Fun With Disney Interactive Studios

It's no secret that my family and I are HUGE Disney fans! Our trip to Disney World this past spring was amazing and brought tears of joy to my little girl's eyes since it was her first visit there ever and also her first vacation since being diagnosed with diabetes several months ago.

So she was overjoyed when Disney Interactive Studios recently sent us two video games for us to review: Cars 2: The Video Game and Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension.

The original Cars movie has a lot of meaning to my three kids because it was the last movie they watched with their grandfather before he passed away. He was a race car driver so it was the perfect movie for them to watch with him.

We haven't had a chance to see Cars 2 yet but we are definitely planning on it! I am sure it will live up to the Disney name and deliver wholesome, fun entertainment as all Disney movies do.



Disney's video games are no different and Natalie has had so much fun playing the Nintendo DS version of Cars 2 (the game is available on all major gaming platforms). Here's a description from Disney Interactive Studios:

"In Cars 2: The Video Game, players prepare to become a world-class spy at the international training center C.H.R.O.M.E (Command Headquarters for Recon Operations and Motorized Espionage) and then take on dangerous spy missions. While using their new spy skills in exhilarating, action-packed combat racing and battle arenas, players compete to become the best race car in the world.






Fans can play in either single or multi player modes with up to four people to unlock new tracks, characters, events, and thrilling spy missions. Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii, DS, and PC/Mac.

Developed by Avalanche Software in collaboration with filmmakers at Pixar Animation Studios, the team brought in a former CIA agent to ensure some of the spy elements in the game (from training to gadgets) reflect what spy agencies might implement, with an animated twist, of course. Check out this cool video on the making of the game:



The DS version includes exclusive global locations not seen in the film. Natalie's favorite character to play as is Holly Shiftwell and she really had fun with the different maneuvers only Cars characters can do, such as backwards driving, air tricks, sidestepping to avoid obstacles and two-wheel driving.

The console versions are rated "E-10+" and retail for $49.99 while the DS version is rated "E" for Everyone and is available for $29.99.



Natalie enjoyed playing Phineas & Ferb: Across the Second Dimension just as much! This game just hit the shelves earlier this month and comes on the heels of the Disney Channel Original Movie of the same name.

The game continues and expands the movie storyline and fans can play as their favorite characters from the series, including Phineas, Ferb, Agent P, and the all-new Agent T who is introduced for the first time in the game.
Here's a description of the game from Disney Interactive Studios:

"Players will adventure through unique worlds of gelatin, bouncy balloons, old-school cartoons and more as they utilize all-new and upgradeable gadgets such as the Carbonator, Ninja Glove and Jetpack. These items will be utilized to battle new adversaries,, as well as familiar foes, while engaging in epic boss battles against enemies like the Goozim and Giant Normbot.

The game is available on PlayStation3, Wii and Nintendo DS platforms. The console versions are rated "E-10+" and retail for $39.99 and the DS version is rated "E" for Everyone and is available for $29.99.

Here's a trailer that shows how much fun the games is:



Natalie's favorite part of the game is traveling through the dimensions and her favorite character is Perry the Platypus. She also loves the different robots found on each level of the game.

For more information on Cars2: The Video Game, click here. And for more information on Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension, click here.

Disclosure: I received two complimentary video games from Disney Interactive Studios to facilitate this review.

Winter Fun with Wii! (Giveaway)

Skiing, snowboarding, skating and more...all in your own living room? Wii makes it all possible with the new Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun, releasing in just a couple of days (February 2).



The game is the latest in the top-selling Family Party franchise. Winter Fun delivers hours of family entertainment on Wii where players can choose from over a dozen cute characters dressed head-to-toe in customizable winter outfits, and can participate in up to four player action including multiplayer co-op. Players can get in the spirit of playing all-time favorite winter games and competing and unlocking games and challenges to achieve high scores and win medals. You can also play solo if you prefer.

The colorful, eye-catching graphics alone will pull you into the game, and the fun, action-packed sports will keep you there. Have a look at some of the gorgeous, pre-release stills:









KEY FEATURES:

30 Fun, Addictive Games Optimized for Wii - Players will exercise while playing their favorite winter snow competitions and playground snow games without leaving home.

• Winter Sport Competitions: cross-country ski, figure skate, ice canoe, bobsled, and even snow plow!
  
