We check in with progress on Happy Home Designer. In particular at collecting amiibo cards and how that integrates with amiibo festival.

A range of villagers houses are discussed along with the best way to perfect designs for the Happy Home Network

Amiibo Festival offers a central board game element. This looks a lot like Mario Party and some have been mistaken in thinking it’s another electronic board game with an amiibo skin. Like Mario Party you still use your amiibo (beautiful Animal Crossing amiibo in this case) to select a character and roll the dice, the feel and pace of this experience is substantially different.

Rather than a super competitive strategic board game, the amiibo festival dice and counter play is more sedate. Players take turns to move around the board rolling dice as you would expect but this is as much about spending time together meeting the different characters as it is competitive.

Around this central board-game mechanic you slowly unlock a series of varied mini-games

Dessert Island Escape – This one-player game lets you control a team of three different characters. Each character has different powers, but they’ve got to work together to gather materials and get off the island.
Acorn Chase – A game where you must collect the acorns before being caught by Resetti. The twist here is that you can only control the movement by placing different colored amiibo cards on the Wii U Gamepad. It turns into a challenge of memory, dexterity and fast reactions.
Quiz Show – Test yourself against your friends in an Animal Crossing-themed quiz show.
Balloon Island – Reminded me of Monkey Target in Monkey Ball. Each player uses an amiibo card to control the descent of their character and must time this perfectly to land on the target for a score multiplier.
Mystery Campers – This is like the Mastermind board game where you must try to guess which of 6 amiibo are hiding in tents by trial and error. Each time you are told how many you got right. Applied logic and strategy are key to winning.
Fruit Path – Players aim to outwit their opponents by using the dice symbol on amiibo cards to advance their player in an experience that’s a little similar to Pontoon.
amiibo Card Battle – Players pick six amiibo cards and then take turns to draw one each. The aim is to match the different star signs on the cards with that that appear in the crystal ball.
Resetti Bop – Whack a Mole in Animal Crossing style. Here though you must not only place the amiibo card of the right color on the Gamepad to trigger the hammer but also be sure that you will win the Rock-Paper-Scissors challenge on the card you choose.

Parents’ guide to Halo 5 Guardians.

1. Genre

Halo 5: Guardians is a first-person shooter exclusive to the Xbox One, the latest in the popular Halo series that began on the original Xbox in 2001.

In the campaign players switch between series hero Master Chief and a new protagonist called Locke, accompanied by up to three human players or AI-controlled companions, travelling to different alien locations and defeating hordes of alien enemies.

Despite the campaign, the focus for a lot of people is on online multiplayer, with two additional modes that are new to this entry to the series.

Halo 5 is similar to recent games in the series.

2. Story

In Guardians, Master Chief and the Blue Team disappear and the United Nations Space Command sends out new protagonist Locke and Fireteam Osiris to track them down. Players play as both Master Chief and Locke along the way.

3. Developer

Although the series was originally developed by Bungie, the franchise passed to Microsoft developer 343 Industries when they parted company before Halo 4. 343 has also worked on remakes like Combat Evolved Anniversary and The Master Chief Collection.

4. Format

Halo 5: Guardians is only available for Xbox One, for £45/$60. You need a subscription to Xbox Live Gold to play multiplayer, which costs £40/$60 for a year.

5. Duration and Difficulty

It takes 8-12 hours to finish the campaign.

There are multiple difficulty levels from which to choose, and players spend many hours honing their skills for online competitive play.

6. UK Rating

In the UK and Europe, PEGI rates Halo 5: Guardians as only appropriate for those aged 16 and older for “realistic looking violence”.
http://www.pegi.info/en/index/global_id/505/?searchString=halo+5&agecategories=&genre=&organisations=&platforms=&countries=&submit=Search#searchresults

The GRA expands on its PEGI rating, explaining that while “the majority of the campaign is concerned with dispatching enemy alien characters”, “human characters can also be attacked with melee weapons, explosives and various firearms”. In multiplayer, for instance, “players can assassinate heavily armoured human characters by jumping on their back and twisting their neck, with a breaking sound”. Sometimes there’s blood, and some guns “blow your enemies up into glowing parts which disintegrate”.
http://gamesratingauthority.org/GRA/

7. Other Ratings

In the US, the ESRB rates Halo 5: Guardians T for Teen (http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp), with content descriptors for blood, mild language, and violence. It also notes that online features “may expose players to unrated user-generated content”. Mild language includes the word “ass” and insults like “I have copulated […] with your genetic progenitors”.
http://www.esrb.org/ratings/Synopsis.aspx?logoonly=1&Certificate=34053&Title=Halo%205%3A%20Guardians

8. Themes

Halo 5: Guardians sees Master Chief dealing with the aftermath of the events of Halo 4 and the loss he has suffered.

