Graphics, Sound, and Setting

Spyro 3 follows Spyro, a young purple dragon, who is celebrating the “year of the dragon” with his fellow dragons. During the celebration, a young sorceress named Bianca leads an army of creatures named Rhynocs and steals the dragon eggs from the dragon realms. Spyro chases Bianca and ends up in an ancient world that is ruled by an evil sorceress. The game’s plot involves Spyro freeing the dragon eggs, and fighting the Sorceress’s army in various worlds. The game’s story is very simple and interesting, and you do not need to play the second game to enjoy the third game. The world is divided into four realms, and each realm has portals leading to many different areas.

The world’s look incredible, with a rich blend of light colors and great detail in each level. The enemies look fierce and intimidating. Spyro looks very good, and moves fluidly through the world. The only major problem with the graphics are some blocky textures in some of the worlds. However, overall the graphics and story both mix wonderfully and the game creates an immerse environment. The music in Spyro is amazing, each world has a unique track of music and this leads to the game having a very diverse and beautiful sound to it.

Graphics: 9/10

Sound/Music: 10/10

Story/Setting: 9/10

Controls and Gameplay

The controls are for the most part the same as the old Spyro games. You move with the directional pad, and unlike other PlayStation games during that time, you can also move with the analog stick. Pressing the square button makes Spyro charge with his horns, and it’s useful when you need to get places fast. The circle button allows Spyro to breathe fire, and the X button allows Spyro to jump and pressing it twice makes him glide. The game does a great job making the controls very easy to learn, but having a variety of ways to use them.

Along with these basic controls, Spyro can perform a variety of other abilities including swimming, hovering, and climbing. The game also has a plethora of minigames, that allow Spyro to do things such as ride a skateboard and pilot a submarine.

The gameplay is very much like Mario, and other platformers where you control Spyro and take him through portals into different worlds where you help the local creatures there and collect gems. These gems have different values and can be obtained by exploring and also defeating creatures. The gems can be used to buy things in the game from a man named Moneybags. Beating the levels releases dragon eggs and it progresses the story. The game’s levels are very vast and enjoyable, and are all different. There is a lot of unique and challenging content in the game, and it’s a blast to play through.

Controls: 8/10

Gameplay: 10/10

Rent or Buy? Final Thoughts

Spyro 3 is definitely a game you should buy. This is the best game out of the whole trilogy, and has incredible gameplay combined with a rich and fantastic story and solid graphics. This is a underrated gem on the original Playstation, and if you’re looking for a great platformer, this game fits the bill perfectly.

Breakdown

Graphics: 9/10

Sound/Music: 10/10

Story/Setting: 9/10

Controls: 8/10

Gameplay: 10/10

Overall: 10/10.

To begin, you must build a spacecraft that is able to fly your crew into space without killing them on its path towards space. During building, you are given a collection of parts which must be used to create a functional ship. Each part has its own use and will affect how the ship flies. At its current version, the main feature of the game is the ability to build a spacecraft out of every imaginable combination of parts. With a physic-based flight simulation, this will mean that everything that you create will fly (and crash) as realistically as possible. You will be able to fly to other moons and planets and be able to take your crew out of the ship to do a little exploring.

Once you have built your desired spacecraft, you are ready to lift off. With trying to get the spacecraft off the launch pad, you need to key your eyes on the engine temperatures and the fuel levels to ensure that you don’t explode before lift off. Once you have lift off successfully, each of your thrusters will lose fuel and once you have expended all your fuel, you can jettison those parts to move on to the next stages. It takes a few tries in getting your spacecraft to lift off but after you gain some experience, you will be able to take control of everything to have your ship exit the atmosphere and enter space. Even with its current features, there are still some planned features that will be released in the next versions. One is the ability to manage your own space program where you will choose your astronauts and train them. You will also be able to research and improve parts for your spacecraft. You will also be able to build your own space stations and surface bases on other worlds.

Even as is, the game is already been well-developed. Even as the game is still under development, there is the occasional bug and/or glitch that can occur but other than that, the game is something everyone should have a try at.

Some of the best games online are arcade games. There is just something about the thrill of surviving, the chase to beat your top score, and of course, that quest to stay awake after sinking hours into your favourite online games. Make sure you choose a website that has a large array of online games though, that way you will certainly find something that you want to play for hours upon end.

