Class Reviews
These reviews were written by elementary-school students in my Language Arts class. Enjoy these works from the writers of tomorrow!
Deal or No Deal 10
Deal or No Deal? (photo: ign.com)
Platform: Wii
Publisher: Zoo games
Developer: Zoo games
ESRB: E for everyore
You try to beat the banker by opening cases full of money. You can win up to 1 millon dollars. The best thing about Deal or No Deal for the Wii is opening cases. It’s extcing to see what is in the cases. You feel happy when the low numbers come out.
The miis are colorful and cartoony. The stage is bright and cheery. The models wear dresses and look pretty.
To play the game you pick a case but don’t open it until the end of the game. You then open other cases to see the prizes you didn’t win. Sometines the banker offers to buy your case, and you choose to make a deal or say, “No deal!”
The game controls are easy. You point and click to say, “Deal,” or, “No Deal.”
Who should play this game? Fans of Howie Mandel . Fans of the tv show. Fans of suitcases.
-C.T.
Publisher: Zoo games
Developer: Zoo games
ESRB: E for everyore
You try to beat the banker by opening cases full of money. You can win up to 1 millon dollars. The best thing about Deal or No Deal for the Wii is opening cases. It’s extcing to see what is in the cases. You feel happy when the low numbers come out.
The miis are colorful and cartoony. The stage is bright and cheery. The models wear dresses and look pretty.
To play the game you pick a case but don’t open it until the end of the game. You then open other cases to see the prizes you didn’t win. Sometines the banker offers to buy your case, and you choose to make a deal or say, “No deal!”
The game controls are easy. You point and click to say, “Deal,” or, “No Deal.”
Who should play this game? Fans of Howie Mandel . Fans of the tv show. Fans of suitcases.
-C.T.
Mario Kart Wii 10
Luigi Circuit (photo: thebuzzmedia.com)
Platform: Wii
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo EAD
ESRB: Everyone
Mario Kart Wii is a fun racing video game that is for up to 4 players. It’s a good chance to drive a go-kart to win 8 different cups. There are 32 different tracks in total. The cars and character models are highly detailed in 3D.
What sets Mario Kart Wii apart from the other racers is the crazy power-ups. One of the power-ups is the Bullet Bill. The Bullet Bill makes you fly into the front, such as 1st or 2nd place. The Mega Mushroom makes you get gigantic so you can squash other cars.
The Wii Wheel is the main controller. You can also drive with the GameCube controller, the Classic Wii Controller, or the Nunchuk. It’s so fun to drive. Mario Kart Wii is the best driving game for the whole family. I hope you enjoy my next review.
-J.C.
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo EAD
ESRB: Everyone
Mario Kart Wii is a fun racing video game that is for up to 4 players. It’s a good chance to drive a go-kart to win 8 different cups. There are 32 different tracks in total. The cars and character models are highly detailed in 3D.
What sets Mario Kart Wii apart from the other racers is the crazy power-ups. One of the power-ups is the Bullet Bill. The Bullet Bill makes you fly into the front, such as 1st or 2nd place. The Mega Mushroom makes you get gigantic so you can squash other cars.
The Wii Wheel is the main controller. You can also drive with the GameCube controller, the Classic Wii Controller, or the Nunchuk. It’s so fun to drive. Mario Kart Wii is the best driving game for the whole family. I hope you enjoy my next review.
-J.C.
Sonic Heroes 8
Sonic and friends (photo: techrepublic.com)
Platform: PS2
Publisher: Sonic Team
Developer: Sega
ESRB: E
Sonic is an awesome, fast, and strong character, but some things are impossible to do alone. So, this time in order to stop the evil Dr. Eggman, he’s bringing along Knuckles the Echidna and Tails to help him succeed. With the new control system, you can play as all three characters at once! And that’s not all, as you can play as three other teams!
In this 3D action game, the expierience is never ever dull. You can find yourself blasting through rocks, shooting robots, and running long distances at high speed!
