I’ve never heard of it.

According to GameMill Entertainment:

Battle it out with your friends or race evil spirits alone; DaGeDar’s virtual raceway will keep you playing for hours. With more than 30 fast and furious raceways, you’ll be looping, dropping, climbing, and banking your way to the end with fury, but watch out for the blocks and gaps in the raceway! Featuring 100 collectable balls with unique abilities, as well as special, limited edition characters, you’ll have a blast collecting and trading your favorite DaGeDar items.

Whether playing alone or sharing with a friend using the game’s multiplayer download options, the action-packed world of DaGeDar will keep you hungry for more racing, collecting and conquering of evil spirits in a unique 33rd dimension world.

That is what the official blurb from the email we received said about the game and honestly the game sounds quite fun.

From this brand new gameplay trailer you can see for yourself.

DaGeDar is available on DS from November 15th.

Click here to view the embedded video.

You take control of three characters; Phineas, Ferb and Perry. Each character has a different attack style, for example, Phineas uses a baseball gun, Ferb uses a gun that shoots electricity and Perry prefers hand-to-hand combat and his trusty grapple hook. Your combat choices are rather lacking, you can use a normal attack with the A button which can be charged, the B button is used for jumping while the Y button is reserved for special attacks such as a spread shot for Phineas’ baseball gun. Using the touch screen you can swap between the three characters quickly although there is rarely any need. Specific characters are used for certain “switches”, for example, Ferb can stun robots while Agent P can wall jump to higher areas but apart from this however, the character you use doesn’t matter. Character control is simple and responsive however combat is repetitive. Enemies, bar the Ferb-specfic robots or the shielded robot, require no skill to defeat and eventually have you mashing the A button in an effort to finish it quickly. The game itself is split into five Mario-like worlds each with multiple levels. Each level is pretty short and ridiculously easy, altogether the game only lasts a few hours.

The only reason to go back to the levels and play through the game again is the three hidden medals scattered through-out each level and the level specific “Monogram” mission; the medals aren’t hidden very well and it takes very little skill to find them. The “Monogram” missions are, as I mentioned, le vel specific and they revolve around completing certain goals such as destroying all of the crates in the level or defeating a small amount of enemies with a certain character. These ‘Monogram’ missions unlock costumes which you can buy in the in-game shop with batteries collected in game. Batteries are easy to come by and you can usually pick up 100 to 200 batteries in a level. The levels are usually platforming-based however, the game occasionally switches it up with different elements such as an R-Type style shoot ‘em up in Agent P’s car. Occasional boss battles are also fun at first but because of predictable enemy patterns and the simple difficulty level they get repetitive quickly.

The trailer shows some charming looking gameplay and at the end asks you to check out the Facebook page for more information.

The game is planned for release in November 2011 on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, PSP, DS, Wii, 3DS and Vita.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The developers have not had an easy task. How do you remaster a masterpiece? How do you make something perfect, even more so without losing anything from it’s original form? Well, they have managed it. Without taking anything away other than some outdated graphics they have truly kept the feel of the original game and kept a flawless game, well, flawless. Its hard to review this game without being completely biased, I admit. It’s quite easily my favourite game of all time and thankfully they’ve delivered. The developers have offered a perfectly remastered version of Ocarina of Time, a game that is timeless and grand on a scale that other games have a very hard time competing with.

You start out as Link, a Kokiri forrest-boy originally summoned by the great Deku tree to embark on an adventure of a life-time and what an epic adventure that turns out to be! Armed with an ocarina, a (very annoying, absolute pain in the bum) fairy and a sword, you are the perfect hero. Saving princesses, killing baddies, traveling through time, solving puzzles and exploring the beautiful land of Hyrule, there really is nothing bad to say about   OoT. The game is nothing short of perfect.

A lot of the content in the game is optional, with rewards such as heart containers, bigger money pouches and the likes, which make the main questing somewhat easier and less stressful but not by any means mandatory.
The main story line is famously solid, nothing about it has been changed since it’s original release – and why would it be? In fact, there are no major changes at all, the game has been scrubbed and polished and sent back out to impress the masses.

