Games Guru: Sure, here are a few tips that might help.

–  When selling tickets, accuracy is more important than speed.

– Walking the tightrope can be tricky when King Julien is throwing mangos! When you see one being hurled, stop immediately to keep it from hitting you.

– When you’re a human (or zebra) cannonball, flips and rolls will please the crowd and help you cover ground faster and get to those hard-to-reach balloons.

– In the snack toss circus game, don’t steal customers from your opponent. It’s faster to get your own.

– Offer your partner a hand in the trapeze to get a better team score.

– When jumping through flaming hoops as Vitaly, there’s no need to rush your jumps. Vitaly is quick on his feet, so don’t jump too early before the hoop comes into view.

– At the Coliseum, time your jumps to land on the rotating platforms. Get into a rhythm and don’t wait too long, or the platform you’re standing on might disappear!

– At the Leaning Tower of Pisa, watch for gigantic swinging hammers. Check for Mort in the alleyways behind the fruit cart.

– When Skipper sends you looking for a statue in Paris, stop by the nearest cheese shop and keep your ears peeled for Mort. Advertise the circus at the Eiffel Tower.

– In London, pick up any tea you see lying around for King Julien. Double-decker buses won’t stop unless you hit the traffic-light switch.

Games Guru: Here are some things that can help you succeed in this Vita game:

– Creating tracks is as simple as dragging your finger on the screen and drawing them. Customization of all Mods, Karts and Tracks is also enabled through the front touchscreen.

– Check in with Mod Explorer to earn Travel Points and eventually unlock new track creation parts.

– To go head-to-head with friends, Ad-Hoc play lets up to four gamers race simultaneously on any track.

– Search for your favorite PS3 creation made by fans in the Share Station. There are over 500,000 tracks and items for you to choose.

– Simply shake your Vita when you start a new creation, and a new one appears. If you don’t like what you see, then keep shaking until you do.

MINECRAFT Mojang for Xbox Live Gameplay: 8.8 Graphics: 8.5 Sound: 8.0 Replay Value: 9.0 Overall Score: 8.8 Pros: Make your own creations. Blocky world feels real. Co-op ability. Cons: World is slightly smaller than on the PC. Inventory is harder to navigate.

MINECRAFT 101

In case you don’t know, Minecraft is a building game. It’s a little like LEGO and a little like Lincoln Logs. You take various textured cubes and build what you want.

So where does the mining come in? The word “mine” is used loosely here. Gathering up trees is, in a sense, mining. You turn them into wood and then make your own structures. Finding the materials to make your own tools to build the wood into, say, a mansion, is mining, too.

It’s not just fun, it’s also really creative. You’re limited only by your own brain … and the time you put in.

ON XBOX LIVE

So let’s see if the Xbox Live version is as deep as the PC version.

First, the Xbox game lets you play co-op with friends and has its own crafting system to make things like tools. Since I’m a console guy, I enjoy making my structures with the controller as opposed to the PC mouse.

And there are tips galore, even as the game loads for the first time. The tutorials also make the game more kid friendly. With the original Minecraft for the PC, there was a ton of detective work you had to do. You had to figure out which substance would make what tool or piece of castle. That kind of research can be fun if you have nothing but time on your hands.

Now there is help for you along the way. Some say the tutorials lessen the magic. I say they add to it. You spend more of your time making things instead of puzzling over how to do things.

COOL AND CHALLENGING

When you dive into Minecraft, the experience is immediately really cool and charming. Simple piano music plays as you arrive on the shores of a beach. Use the right controller trigger to dig into the Earth and cut wood from trees. I didn’t make anything grand and glorious right away. I just set up the beginnings of a small shack by the sea.

Then, darkness fell. A square block of a moon rose high in the sky, and stars twinkled. As I stood there and gawked at nature’s beauty, I heard some steps behind me. Since I was kind of hypnotized by the sights, I didn’t realize it was a Creeper, one of the annoying monsters of Minecraft. I heard a ka-pow, and wham, I lost half my health.

My shelter wasn’t finished, and I couldn’t hide from him!

So I swam out to sea and stayed on a sandbar until morning. The Creeper, a handless creature with a twisted, angry mouth, isn’t always a night owl. Stay away from him during the day or night. He can blow up structures you make, too.

