in Black City or new Pokemon to appear in White Forest.

Striaton City Gym. Before challenging the leader at Striaton City Gym, accept the Pokemon offered to you in the Dream Yard. Upon reaching Castelia City later in the game, head to the first pier to receive a stone from the Scientist to evolve this Pokemon.

Heading to the Top. Enter the Battle Company building and work your way to a battle with the person at the back of the top floor to receive an Exp. Share.

Don’t Stay Off the Grass. Be sure to enter any shaking grass you see. Defeating the hard-to-find Pokemon that appear earns you extra experience points.

Are there any codes? If so, could you give me some?

Games Guru: I don’t have any codes yet. But here’s a good tip: You can get National Dex after defeating the Elite Four. Leave the house after the credits roll. Professor Juniper’s dad will appear to upgrade your Pokedex.

Games Guru: Peggle is a great game. But there are no shots to clear the board that I can find.

Games Guru: There are various way to solve it. Since I don’t know where you’re stuck, here’s a walkthrough video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FFjCRMqHjo

What are the codes for this game? I am going crazy looking for them!

Games Guru: There aren’t that many codes for this game. But type in Meteor to unlock the moon level. Type Time Machine to go to medieval times. And use the teleporter to find three secret levels.

Games Guru: It’s a little more complicated than collecting the emeralds.You then have to complete the X-Zone with all four characters. Then you can get to the Moon Zone, which is pretty cool. The boss there is a big robot, but he’s not that hard to beat. As for where the emeralds are, that would take a whole column to tell you!

CARS 2

When I first saw the Cars 2 game at a Disney event a few months ago, I thought, “It’s too familiar. It’s Mario Kart with Pixar characters.”

CARS 2 Disney for PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, DS Gameplay: 8.5 Graphics: 8.5 Sound: 8.0 Replay Value: 8.0 Overall Score: 8.5 Pros: Very nice re-imagining of the Cars characters. Imaginative levels. Excellent controls. Cons: Online play eventually asks you to pay. Can’t customize the Cars. Story could be better.

But when I play Cars 2, I see that it’s so much more. The experience is enjoyable beyond being inspired by Mario Kart.

A lot of this has to do with Pixar humor and attention to detail. While there’s not much story in Cars 2, the idea that you’re a spy agent of C.H.R.O.M.E. (Command Headquarters for Recon Operations and Motorized Espionage) who races all over to save the world is a good one. And you’ll get a few hearty laughs as you move from level to level to complete your spy training.

Every car you choose from is balanced for a different speed and power. More than 20 cars have their own unique personalities. They each look different: even the eyes on the cars move and react. The cars say things that are funny; even more important, they say them at the right time during the race. If you’re hit by another car, Lightning McQueen will say, “Hey, watch the paint job!”

A fairly lengthy (but interesting) tutorial tells you how to leap in the air, drift and use weapons. During this learning experience, you’ll see how nicely the controls are tweaked. All this makes for a smoother race – even when others are showering you with bombs and you’re spinning out.

Cars 2 is made by the same people who developed Toy Story 3, a real gem of a game. While Cars 2 isn’t as complex because it doesn’t have an open world to roam around in, you can still see how much the game makers cared about the characters – and your game play experience as well.

Cars 2 connects to World of Cars online. That means you can play for free for a while. But if you upgrade your cars, you’ll be asked to pay money. It’s nice that Cars 2 connects online. But in this day and age, the game should have its own online play. You should not have to pay more cash to play.

Overall, though, this is a fine racing game, one that you’ll enjoy before and after seeing the Pixar movie.

KUNG FU PANDA 2

In Kung Fu Panda 2, you are the panda warrior. In the Kinect version – which I reviewed – without a controller, you kick, punch and block with your body in front of the controller. You vanquish all manner of cartoon beasts.

KUNG FU PANDA 2 THQ for Kinect/Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS. Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older Gameplay: 6.8 Graphics: 6.5 Sound: 8.0 Replay Value: 7.0 Overall Score: 7.0 Pros: Fun to do Kung Fu moves. A variety of things to do. Kinect is a great controller. Cons: Game doesn’t seem finished. Characters’ lips don’t move in synch. Long load times.

First, you start with tutorials, which actually can be fun. The first time Po the Giant Panda moves when you move is pretty cool. You almost feel as if you have another identity.

But is there enough game inside to keep you going? I was surprised to see that Panda 2 isn’t a collection of mini games. There’s a story to it that mirrors the movie.

But there’s a problem. As you go from story to game play, there’s a lot of time spent waiting in between. And then there’s the time wasted waiting for the game to save. To play, then wait, then play, then wait is kind of jarring. So you sit there looking at a scene and realize the characters’ mouths don’t really move in time with the dialog. And sometimes the dialog is cut off as the scene ends.

Despite this, Panda 2 can be fun. Kicking and punching strange animals that act like humans gives you a good workout, too. Sometimes, you even get to call your other Kung Fu Panda pals to help you out.

And, for variety, you race in a rickshaw, which sometimes soars in the air off a platform.

But the game is really slowed down by the lack of great animation, the sluggish load times and the uneasy change from story scenes to gameplay. Overall, Kung Fu Panda 2 was a fine idea that suffers from not being quite polished enough. Rent it first to see if you want to own it.

TRANSFORMERS DARK OF THE MOON: STEALTH FORCE EDITION

Since the new Transformers movie is in 3D, I took a look at the 3D game version of the big mech summer blockbuster. And with the 3DS, you don’t have to wear glasses! You can’t say that about the movie.

TRANSFORMERS DARK OF THE MOON: STEALTH FORCE EDITION Activision for Wii, 3DS, DS. Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older. Gameplay: 6.5 Graphics: 7.0 Sound: 6.5 Replay Value: 7.0 Overall Score: 6.5 Pros: 3D looks good. It’s kind of like a demolition derby. Uses various weapons. Cons: 3D doesn’t appear in story scenes. Controls aren’t great. You can’t transform into a robot.

So it’s a slam dunk, right? Well, not exactly.

You’d think a movie story in which the main characters have to defeat big robots would be full of cool action and a thrilling story – and big robots.

But the story sequences aren’t in 3D. That really takes you out of the experience.

And you can’t even transform into one of those giant robots. You just have bigger, better weapons on your vehicle.

The game begins in a parched desert area. In a moment, you’re asked to infiltrate the Decepticon fortress base. But you first have to deal with other cars that are out to get you. In the 3D screen, you see directly ahead of you. It does display a lot of 3D-ness. On the bottom screen, you have radar.

As you play, you can move around and transform into Stealth Mode to shoot strong weapons at the many Decepticons that have their sights on you. But the Stealth Mode runs out quickly. When it runs out completely, you have to start the level over again.

Often, by the time an audio cue suggests that you drive over more icons of health, you’re a second away from failing the mission. Sometimes the audio cue gives you a little more time, but overall I think this voice from above is misplaced. It should give you a shout out much sooner.

Also, the difficulty ramps up too quickly. Partially, that’s because there are two different control modes, which is confusing. When you’re in Vehicle Mode, you drive forward and steer with the circle pad and shoot with the B button. But when you’re in Stealth Mode with those bigger weapons, you have to steer with the bumper buttons, drive forward with the circle pad and shoot with two other buttons. It’s annoying to make this switch constantly – especially when you’re always under attack.

Still, there are 18 cars from which to choose, and the battlefields look very good. The game makers’ original idea of making Transformers into a giant demolition derby is a fun idea.

It’s too bad that those amazing, giant robots aren’t in the game. And the controls make this harder than it should be. Definitely rent this before you buy.

Games Guru: You should not have to use the muzzle, as there should be other choices for guns. Here’s how to get both bears: Make sure you’re standing and ready with your gun before you see the bear. Now run to the right where the hill is and take a shot to slow the other bear down. That should allow you to get close enough for another shot.

Games Guru: You should be able to get the second and third hammers in the same area. Before you enter TeeHee Valley, you’ll see a gate you need to pass through. Once past it, you’ll find a cave. Inside, you will find the brothers, ready to forge your two hammers.

When I fight Bowletta and get eaten by her, and then face Cackletta’s ghost and she shoots lasers out of her eyes, I die. Can you give me some hints on how to beat her?

Games Guru: Beating Cackletta’s Ghost is not easy, but here is a clue that may help. Watch Cackletta’s eyes. When she looks up, keep Mario and Luigi low. When she looks down, her eyes will start to glow before she fires those awful lasers. This should help.

BOYS’ LIFE BEST OF E3

Here are the Games Guru’s picks for the best stuff to be found at the 2011 E3 gaming conference.

Game of the Show: Batman: Arkham City (WBIE)

There’s just so much here. You seem to be able to travel anywhere in Gotham City to get the many bad guys in this big, big story. In my demo, I tracked down the Riddler in a game full of action and intrigue. You can even grapple a helicopter to take you around the city and get an amazing view.

Most Promising Cross Platform Game: Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure (Activision)

It’s a toy. It’s a game. And it brings you back to the world of Spyro the Dragon. The package is a big one. It comes with the game, three action figures, a poster and the power platform that lights up. You can play it on just about any game machine, too. The 32 collectible action figures are so detailed and the game world is so compelling, can a movie be far behind?

Most Promising Movie to Game: The Adventures of Tin Tin: The Secret of the Unicorn (Ubisoft)

This adventure game is so big that Steven Spielberg, the winter movie’s director, made a video to extol its virtues at E3. But Tin Tin is a charming game about a boy reporter that’s full of action on the high seas, in the air on a plane and through the desert on a motorcycle.