So what has actually changed? Well, probably the most important change is the streamlined game play. I was really excited to see how the new menu and inventory worked. If, like me, you played the N64 version you will be well aware of the drudgery of having to pause every time you wanted to access your goodies, map and gear. This is no longer an issue, with the top screen being the main visual screen and bottom showing you everything you once had to pause for – it’s an OoT fans wet-dream in regards to fluid game play.

The bottom screen shows your gear, map and items tabs to make browsing them as easy as a tap. Your B button is for flailing your sword about and there are 4 other slots where you can put various items you want to use. X and Y slots are as standard and new ‘I’ and ‘II’ that are on the touch screen but are as easy to tap as the main buttons. There is a ‘view’ button for when you want first person view, which let’s you take hold of the gyroscope. The gyroscope is a brand-spanking new feature, it allows you dive into the game and physically move your 3DS around and thus moving your first-person view around. The gyroscope works really well whilst using your slingshot and various other gadgets you acquire along the way. It allows a more accurate shot than that of the old analog method of aiming; although, if you are a creature of habit you will be pleased to know you can still use it that way too!

The ocarina now has a slot of it’s own and doesn’t take up room anymore, a small change but a very welcome one none the less. The ocarina playing system has also improved, you can see how a song is played without having to pause in and out disrupting the game.

Sheikah stones are another usefull new thing for those who are less familiar with the game. They are much like the stones from the original that wobble around and tell you the time and other various gibber-gabber when you thwack them with your sword. Sheikah stones allow you to crawl inside and a ‘visions’ menu will pop up where you can get hints and tips in the form of mini-movies on how to defeat specific parts in the game or find hidden treasures.

Another change is the graphics. Obviously you will be well aware of the snazzy full 3D function which adds a whole new level of realism to the game, warping you into Hyrule you will soon forget you are actually sitting on your living room sofa and eating doritos, but the characters have been made to look truer to their original sketches too. They are however still the same loveable (and some not-so loveable) familiar characters we remember from years ago.

This is only available once you have completed the game and adds a fun extra bite and really is for the masters of Zelda. Everything in master quest mode is flipped around, so if you are working from memory then it does knock you back a little and seems disorienting at first, when walking out of the forrest your brain will tell you to go right to Hyrule castle but it will now be on the left. All the baddies deal x2 damage so rest assured this is challenging even for the ones who have played the game to death (yes, this means iron knuckles will give you a real run for your money taking off 12~ hearts).

Boss replay challenge is what it says on the tin, it’s a fun addicting addition to the game in which you can replay any boss you have previously beaten in a timed challenge. Once you have replayed all the bosses you then unlock Boss Rush/Gauntlet mode, this is where you have to fight every boss, one after another, using only the items and bottles you have on Link at the time (you do however get awarded deku nuts or other various goodies after each fight).

It doesn’t matter if you have played this game countless times or if you are thinking of picking it up for the first time, you won’t regret buying the new and improved version 13 years later. It’s still the amazing game it always was, just now with extra oomph. Hats off to the developers who really have pulled off this remaster beautifully and kept the original game just how it was and yet still have something to keep the loyal fans coming back for more.

As confirmed by Japanese magazine CoroCoro, PokéPark 2: Beyond The World will be released in Japan this winter for Nintendo Wii consoles. For anyone who has never played the first PokéPark game, let me break it down: The game is set in a theme park, where the player must play through tedious mini-games to collect the fourteen shattered pieces of a Sky Prism. Fascinating stuff!

Chances are you’re a little disappointed with this announcement, possibly expecting a full-fledged Wii Pokémon game or possibly something better than Pokémon: Battle Revolution to fill the Pokémon Stadium void in your heart. But if you do care, PokéPark 2 will feature Pokémon from Unova and it will have a four-player multiplayer mode.

