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Think of the Children

Think of the Children

Written by Dan Keener on 4/9/2008 for DS   PC   PS2   PS3   PSP   Wii   360  
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For the second week in a row, the ESRB gave us a decent amount of newly rated titles. Scanning the list, there does not appear to be anything earth shattering or any blockbusters getting rated, but we are in the middle of a traditionally dry period for video games.

Looks like this week was a throwback, as the DS and PC rated titles were littered with casual games, kids games and a bunch of sequels. If your kid likes Paws & Claws, Tamagotchi and Garfield, then you are in luck. If you want real games on the DS, I guess wait until next week. As for the Wii, it had five titles, none of which will set the world on fire. Emergency Heroes, TV Show King and Cocoto Fishing Master elicit nothing more than a yawn.

A bit of a light week for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, as they each had three games rated included the shared title of Top Spin 3. The 360 also had Dreamfall: The Longest Journey (strange, since it was made an Xbox Original and been available for download since March 28th) and RooGoo, another XBLA puzzler. The PS3 fared little better with Eye of Judgment: Biolith Rebellion 2 and R-Types as downloadable from PSN. Not exactly a banner week for these two contacts.

There really aren’t many games that would qualify for the weekly title of shame, so I just decided to pick out the lamest title that came to mind. That award goes to Dreamcatcher’s Australia Zoo Quest. By reading the official web page for the game you would think it was the second coming, but in actuality it is nothing more than an attempt to cash in on the late Steve Irwin’s fame. I realize it is a kids game, but lame is lame.

Title Publisher Rating Platforms
Abra Academy: Returning Cast Activision Value Publishing E Windows PC
Australia Zoo Quest DreamCatcher E Windows PC
Jungo MumboJumbo E Windows PC
R-Types SCEA E PSP, PlayStation 3
Riddle of the Tomb DreamCatcher T Windows PC
Shining Stars: Super Starcade Destination Software, Inc. E Nintendo DS
Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. E Nintendo DS
Top Spin 3 2K Games E Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Snood Deluxe Tri Synergy E Windows PC
Roogoo Southpeak Games E Windows PC, 360
Kung Fu Panda Activision E10+ PlayStation 2, Wii
Legends of Norrath: Inquisitor Sony Online Entertainment E10+ Windows PC
Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles Aksys Games T Nintendo DS
Mass Effect Electronic Arts M Windows PC
Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock THQ Inc E Windows PC
2000+ Games for Mac OS X Selectsoft Publishing / MPS E10+ Macintosh
Cocoto Fishing Master Neko Entertainment E Wii
Eye of Judgment: Biolith Rebellion 2 SCEA T PlayStation 3
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey Funcom M Xbox 360
Overclocked Lighthouse Interactive M Windows PC
Paws & Claws Pet Vet: Healing Hands THQ Inc E Nintendo DS
Garfield Fun Fest Destination Software, Inc. E Nintendo DS
The Settlers Rise of an Empire: The Eastern Realm Ubisoft Entertainment E10+ Windows PC
Summon Night: Twin Age Atlus USA, Inc. E10+ Nintendo DS
The Lost Crown: A Ghosthunting Adventure Got Game Entertainment, LLC T Windows PC
SCRABBLE - Journey RealNetworks E Windows PC
TV SHOW KING Game Loft E Wii
Great War Nations: The Spartans DreamCatcher M Windows PC
Paws & Claws Let's Ride: Riding Star ValuSoft E Nintendo DS
Marine Sharpshooter 4: Locked and Loaded Groove Media Inc. M Windows PC
Emergency Heroes Ubisoft Entertainment E10+ Wii
Escape from Paradise DreamCatcher E Windows PC
Fantasy Zone SEGA of America E Wii
B-Boy Evolved Games T PlayStation 2, PSP

Here is the final tally on who, what and where everything was rated for the last week. There were 39 rated titles on eight platforms. PC (16), DS (7) and Wii (5) had the most games rated. There were 24 of the 39 titles rated at E10+ or lower, five rated at T for Teen and five rated at M for Mature.

Got a comment on the article or a rated games, put it in the section below or send me an e-mail. Until next week, make sure you know what your kids are playing……

*The weekly Title of Shame (and any game that is tossed in that paragraph) is done so based on several factors, including which games were rated that week, how does the game concept stack up, is it a re-hashed sequel, lame movie tie-in, rip off of another game, etc…

* The product in this article was sent to us by the developer/company.


About Author

Like many gamers in their 40's, I developed my love of gaming from my Commodore 64 after we wore out our Intellivision. I spent countless hours wandering around the streets of Skara Brae, as my life was immersed in The Bard's Tale series on the C-64, D&D Titles and any/all Epyx titles (California Summer and Winter Games) and sports titles.  After taking the early 90's off from gaming (college years) minus the occasional Bill Walsh College Football on Sega, I was re-introduced to PC games in the mid 1990's with a couple of little games called DOOM II and Diablo. I went all-in with the last generation of consoles, getting an Xbox 360 on launch weekend as well as adding a PS3 and Wii in subsequent years.  I now am into the current-generation (latest?) of consoles with the WiiU and Xbox One.  Recently, I was able to get back into PC gaming and have enjoyed it very much, spending most of my time going solo or playing with my fellow GamingNexus staffers in controlled multiplayer action.

While my byline is on many reviews, articles and countless news stories, I have a passion for and spent the last several years at GamingNexus focusing on audio & video and accessories as they relate to gaming. Having over 20 years of Home Theater consulting and sales under my belt, it is quite enjoyable to spend some of my time viewing gaming through the A/V perspective. While I haven't yet made it to one of the major gaming conventions (PAX or E3), I have represented GamingNexus at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in nine of the last ten years.

Personally, I have been a staff member at GamingNexus since 2006 and am in my third tour of duty after taking off the last year and a half.


 

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