The game starts simply enough with a black-furred, green-eyed kitty napping quite contentedly on the sunshiny ledge of his (or her) owner’s high apartment window. But sleeping on high ledges isn’t always as comfy and safe as you might think; the wrong little shift or stretch can lead to … oops!

The little kitty tumbles from that great height and scrabbles to grab anything—including an unsuspecting crow that’s flying by—to break his rapid descent.

After eventually crashing down in a conveniently placed garbage can, our unnamed feline hero finds itself situated on an unrecognizable terra firma with a simple quest: get home.

To get to that sky-high apartment, however, the lost cat must explore the city and meet other critters. He encounters several cats and dogs; a brainiac tanuki (also known as a Japanese raccoon dog) that’s tinkering with the space-time continuum; a mother duck who needs help with her lost ducklings; that lightly scratched crow; and maybe even a human or two. Each new friend offers up a step-and-fetch quest and, perhaps, a little good advice.

In terms of the game’s mechanics, the going is fairly easy. Our kitty hero can run, jump and pounce, scamper up on ledges, swipe aside houseplants and the like. He chats with others in a surprisingly universal animal language (one critter’s meow is another’s quack). And he navigates obstacles, learns new movements (such as a biiig stretch and a yuck face) and runs about collecting scores of special kitty hats, such as a sunflower cap or a deep-sea diving helmet. (You know, for those cat fans who can’t resist just one more cute thing.)

Ultimately kitty must find four fish meals to gain the proper amount of energy and make the big, scary climb home. This is a single-player-only game that requires an online connection to download.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Cute. Cute. Cute.

Did I mention that this game is cute? Little Kitty, Big City is a very cozy title that focuses on funny cat play and simple quests. It’s certainly suitable for adults and kids alike. (One caveat: Quite a few animal interactions do require the ability to read captions, since meows and barks don’t translate to human very well.)

The overarching narrative, exploration and quests are also easy to nibble at in small cat-snack chunks that don’t demand long stretches of youthful time. Oh, and the kitty hero can pounce on unsuspecting birds in the city. But he’s told by another cat that this is a catch-and-release neighborhood only.

CONTENT CONCERNS

The only drawback here could be that some will find this game a little too cozy and laid back. If, for instance, you wouldn’t even dream of taking time, in the midst of a quest, to let your hero curl up for an oh-so-cute catnap or rub purringly up against a passing human leg, then this might not be the game for you.

GAME SUMMARY

Kitty hijinks and quests are the cozy call of duty with Little Kitty, Big City—with no cat-box mess to worry over.

The post Little Kitty, Big City appeared first on Plugged In.

Tove Jansson was a Finnish author, novelist, painter and illustrator who created a series of children’s books in the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s. They focus on little troll/cow characters called Moomins. And if you’ve never heard of the artist’s work, well, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley gives you a laid back, cozy introduction to that world.

The game focuses on a human adventurer named Snufkin who bids farewell to his pal Moomintroll as late autumn draws nigh. Moomins hibernate for the wintery months, of course, so Snufkin ventures on and promises to stop back again in the spring.

But wait! When Snufkin gets back to Moominvalley, there are changes everywhere. There are gated parks scattered about now. Signs are posted, warning people not to eat, smoke, walk, camp, and even sniff in certain areas. And human police officers are assigned the duty of keeping the various parks orderly and trimmed.

Oh, and Moomintroll has disappeared!

As Snufkin, gamers set out to uproot signs and topple statues; outfox the guards and the rogue Moomin Park Ranger; and return the overly trimmed and paved parks back to their naturally green and bushy state. Snufkin and all of the Moomin residents believe that the valley is much prettier when it’s free and growing. Snufkin’s efforts wouldn’t be complete, however, until he could also find out the whereabouts of his good friend.

Gameplay-wise, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley combines platforming challenges with simple puzzles and smiling nods to the joys of nature, represented through Jansson’s distinctive art style. As the title would suggest, Snufkin must find and use a harmonica and other instruments in his puzzle solutions. And the game offers scores of easy-to-obtain quests over a fairly large mapped out area.

Melody of Moominvalley is a single player game that doesn’t require an internet connection.

POSITIVE CONTENT

This game talks of friendship and helping others. And it’s overall challenge to restore harmony and balance to nature is also an encouragement for young players to keep our world healthy and green.