Best Comeback: Rayman Origins (Ubisoft)

This Rayman game is so much more than a platformer. And what a magical, inventive game it is. It starts off easy, then gets harder and harder. Do you have what it takes to beat it? You will if you play co-op with your pals.

Most Promising Kooky Sports Game: Sonic and Mario at the London 2012 Olympics (Sega)

The fantasy games make this cool. For instance, you don’t throw the discus. You ride on it and collect golden rings. And who doesn’t like Sonic and Mario characters together in one game?

Best Downloadable Game, PlayStation Network: Journey (Sony)

Journey is an amazing experiment. There’s no dialog at all. But the desert world is beautiful, and the mystery you encounter as you slide along the desert sand is compelling. Finally, the music is otherworldly. Just one brilliant game.

Best Downloadable Game, Xbox Live: Bastion (WBIE)

Oh, man, is this a game I didn’t want to stop playing. It’s part platformer, part RPG and all personality. The funny comic-book-type narration is cool enough to make the price of admission worthwhile. But really, it’s the 20 or more hours of gameplay that make Bastion a bargain.

Most Promising 3DS Game (Nintendo): Luigi’s Mansion 2

I love Halloween games, and this will be full of spooky thrills. It’s always great to see Luigi get some props because Mario always steals the show. Go, Luigi!

Biggest Question Mark: Wii U (Nintendo)

When the Wii premiered, everyone got the idea without having an explanation. Plus, Nintendo needed a new console because the GameCube was so old school. Wii U is like an iPad as a controller with a Wii base. But why should we want it as a replacement? One reason is that games will be HD. But exactly why is it cool? Nintendo needs to explain that.

Most Promising Kinect Game: Kinect Disneyland Adventures (Disney Interactive)

If you ever wanted to meet the great Disney characters, play games with them and hang at Disneyland, this disk will immerse you in that world. It’ll be great to fly like Peter Pan!

Most Promising Peripheral for Kinect: Nyko Zoom

It’s simple. It lets you stand closer to the Kinect if you don’t have a lot of space. Everyone with a small living room will be so happy.

Most Promising Quirky Cool Game: James Noir’s Hollywood Crimes (Ubisoft)

This game was so hidden at E3, I had to search for it like an Easter egg hunt. The idea is brilliant. Combine a detective story with a game show with fun puzzles to solve, and you have the quirkiest game at E3. This one really should have been given more space to shine.

Coolest Celebrity Appearance: Dwight Howard

Sure, there were tons of celebrities at E3. But Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard stole the show by being humble and gracious when he promoted an upcoming exercise game for THQ called MiCoach. The sports world needs more honest people like Dwight.

DAY 3: GAMES GALORE

On the convention floor at E3, there are so many thousands of people, you sometimes think it’s New York City at rush hour. And what a rush it is. Everyone’s hurrying to get from one booth to the other to check out as many games as they can.

And you have people paid to dress up in all sorts of costumes at the booths, everyone from Harley Quinn for Batman: Arkham City (which is going to be an awesome game with lots for the Caped Crusader to do) to a very blue Sonic to everyone’s favorite plumber, Mario.

Phineas & Ferb

As the afternoon approached, I saw a huge line outside the Disney booth. Signing autographs were the creators of the TV’s wackiest and most popular cartoon series, “Phineas & Ferb.” I spoke with Dan Povenire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, who are really excited about their new movie and game, “Phineas & Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension.” (There will be more “Phineas & Ferb” news in BL soon.)

Spyro

Activision isn’t forgetting kids this year. They’re offering up a bold experience that combines the Spyro the Dragon universe with cool, detailed action figures. Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure asks you to put, say, a small figure of Spyro on a lighted platform that connects to your console. Place the toy on the console and press down. Magically, it’s transported into a colorful world of wonder, one full of battles and kooky characters.

But there’s more. Say you have an Xbox 360 and your pal has a Wii. Your action figure stores your saved game. Then, you can take your figure to your pal’s power platform to play at his house. Pretty cool – especially because there are dozens of figures to collect, each with special powers in the game.

Journey and Bastion

While you already heard about Sony’s press conference, inside their mammoth booth was a strange adventure game that was also relaxing to play. Journey for the PlayStation Network is made by the same company that gave you Flow and Flower. This time, the experience takes place in a mysterious desert. You move through the barren areas, sliding on the sand and flying over the landscape to investigate ancient structures that have a key to an odd mystery.

Another small but amazing game is called Bastion. It’s a platformer with role-playing elements that wins because of its comic book-like and very humorous narrator. He’s got this big, booming voice, full of personality.

LEGO and Zoom

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5–7 takes on the darker elements of the famous book and movie series. But they’ve kept the game light by adding doses of humor to some of the sadder and creepier portions of the story. Like Years 1–4, it’s going to rock.

If your living room is small or just has a lot of stuff in it, Nyko has a pretty amazing idea for Kinect. Zoom is a plastic magnifier that fits over Kinect. It lets you cut the space you need to play by 40 percent. It’s a really useful idea.

While this isn’t the most exciting E3 I’ve ever been to, it’s been a strong one with lots of important news and some truly imaginative games.

DAY 2: NINTENDO NEWS

The lights went out and it was all Zelda. The big Nintendo press conference at E3 didn’t begin with a speech or statistics about how well the Wii is doing. It began with a full orchestra and a powerful choir — all doing Legend of Zelda songs.

It’s the 25th anniversary of Zelda, and this rich tribute in music lasted 20 minutes. It included an appearance by the great creator himself, Shigeru Miyamoto. Everyone went wild when Nintendo announced the release date of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword as this fall.

There was also some 3DS news, including a new Luigi’s Mansion that will come out this Halloween. What was shown on the big screen was full of ghosts and mummies. The game will offer several mansions to explore with that crazy vacuum cleaner.

Bigger news: Wii U

But, of course, there was bigger news to come. The new Nintendo console isn’t called Wii 2. It’s called Wii U and will probably be released in November 2012. There’s no price yet, but my guess is that it will be priced at around $300 or $350.

So what’s new? Wii U will present games in HD. That means future Zeldas and Super Mario Galaxys in crisp, clear high-definition graphics.

Wii U is totally going to be worth the wait. The Nintendo bigwigs said the “U” is used in the name because the letter is supposed to evoke unification and uniqueness. What it’s really about is a new-ish way to play games.

That experience starts with an iPad-like device with a six-and-a-half inch touchscreen placed on a wireless, white controller. There’s also a Wii-like console that sits near your TV set. Wii U will play your old Wii games, too, but probably not GameCube games.

After the press conference, I was one of the first to get my hands on Wii U. There were no full games to play because the device is still in development. But some of the demos I played showed off bells and whistles that will change the way you play games.

The Wii U Lowdown

Mii Chase, for instance, is a four-player game in a maze. I held the tablet controller. The three others held traditional Wii controllers. Since my controller had a screen, I could see the whole maze from a bird’s eye view. They couldn’t. With a 15-second head start, I began to find hiding places within the vast maze as the other three tried to track me down. But they couldn’t see where I was — unless they saw me briefly on the TV screen as I ran through the maze.

This experience showed off the cool advantage of using a screen that’s twice the size of the 3DS, and not that heavy either.

I also checked out a demo called Shield Pose. A bunch of pirates were shooting arrows at me, and I used the tablet to block them. It had to be done in a kind of musical rhythm, so it wasn’t that easy!

Wii U also allows you to switch from the TV to play on the controller screen if someone in your family wants to watch something on TV. Then, you can switch back when they’re done.

Yet Wii U doesn’t seem like the groundbreaking device that the original Wii has been — yet. It feels and looks like an iPad connected wirelessly to a console. Maybe that’s because Nintendo didn’t reveal all of its functionality. For instance, will it be connected to the Internet for multiplayer? Also, the tablet controller looks like it might be too big for small hands. And it’s complex, too, with a lot of buttons in addition the touch functions. One game maker said it is the “Swiss Army knife of controllers.”

Nintendo has a ton of time to reveal its full plans for world domination with Wii U — and to blow us away with cool snippets and secrets all the way up to launch time. But a little more information would have gone a long way at the press conference.

DAY 1: KINECT AND SONY NEWS

E3 is like the most amazing carnival you’ve ever seen. For four or five days each June, downtown Los Angeles is transformed into a videogame circus. It’s noisy. It’s crazy. And it’s very magical, too.

The first act into the circus ring this year was Microsoft. So many new games were shown on a giant high-definition screen, it was hard to keep track of them.

The big news from Microsoft is all about Kinect. Last year, Kinect seemed like a Nintendo Wii clone: mini games without the controller. This year, Microsoft is going deeper. It really seems like Kinect can do a limitless number of things.

For instance, you’ll see Madden, FIFA and PGA games make use of Kinect soon. These are all intense simulation games, not games like Wii Sports that are easy to pick up and play. Can Electronic Arts and Microsoft make these harder games easier to play without a controller without sacrificing deep gameplay? I can’t wait to find out.

And say you’re playing a Star Wars game and want to know more about Star Wars. Via Kinect, you can search with your voice on the Xbox 360. Just say “Star Wars,” and all the games, cartoons and movies will come up on your screen for you to check out.