IT’S YOUR WORLD

There are plenty of achievements to get as you go along, such as when you make a furnace, open your inventory for the first time or catch a fish. Eventually, you’ll learn to make fire and electricity. If you play a really long time, you might even find the elusive Ender Dragon.

The graphics in Minecraft are old school, a nod to the early days of video games. But that’s the glory of Minecraft. If it looked too realistic, like Gran Turismo or even The Sims, it wouldn’t have the signature style that makes this game unique.

So go wild on Minecraft. Build like a modern architect. Build like a steampunk novelist. Build like a pioneer. Build high or long or with moats and forests. Build a Scout jamboree park. Then, tear it all down if you like.

This is your world. And Minecraft is a wonderful mirror that is nothing if not a reflection of you.

BATTLESHIP Activision for Wii Gameplay: 4.5 Graphics: 4.0 Sound: 3.5 Replay Value: 6.5 Overall Score: 4.7 Pros: Duel Mode. Missions get harder as you go along. Cons: Too small to be a console game. Awful music. Seems like a 1990s game.

DISAPPOINTING START

The game starts with only a few seconds of setup. The movie’s stars don’t play their roles in the game. In fact, there’s no animated, talking human being present at all. There’s a cartoon graphic of Captain Noland, your leader, and lines of text you have to read.
I’m not against reading in a game. In fact, I love the Nintendo role-playing games on the DS (especially the Zelda games) that engage me with a wondrous story. But during Battleship, the lines are really cliché. You just get orders and an occasional pat on the back. Your character, Danny Hunter, isn’t animated, either. And Danny’s first words on the screen have a punctuation error.

At that time, you see a ship in the water. The ship isn’t even moving in the water. It’s just sitting there. Ugh.

Mission 1 is your tutorial mission, but if you make an error like moving to the wrong place, no one tries to correct you. You’re told to place your various ships along squares on a grid. Once near a foe, you can either attack their boat or defend your position. The attack is seen from above in a kind of birds-eye view. Even when you attack properly, sinking the boat gives you no thrills because what you see is so far away.

A BRIGHT MOMENT

Things become a little more adventurous for you as a gamer when a big jumping metal orca of an alien ship arrives. You’ve probably seen it on TV. It’s ginormous, an awesome sight. There’s a scene of the giant thing shooting missiles at you. Here, the animation is quite good.

Finally, the game is allowing you to do something cool. You get to duel it out with the alien ship. Your goal is to target various weak points on the vessel and shoot at them. Where are the weak points? Just move your Wiimote over the big boat. When you find the place to attack, a red circle becomes a green circle. Shoot!

There aren’t nearly enough moments like this one, however.

OVERALL DUD

Battleship seems like it would have been better as a game for the DS or iPad than as a full-fledged Wii game. It’s just not big enough, bad enough, exciting enough to make it as a console game. In fact, the developers who made the game have worked only on handheld games prior to this one. They’re not used to making big games, and it shows.

The technology used in Battleship often looks like something from before you were born. Most of the Wii games released today try to work within the limits of the system to achieve great things as far as graphics and gameplay go. But not Battleship.

Overall, this is the most lackluster offering I’ve ever reviewed for Boys’ Life. It’s a shame because even a board game turned into a movie deserves an excellent video game to go with it.

Games Guru: Beyblade is a good game! Unfortunately, you can’t submit the codes I’ve given you below until you complete Story Mode. Here are your codes:

– “WlCQtq4hNs” is the password to unlock the Belzebrute Y.
– Enter “Zw71nVSJuL” to unlock the Cyber ?S.
– Enter “DZ4gjMA58V” to unlock the Cyber Pegasus AR.
– Enter “bMJ4O7osHq” as a password to unlock the Pegasus ?M. This is a Metal Face bolt with Stamina Plus.
– 123mj11gh28 – Gives you all Beyblade parts
– bre7784erhe – Shows all characters beaten

Games Guru: You have to play each Story mode through with each character. So unfortunately you can’t get emeralds with Sonic once you started with Blaze. Finish with Blaze. Then you can play again with Sonic.

Games Guru: There aren’t any codes, so there’s no quick way to get the last 3,000. But maybe go back and do some more collecting.

Games Guru: This YouTube video should help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXnk8tXjDnE .

I saw my friend has this Golden Egg called “Angry Radio.” How do you get it? Thanks!

