Toronto Thumbs

Review
Fossil Fighters: Champions

A long time ago, I swore to myself that I would never play “collect-and-battle” games. The likes of Pokemon and Monster Rancher seemed like endless grinding to me, and I thought that those types of games would be a waste of time. Then, I started writing for Thumbs, and playing games I never imagined. Eventually, I ended up playing the very games I promised myself I never would – and I sort-of liked some of them*. Fossil Fighter Champions (developed by Nintendo SPD, Red Entertainment, M2, and Artdink) adds to the “love” side of my love/hate relationship with the genre.

In FFC, you pit your creatures (in this case, called vivosaurs) against other vivosaurs. So far, this is the common denominator among the genre. However, the catch is that you attain new creatures by digging for their bones, cleaning them, and then bringing them back to life. I’m sure this DS title has some of you interested now.

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Posted in DS, Reviews | No Comments »

Review
Professor Layton and the Last Specter

Lately, the days have been getting shorter and the air grows cooler with each passing week. People are starting to wear warmer clothes as they shuffle through the red, yellow and orange piles of dried leaves that are spread across the ground like an autumn blanket. It is that time of the year again, when the latest title in the Professor Layton series sits snugly in the cartridge slot of my DS; somehow, the air doesn’t feel so cold as I unravel the mystery in the intrepid professor’s latest adventure in the strange town of Misthallery.

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Posted in 3DS, DS, DSi, DSi XL, Reviews | 2 Comments »

Review
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2

In my opinion, any RPG-type video game that wishes to present a robust gaming experience had better have a healthy amount of variety to make up for the eventual monotony of the fights. This is usually done with a good story, equipment sets, and “internal” character customization. Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2, from Square Enix, seems to have all three of those going for it – but is that enough to make it a worthwhile endeavor? The answer may surprise you, as there is a fourth element that was a surprise to me!

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Posted in 3DS, DS, DSi, DSi XL, Reviews | No Comments »

Review
Cars 2

Movie-based games (particularly ones based on animated films) can be hit-and-miss. One of the greatest hits came in the form of Toy Story 3 by Avalanche Software. It was plain to see that they worked very closely with Pixar to create a game that gave the same feeling as the movie. The same can be said for Cars 2, which is a great kart-style racing game starring everyone’s favourite anthropomorphic cars; this title is something the whole family can enjoy.

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Posted in DS, Mac, PC, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Wii, Xbox 360 | No Comments »

Review
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean

Sometimes I think that the LEGO franchise has a license to print money; any video game adaptation (that bears the LEGO name) of a film will always do well. The formula is essentially the same for each game: stick to the major plot, ensure that the character design reflects that of the movie and capture the charm. Though it seems like this system could become repetitive, each game manages to be entertaining. The latest in the LEGO lineup, LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean (developed by Traveller’s Tales and published by Disney Interactive Studios), is just as addictive and fun as the games that came before (and certainly far more engaging than the middle two films).

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Posted in DS, PlayStation 3, PSP, Reviews, Wii, Xbox 360 | No Comments »

Review
Plants vs. Zombies DS

Plants vs. Zombies by PopCap Games is arguably one of the most successful of all tower defense games in existence. With easy-to-grasp game-play and an entertaining theme (c’mon, who doesn’t like zombies), it is not a stretch to see why it is so popular. This newest edition, for the Nintendo DS, marks the first version that I have actually tried. While I don’t normally jump on bandwagons, you’ll probably see me surfing on top of the roof of this one waving a giant PvZ pennant; this game is awesome!

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Posted in DS, Reviews | 5 Comments »

Review
Pokémon Black/Pokémon White

Since the start of the Pokémon franchise back in 1996, video game producer Game Freaks have gone out of their way to make a truly ambitious series. What started as a redefining RPG about monsters trained to fight alongside trainer “Red” has since swelled into a gargantuan project in which almost 650 pokemon are now in existence. It’s hard to imagine being able to keep up with the ever-growing Pokédex, but if you’re committed, it’s a task worth taking – for some, that is.

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Posted in DS, Reviews | No Comments »

Christmas Ideas
Toy Story 3

Woody, Buzz, and the whole gang come alive in this Disney Interactive title developed by Avalanche Software; Toy Story 3 is a larger-than-life action/adventure platformer that does far more than tip its cap at the film of the same name. The game focuses on the story of the toys in their latest adventure: Andy has grown up and is going off to college, leaving the toys to try and get him to play with them just one more time. Of course, things are never that easy, and our intrepid little friends ride a veritable roller-coaster of adventure before the tale reaches its conclusion.

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Posted in DS, Mac, PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Reviews, Wii, Xbox 360 | 2 Comments »

Budding Artist?
Art Academy

The DS family is fantastic for artistic expression; with two screens of decent size (even more decent if you own an XL), the tinyish wonder allows for some interesting creations with the right tools. A few neat programs have been created (both official consumer products and some fantastic homebrew fare), but those who may have found these titles lacking will be most pleased with Headstrong Games’ Art Academy for the DS family.

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Posted in DS, DSi, DSi XL, Reviews | No Comments »

Review
Call of Duty: Black Ops

I love the smell of napalm in the morning; and the afternoon, really.

Treyarch’s latest venture, Call of Duty: Black Ops, has a lot to offer any fan of the franchise, as well as those that may have never played it. FPS are a tough road for a developer, because creating something that tops all of the others that came before is a challenge-and-a-half. However, I think that this latest COD is a great addition to the collection; and if you are new to FPS, I think it’s a great FPS to cut your teeth on, because there is so much to do.

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Posted in DS, PC, PlayStation 3, Reviews, Wii, Xbox 360 | No Comments »