Speaking of Star Wars, there’s a pretty intense Kinect version of the George Lucas-made sci-fi world coming to the Xbox 360. Lightsaber fighting and Jedi adventures without a controller? Count me in!

And if you love Disneyland, you just might like Disneyland Adventures. Using Kinect, you get to fly like Peter Pan and even fight Captain Hook. This looks like a winner for kids of all ages.

Later, Microsoft showed off something smaller for Kinect that struck me as the ultimate way to personalize your avatar. You can soon have Kinect scan your body to create your avatar, right down to the graphics on the cool t-shirt you’re wearing. It looks a lot more like you than the avatar now created with your controller, that’s for sure. The possibilities here are endless. Imagine scanning your customized skateboard and putting it in a game.

Sony rocked, too

Not to be outdone, Sony had its own carnival in the evening. It took a while, but Sony’s big boss, Jack Tretton, apologized for the recent PlayStation Network hacking. Then, he got to the games.

This fall’s new Uncharted 3 for PS3 looks like an action movie with some Indiana Jones thrown in for good measure. Usually, I’m a good note taker. But there was so much action on the churning high seas and elsewhere, I forgot all about it. This is one game that truly takes you into its world. It will have 3-D capabilities, too.

Sony’s biggest news was about its new PSP. It’s now called PSVita, not NGP (New Generation Portable). And, boy, it’s so powerful that the graphics almost look as good as those on the PS3. Just wait until you play ModNation Racers and LittleBigPlanet on it.

You’ll be able to use button or touchscreen controls as you play. And you can use them in any combo that you desire. With ModNation, watching an alpine village rise from the screen after a few swipes of the fingers was an awesome experience.

PSVita will cost $249 when it’s released in time for the holidays. If you want a version that’s constantly connected to the Internet using 3G, it’s $300. Those are fair prices.

But don’t forget the PS3 and the Move. A game called Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest takes you through a world full of hordes of humorous skeletons, insane puzzles and dimly lit dungeons. It’s all controlled with the Move, everything from sword fighting and moving gears to solve puzzles.

LEGO PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN Disney Interactive for PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, DS, 3DS, PC Gameplay: 8.0 Graphics: 8.0 Sound: 7.5 Replay Value: 8.0 Overall Score: 7.7 Pros: Relive action from all the movies; fun swordplay and barrel rolling; many characters. Cons: Puzzles sometimes are too easy; game can feel repetitive; no online multiplayer.

SAME OL’ LEGOS, BUT FUN!

While the game is very good at times, they haven’t improved the patented LEGO gameplay very much. When you’ve played everything from LEGO Star Wars to LEGO Harry Potter, you notice that the way they are constructed doesn’t change much from game to game. You kind of wish they’d do something completely different, at least for part of the game.

Having said that, it still can be a lot fun, especially for fans of the movies.

You start out with a long movie-like scene that introduces the elegant tall ships and the high-seas adventure that’s in store. Then you meet Jack Sparrow, who falls down into a fireplace and burns his behind (which he cools off in a bucket of water). Immediately, you’re into some puzzle play, and you even have to use a horse to help you move a giant gear or two.

But the authorities catch Jack, and you have to bust him out of jail. Here, you have to switch off to inhabit a character on your team that’s a dog. Supply him with a nearby bone to help Jack. Once outside, the views are awesome: the beach, the piers, the water, everything sparkles. Tip: Go swim in the ocean to get an early achievement for the Xbox 360 version. But watch out for the giant shark.

Of course, you collect those famous studs and, for this game, ships in a bottle as you play. You’ll make all sorts of things: planks to walk on, pieces of boats, platforms to jump onto and more. One of the early features I really enjoyed was getting on top of a barrel and rolling it to a contraption with pulleys and using the barrel as a kind of gear to open a door. You also get to zipline to a ship, which is a thrill.

CHALLENGES, CHALLENGES

Try to get everything you can in an area before you move on. At one point, I couldn’t return to an area to finish up. (I like to get 100 percent of everything in LEGO games, and I only got 80 percent.) Don’t worry about getting everything in the first go around. Once you finish a level, you’ll unlock free play and get more stuff when you play the level again.

One of the things you might have found in the Pirates movies is that the plots are difficult to follow. That’s even more the case here with the video game because LEGO characters don’t talk. So you if you want to know what’s going on, watch the movies again. Or look at a synopsis on Wikipedia.

When you play Sparrow, you can pull down a compass full of his added abilities. And you have 70 characters to use during 20 long levels before you’re done. Then there’s more with the Free Play option.

You also get a couple of cool extras inside the game box. While the game booklet isn’t worth a fake gold doubloon as far as a tutorial or real game info goes, there’s a playing card inside with a code on it. It allows you to download some goodies.

COOL 3DS VERSION

It’s worth mentioning that the 3DS version of LEGO Pirates is nearly as good as the console versions. The graphics, which are just as detailed, have the added sweetness of depth (which is great for viewing the high seas and ghosts, too). And the 3DS tutorial is really good. In fact, it’s much better than those for the console versions.

Fighting can be a little different, though. You press buttons in the same order as they appear on the screen as you duel it out with swords. There are some items and parts of the environment in the console versions that are missing from the 3DS version. But you don’t really miss them much. Overall, the 3DS version gives you just as much bang for the buck.

While LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean isn’t quite the treasure I expected, it’s still a pretty deep experience. You’ll love the funny way Jack Sparrow moves – with his hands raised up and leaning back on his heels, almost as if he’s going to fall over. And you’ll enjoy playing with a pal on the console versions.

With a couple of reservations, it’s a Yo Ho Ho of a game.

Games Guru: Try using Aqua and Ventus. When Vanitas heads after you, a mountain is probably behind you. Get up against the mountain and keep running. Use the Strike Raid power again and again.

Games Guru: Just like Wii Bowling, a good tip is to hit the headpin on the sweet spot to the right or left. On the 360, Kinect Sports features a good bowling game. For the PS3, High Velocity Bowling offers various characters with various styles. And you can try Polar Bowler online – for free.

Games Guru: What a great RPG. Here are some tips:

For fast money and exp, find the Gold Golemin the “pit” area outside of Gleeba in the desert. He’ll give you more than 500 gold pieces. Battle Metal Slimes for experience in the Quarentomb. If you find Liguid Metal Slimes in the dungeon beneath the stone villages, you’ll get 40,000 Exp for each one you kill. Hit them with Warrior Cry to keep them from moving around.

In Dourbridge, you’ll find a hidden shop with armor and weapons. Get the Ultimate Key, look behind to the overpriced item shop. Open the cage door, go downstairs and you’ll find the store.

What’s going on in this picture? What is this parakeet doing and what is he thinking?

If you can think of a funny caption for this photo, just post it in the comment form at the bottom of this page. After we approve it, your funny caption will be on this page for everyone to read.

Thanks to “Jellydoe” for this great photo.

Click here to write captions for more funny photos.

Games Guru: If you haven’t already, try this one for alternate jerseys: bcxkg8fkx3h4m3p5

Games Guru: If you mean the grizzly, there is extra ammo around the ledge. So shoot at him as you move and collect the ammo as you go.

I can’t find the tigers in India. Can you help me by telling me where they are and how to get them with the blow-dart gun?

Games Guru: There are four tigers in India. I’ll help you with the first two.

Go to the southeast portion of the map. There, you’ll get a tranquilizer gun (not a blow-dart gun). Remember where you hunted the hyenas? There, after some trees, you’ll spot a field with tall grass and bushes. When you walk into it, a tiger jumps out to attack another animal. To the west of where you got the tranquilizer gun, you’ll see a big hill. Go up the hill and head southwest. You’ll see a ruined building. As you move closer, a tiger appears from the ruin itself.

Games Guru: When he tries to inhale you, but not before, you have to spray him with paint or thinner – whichever you choose.

Games Guru: I think these guys are called Elites. They’re at the end of the level. If that’s the case, check out their masks to figure out which element will defeat each one. When the mask drops, you can kill them easily.

NASCAR The Game 2011 Activision for PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 Gameplay: 6.5 Graphics: 7.5 Sound: 6.5 Replay Value: 7.0 Overall Score: 6.5 Pros: Has potential for next year; many modes; cars are nicely modeled. Cons: Play isn’t well-balanced; online play has issues; doesn’t feel real too often.

This isn’t an arcade game. It’s a simulation that let’s you tweak the most minor detail – including your engine and the amount of air in your tires.

And, boy, the opening video sure gets you in the mood. You feel like you’re in the middle of the big pack, and when a car flips and comes at you, almost like you’re in one of the Transformers movies. And the rock music before your first race really gets your heart pumping.

PUT ON THE BRAKES

But when you start career mode, the complex tutorial becomes confusing. How exactly do you rewind and turn back time if you crash? It’s really uncertain. You’ll figure it out as you play, but it’s not explained well.

Then, when an announcer gets you psyched about your first race, the bird’s eye view from above Daytona shows something that’s somehow lonely. You should see what you really see at a NASCAR race: tons of people having a great time, many camped out inside the racetrack itself. All you see are cars or buses on the inner track. It’s like everyone left to do something better.

CATCH A DRAFT

Once you begin the race, you immediately feel like a fool. You’re really not a fool. It’s just that the game is so unbalanced, the difficulty ramps up way too early.

The key to winning a race is to follow behind another car and catch its draft for a few seconds. You’ll see a spike of energy build up in a meter. Once it’s built up, you can race forward past another car, and another and another.

