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Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales (Wii)
by xmum2threex
Maters tall tales Wii game is based on the spin off TV show from the main movies. Mater dreams up a number of tall tales in this series where he is the star of the show. It has proved to be a big hit with my children and there is lots of merchandise and separate cars that only feature in this miniseries that shows on Disney Junior. The ... cars that feature in this game all relate to the series rather than any of the cars films.
The game
The game promised to have over 30 games which is true as there are around 30 levels, but a lot of these are just race tracks with different themes. I would not have said they are different games just levels but even so there is a fair amount of variety. You have your usual races where you need to aim to come first, and then you have other races where you have to collect things along the tracks which provide a little extra challenge. It is not your usual racing game, but something a little different for cars fans.
My son's favourites are the story related games. Using tall tales from the TV show there are different mini games based on each tall story. For example in one game we are Mater the fire engine saving the day. You have to collect things falling from the falling window from a burning house. Or next you can be Mater the dare devil. In this game you have to elevate yourself to the very top of the tallest tower and perform stunts through loops. There are a number of these games including Mater the UFO which is one of my son's favourites.
There is enough variety to keep a young child as they can swap between a number of different games. This is perfect for the target age range as sometimes their concentration levels can be very limited. Graphics are actually really good for a child's game, and there is certainly enough detail and design to keep a young child happy. While there is no real educational value it does promote your child to count up their coins and learn about buying things with these coins. Also the hand eye co ordination it takes to take part in the games is great. The controls change with each game and relate to the story in play. This means it breaks up the games by making them unique from the one before, which both gets little one moving around but also thinking about what they are doing.
Progression
While the games are pick up and play so you can revisit any level at any time, as with all video games there is a chance to progress. When you complete each level you are awarded coins depending on how well you do. Then with these coins they can head to the garage and buy different parts for their cars. They can repaint them, add body kits or change the tyres. There is so much to do and this I have to say is my five year olds favourite part of the game. He spends most of his time in the garage changing his car to perform better in the race. It can be changed as many times as you coins allow so it really sets a target for them to do well in the races and games. While there are only a few simple changes to be made, there is certainly enough to keep a five year old happy.
Also there is a trophy cabinet also located in the garage. You can check what needs to be done to achieve these trophies like tricks, high scores and combos, so it adds a little more depth and meaning to the game. Finally as with most games you unlock different levels as you progress along the game. This again relates to the trophies, so you can check what trophies you need to collect for certain levels and it gives them a target to unlock the different levels they want to play. Difficulty ranges from easy races and mini games to more difficult ones. Again this keeps your child working hard at completing each level.
Controls
We found that navigating the start menu can actually be very tricky as it is broken down into a number of different sections depending on what type of game you would like to play. My son can do this independently now but it took him a little while to grasp it. The rest of the game fairs a lot better. Each mini game has different controls but these are very easy for little one to learn. This also means that it holds their attention, as they have to do different things with the remote each time to make the vehicle move correctly. There are some games where you have to jump up and down, others where you just need to turn the remote and others where you have to shake the remote as hard as you can. We do find the racing games seem to be very sensitive, and the slightest movement turns the car quickly. This takes some getting used to but again it just encourages hand eye co ordination.
Other bits
The game makes sure it introduces a range of characters so if Mater is not your child's favourite they can still enjoy it. The music can become very annoying as it is repetitive. Also the phrases from Mater seem to be repeated every two seconds which for an adult is very annoying but it seems to appeal to my son. I like the way that the controls all relate to the game little one is playing. Depending on what the task is the control reflects that particular activity so it makes sense to the child. The instructions are mainly spoken aloud too, so even if your child is not the strongest reader they can still play. They do also put lengthy instructions on the screen to follow but as they are spoken first it suits both younger and older children.
I like that it has up to four players option for multi player and you can switch between cooperative play and competitive play. This means depending on the child they can choose a game that suits them and how they want to play. Longevity is good in the fact there are a good range of levels and variety, and you can choose between difficulties in levels. I do find that my son only plays for short periods of times as he becomes a little bored, but this is a good thing as I do not like them playing for lengthy periods anyway. For older children I do think it would become boring quickly and if they are not a cars fan then there is nothing overly special about this game compared to similar ones on the market.