And in a gaming age packed with photorealistic, 100-hour, run-and-gun, grinding adventures, this little title is as relaxed as a video game can be. There are no battles. The puzzles are fairly easy to suss out. And even younger players will be able to navigate the appealing environs without much difficulty.

CONTENT CONCERNS

There are some lightly perilous moments in the mix (such as getting caught in a forest fire and attempting to hide and sneak past park guards). But if they caught, gamers simply retreat to an earlier point to give the challenge another try.

There are some potentially threatening creatures in the story mix. But they either show themselves to be helpful or retreat when gamers use the right musical instrument. A park sign represents a smoking pipe.

GAME SUMMARY

Sometimes young players just want to snuggle up with a cozy game and a blanket. And Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley has got them covered.

The post Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley appeared first on Plugged In.

Every once in a while, a game comes along that mixes new ideas with fun elements from the past to create something unexpected. Something a little different. The new 3-D platformer Penny’s Big Breakaway fits that bill.

Like many a ‘90s 3-D platformer, Penny’s story is fairly silly and (ironically) one-dimensional. Penny happens to be an average nobody with some pretty good yo-yo skills. One day she happens upon a flyer advertising a big talent tryout. But this isn’t just any audition: This one happens to be for King Eddie’s famous gala, a prime showcase indeed. And it just so happens that Penny has come upon a “cosmic string” that makes her yo-yo twirling pretty super-duper.

The problem is, when Penny steps up for her tryout, that string also makes her yo-yo sentient—and the toy decides to jump on the king and, well, shred all his clothes except for his heart-covered boxers. Next thing you know, Penny is a felon running for her life. And the red-faced King Eddie sends all his penguin minions out to find her and lock her away for, oh, 10,000 years. So Penny must use her powered up yo-yo to traverse time and space, along with many, many platforms, to prove her innocence.

The story and its characters may be cute and fairly pedestrian, but the gameplay is where this title shines. And it all centers on tons of acrobatic platform jumping and oodles of yo-yo skills. In fact, Penny can’t really do much more than jog about and hop on her own. But her yo-yo can help her dash; sail down ziplines; somersault around; grab grapplehook points from anywhere (including the air itself); spin about like an enemy-bashing whirlybird; and more. Penny can even ride the careening spinning disks to get from here to there.

The unique control system takes a bit of getting used to. On my console controller I had to use a combination of stick, trigger and button mashes to command the yo-yo through its offensive strikes and grapple-dash-leap moves. But with a bit of practice (and a few errant dashes off elevated ledges), the rhythms become more intuitive. And with time, gamers will learn to cross seemingly impassible open spaces with strung-together yo-yo moves. 

Along with all the 3-D platforming, hazard avoidance and the bopping of onrushing small enemies, Penny also careens into a series of big boss battles, including a yo-yoing fight with a puppet version of herself.

This is a single-player game that doesn’t require an online connection to play. 

POSITIVE CONTENT

Penny’s Big Breakaway is a very active, colorful and kid-friendly game. It’s visually similar to past Mario and Sonic titles. Not only are the visuals fun and pleasing, but the soundtrack is enjoyable, too, harkening back (at least to this gamer) to Dreamcast favorites of years gone by.

As mentioned, gamers will find a fairly steep game mechanics learning curve. But if they need help, hitting the pause menu can refresh their memory on possible moves. There are lots of collectables to be found and to extra levels to reveal.

CONTENT CONCERNS

You won’t find any visual or verbal content issues. But the platforming areas and boss fights can be difficult. Younger gamers may even need some help from an adult. The constant onrush of tiny penguins can feel frustrating, too, as you’re learning to master the yo-yo controls.

Like other 3-D platformers, it can initially seem a bit difficult to properly judge the right leaping distance from one moving platform to another. But again, over time your brain and timing adjust.

GAME SUMMARY

Penny’s Big Breakaway mixes old school 3-D platforming with some very fun game mechanics and challenges. It’s designed for the yo-yo in all of us.

The post Penny’s Big Breakaway appeared first on Plugged In.

The game starts off, very true to its name, by simply asking players to straighten picture frames hanging on a wall. Then it eases you into organizing a jumble of colored pencils, stamping envelopes, stacking messed-up papers and sorting through a disheveled junk drawer.