Games Guru: The golden eggs are on the Golden Egg page. This particular egg is on the bottom row, second from the right. Click it. Once you see the radio, click the two keys in the middle of the radio. Voila. You have your golden egg for the Angry Radio puzzle.

I don’t know how to beat these levels: Level 12 on Danger Above (not the first one, the one at night); The Big Setup, I can’t beat level 5 on the second page; Mighty Hoax, I can’t beat level 12. If you can please help me, please do.

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/

What’s going on in this picture? What is this hermit crab 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 “photographer 7” 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: Yes, indeed. But he’s pretty rare. You can buy him online with a Google search for anywhere between $20 and $80.

Games Guru: There are tons of codes. Here are some character codes:

- Unlocks Aaron: AK6ATR7ECD8N
- Unlocks Ahriman: MAPE5REPE4T5
- Unlocks Bash: LAXBU6GRA4U
- Unlocks Behemoth: PASS3SU433KA
- Unlocks Cait Sith: P2KET4DTCW6
- Unlocks Death Machine: CH4D9EN3A3TE3
- Unlocks Fusuya: SF5AUS5WUJ39Y
- Unlocks Gilgamash: GU3RK3UG4AMP
- Unlocks Matoya: M8ATK2TCPAYA
- Unlocks Ming-Wu: MR3ZNNGXU72P
- Unlocks Ninja: H4NA53NJRE9
- Unlocks Oltoross: 8TA9CQQTAC
- Unlocks Omega: 6C6M6E6G6A6
- Unlocks Ragna: RJAGH5UE6NA7
- Unlocks Red Wing: 6A3K2A538TS
- Unlocks Seifer: SME4SA39SFAH
- Unlocks Shantotto: 469J3ELEVENWS
- Unlocks Siegfried: FGR3ET5KKJC
- Unlocks Steiner: A3NASX6UXT7
- Unlocks Vivi: VTS3RAPLVKE3
- Unlocks Wakka: WRKA3KUMKRA
- Unlocks Yuffie: PASS3CH3GC45

FIFA STREET EA Sports for PS3, Xbox 360 Gameplay: 8.0 Graphics: 7.4 Sound: 8.0 Replay Value: 8.5 Overall Score: 7.9 Pros: Fun simulation. Great level design makes you want to play more. Jump in for one game or go on World Tour. Cons: Animations should be more varied. Occasional screen freeze online. Can be very difficult to win.

DETAILED DESIGN

Here’s how they make FIFA Street a very good game: The developers pay so much attention to detail, you often feel like you’re living the life of an amateur soccer player. For instance, your early games are played in parking lots with very few fans watching as you perform your skills. The lots are dark and kind of dirty. People you can’t see hoot and howl.

And it’s good that you don’t have a huge crowd watching: Your performance isn’t great when you begin your journey to glory in World Tour.

Even at that skill level, you’ll hear a constant banter of appreciation from your teammates. What’s even cooler is that they react to your moves and goals, not only onscreen, but through their words as well. There’s one creepy cackle that never gets old. The experience can feel enthralling as you travel to 35 locations around the world.

MOVING ON UP

Although your level of play is pretty miserable when you start, don’t worry: You’re given some skill points for making a great goal. But that’s not all. Do some cool tricks while moving the ball, and you’ll get points to level up as well. There are 50 dribbling styles and moves that let you show off as you play.

You’ll learn how to goad an opponent into making a crucial wrong move. Once he steps out of position, you’ll have freer rein to score goals. Getting him to run as fast as you run, then stopping in your tracks to move in another direction can leave your opponent confused and in the dust.

I suggest that you start on Easy Mode, and try the tutorials. (You’ll even get an achievement when you check them out.) Once you get up to level 15, switch to Normal Mode for more of a challenge. Hard Mode is terribly difficult, about the hardest of the EA Sports games. Leave it alone unless you feel very confident.

If you’re a beginner and don’t know the terms associated with soccer, you will soon. For instance, “panna” means you knock the ball through the legs of a defender and then continue to move it toward the goal. It’s thrilling for you, but also embarrassing for the other player.

FOR THE WIN

FIFA Street is very addicting, and I have the sore wrists to prove it. Even though the games are very short, you just want to keep going to get better.

You can level up by doing tricks that give you points. Scoring goals after the tricks tallies up points. If the opposing team scores before you do, you lose those points.

