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Think of the Children for July 23

Think of the Children for July 23

Written by Dan Keener on 7/23/2008 for DS   PC   PS2   PS3   PSP   Wii   360  
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Now that E3 is over, the ESRB posted a full two-week slate of titles on their site that finished the rating process. As expected, the PC, Wii and DS dominated the ratings, with strong showings from the PS2, PS3, Xbox 360 and Mac. There was an Xbox game and the Intriguing Title(s) of the Week came from a very unlikely source.

This week’s PC, DS and Wii rated titles contained quite a few of the repetitive products and themes that we have grown accustomed to. There were titles from the venerable Bratz (DS, Wii), Babysitting Mania (DS), Wario (Wii), The Sims (PC), Disney (DS, PC, Wii), Animal (DS), Pets (PC) and Kirby (DS) lines of games. However, there were a few “name” titles that came down the pipe. These included LEGO Batman: The Videogame (DS), Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2 (DS), Metal Slug 7 (DS), SCRABBLE (PC), Pitfall Harry: The Big Adventure (Wii), Sonic the Hedgehog on the Master System (Wii) and two personal favorites, Splatterhouse 2 (Wii) and A.P.B. (PC).

The PS3 and 360 each had six titles get rated this week with several being shared. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09, FaceBreaker and Mega Man 9 all came across for both platforms. In addition, the PS3 saw PixelJunk Eden and Buzz! Quiz TV get rated. The Xbox 360 also had Guilty Gear X2 #Reload and the unannounced XBLA title Minesweeper Flags by Tik Games. Tik was responsible for the free Texas Hold Em title that Microsoft promised when the console launched. Hopefully this version of the game (I believe it is part of MSN Messenger Game lineup) is also another freebie that will be coming down the pipe. Not too bad a week for these two, with several retail and DLC titles rated.

The Intriguing Title of the Week was actually three titles, which caught me off guard because they are all tied to video services. IQ Academy was rated for Cable Box/IPTV, Sudoku+ for Set-Top box and Dynamic Bowling for the Samsung TV 750. The game for the Samsung TV 750 is something that Chuck and I saw during our Samsung booth tour at CES 2008. The Samsung 750 model TVs not only include an integrated RSS reader, but they come pre-loaded with content (including Children Games) and have the ability to download future games as well. Expect this video based gaming market to continue to heat up, as content providers try to get more products into their one-stop-shop offerings.

One item I did note was that The Princess Bride Game, which we covered in the July 9th edition and had been rated E10+, was re-rated for the Mac and PC and had the rating decreased to E for Everyone.