That’s not too easy to do, however. And it should be easy early on because you have to get used to the controls, not to mention pro racing itself. Later, I found that I could adjust the game’s ease of play. But even that was hard to find, so that initial hour or so of difficulty soured me.

THE GOOD STUFF

There’s a lot in this game: tons of pro racers, two good announcers and lots of trivia during the long load times before each race. Radar shows you where the other cars are, either behind you or to your side. There’s a Draft Indicator that tells you when to slingshot in front of the next car. There are many modes, including online (which also has issues).

And there’s your spotter who, in a calm voice, gives you hints on how to progress in a long race. But often his words come late. If you hit the wall, it takes him a few seconds to respond. That doesn’t seem real, and it takes you out of the game.

BUYER BEWARE

NASCAR 2011 The Game has potential for next year. At its core are the makings of a solid game. But what should be the heart-pounding, tense thrill of racing in the pack often becomes a worry that you haven’t stayed in the draft. Too many times, you get left far behind, never to get the draft again.

Rent this one first to make sure it’s for you.

Shift 2: Unleashed Electronic Arts for PS3, Xbox 360, PC. Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older Gameplay: 8.0 Graphics: 8.5 Sound: 8.0 Replay Value: 9.0 Overall Score: 8.5 Pros: Very well-balanced; exciting to play; Helmet Cam. Cons: A little repetitive; option to buy upgrades stinks; drifting is too hard.

On the other hand, you have to give kudos to the people who made Shift 2: Unleashed. They take what could have been a scary, crash-filled experience – racing at night – and make it really thrilling.

STRONG START

Right from the beginning, you know you’re in for something special with this arcade and simulation combo. The opening movie is full of hot graphics and stop-action video. Soon, you find that it’s easy to tweak the game to your level of expertise because the options screen pops up before you play.

Then, Formula Drift champion racer Vaughn Gittin Jr. takes you through the tutorial like a great teacher: He gets you excited, but you learn a lot, too.

And even if you don’t adjust the options to your play level, the game will do it for you after your first race. That’s important because it not only prevents crashing into walls, it also makes for a deeper, more enjoyable experience on the tracks.

MAINTAINING MOMENTUM

One of the early three-minute races is a little frightening, with a lot of twisting curves before the straightaways. And somehow, those three minutes shine because you seem to see everything around you perfectly.

Your goal is to move up the ranks to become the winner of the FIA GT1 Championship. As you race, you’ll collect XP and eventually move to the next circuit. You’ll get fake money to buy new cars and receive gifts like paint jobs, too.

With the Helmet Cam function, you can see what a real driver sees as he races. You can follow behind arrows on the road to achieve the fastest speed. (Or you can turn the arrows off for more realism.)

When you’re experienced and ready for a tough challenge, turn on Elite Handling for new excitement.

CHECKERED FLAG FINISH

Because Shift 2: Unleashed is a well-balanced game, you never get winded or bored. You just seem in the zone and ready for more. Ultimately, almost everything about the game feels alive – the people mingling on the tracks, the flags tugged by winds and the constantly revving sounds of other drivers trying to beat you.

I don’t like the fact that the drifting challenges are too difficult and that you have the option to buy upgrades with real money. (You’ve already paid $60 for the game! It’s insulting to ask you to spend more.) These are minor problems, though.

Overall, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Games Guru: Hmmm. You might have missed something. Take a look at this video and make sure you’ve done everything:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E85y0n9WKxg

Games Guru: I would need to know exactly where you’re stuck to help. But this walkthrough might help you out:
http://www.mahalo.com/sonic-colors-walkthrough/

Games Guru: Here are some tips that might help:

To master tight turns, pick a sponsor banner on the side of the track as a reference point to hit the brakes. That way, you’ll always turn at the right speed on that track.

In freestyle, bonus time is the time to go for broke. Take every jump as if it’s the last one. Breaking down or getting stuck upside down doesn’t end the freestyle run, but it does forfeit the bonus time, so respawn only when necessary.

You can steer with the front AND rear wheels. Use this to your advantage by turning both together for tight turns and doughnuts.

Rear steering lets you save your truck from rolling over and being stuck on its side. Turn both front and rear wheels toward the sky and power out back onto all four wheels.

During circuit racing, use big jumps outside as shortcuts.

After a jump, get under control before turning or hitting the gas. The tires and suspension will cause secondary bounces, so stable out before tearing off to the next jump.

To do a slap wheelie, jump and shift your weight forward in the air so the front tires land first. When the tires bounce, hit the gas and your truck will push forward, causing your front tires to rise higher.

Games Guru: Here are a few:

Hold LT (L2 on PS3) and quickly move the analog stick from side to side to perform ankle-breaking crossovers.

From a standing dribble, press the Y button (Triangle on PSE) to create space before shooting the ball.

When driving toward the basket, hold Turbo and move the Shot Stick (right analog stick) in different directions to perform a variety of different dunks.

Press LT + B (L2 + Circle on PS3) to throw an Alley Oop to a teammate that is cutting toward the basket.

Hold LB (L1 on PS3) for a quick Pick & Roll play.

You can Call For a Screen by simply holding LB (360) or L1 (PS3). The nearest offensive player will slide over and set a pick for you.

When you’re playing defense, you can put your hands up by moving the right analog stick toward the ball handler.

When you complete all 10 Jordan Challenges, an entirely new mode called “MJ: Creating a Legend” will unlock.

Games Guru: This lets you select any level: Go to the chapter selection screen. Hold L1 + R1 and press Up (twice), Down (twice), Left (twice), Right (twice), Square, Right, Square, Right, Square to unlock all levels.

This code gives you invincibility: At the chapter selection screen, hold L1 + R1 and press Triangle, Square, Circle, X, Triangle, Square, Circle, X.

Get the game’s concept art: Finish the indicated battle on the map and unlock concept artwork:
Oran: Oran 1
Oran: Oran 2

Games Guru: I think you’re stuck at the point where you have to follow the VIP to the parking garage. Use the concrete wall for cover. Position your team near the western entrance. Stay with the VIPs and keep an eye on the north entrance. Soon, all enemies will be destroyed. Then you need to move to the garage roof, get the rocket launcher and take out the one tank to the north and one tank to the south.

Forget those goofy glasses. The 3DS lets you play games in 3D without them. It lets you watch movies in 3D, too.

Why is the 3DS so cool? Let’s take a peek under the hood.

First, the system has a computer processor that’s more powerful than what’s in the Wii. You can see this in the games’ graphics, everything from Super Monkey Ball 3D to Steel Diver. People have said that what you see is as good as what you see with an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. It’s not that good, but it’s close!

With this system, more than games come to life. You can take photos in 3D. Word is, they’re even working on letting you take video in 3D. It’s really a brand-new world.

BUT WAIT – THERE’S MORE

You can use the round stick on the left to control many games. Or use the gyroscope inside and tilt it back and forth the way you control an iPhone or iPod Touch game. You can try out augmented reality, too. With six included cards, you can see 3D creatures and manipulate them. I fought against a dragon that sat on my table. It was so detailed, I almost forgot it wasn’t real.

Take time to create your own Mii, too. It just might pop up in the games you choose to play. (Unfortunately, the Mii it creates based on a photo you take doesn’t really look like you.)

The 3DS is also a pedometer. It tracks how far you’ve walked and gives you virtual gold coins that let you unlock rewards in games. There’s even a graph that tells you how many steps you’ve walked and how much time you’ve spent playing.

HOW IS THE 3D?

When the effect of depth works well, the 3DS shows itself to be the best handheld machine ever made.

There’s a downside, though, when you get too excited during play. There’s only one viewing angle for the 3DS – straight on. When you use the tilt controls, you have to move your head exactly at the perfect angle or you lose the 3D effect. With super-fast games, this happens a lot. The solution? Turn off the 3D via the slider on the right side. And, like the instructions say, don’t play too long at one sitting. You might get a headache or nauseous.

The best use of 3D will probably be with role-playing games like the reimagining of The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, which drops later this year. That’s because in a role-playing game, you’re moving more slowly. The slower you move with the 3DS, the more you experience the joys of three dimensions.

Let’s get to the launch game reviews!

STEEL DIVER (Nintendo)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

Steel Diver looks like a simple submarine shooting game, but it’s more complex than that. The console uses its gyroscope as the sub’s periscope. You have to move the 3DS all around you in a circle to find the enemies targeting your vessel. At first, it’s easy. But when the water gets murky and you’re being targeted from behind, things get frantic. The sub springs leaks when hit, and you have to tap the touchscreen to fix it. Plus, there’s Mission Mode, in which you have to get from point A to point B. Sound easy? Just try it.

How’s the 3D? Cool! Realistic-looking water flows dramatically like something out of the movies.

SUPER MONKEY BALL 3D (Sega)

First, there’s the trademark banana collecting as you move through maze-like chutes that always increase in difficulty. Plus, there’s a racing game. And there’s a platform-type fighting game that’s really addictive. Get punched by another monkey and you’ll lose your bananas. The key to winning? Use defense to avoid getting hit.

How’s the 3D? Pretty impressive. But you sometimes lose the 3D effect when you get excited and move the console out of your viewing angle.