By the time you graduate to trimming house plants, organizing a garden shed full of tools and the like, you begin to realize that the keys to solving each puzzle are right in front of you: colors, patterns, object sizes, etc. As you work through the logic of each puzzle, the game underscores your efforts with soft, soothing music, using small tones to indicate when you’ve made a correct choice.

Those beginning steps may sound almost too simple, but challenges become ever-more difficult with every new creative image. And there are often up to three possible solutions for each puzzle.

You won’t encounter enemies to blast or a story to follow, but the game throws some extra disorder into your nicely stacked solutions. It shows up in the form of a white cat that may occasionally swoop in to grab at your work with a curious paw or swish everything aside with a fluffy tail. That mischievous kitty adds a bit of kitchen-counter charm to the homey puzzles and clean-up tasks. And by the game’s end he’s a frequent addition to your puzzle-solving quests.

If the conundrums become too tough, there is a simple hint system built in. Or gamers can skip any given puzzle they choose to. A Little to the Left offers more than 40 conundrums to figure out and, depending on your playing style, that can amount to anywhere from about 4 to 9 hours of play. Previously solved puzzles are generally given a new spin during replay. And the Daily Tidy is a special mode that provides fans with fresh puzzles every day.

This is a single player game that can be played offline.

POSITIVE CONTENT

A Little to the Left can be a very satisfying game. For one thing, when your head-scratching over a tangled muddle resolves in a nicely tied solution, it gives you a sense of gratification. And the clean-up and tidying aspect of the game plucks a basic human need to organize mess, delivering a comforting inner sigh. In fact, for those into relaxing after a stressful day with a casual game, this one is an easy choice to pick up and work through in small, satisfying bites.

The game’s art style is softly pastel and appealing. You can even pet that fluffy cat if you’re so inclined. Altogether, this is a pleasant little game.

CONTENT CONCERNS

No nasty bits to worry over. However, I encountered a few mechanical issues when playing the game with my Xbox controller. Small item adjustments were a tad finicky. (Some have said that a PC mouse is their preferred interface.). Younger players might have a difficult time seeing the onscreen clues and logic connections necessary to solve some of the more complicated puzzles.

GAME SUMMARY

Do you like the feeling of organizing a disheveled mess into orderly, color-coded sweetness? Well, A Little to the Left might be just the itch-scratcher you’re looking for.(Just don’t forget to pet the cat.)

The post A Little to the Left appeared first on Plugged In.

Disney Dreamlight Valley lets gamers leave the hustle-and-bustle of real life behind for a lark in a make-believe place called Dreamlight Valley, a small town that’s home to an enchanted castle and a bunch of recognizable Disney stars.

At first this colorful burg doesn’t seem so wish-upon-a-star magical. After creating an avatar, players meet a very frazzled Merlin who can’t remember how to, well, do much of anything about the state of his town and its surrounding areas.

Dreamlight Valley has been overcome by something called The Forgetting. This curse not only incapacitates the residents by stealing away their memories, but it has infested the land with thorny growths and foul, smoking debris, leaving businesses and homes boarded up. It requires some outside magical help to abracadabra away patches of thorns and a little muscle to rebuild and replant the town.

Gamers are initially given a home and asked to find a set of royal tools—a watering can, a shovel, a fishing pole and an ax set in a stone—and then must fulfill a series of quests. They meet famous Disney pals in the form of Mickey, Goofy, Scrooge McDuck and the like, then help them rebuild their lives.

The goal is to clean up the locale, develop friendships, craft items and rid the world of that life-ruining blight. To do all this they mine rocks with a pickaxe; plant flowers and vegetables; fish the local ponds; craft everything from sturdy chairs to swimming pools; sell things; rearrange the landscape and its buildings; build flourishing friendships; and customize their clothes and home.

Gamers can play Dreamlight Valley offline, but the game encourages online play to claim special prizes and make microtransactions. Players can also play co-op and multiplayer, but that play does require an online connection.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Dreamlight Valley is a colorful and fun game that’s easy to navigate. Players can explore numerous layers of maps, menus, inventories and crafting options, but the game repeatedly reminds players how to make their way through. (There is one limitation noted below.)

The various Disney characters tend to be positive role models (again, with one exception listed below). And the game repeatedly encourages the benefits of making good friends, being kind to others and working hard for a common positive goal.

Parents can even use the gameplay to point out the benefits of helping others, turning away from rude behavior and putting effort into daily chores and household duties.