But forget the points. You want to win, too. You’ll get a bronze, silver or gold cup at the end of a match to prove your worth. Gold is associated with the hardest mode. But if you play online and win a match, you’ll get a gold cup, no matter what your skill level.

Once you win, you can take a seasoned player from the losing team, if you like. Once you get to the World Stage, you can compete against licensed clubs, too.

EXCITING BUT WITH SOME GLITCHES

Each step of the way, it’s exciting. But it would be more exciting if the animations at the end of a game and match were more varied and looked better.

You can play with a group, too. Offline, you can play with four friends (seven, if you have the PS3 version). Online, you can play with up to eight pals. Playing over a broadband connection, I found there were only occasional lag times during a match. Yet the game did freeze once, which is really unacceptable.

FIFA Street features an online pass with a code that works for you alone. You have to enter the code before you can go online. It’s a pain to add the code, even though it takes just a few minutes. There has to be a better way to do this. Companies are implementing this pass system to try to prevent you from reselling your games. They figure if there’s no online access, people might not buy the game you want to sell when you’re done.

One of the problems I saw with FIFA Street is the angle you’re presented as you play. Since it’s from above, you don’t see the goal straight on. That makes for some cringe-filled near misses, especially before you reach Level 10. You’re better served by the End to End camera, which looks from one goal to the other. Change it in the options menu.

The customization aspect lets you add details to your avatar. But I wish you could just add a face and body photo via Kinect. That would be easier and save time.

Finally, I’m not sure I care much about the outfits and shoes you unlock for playing well. I’m not concerned about what I look like on the field – as long as I do well on it.

Overall, the FIFA Street experience is a very good one. Hopefully, they’ll work out some of the problems so that next year the experience will be totally excellent.

Games Guru: Here are a few.

– Bling Bling – Increase Mass/Energy by 10,000: CTRL + ALT + B
– Change game speed: WLD_gamespeed
– Change gravity (4.9 is default): Sim_gravity
– Change player color: SetArmyColor
– Copy Unit/Structure: CTRL+SHIFT+[C]
– Delete units – Target a unit then delete it: CTRL + DELETE
– Increase game speed by 1: WLD_increasesimrate
– Up raw material storage by 10,000 and fill camps: BlingBling

Games Guru: You have to unlock the expert ghosts on ALL 32 tracks. Then you’ll get Mii Outfit B. It’s not easy since it takes a lot of time. The expert ghost in Ghost Valley 2 is really hard.

Dear Games Guru, How do you get a star on Mario Kart?

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.

Games Guru: There are no codes. Here are some unlockables:

– Almost a Century: Failed with a score of 99
– Are you kidding me?!: Failed with the same score as my personal best.
– Bomb Magnet: Hit three bombs and scored over 250 after all bonuses in Arcade Mode.
– Combo Mambo: Slice 6 fruits in one combo
– Connected Ninja (10): Post a score to Facebook or Twitter.
– Deja Vu: Kill 4 of the same type of fruit in a row in Classic Mode.
– Fruit Annihilation: Kill 10000 Fruit Total
– Fruit Blitz: Kill 500 Fruit Total
– Fruit Fight: Kill 150 Fruit Total
– Fruit Frenzy: Kill 1000 Fruit Total
– Fruit Ninja: Get a score of 50 in Classic Mode
– Fruit Rampage: Kill 5000 Fruit Total

Games Guru: As you move through the level, just keep going higher and higher in the environment. Near the top, keep to your left and go down just a bit. Keep moving and shoot an enemy behind you. Your portal will be up someyellow-ish stairs on the left.

Games Guru: Level 2-4 doesn’t have any rocket barrels as far as I can see. Generally, Cannon Cluster is not that hard. Jump onto the crabs to kill them. Avoiding the cannonballs just takes a sense of rhythm. The hardest part might be getting the puzzle pieces before time runs out.

Games Guru: It’s in the Lanayru Desert near the most Southern Bird Statue. Find and activate the Timeshift Stone. Vines will appears. Climb them and move eastward. You’ll soon see the wheel, somewhat covered by sand.

Would you please give me some tips for this game, o wise Games Guru? Thank you.

Games Guru: We have some tips in the March issue of Boys’ Life. If you missed them, here they are:

1. There’s a heart piece on the hanging chandelier in the Lumpy Pumpkin on Pumpkin Landing. To get it, roll into the banister which causes the chandelier to crash to the ground.

