The News - 09.25.14

Hello again, Parents and Gamers!

First off, before we begin, take a moment to orient yourself with a small change to the reviews we are doing by clicking here. This is just a quick article regarding the backlog of games that were not reviewed in the last few years and how we might handle that dilemma starting with the hit RPG: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

But, getting away from that, we have two pieces that we would like to cover for you today out of the game industry. We will be starting with an article focused towards Xbox Live Gold members and what Free games they might be able to look forward to this coming October. After that, we have news for all of the Nintendo fans regarding a Tournament that will be hosted Nationwide for Super Smash Bros. players. Let's get started!

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For those of you who own an Xbox 360, you may or may not be aware of Xbox Live Gold: the system's paid for online subscription that allows you to access all of its Internet based features.

But, did you know that Microsoft gives away Free games every month as a Thank you for being an Xbox Live Gold member?

This coming month, October, Xbox 360 owners with an Xbox Live Gold subscription will be receiving two games for free. First, the hit First Person Shooter: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be available for Free to download between October 1 - 15. This will be followed by the equally popular RolePlaying Title: Darksiders II, which will be available from October 16 - 31. On top of this, if you are an Xbox One owner, you will receive Chariot for Free the entire month.

If you aren't an Xbox Live Gold subscriber but are interested, I would look into it. It's only $25 for 3 months or $60 for a year.

References:
October's Games with Gold are Bad Company 2, Darksiders II, and Chariot - Destructoid.com
Games with Gold Revealed for October - IGN.com
Games with Gold Free October Games for Xbox One and 360 include Battlefield, Darksiders - GameSpot.com
Chariot, Darksiders 2 join Games with Gold in October - Joystiq.com
October Xbox Live Games with Gold includes a Brand New Game for Xbox One - GameInformer.com

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The release of the highly anticipated Nintendo fighting game Super Smash Bros. is only a week away on the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo is celebrating: Nintendo will be hosting an official Tournament for the best fighters out there.

Partnering with game retailer GameStop, initial rounds for the tournament will be held at 15 different GameStop locations across the United States as well as the Nintendo World store located in New York on October 4, 2014 (the day after the game's release)

Players will not need to pre-register, however local tournaments are limited to 64 players and are on a first come / first serve basis.

The winners of these tournaments will win a 3DS XL, a copy of Super Smash Bros on 3DS, and a $250 Visa Gift Card as well as a trip to New York City, complete with hotel and airfare for two, to play in the Super Smash Bros. National Open Tournament at the Nintendo World Store the following week on October 11, 2014.

For a list of Tournament Locations, please see below. Tournaments begin at 11 a.m. local time, but we HEAVILY recommend getting there sooner rather than later.

• GameStop / Winfield Shopping Center
• 966 Blossom Hill Road
• San Jose, CA 95123

• GameStop / Anaheim Town Center
• 2004 East Lincoln AVE.
• Anaheim, CA 92806

• GameStop / c/o Barnes & Noble
• 960 S. Colorado Blvd.
• Denver, CO 80246

• GameStop / The Brickyard S/C
• 6451 W. Diversey Parkway, Suite G-9
• Chicago, IL 60707

• GameStop / Dedham Mall
• 336 Providence Highway
• Dedham, MA 02026

• GameStop / St. John's Plaza
• 9150 Baltimore National Pike, Suite 16
• Ellicott City, MD 21042

• GameStop / SWM Skibo S/C
• 1590 Skibo Road
• Bonnie Doone, NC 28303

• GameStop / 32 E. 14th St
• 32 E. 14th St
• New York, NY 10003

• GameStop / Bellevue Square
• 242 Bellevue Square
• Bellevue, WA 98004

• GameStop / Tower Shops
• 2140 S. Univeristy Dr.
• Davie, FL 33324

• GameStop / Lake Brandon Shoppes
• 11025 Causeway Blvd
• Brandon, FL 33511

• GameStop / SWM Sand Lake Corner
• 8115 S. John Young Parkway
• Orlando, FL 32819