PILOTWINGS RESORT (Nintendo)

Wow. This arcade flier has elements of a flight simulation game. With a plane, rocket pack or hang glider, soar around the island in timed missions. You’re scored on accuracy of flying through rings and your soft, careful landing in specific spots. Later, you get bigger planes like souped-up jets. And there’s a cool surprise: a suit that lets you soar without a rocket pack, like a flying squirrel.

How’s the 3D? Great. Volcanoes, waterfalls and clouds all make for a visually thrilling experience. You might need to turn down the 3D with a speedier jet, though, to prevent dizziness.

MADDEN NFL FOOTBALL (EA)

You know what they say when a team loses the Super Bowl? “Wait til next year.” That’s what you should do with Madden for the 3DS. This football game just isn’t ready for full 3D experience. There’s no online play, no multiplayer and no Franchise Mode. You don’t really seem to control it as much as watch it. It will be better next year, though.

How’s the 3D? Not great. There’s depth. But a lot of it is played from overhead, like a bird looking down at the field. It needs better camera angles to make the 3D pop out at you.

LEGO STAR WARS III: THE CLONE WARS (LucasArts)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

Near perfection! It’s a lot more than building vehicles and collecting studs. Immersed in the Clone Wars universe, you get to play three characters at first, including Yoda. Later, you can unlock a half dozen or so characters, including R2-D2 and Darth Vader. Unfortunately, it has one of the worst instruction booklets I’ve ever seen for a game. But that’s a small thing compared to the highly detailed weapons, characters and weird space worlds you’ll encounter during play.

How’s the 3D? Amazing. As far as 3D goes, this is the best game out there among the launch titles for kids. You can tell the 3D is carefully created, and the science fiction worlds are strangely beautiful. You want to stop and look around every few minutes to check out the environments.

RAYMAN 3D (Ubisoft)

This humorous adventure tale takes Rayman through lands full of awe and wonder. Try to capture the glowing lums, all 1,000 of them!

How’s the 3D? Superb, although turn it down when animals like butterflies get in your face. Check out the awesome waterfalls and swim in the underwater locales for a real 3D fantasy.

RIDGE RACER 3D (Namco)

The latest edition of the arcade racing sim puts you behind the wheel in 3D, and when you use nitrous to speed up – whoa!

How’s the 3D? More subtle than in the other games. See it best by changing the camera angle to behind your racecar.

Games Guru: It’s hard to explain this in a few words. Pictures work better.

Here’s one site that helps for Danger Above:
http://angrybirds.mobi/level-8-15-walkthrough-for-danger-above-in-angry-birds/

For the Big Setup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzzcERrR5WI&feature=player_embedded

For the Mighty Hoax:
http://angrybirds.mobi/level-5-12-walkthrough-for-mighty-hoax-in-angry-birds/

Games Guru: That’s a great question. You have to do at least some of these things:
- You need final score of at least 52.
- Stay ahead of the pack in your laps.
- Don’t use the Bullet Bills very much to get into the lead.
- When you’re in the air after jumping a ramp, do tricks.
- Place first or at least lead for a good part of the race.
- Don’t fall off the tracks.
If you want three stars, you have to get a score of 60. That means perfection, and it’s really hard to do. Getting one star is really good, too!

Any codes?

Games Guru: No codes, but here’s how to unlock the Golden Wheel: Use the Wii Wheel in all modes. After that, go online. You’ll see the Golden Wheel is unlocked – right next to your name.

What’s going on in this picture? What is this horse doing and what is he thinking?

If you can think of a funny caption for this photo, just post it in the comment form at the bottom of this page. After we approve it, your funny caption will be on this page for everyone to read.

Thanks to “farmscout88” for this great photo.

Click here to write captions for more funny photos.

Games Guru: Explore it. One of the things you can do is find the door with the hole inside. You’re too big to go there. So go through it with Oceana. If you go there at night with Oceana, you’ll find a phantom!

How do you get past the frogs in the brazil water place?

Games Guru: You have to switch them in order to get through. The sequence for moving the switches is lapis, lapis, silver, lapis, silver. The multisensor will tell you which frog is which.

Games Guru: Overlord’s kind of like Pikmin, full of serious strategy and complex. Since you haven’t told me what level you’re on, I assume you’re in Viridian Caverns. I think you’re having trouble with the troll at the end of the level. Send three or four minions to get him. Send an equal amount to turn the wheel to open the waypoint.

Games Guru: They are not locked. Go to the Duty Free Shop on the map and buy them.

Games Guru: This is a cool thing to do:

1. Roll the ball very close to the right or left gutter guard.

2. Set your position (with the Direction and Position options on the D-pad) before your move to the gutter guard.

3. The dotted line should be almost parallel to the gutter guard. But turn it toward the gutter guard just a little.

4. Do it right and the ball rides the gutter guard throughout, and switches on the red button at the bottom.

5. A noisy earthquake knocks down the many pins!

6. To get the Perfect Score (3000 points), you have to get 13 Secret Strikes in a row.

I’m stuck in Archery. One of the stamps says there is a secret target to everybody. How do I know what that secret target is?? Please HELP!

Games Guru: Yes, there is a Secret Target to Everybody. It appears once you finish all the other secret targets.

Tips for Wii Sports Resort?

Games Guru: Here are a few:

- A well-placed block in Swordplay will knock your opponent off balance, giving you time to counterattack.

- When playing Basketball, pretend you’re actually shooting hoops: bend your knees, get good arc on the ball and follow through with your wrist.

- Surprise your opponent in Table Tennis by putting spin on the ball. Twist your wrist as you swing your Wiimote to send the ball spinning to the left or right.

- Your aim is best in Archery when you hold the Nunchuk back for a few moments after drawing your arrow.

- In Golf, take well-measured swings and don’t overdo it. Keeping your wrists straight at the moment you hit the ball is the key to straight drives, chips and putts.

- You might not always want to roll your Bowling ball directly at the pins. Try angling it to one side while adding some spin.

Pedro and the 100-Year Quest was created by Hamumu Software for Boys’ Life magazine.
Like it? Click here to try their other BL games.

MARIO SPORTS MIX Nintendo for Wii Gameplay: 7.0 Graphics: 8.0 Sound: 6.0 Replay Value: 7.0 Overall Score: 7.5 Official Web Site Pros: Many lovable Nintendo characters, fun arcade sports play, online play (rare on Wii) Cons: Not enough depth to half the games, games sometime play slowly

Strikers was hilarious and fun. It also was a completely immersive sports game that took the reflexes of a tiger and nerves of steel to win.

By now, all the games in Mario Sports Mix have already been on the system – multiple times in various ways. You’ve seen NBA Jam as the premier arcade basketball game. And you’ve seen NHL Slapshot as the killer arcade hockey game.

So why get Mario Sports Mix?

FOR THE CHARACTERS AND THE POWER UPS

After you download a three-minute upgrade, it’s all about the zany characters: Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Wario and Donkey Kong and eight others. If you’re a true Nintendo fan, there’s nothing like playing as these animated wonders and adding your Mii as you play on their team.

Beyond the wacky personalities, it’s all about power ups. At the opposing team, you can throw slippery bananas, blasting bombs and mushrooms that make you tiny. Pass over a question mark on the floor, and you’ll get a coin that adds points to your score. Using power ups, I added about seven points to a Basketball game when I was behind. And then I came out as a winner.

Plus, as each game progresses, you have enough strength to pull off your power move once or twice. That comes with a powerful but chuckle-worthy animation and an almost indefensible move that results in needed points. Save it for the right time. But don’t wait too long.

BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY RULE

Basketball is really sweet, although the characters sometimes move like they have weights in their shoes. Still, only with the creative minds of Nintendo can you find a basketball arena with a Luigi’s Mansion haunted theme. The court can get dark and ghosts can grab the ball. And your basket? It’s a big, creepy chandelier!

Hockey, too, is superior fun. You can scuffle (Nintendo’s term for a hockey brawl) and get the puck away from someone hugely monstrous, like Bowser. In the western-themed rink, you’ll have a goaltender who also uses a kind of train. His tracks come out to center ice and he’ll throw bananas all over. If you can get close to the net and pass the bananas while he’s out, you can score easily.

VOLLEYBALL AND DODGE BALL, NOT SO MUCH

Volleyball, certainly in the single person mode, feels slow as you play. Much of it is also controlled by the Wii, unless you change the settings. The game’s OK, but not that interesting.

While Volleyball is kind of fun, Dodge Ball is really kind of boring. Dodge Ball is the kind of game you need to play in real life to enjoy. There’s not enough nuance to Dodge Ball. It just doesn’t lend itself to being a great video game – even with unusual power ups.

GO ONLINE

Online play is relatively easy to enjoy in Mario Sports Mix. It’s a breeze to go online with your broadband connection. You’ll play with folks from around the world – the same way you do with Mario Kart. And you can add your Mii to the games.

But if you want to invite your pal to play online, you have to enter that long string of numbers called the Friend Code. It should be a little easier to get online with your besties. There’s no real keyboard with the Wii, just point and click with the remote. Adding those numbers for multiple people you know is kind of a pain.

START EASY, AND TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

When you begin the games in Mario Sports Mix, try Easy Mode. It’s a great way to hone your chops. Move on to Hard Mode when you’re comfortable with pulling off your many moves. Expert Mode is nearly impossible to win (as it is with most games). Expect to get a royal beat down against the Wii.

The game’s music is iffy. You really don’t want to hear the casual Wii Bowling-type elevator music as you play a tense Hockey or Basketball game. It just slows you down mentally. Sometimes you’ll hear some powerful trumpets of victory, though.

