Fun Game & Software Reviews
Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief on the Nintendo DS
Based on the first novel of Rick Riordan’s best-selling book series and the  highly anticipated film from 20th Century Fox, players are immersed into an exhilarating and gripping fantasy world where Greek mythology is reality and Gods walk the Earth. Taking the role of Percy and his two friends Annabeth and Grover, players weld their “godly” powers and abilities to battle ruthless enemies to protect Percy’s heritage; being the son of Poseidon, God of the Sea.
Gameplay is electrifying and allows players to use and combine the characters’ abilities to create dramatic, eye-popping and explosive action!
Percy and The Lightning Thief is available on Nintendo DS from 12th February 2010. Game is certificate 12a.
LEGO® ROCK BAND™ FOR NINTENDO DS™
Invite Friends to Rock On-the-Go and Leave the Peripherals at Home!
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, the LEGO Group,  Harmonix and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), are building an all-new handheld music gaming experience that lets fans of all ages “Build a Band and Rock the Universe” wherever and whenever they want with LEGO® Rock Band™ for Nintendo DS™. Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, LEGO Rock Band for DS combines the LEGO style of humour with Rock Band gameplay to introduce a portable Rock Band experience that anyone can play without the need for peripherals to be purchased. The game also includes a multiplayer feature that allows up to four players to participate in local wireless multiplayer gameplay.
LEGO Rock Band for DS is developed by Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio, and will be compatible with the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite and Nintendo DSi™. LEGO Rock Band for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™ system is in development by TT Games in partnership with Harmonix. All versions are scheduled for release holiday 2009.
The DS version of LEGO Rock Band offers a journey to stardom that friends and families of all ages can enjoy as they rock out in local venues, stadiums and fantasy locations on Earth… and beyond! In a LEGO “build-and-play” gaming experience, players can customize their minifigure avatars to create their own individual LEGO Rock Band style. The game does not require any peripherals, as players can use the DS buttons or touchscreen to play any or all parts of a song: Bass, Guitar, Drums and Vocals. With dynamic track-switching and combo multipliers, the gameplay is ac cessible for young players, as well as deep and rewarding for even the most skillful of gamers.
Imagine Detective Adventures
Ever Wanted to Be A Detective?
With Imagine’s new game Imagine Detective Adventures, you can be! The latest in a series of new additions to Ubisoft’s Imagine series, Detective Adventures allows girls to take on the role of Kirsten, an adventurous teenage investigator in a high school which is more than it seems. Armed with a microscope and accompanied by Kirsten’s plucky ginger cat, Ozzy, you must solve the high school’s mysteries in order to uncover the puzzling case of Kirsten’s father’s disappearance. Wit, speed, and cunning will be required as you journey through over 48 mini-games, picking up clues and uncovering secrets to help you on your way towards becoming a master detective and solving the mystery.
The game enables you to record case developments and receive hints from friends via a blog; lacking the use of the instruction manual. The mini-games were very simple to figure out how to play, and contained enough challenge to tease the brain - I had to play some twice in order to redeem a dismal score. The story moves through at a rapid pace and is headed by an engaging protagonist, whose rebellious cat is a tactful addition that girls will love.
The setting, pace, and additions such as Ozzy mean that Imagine Detective Adventures is a game which 8-12 year old girls will thoroughly enjoy. It will be available on the Nintendo DS for £29.99 from 11th September 2009.
Review by Sibylla Kalid from Newstead Wood School
EA ACTIVE PERSONAL TRAINER
Wii
BREAK A SWEAT WITH EA ACTIVE PERSONAL TRAINER– THE ALL-NEW HEART PUMPING, CALORIE BURNING WORKOUT
EA Active Personal Trainer; First in New Line of Fitness Products
"Sports Active has a great 30 day challenge which is a real keep fit activity, rather than the normal wii game, and is ideal for all those that just don’t have the time or interest to go to the gym or exercise classes. The programme advises you how to do the activities correctly, and tells you when we are going wrong. It keeps track of your progress along the way and advises if you are doing well or badly. This is not a play game but a serious one which will get you fit" Heather, Fife
Do you find there are too few hours in the day to run a household, hold down a job and fit in a workout? Or, are you just getting bored of the same old  fitness routine? EA SPORTS™, a label of Electronic Arts Inc. have announced the development of EA Active Personal Trainer, an innovative new customisable and personalised fitness product that will get you motivated to move in the comfort of your home. EA Active Personal Trainer will launch exclusively for the Wii™ worldwide this May.