CONTENT CONCERNS

This is a land of magic and curses. Even though most of the game’s action is focused on repairing and building positive things, players do use “magic” and must push back against a smoldering corruptive curse upon the land.

The only negative character trait on display comes from the greedy Scrooge McDuck. It’s played comically, but it’s also a bit ironic because the game offers real money microtransactions to help players avoid some of the grinding elements of gathering gameworld cash and the like. It’s the sort of stuff that you might encounter in a free-to-play game, even though Disney Dreamlight Valley is a full-price title. (Accessing those microtransactions is, however, not required.)

Young gamers must be able to read during interactions with characters.

GAME SUMMARY

Disney Dreamlight Valley can seem a tad Scrooge McDuck greedy at times, but all in all it offers life-sim fun with a twist of Mickey and the gang.

The post Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Plugged In.

Bluey, the show, debuted in 2018 and has pretty much become a must-watch (and rewatch) staple for kids worldwide, thanks to the likes of BBC Studios, Disney Jr. and Disney+. It focuses on an anthropomorphic and very high-energy 6-year-old Blue Heeler puppy named Bluey and her Ausie family. The show delivers a series of sweet, short episodes that demonstrate how Bluey, her little sister Bingo, and her parents, Bandit and Chilli. experience, well, the challenges and joys of family life.

Of course, this isn’t supposed to be a review of the show. But—thanks in part to the original voice actors lending their talents to the game—Bluey: The Videogame feels a lot like a sandbox version of the show itself. Only here, young fans can actually move their favorite character around with their own little hands and fingers.

The game is made up of a series of episodes in which kids guide one of the four central family members through easy-to-follow, move-click-and-jump adventures that are tied to a specific but simple family-focused storyline. (If a child plays in single-player mode, the other NPC family members follow wherever she goes.)

In the midst of each episode, Bluey and sister Bingo not only have specific objectives, such as cleaning up scattered toys or finding dress-up costumes, but they also learn fun games. For instance, there’s “Keepy Uppy,” which challenges players to keep a balloon bopped up in the air, and “Ground is Lava,” that demands that the pups hop to safe benches and teeter totters to stay above the playground sand. With those kinds of fun-focused goals, the game teaches its young players a little platforming finesse and controller handling.

There’s no reading required since Bluey: The Videogame guides players along with little picture cues and the other characters’ vocal encouragements. Up to four gamers can play together. Which also means that Mom or Dad can slip in if a little parental Keepy Uppy is required.

There are tons of story-connected stickers, toys and costume bits that players can collect. And there are a variety of different areas (the playground, home, the creek, etc.) to go back to play and explore after their connected episode is completed.

POSITIVE CONTENT

The colorful 2-D game looks and feels very much like the show it’s derived from. And the fully voiced characters make all the difference on that front. They keep the parent-and-pup interactions sweet and surprisingly funny even in the simplest of moments. Young gamers will definitely bark out a few of their own tail-wagging giggles during the adventure.

From an adult gamer’s perspective, the game will feel decidedly unchallenging, maybe even boring, but that lack of complexity makes the play perfect for kids. Beyond the simple play, though, Bluey: The Videogame also communicates a sincere encouragement toward real-world family bonding, play and interaction. And the adult characters, while sometimes playful and silly, are very positive role models.

Bandit, for instance, will sometimes offer up a very dad-like encouragement such as “If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.”

CONTENT CONCERNS

Not much to worry over here. Some surprised exclamations pop up in the dialogue such as “cheese and crackers!” and “Oh, biscuits!”

Probably the biggest drawback for many will be this game’s brevity. If played by an adult, the whole four-episode game adventure will probably only last between 30 to 40 minutes.

(However, that isn’t necessarily a major drawback. The separate episodes’ playtimes can be very manageable if parents want to limit youthful gameplay to short chunks. And with a younger player at the helm, and all the many collectables waiting to be found, that total playtime will stretch out considerably.)

GAME SUMMARY

Older players in the crowd might call Bluey: The Videogame a lot of phooey. But kid fans will be yelling, Wackadoo!

The post Bluey: The Videogame appeared first on Plugged In.

In the 42 years since a little mustachioed Italian plumber first jumped into an arcade game screen, there have been roughly, oh, a gazillion video games featuring Mario and his crew. In fact, the recent Super Mario Maker 2 opened the door for gamers themselves to create and share their hand-crafted Mario challenges, some of those being almost painfully difficult to conquer.

