Game Reviews by Young Adults
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It's summer time, and the gaming is easy and fun. With no school and no homework, kids have plenty of time to get lost in the new Toy Story 3 Toy Box Mode, building their own worlds. And for those that aren't able to make it to Universal Orlando to experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Lego's introduction of Harry Potter: Year 1-4 lets gamers experience Hogwarts without having to endure the long lines and hot Florida sun.
Toy Story 3 (Disney)
Most movie tie-in video games just rehash the actual plot of the movie and can be uneventful, but not Toy Story 3. The game is divided in two sections. The first is the standard plot-driven section where the Pixar toys are left behind by their owner, Andy, and must find a way to get him to play with them again. This is a lot of fun game-playing—shooting, jumping, running, and advancing to the next level with your favorite characters Buzz, Woody, and Jessie.
The more interesting half of the game is the "Toy Box Mode," in which the player can customize a town and its inhabitants while also going on a number of collectible-based missions. With all of the major players from the trilogy (and some minor ones as well) popping up for appearances, players can get lost in the "Toy Box Mode" for hours. The player interacts with town residents to get new missions, which opens new areas of the map or allows one to buy new buildings—and this can go on and on.
Since the premise of Toy Story is the love of playtime between a child and his toys, what could be better than making the movies into a video game? This game offers hours of fun for everyone. Available on Sony Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, and Sony PSP. Rated for ages 10 and up.—James M., Grade 8, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School
Lego Harry Potter: Year 1-4 (Warner Bros.)
Harry Potter has everything needed to make a great video game—combat, wizards, magic, appealing characters, and of course, evil villains, all rolled up in an unbelievable fantasy world. The primary setting for this game is Hogwarts, which has loads of secret rooms to explore, haunted objects to find, and awesome spell-casting targets. By zapping most objects, you can earn "studs" but you can also earn rewards by fixing broken objects or cleaning up messes (parents are sure to love that).
This product will be most appreciated by those who have read the "Harry Potter" books, as part of the game is animated cut scenes that will be lost on someone not familiar with the story line. Also the exotically named spells and other tricks won't have the same meaning to one unacquainted with Harry Potter. There are a wide variety of things to do in the game, my favorite being Quidditch. Overall, this is lots of fun for all ages, especially Harry Potter fans! Available on Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Wii. Rated for ages 10 and up.—James M., grade 8, Floral Park (NY) Memorial High School