  
• Playground Snow Games: compete against friends in a snowball fight, snow tube race, and more!
  
  
• Brain Freezing Challenges: test your wit at memory games, help Santa deliver presents and create beautiful star constellations!

Play With Up to 4 Friends – Players do not have to be professional athletes to compete in this game! Winter Fun is entertaining for the whole family with support for up to 4 players in Challenge or Battle Mode and now features multiplayer co-op team events for the first time.

Choose Your Own Friendly Character to Play – Players can play as any family member with over a dozen cute characters dressed from head-to-toe in customizable winter outfits. Even Grandpa and Grandma can play!

Achieve the Highest Score and Win Medals – Players can mix and match games to create their own unique challenges against friends and family to be the best all-around and win gold or establish the highest scores on the leaderboards.

Publisher: D3Publisher

Developer: Tamsoft Corporation

Release Date: February 2, 2010

Platform: Nintendo Wii™

Suggested Retail Price: $19.95

ESRB Rating: “E” for Everyone

As of today, January 31, Winter Fun is available for pre-order on Amazon.com for $19.99. But thanks to Wii and fortyseven communications, one lucky reader of So a Blonde Walks Into a Review will win a copy of the game just as it's hitting the shelves!

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post letting us know what your favorite family winter activity is. Be sure that there is an email address for you that I can find, or your entry will have to be disqualified.

By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here. Please also see my disclosure policy here.

You can receive additional entries by doing one or all of the following (one entry, one time, for each step):

~Twitter with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with your Twitter link.

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Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Saturday, February 6, 2009. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Good luck and enjoy the show!

Rock Out with Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits for Nintendo DS

My kids and I have long been fans of Guitar Hero for PlayStation so we were thrilled to find out that we could now enjoy the game on our Nintendo DS systems.

Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits for Nintendo DS is a follow-up to the On Tour and Decades games previously released. The games are SO much fun and very addictive. There are three different versions to choose from: Guitar Hero on Tour, Guitar Hero on Tour- Modern Hits, and Guitar Hero on Tour - Decades.

Thanks to Mom Central, we were able to review the Modern Hits and Decades games. And we love them so much, I'm planning on purchasing the third game, Guitar Hero on Tour. I really, really love the songs available on that one..."Spiderwebs" by No Doubt, Rick Springfield's "Jesse's Girl," and they even have an old song my husband dedicated to me when we were first dating more than twenty years ago- "Pride and Joy" by Stevie Ray Vaughan.

You can view the set list for all three games here, but I'll give you my favorites from Decades and Modern Hits.

Decades

~"One Way or Another" by Blondie
~"CrushCrushCrush" by Paramore
~"Any Way You Want It" by Journey
~"We Are the Champions" by Queen

Modern Hits
~"Sweet Sacrifice" by Evanescence
~"Paralyzer" by Finger Eleven
~"Where Are We Runnin'" by Lenny Kravitz

Each game includes 28 songs in all, and they're radio-edits so you don't have to worry about exposing your kids to mature lyrics.

I was worried that it might be difficult to play Guitar Hero on a Nintendo DS console, but the creators really knew what they were doing when they designed these games. There is a strap that attaches to the DS with four, colored keys to press in accordance with the notes shown on the DS screen and I had no difficulty getting used to it, and neither did my kids.

There are stickers for players to personalize their "guitar" and a guitar pick stylist to "strum" with. You can also play with your regular Nintendo DS stylus if you prefer.

You can choose your band name, guitarist, outfit and guitar. As you earn cash at each of the five all-new venues you tour at, you can go into a shop to purchase more guitars and clothing.

My kids love to play every chance they get, but especially in the car. Portability is the biggest advantage of playing the games on a Nintendo.

The most excitement for my kids, though, comes from the multiplayer, head-to-head mode (requires two games and two Nintendo DS consoles). Here they are battling out to "Unconditional" by The Bravery:



The wireless feature not only allows mutliplayer modes, but it also allows for song streaming.

Other key features:

~Choose your path to stardom – For the first time ever, players can choose how they take their band from the underground music scene to worldwide rock stardom with the exciting non-linear gameplay progression in Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits.

~Do it for the fans – Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits delivers an all-new gameplay experience with Fan Requests. By completing Fan Requests players build their fan base and open up new challenges to rock-out like never before including jamming to an entire song in Hyperspeed, battling it out in a Guitar Duel with active Bomb Notes or whammying every single hold note in a song.