Next are action games. These ‘fast paced’ games are perfect for those that want to put their dexterity and reactions to the test. In these games you will be presented with challenges that just get harder and harder. The only way to succeed will be to develop skills, and sometimes your avatar to master the intense amount of power that it will take to get through a situation. These games are really the ones which will pull you in and keep you entertained for hours. You really will wonder where all that time has gone!

If you are looking for a bit of action, but coupled with a bit of a storyline then the best games online for you will be ones that are classed as ‘adventure’. These games have been finely crafted to keep you entertained from start to finish, whether it is through intense amounts of combat, or perhaps through a bit of puzzle. When searching for the best games online, make sure you choose the type of adventure that you want to embark on the most, after all, you will be playing this game for a long time to come!

Everybody loves racing right? Of course they do, so if you are looking to speed along the road without picking up a speeding ticket, then the best games online will be ones that have racing elements. Whether you are looking for formula driving, ATV or something else, the best game sites should have you covered.

As mentioned before, one of the best ways to relieve stress is by playing the best games online. And what better way is there to relieve stress than by playing ‘funny games’. These laugh-a-minute games will put you in fantastic situations that will have you roaring with laughter.

This is just a small smattering of what you can expect from the best games online, you also have strategy, shooting, sports and puzzle games. There really is something to keep everybody hooked from start to finish! Don’t forget to check out the top games that other people are playing. That way you know that you are going to be playing quality!

Yellow Light of Death may cause devastating problems for gamers, and most of the time console owners cannot help but feel helpless when struck with this problem. Out of desperation, some just junk out their malfunctioning console and just opt to buy a new one in order to get back to the game, but this is of course seriously impractical. A yellow light of death fix need not be expensive or costly. First, kindly check if the cords are placed in their sockets. If it is, check the power supply. Another thing is to check if the console is still covered by the company’s warranty. Look online for the nearest service center that caters to the equipment’s need. Compare also the service rates and decide which center you wish to entrust your console to. Find a reasonable rate and remember to keep it professional.

If you are not sure what caused the Yellow Light of Death to light up, do not panic. More importantly, do not undertake the task of performing a repair without proper and professional knowledge of the equipment. This may void the warranty (if it is still in effect) and may endanger you, should the equipment cause shock due to faulty electrical problems. Know first the company’s profile and check with the people you know about the quality of service that they provided. Once you have settled on where you wish to have your console repaired, meet the technician and talk to him about what happened before the Yellow Light of Death lit up. A yellow light of death fix cannot be made if the technician does not have a background on the console’s history. Remember to be honest as this will hasten up the process of a yellow light of death fix. If the technician knows what he is looking for, he can fix it faster. Agree on a reasonable service fee and do not be shy to ask for a discount; just remember to be gracious when he has done his job well too.

After having the PS3 yellow light of death fixed, remember to take care of the equipment. Check for overheating and make sure that adequate power supply reaches the console. Do not allow dust to build up on the console as this may affect the Blu-ray drive’s ability to playback the disc. Place the console in a secure, well ventilated area. If possible, place a cooling fan near the console to prevent overheating. This will prevent the thermal paste to heat up to much and thereby cause the dreaded Yellow Light of Death. In the meantime, enjoy the endless possibilities with your PS3. You can challenge your friend on the latest first person shooting or your brother to a racing match. Whatever game you may choose, remember that Yellow Light of Death does not spell an end to your PS3 experience, if you know where to go and what to look for.

Collectors who are crazy about Super Nintendo games, often learn how to do SNES reproduction because they enjoyed playing Japanese import games on a computer emulator (PC software that plays ROMs, SNES games), but the feeling of retro gaming was not quite there yet. They prefer to play Japanese import games on the actual console and in English. Research is a principal factor to be able to know all the technical aspects of a SNES cart and understand them. Once you learn the SNES specifications you can recycle old unwanted SNES cartridges, which are called donor carts, and turn them into legit Super Nintendo reproduction; you won’t really know the difference between a repro and an original game! Only games that can be legally made into reproduction are as mentioned before are: fan made games, never before released in the US, and prototypes that never made it in the market. Some of the best titles of reproductions include:

• Secrete of Mana 2
• Legend of Zelda BS
• Clock Tower
• Megaman and Bass
• Terranigma
• Dragon Ball Z RPG

The cons about Super Nintendo reproduction carts, is that all the information to learn how to make them is free online. Anybody can learn how to make games, and can start making illegal copies of games that were commercially released on the U.S. This is a great issue for collectors because it will be harder to recognize between a reproduction cartridge and an original cartridge of a rare/expensive game online. Most of the reproduction cartridge makers, are collector who are well-intentioned and will not sell any illegal copy of a game. But, there are people that buy from repro makers, and re-sell this games on eBay, or other sites as “VERY RARE” games at ridiculously high prices.