EA Active Personal Trainer is perfect for the whole family, seeking a simple, fun and cost-effective way to achieve a healthy lifestyle. The product will be the first in a new line of EA SPORTS fitness and sports performance products in development to improve the wellbeing of people of all ages.
“EA Active Personal Trainer and our entrance into the fitness space is an exciting and groundbreaking milestone for EA SPORTS,” said Peter Moore, President, EA SPORTS. “As we continue to expand our brand, we have a real opportunity to redefine the home fitness experience with a more Western cardiovascular approach and exercises that will appeal to a diverse audience, getting people off the couch and into shape while interacting with our products in a way never before possible. EA Active Personal Trainer costs less than a gym membership, it provides a variety of exercises unlike a one dimensional in-home fitness contraption, and it delivers an interactive experience that you don’t get from a DVD – this is a true fitness revolution and a space in which we intend to be leaders.”
EA Active Personal Trainer features a wide variety of interactive activities that target both the upper and lower body as well as cardio, and supports two players to allow family or friends to get fit together. EA Active Personal Trainer provides a new level of motivation with on-screen, real-time feedback on your workout such as calories burned, while also allowing you to adjust intensity levels. EA Active Personal Trainer will include one specially-designed leg strap that holds the Wii’s Nunchuk controller to track lower body movements, as well as a resistance band to support a number of upper body strength training exercises.
EA Active Personal Trainer features a “30 Day Challenge,” a fitness road map for players to reach their fitness goals with the guidance of a virtual trainer. The Challenge provides a new workouts everytime a player exercises, including clear instruction, feedback on technique and positive encouragement throughout the workout. Each circuit will feel different and increase in intensity as fitness levels improve to help you work up a sweat and work toward your fitness goals. Users can also create their own custom workouts that vary in activity, duration and intensity, and the Wii Balance Board will add functionality to many exercises.
EA Active Personal Trainer is priced at £44.99 and is available at all major retailers.
RHS Gardening Guide
Watch out! Your Mum or Dad might be after your DS. The Royal  Horticultural Society have released a Gardening Guide which runs on the Nintendo DS.
You can organize and manage your garden as you please, adding or removing plants, using the calendar to plan your seasonal changes or view the Encyclopaedia to build on your knowledge of plants and gardening. “Paul the Gardener” is there to help you throughout the game with tips and advice about a new plant or a gardening quiz!
The Gardening Guide is available at a recommended price of £24.99 in the high street and online.
TRACY BEAKER MAKES HER VIDEO GAME DEBUT IN JACQUELINE WILSON’S™ TRACY BEAKER- THE GAME
AVAILABLE 11th SEPTEMBER
ON NINTENDO DS™ AND PC CD-ROM
Jacqueline Wilson’s™ Tracy Beaker – The Game is a fun and engaging video game that takes players on an interactive journey into Tracy  Beaker’s world and will be released on Nintendo DS™and PC CD-ROM on 11th September 2009. Based on the terrific characters created by Jacqueline Wilson and artwork by Nick Sharratt, Tracy Beaker – The Game is a high quality video and PC game aimed at children 7-12 years that will delight existing fans of Tracy Beaker and capture a whole new audience of gamers meeting this much-loved children’s character for the first time.
Jacqueline Wilson’s™ Tracy Beaker – The Game will be available to buy from GAME and other leading video and PC game stockists on Nintendo DS™ £24.99 RRP and on PC CD-ROM £14.99 RRP. Visit www.tracybeakergame.com for more information.
Amazing, fun game. Loved to play to it. In the game you have a load of challenges to do such as find Jenny’s lipstick, you have to go to school and behave or get a detention, attend a party at the end but you need to learn to dance first and have to be good to win the dance. It’s a great game and will keep you entertained for hours.