~Rock out anytime, anywhere – Fans can take the Guitar Hero experience wherever they go with Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits. The Guitar Hero™ Guitar Grip™ mimics a guitar fret board and fits seamlessly in people’s hands to deliver the same core gameplay that defines Guitar Hero.

~The party never stops – Song streaming features allow players of Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits and its predecessors, Guitar Hero: On Tour and Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades, to share songs via local wireless connectivity. Players can rock out together in multiplayer modes, jamming to tracks from all three versions of the game.

Guitar Hero On Tour retails for $49.99 and is rated “E 10+” (Everyone 10 and older – Lyrics). Be sure to visit GuitarHeroOnTour.com for more information and enter to win all three Guitar Hero On Tour games!

Unwind with Zenses Rainforest

I recently had the privilege of reviewing Zenses Ocean and hosting a giveaway for this amazing, serene game. If you missed it, or entered but didn't win, now is your chance to get in on the relaxation with Zenses Rainforest.



Zenses Rainforest takes you away to a tropical paradise. You can explore the Amazon while playing games "infused with rain drops, exotic flowers, waterfalls and giant trees."

"Immerse yourself in Zenses while challenging the mind, body and spirit through relaxing puzzle and brain training games, soothing ambient sounds and authentic visuals that highlight the earth's natural wonders and beauty."

There are six, fun puzzles you can choose from: Treasure Spin, Stack Jack, Twist-'n-Turn, Flower Board, Sapphire Wheel and Solitaire.



My favorite of all the puzzles is Sapphire Wheel. The brightly colored gems are eye-catching and it's fun trying to strategically fit the geometric pieces into each space.

Zenses Rainforest comes with the following features and highlights:

• Allows players to escape from the stress of daily life while challenging the mind, body and spirit through relaxing puzzle games, soothing ambient sounds and authentic rainforest and oceanic visuals.
• Designed for casual play – whether it’s for three minutes or for a three-hour escape – and offers a collection of six easy to pick up, yet addictive puzzle/brain games that are as fun as they are challenging.
• A clean, fresh and “spa-like” interface and highlights the earth’s natural wonders and beauty.
• A pleasant mixture of 2D and 3D. Zenses is controlled using the stylus only. Not a single key press is necessary.
• Includes a high-quality, ambient soundtrack. Music from the game can be downloaded for free. Just click here and go to "Music Download."

Here are the specs for the game:

Release Date: November 2008
Genre: Puzzle
Platform: Nintendo DS™
Rating: Rating E for Everyone
Players: 1
Target: Female casual gamers
Languages: English, Spanish and French
Developer: Shin'en Multimedia
Publisher: The Game Factory/zenses
Price: $29.99 each
Where to Buy: Available now online and at retailers nationwide (Target, Wal-Mart, amazon.com, among others)

For more information on Zenses Rainforest, click here. While you're there, don't forget that you can download the game's fabulous spa-like music for free. You can also click on "Words of Wisdom" to view inspirational quotes.

Would you like to release the stress and tension in your life and have fun while doing it? Thanks to GameFactoryGames and r-west, one lucky reader will win Zenses Rainforest for themselves!

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post letting me know why you'd like to win Zenses Rainforest.

You can receive additional entries by doing one or all of the following (one entry for each step...if you already have my button, favorited in Techonarati, etc. just leave a separate comment letting me know for each step):

~Twitter with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with your Twitter link.

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Be sure that there is an email address for you that I can find, or your entry will have to be disqualified. By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here.

Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Monday, March 2, 2009. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Good luck!

Escape With Zenses Ocean

How many of you can relate to this scenario:



Me too. In fact, just the other day, I was stuck in Target waiting endlessly for a prescription to be filled when I remembered that my Nintendo DS was in my purse. I carry it around for times just like those.

Of course, I had my favorite game loaded in the DS: Zenses Ocean. As soon as I began playing, my tension was eased and the time just flew by.

I also suffer from insomnia and the game helps me to relax and unwind at night. The music is so soothing and the graphics take you away to another world. The clean, fresh look as well as the calming soundtrack reminds me of a spa getaway. Click here to see the trailer so you can watch and listen for yourself.

