Kids and Family Video Games

NBA 2K13 lets basketball fans return to the hardwood for another season of action by offering them enhanced controls, upgraded defense, and a soundtrack hand-picked by rapper, media mogul, and executive producer Jay-Z. Basketball legend Michael Jordan also takes center stage, with the Jordan Challenge Mode putting players in the middle of his greatest games, and the My Jordan mode letting them put a newly drafted Jordan on any contemporary team. Those looking to blaze their own trail can also guide their own young player into superstardom in the My Career mode. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Konami's "Winning" soccer series makes its 2012 return to the pitch, with play enhancements that give gamers more direct control of the ball and improvements to the artificial intelligence that controls teammates and opponents. "Off the Ball Control" allows gamers to move a cursor to quickly highlight and select any team player at any time. The game's "Pass Support" is adjustable through five settings, providing computer-assisted passes or allowing complete player control of a kick's direction and velocity.

New interactions and animations and highlight the bumps and jostles as opposing players race down the field, battling for the ball. Teammates anticipate passes, accounting for movement down the field, and referees are designed to be more sensitive to the flow of the game. Following earlier games in the series, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 includes the teams, tournaments, and athletes of the Union of European Football Associations, and features the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League competitions. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Sony's whimsical Hot Shots series returns to PSP with rackets instead of clubs. Featuring the same childlike characters and customization found in Hot Shots Golf, Hot Shots Tennis includes doubles and singles play on a variety of court surfaces. A career-style progression system will have you roaming around a tennis academy in between matches as you work on perfecting your swing and fulfilling story-oriented objectives. Game sharing support is included for up to four players, and characters can unlock and earn hundreds of clothing and accessory options while competing in tournaments. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Sony's family friendly mascot Sackboy comes to portable gamers with new platform adventures, new worlds to explore, and new user-generated levels in LittleBigPlanet. Following the "Play.Create.Share" model of its console forebear, LittleBigPlanet for the PSP once again finds gamers guiding their lovable burlap doll through more than 35 themed levels in "Play" mode, designing their own unique levels in "Create" mode, and uploading their creations to the PlayStation Network in "Share" mode. The "Play" mode levels are filled with prize bubbles that reward curious and thorough players with new costumes, stickers, and level-building materials. Once players have completed a series of "Create" mode tutorials they can begin to craft and share their own levels, limited only by their imagination and the number of items they have collected in "Play" mode. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Featuring over 650 cars designed with "real life" physics that affect speed, weight, and friction, Gran Turismo 4 Mobile is now available for on-the-go play. Players may select and customize their chosen rides and then test drive their creations on over 100 courses in such locations as New York City, the Grand Canyon, Tsukuba Circuit, and Nordschleife. Gamers can control their whip with the PSP controls or steer with a compatible driving wheel. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide

Gamers can join Hannah Montana for a seven-stop world tour filled with singing, dancing, and custom concert design in Rock Out the Show, the first PSP title for Disney's ultra-successful songstress. Hannah's friends Jackson and Lilly come along for the ride too, helping players add excitement to each musical performance by customizing dance moves, lighting, and special effects using the "Rockstar Moment" maker. There are 11 different songs to perform, including three new tracks, and gamers can head online via the PlayStation Network to share performances with friends, or download expansion packs that open up new wardrobes, special effects, and stage props. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Side-scrolling silhouetted rhythm warriors battle to the beat in Patapon 2, a stylish sequel in the visual style of the original, designed by French graphic artist Rolito. As in the original PSP game, players communicate with the little eyeball-like Patapons using rhythms instead of words. They give simple commands, such as "move," "attack," or "defend," by playing particular drumbeat sequences. The game's levels pose platform and combat puzzles. Players must use the correct commands to position their Patapon warriors and have them fight or perform special abilities at the right time, to defeat enemies or exploit the weakness in a giant boss monster. Command sequences must be entered in time with a background rhythm that plays throughout the stage, and so an improvisational percussion song is created as orders are given and fights are fought. Victory is often rewarded with upgrades to weapons or defenses. Patapon 2 features additional drumbeat commands and a new type of warrior, the Hero Patapon, which can be customized to fill a variety of roles in battle. Patapon 2 also offers music-themed mini-games and a multiplayer mode.


Note: The retail release of Patapon 2 comes packaged with a voucher containing a download code, which allows the consumer to obtain the game from PlayStation Network. The package does not include a UMD. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The only licensed game of the UEFA European Soccer Championship, UEFA Euro 2008 follows the 16-team tournament held in Austria and Switzerland throughout the month of June. As in the real-life competition, 16 qualifying teams are equally divided among four groups. New for 2008 is a knockout stage that separates groups A and B from groups C and D until the finals. In the quarterfinals, the winner of each group will compete against the runner-up from the second group. Match winners then advance to the semifinals to determine which two teams vie for the championship.

UEFA Euro 2008 features 53 European national teams, eight authentic stadiums, and a custom team option. In addition to the tournament, notable play modes include "Captain Your Country" and "European Campaign." The former involves trying to lead a country to victory by calling the shots on the pitch, and it supports both solo and wireless play. European Campaign offers a series of challenges presented on a map of Europe. Completing each challenge earns players "growth points" to enhance an individual athlete's attributes. Winning matches against specific countries also awards players with credits, which can be spent on stickers to complete an in-game Sticker Book. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Brunswick Pro Bowling invites gamers to channel their inner bowler and head to the lanes for single- and multiplayer competitions. Entering Career mode, players must work their way from amateur to professional in a season's worth of tournaments located at ten authentic Brunswick bowling centers. Successfully completing each challenge unlocks a variety of content including balls, venues, and apparel. Those looking for an individual game may enter the Quick Play mode and roll through a single frame. By connecting to a wireless network, gamers may compete with friends in competitive play and further customize their characters with extra content available only through the online community. ~ Gracie Leach, All Game Guide

Based on the innovative PlayStation original, this PSP edition of Ape Escape sets loose a whole new round of siren-helmeted simians, and challenges players to catch them all before they rewrite history to put themselves at the top of the evolutionary ladder. In the role of the absent-minded professor's plucky companion Spike, PSP gamers must use stealth tactics and an array of goofy gadgets to capture more than 200 escaped monkeys, hiding throughout more than 20 levels on eight historically inspired game worlds. ~ All Game Guide