So instead of trying to outshine all that with Super Mario Bros. Wonder, gamemakers have harkened back to the classics—creating Nintendo’s first new side-scrolling platformer in more than a decade. And then they layered on a whole new set of rules and wild ideas.

The game starts out as the Mushroom Kingdom gang is invited to a party over at the neighboring Flower Kingdom. And of course, Bowser crashes the soiree. But instead of snatching up Princess Peach and running for the nearest fortified castle, the fire-breathing baddy grabs a magical Wonder Flower and turns himself into an evil castle surrounded by six swirling Cloud Piranhas. He then settles in the center of the Flower Kingdom map and begins gathering magical power while his minions corrupt the land.

The panicked caterpillar Prince Florian asks Mario to lend his heroic help to set things right.

Gamers can then play as any of 12 different characters in Mario’s crew, including the likes of Mario, Luigi, Peach and Yoshi. The goal is to clear baddies from chaos-filled platform areas and castles; gather powerful Wonder seeds and flowers; and eventually free the seven adjoining regions of the Flower Kingdom from Bowser’s magical grip.

That all sounds fairly familiar, so what new twists are in the mix?

Well, you still stomp on Goombas and collect lots of coins, but there are new power-ups in the mix. Along with the standard Fire Flower and Power Mushroom, an Elephant power-up doubles your size and adds a trunk-swinging gush of water to your protagonist’s abilities. Another new power-up gives Mario a drill hat with which he can dig into secreted away areas. And a Bubble power-up lets Mario’s attacks float up and hit enemies at a distance, or sub in as quick-use platforms.

New Wonder Badges can also be found, collected and worn. This broad collection of boosting badges fall into three categories—Action, Boost and Expert—and give your character special active or passive abilities. Applying the right badge—rewarding you with everything from special wall jump abilities to invisibility to a safety bounce that lets you bounce back from a fall—can help a great deal in the midst of a very difficult level.

There are new quirky enemies in the mix as well, and the ability to jump back into the background of a multilayered level. Wonder’s levels are shaken and stirred a bit, too. Some test your character’s speed as you race a swift opponent. Some plop you in an empty room with the task of exploring for hidden contents. And some are battle-focused, forcing you to quickly take out groups of enemies.

One of my favorite new additions is the little talking flowers that you encounter throughout the lands. While other characters talk in gibberish with English subtitles, these flowers greet you with English verbal encouragements, level clues and requests as you go. And if you get particularly tired of their messages, you can also switch things up and have them speak in one of 15 different languages, such as Japanese or French.

Gamers can also have up to three friends (local or online) join them in the platforming romps. And special game-return abilities even allow you tag-back-in where other online players have fallen and pick up your play from their place in the level. (Online connection, however, is not a necessity for play.)

POSITIVE CONTENT

Wonder is quite delightful to play through and look at, even on a small screen. The characters are colorful and vibrant. And the game allows parents to play along with younger players and help them through difficult sections. …

CONTENT CONCERNS

… That said, this game can get pretty difficult in later levels. And you can’t change the difficulty level in the game menu as you can with some games. The levels are each given a number of stars (one to five) to signify how difficult they are. And as kid-friendly as the game is as a whole, some challenges are pretty tough.

Besides the jumping, running and sliding action of the platform play, there is quite a bit of enemy thumping and battle in the gaming mix. Cartoony enemies can have sharp chomping teeth and claws or shoot flames and blasts. Etc.

In battle those foes are jumped on or hit with jets of water, fireballs, bubbles, tossed shells or other projectiles. But when defeated, they are considered knocked out, not killed. There’s no mess or blood. And when a player falls off a ledge or is hit, they either get smaller or are knocked out and sent back to an earlier section of the level. Online players can revive a fallen friend.

Online play, however, can only happen via a monthly Nintendo subscription.

GAME SUMMARY

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a creative and joyously bouncing blast. But don’t come in expecting an easy bop. Parents with younger players should be ready to sharpen up their own helpful moves if they want to best that bang-bamming Bowser.

The post Super Mario Bros. Wonder appeared first on Plugged In.

Some puzzle games have a set of brainteasers that drive an interesting story forward. Others are just about the puzzles themselves. Cocoon, one of the highest-rated indie games of the year, settles gently and quite brilliantly in that latter category.

And it’s really great to look at, too.