Zenses Ocean comes with the following highlights and features:

• Allows players to escape from the stress of daily life while challenging the mind, body and spirit through relaxing puzzle games, soothing ambient sounds and authentic rainforest and oceanic visuals.
• Designed for casual play – whether it’s for three minutes or for a three-hour escape – and offers a collection of six easy to pick up, yet addictive puzzle/brain games that are as fun as they are challenging.
• A clean, fresh and “spa-like” interface and highlights the earth’s natural wonders and beauty.
• A pleasant mixture of 2D and 3D. Zenses is controlled using the stylus only. Not a single key press is necessary.
• Includes a high-quality, ambient soundtrack. Music from the game can be downloaded for free. Just click here and go to "Music Download."

Here are the specs for the game:

Release Date: November 2008
Genre: Puzzle
Platform: Nintendo DS™
Rating: Rating E for Everyone
Players: 1
Target: Female casual gamers
Languages: English, Spanish and French
Developer: Shin'en Multimedia
Publisher: The Game Factory/zenses
Price: $29.99 each
Where to Buy: Available now online and at retailers nationwide (Target, Wal-Mart, amazon.com, among others)



Zenses Ocean transports me to my favorite place on the earth....the beach. The puzzles are "inspired by the movements of the tide, rippling water, riffs and corals, beach vegetation and sea life."

"An indulgent, soothing experience, Zenses Ocean includes high quality visuals and ambient sounds inspired by the natural sounds of the sea. Subliminal addictive puzzles such as Zen-Stones, Hot Spot, Shell Twirl, Turtle Turn, Pearl Diver and Wave Breaker were created to give players an escape from the stress of every day life."

Ahhhh! Just what my busy mind needs to unwind.



Shell Twirl is my favorite puzzle. There's just something soothing to me about dragging all of the pretty shells into their rightful places.

For more information on Zenses Ocean, click here. While you're there, don't forget you can download the spa-like music for free. You can also click on "Words of Wisdom" to view inspirational quotes.

Would you like to release the stress and tension in your life and have fun while doing it? Thanks to GameFactoryGames and r-west, one lucky reader will win Zenses Ocean for themselves!



To enter, simply leave a comment on this post letting me know why you'd like to win Zenses Ocean.

You can receive additional entries by doing one or all of the following (one entry for each step):

~Twitter with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with your Twitter link.

~Blog about this contest with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with the link to your post.

~Follow this blog. Simply click on "Follow this blog" found near the top of the sidebar to the right (under "The Blonde"). Then, leave a separate comment letting me know you are following.

~Post the button below on your blog and then leave a separate comment here letting me know it's posted and where. Here's the code for the button:



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Be sure that there is an email address for you that I can find, or your entry will have to be disqualified. By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here.

Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Saturday, February 21, 2009. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Good luck!

Family Games from Electronic Arts

Ask anyone who the leader is in making the best video games and the answer will always be EA (Electronic Arts).

Thanks to Foghorn PR, our family had the opportunity of reviewing three fabulous games from the EA line, including Littlest Pet Shop: Winter for Nintendo DS, Travel Games for Dummies for Nintendo DS, and Family Game Night for Playstation 2.

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My little girl, Natalie, had the Littlest Pet Shop: Winter game at the top of her Christmas list so she was beyond excited when the game arrived. She has played with it endlessly and it goes perfectly with her Littlest Pet Shop collection of toys, figures and games.

Here's a description of the game from the website:

"Jump right into your own Littlest Pet Shop™ Winter, full of cute, quirky pets that magically come to life in an exciting digital world. Collect some of the newest and cutest pets and explore the four separate environments where you can care for and play with your pets in a variety of mini-games. The more time you spend having fun with your pet, the more great stuff you earn for your pet shop, including new pets, playsets, accessories, and more. Experience your Littlest Pet Shop in a whole new way!"

And here's a peek at it's fabulous features:

• Have fun in a winter wonderland
  
• For 1-4 players
  
• Collect and name 20 pets including brand new Fanciest, Cuddliest, Sportiest, Chilliest, and others!
  
• Dress up your pets with over 100 accessories like scarves, glasses, hats and more!
  
• Play with your pets in four unique, pet-sized worlds.
  
• Engage in all of your favorite winter activities, explore the jungle depths, enjoy a day in the garden, and manage your pet shop from pet plaza.
  