2. The Silent Realms can be quite challenging. The trick sometimes is to scope out and collect the most challenging tears first and save the easy to get to ones in case of an emergency.

3. If you’re ever in need of a fairy, there is one in a pot at the left side of the temple in the Sacred Grounds.

4. Koloktos is a tough boss to beat. Use your whip to pull away his arms, and then repeatedly stab the red heart-like jewel in his chest. The second part of the fight is even more of an adrenaline rush. Let’s just say that you have to use his weapons against him.

5. Collect Gratitude Crystals by doing side quests in and around Skyloft. To find out what the Gratitude Crystals are for, start with the “Lost Child” quest by talking to the worried mom by the Goddess Statue.

Scouts Vs. Aliens was created by Hamumu Software for Boys’ Life magazine.
Like it? Click here to play their other BL games.

Games Guru: The boss you’re fighting is Roy Koopa. If he lands and you’re on the ground, he’ll paralyze you. As he lands, jump onto his head to avoid his attack. Do this two more times. I don’t know where you’re stuck in the castle.

Do you have any tips for the new multiplayer Mario Bros. game?

Games Guru: Here are some tips:

- When riding Yoshi, you can eat projectiles thrown by enemies. Spit them out to give them a taste of their own medicine!

- You can carry other players to help them get through challenging areas of the game.

- If four players are playing at the same time, jump together and simultaneously press down on the + Control Pad to perform a Ground Pound. It creates a huge tremor that eliminates all land-based enemies.

- When flying with the Propeller Suit, shake the Wiimote as you fall to increase the range of your horizontal descent.

- Use frozen enemies as platforms to gain access to hard-to-reach areas. Make sure you jump off before they melt!

- Players riding Yoshi can jump higher and longer if they continue to hold the “2″ button after leaving the ground.

- Jump on other players’ heads to reach areas you wouldn’t be able to access on your own.

Games Guru: I think you mean Catfish’s Maw. It’s quite a process to get there. Since I don’t know where you are, I’ll tell you how to start your journey. Now that you have flippers, you go into the deep waters off Koholint Island. Once you near the Angler’s Tunnel, swim left and go into the cave. Talk to the Giant Fish. If you have the ocarina, you’ll learn a new song before you continue.

KID ICARUS: UPRISING Nintendo for 3DS; Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older. Gameplay: 8.5 Graphics: 9.0 Sound: 9.7 Replay Value: 9.0 Overall Score: 9.1 Pros: Deep online multiplayer; cool augmented reality cards; characters who speak. Cons: Controls take getting used to; occasional camera-angle issue; characters speaking during battle is distracting.

The story of Kid Icarus: Uprising features Pit, the chipper main character, in a battle to save Angel Land from the scheming Medusa. This nasty snake-haired goddess commands an army of varied, flying monsters that want to strike out at Pit.

But the plucky warrior is helped by Palutena, the chatty goddess of light who guards the human race. Through her, you’ll learn how to use weapons and even how to fly.

BOTH BIG AND SMALL REASONS TO GET IT

The reasons to get the game are many, and even the small things will rock your world. Six augmented reality cards add enjoyment beyond the game. Use them, and you’ll get collectible hearts that let you buy stuff. You can make your own weapons. You can use a slider to carefully increase the difficulty of the game far beyond the usual Hard option.

Each level is composed of a seat-of-your-pants flying mission, a difficult ground mission and a boss battle. The bosses you encounter are wonderfully weird and crazy. For instance, the giant dragon Hewdraw has three heads, each with a wild personality. It’s like meeting the Three Stooges of dragons.

On the ground, you sometimes find vehicles that you can jump into and drive around. The Exo Tank, for instance, looks like a supercharged Japanese stag beetle mixed with a Roman chariot. It shoots blue lightning bolts from its frontal blades and moves via jet propulsion.

This is such a carefully made game packed with action that you might miss one of the best things about it: the dramatic, humorous, sometimes cheesy dialog voiced throughout. Hearing full audio conversations is rare for a Nintendo handheld. And there sure is lot of conversing.

For example, Palutena really is a motormouth. She tells stories about Greek history or the dangerous terrain or the complex characters. Most of the time, her banter really adds to the game. But when she gabs as you’re flying and fighting, you miss some important points she’s trying to make because you’re trying to win a battle – and stay alive.