Throughout the series runs the theme of individual heroism and the hope pinned, often questionably, on these iconic characters.

9. Why people play:

People enjoy the Halo games for the feel of the combat, whether that’s the guns or the melee attack, fighting against alien enemies that require different tactics to defeat. Since Halo 2, these games have been popular for their online multiplayer modes, including the ability to play cooperatively with friends, and Halo 5 is likely to continue that tradition.

Parents Guide to Rise of the Tomb Raider

1. Genre
Rise of the Tomb Raider is the sequel to the 2013 reboot of the classic series. Again, it’s an action-adventure game in which Lara Croft explores environments, kills enemies, and along the way collects items and learns new skills.

Actions in the game include fighting enemies with a variety of weapons, solving environmental puzzles, hunting animals and crafting items from their pelts, and generally running and climbing around. Some actions require players to press buttons quickly in reaction to prompts.

Tomb raiding, which involves finding hidden tombs and solving puzzles to get to the reward within, is often an optional side activity. Movie-like cut scenes tell the story.

There is no multiplayer.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is similar to its prequel, and both seem to draw inspiration from games like the Uncharted series.

2. Story
One year after the events of its predecessor, Rise of the Tomb Raider sees Lara in Siberia seeking a mythical source of immortality. In this journey she follows in the footsteps of her late father, who appears to have killed himself. Like him, she is discredited for her belief in the supernatural, her experiences having been covered up by an organisation known as Trinity that wants to reach her goal before she does.

3. Developer
As well as 2013’s Tomb Raider, developer Crystal Dynamics also worked on older games Tomb Raider: Legend, Anniversary, and Underworld, and the more recent Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris.

4. Format
While it’s due to release on PC and PS4 next year, currently Rise of the Tomb Raider is only available on Xbox One and 360 for up to £49.99/$59.99. A Deluxe Edition, which includes a season pass that will give players access to future downloadable content for the game, costs £69.99/$89.99.

5. Duration and Difficulty
Like its predecessor, Rise of the Tomb Raider can be completed in around 12 hours. Collectible items and the optional tombs will provide players with many more hours of play.

Some players may have trouble with the quick-time events, but those with experience with these kinds of games shouldn’t find it too difficult to progress through the story.

6. UK Rating
In the UK and Europe, PEGI rates Rise of the Tomb Raider as only appropriate for those aged 18 and older for extreme violence and strong language.
http://www.pegi.info/en/index/global_id/505/?searchString=tomb

The GRA expands on its PEGI rating by explaining that “there are various death scenes in which Lara comes to gruesome ends. In one example, she falls into a pit of spikes. A spike forces its way through her temple and out the other side of her head. There is a blood splatter and she begins to slide down the spike, as the screen fades to black.” The “f” word is also used.
http://gamesratingauthority.org/GRA/

7. Other Ratings
In the US, the ESRB rates Rise of the Tomb Raider as M for Mature (http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp), with content descriptors for blood and gore, intense violence, and strong language, as well as online interactions. The description lists the weapons available to use (“pistols, shotguns, knives, and explosives”), as well as the stealth kills (“e.g., stabbing enemies in the neck, cutting enemies’ throats, strangling”). It also adds that, “Battles can be frenetic, with realistic gunfire, cries of pain, explosions, and large splashes of blood. Some sequences show Lara getting shot, beaten, or dramatically impaled by swords/spiked traps. One area depicts a horde of corpses burned and disfigured by a fire; severed limbs and heads are occasionally shown on the ground.” Swear words in the dialogue include the “f” and “s” words.
http://www.esrb.org/ratings/Synopsis.aspx?Certificate=34057&Title=Rise%20of%20the%20Tomb%20Raider

8. Themes
Players may be concerned about Lara’s mental health as she tries to deal with people not believing what she’s gone through, grief around her father, and guilt for her past actions. It tells a coming-of-age story as Lara becomes an adult and determines her future.