While Mario Sports Mix can be a ton of fun to play, it’s only the Hockey and Basketball games that are truly worthy efforts. With these sports, you’re transported to fun worlds and you stay focused on the game.

My suggestion is to rent the game first. See if you like it enough to plunk down $50 for it.

Games Guru: It’s easy. Liberate the tower in Mission 3.

How and where do you get Manaphy?

Games Guru: OK. First, you need to beat the game. Now, make sure the DS is on and that you have a WiFi connection going. Find RangerNet. Pick the Choose New Missions option. Now, choose Search. You will be able to download three missions. The first has you recovering the Manaphy Egg. Once you complete the mission, you get the Manaphy!

How do you capture and release the hypnotized Rampardos in Peril Cliffs?

Games Guru: As you know, it’s really hard to capture the Rampardos. I believe it’s the only 5 Tackle Pokemon in Shadows of Almia. The best way is to beat the game first and then go back to the Peril Cliffs. At that point, you can capture the Rampardos. Also, one person in the forums I looked at suggested that when you see one rock fall, you have one second before the other falls. Quickly draw a one circle on it. You can try to use PokeAssist to slow the rock down.

Games Guru: Here are some codes to enter:

Maximum Force powers, Enter “KATARN”

Maximum Force Push ranks, Enter “EXARKUN”

Maximum Force Repulse ranks, Enter “DATHOMIR”

Maximum Saber Throw ranks, Enter “ADEGAN”

Amplified lightsaber damage, Enter “LIGHTSABER” or “COUNTDOOKU”

All Force Talents, Enter “JOCASTA”

All light saber crystals, Enter “HURRIKANE” as a code to unlock all light saber crystals. You won’t earn the light saber Crystal achievement while this code is entered.

All 32 costumes, Enter “SOHNDANN”

Are there any DS codes for this game?

Games Guru: Here are a few codes for the DS:

Invincibility — Enter “QSSPVENXO” as a code.

Infinite Force — Enter “TVENCVMJZ” as a code.

Maximum Force powers — Enter “CPLOOLKBF” as a code.

Play as Darth Vader — Enter “HRMXRKVEN.”

Games Guru: You need to build that cannon! It’s available once Mr. Freeze jumps up to a platform with a red background. Once the pieces appear, jump on the orange valve (it looks like a mushroom) three times. That fires the cannon and makes Mr. Freeze come back down. Then, you’ll need to change to Robin to continue the battle.

I was wondering what the codes and tips were. I’ve tried almost every reference and methods of trying to place the codes but they never enter. I don’t know how to get real fast money or any actual working codes, and it’s frustrating me!!! And how can I get the red hood for free play?

Games Guru: I don’t know about the Red Hood. As far as I know, you have to complete all episodes to unlock Free Play. Regarding codes, enter the codes at the computer in the Batcave or in Arkham Asylum at the hacked computer. Here are a few:

- Always Score Multiply: 9LRGNB
- Area Effect (Sonic suit): TL3EKT
- Armor Plating (Demolition suit): N8JZEK
- Bats (Sonic suit): XFP4E2
- Beep Beep: RAFTU8
- Character Studs: DY13BD
- Decoy (Technology suit): TQ09K3
- Disguise: GEC3MD
- Extra Toggle (extra Free mode characters): EWAW7W
- Extra Hearts: ML3KHP
- Fast Batarangs (all suits): JRBDCB

Any codes for the Wii version?

Games Guru: Go to the computer in the Batcave and enter these codes for vehicles:

- Bat-Tank: KNTT4B
- Bruce Wayne’s private jet: LEA664
- Catwoman’s motorcycle: HPL826
- Garbage truck: DUS483
- Goon helicopter: GCH328
- Harbor helicopter: CHP735
- Harley Quinn’s Hammer Truck: RDT637
- The Joker’s van: JUK657
- Mad Hatter’s Glider: HS000W
- Mad Hatter’s Steamboat: M4DM4N

Any codes for the Xbox 360 version?

Games Guru: There are tons. Here are some codes for you to unlock characters. Enter them in the computer in the Batcave.

- Alfred Pennyworth: ZAQ637
- Batgirl: JKR331
- Bruce Wayne: BDJ327
- Catwoman (classic): M1AAWW
- Clown Goon: HJK327
- Commissioner Gordon: DDP967
- Fishmonger: HGY748
- Freeze Girl: XVK541
- Freeze Henchman: NJL412
- The Joker (tropical): CCB199
- Joker Goon: UTF782
- Joker Henchman: YUN924
- Nightwing: MVY759
- Mad Hatter: JCA283
- Man-Bat: NYU942

Do you have any codes for the DS version?

Games Guru: Here are some codes.

Unlock all extras:
Go to the main menu. Hit Up, Down, L, R, L, R, L, Left, Right, X(2), Y(2), B(2), L, Up, Down, L, R, L, R, Up(2), Down, Start, Select to unlock all extras. The way you know you’ve done it right is this: At the end of the entering of codes, you’ll hear a sound.

Unlock all episodes and Free Play mode:
Go to the main menu. Press Right, Up, R, L, X, Y, Right, Left, B, L, R, L, Down(2), Up, Y(2), X(2), B(2), Up(2), L, R, Start, Select to unlock all episodes and Free Play mode. Again, you’ll hear a sound if you’ve done it right.

Unlock all characters:
Go to the main menu. Press X, Up, B, Down, Y, Left, Start, Right, R(2), L, R(2), Down(2), Up, Y(3), Start, Select to unlock all characters. You’ll hear that sound again if you have entered the code correctly.

Games Guru: Finish the missions on Kogoeria, which is the third planet. When you get access codes, enter them into the Card Input Machine. Each code will reveal a constellation. Trace the pattern on the screen with the Wii remote. Then, you’ll unlock a new Spectrobe, like a Zappizor.

Do you know how to beat Krux? I can beat the Krawl, just not Krux.

Games Guru: Krux is killer hard to beat. Here are some suggestions: If your Spectrobes are at Level 80, you should have no problem. Even if they are lower, try using Shakin Evolved. And use your Charger. You can also try with a charged-up Totegarda.

How do you beat the second boss?

Games Guru: Just try hitting it with all you have. Make sure you know its patterns, and keep moving so it doesn’t get you.

Games Guru: The Nominons are weird flying beasts that are vulnerable to slashing moves. The key is to kill each one as they appear. Don’t let them gang up and follow you.

Games Guru: During the fight, you’ll see a ball on the floor. Use the vacuum on it. Aim at the baby. Release the R trigger. The ball will hit the baby, who’s none too thrilled. Now, he’ll get smaller. As Luigi, you take him to his crib. That’s all there is to it.

Games Guru: You can go to the downtown area after you get the “Bulldozer slam” ability. Get that by defeating the first boss at the pier. Backtrack to the beginning of the pier. But don’t go to the sewers. Instead, climb up the nearby wall.

What’s going on in this picture? What is this elephant doing and what is it thinking?

If you can think of a funny caption for this photo, just post it in the comment form at the bottom of this page. After we approve it, your funny caption will be on this page for everyone to read.

Click here to write captions for more funny photos.

Games Guru: Sorry, but there really aren’t any codes. To unlock Silver, beat Babylon Story. This will also unlock Blaze. Why are the Rogues hard to control? It could be because the game isn’t that well designed. It didn’t get the best reviews when it came out.

Games Guru: That’s what you have to do. You can do it. Keep trying!

LITTLEBIGPLANET 2 Sony for PS3 Gameplay: 8.8 Graphics: 9.0 Sound: 8.5 Replay Value: 10.0 Overall Score: 9.0 Official Web Site Pros: Many challenging levels; make your own RPG games; online multiplayer Cons: Making a level can take a while; community Web site is too complex; too much freedom

The first edition of LittleBigPlanet was one of the great gaming experiences. If you bought the game, you had a terrific time getting to know the engaging little characters.

In addition to playing through levels in story mode, you were able to play game designer. You met the very cool Sackboy and made your own platform-style game. He ran. He jumped. He rocked your 2D gaming world.

SACKBOY IS BACK

In LittleBigPlanet 2, here’s what happens: To get you in the mood for game making, go for the single-player missions first. There are dozens of challenging levels with all kinds of powerups, weapons and stickers to collect.

In Sackboy’s universe, the things humans find to be normal appliances can be big monsters to the toys. When the game begins, the skies over Craftworld are blackened by something mysterious. Sackboy and the town’s innocent residents are sucked up into a big, noisy vacuum cleaner called the Negativtron.

It’s not just a cleaning device. It’s a crazy robot that has interdimensional powers!

But all is not lost. Sackboy joins The Alliance, a motley group led by Larry DaVinci, a wise old man with a beard made of shredded documents. He also wears weird 3-D glasses, and he comes to Sackboy’s aid throughout the game. The characterization is smart and surprising. For instance, you eventually meet a wild-eyed character called Dr. Higganbotham. That’s obviously a nod to the real-life scientist who made the first video game way back in 1958.

LUSH, FUNNY AND CREATIVE

The graphics are occasionally more impressive than those in “Toy Story 3” (the movie), and that’s saying a lot. They’re downright lush, so much so that you want to live in Craftworld and its surrounding areas.

LittleBigPlanet 2 can be royally funny. It’s not just the adorable look of the characters that makes you smile. You use desserts as weapons. And there’s a huge robotic turkey gobbling along. You can even command wacky fireflies.