Metallic Pink is “an eye-catching shade of pink with a luminous modern sheen” says Nintendo. “For kids eager to head back to school in style or busy adults with an appetite for on-the-go entertainment, this new colour option rolls fun and fashion into one irresistible package,”

The new colour will be available September 18 at the regular retail price (around $170)

Overall, the United Kingdom has the highest ratio of gamers, with 68% of men and 59% of women playing games. In Germany, 63% of men and 54% of women play games. In France, 61% of men and 52% of women play games. But while there are more gamers that spend more in total in the United Kingdom and Germany, it’s the French that spend the most money per player, spending an average of £22.3 per month, which is more than the United States, where players spend an average £17.5 each month. The United Kingdom spends £18.6 per player each month while Germany spends £13.9/month.

“What these results tell us is that a one size fits all strategy for Europe doesn’t work as there are quite different platform gaming habits, needs and expectations between France, Germany and the UK,” stated Paul Breslin, General Manager of PopCap Europe. “This is clearly a maturing market that has by no means finished evolving. People want to play a range of different games across different platforms. From a publisher’s perspective, this shows the importance of having diversity and multi-platform solutions to reach individual markets in these important regions.”

The study found other interesting facts about gamers in these three countries:

• In Europe, the United Kingdom has the highest ratio of gamers, with 68% of men and 59% of women playing games. In Germany, 63% of men and 54% of women play games. In France, 61% of men and 52% of women play games. That’s an estimated total of 153,133,640 gamers in these three regions alone.
• In Europe, games are most popular in the age group between 10 and 20-years-old, with 87% of 10 – 20-year-olds in in the U.K., 81% in France and 78% in Germany all playing games.
• European gamers split their time evenly between game consoles, casual game sites, social networks, mobile devices, downloadable games and boxed games, with no one platform attracting more than 50% of play time.
• Behind the US, which spends £13.2bn per year on gaming, the biggest gaming economy is Germany (£4bn from 24m payers), followed by the United Kingdom (£3.6bn from 16.1m payers), and France (£2.8bn from 10.4m payers).
• European gamers spend more money towards gaming on console games than on casual, social or mobile gaming, with German gamers spending 34% of their gaming money (£4bn 2011 estimate) on console games compared to 8% on casual game sites, 4% on social networks and 8% on mobile games.
• U.K. gamers spend 44% of their gaming money (£3.6bn) on console games compared to 11% on casual game sites, 6% on social networks and 10% on mobile games.
• French gamers also spend 44% of their gaming money (£2.8bn) on console games compared to 10% on casual game sites, 6% on social networks and 10% on mobile games.
• While the number one reason to play most games – casual game sites, social networks, gaming consoles, boxed games, and downloaded games – is to relax and unwind, the main reason European gamers play games on mobile devices is because they’re bored.

The mod is a test, it’s a perfectly working classic mode mod allowing you to build without enemies. The only problem is that you cannot save games which is a big let-down. Still, it’s an impressive port and a small window into a possible future.

The game spans all four movies across twenty levels, including the most recent in the series, ‘On Stranger Tides’. You are taken through all the major plot points, meeting familiar faces and experiencing reimagined block-built lands. The story is retold using comical cutscenes. They offer laugh-out-loud moments for fans of the series, though if you have never seen the films, don’t expect to understand the story.

The main aim in the levels is to solve puzzles, collect items and defeat enemies so you can progress to the next area. The puzzles range from rebuilding objects, to finding items, and rescuing friends. This is done with the help of over 70 characters, each with different skills and abilities. The most common of all is of course Jack Sparrow, who comes equipped with a compass, used to find hidden items and collectables in each level. Another major character is Will Turner who has the ability to throw axes and hit targets or enemies in hard-to-reach places. Female characters such as Elizabeth Swann are able to double jump, and reach areas that are otherwise inaccessible.  Other characters have the ability to fix broken machines, dig up hidden items, pull large objects and open special doors and locks. There are also a wide variety of weapons between characters, including swords, guns, bombs and whips. You can even pick up tridents which can be located around various levels.