Beth aged 10
Everyone can have perfect recall
Remembering names, dates, numbers, appointments and facts is within everyone’s capability. Young or old, a perfect memory is possible …. it’s all a matter of technique. Tony Buzan, the world’s leading expert on the Brain  and Memory, and the inventor of the mighty Mind Map®, reveals all in his mind-expanding book, USE YOUR MEMORY.
In Use Your Memory (BBC Active - £9.99 from good bookstores everywhere, or order online at www.BuzanWorld.com), guru of the grey matter Tony Buzan disagrees that declining brain power is an inevitable part of the ageing process.
Quite the opposite. The brain has a limitless capacity, and every day recalls between 1,000 and 10,000 things – bit interestingly, it’s always the things we forget that stand out! A good Memory is all about how we manage our brain’s capacity. A super-powered Memory involves combining left and right brain abilities to maximum effect.
Left brain processes deal with logic, analysis, words, lists, number, sequence and linearity. Right brain processes focus on rhythm, imagination, daydreaming, colour, dimension, spatial awareness and whole picture thinking. Everyone uses both sides, in every task they tackle – even if we profess to be ‘right brain’ or ‘left brain’ dominant.
Buzan wraps these right/left brain elements into a series of powerful Memory techniques which, with practice, become the intellectual platform for recalling anything – instantly.
The two underlying principles of Memory are imagination and association. The brain recalls easily when it is entertained by movement, colour, humour, sexuality, sensory triggers, sequences and exaggeration. Associating whatever you have to remember (say, items on a shopping list) with linked images that flow and interact like a picture story in your head will fix those items in the Memory.
To remember numbers, they can be associated with rhyming words or shapes – or a special code called the Major System, a 300-year old system for remembering any series of numbers or facts.
The more practice, the better the brain becomes at remembering – anything from key historical dates to a well-shuffled pack of cards.
The techniques are proven to work and are regularly cited by contestants at the World, UK and Schools Memory Championships. These annual competitions were the brain-child of Tony Buzan and now attract contestants from all round the world.
Hungry for a crackling gift idea?
Go the whole hog with ‘Pig goes Pop’!
Bursting with hilarity, stuffed with incredible excitement, this little piggy has gone to market and is truly flying!
Pig goes Pop (rrp £16.99, 4+ - from Drumond Park Games) is a brilliant new family-fun game that will be adored by boys and girls, as well as Mums, Dad, Grans… in fact absolutely anyone. It’s incredibly easy to play (2 to 6 players), is a ton of superb fun… and a great opportunity for children and adults to play together.
Forget the year of the Ox, this is still very much the year of the Pig, and for this loveable cartoon-like character, it’s a year that’s one of abundance and plenty!
Simply poptastic
Beautifully simple in concept, this addictive game is certainly NOT a swine to grasp. All you have to do is feed the Pig his burgers and pump up his swelling tummy WITHOUT bursting his coat open!
On the roll of the colourful dice, each player feeds this friendly hog a purple, red, yellow or green hamburger, pushing his cheery head down the number of times shown on the burger.
He’ll huff and he’ll puff!
Remember, this Pig is a greedy fella and although he can fit more than quite a few mouthfuls into his ever-bulging tummy, it won’t be long (although no-one knows how long) before his coat can no longer take the strain… and to everyone’s amazement and rapturous squealing delight, this little Pig goes POP!
Can the girls take on the boys and beat their best friends or mum or dad? Who’s winning? Well if the Pig goes Pop on your turn, you’re out – till the next round. If not, you’re still in the game. Just keep on going until he bursts at the seams.
For a new game, just rewind his curly tail… and the next round commences.
What a porker – great gift idea!
Going to a party, why not bring the Pig? Or if the kids have mates round to play, it’s a fantastic game to get out and have fun with before tea. And Pig goes Pop makes for a lasting ‘forever favourite’ present… that will keep them all happy and busy for hours and hours!
Drumond Park’s Adult, Family and Children’s games, magic sets, puzzles and action games are widely available from many department stores,
most major toy shop chains and independents, plus the
leading catalogue and online traders
Stockists’ information number is 01506 855577
Or visit their website: www.drumondpark.com
PARENTS BEWARE! VIDEO GAMES ARE ABOUT TO GET A LITTLE BIT HORRID...