The prices for a reproduction cartridge can range from 55 dollars to 100 dollars. The price depends on what kind of parts are needed, the quality, and whether the game includes a reproduction box and reproduction manual, or a universal game case, or just the cartridge.

Parents are so convinced that video gaming consumes that mind of their children that they fail to realize the benefits that they can bring to their child. One of the most common benefits discussed about gaming is that they are great tools to improve a child’s hand and eye coordination, but they can also help with critical thinking skills, personal fitness, socializing and give parents the reassurance that their children are not out on the streets getting into trouble. Video games can be more beneficial than a parent would think.

Of course one of the major concerns about video games is that it is a distraction to the youth, it only produces couch potatoes and good for nothing individuals, but with me being a gamer myself I find those statements to be far from the truth. Video games enable individuals to think critically due to the fact that most games produces in my generation are complex and they require gamers to solve puzzles or answer trivia in order to proceed to the next level. For example games like Uncharted: where the main character is on the quest to find a historic treasure, throughout the game you are asked to complete difficult puzzles in order to unlock the way to the treasure. This game required me to use my brain and come up with creative ways to solve the puzzles. These games also help with building creativity in the mind of its gamer, by taking them to places they never would imagine, defeating magical creature and doing the impossible. With the help of video games kids can increase their mind which can be beneficial as they get older because businesses love new bright and creative minds.

Being healthy is a major concern around the United States, especially with the stereotype that Americans are overweight and unhealthy. Video games can be the solution to all the health concerns of America. With majority of the games created today requiring intensive physical movement, most gamers can get a hard workout without even setting foot in the gym. There are dancing games and exercise games that allow gamers to have fun with family and friends without even knowing their getting a workout. Video games are making being in shape something fun to do by giving gamers new exciting ways to stay healthy. Games are a great way to entertain your kids and also keep them physically fit. Yes its true that games may keep children in front of the television for long periods of times,but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Parents think about it, with all the violence young people are getting into these days isn’t it great to see your child safely out of harms way? Children spending countless hours on the video game can help parents make sure their children are safely in the house, instead of running the streets. Video gaming is like an ultimate anti-drug for kids. With all of the drugs and crime that is surfacing the streets of the world, I’m sure you parents would rather see your child playing the new madden.

Even his detective skills that he had previously neglected are displayed in the most spectacular fashion in Arkham Asylum. At Rocksteady, the developers featured a few of Gotham City’s greatest villains and then added hidden references to almost thirty more as mere fan service. A morbid setting was created with enough detail in efforts to capture the horror of the comic, but with enough scope to fit a Batmobile, Batwing and Batcave.

Rocksteady’s developers thought of Arkham Asylum as ‘practice’ from the moment the Arkham City project was underway. Considered as the best ever superhero game, Asylum was the 2009 Game of the Year. However, in comparison to Arkham City, it seems like a demo – a draft or a blueprint for the most amazing Batman and superhero game ever created.

Any questions regarding how much better and bigger Arkham City is from Arkham Asylum can be answered by the sensational list of villains mentioned in the latter, but never seen before.

These names include Ra’s al Ghul, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, The Penguin, Two-Face, Scarface and the Ventriloquist, Clayface, Firefly, The Injustice Gang, Professor Hugo Strange, Mad Hatter, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Black Mask, Hush, Killer Moth, Calendar Man, Prometheus, Maxie Zeus, The Creeper, The Ratcatcher, The Great White Shark, Humpty Dumpty, Amadeus Arkham, Martin “Mad Dog” Hawkins, The Spirit of Arkham and the Mystery One-Armed Inmate.

Half of these villains play big roles in Arkham City. In addition to that, all but one of the villains that were introduced in Arkham Asylum makes a return appearance in the sequel.

The developers and writers of the game could barely have done a better job, having successfully developed and justified the place of each character in narratives that make total dramatic and logical sense. The story is something special, blending the Animated Series episodes’ humanity, Frank Miller’s comics’ brutal darkness and Christopher Nolan’s films’ confident risk-taking.

The innumerable moments of shock, awe and squealing will make a fan overpowered by these emotions in a matter of minutes of playing the game. The incredible quality of graphics makes the characters almost life-like, and the sound effects add to the intensity of the game.