The quirky, beautiful revelations of the story mode make you really want to create your own game. When I started to construct a level, I marveled at all the choices. Particularly, I liked creating beings called Sackbots. In addition to programming how they move and where they move, there are other cool options: You can have them guard a treasure. You can give them personalities and make them dance. You can make them your loyal followers.

THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS

With over 1,600 new things to play with, there’s just so much to do here. The possibilities truly seem endless. It’s all up to you and your imagination.

You can fly on a paper airplane. You can play the old-school way and make a Space Invaders game. You can string your levels together to make a longer game.

You can make racing games and role-playing games. You can compose your own music on a variety of instruments. I even made my own basketball game with a super-high basket. Generally, this is great. That’s why I gave it the highest replay value I could.

Once you make your levels or even a full game, you can upload them to a community Web site for others to play. I found the site a little too cluttered with stuff, though. It’s great to play new levels made by other people, but the site should look a lot simpler and cleaner.

A LITTLE OVERWHELMING?

I wonder if there’s a little too much in this ambitious game, though. Do you really want to take the time to make your own cut scenes for the game and record sound effects to add as well? I guess you do if you’re an aspiring game designer or movie maker. (While the tutorials are good, they don’t explain things in the most kid-friendly way.)

And even game designers have a whole team to help them out. So LittleBigPlanet 2 can be a little overwhelming due to the vast number of choices available.

There’s an easy solution though. You can savor LittleBigPlanet 2 and enjoy the game’s brilliance the whole year round by playing a little bit at a time. Just don’t try to do everything at once. You’ll give up.

Finally, if you have the money saved, think about getting the Collector’s Edition. Packed with cool stuff, it even includes a Sackboy figure and intricately detailed Sackboy bookends.

Games Guru: Just move along the prow of the ship to the end. The treasure is hidden in the corner.

Games Guru: Here you go:

- Unlock All Songs: Press Red, Yellow, Blue, Red(2), Blue(2), Red, Yellow, Blue to unlock all songs. Alternately, press Y, B, X, Y(2), X(2), Y, B, X on a controller. But be careful: This code disables achievements and online features.

- Select Venue Screen: Press Blue, Orange(2), Blue, Yellow, Blue, Orange(2), Blue, Yellow to unlock all venues. Alternately, press X, LB(2), X, B, X, LB(2), X, B on a controller. Be careful: This code also disables online features.

- New Venues: Press Red(4), Yellow(4) to unlock new venues. Alternately, press Y(4), B(4) on a controller.

BEST PS3 GAME

ModNation Racers (Sony)

Not only do the makers of ModNation Racers let you customize your car, they also let you build your own tracks, full of hilarious powerups. Then, they let you build your own towns, too. It’s like creating your own Mario Kart game, except with better graphics.

BEST XBOX 360 GAME

Toy Story 3 (Disney)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

Toy Story 3 was the first sandbox video game for kids. The game is full of exploration and fun missions to enjoy. By the end of it, you feel like you know Buzz and the gang a lot better. It’s great when game makers don’t treat kids like babies.

BEST WII GAME

Guilty Party (Disney)

There have been a lot of really good Wii games this year, but few have felt as completely new as Guilty Party. If you love solving a mystery, you’ll always laugh and wonder at the motivations behind the characters here. With 50 mini games, the game design is so good, you’ll rarely play the same mystery in exactly the same way. Talk about replay value!

Runner Up: Super Mario Galaxy 2

BEST DS GAME

Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Nintendo)

Yes, there have been other games in the Ranger series. But this is the one that kept me coming back for more. I loved watching the various Pokemon waddle along as part of my crew. Plus, the branching story and the earnest characters are touching, too.

BEST PSP GAME

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (Square-Enix)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

There aren’t many games released for PSP anymore. But Birth by Sleep is a must-have. The series that mixes Final Fantasy characters with Disney characters takes you to amazing places, such as Never Land, the Dwarf Woodlands and into Deep Space. Plus, the racing and music mini games alone are worth the price of admission.

BEST DOWNLOADABLE CONSOLE GAME

Costume Quest (THQ for PS3, Xbox 360)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

This Halloween-based role-playing game is cute, but it’s so much more. The dialog by renowned designer Tim Schaefer makes you bust a gut laughing. And the cranky, charismatic characters feel real, so much so that you wish they’d come back with a sequel for Christmas. Even the leveling-up (which can be boring) is compelling. More, please.

BEST IPAD GAME

Angry Birds (Rovio)

Everyone’s playing Angry Birds, and it’s best on the iPad. Tossing those exploding birds onto hundreds of structures takes real skill. But watching the strange structures topple down onto those nasty pigs is just as much fun. If you love Boom Blox, you’ll adore Angry Birds.

BEST GAMING PLATFORM

iPad (Apple)

The iPad has so many amazing games. It’s like a treasure chest that constantly replenishes itself with games, many of which are new and innovative, some of which are free. You may not have an iPad yet. But you probably will soon. (It’s not only for games, you know.)

BEST OVERALL SPORTS GAME (TIE)

NHL Slapshot (EA for Wii)

There’s something about playing with other kids on an icy pond with plastic hockey-stick controllers that really makes this Wii game shine. And that’s just the beginning of your career in NHL Slapshot. If you don’t know who the legendary Wayne Gretzky is, well, you will now. He’s your coach in the game. (Lucky you!)

NBA 2K11 (Take Two for PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, PSP, PC)

You’re stunned by the realistic graphics. Then, you feel 10 feet tall as you dunk like a pro. Getting to play as a rookie Michael Jordan doesn’t hurt, either. And the soundtrack will really get you pumping.

BEST RACING GAME (TIE)

Gran Turismo 5 (Sony for PS3)

It takes half a decade for the developers to make a new Gran Turismo. This time, they’ve outdone themselves. Over 1,000 licensed cars, 26 locations and 70 tracks make it endlessly playable. There’s kart racing, a fine soundtrack and 3-D (if you have a 3-D set). Gran Turismo is like a realistic painting—except you can play inside this one.

Split/Second (Disney for PS3, Xbox 360, PSP, PC)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

Driving these fantasy racing cars as you take part in a fictional game show is a hoot. But it’s the “powerplays” that are fun. Explosions, destructible environments, crashes and implosions are what really make Split/Second one of the year’s great games.

BEST ADAPTATION

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (Warner Bros. for PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, DS, PSP, PC)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

Sure, you liked LEGO Batman and LEGO Star Wars. But this Potter endeavor isn’t just another LEGO game. There is something just as dark, eerie and adventuresome in this game as there is in the books and movies. It grabs you from the first moments, and it doesn’t let go until the game is over.

BEST NEW TECHNOLOGY

Kinect (Microsoft)

Yes, the games are a little like Wii games. And yes, some of them aren’t great. But imagine the possibilities in the future! With Kinect, Microsoft proved that controller-less games are really fun. Now, they just need a killer game so everyone will want Kinect.

BEST COMEBACK GAME

Sonic Colors (Sega for Wii, DS)

Let’s face it: The last few Sonic games weren’t so hot. But Sega got it right this time. Here, there are lots of amazing powerups, like the Cyan Laser Wisp. That allows Sonic to bounce off all kinds of surfaces—and to travel through power lines. There’s much more speedy fun, too.

BEST MMO GAME

LEGO Universe (Warner Bros. for Mac, PC)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

Sure, this is a terrific kids’ MMO, but any gamer would love to play. It’s a world full of clever story-telling, careful building of your environment and, of course, great LEGO characters.

GAME OF THE YEAR

LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4

Runner Up: Costume Quest

Games Guru: Go over to the underground duel arena where you fought the Witch. Good choices for a partner are either of the two people upstairs, the ones who have the Dark deck and the LS deck.

Games Guru:

- QMSLPOE: Fast Building
- SHWSDGU: Unlock Ninja Master
- UGDRSQP: Unlock Islander
- XRCTVYB: Unlock Troll King
- ZVDNJSU: Unlock Space Criminal Leader
- BGQOYRT: Double Lego Bricks
- KVBPQRJ: Fast Mining
- PQZLJOB: Fast Harvesting
- UMSXIRQ: Full Unit Cap
- ZPWJFUQ: Long Range Magic
- DWFTBNS: Super Magic
- BGQOYRT: Double LEGO Bricks
- JRTPASX: Fast Magic

Mad Planet is created by Hamumu Software for Boys’ Life magazine.
Like it? Click here to try their other BL games.

Games Guru: Arm yourself with Planterns, which have sufficient illumination power to cut right through a sizable area of fog. Also plan to use the Torchwood (in combination with the pea-shooter strains of course, for fireball effect); the Torchwood doesn’t illuminate as much foggy area as Plantern, but is somewhat effective. Also the Blover plant, normally used for blowing back the balloon zombies, is helpful in pushing the fog back – temporarily!

DISNEY EPIC MICKEY Disney for Wii Gameplay: 7.0 Graphics: 8.0 Sound: 8.0 Replay Value: 7.0 Overall Score: 8.0 Official Web Site Pros: Wondrous re-imagining of Mickey; brain-busting puzzles; detailed graphics Cons: Dizzying camera angles; gameplay can feel repetitive; graphics sometimes have jaggies

But, sadly, it also has gameplay issues.