Summary
I think this game is perfect for young children maybe between five and seven years old. It is based on the tall tales miniseries shown on Disney junior, and for that reason it would be best if your child is familiar with this. It is perfect for children that love Mater as he is the star of this game, but it is careful to include lightning McQueen and others from the films to keep any cars fan interested. The mini games are what are most enjoyed for us, but the other racing games are still fun for short periods. What I really like is it is a pick up and go game. The levels are short, and this means it is perfect for short periods of use so there is no arguing trying to pull little one away. I do think it may be a little bit simple for older children, but for my five year old son it is the best game ever. At around £17 at Amazon it is not overly expensive, and despite being a few years old now it is still widely available.
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Wii Sports Resort with Wii MotionPlus Accessory (Wii)
by Clarey112
Wii sports was released with the Wii when it first came out and now there is an updated version available called Wii Sports Resort, this uses the motion plus controller and is a lot more advanced, fun and complex than its predecessor . The motion plus controller is a little box which fits on the end of your Wii remote and makes your ... movements a lot more accurate and provides a much better, realistic gaming experience, these don't come cheap however and if you want to play two player you will need to buy two.
Wii sports resort is set on an island where there are 12 different sports available for you to play. The game starts off with the skydiving game where you have to link up to other Mii's and this acts as the way you enter the island. After this the other sports become available to you, some of these are:
Air Sports - Skydiving- Link up to as many Mii's as you can and pose for a photo at the end Island Flyover - : This is where you fly a plane around the island and collect tokens and unlock extras for the game Dog Fight- This is a two player game where you have to destroy your opponents balloons
Archery - Hitting targets by aiming and firing using the nun chuck, as you progress this gets harder and there are various obstacles
Basketball - This is against the clock and you use the Wii remote to shoot balls into the nets
Frisbee- In this you use the Wii remote at an angle, there are two different versions, Dog Frisbee where you have to throw the Frisbee in a way your dog can catch it and Frisbee Golf which is like the Wii sports classic golf game but instead using a Frisbee
Golf - Same as the classic Wii Sports game but with extra 'resort' levels and with more accuracy
Sword Play- You basically use your Wii remote as a sword in this one, there are 3 variations, Duel where you try and hit your opponent into the water, speed slice where you have to chop various objects and fruits before your opponent does or showdown where you advance through levels to defeat others.
As you progress through the different sports you unlock different difficulties and varieties of the games. You also earn stamps, which act as achievements, for completing different tasks such as getting perfect tens on archery. Some of these are more difficult than others and add replay value to the game as you want to try and collect them all, well I did anyway.
Wii sports resort is definitely a game enjoyed more when playing with friends or family and therefore makes a great party game to be brought out at Christmas, Birthdays etc.
Pros -: Varied sports, much better than Wii Sports, Great game for children and families, Makes good use of the motion plus
Cons -: Some sports can get a bit boring, Not a great single player game, requires Motion Plus which can be expensive.
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Toy Story 3: The Video Game (Wii)
by Clarey112
Even though I'm 19 and this game is aimed at children I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of this game, mainly because I'm an avid Disney fan.
There are two elements to the game, the story mode which takes you through scenes from the film and you play as various different characters. These levels are really fun and are ... the perfect length without being too long and repetitive or too short without a lot of detail. There are also some levels that extend on scenes from the film such as being able to play Bonnie's make believe stories. There are some parts of the game that even I struggled on though and although this keeps it challenging for older gamers it may be a bit frustrating at times for the younger gamers.
The second element to the game is the 'Toy box' mode which is basically an on-going free play mode with tons of tasks activated by talking to different characters. These include races, finding certain items and as you progress you unlock different sections such as RC's race track. I found that the tasks get a bit repetitive after a while but it is good fun in short bursts and as a break from the main game. As well as the tasks you have the option to customise the town how you want. The 'Toy Box' mode is probably best suited to the younger gamers as there is plenty to keep them occupied and if they get stuck they can move on to a different task.
I found the main game fairly easy and quick to complete and feel it could have benefited from a bit more content but then as it is aimed at children I guess they have made it simple for their benefit.
The price of the game had come down a lot when I bought it and I don't know if I would have paid full price.
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