The magnitude of the game’s atmospheric intricacy and epic scale is sure to leave you floored. Each building is unique and countless rooftops with distinct neon signs can be seen. A huge Ferris wheel reveals hidden bodies in each compartment when scanned using Detective mode.

While you may not be able to get your hands on the Batmobile just yet, climbing and diving and leaping and gliding across the vast playground using Batman’s tools and cape offers incomparable exhilarating freedom, making Arkham City the best superhero game ever.

The game is simple yet filled with rich content and addictive gameplay that can be played over and over again without becoming stale. The game sports the most advanced technology and the graphics are superb. But the disadvantage is that it costs a heck of a lot of money.

You navigate a vast arena of forests, seas, mines, castles and the like to fight off marauding savages. Halfway through the game you may start wondering why no one ever mentions the name Spyro. The hero is referred to as Skylander and he never speaks a word. The game is wrought with action and if played in co-op can even be more fun. Adults and older children can play the game too and have loads of unending fun. As the game progresses so does the difficulty level, making it a challenge for all ages. The storyline is nothing fantastic and is about a hero saving the world from evil.

Patrick Warburton, Richard Steven Horvitz, and others do very well in the voice acting and make the game entertaining. Many parents may be reluctant to spend the kind of money the developers are asking, but if you want to spoil your young child, and why not, get them the game and stop being so stingy. Besides, there is so much money in the western world today that we don’t know what to do with it. Why else would we go to war on a whim? Once you play the game you will be so fired up that puzzles could dominate your future for a long time.

The game can be completed successfully in a very short time and all its objectives can be achieved, giving you a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. There are plenty of challenges and as long as you have a Skylander you don’t need to start all over again if you die.

You can collect bonus points and power ups to make your character more powerful. You don’t need to collect them all, but if you do, the game could last for days. Considering that the game costs around $70 you would expect it to never end, but like all good things the day will come when you finish it. You can buy additional characters and levels if you want, pushing the price up even higher. The good thing is that it’s not necessary to buy all the characters available, but rather choose the ones you like. You can also swap with your friends.

The figures can be used in future games so it may not be a waste once the game is finally put to rest. The game is pretty much solid, and has very few faults. If you do lay out that kind of money it may be well worth it. The developer says the characters can be used cross platform and that is another reason why it doesn’t come cheap.

Verticus is Stan Lee’s creation, on opening the app, you’re presented with a Marvel style comic strip sequence that sets you up for your first plunge into the core. There’s not a great deal of depth to the story but it really doesn’t need it, Verticus is all about the action, and it wastes no time getting you into the excitement. Fast paced and action packed, you’ll be in the action from the word go.

The controls seemed a little odd at first, they’re back to front. You steer with your right hand and activate weapons on the left. Strangely, I liked this setup but if you do have trouble you can switch it around in the options menu. The virtual control stick isn’t fixed, it appears wherever you touch the screen which allows you to play where it’s most comfortable for you. Controls are very responsive, I never felt like I was let down by this.

The graphics are pretty amazing, especially considering the speed that you fly at, the only slow down I experienced was when Game Centre activated upon opening the app. Aside from that, the game runs incredibly smooth with no visual glitches. On the downside, the perspective could sometimes cause problems, especially in the higher atmosphere where you have no reference to the position of the mines, but this is a minor complaint as you soon get used to it and adjust. The music is a fast score that really helps to give the impression of high speed, living in a busy household. I’m quite used to playing games with little or no sound but in this case, the sound is an essential part of the experience and turning the volume down seriously detracts from gameplay. Your mission commander is voiced by Stan Lee, a nice little bonus for nerd boys like me.

You probably won’t get far on your first run through, you begin with no weapons and no health but between sessions you have the opportunity to upgrade your flight suit, buy more health, armor and weapons and also increase the duration of pick-ups. You can also purchase new suits, these are quite expensive though and until you’ve upgraded your suit fully you probably won’t bother with these. They’re purely for aesthetics and don’t affect gameplay, with the exception of the Stealth suit, which is transparent and could be helpful for spotting hazards behind your character. This however is incredibly costly and you’ll need to put in some serious time to buy it. You can continue after you die and the first couple of times are very cheap. However, continuing only gives you one life bar. You’re actually better off exiting to the menu to upgrade, extending your initial flight will stand you better stead in the long run.

Verticus does suffer from a few minor issues, when receiving push notifications from other games I found the game would pause and sometimes close entirely, especially frustrating because you lose the progress of the session you’re in. For some reason, Game Center currently doesn’t award the achievements, despite having them listed, possibly a let down for trophy hunters.