9. Why people play:
These newer Tomb Raider games are for those who like the kind of spectacle found in big-budget action movies, with beautiful environments and dramatic set pieces. People also love the main character, who’s had a starring role in video games for nearly two decades now and should continue for many years to come.

We speak to Olivier Dumont, Director eOne Family brand manager for PJ Masks.

Along with a sneak peek the Christmas episode, Gekko Saves Christmas, Dumont talked about upcoming toys and games and dress-up costumes “in the works” for PJ Masks

Full List of Episodes:
Blame it on the Train, Owlette
Catboy’s Cloudy Crisis (Catboy’s Rain Pain)
Owlette and the Flash Flip Trip (Book Mystery)
Catboy and the Pogo Dozer
Gekko and the Super Ninjalinos (Super Ninteenies)
Owlette’s Terrible Pterodactyl Trouble
Catboy and the Shrinker
Owlette and the Moonball
Gekko Saves Christmas (Pick It Up, Gekko)
Gekko’s Nice Ice Plan (Please Don’t Freeze)
Catboy’s Butterfly Brigade
Owlette the Winner (King of Class)
Speak Up Gekko
Catboy and Master Fang’s Stolen Sword
Catboy vs. Robo-Cat
Owlette and the Giving Owl
Catboy and the Great Birthday Cake Rescue (a.ka. Battle of the Birthday Parties)
Gekko and the Snore-O-Sauras
Looking After Gekko
Catboy and Teeny Weeny Ninjalino
Catboy’s Tricky Ticket
Gekko Mobile is Missing
Catboy’s Flying Fiasco (Catboy’s Super Scooter)
Gekko’s Stay at Home Sneezes
Gekko and the Mighty Moon Problem
Clumsy Catboy
Catboy and Gekko’s Rampaging Robot Problem
Owlette’s Feathered Friend
Owlette and the Battling HQs
Gekko and the Mayhem at the Museum
Catboy Takes Control (Clicker Crazy Catboy)
Owlette’s Two Wrongs
Gekko Floats
Catboy’s Two Wheeled Wonder
Catboy’s Great Gig
Owlette’s New Move (Owlette’s New Trick)
Supersonic Owlette
Catboy’s Sticky Splat Slingshot
Owlette of a Kind
Beat the Drum, Catboy
Catboy Squared
Gekko’s Super Gekko Sense (Naughty Night Ninja)
Owlette and the Owlteenies
Gekko’s Blame Campaign
Owlette and the Moonflower
Slowpoke Gekko
Catboy and the Luna Dome
Gekko and the Rock of All Power
Super-Sized Gekko (Gekko Grows Up)
Take to the Skies, Owlette
Slow Down Catboy (Catboy and the Superhero Cup)
Gekko’s Special Rock

We have a look at the eShop, Virtual Console, Indie Games and Backwards Compatibility features of the Wii U.

Our cat got in on the action!

We take a look back at how Super Smash Bros. has fared in our family, in particular what our increasing collection of amiibo are doing to the game.

Parent’s guide to Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

1. Genre

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is a pseudo-historical open-world game in which you play as two assassins fighting against a group called the Templars in Victorian London.

Alternating between twins Evie and Jacob Frye, players will explore a populated open-world London, travelling in a variety of ways including parkour free-running over the rooftops, and carry out quests that often involve choosing whether to sneak past enemies or kill them.

Syndicate is the latest in a long line of Assassin’s Creed games, the most recent of which were Assassin’s Creed: Unity and Assassin’s Creed: Rogue.

2. Story

Syndicate is set in London in 1868, during the Industrial Revolution. The twins are dealing with organised crime and the enemies of the Assassin Brotherhood, called the Templars. Along the way, the story involves historical figures like Charles Darwin, Queen Victoria, and Florence Nightingale.

3. Developer

Developer Ubisoft Quebec previously contributed to Assassin’s Creed: Rogue.