Cocoon is an abstract environmental puzzle game that establishes fantastic worlds-within-worlds and then challenges you to think your way in, around and through those puzzling places.

You start out as a winged beetle that drops into a colorful land of geometric rock and hill-like formations. It’s a bug-mixed-with-alien-technology kind of place. And as the environment itself nudges you forward—stairways disappearing behind you and rising before you—you quickly realize that your game controls are as basic as possible. You use one movement stick to get around and one button to interact. And those mechanics stay the same throughout the game.

Oh, but if you think that means it’s all going to be simple and boring, you need to think again. After the first few rudimentary puzzlers, you discover that your little buggy protagonist can carry translucent colored orbs and move them from here to there, revealing pathways, opening blockades and powering up alien plant devices.

For instance, an orange orb reveals invisible bridges that allow you to cross from one cliff area to another. A green orb gives you the ability to jump up through columns of smoke. But these found orbs are more than just pretty balls with puzzle-unlocking powers. They’re also worlds within themselves—or more accurately, containers that each hold their own little uniquely designed orb-world. And at specific points in the game, you can hop right into those worlds as part of your puzzle solving.

In fact, you can take another orb (or two or three) with you in pursuit of whatever conundrum solution you’re chasing into an orb-world. Think of these worlds as Russian nesting dolls—with each inner realm potentially holding a key to moving on. Next thing you know, you’re three orb-worlds deep trying to wrap your brain around how to get from A to Z.

It’s all really quite ingenious. And though you will find yourself scratching your head over a solution from time to time, the game always gives you subtle clues and hints that are built right into the alien worlds around you. And the more difficult the challenge, the more rewardingly cathartic the solution.

Each new orb level also ends with a boss battle against an insect-like foe. But even those battles are more puzzle focused than scary and zappy. One bee-looking boss, for example, tries to hit you and throw stinger minions your way while you dodge and search for ground-thumping orbs that will send him off to greener pastures. If your protagonist is hit, you reappear at an earlier hub-point to give it another go.

Cocoon is a dialogue-free single player game.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Again, it’s all about the puzzles. The environs are pleasant and almost soothing to look at. But it’s the brain-teasing obstacles, passage blocking foes and alien-tech conundrums that make the play fun.

Cocoon is also a game that can be easily broken down into short play stretches for players who have to head off for bed or homework duties.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Nothing much to worry over in this E-rated title. The orb “insect guardians” do run after and throw/shoot things at players. But it’s not overly intense or scary.

The only real concern may be that some puzzles can be tough for young players who have a hard time thinking outside the lines. That can then require some adult assistance. (But then again, that might be a plus, too.)

GAME SUMMARY

Cocoon is an alien bug-focused puzzler designed to get your brain humming and clicking … without driving you buggy.

The post Cocoon appeared first on Plugged In.

Skye Tales is a puzzle game that wears its cozy moniker like a soft blanket on a rainy day. Some may view it as a purely kid-focused title. And that’s fair. But adults kicking back after a deadline-heavy day can find the light puzzles refreshing as well.

The story takes place on the cozy little island of Brinn. It’s home to a community of happy, friendly folk. That doesn’t, however, mean that these cheery citizens are all that resourceful. They rely very heavily on the help and inventive prowess of a problem-solver named Theo. But hey, even a big-brained inventor needs a break sometimes. So Theo makes plans for a three-day holiday.

Of course, Theo is well aware that his absence could cause a bit of non-cozy anxiety for his friends. So he creates an enchanted dragon called Skye, otherwise known as … you.

You’re not a sharp-clawed fire-breather, however. You’re a friendly dragon who magically floats through the sky or under the water to solve environmental puzzles, play low-pressure games, run merrily through obstacle courses and the like. Skye can pull objects, dash short distances, pluck strings, knock over blocks and even sing a little when the need arises.

The game’s charming puzzles are relatively easy in the beginning. They become progressively more difficult as Skye rolls on, but they’re never mind-boggling. In fact, each rail-connecting, rubberband-tugging, bubble-popping, shape-shifting task also comes with easily accessible hints that help point you in the right direction if you get a bit lost.

Speaking of directions, four relatively large valleys are full of challenges to clear: the bucolic countryside land of Avieshire; tropical Raina Falls; sand-swept Whispridge and the underwater vacation spot of Coastin.  But one of the joys of Skye Tales is that you and Skye can head in pretty much any direction you please. There are colorful areas to visit, quests to take on, huge instruments to play and collectables to gather as you help with a spring festival, aid in setting up a concert or search out a deepwater treasure.