• GameStop / Chamblee Village
• 1841 Chamblee Tucker Rd., Suite 3A
• Chamblee, GA 30341

• GameStop / c/o Barnes & Noble
• 3003 W. Holcombe Blvd.
• Houston, TX 77025

• GameStop / c/o Barnes & Noble
• 2201 Preston Rd., Suite E
• Plano, TX 75093

• Nintendo World
• 10 Rockefeller Plaza
• New York, NY 10020

References:
Official Nintendo Super Smash Bros. tournament begins on October 4 - Destructoid.com
Super Smash Bros. 3DS Nationwide US Tournament Announced - GameSpot.com
Nintendo Announces Super Smash Bros. Tournaments across United States - GameInformer.com
Super Smash Bros 3DS Tourney in US GameStop Stores - JoyStiq.com

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And that's it for today! As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about our article today or just Video Games in general, feel free to reach out to us at our e-mail at theparentsguidetovideogames@gmail.com or simply by clicking on my name below. Make sure to follow us at Facebook and Twitter to get up to the moment updates! See you soon!

LabR@

The Parent's Guide to Video Games

The News - 09.13.14

Hello again, Parents and Gamers!

We have quite the bit of News today. Not only has a ton of stuff happened in the gaming industry, but we also have a few notes concerning our website and a few changes that you will be seeing. We will start with our normal news and, at the end of the article, fill you in on the rest.

Today we have three things we will be looking at from the Gaming Industry! We will start off with a bit of information for anyone who is having a little trouble with their PlayStation 4 system. Next, we have a report floating around concerning the Nintendo Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS and how the systems might work together. Next, for all the fans anticipating the Super Smash Bros. titles, we have good news concerning an upcoming demo. Let's get started!

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Some owners of the PlayStation 4 console have been running into issues where the system will randomly decide to eject the disc...even when people are playing!

So, to combat this issue, Sony PlayStation has released a video (seen above) with instructions on what to do if your system is unexpectedly ejecting discs or if it is repeatedly beeping and acting like it is trying to eject a disc. You need to press and hold the power button until it beeps twice. Allow the system to fully turn off (taking about 30 seconds) and then unplug the PS4 for roughly 3 minutes. Plug the unit back in and see if it is working appropriately.

Sadly, if the system continues to work incorrectly, you will need to contact Sony in order to have your unit serviced. Hopefully this little tip will help some of our readers.

References: 
PS4 Unexpected Disc Eject - Youtube.com
Does your PS4 have a Random Disc Eject problem? I hope not! - Destructoid.com
How to Fix a PS4 that Ejects Discs Unexpectedly - IGN.com
Here's what to do if your PS4 Ejects Discs Unxepectedly - Joystiq.com

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An interesting report has started to float around the video game airwaves that could be good news for Nintendo fans and owners, especially those looking forward to the new Super Smash Bros. title.

Twitter user Kyle McLain released a photo of his Nintendo 3DS system that specified, in Japanese, that he was able to "Connect the 3DS (handheld system) to the Wii U (console) to use your customized characters and use the 3DS as a controller".

While Nintendo has not yet confirmed or denied the possible functionality, the implications of being able to use your 3DS as a controller looks to not only save a lot of money for Nintendo users, but the possibility that they can even use characters on one system or the other means that players will be encouraged to own both versions of the game.

We will update you as more information rolls out.

References:
Use your 3DS as a controller for the Wii U Super Smash Bros. - Destructoid.com
Report: 3DS can be used as a Wii U Controller in Super Smash Bros. - IGN.com
Report: 3DS can be used as Wii Controller in Smash Bros. - GameInformer.com
Report: Super Smash Bros. Wii U playable via 3DS Connection - Joystiq.com

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With all of the hype surrounding the new Super Smash Bros. games that are coming out this year, many players just can't wait to get their hands on them.