HORRID HENRY MAKES HIS VIDEO GAME DEBUT IN
HORRID HENRY- MISSIONS OF MISCHIEF
ON NINTENDO DS, Wii AND PC CD-ROM
23rd OCTOBER 2009
Featuring loads of Horrid Henry’s trademark tricks, Horrid Henry: Missions of Mischief will transport you into the world of the horridest boy around,  Horrid Henry! Play the hugely horrible role of Henry as you head off on his mischievous missions, wreaking havoc all around you. Horrid Henry- Missions of Mischief is aimed at children over 3 years old and will be available to buy from leading video and PC game stockists on Nintendo DS™ £24.99 RRP, Wii™ £29.99 RRP and on PC CD-ROM £19.99 RRP from 23rd October 2009.
Armed with a range of special skills and equipment, including a Double Drencher, oodles of Gross Goo and spiders and stink bombs galore, your mission is to be as horrid as possible and still make sure you get tickets to the Killer Boy Rats concert. Fun, fast and fantastic, this non–stop platform game is packed with the unique Horrid Henry yuck factor that will keep you entertained for hours! Unless you’re a smelly nappy baby of course!
There are 40 levels plus 8 bonus levels to unlock with multiple difficulty settings and genuinely horrid rewards! Includes all your favourite characters including Moody Margaret, Perfect Peter, Mum, Dad and Miss Battle-Axe.
About Horrid Henry
Based on the top rating massively successful TV show, produced by Novel Entertainment and multi-million selling Horrid Henry books series by Francesca Simon, Horrid Henry: Missions of Mischief is the first Horrid Henry video game.
Since first blasting onto the children’s book scene in 1993, Horrid Henry has quickly become a worldwide publishing phenomenon. With book sales exceeding 15 million copies in the UK alone, Horrid Henry is available in 27 countries worldwide including the US and has been translated into 22 languages. The hugely popular animated TV series, shown daily on children’s ITV in the UK and the most watched programme on the channel ever, Horrid Henry has also sold globally and has his own touring stage show, his own website and even a record deal with EMI!
BUMPS
99 engaging levels!
Alien invaders have imprisoned all the Bumps and it’s up to you to rescue them. Explore colourful landscapes and solve mind-boggling puzzles in your quest to free the Bumps from captivity.
Includes Colour Blind Mode! £9.78
This is a great PC game for all ages to enjoy, it is designed to make you think and solve problems to release the bumps and get to the next level. The  game starts off with nice easy levels for you to solve and then moves to harder ones which do take you a while to reach a conclusion on how to solve, but it is great fun.
Especially good for children to gain their concentration, my youngest who is 7 cheers when she gets it right and releases them, it focuses them and makes them solve problems in a simple but logical way.
I would recommend this game for all the family to enjoy, but beware all will be challenged along the way.
This game is available for sale by www.focusmm.co.uk and  costs £9.78.
To take advantage of the current Reader Offer for Focus Products, click here.
Hannah Montana
You’ve seen the film now play the game. Hannah Montana The Movie is  available now from Disney Interactive Studios for Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC. Become Hannah on tour dancing, singing and playing the instruments as you perform favourite Hannah Montana songs – including ones from the movie. Learn those rock star poses, do a hoedown, design your own stage costumes, customise the tour bus and let rip on guitar, drums and keyboards.
For the first time you can also play as Hannah’s secret identity Miley Stewart as she gets to rediscover her life as an ordinary Tennessee farm girl. Switch to Crowley Corner mode to play as Miley and you’ll meet new characters and play a series of mini-games as she seeks to save her hometown, completing tasks like learning to ride Blue Jeans the horse as you visit places such as Ruby’s Farm, Downtown Meadow Hall and Derrick’s Petting Zoo.
You can earn spending money playing the mini-games and then go  shopping for fabulous clothes and accessories for Hannah to wear on tour. And if you change your mind about your costume just before you go on stage, you can always head back to the tour bus for a last minute switch.
