Entries Tagged 'games' ↓

If you or your kids are fans of this game

or this,

then you just have to watch this:

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I admit that I am not crazy about the name but I’m thrilled about the new device Steve Jobs presented at this year’s WWDC.

The iPad.

Ahhh…soak in its loveliness.

My favorite part? It’s too hard to choose.
hi-res color iBooks, the keyboard dock, the revised iCal (that looks much better (and resembles my ancient (no, wait, did I ever actually use one of those?) Filofax)) or the ability to view all my apps on a larger screen.

Here are David Pogue’s first impressions.

Honestly? It is so very tempting for me. To say the least.

I was in a bus filled with middle school kids today and they were all atwitter, excitedly chattering away about how each and every one of them wanted to get an iPad. Mmmhmm.  Those naysayers on Twitter don’t know what they’re talking about.  This baby is going to be sizzling hot. I can feel it.

What about you?

Just another gadget you don’t need or want? Or are you dreaming about it and frequently thinking about it? Giving up your Kindle for this thing? Or sticking with your hardcover bestseller?

Hmmm….

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To satisfy those of you who rely on our video game recommendations, here are our favorites for 2009.

I’ll provide more detail and artwork soon.

For the Sony PS3:

Madden NFL 10

DJ Hero (Bundle with Turntable)

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (Rated E 10+ This is a must-have for the boys on my lists.)

Little Big Planet (This game allows for creativity; the kids can create their own game levels! Don’t be fooled by the cover, it’s best for older kids 10-12.)

Need for Speed: Shift

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And for older kids only:

Continue reading →

For those of you asking us for recommendations for board games this year (and even for those who didn’t), here’s a quick list.

We’ll fill in more information about each game soon.

Quelf

Quarto

Blokus (and/or Blokus Trigon)

Blurt

Monopoly

Bop It (not a board game, but highly addictive & fun!)

Apples to Apples

Milles Bornes

Electronic Battleship

Last Word

I’m halfway through the EA Sports Active 30 Day Challenge. So what’s the verdict (in under four minutes)?

Well, it’s true.  I’ve jumped on the bandwagon.  Now into the second week of my “30 Day Challenge” in the EA Sports Active fitness game on Nintendo Wii, I’m still excited to do the workouts.  It’s the first video game fitness program I’ve done that includes days of rest and gives me credit for activities done in the real world (like playing tennis and doing housework).

After popping in the Wii disk, you design a fitness profile so the figure on your television screen looks more or less like you.  Then, with a picture-in-picture type of format, your trainer (you select either a male or female) appears to show you what to do.

My favorite part of EA Sports Active is the variety of activities included in the workouts (like basketball, inline skating and tennis) and the ability to modify the intensity level of each workout.  So, if I’m not up for a high intensity workout, I can dial down the degree and opt for a medium intensity.

Bottom line?

• Includes a good mix of traditional resistance training and Wii sports activities.  This is not a Kathy Smith or Denise Austin old-style aerobics workout.
• Three levels of intensity, so it’s good for beginners as well as more experienced users.
• It brings more of a sporty, active lifestyle into your home workout.
• It’s fun! I enjoy this program enough that I actually make time for the workouts.  I suppose the fact that the workouts average around 25 minutes per session helps quite a bit – it’s just the right amount of time to squeeze into my busy days.

Cons?

• I have yet to do any floor exercises (crunches, push ups, leg lifts, etc.) so my abs are neglected.
• The resistance band seems so weak, I often wonder whether it’s going to snap and break.
• The Wii remote and sensor are less than perfect.  The reps sometimes test my patience.  Timing must be (perhaps unreasonably) precise.

You can see my video review by clicking here.

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Do your kids play video games? If so, have you heard about the site called What They Play? If you haven’t yet discovered WTP, check it out now.  It’s a fantastic site dedicated to helping parents better understand the games their kids play.  My co-host and I talked about it on our podcast, Parents and Kids Talk Radio, back in April.  If you’d like to hear what we said, just click here.

This week, as part of its “Real Moms” feature, the site asked six women questions about video games.  I’m happy and honored to say that I’m one of those moms.  Check out the questions and my responses here.

It’s always a good idea to stay up to date on the games your kids are talking about and playing with their friends.  I recommend that you bookmark What They Play and visit often.

We have winners in our Rayman Raving Rabids TV Party giveaway! It’s the first game where you control a character using your bottom (on the Wii balance board)!

Congratulations to Pete of My GPS Camera Phone and PG (or should I say P@) of Annoyingly Boring!

Each of our winners won a copy of the Wii game, Rayman Raving Rabids TV Party!! That game was one of our top picks this year and is undoubtedly one of the most fun games of the year!

Thank you to everyone for participating!

Happy Holidays from PKTR, Soapbox Mom and Ubisoft!!

The kind folks at Ubisoft have provided us with TWO copies of Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party to give away.

This is one of the most fun games we’ve played this year (and that’s why it made our list of Top Picks – Video Games on Wii and PS 3)!

Want a chance to win?

This week, we’re asking you to leave a comment telling us which video game is your (or your family’s) favorite video game. That’s all you have to do to be entered into the drawing.*

Besides, now that the election is over, what else do you have to do?

You have until Saturday, December 20 at 4:30 pm (ET).

Tune in to the radio show I do with the kids on that day at 6:00 pm (ET) when we’ll announce the lucky winners on our live podcast!

Good luck and Happy Holidays!!

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———-> For more great holiday giveaways, check my blogger friend Michelle’s site, Scribbit, or Sarcastic Mom’s Giveaway Roundup!

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*And you must, of course, provide a valid email address for us to contact you.

We announced the winners of the Shaun White Wii game giveaway during our radio show, Parents and Kids Talk Radio, today.  Download the show to listen by clicking here.

Congratulations to the winners of the Shaun White Snowboarding Wii games:

Ashlie of Mommycosm

and

April R of Sweet Leaf Tea!