• Compete in 16 fun and challenging mini-games to unlock accessories, playsets, and new pets too!
  
• Many difficulty levels mean you can replay the games over and over again.
• Celebrate pet birthdays and other events by planning festive Littlest Pet Shop-style parties with Evite!

I'd have to say this is definitely one of Natalie's favorite video games now. Click on over to the site for more information and to check out all of the amazing graphics.

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MY personal favorite game, and the one that now has me hooked on Nintendo DS, is Travel Games for Dummies, one of three games in the line of "Games for Dummies" (there's also Poker for Dummies, and Brain Training for Dummies). The games are based on the popular book series with the same name.

In my case, the game should be titled "Insomnia Games for Dummies" since I play most often when I'm battling insomnia. There are soothing background sounds such as birds chirping as I play which help lull me to sleep, while the games keep my brain from thinking, "It's 3 a.m. and you're still awake!" (which just guarantees you'll stay awake even longer).

And they do make a great pastime while waiting at a doctor's office or when I'm getting my hair done and waiting for the color to take (a usually boring 40 minutes or so, but not anymore with my Travel Games in hand).

Here's a description of the game from the site:

"With 3-games-in-1, you can take the fun with you. Includes: Sudoku, Crosswords, and Solitaire. Through a simple and interactive interface, you can easily learn and play these games at your own pace. Over 600 puzzles to play on the go."

My favorite has been the crossword puzzles and I'm so hooked that I purchased my own Nintendo DS so I don't have to keep borrowing my daughter's.

Click here for more information and/or to purchase.

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Finally, a game that all of us love and play together is Family Game Night for Playstation 2.

The graphics are really fun and so detailed. Take a look at these examples:




The adorable Mr. Potato Head is your host for all the games which include Connect Four, Battleship, Yahtzee, Boggle, Sorry! and the all new, Sorry! Sliders. You can play the classic games, or you can play exciting, new variations like Connect 4 Power Chips, Boggle Portal Cubes, Reverse Yahtzee and Battleship Salvo.

My kids really liked that they could customize their own game room under their personal profile. There are so many themes and decorations to choose from, and trophies and other rewards earned through game play are displayed there.

The best part is that 4 players can join in the fun, so we can get a big game of Sorry Sliders going for example (our favorite), or we can battle it out in Yahtzee, another favorite.

Click here for more information and/or to order. You can see tons of the cool graphics as well to get an idea of how amazing they are.

Entertainment Software Rating Board

With the holidays fast approaching, most parents are scrambling to search for the perfect gift for their children. At the top of most lists are, of course, video games.

How will parents, or Santa for that matter, know which ones are appropriate? Thanks to the Entertainment Software Rating Board, it's easy to find out.

The ESRB is a "non-profit, self-regulatory body" that provides information on content and age-appropriateness of games. You can find such information by simply looking at a ratings box on the front of almost all games on the market. Ratings range from EC (Early Childhood 3+) to AO (Adults Only 18+).

On the back of game boxes, you'll find a more detailed explanation on the game's rating, such as "language," "violence," or "blood."

Newer game consoles, such as Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, and Sony PlayStation 3, come with ESRB parental controls that can help a parent protect their child from inappropriate content.

ESRB offers detailed explanations on how to set up these controls.

For example, on the WII system, you simply do the following:

1. Access the Wii System Settings.
   
2. Click on the blue arrow to reach the Wii System Settings 2 menu options.
   
3. Choose “Parental Controls” and select “Yes.”
   
4. Enter the 4-digit PIN and select “OK.” If you have forgotten the PIN, select “I forgot” to answer the secret question.
   
5. Now you can adjust the “Highest Game Rating allowed” to be played on the Wii console.

Find more information on WII parental controls here.

For Microsoft Xbox 360, use the following guide:

1. Using the Xbox 360 controller, select “Family Settings, Console Controls.”
2. Select “Game Ratings.”
   
3. Select the maximum ESRB rating category you deem appropriate for your children.
   
4. Select “Set Pass Code” and insert a password.
   
5. Select “Done” from the Console Controls screen to lock settings.
   
6. Select “Yes” to activate.

More information on Xbox settings can be found here.

With so much violence plaguing today's games for children, the ESRB rating system can be an invaluable tool for parents, especially during the holiday season.