We’ve tried the Wii version and, while we’re still working on clapping our hands above our head, it’s very easy to play and, while the story doesn’t add up to much and it’s a pity Miley can only walk and not run, it’s still fun. Especially as you twist the remote to spotlight the floating musical notes to play the keyboard or drums, or shake the nunchuck to sing. If you forget what you’re doing, there’s always Miley’s onscreen organiser to remind you. Go cowgirl! MD
TrackMania DS
Do you like driving at fast speeds? Do you enjoy the thrill of seeing the floor  above your head? In this fast paced, high speed racing game you can drive at speeds unknown to man! Tracks include loops, jumps, turbo boost pads and more wacky ideas straight from the creators at Firebrand studios.
The game offers 3 single player modes such as Race mode, where you are pitted against your racing foes to go for gold or even the rare Firebrand trophy! Other modes include Platform; where you attempt to get to the end of a tricky and mind boggling track, set out to throw you off, and Puzzle mode; in which you are required to build your track using the few pieces provided to get to the finish.
 Also in every difficulty there are three types of driving; Stadium, Desert and Rally, each with 5 tracks of their own resulting in over 100 stunning tracks, all completely different from the last, resulting in ever-exciting gameplay and overall fun.
Another feature is the multiplayer mode in which up to four friends can play at the same time, either with their own game cartridges or hot seat style play on just a single card! You can also create your own cust om tracks in the editor mode to play with your friends, and let your creative juices flow. Plus you can buy better track pieces with the ‘coppers’ you earn from beating computer opponents or your friends in multiplayer mode.
As mentioned earlier you can earn ‘coppers’, which are the in-game currency, to buy either track pieces, new pre-built tracks or skins to spice up your vehicle.
The game is also compatible with the Nintendo DS rumble pack feature
Reviewed by Cameron Blower, Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School
PLAY AND INTERACT WITH THE SPONGEBOB UNIVERSE LIKE NEVER BEFORE!
SpongeBob and Patrick stumble upon a magical pencil that brings whatever it draws to life. Unfortunately, the evil SpongeBob drawing ‘DoodleBob’ gets a
magic pencil of his own which he uses to cause havoc all over Bikini Bottom.
Players will draw their own unique hero that has the power to defeat
DoodleBob’s rogue drawings and rescue SpongeBob and his friends.
GAME FEATURES
• Create your own character and populate the world with your creativity.
• Draw, customize and furnish your own Bikini Bottom home.
• Play against your friends in an exciting two-player VS. mode.
• Battle, erase and redraw enemies as you work your way through the game.
• Over 20 levels, each with their own specific objectives.
Are You Ready For More Amazing PopCap Adventures?
Focus Multimedia, the UK’s leading PC casual games publisher, is delighted to once again team up with casual games pioneer, PopCap Games, to bring another three top game titles to retail shelves for the very first time.
Web favourites Bookworm Adventures, Amazing Adventures The Lost Tomb and Mahjong Escape: A ncient China are now on sale in the UK and Ireland as part of Focus Multimedia’s Essential PC range - all for the suggested retail price of just £9.99 each.
From the makers of classic casual game hits, Bejeweled and Peggle, PopCap’s Bookworm Adventures is a wickedly moreish game of vocabulary valour. A family favourite that sets minds and mouses racing, Bookworm Adventures can help parents relax while giving kids a mental workout and helping them beat the back-to-school Summer ‘brain drain’.
In Bookworm Adventures, players help Lex the Bookworm battle the biggest threat the Great Library has ever known. Put your vocabulary skills to the test by cr eating the longest and most complex words you possibly can from thecollection of letter tiles you are given.
As you travel through a selection of popular storybooks, you must deliver high-scoring words in order to annihilate your enemies and rescue your friend Cassandra - without being wiped out yourself!
From the makers of the UK’s best-selling “hidden object” game, Mystery P.I. The Lottery Ticket, comes another enthralling title; Amazing Adventures The Lost Tomb.
As an adventurer, you have been chosen to help search the sands of Egypt for a mysterious, long-lost tomb and recover the lost treasures of an ancient pharaoh. Hunt high and low to find items, collect precious scarabs and outwit clever puzzle traps on your quest. Train your eye and your brain as you seek 2000 cleverly hidden objects across more than 100 challenging levels.