There is a major beef, however, which are the graphics. They are horrible, and you can find yourself running through walls and dying, as well as the camras flying in front of you, which makes it diffucult to see much.
Sonic Heroes has an awesome story. Eggman has “hatched” up another evil scheme, and tells Sonic and his friends that he will take over the world in three days. Meanwhile, Rouge breaks into one of Eggman’s cells, when she discovers Shadow and E-123 Omega. Shadow now suffers amnesia, probably because he was damaged badly in Sonic Adventure 2. Omega, Rouge, and Shadow also go after Eggman. Ironicly, Amy, Big, Cream, Espio, Vector, and Charmy go after their nemisis as well! A thrilling game with some great settings, easy controls, and an awesome roster, this game is surely the best game I have played on the the Play Station 2 all year.
-M.K.
Publisher: Sonic Team
Developer: Sega
ESRB: E
Sonic is an awesome, fast, and strong character, but some things are impossible to do alone. So, this time in order to stop the evil Dr. Eggman, he’s bringing along Knuckles the Echidna and Tails to help him succeed. With the new control system, you can play as all three characters at once! And that’s not all, as you can play as three other teams!
In this 3D action game, the expierience is never ever dull. You can find yourself blasting through rocks, shooting robots, and running long distances at high speed!
There is a major beef, however, which are the graphics. They are horrible, and you can find yourself running through walls and dying, as well as the camras flying in front of you, which makes it diffucult to see much.
Sonic Heroes has an awesome story. Eggman has “hatched” up another evil scheme, and tells Sonic and his friends that he will take over the world in three days. Meanwhile, Rouge breaks into one of Eggman’s cells, when she discovers Shadow and E-123 Omega. Shadow now suffers amnesia, probably because he was damaged badly in Sonic Adventure 2. Omega, Rouge, and Shadow also go after Eggman. Ironicly, Amy, Big, Cream, Espio, Vector, and Charmy go after their nemisis as well! A thrilling game with some great settings, easy controls, and an awesome roster, this game is surely the best game I have played on the the Play Station 2 all year.
-M.K.
Sonic Heroes 8
Team Blast (photo: sonic.wikia.com)
Platform: PS2
Presenter: SEGA
Creator: SONIC TEAM
ESRB: E for everyone
Sonic Heroes is an action & adventure game. It is very interesting. Almost nothing is boring. The best thing about the game is that you can replay completed stages. You can try for a better score, or just play it again in a difficult version.
The graphics of the game are smooth, exciting, and brilliant. Three examples of the graphics are when you launch off of cannons, when you find items that are very hard to find (like the secret speaker in Charmy’s phone), and when you pass boss stages. The game controls good, but it is sometimes difficult. One area that is particularly fun to control is when you aim yourself toward power spheres on special stages.
Some things that control well (without mistakes) are the aim of launching off of cannons, when you ascend flight and control flight in fly formation, and when you do your final attack in power formation (for example, when flinging Knuckles up in the air and creating a ground explosion). Some things that control incorrectly (with lots of mistakes) are when you aim Homing Attack attacks, when you move in special stages, and when you go on a backwards conveyor belt trying to use Rocket Accel (in Egg Fleet). Hope you enjoy playing this game.
-S.F.
Presenter: SEGA
Creator: SONIC TEAM
ESRB: E for everyone
Sonic Heroes is an action & adventure game. It is very interesting. Almost nothing is boring. The best thing about the game is that you can replay completed stages. You can try for a better score, or just play it again in a difficult version.
The graphics of the game are smooth, exciting, and brilliant. Three examples of the graphics are when you launch off of cannons, when you find items that are very hard to find (like the secret speaker in Charmy’s phone), and when you pass boss stages. The game controls good, but it is sometimes difficult. One area that is particularly fun to control is when you aim yourself toward power spheres on special stages.