I should also mention that there is a digital sticker book in the mix, for those who enjoy such things. (Yeah, I saw you sit up.) And Skye can be adorned in a variety of outfits, too. Hey, if a sweet-looking dragon is fun, a sweet dragon dressed up as a duck or decorated with cake and sprinkles is, uh, funner, right?

POSITIVE CONTENT

The words “charming” and “gentle” fit this game perfectly. Skye’s world is bright and colorful, and its puzzles and activities are relatively easy. And if a challenge does stump a younger player, a helpful mom or dad can pick up the game controller and easily slip in to give a bit of aid.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Kids likely won’t notice any problems. But the repetition of some of the puzzles could leave adults a tad bored at times. Younger players might find one timed race a little difficult. And in one challenge, players must pick mushrooms for a character wearing a witch-like hat and stirring a big cauldron. This character then creates several potion bottles. (The words “witch” or “potion” are not part of the action, however.)

GAME SUMMARY

Skye Tales is a bright, friendly, puzzle game for young players, or a low-impact bit of fun for grown-ups in search of a little “cozy” on a rainy day.

The post Skye Tales appeared first on Plugged In.

Disney Illusion Island is a platforming adventure game that plops Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy into the mysterious realm of Monoth.

The game kicks things off with Mickey and the gang all getting invitations to a picnic on Illusion Island. As it turns out, the pals were invited by a stranger—a furry little rabbit-like fella named Toku who reports that this isle is under a great danger. And it requires a set of great heroes to set things right.

Donald reminds his buds that they’re not really heroes, since any adventure Toku saw them in was actually a made-up movie. (And he also notes that he was planning on a picnic, so all he really wants to do is eat.) But Mickey and Minnie note that if someone is in need, they should help. And Goofy agrees with a hardy “Yup!”So they all step up to help retrieve some important magical tomes.

But … what if there is an illusionary trick in the mix? What if the heroes are being misled and fooled? What if after doing what they think is right, good and heroic, they find out they’ve actually been duped into being villains!? Well, that’s exactly what happens. Sorta. Gawrsh!

As the true baddies escape into a mysterious magical realm, the embarrassed goodies are faced with a new challenge. They need to be heroes by freeing the heroes they trapped when they weren’t heroes and then somehow figure out how to be the heroes they should have been! Minnie notes that their rallying call needs a bit of work, but off to the magical realm they go.

Illusion Island is pretty much all about platforming fun linked by funny cartoon cutscenes. Single-player gamers choose one of the four heroes (or they can team up locally with up to three other friends) and take on platform-jumping challenges full of windy, spikey, deep-watery, and bizarre-creaturey dangers.

Players find collectables and memorabilia along the way and unlock special pieces of Disney character art. And they upgrade as they go with add-on abilities such as double-jump and ground-pound.

POSITIVE CONTENT

The zany humor of Illusion Island feels very much like the Disney hand-drawn cartoons of yore—updated with silly quips about social media, the internet and such. Even the musical underscore has an old-school cartoon feel about it.

Each of Mickey’s pals sounds and acts like you remember, from sweet and insightful Minnie to the quick-to-anger, red-faced Donald. And even those that aren’t as keen on heroics (Donald, again) are fine with stepping up and stepping in for a group hug.

The story is fun. The platforming, though increasingly more difficult as the game progresses, is never frustrating. And the game as a whole feels consistently entertaining. There’s no combat to worry over, either. Even the big-boss face-offs are self-contained platforming challenges.

CONTENT CONCERNS

There’s not much of anything to worry over here in this E-rated game. There is fantasy magic surrounding “magical tomes of knowledge” that the heroes seek and the whimsical fantasy dimension they play through. But the “magic” books represent the disciplines of botany, astronomy, engineering and history.

The worst of the language involves exclamations of “gosh,” “gawrsh,” “gee” and “Lugpluggers!”

If your character does take damage enough to be knocked out, he or she reappears at an earlier checkpoint. (If playing in co-op with local friends, characters with low HP can be hugged back to health and helped up to higher levels via a rope.)

GAME SUMMARY

With the summer temps rising and expectations for Disney products generally sinking, it’s swell to find a great game for, well, boys and girls of all ages. Mickey and his pals are pleasingly fun.

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