droolicious : previews

Sneak Peek at LEGO Rock Band (Coming Holiday 2009)

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Jeanne's earlier post about an upcoming LEGO boombox feels like a great companion piece to this little preview of the first-ever LEGO Rock Band videogame, announced this week and due in stores this holiday season. Under development now by TT Games, the game will hit stores via Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, but in true brick-building fashion, LEGO Group, Harmonix and MTV Games are all adding pieces to the effort.

While Rock Band and Rock Band 2 certainly have their family-friendly potential, LEGO Rock Band is the first title in the series to focus exclusively on family friendliness: The overall gameplay looks to be pretty much the same as we're used to -- although in this case, when you build a band to rock the world, you literally build a band to rock the world. But the lovable minifig characters, trademark cheeky humor, and game-exclusive track listing (which includes Good Charlotte and Pink alongside novelty hits like Carl Douglas' "Kung Fu Fighting") all have their sights set on our kids and inner kids.

LEGO Rock Band will be compatible with all Rock Band instruments when it ships for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, and it'll also be interesting to see how the game translates to handhelds when TT Games and Harmonix team up with Backbone Entertainment to ready it for Nintendo DS. We don't have much else in the way of details for any of the upcoming versions, but watch this space -- and in the meantime, enjoy these early screen shots from the game:

LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary Leaving Hyperspace in September

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Yeah, I've been on a bit of a Star Wars kick this week, but after stumbling across this upcoming LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary from DK, I can safely say this is the find that tops 'em all.

Even though the book isn't due in stores till Sept. 21, speculation, the DK name and a compelling description at its Amazon product page indicate that we'll have plenty of illuminating close-ups to look forward to when this visual guide arrives.

It's listed at $21.99, but Amazon is offering a Pre-Order Price Guarantee of $14.95. Set down that LEGO Republic Gunship you've been building and preorder yours here.

7 Days of Video Games: Operation Mania

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Despite all the thematic variations on Hasbro's classic board game Operation, the thing plays pretty much the same no matter whether you're pulling out Cavity Sam's breadbasket or going to work on SpongeBob, Spider-Man or Homer. But with Electronic Arts' upcoming Operation Mania video game, you also get a full-blown storyline and a slew of new challenges to match.

Playing as the aspiring surgeon Dr. Humerus (yuk yuk), you work your way through the hospital ranks, admitting, diagnosing and treating patients whose ailments make Cavity Sam (who, incidentally, is also a character here) look like a hypochondriac. The game boasts 35 levels across five different hospitals spread across the globe (see below), and you have the option of playing either in Story Mode, where you progress through the hospital pecking order, or Marathon Mode, where you try to keep patients going for as long as possible.

Of course, if you thought having Operation in video-game form meant freedom from the nerve-wracking buzzers and fine-motor-skill challenges of the board game, think again: Thanks to a number of challenging micro games, you're also put on the spot to show your surgical finesse. Luckily for stressed-out surgeons, there's also a Multiplayer mode: When your waiting room gets overcrowded, just start referring patients to friends and family online.

Operation Mania will be available this month via Pogo, with a retail version of the game hitting stores in September for $19.95.

Set Your Alarm for a Romp Through LEGO Batman: The Video Game

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:15:00 GMT

See that LEGO-fied image of Batman and The Joker? Head to www.legobatmangame.com now to "Choose Your Side," and that's pretty much the most solidified piece of content you'll see. But at 9 p.m. PST tonight, the brick-rendered versions of Gotham City and Arkham Asylum will come alive via LEGO Batman: The Video Game's website, which is packed with teasers, downloads and other doo-dads meant to keep us drooling until the game's September ship date.

Previous LEGO movie/game crossovers -- from LEGO Star Wars to LEGO Indiana Jones -- have been among the best kid-parent bonding exercises to hit consoles this decade, but this time around, we're especially grateful for the creative liberties the game's creators took to unify the more schizophrenic Batman film series. Because while one person's Michael Keaton may be another's Christian Bale, could you imagine both Dark Knights in the same space?

Enjoy this trailer, which finds the LEGO games' impish humor weathering Batman's gravitas just fine, and visit the preorder link if you can't wait till September:

First Look: Shaun the Sheep for Nintendo DS

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:04:00 GMT

Your kids may already be hooked on Shaun the Sheep, the Disney Channel's stop-motion animated series from Wallace and Gromit/Chicken Run creator Aardman Animations (and if not, here are some clips to get you started). Assuming you let them access video games as well as TV screens, you'll want to leave some room in the budget this fall, when Aardman and D3Publisher team up to bring Shaun and his world to the Nintendo DS.

Shaun the Sheep encounters his naughty nemesis, Pidsley the farm cat.

The game finds our hero working to round up his escaped sheep brethren before the Farmer comes home, and in addition to playing as Shaun and interacting with familiar characters from the series (including Pidsley the feisty farm cat and Bitzer the slacker sheepdog), you'll make your way around new obstacles, access hidden areas, and take a whack at eight unlockable minigames and eight collectible slide puzzles. If mini isn't enough, the game also packs five "micro" games that put you smack in the middle of some of the show's more memorable moments.

Above: a shot from the "Flock 'n Roll" minigame. Below, "Tap a Mole."

Whereas many kid-oriented DS games seem aimed at the youngest players but upon opening require either extensive reading or a steep learning curve just to understand the logic behind their controls, Shaun the Sheep promises an intuitive, "pick up and play" experience, as well as sound, graphics, and character animation that stay true to the show's idiosyncratic style. The jury's still out on both of those claims, but what we've seen so far has us ready to hit the farm for some quality game time with Shaun and friends. At least that's how my 5-year-old seems to be interpreting the buzz...

Rated "E" for Everyone, Shaun the Sheep will retail for $29.95 when it hits stores this fall. For all the latest, keep your eye on D3's website.

Video Game Preview: The Golden Compass (Rated E 10+)

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 18:32:00 GMT

Just as they lend themselves to big-screen adaptations, the fantastic, kid-immersing worlds of book series like Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia also make for some amazing video games. With the new Nicole Kidman/Daniel Craig vehicle The Golden Compass -- based on part one of Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials -- due in theaters Dec. 7, Sega is launching its own adaptation for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PSP, PS2, PC and DS.

The Golden Compass seems bound only by its developers' imaginations, toying with chronology (you start training midway through the adventure, then work back to the beginning), setting (the game's 11 levels include locations not seen in the movie), and technology (the PS3 and Wii versions use motion control; the DS gets unique levels), but never at the expense of Pullman's story. And, considering how much that story challenges the faculties (and fear factors) of younger readers, the game has received a fitting E 10+ rating -- although smaller eyes and imaginations will definitely be drawn to it.

"Real" reviews (mine included) won't start surfacing till just before the holidays, but first impressions are that the game footage released so far -- all icy, wind-swept and beautifully surreal -- makes the film's trailer look tame in comparison. Check out the video below to see what I mean:

Available for preorder now (use the links above, if you haven't already geeked out and done so), The Golden Compass has a Dec. 4 ship date.