Bend your brain while soothing your senses in Mahjong Escape  Ancient China. If you’re a fan of the classic puzzle game, then this incarnation is sure to blow you away. You’ve never seen mahjong like this before!
Take part in a 4000-year journey of collecting treasure. This interesting twist on the popular game has you matching magic gold tiles and exploring ancient dynasties, as well as allowing you to enjoy the slower pace of the game. Stunning graphics and relaxing music, coupled with the alternate gameplay make for a truly serene experience.
PopCap Games is already a leading developer and publisher of casual games for platforms including Web, PC, Mac, mobile, Xbox, PS2 and iPod and many more. PopCap games have been downloaded more than 1 billion times by consumers worldwide. Flagship title, Bejeweled, has sold more than 10 million units across all platforms and PopCap estimates the Bejeweled franchise has consumed roughly 6 billion hours of consumers’ leisure time since 2001.
Bookworm Adventures, Amazing Adventures The Lost Tomb and Mahjong Escape Ancient China are available now for a suggested retail price of £9.99 each including VAT, from all good retail outlets of PC software. The products are also available to purchase direct from www.focusmm.co.uk.
Great games for girls!
Focus Multimedia, the UK’s market-leading publisher of budget PC software, has signed an exclusive deal with Ubisoft® to release titles from their successful Games for Girls range in the UK and Ireland.
Aimed at 6 to 14 year old girls, Imagine® Fashion Designer, Imagine® Pet Vet in Australia and Imagine® Pet Vet at the Zoo join Focus Multimedia’s best-selling range of budget PC software.
Imagine® Fashion Designer puts girls in the shoes of anup-and-coming fashion designer who’s just started a new job at a highly successfulNew York company. Their aim then is to work up through the ranks by completing a series of challenges, whilst at the same time keeping their eyes and ears open for the next hot trends. They must create successful fashion collections, make the models beautiful and progress to the role of Manhattan’s hippest designer.
I magine® Pet Vet in Australia will appeal to animal lovers, as it has them training to become a master vet in a gorgeous coastal area of Australia.Players will manage their own animal hospital by taking care of the continent’s most popular wildlife, including the popular koalas, kangaroos and dolphins. Girls must learn everything about their cuddly patients in order to become an expert vet.
Imagine® Pet Vet at the Zoo introduces more weird and wonderful creatures to care for! A gorilla with a broken tooth, a polar bear with a sore paw a crocodile  suffering from a cold. Players must manage the zoo hospital, respond to emergencies and gain new skills to become the world’s greatest zoo vet!
The Imagine® range is available now. The titles retail at a suggested price of £9.99 each including VAT, from all good stockists of PC software. The products are also available to purchase direct from www.focusmm.co.uk.
© 2007 Lexis Numérique. All Rights Reserved. Published and distributed by Ubisoft Entertainment under exclusive licence from Lexis Numérique. Imagine, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries.
© 2007 Braingame Publishing GmbH. All Rights Reserved. Published and distributed by UBISOFT Entertainment under license from Braingame Publishing GmbH, Germany. Imagine, Ubisoft, Ubi.com, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved.
Nancy Drew® PC Game
Focus Multimedia, the UK’s leading publisher of value and casual PC  games, has acquired the rights to publish one of the world’s top adventure game franchises. Focus is teaming up with Her Interactive, the designer and developer of the award-winning Nancy Drew PC game series, to bring three titles to stores in the UK and Ireland.
The world’s most famous teen detective has enjoyed incredible longevity and success for over 75 years, with more than 200 million copies of the books in print around the globe. The PC game series stays true to the brand by delivering the same compelling story telling and content fans expect from the Nancy Drew brand, while incorporating gameplay elements that adventure gamers of all ages will enjoy, including varying difficulty levels, enough puzzling to have players scratching their heads, and lenient options such as “Second Chance” and “Phone a Friend” available.
Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor, Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch and NancyDrew: The Secret of the Old Clock will be re-branded to fit in with the £9.99 Focus Essential label.
Available to buy now for Windows® XP and Vista, Nancy Drew Curse of Blackmoor Manor, Nancy Drew The Secret of Shadow Ranch and Nancy Drew Secret of the Old Clock PC Fitness can be ordered from all good stockists of PC software, or direct from www.focusmm.co.uk. The suggested
retail price is just £9.99 each.