4. Format

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is available for PS4 and Xbox One for around £50/$60, and a PC version is due later this year.

5. Duration and Difficulty

Assassin’s Creed games can take from 12 to 20 hours to finish just the main story, with many more hours needed to complete the side quests and find all the collectibles.

6. UK Rating

In the UK and Europe, PEGI rates Assassin’s Creed Syndicate as only appropriate for those aged 18 and older for strong violence and infrequent strong language.
http://www.pegi.info/en/index/

The GRA expands on its PEGI rating by explaining that the game “features motiveless violence against multiple innocents and violence against defenceless persons”, since “players can kill bystanders by throwing knives at them or running them down with a horse and carriage” and “shoot restrained characters in certain parts of the game”. There is also a cut scene in which “a vulnerable patient” is “‘operated’ on […] awake, twitching and groaning, as a metal instrument is inserted into his skull”.
http://gamesratingauthority.org/GRA/

7. Other Ratings

ESRB rate the game suitable for those 17 and older for Blood, Drug Reference, Strong Language, Violence.

“As players explore the open-world environment, they interact with characters and engage in missions to kill human targets. Players use an assortment of weapons (e.g., concealed blades, firearms, knives, poison) and employ stealth attacks (e.g., sneaking up and stabbing enemies from behind or above) to eliminate targets. Blood sometimes appears around corpses and/or when characters are injured. Cutscenes depict additional acts of violence: a character stabbed in the head; a man bleeding out after being shot. The game includes reference to drugs in the dialogue (e.g., “A choirmaster and opium addict” and “Does shipping and selling narcotics sound familiar?”) The words “f**k” and “sh*t” are heard in dialogue.”
http://www.esrb.org/ratings/Synopsis.aspx?Certificate=34102&Title=Assassin%27s%20Creed%20Syndicate%20

8. Themes

Syndicate addresses organised crime and class divides in Victorian London. Additional downloadable content has already been announced that will tell a story focused on Jack the Ripper, a serial killer who murdered and mutilated female prostitutes.

While the game has a historical theme, its narrative is still driven by assassination and violence.

9. Why people play:

People play Assassin’s Creed games for a chance to explore and carry out varied missions in a historical open world. Its quest-filled open-world structure is similar to other games, but the series sets itself apart with its evocative historical settings.

Here’s s a sneak peek of double episode 105 (Episodes 9 & 10) that comprises two stories (Gekko Saves Christmas/Gekko’s Nice Ice Plan). These will air at 10 a.m. on the Disney Junior block on Dec 4.

We spend time at the PJ Masks HQ, the Owl Glider and check out Owlette owl eyes power!

Season 1 Episode 1: Blame it on the Train, Owlette
Season 1 Episode 2: Catboy’s Cloudy Crisis (Catboy’s Rain Pain)
Season 1 Episode 3: Owlette and the Flash Flip Trip (Book Mystery)
Season 1 Episode 4: Catboy and the Pogo Dozer
Season 1 Episode 5: Gekko and the Super Ninjalinos (Super Ninteenies)
Season 1 Episode 6: Owlette’s Terrible Pterodactyl Trouble
Season 1 Episode 7: Catboy and the Shrinker
Season 1 Episode 8 :Owlette and the Moonball
Season 1 Episode 9: Gekko Saves Christmas (Pick It Up, Gekko)
Season 1 Episode 10: Gekko’s Nice Ice Plan (Please Don’t Freeze)
Season 1 Episode 11: Catboy’s Butterfly Brigade
Season 1 Episode 12: Owlette the Winner (King of Class)

Lego Dimensions might be taking up everyone’s gaming time right now, but TT Games haven’t given up on the regular Lego games we all know and love. Lego Marvel Avengers is available early next year and brings with it over 250 unlockable characters. An increase of a hundred new characters over Lego Marvel Superheroes.

With a couple of big gaming related expos in the UK lately TT Games have taken the opportunity to reveal a few new characters and we’ve got the latest scoop for you. Take a look at the screenshots of:

Agent Carter
Fin Fang Foom
Crimson Dynamo
Mantis
Crossbones
Skaar
Squirrel Girl
Wendigo
Korvac