The Misadventures of Michael McMichaels, Vol. 4: Double-Dog Dare... Reviewed!

This one is for the parents in the market for children's books. I'm doing this particular book review based on the game played between the protagonist (Michael McMichaels) and the antagonist... Zeke.

In this 4th volume of The Misadventure of Michael McMichaels you have the third grader in an adventure surrounding a... dare. A game that some of the older gamers know of well, and maybe even some of the newer ones. The prize in this story happens to be Michael's best friend, so you can imagine a third grader feeling as if the sky was going to fall in if he didn't win this dare... that went from light to... challenging, to weird... to... you get the idea.

I like the way they took the chapter titles and wove them into the read, so you aren't stopping to read something separate from whats in the story. You read the chapter title, but its part of the initial sentence and allows you to keep your flow in this easy read. 

It was a bit weird the way part of the story revolved around a fellow classmate from a country in African and him being poor, (which calling him poor happens to be one of the dares) but they tried to bring it back around with lessons for children to learn from it. Could it have been done a bit different? I think so... but it is what it is. If it can boost the understanding that everyone isn't privileged and that's no reason to be treated differently (regardless of race and background)... then cool. This isn't the end of the story, but I won't give it away.

Looking back on the overall story... even if it was based on a dare, I think the writer did a good job in terms of making it feel like an adventure. You had other things going on there (teaching tools) that added that adventure element... like the lengths Michael went through to stop big bad Zeke and his family. I say that to say it was a good read that I believe will hold a child's interest.

The art is similar to what you see in the books covers image... they're just in black and white, but I think the art style will grab the attention of young readers. Unless a child is groomed to read often (so much so that they fly through books), I'd recommend them reading one chapter per day (gives them something to look forward to perhaps before bed versus a pc monitor, TV, or phone which usually aren't exactly the best options before bed). On the flipside... if you want them to get into books more often, this could be a good book to test the water and see if they're interested in reading more than one chapter in one sitting. Easy reads are a good bet.

For those of you seeking to get this book... you're looking at 95 pages for $7.95 retail. Images in the book are black and white, but... the plus about that when it comes to kids is that they can color the illustrations. So in addition to the questions at the end of the book that allow you to discuss it with your children... they have the option to enjoy some coloring action (stay in those lines... or not).

Overall, I think the book is priced okay... with nifty artwork, and a well-rounded story for the demographic. I'd personally tweak some things, but I appreciate the fact that they don't just present a book with a story to read and that's it... it contains activities that allow for questions and discussions for the purpose of kids to learn and grow in various areas.

Pace/Interest: 5

Art: 5

Overall Story: 4

Price: 4

"4.5 / 5 Cool Points"

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Detective Pikachu... and then some!

Crack the case in this new detective adventure game by interacting with a unique, fully-voiced Pikachu! As Tim Goodman, you’ll partner with a self-proclaimed “great detective” Pikachu to solve strange occurrences all over Ryme City. Together you must investigate, take notes, and meet up with other Pokémon to unravel the city’s greatest mysteries! 

Tim is searching for his missing father in Ryme City, but instead encounters a witty, tough-talking Pikachu! Along the way, experience over 150 fun-filled animated cutscenes starring this unique Pikachu, providing helpful hints or talking up a storm. You can also tap the extra-large Detective Pikachu amiibo™ figure to access all cutscenes up until the current chapter played. As you investigate crime scenes, gather testimonies, uncover information, and interact with Pokémon to solve cases. You’ll have to put your detective skills to the test to foil the mastermind behind the disturbances in Ryme City. All in a day’s work for detective Pikachu!

New this week!

• Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS
  • Detective Pikachu – Crack the case in this new detective adventure game by interacting with a unique, fully voiced Pikachu. As Tim Goodman, you’ll partner with self-proclaimed “great detective” Pikachu to solve strange occurrences all over Ryme City. Together you must investigate, take notes and meet up with other Pokémon to unravel the city’s greatest mysteries! The Detective Pikachu game will be available on March 23. Game in 2D.
  • The Alliance Alive – One thousand years ago, Daemons invaded the world of Humans. They subjugated Humanity and created the Great Barrier to separate the realms. Now the time for resistance has come. The Alliance Alive game evokes the nostalgia of JRPG greats with huge world exploration and intertwining stories of nine protagonists. The Alliance Alive launches on March 27.
• Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch
  • Outlast 2 – The Outlast 2 game introduces you to Sullivan Knoth and his followers, who left our wicked world behind to give birth to the Temple Gate town deep in the wilderness and hidden from civilization. Knoth and his flock are preparing for the tribulations of the end of times and you’re right in the thick of it. Outlast 2 launches on March 27.
  • OPUS: Rocket of Whispers – Throughout the OPUS: Rocket of Whispers game, you will play as two survivors of an apocalyptic plague. Help them achieve the unimaginable goal of building a rocket, so they can return the deceased to their cosmic homeland through the ancient tradition of space burials.