Imagine™ Teacher
Ubisoft proudly presents Imagine Teacher, the newest and most exciting  addition to the Imagine range of videogames for the Nintendo DS that gives young girls the chance to live the exciting life of a teacher, and experience life on the other side of the teacher’s desk!
Play the role of a teacher in a brand new school, helping your students improve their creativity in many subjects such as music, drawing, and pottery. Start building relationships with your pupils to increase their knowledge and make school as fun as they want it to be. You can also participate in major school events such as parties for the End of the School Year and even organise birthday parties for the students!
Everything you do helps you aim towards upgrading your school to be the most fun and educational place possible! Imagine is a range of games from Ubisoft®for the Nintendo DS that encourages young girls to use their imagination, creativity and have fun creating their own virtual world through a number of different games.
Find out what other games are available in the Imagine™ range at www.yourimaginegame.com!
Here are some reviews for other games in the Imagine Range:
Imagine Baby Club, Imagine Girl Band, Imagine Fashion design, Secret World
Baby Club – it is a very good game, easy to play, hard to look after babies and keep them happy – great fun for all girls. Katie aged 7
Girl Band – really cool, fun to play with instruments, you follow the rhythm to earn money, you can get clothes for the band to wear, change their hair style, put make up on them, go to the library, and generally have great fun. Beth aged 9
Fashion Designer – whenever you do something good you have the chance to design something, you have to complete set tasks to reach a different level – if you complete one task you get another, once the tasks are completed you can design your own fashion. Katie aged 7
Secret World – you can keep you personal diary on here, design your own person, dress them, change their hairstyle, good fun and not too hard find your way round the game. Beth aged 9
PEGGLE
This is a great game for fun, and will have you playing for hours and hours.  You work your way through a number of levels and then move to the challenge section (which gets really hard). You feel that you have to reach this section, and then the next. It is addictive but in a fun and harmless way. This game is suitable for all ages and you’re not likely to get bored as there’s so much involved. A great game for anyone who enjoys PC games and is looking for something a little different. I would recommend this for anyone for a Christmas or Birthday Present.
This game is available for sale by www.focusmm.co.uk and costs £9.99.
To take advantage of the current Reader Offer for Focus Products, click here.
DINER DASH 2
 Review by Beth aged 9:
This is a great game where you get to run and serve in restaurants and have to improve them to gain access to new bits and fun things to do. Its hard as you have to run it like a real restaurant bt great once you understand what you need to do.
This game is available for sale by www.focusmm.co.uk and costs £9.99.
To take advantage of the current Reader Offer for Focus Products, click here.
BRATZ ROCK ANGELZ & BABYZ
 Review by Beth aged 9:
This is so cool and a superb game, my friends are jealous and love playing it when they come over. My favourite is Rock Angels but Babyz is fine to play to. There are loads of things to go and solve that will keep you entertained for hours.
This game is available for sale by www.focusmm.co.uk and costs £9.99.
To take advantage of the current Reader Offer for Focus Products, click here.
BARNYARD
 Review by Katie aged 6:-
This is a brilliant game and so funny. I love all the characters and the activities are really simple to understand and play. I could play for hours if my parents would let me. Think everyone should have a copy.
This game is available for sale by www.focusmm.co.uk and costs £4.99.
To take advantage of the current Reader Offer for Focus Products, click here.
Nemo's Underwater World of Fun – DVD-Rom (For PC)
 A great game for all children who love the film, both my 6 and 8 year old girls loved the adventures and challenges of this game.
You work your way through different levels helping Nemo learn to swim, finding his friends along the way and solving puzzles and challenges at the same time.
This is another good game to boost creativity, thinking power and problem solving whilst having fun – so the children don’t realise they are being educated at the same time.
This game is available for sale by www.focusmm.co.uk and costs £4.99.
To take advantage of the current Reader Offer for Focus Products, click here.
Review submitted 27/6/07
Noddy and the Toyland Fair – DVD-Rom (For PC)
 This is a great game for younger children, especially if they like the TV programme. Children get the chance to take Noddy on an adventure around the town and look for loads of items. This game helps children learn without them realising it is educational.