Some things that control well (without mistakes) are the aim of launching off of cannons, when you ascend flight and control flight in fly formation, and when you do your final attack in power formation (for example, when flinging Knuckles up in the air and creating a ground explosion). Some things that control incorrectly (with lots of mistakes) are when you aim Homing Attack attacks, when you move in special stages, and when you go on a backwards conveyor belt trying to use Rocket Accel (in Egg Fleet). Hope you enjoy playing this game.
-S.F.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl 10
All the characters that're playable (photo: ign.com)
Platform:Wii
Publesher:Nintendo
Develaper:Ad hoc develament team
ESRB:Teen
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a mutiplayer fighting game. The best part about the game is the final smashes, which are powerful special attacks that are seen first in SSBB. One I like is super sonic.
Another thing about the game is the assist trophies. They help you throughout the game by whacking other players or distracting characters. For example, Mr. Resetti - from Animal Crossing - is one that makes you fall asleep while he talks.
The graphics are realistic. You feel like you’re in the game. One stage,Onett from Earthbound, looks like a real town.
The Subspace Emissay, or TSE, is the mutiplayer adventure mode. My favarate part of TSE is the bosses. Many of them you can unlock.
The story is interesting. The Subspace Army is trying to take over the game world. Players go through many stages and bosses to save the game world. You play as many characters throughout the game. The story has cut scenes, but none of the characters talk in these scenes. This makes it very hard to follow along with the game.
The controls are easy. You can use the remote, remote & nunchuk, and the Game Cube controller. Moves are inputted by one or two simple button presses. SSBB is a awsome game.
-S.C.
Publesher:Nintendo
Develaper:Ad hoc develament team
ESRB:Teen
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a mutiplayer fighting game. The best part about the game is the final smashes, which are powerful special attacks that are seen first in SSBB. One I like is super sonic.
Another thing about the game is the assist trophies. They help you throughout the game by whacking other players or distracting characters. For example, Mr. Resetti - from Animal Crossing - is one that makes you fall asleep while he talks.
The graphics are realistic. You feel like you’re in the game. One stage,Onett from Earthbound, looks like a real town.
The Subspace Emissay, or TSE, is the mutiplayer adventure mode. My favarate part of TSE is the bosses. Many of them you can unlock.
The story is interesting. The Subspace Army is trying to take over the game world. Players go through many stages and bosses to save the game world. You play as many characters throughout the game. The story has cut scenes, but none of the characters talk in these scenes. This makes it very hard to follow along with the game.
The controls are easy. You can use the remote, remote & nunchuk, and the Game Cube controller. Moves are inputted by one or two simple button presses. SSBB is a awsome game.
-S.C.
Cars 2 Video Game 9.5
For Xbox 360
When released: 2011.
Developer: Avalanche
Sortware.
ESRB rating: E10+
3-29-12
Cars 2 is the greatest game ever made because it has good characters that are good because they kill bad cars. The cars are from the Cars 2 movie. Now you can play the Cars 2 video game.
The story of the game is training to be awesome spys. This game is about winning the World Grand Prix. Also you can unlock cars.
The game controls are easy. You hit the RT button to move forward.You hit the X button to use your turbo. You hit the X button twice and you are in the zone. After hitting the X button twice you have a shield and go very fast.
Get the game now.
-GT
When released: 2011.
Developer: Avalanche
Sortware.
ESRB rating: E10+
3-29-12
Cars 2 is the greatest game ever made because it has good characters that are good because they kill bad cars. The cars are from the Cars 2 movie. Now you can play the Cars 2 video game.
The story of the game is training to be awesome spys. This game is about winning the World Grand Prix. Also you can unlock cars.
The game controls are easy. You hit the RT button to move forward.You hit the X button to use your turbo. You hit the X button twice and you are in the zone. After hitting the X button twice you have a shield and go very fast.
Get the game now.