New DLC:

• Pokkén Tournament DX Battle Pack Wave 2 – The Pokkén Tournament DX Battle Pack grants immediate access to Avatar items upon purchase and two waves of DLC as they are released. The Battle Pack contains two new Battle Pokémon and two new Support Pokémon Sets. With these Pokémon joining the fray, the battle is just getting started! Wave 1 released on Jan. 31, 2018, and contains Battle Pokémon Aegislash, a new Support Pokémon set featuring Mega Rayquaza and Mimikyu, and additional Avatar items. Wave 2 releases on March 23, 2018, and contains Battle Pokémon Blastoise, a new Support Pokémon set featuring Mew and Celebi, and additional Avatar items. Full version of game required to use DLC.

Nintendo eShop sales:

• Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
  • Great deals this week! Check out the full list of deals available this week at http://www.nintendo.com/games/sales-and-deals.

Activities:

• My Nintendo Presents Nindie Game Gold Point Rewards Vol. 4 – Got Gold Points? Get select games! My Nintendo users can now redeem Gold Points for some fun indie games on Nintendo platforms. For a limited time, you can redeem points to download select Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games from our talented independent developers. Users will receive a download code that is redeemable in Nintendo eShop. Please visit https://my.nintendo.com/news for more details.

• Super Mario Run – Time is running out! The Super Mario Run game is 50 percent off until 11:59 p.m. PT on March 25. Pay once to play all of the courses as much as you want. If you haven’t bought it yet, now is your chance! You can download and enjoy a portion of Super Mario Run for free in the App Store or on Google Play.

Also new this week:

• ACA NEOGEO WORLD HEROES 2 JET (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
• Arcade Archives MOON PATROL (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
• Castle of Heart (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available March 23
• EAT BEAT DEADSPIKE-san (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
• Gekido Kintaro’s Revenge (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
• Metropolis: Lux Obscura – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available March 27
• NO THING (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
• Slayaway Camp: Butcher’s Cut (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
• SOL DIVIDE -SWORD OF DARKNESS- (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
• Warp Shift (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available March 27

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FTS: Pool Panic?! This game has... balls!

I thought I saw it all, but leave it to Adult Swim... to prove me wrong. - Blu

It's super weird but at the same time, it looks super cool. - Luis D. Lucha

Definitely a fresh take on Pool. - Yang

Now I want ice cream for some weird reason. - RkRk

lol - Blu

That would be good. There are bananas and chocolate in the pantry. - Yang

Those are bad, I forgot to throw them away last week. - Luis D. Lucha

I threw those away, these are new. - Yang

Then its on!!! - Luis D. Lucha

ATLANTA – March 20, 2018 – Adult Swim Games has announced it will publish independent developer Rekim’s sprawling adventure game, Pool Panic, “soon” on Nintendo Switch™ and Windows PC.

Pool Panic is the world’s least realistic pool simulator. Play as a mischievous, and dare we say, oblivious cue ball in a giant game of pool that sprawls across a colorful cartoon overworld with more than 100 levels. Explore jungles, deserts, carnivals, cities and more while knocking around a peculiar cast of billiard balls, most of which won’t appreciate being pocketed.

A variety of evolving rule sets and mechanics force players to think strategically about how to line up the perfect shot through each stage, whether it’s solving puzzles or fighting bosses. Play through the entire journey on your own and challenge your friends to a ridiculous pool party in 2-4 player local multiplayer.

Other key sights and sounds include:

• Ride a Ferris wheel!
• Take down bosses and join a motorcycle gang chase!
• Explore caves where even the bats are balls!
• Play nine holes of mini-golf with a pool cue!
• Flee the zombie horde! But careful, they're contagious!
• Knock off other balls for your own gain!
• Go skiing and mountain climbing! With balls!
• Hunt boy scouts in the woods! Steal their hats!
• With over 100 tracks of music from Grandmaster Gareth!