There are two levels to the game so it is great for older ones as well. One of the best features for a parent is that the voices are as the TV programme which helps children relate to the game.
Hours of fun for the younger ones; and fun for parents too!
This game is available for sale by www.focusmm.co.uk and costs £4.99.
To take advantage of the current Reader Offer for Focus Products, click here.
Review submitted 27/6/07
Cars – DVD-Rom (For PC)
 For all the children who loved the film will love this game; they get the chance to be Lightning McQueen and race round tracks, roads, the town and do all the things they would love. You can also race with your friends at the same time, and if you don’t fancy being Lightning McQueen you can choose from 10 characters.
It kept my children happy for hours, but the one thing I would recommend is that your PC does need a good quality video card to ensure the game runs smoothly. Overall this is a great game for children used to playing games on their PC.
This game is available for sale by www.focusmm.co.uk and costs £4.99.
To take advantage of the current Reader Offer for Focus Products, click here.
Review submitted 27/6/07
Casper the Magical Toy Store (For PC)
 This game is aimed at children 4 -6, but older children also enjoy the simplicity and fun way they have to complete the tasks but also means they can help the younger ones solve the problems posed.
It encourages children to work together to solve the different levels, and unlock sections that are hidden unless completed properly. The games help children learn new things, how to operate the computer, promotes independent play and to improve their listening and concentration.
Both my children loved this game, more so because it is led by Casper the friendly ghost who guides you round the various levels and helps you out.
This game is available for sale by www.focusmm.co.uk and costs £4.99.
To take advantage of the current Reader Offer for Focus Products, click here.
Review submitted by Heather McLean, 19/4/07
Happy Feet (For Nintendo Wii)
 Happy Feet is based on Warner Bros' comedy adventure. You'll jump into the shoes of Mumble, a young penguin born into a nation of singing emperor penguins. In this land, each penguin needs a heartsong to attract a soul mate.
Unfortunately, Mumble is the worst singer in the world. But he is a brilliant tap dancer.
Based on the general storyline of the film, the player will be able to experience life from the point of view of Mumble in music, dance and interaction with the friends and enemies of the penguin's world.
This game is available for sale at www.amazon.co.uk and costs £23.90
Lego Island II (For Playstation 2)
 What do the residents of Lego Island fear most? Deconstruction. The mischievous Brickster has broken out of the town jail and turned loose his army of Brickster Bots to take apart the island brick by little plastic brick.
Skateboarding pizza delivery boy Pepper is the island's best hope against this threat, and players will take him through 18 levels based on popular Lego play themes, such as Adventurers, Castle and Lego City.
Players will control different conveyances around the island, like blasting off in a space shuttle and riding on the back of a Pterodactyl, from a first-person perspective. Objectives within the levels include deep-sea-diving for bricks, jousting with the Dark Knight, snake shooting, matching mummies in ancient Egypt, and target parachuting. Friendly Lego figurines are always close by and willing to offer some observations.
This game is available for sale at www.amazon.co.uk and costs £3.95
Sonic the Hedgehog (For XBox 360)
 Sonic the Hedgehog returns for his 15th anniversary in Style, as he is plunged into an epic adventure to save princes Elise who has been Kidnapped by the evil Dr Eggman as part of his plans to unleash a force that will threaten the kingdom. Unfortunately a mysterious new opponent is going all out to take to take our blue hero down with all new psychic abilities.
Unless Sonic can prevail, the very future of the world is at stake. Who is this new psychic talent, and what are "The Flames of Disaster"?
This game is available for sale a www.play.com and costs £17.99
Disney's Meet the Robinsons ( For Nintendo DS)
 What if you could change the past? What if you could control the future? What if time was on your side? Disney's Meet The Robinsons video game brings the excitement of the film to life. Play as Wilbur Robinson and experience the thrills of time travelling adventure. With a host of crazy gadgets at your disposal, battle enemies and solve puzzles while in pursuit of the dastardly Bowler Hat Guy and his diabolical robotic hat Doris in an attempt to thwart their evil plans.
It's up to you to save the future!
This game is available for sale at www.play.com and costs £14.99 delivered
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