-GT
Sonic Generations 8.7
ESRB: E for Everyone
Released: 2011
Developer: Sonic Team
Platform:
Xbox 360
Sonic Generations is super fun to play. It starts out with Sonic's 20th anniversary with his friends. Suddenly, a new enemy, the Time Eater, kidnaps Sonic's friends. The whole adventure is in this new "white world". You run through stages from Sonic's past, which will give you déjà vu. He meets up with his younger self. What happens next is way too fun to describe.
The graphics are really good, it feels like you're in the game! But, the graphics have gliches, which makes the game harder then it actually is.If you are going too fast there's not enough time for thestage to load.This makes the stage see-through.
The game has a smooth learning curve. You start out at Green Hill Zone and then gets harder and harder as your go. It gets super hard. You feel like you'll never complete it.
It's fun to "race" through the stages. You feel like you can't stop. Green Hill Zone is easist to speed through because of its shortcuts.
One bad thing about the game is the hard bosses. You feel like it's unfair. The Death Egg Robot is easy in the beginning then gets harder
as you go. You have to set a bomb to hit him, but if you set the bomb to early it explodes on you. Plus, he knocks the platforms out, making it even harder to beat him.
As you can see, Sonic Generations is fun for everybody.
-SC
Released: 2011
Developer: Sonic Team
Platform:
Xbox 360
Sonic Generations is super fun to play. It starts out with Sonic's 20th anniversary with his friends. Suddenly, a new enemy, the Time Eater, kidnaps Sonic's friends. The whole adventure is in this new "white world". You run through stages from Sonic's past, which will give you déjà vu. He meets up with his younger self. What happens next is way too fun to describe.
The graphics are really good, it feels like you're in the game! But, the graphics have gliches, which makes the game harder then it actually is.If you are going too fast there's not enough time for thestage to load.This makes the stage see-through.
The game has a smooth learning curve. You start out at Green Hill Zone and then gets harder and harder as your go. It gets super hard. You feel like you'll never complete it.
It's fun to "race" through the stages. You feel like you can't stop. Green Hill Zone is easist to speed through because of its shortcuts.
One bad thing about the game is the hard bosses. You feel like it's unfair. The Death Egg Robot is easy in the beginning then gets harder
as you go. You have to set a bomb to hit him, but if you set the bomb to early it explodes on you. Plus, he knocks the platforms out, making it even harder to beat him.
As you can see, Sonic Generations is fun for everybody.
-SC
Sonic Generations 8.7
Twice the Speed, Twice the Fun
Xbox 360
Developer:Sonic Team
Rating:E
Release Date:2011
Sonic Generations is a game that seems that it could have been made by fans, considering they have loved Classic and Modern
Sonic over the years. The storyline seems rushed and quickly thought up. But that hardly matters, because the gameplay is what people want!
So how does Sega explain two Sonics? Time parodoxes, of course! A mysterious creature sends Modern Sonic back in time, where he meets his younger self. The Sonics team up to save time and space, and to defeat the purple being! Along the way, the sonics save their friends. Areas they encounter are white and dead because of the final boss, until the Sonics recolor them with super speed.
The two Sonics have different gameplay styles. Classic Sonic is purely 2D platforming, with his spin dash speeding up his progress. Modern Sonic works like he did in Sonic Colors and Sonic Unleashed by mixing the 3D and 2D areas. They brought back his wall-jumping, rail grinding, home-attacking, boosting and swimming abilities! You can also perform tricks off of trick-jump panels and rainbow rings. Both Sonics have their own version of each level to fit their unique gameplay styles.
Each Sonic also has their own bosses, that the other sonic can't go to. One boss is called Metal Sonic. By jumping into him when his electric
fields are down, you can attack him. Modern Sonic also has his own bosses, that appear later in the game. By beating bosses, you can obtain Chaos Emeralds. Once you get all seven, you can get to an epic final boss that requires both Sonics to become Super Sonic.
Sonic Generations is a creative idea that has good replay value with red star rings and challenge gates with small difficulty.
-MK