Title Publisher Rating Platforms
Wario Land: Shake It! Nintendo Everyone Wii
Pitfall Harry: The Big Adventure Activision Everyone Wii
The Naked Brothers Band THQ Everyone DS, PC, PS2, Wii
Two Worlds Epic Edition Southpeak Games Mature PC
A.P.B. Midway Teen PC
Big City Adventure - Sydney, Australia ValuSoft Everyone PC
Brain Spa Encore Software Everyone PC
Dracula 3: The Path of the Dragon Encore Software Teen PC
FaceBreaker Electronic Arts Teen 360, PS3
Margot's Word Brain Zoo Games, Inc. Everyone 10+ DS, Wii
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames Electronic Arts Teen PC, 360, PS3, PS2
Monster Jam: Urban Assault Activision Value Everyone DS
NHL 2K9 2K Sports Everyone 10+ PlayStation 2
LEGO Batman: The Videogame Warner Bros. Everyone 10+ DS
Kirby Super Star Ultra Nintendo Everyone DS
CID The Dummy Oxygen Games Everyone 10+ PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii
Babysitting Mania Majesco Entertainment Everyone DS
ZUBO Electronic Arts Everyone 10+ DS
Pet Shop Hop Encore Software Everyone Macintosh, Windows PC
SCRABBLE Electronic Arts Everyone Macintosh, Windows PC
Shattered Suns Clear Crown Studios Everyone 10+ Windows PC
Ten Pin Alley 2 XS Games Everyone Wii
Venture Arctic Brighter Minds Media Everyone Macintosh, Windows PC
Bob The Builder Can-Do Zoo Brighter Minds Media Early Childhood Macintosh, Windows PC
DanceDanceRevolution HOTTEST PARTY 2 Konami Everyone 10+ Wii
Fairway Solitaire Activision Value Everyone Windows PC
Elf Bowling Collector's Edition Detn8 Games Ltd. Everyone 10+ Nintendo DS
Dynamic Bowling Borazone Everyone Samsung TV 750
Bratz Girlz Really Rock THQ Everyone DS, PlayStation 2, Wii
Buzz! Quiz TV Sony Teen PlayStation 3
Card & Board Games 10,000 Selectsoft Publishing / MPS Everyone Windows PC
I SPY Fun House Scholastic Everyone Macintosh, Windows PC
Mind Quiz Encore Software Everyone Windows PC
Unsolved Crimes Empire Interactive Teen DS
World of Goo 2D Boy Everyone Windows PC, Wii
Sudoku Plus(Sudoku+) Borazone Everyone STB for TV
Sonic the Hedgehog on the Master System SEGA of America Everyone Wii
Splatterhouse 2 SEGA of America Mature Wii
The Secret Files: Tunguska Koch Media GmbH Teen Wii
The Sims 2 Apartment Life Electronic Arts Teen Windows PC
Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure NIS America Inc. Everyone Nintendo DS
Pirates: Duels on the High Seas Oxygen Games Everyone Nintendo DS
PixelJunk Eden Sony Everyone PlayStation 3
Princess Bride Game Worldwide Biggies Everyone Macintosh, Windows PC
Tornado Ignition Entertainment Everyone Nintendo DS
Mega Man 9 Capcom Everyone 360, Wii, PS3
Legends of Norrath: Oathbreaker SOE Everyone 10+ Windows PC
From The Abyss Aksys Games Everyone Nintendo DS
Bill "Spaceman Lee's" Baseball Mogul 2009 Strategy First Teen Windows PC
Dress Shop Hop Encore Software Everyone Macintosh, Windows PC
Disgaea DS NIS America Inc. Teen Nintendo DS
Code of Honor 2: Conspiracy Island City Interactive Mature Windows PC
Animal Paradise Empire Interactive Everyone Nintendo DS
Metal Slug 7 Ignition Entertainment Teen Nintendo DS
Minesweeper Flags TikGames Everyone Xbox 360
Vegas: Make It Big Empire Interactive Teen Windows PC
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09 Electronic Arts Everyone PS2, PSP, 360, PS 3
Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2 TOMY Corporation Everyone 10+ Nintendo DS
Gold Rush - Treasure Hunt RealNetworks Everyone Macintosh, Windows PC
Guilty Gear X2 #Reload SEGA of America Teen Xbox, Xbox 360
Hot Dish ValuSoft Everyone Windows PC
Hunting Unlimited 2009 ValuSoft Teen Windows PC
IQ Academy E3NET Co. Ltd Everyone Cable Box, IPTV
My Chinese Coach Ubisoft Everyone Nintendo DS
THE KING OF FIGHTERS Collection: The Orochi Saga SNK Playmore USA Teen PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii

Here is the final tally on who, what and where everything was rated for the last two weeks. There were 66 rated titles on 10 platforms. PC (27), DS (19), Wii (19), Mac (8), PS2 (7), 360 (6) and PS3 (6) had the most games rated. There were 47 of the 66 titles rated at E10+ or lower, 16 rated at T for Teen and just three (Code of Honor 2: Conspiracy Island, Splatterhouse 2 and Two Worlds Epic Edition) 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 Intriguing Title of the Week (and any game that is tossed in that paragraph) is identified based on a game on the list that catches the eye of the author for any number of reasons. Good, bad or otherwise, feel free to agree, disagree or add some constructive input to the discussion.

* 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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