The music is full of variety, too. Take the soundtrack to Pandora’s Labyrinth of Deceit. It’s a strange, dizzying maze that goes on and on. And it features artwork that must have been inspired by the first “Tron” movie. As you play, you’ll hear a smooth jazz song that you’ll probably be humming when you put the game down.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

Kid Icarus: Uprising comes with a plastic stand. The stand supposedly allows for easier play. But including that stand points to the one big issue: They added the stand to make controlling the game easier. But you still may well have problems whether you try the stand or just hold the 3DS as you play.

That’s because the controls aren’t precise enough.

The control stick on the upper left is used for moving Pit around. It’s also used to make him leap to the side when, say, a ball of fire has been aimed at him by an enemy. That control doesn’t always work well.

And you’re supposed to use the stylus on the touch screen to aim your weapons. That’s a hard and sometimes painful experience. I ended up using my index finger instead.

Nintendo has tried to give you variety in the way you use the controls. You can change them around. But they never seem exactly right, and if you have big hands, you’ll get cramps. I dealt with this (and I don’t have huge hands) by playing just one level at a time. Each takes about 20 or 30 minutes. Then I took a rest.

REPLAY – AND HISTORIC – VALUE

The replay value in Uprising is very high. You have an online multiplayer system that includes team deathmatch and free-for-all modes. And you’ll go back to the main game to pick up new treasure or weapons. Finally, you can pit the characters featured on the augmented reality cards against each other.

Kid Icarus: Uprising will go down in history as one of the most inventive games Nintendo has ever made for the 3DS. Despite the challenges with the controls, you’ll thrill to hours and hours of engrossing fun that includes a rich story as well.

Games Guru: Get 3 stars on every single cup in every engine class, and you’ll be granted 3 stars next to your name online. I don’t know about which color wheel you’ll get, though.

What’s going on in this picture? What is this raccoon 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 “spinachi718” 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: It may be harder than you think. Complete the Arcade Mode with the 20 starting characters and the 2 unlockable characters. You have to do this on the hardest difficulty. And you must do it without using the “continue” function.

Games Guru: I can only answer one question. As you know, this is a complex action role-playing game with complicated answers to questions. First, there is no code to unlock the card. The first tip: Don’t get hit because getting hit will stun you. If you hit him in the middle of one of his terrible thunder attacks, he will stop attacking. If you successfully avoid getting hit, here’s when you have a chance to make your move with a strong Wood card. These do a lot of damage. You can try freezing him as well. Also, block the helper with a shield.

Games Guru: You get the special boy and girl characters when you earn all the trophies in the challenge mode.

Games Guru: Here are some unlock codes for you:

- Malum: “m4llumz” or “m411umz”
- Strakk: “57r4kk”
- Tarix: “74R1XR
- Skrall: “5kr411″
- Vorox: “V0R0XR” (Zeroes, not os)
- Mata Nui: M74NU1
- Stronius: 57RN1S
- Ackar: 4CK4RG
- Vastus: V457U5
- Kiina: BLUK11
- Gelu: 73G3LU

Games Guru: Sometimes, a game isn’t as well designed as it should be. Sadly, that happened with this version of Spidey for the DS. All I can say is to keep your eye on the map in the upper screen. That should help you with where to go next – a little. But sometimes that map itself seems broken.

Graphics: 10.0 Sound: 8.5 Apps: 6.0 Overall Games Score: 7.6 Wow Factor: 8.0 Overall Vita Score: 8.0 Pros: Graphics are jaw dropping; large variety of games on launch day; two touch screens. Cons: Some promised apps not available on launch day; no Flash (yet) to watch videos; short battery life.

So let’s look under the hood. The tech stuff that makes the Vita superior is its zippy computer processor. It’s faster than the current iPhone and even the upcoming iPad 3.

But it’s in the gaming graphics department that the Vita really shines. For detailed artwork, it truly feels like the next big thing. It’s almost like having a PS3 that fits in your jacket pocket.

There are over two dozen games to choose from (and dozens more to come). But don’t put Vita in your pants pocket. With its five-inch screen and nine ounces of weight, it’s too big for that.

PLAY YOUR WAY

Once you start playing, you’ll see that the Vita’s design has also been influenced by the Nintendo DS and Apple iPad, which made touch-screen gaming so popular. Sony really loves the idea of touch, so much so that you can use both the front screen and the back of the Vita to put games through their paces.