Well, we have good news for them...They can! Nintendo has announced that they will be releasing an early demo this week. There is, however, a small catch. The demos will be released to individuals who are "Club Nintendo" members, Nintendo's Rewards program essentially; specifically those who reached "Platinum status" between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014. These individuals will receive 4 codes for the demo: 1 for the original player and 3 to share with anyone they see fit. The codes will come via e-mail from Club Nintendo.

The demo in question will allow for unlimited play, local multiplayer (meaning you can play with others who have the demo so long as you are near each other and both have a 3DS system, and will feature Mario, Link, Pikachu, Villager, and Mega Man as playable characters.

Finally, if you are not in Club Nintendo and don't have any friends who have codes left, all is not lost. Nintendo has announced that they will be releasing the demo live for everyone in less than a week on September 19th via their online store: the 3DS eShop. A word of warning though, the demo can only be accessed 30 times, so make the games count!

References:
Club Nintendo Super Smash Bros. demo incoming, wide release next week - Destructoid.com
Super Smash Bros. 3DS Demo coming next week in North America - GameStop.com
Super Smash Bros. 3DS Demo Coming Soon - GameInformer.com
Nintendo streaming Super Smash Bros. for 3DS today, US demo imminent - Joystiq.com

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Finally, regarding our website, The Parents Guide to Video Games, we have two new things.

First, and easiest, we have added another form of Social Media to our belt via the website Tumblr.com. Tumblr is a blog/picture/everything website and, if you are familiar with it (perhaps by having a Tumblr of your own), you will be able to follow The Parent's Guide through this medium in order to keep up to date with everything as it comes out. If you would like to take a look at it, simple Click Here.

Next, we want to cover something that is a bit of an issue. As we have been trying to restart Parents Guide and get everything rolling, we are regularly running into funding issues. Costs of brand new games and even a couple of the new systems along with stuff like site maintenance are leaving a notable hole in our pocket. So, we'd like to ask you, the reader for assistance; however rather than just beg for money, we would like to know your opinion. 

If you were to help the site would you rather: Utilize something like KickStarter where you could make a one time donation and, based on the size of the donation, perhaps receive some kind of personalized bonus. If so, what kind of bonus would you like? OR, would you rather use something like Patreon which could work a great deal better in the long run by allowing you to make very small donations that come out progressively as we do updates (I would guess with each game review...so once a week). Or Both?! Let us know in the comments below or via e-mail. Thanks.

And that's it for today! As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about our article today or just Video Games in general, feel free to reach out to us at our e-mail at theparentsguidetovideogames@gmail.com or simply by clicking on my name below. Make sure to follow us at Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter to get up to the moment updates! See you soon!

LabR@

The Parent's Guide to Video Games

The News - 09.01.14

Hello again, Parents and Gamers!

With the PAX 2014 Gaming Conference continuing to to go full blast, a number of new games, titles, and dates have all been announced. While we are going to be focusing our attention more-so on pinpoint information that we believe you might find useful, it has given us pause for thought. Perhaps we might change the site slightly and the way that we update so as to include information like that as well. If you're interested in stuff like random game announcements, dates, etc...please let us know.

Now, that said, we have three things of note that we are going to be looking at today: one from Sony (the creators of PlayStation) and two from Nintendo. Starting off, Sony has announced some personalized changes that are going to be available soon for their PlayStation 4 and Vita systems. After that, we will take a look at the brand new "Amiibo" toys coming to you from Nintendo. This will be followed by the unveiling of a new and improved version of the Nintendo 3DS Handheld system. Let's take a look.

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Sony has announced that, with their upcoming updates to the Sony PlayStation 4 and Sony Vita Handheld systems (known as firmware update 2.0 and 3.3 respectively), players will be able to customize their units "home screens". Players will be able to change their wallpapers, icons, and even the overall color and design theme.