Pretty much everything in the environment is destructible, and exploration is highly encouraged. As expected, there is a large amount of collectables to discover and purchase using the studs you gain. These can be collected during the story, but a lot of the hidden secrets require players to return to a level in free-play. Players can also ride a number of animals, including pigs, horses and crabs, which can interact with environmental objects as well. Level design is very clever, and ranges from very linear ships, to free-roam towns. Even when you think you have discovered everywhere in a level, the chances are you haven’t. There a tonnes of hidden nooks and crannies, each hiding collectables. A completionist will have many hours of fun discovering them all.

The game features drop in and out local co-op play, and it can be very entertaining to explore with a friend. Though there is no difference in the levels themselves, it can quicken up collectable and stud gathering. It’s a shame that online co-op, which has been seen in other Lego titles, is not supported.

The game graphics are an improvement from past Lego instalments. Characters and objects look sharp, and the world is vibrant and colourful. The level of detail in the non-Lego materials is stunning. The rainforest, seabed, cavern and beach environments wouldn’t look out of place in a non-Lego game. There are some really great animations too, especially in the fight sequences. The music is taken straight from the movies, and who can argue with that? There are some great tracks which complement the environments perfectly.

Though Lego Pirates provides a very entertaining experience, there are a few flaws that can be incredibly frustrating at times. Firstly, there is an excessive amount of bugs. On at least three occasions I had to restart a level (and one time my Xbox) because a character did not spawn, or an NPC got stuck in the environment. The AI isn’t the smartest either. Sometimes I found that my character would be pushed off a ledge, or blocked from passing by NPC’s. These issues are not huge, just annoying.

On top of this, you may find that some of the puzzles are incredibly frustrating and the solutions very obscure. I often found myself scouting the same area in a level for upwards of twenty minutes just to find one item so I could continue.  There is very little direction, and where there is it is usually in obvious places where you don’t need it anyway. Some people may like that challenge, but I’m sure many won’t. It would have been nice to see a hint function built into the game to aid struggling players.

Lego Pirates of the Caribbean will be enjoyed by fans of the Lego series. It adds a new setting to the series, but still manages to keep the Lego charm that so many people love. The gameplay is fun to play solo or co-operatively, and collectables will keep you playing for hours.

The player starts in a completely fresh new world, Unova. The region is roughly based on New York City, and its appearance varies between the White and Black versions. In Black, the cities and towns have a modern theme, whereas in White, the same places look a lot more rural. It’s a nice new feature which adds more variety to the twinned games. A random feature in Black is the amount of bridges there are; quite a few, and an especially long (and pointless) one that you have to cross. As well as the new province, there are a complete new set of Pokémon (158 to be exact, though no new types have been introduced).  Some of the newbies look great visually, and from a battle perspective. One of my favourites, Golurk, is a Ground/Ghost type who looks like an ancient robot. On the contrary, some of the Pokémon just look terrible, and include an ice cream cone, a garbage bag and a wax candle. Even I can design better Pokémon in my head. More effort could have been made in the naming of the new Zubat counterpart, Woobat as well. You just have to wonder whether the graphics artists were having a laugh when they created them.

The world, based on New York City, has many diverse areas.

The story at first glance is a bit same-old. You are a new trainer, apparently completely unaware of the world around you. You task is, just like every other game, to become a Master Trainer and “catch ‘em all”. Nevertheless, it doesn’t take long for the adventure to build into what can be described as the most detailed and insightful story of all the Pokémon games. Team Plasma, a villainous group of trainers, is travelling the world stealing Pokémon from their owners. Their aim is to free all Pokémon from humans. However, as you soon discover, the Team appears to be hiding its true ambitions. One thing in this game you will notice is that you do not have a ‘nemesis’ as such, like previous titles. Instead, you have two friends (or as I like to call them, annoying sidekicks) who start the journey with you, and meet up with on several occasions through the storyline, often working together to overcome Team Plasma.