You’ll either enjoy using a combination of ways to play or stick to one. (And, thankfully, buttons are still an option.) The main thing is this: The way you play is all up to you.

Here’s the most useful new idea. If you have both the Vita and PS3 versions of MLB 12: The Show, the baseball season you play on the Vita will be remembered when you turn on the PS3. You have to sync up the two via the PS3. But that only takes about 10 minutes.

SOME GLITCHES

Nothing’s ever perfect and neither is the Vita. The front and back cameras are primitive, especially for a system that’s so cutting edge in other ways. Just like Nintendo’s 3DS, they only have .3 megapixels, laughable in this day and age. You can take your own picture and have it placed onto a character in a game like Virtua Tennis. It’s a nice idea. But when I did it, I saw that it doesn’t really look like me. And it takes a long time to do.

The touch screen can be hit and miss. For instance, Escape Plan is a charming-looking downloadable game with unusual characters and movie soundtrack-type music. It only uses the touch screen. But it fails because either the touch screen isn’t precise enough or the game itself isn’t programmed properly.

Touch works better with a game like Rayman Origins in which you search for relics by tapping areas of the screen.

There were some aspects of the Vita that actually weren’t functioning when I finished my review on launch day. The Augmented Reality cards, which let you play mini games, had no app to get them started. There was no Flash program to let me watch YouTube videos. And there was no app for Facebook or Sony’s tune-streaming service, Music Unlimited.

If these were promised on launch day, they should be there on launch day. Not to have these available is a pretty big deal.

REMARKABLE, NONETHELESS

There’s no doubt that the Vita is a remarkable piece of equipment. Developers have yet to perfect the precision of the touch screen and the gyroscope (for racing games). But that will come with time. What you have now is a system that adds cool realism to the games you play.

You might want to wait for a sale because the Vita is as (or more) expensive than a PS3 right now. But when you get it, you’ll really feel like you’re living inside these games, particularly the best ones.

BEST LAUNCH DAY GAMES

Rayman Origins (Ubisoft)
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

What an outstanding game. If you’ve waited to play the console version that came out last year, I’d actually suggest playing the Vita version instead. Why? It’s like having sheer optimism in your pocket. If you’re a little down from schoolwork or losing in your sport, it’s the kind of game that makes you hopeful and happy. The Rayman characters presented here are as endearing as any Disney character.

Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour (Sega)

You’ll have to laugh at a bug in this tennis game that occasionally has your famous player running off the court prior to a serve. Is he scared? Does he need a bathroom break? Still, the smart simulation portion asks you to use the same finesse you would for a console game. And the minigames, one of which asks you to herd chickens, are strangely fun.

WipeOut 2048 (Sony)
Rated E10+

This futuristic racing game is so speedy, it’ll take your breath away. Imagine a racing car as fast as Sonic the Hedgehog, and you’ll get the idea. Add weapons, powerups and a zippy soundtrack for the craziest racing experience on Vita.

Lumines: Electronic Symphony (Ubisoft)

Remember Tetris? Lumines is Tetris with a science-fiction feel and an electronic soundtrack including folks like LCD Soundsystem. The result is not only a music game that’s easy to pick up and play, it’s also one that you just can’t put down.

Games Guru: I think the person who sold you the pre-order was wrong. I’m pretty sure the downloadable content for the Rock is only available in something called the People’s Edition for the PS3 and Xbox 360. If there was a downloadable or unlockable Rock, you would have gotten a code in the game box on a small piece of paper. But you may be able to get the Rock by finishing the complete Outsider story.

Games Guru: I salute you for playing one very deep and classic game. Destroy the tentacles first by using Cecil’s Darkness attacks. At the same time, Tellah and Rydia should cast thunder spells. But you have to keeping healing Tellah and Rydia as they fight to keep them working. Once the tentacles are toast, just start working on the body.

Games Guru: Congrats on getting as far as you have. You need to do something with the AllSpark once you have it.

When Starscream gets near the AllSpark, pick it up and start a melee using AllSpark. Bam! Starscream takes to the air, and your final battle begins. It’s tough, so you may be writing me again for a tip! Just remember to always keep Starscream in your sight or you’ll lose the battle.

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.

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

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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.

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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.