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FTS: Next Week on Xbox - New Games for March 19 – 25

Sea of Thieves

• March 20
• Xbox Exclusive/Xbox One X Enhanced/Xbox Play Anywhere/Windows 10/Xbox Game Pass
• Set in a glorious world of exotic islands, hidden treasures, and dangers both natural and supernatural, Sea of Thieves immerses you in a new type of multiplayer game for you to live the pirate life you've always dreamed of. It’s an adventure that will grow and evolve over time, with new content arriving regularly to ensure a fresh, exciting experience whenever – and wherever – you choose to set sail. Sea of Thieves is set to be the next unforgettable adventure for players on Xbox One and Windows 10 PC, with enhanced features on Xbox One X and also available for Xbox Game Pass members.

Attack on Titan 2

• March 20
• Inspired by the hit anime series, Attack on Titan 2 lets you experience the anime first-hand alongside Eren and his companions as they fight to save humanity from the threat of the deadly human devouring Titans. Take control of the mobility gear, maneuvering and flying through the sky to counter the Titans, and feel the thrill and satisfaction of battling giant opponents.

R.B.I. Baseball 18

• March 20
• A new Franchise mode, enhanced ballparks, in-season roster updates, and redesigned player models R.B.I. Baseball 18 takes a big leap this year for you to play as your favorite team. And once you're done beating up the CPU, take your game online to jump into online ranked or friendly games.

Titan Quest

• March 20
• The Titans have escaped their eternal prison, wreaking havoc upon the Earth. The gods seek a hero who can turn the tide in an epic struggle that will determine the fate of both men and gods. Are you ready for the quest? Battle mythical beasts in a story-driven campaign that will determine the fate of all existence in this epic ARPG.

The Count Lucanor

• March 21
• Prepare to get hooked on an immersive tale, where every decision counts and every clue is a piece to solve the puzzle and get the treasure. Join Hans as he unravels the sordid secrets of the castle, meet colorful characters, and remember: horror always lurks beneath the surface in this unique fantasy adventure game full of surprises and challenges.

Where Are My Friends?

• March 21
• A game that mixes four genres in one game -- runner, metroidvania, point-n-click, and puzzle-platformer -- you will take control of Wheye who is in search of his friends on this strange planet that's about to blow. Face each of these unique trials to survive full of original visual styles and an atmospheric soundtrack.

A Way Out

• March 23
• In this co-op adventure game, you will take the role of one of two prisoners who are making a daring escape from prison that will lead them down an emotional adventure. A Way Out is an experience that must be played with two players, controlling one of the main characters, Leo and Vincent, in a reluctant alliance to break out of prison and gain their freedom.

MX vs ATV All Out

• March 23
• Choose between bikes, ATVs, UTVs, and refine your rider style at your private compound and blast across massive open worlds to compete head-to-head in various game modes. The all-new Freestyle mode allows you to win with style and crazy stunts, or go all out and show your riding skills in 16-player online multiplayer. Also features local split-screen support.

Western Press

• March 23
• Test your controller layout knowledge and hitch a ride to Western Press. In this unique dueling game, players compete in a button-pressing tournament of 1v1 battles where the winner is whoever can press a random string of buttons the fastest across a variety of modes.

Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor

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FTS: PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Goes Mobile Now

Tonight totally feels like a pizza night and I'm super hungry, but the weather is nuts outside. Anyway... PUBG is available for mobile so you will be able to get in on the action anywhere you have... reception. :p

PUBG Mobile Launches Internationally After Receiving Positive Feedback

San Francisco – March 19th – Tencent and PUBG Corp. have announced that PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Mobile, the mobile version of the massively popular Battle Royale game, is now available in many regions around the world, both on iOS and Android (more regions will be added at a later date). PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds has been a huge success on PC, and the PUBG Corporation has partnered with Tencent to create the mobile version of the much-loved multiplayer game. "We chose to work with Tencent and their development studios because of their long-running history of high-quality mobile games and the level of love and support they put into their titles," said Chang Han Kim, CEO of PUBG Corp. Tencent and PUBG Corp. are working together on building a strong mobile version, and an Android beta test in Canada began on March 15th. On March 16th, the iOS beta test went live in Canada, bringing the game to both mobile platforms. Due to the beta receiving large amounts of positive feedback from players, the game launched today on March 19th.

"We are very excited to launch PUBG Mobile on iOS and Android internationally," said Chen Jerry, Corporate Vice President of Tencent & President of Lightspeed & Quantum Studios Group. "We are working hard to create an authentic PUBG mobile experience that players new and old will love. A lot of went into controls and optimization to give players a smooth and intuitive experience."

PUBG Mobile is a faithful adaptation of the PC version for mobile devices that will change the way people perceive and think about mobile gaming. The developers are set on satisfying the high expectations of players and influencers who have been looking forward to the game coming to the world’s most accessible platform.

and/or get it on PC

+

Get your game bundle on!