First, here’s the good stuff: You’ve never seen Mickey like this, frightened but so heroic. During the opening movie, some strange, scary things begin to happen. By the end of it, Mickey is pulled through his mirror by a monster. The offending evil being is known as the Shadow Blot, and he has the upper hand.

Mickey is stuck in Wasteland, a creepy but cool place where everything has gone terribly wrong—and it’s kind of Mickey’s fault. Wasteland is wonderful to explore, inspired by old Disney cartoons, classic rides and amusement parks.

YOUR MISSION

It’s no small task, but your job is to restore Wasteland to its beautiful former self. In doing so, you’ll defeat the Shadow Blot as you solve the puzzles and meet the motley and varied characters that originally sprang from the minds of Walt Disney and his team of animators.

One of these characters is Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Mickey’s brother. As the story goes, Walt Disney created Oswald before Mickey. But he lost the rights to make Oswald cartoons. So he created the mouse. If Oswald had gotten a green light, there would probably be no Mickey!

In the game, Oswald ruled over Wasteland before Shadow Blot took over. But now Oswald is mad at Mickey for unknowingly making Wasteland into a place run by the nasty Blot.

Will Mickey reunite with Oswald by the end of the game? Will they become friends again? That’s up to you, gamer.

THE POWER OF PAINT

Epic Mickey features some gameplay you’ve seen before, like spin moves and double jumps. But what’s amazing is the ability to use paint to create things and paint thinner to destroy things. Use paint to add roads or bridges. Use thinner to get rid of floors or piles of boulders blocking your path. You can even use them on your enemies to make them your friends. Once an enemy is your pal, he’ll fight against his former brothers for you.

All that is really top-notch stuff. Add a soundtrack with sweet violins full of sweeping moods and you’ll feel like you’re in a Disney movie that you control. Mix in weird bosses like the sneering Clocktower, and you’ll think you’re a hero after beating him.

Plus, at the end of each level, you get a surprise: a short extra that works like a 2-D platformer game. The extras are based on cartoons of yore, like Mickey and the Beanstalk.

THE DRAWBACK

As interesting as Epic Mickey sounds, this review comes with a serious warning.

What hurts the game are really bad camera angles. Not only do they make you feel lost and disoriented in Wasteland, they can make you feel dizzy (like you want to hurl).

The camera angles are the real enemies in Epic Mickey. There’s just no excuse for such an expensive-to-make project to have these issues. It’s the difference between a score of 8.0 and a perfect 10.

So to prevent getting dizzy, I recommend that you don’t play more than 30 minutes at a time.

ALL IS NOT LOST

If you play safely that way, you’ll probably enjoy the riches that Epic Mickey has to offer. And you’ll find your way past annoying enemies, like the long-eared Bunny Children. They swarm around you, pick you up and toss you in a Thinner pool (which drains your health). Also, watch out for the very powerful and very round purple Slobber. He sucks you in with his breath and spits Thinner at you. Gross.

Finally, look for Film Reel icons along the way. Trade them in at Mean Street’s Cinema for everything from power ups to cartoons.

There’s much here to enjoy in Epic Mickey. It’s really a shame about those dang camera angles.

Games Guru: I find that it’s easy to get star bits in the Sweet Mystery Galaxy. Also, the second star run in Melty Monster Galaxy is good.

I have gotten 119 of the 120 stars. I cannot figure out how to do the last star, the mystery star on the Boo Moon galaxy. Can you help me please!?!

Games Guru: Boo Moon is so cool and creepy. When you’re upside down on those pink platforms, follow them — really quickly as they appear, and avoid the ghosts. You’ll find that star at the end of them. You’ll have to kind of jump up while you’re upside down, which is hard. But you’ll get it after a few times.

Games Guru: These aren’t codes, but here are two cool things:

Shining Characters — To get a shining character, turn super sayan and then use up most of your energy. Hold the A button down when you return to normal. Let go of the A button, and your character will still be shining.

Raise Health Fast — Go to the Capsule Corp. Chat with Bulma’s mom. She will give you a cookie. Keep talking to her, and you will be able to train then recharge with the cookies.

I need to intercept the androids on Roshi’s Island. Please help! I only have Piccolo, lv. 30.

Games Guru: I’m not sure exactly you are, but I hope this helps. On the map, fly to the star to get to Roshi’s Island. Go in front of the house on the island where Piccolo will inform 17 that you have to go to a smaller island to battle. Use the Flight Pad to travel there. That’s where you’ll have an epic boss fight.

What do I do now that I have Trunks, Piccolo, Vegeta and Gohan level 50? I am running out of things to do.

Games Guru: It looks like you have gotten your money’s worth.

How do you get the three dinosaur eggs to the dinosaur to destroy one of Dr. Guru’s generators to get in his lab?

Games Guru: Ugh, you have chosen a tough task to ask about. You must avoid the tiger bandits and the eggbots. Here’s the deal: You are going to head east, then south, then curl around back toward the west. If you hug the lower wall as you initially head east, you should be able to slip past the eggbots. Then inch forward till you can just see the tiger bandit. When it heads up the screen, you must dash past, making sure you do NOT hit the walls.

Head to the far right edge of the screen as you turn south, then head west along the upper edge of the screen. As before, you must inch forward so you can see the tigerbots’ arms, then stop and wait until they are moving away from you before dashing forward.

I have heard that Vegeta is the best character to use for this level because of speed, but I don’t know if this is correct.

Which character should I use against Dr. Gero? Vegeta at level 21, Piccolo at level 23, Gohan at level 11 or should I keep training them? If so, what level should I train them to?

Games Guru: Definitely go with Vegeta. You should have Super Saiyan already. If so, go with Vegeta. If not, get Super Saiyan and go with Vegeta.

Games Guru: This is a cool game because parts of it are in 3-D. Lots of people get stuck at Level 6. It is not easy. What you have to do is possess the sharks. After being possessed, the Guru (not me) can lead packs of sharks to attack the buoy. Attack it enough and the cane, which is Sly’s main weapon, will be returned to you.

Do you have any tips?

Games Guru: In the 3rd episode, when Sly is the pilot, you can change his plane. Press Start to pause, then hit R1, R1, Right, Down, Down, Right. Start playing: You have a cooler plane!

Complete the whole game and get Dimitri’s Greasy Sweet Remix Music Video. You can do it!

Finish 80 percent of the Sly 3 and 15 city events. The bonus: a making-of Sly 3 movie.

In the episode with pirates, pickpocket the guards to make tons of easy money.

BAKUGAN: DEFENDERS OF THE CORE Activision for PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, DS, PSP Graphics: 7.0 Gameplay: 8.0 Sound: 6.5 Replay Value: 8.0 Overall Score: 7.5 Official Web Site Pros: Really feels like Bakugan; vivid, colorful battles; customizable characters Cons: No online multiplayer; graphics have jaggies; story needs focus

Bakugan has always been a fascinating strategy game. The cards fire your imagination and with a toy, you play them as if you were one of the big beasts yourself. Last year’s video game was like the card game, even though it had a lot of variations. Remember that battle arena filled with tornadoes?

But the changes with Defenders of the Core are significant and generally cool. Sure, as the game starts, you’ll wish you had more than five options on eyes or outfits to customize your character. But the customizing is quick and easy.

ON TO STORY MODE

In Story Mode, you find some animation scenes. The story isn’t that clear at first. Soon, though, you’re told that Earth is under attack by the scheming Spectra and the wicked Vexos.

Your job? To join The Resistance and travel from city to city with Mira, Baron and Ace. You’ll take on the Vexos and break the mammoth crystals that are sucking up Earth’s energy. You also have to protect certain landmarks from being destroyed.

The first couple of levels include tutorials, which you need since every button and trigger on the controller does something important. What’s good about the tutorial is that it doesn’t seem like learning. Instead, it is woven into the story. So when Interspace starts shaking and breaking, you’re moved right into the tale and the first mission.

BATTLE ON

The first battles are pretty easy to win. Before each of them, you travel around the city avoiding traps and getting Core Energy to help you when you get hit in battle. You also retrieve Vexos Passes, which let you go free if you’re captured.

Occasionally, you’ll find a chest with a battle card with a special ability to help you in your fight. Be careful how you used them; they only work once.

One cool aspect of the story is that you start out unsure of yourself. But as you progress and prove yourself, you become more confident in your abilities. Just like real life.

BRAWL ON

Additionally, you can brawl in Battle Arenas, a holdover from last year’s game. Here, you can move around and battle freely, almost anywhere you want to go.

You can pull off hits in the air. You can smash nearby buildings. You’ll also have fun pressing the X and Y buttons to pull off combos.

At first, you’ll just want to button mash. But if your opponent knows Bakugan well, that’s not going to help for very long. Aim carefully and block frequently.

THE BOTTOM LINE

If you’re a stickler for detail, you’ll wish the graphics were better. You just shouldn’t see jagged edges on an Xbox 360 game. Also, there’s a half second of lag between the time you talk to a non-playable character and when you can move your character again. With last year’s game, you could play with friends if they were at your house, but you couldn’t go online for multiplayer. Unfortunately, you still can’t go online for multiplayer, a big mistake.

Even so, the crazy abilities of the battlers, their sheer size and the brilliant colors emitted from weapons and hits are always exciting. But for the next version, the game makers need to tighten the story to make it flow more naturally. They certainly have to add online multiplayer. And wouldn’t it be great if there was some Kinect functionality, so you could feel like you’re really brawling without a controller in your hands?