To make a comparison, think of like being able to customize the wallpaper and home page of your home computer or smart phone. With the current units, it is set to a pre-chosen colors and or pictures from the factory. However with the new firmware updates, players will have the option to choose the appearance. At the moment, it is unannounced whether players will be able to upload and use personal content (like home photos/pictures), or if they will have a selection of themes to choose from to download from the PlayStation Online store.

Please note that these updates are automatic and systems will only need an internet connection in order to download them. Both units have WiFi connectivity available and will only need to connect to your home Wireless Network in order to do so.

References: 

PS4 and Vita are getting Themes - Destructoid.com

Theme Support coming to PS4 and PS Vita in New Updates - GameSpot.com

PS4 Firmware update adding Themes, Toro and Kuro are Pleased - Joystiq.com

New Customization Options Coming to PS Vita - IGN.com

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During our downtime at the E3 Video Game Conference, Nintendo announced their plans for a brand new way to interact with their games and video game systems. Amiibos.

Amiibos are essentially a toy, showing similarities to the idea spearheaded by the Skylander's franchise, that reflect all of the major Nintendo characters including Mario, Kirby, Donkey Kong, Star Fox, Link from Legend of Zelda, and more. 

The toy is used with both the Nintendo Wii U game system and Nintendo 3DS handheld game system. The Amiibo can be placed on the Wii U Game Pad (the large tablet-esque controller) in order to access that toy's data. The toy will store special saved data, customization options, extra in-game equipment, special moves, and more. The more that a player plays with one of the Amiibo toys, the more that toy will be leveled up and the "stronger" they will be for in-game use. While the major focus of the Amiibo release is for the upcoming title Super Smash Bros U, Nintendo has announced their intention to make the toys usable across multiple games.

The first batch of the Amiibo toys have been officially demonstrated and shown off. The characters that will be initially available include Mario, Princess Peach, and Yoshi from Super Mario Bros., Pikachu from Pokemon, Marth from Fire Emblem, Villager from Animal Crossing, Link from Legend of Zelda, and Donkey Kong, Kirby, Star Fox, and Wii Fit Trainer from their respective titles.

References:

Amiibos - IGN.com

Nintendo Amiibo Figurines Wiki Guide - IGN.com

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Nintendo has announced that their mega-popular Nintendo 3DS handheld game system is going to be receiving an upgrade in the overall design moving forward.

Due to popular request and the demand of new, upcoming titles for the Nintendo 3DS, the company has decided to do an overhaul on the unit to include a number of changes. The new units are going to include a secondary analog stick on the right side of the unit (originally the unit function with only a single stick). Additionally, the new unit will be upgrading the computing power within, adding two additional buttons, the ability to integrate and play with the above mentioned Amiibo toys, and the ability to change out the face plates on the unit.

Many of these changes are being made with the new Super Smash Bros. game in mind.

The new models of the 3DS will be launching in Japan later this year (October 11), however Nintendo has NOT confirmed the release for the U.S. and European markets. Company representatives stated that the dates will be confirmed separately, however that they will not be launching in 2014.

References: 

New Nintendo 3DS - IGN.com

Nintendo unveils 'new' 3DS, 3DS XL [update] - Joystiq.com

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And that is it for the day! Before we go though, we would like a raise a question to you: the reader. At the moment, we have been debating on two big titles to relaunch our reviews on. One is an older, but very popular title we had reviewed while it was still in testing: Minecraft! The second is a free to play title from Blizzard entertainment, a card game called Hearthstone.

Which would you like to see us review? Leave your comment in the box below or shoot us an e-mail!

Thank you again for joining us. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about our article today or just Video Games in general, feel free to reach out to us at our e-mail at theparentsguidetovideogames@gmail.com or simply by clicking on my name below. Make sure to follow us at Facebook and Twitter to get up to the moment updates! See you soon!

LabR@

The Parent's Guide to Video Games