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SculptaPalooza... Reviewed!

Before I get started with this review... I just want to give the developers a thumbs up for the card.

Think quick... the clock is ticking, its time to get creative in this arts & crafts party game!

SculptaPalooza is the first board game we've ever reviewed... which is awesome. This is sort of left field, but its still in the same realm of gaming, just not a video game. I thought this would be cool to review because while some of us are board game veterans, some of you have never (ever... ever... ever) played a board game. You may ask "Why would I?", and I'd say "Variety"... which is something promoted here in general regarding gaming genres. You can have fun in more ways than one, that said... here are some images as I dive into the review.

I wanted to see how the game would be received by new school gamers and boardgame veterans, so... I crashed a house party (!woot-woot!).

Playing SculptaPalooza, I was like hmmm... "Where do I get started?", my biggest hump was the instructions as I figured out how to begin. On the outside looking in... I know you have to make things against the clock using Playfoam, but you play SculptaPalooza specifically like this:

You divide into two teams... place the Playfoam on the sculpting mat... the first team rolls the die... and based on what the die lands on, they have to go with a specific sculpting category. From there, the timer starts and the first sculptor from that team form's whatever is listed on the card (based on the way they're required to sculpt). If they're team guesses correctly before the time is up, they win a point... and you basically continue that process, alternating between teams and sculptors until one team reaches 20 points. There are some other rules in there that boosts the competition... you get the idea.

Trying to figure out how to play via the instructions in the box set me back a few minutes but after that, it was on. Everyone lit up before the first point was gained. That's the first thing that stood out to me because the clock was ticking, the sculptor from the other team had to sculpt a prop and act it out. I knew exactly what it was... and they finally figured it out with 17 seconds left, which resulted in loud cheering, laughter and plenty of high fives for our team to witness.

They kept getting a certain roll of the die that allowed them to choose whatever category they wanted, which really got them up in scoring. I did what I could to make a comeback with my team, but a certain category is really difficult (we landed on that multiple times... and they never landed on it)... so needless to say we took the L. Regardless of losing though, it was enjoyable, and I could see the fun factor and replay value. It's definitely one of those games where its the more the merrier.

Visually the game is vibrant, and the contents are made sturdy... which makes sense for all the hands-on interaction. 

Price wise it retails at $19.99, which I think is a spot on price. You also get a Playful Promise 365 Day Risk-Free Guarantee, which allows you to return it within a year with no questions asked if you don't love it. Another place where I see the value is the ability to play it regardless of having electricity or not. As you know... things happen, and at times the power goes out for a number of reasons... so having boardgames like SculptaPalooza comes in handy for times like that also.

One con I do have is the difficulty level of certain things. I just see many people figuring out specific answers, not because our team didn't win... but because I don't see them being figured out. They do have blank cards for you to do your own thing... so that's a plus, but if they do a revision, I'd recommend that. One thing I'd recommend to the team... is to create an online "How To Play" video tutorial. It would be another route to learn how to play the game almost immediately... for those who choose to use it.

Overall, SculptaPalooza is a fun party game that even got the audience involved, and it gets you together under one roof (or sky) to utilize teamwork and social skills in a creative way.

Fun factor: 4

Visually: 5

Replay value: 5

Price: 5

"4.75 / 5 Cool Points"

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This product was provided to SDGT Entertainment by Educational Insights for review.

FTS: SHADOW OF THE TOMB RAIDER... WILL DELIVER LARA CROFT’S DEFINING MOMENT

Lara Croft is back at it... and that's awesome. As long as the franchise has the right pace the adventures will be welcomed again and again and again (for me). One thing I keep going back to is the fact that they aren't sleeping on... depth. It will likely get more and more challenging to make the story as interesting as the prior installments, but... as long as they give themselves time they have room to make things up (even if it means the next installment will take longer to come out)... so just like the prior installment, let's see where this one goes. I'm game, are you? - Blu

They gave us some different areas to play in, but I want to go from country to country. I think that would be a bad ass adventure. - Luis D. Lucha

It would, but... I don't see that happening because those locations could be used for different games. - Blu

Pretty sure this one is going to be in Egypt. - Yang

Maybe, it might be in a South American setting. I'd like to see one in the USA too. - RkRk

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 15, 2018) Square Enix® today announced Shadow of the Tomb Raider™will be available in six months for the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC/Steam®. All platforms will launch simultaneously on Sept 14, 2018. Shadow of the Tomb Raider will be unveiled on April 27, 2018. Fans around the world can visit www.TombRaider.com for a chance to play the game and meet the developers at one of three exclusive reveal events.

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