The gameplay is very similar to other Pokémon games. Let’s be honest, it can’t be changed a great deal. The start is slow for experienced Pokémon gamers, but this is necessary for new players to learn the ropes. By the time I had reached the first town, I found myself engrossed in the game. Although I had played previous Pokémon games, something about this one felt new. The battles are generally the same, though in some places you can definitely tell they have been made more fluid, in others (especially the start) they are still incredibly slow. This makes it very annoying with random encounters, especially when you just want to flee from all Pokémon. It is at this point you realise just how useful ‘Repel’ actually is! In Black and White, the Pokémon Centre and PokéMart are now in the same building! Rejoice! This turns two trips into one, thus time saving. There are also new additions to the environment. On the routes you can now find deeper bushes where random encounters could leave you battling against two Pokémon in a duel battle. Previously this had only been seen in trainer battles. Occasionally you will also see bushes shake. This means that a rarer Pokémon will be found should you enter that patch. The game also introduces rotation battles. In these fights, three Pokémon are in the field, however, only one fights at a time. The player can switch between these Pokémon on their move and attack as well. It is a nice feature which adds complexity to the battles, especially when there are numerous types (for example, fire, water and grass), but one that I found is under-used throughout the game.

There are some funny gyms featured in the game. Like usual, you have to solve puzzles to get to each gym leader. In Pokémon Black, some of these puzzles are, well, original. One has you passing through elastic honey doors. Another has you flying through cannons. They all work really well. Like most of the past games, there are eight gyms which you visit in the game, each with different type specialties. Another new “improvement” regards TM’s (Technical Machines).  In past games these were singular use only, however now they have unlimited charges, like HM’s (Hidden Machines) always have. Many may see this as making the game to easy. I argue differently. It allows gamers, (especially those who have finished the game and want more out of it) to experiment more with their Pokémon, and put together moves they would otherwise not have risked. One fantastic new feature is the ‘C-Gear’. This is activated once you hit a certain stage in-game, and receive a specific item.  It acts as the wireless hub for the game, and is where you enter battles and trade with friends. This means that you no longer need to visit a Pokémon Centre (Cheer!) and can access these features from anywhere in the game. One downside I found was that when I was playing with C-Gear on, it drained my DS’s battery. I only even enable it when I know I am going to be using wireless.

The graphics of the game don’t exactly leave you breathless. It’s not that they are bad, it’s just there is not a lot new about them. In general, the world still looks good, and a new, flexible camera helps to add a 3D sense to the world. It’s in the Pokémon battles where the real issues can be seen. There are still some major resolution issues, and when blown up in size, the Pokémon still look really “blocky”. That said, there are some improvements. Battles are no longer static, in the sense that the Pokémon now move when not active, and the camera pans and zooms. This is especially useful when used in conjunction with some Pokémon moves, and the camera helps emphasise their movement. The actual Pokémon moves themselves look like they have done in previous games; there are some visually pretty ones, then there are some which are incredibly bland. The sound is a mixture of old and new. Fans will easily recognise the Pokémon Centre music, as well as some nice new tracks that can be found in various places around the world (especially when using items such as the bike). Pokémon sounds remain similar to what they always have done as well.

All in all, Pokémon Black is a very good game, and well worthy of being part of the Pokémon franchise. It is better than the past few games in the series, and in my opinion, is the best Pokémon title on the DS. However, don’t go into this game expecting a completely new adventure. At heart, it is what a Pokémon game always has been. If you didn’t like Pokémon before, you won’t start liking it now. However, if you are a Pokéfan like me, expect yourself to become completely immersed in this new world.

What I liked:

• The new world is inviting.
• C-Gear builds on the DS Wi-Fi capabilities.
• The PokéMart is in the Pokémon Centre!!

What I disliked:

• Some of the new Pokémon look incredibly ugly.
• No huge advance in the look of the game.

It should be noted that I have only played Pokémon Black. Though Pokémon White is very similar, there are notable differences which I didn’t discuss because I have never played them.