Kids and Family Video Games

Gamers return to Disney's land of forgotten cartoons for an action-packed adventure complete with new voice acting, musical numbers, and co-op gameplay in Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two. With the citizens of the Wasteland rebuilding after the events of the first game, earthquakes plaguing the landscape, and a supposedly reformed Mad Doctor promising to help clean up, Oswald calls on Mickey to help restore order. The 3D platforming gameplay once again finds Mickey solving problems and reaching special areas by using his paintbrush to apply either paint or thinner.

Oswald comes along for the ride, serving as a constant AI companion or allowing a second player to drop in or out of the action at any time. He carries a remote control that lets him either fight or befriend other characters, and he can also detach his feet or use his floppy ears to fly short distances. During the course of their adventures Mickey and Oswald will interact with dozens of other characters, including Horace, Big Bad Pete, and Gremlin Gus, and travel to locations like Disney Gulch and the new Rainbow Caverns. And expanding on a mechanic from the first game, the choices players make have lasting consequences that can alter the ultimate outcome of their adventure. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

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. Gamers now have more control of the ball thanks to a one-to-one system in which the shot stick has been changed to the control stick, allowing players to dribble the ball like it's on a string. At the same time, on-the-ball defense has been upgraded and Xbox 360 gamers can now shade their defensive stance in order to force the offensive player to his weaker side.

The My Player mode has been upgraded and once again offers gamers the chance to guide a young player into superstardom, complete with RPG-like character progression, while the Franchise mode also returns for those who like to run the whole show, and multiplayer fans can take on friends in local or online action. The influence of Jay-Z can be seen not just in the soundtrack, featuring songs by himself, Kanye West, Mobb Deep, and Nas, but also in the inclusion of the famed 1992 Olympic Dream Team, a feature that allows users to pit yesterday's greats against contemporary superstars. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

EA Sports' massively popular soccer sim returns to the pitch for a 20th season of action with five significant gameplay changes, more than 30 real-world leagues, updated online features, and Kinect controls. New changes to the A.I. have players breaking down defenses and making runs to open up passing lanes, while more precise dribbling controls give gamers full 360-degree mobility, and first-touch control helps defenders win back possession after errant passes and bad touches. New free kick tools also let gamers adjust their wall defenders or go on dummy runs to confuse the keeper.

The career-based "Be a Pro" mode returns, while the RPG-like "EA Sports Football Club" lets players earn rewards, take on challenges, and level up in a variety of different gameplay modes, keeping track of all relevant stats, and offering up real-world storylines to keep things interesting. Kinect gamers can use voice commands to call for the ball, change formations, alter tactics, make substitutions, and even yell at referees, possibly earning themselves a booking in the process. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

EA Sports' long-running college football series returns to campus with a new mode and enough updates and adjustments to fill a college textbook in NCAA Football 13 for Xbox 360. The most significant change for this season is an emphasis on more realistic passing and pass defense, with "Total Control Passing" allowing quarterbacks to take specific dropbacks, pump fake, and change the trajectory of each pass, and the new "Read & React Defense" producing more realistic reactions from linebackers and defensive backs by requiring them to see the ball before they make a play on it.

Adding to the franchise's stable of career modes is the new "Heisman Challenge," in which gamers can play as a selection of former Heisman Trophy winners and attempt to duplicate their award-winning stats. The popular "Dynasty" and "Road to Glory" modes return, once again allowing users to guide a single player or an entire team through multiple college football seasons. And game presentation has been overhauled in NCAA Football 13, with new trophies and pre-game traditions, updated commentary from Kirk Herbstreit, Brad Nessler, and Erin Andrews, and dynamic studio updates from ESPN analyst Rece Davis. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Stylistic soccer returns to Xbox 360 with FIFA Street. Designed using the same engine that powers EA's FIFA Soccer 12, FIFA Street emphasizes nimble dribbling and trick moves designed to fake out or embarrass opponents. The fancy footwork is not limited to the ground, either, with aerial skills that allow you to perform acrobatic feats of agility to get by defenders.

More than 50 skill moves are included as you compete in over 35 international venues, from simple parking lots to the streets of the world's largest cities. The World Tour story mode lets you create a custom team and gradually upgrade attributes and unlock new skill moves and dribbling styles. You'll also choose from an assortment of match types, including Panna Rules, Freestyle, Futsal, and Last Man Standing formats. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

The sequel to Just Dance Kids includes more than 40 new songs with which to shake, sway, and sashay. Featured tracks include "Love Me," "Shake Your Groove Thing," "Something That I Want," "Just the Way You Are," "Whip My Hair," "Despicable Me," and "Hold Still," each recorded by children. Up to four players can work together to set high scores or compete against one another. As in the previous game, the "Dance Party Mode" lets children continuously dance without having to stop to switch songs or navigate menu screens. Parents can also monitor their child's activity level by viewing a screen that shows burned calories, time played, and favorite songs. Note: the Xbox 360 version requires the Kinect motion-tracking camera in order to play. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Record-setting Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps guides gamers as they use their Kinect Sensor to compete in butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke, and freestyle races in Michael Phelps: Push the Limit. The "Career" mode finds players traveling to locations around the world, from mountain backdrops to bustling cityscapes, taking on rivals, competing for medals at the "Annual Games," and eventually taking on Phelps himself. But before the final showdown, Phelps offers tips on how to improve starting reactions, dives, strokes, turns, and finishes. Push the Limit supports online competition on Xbox Live, as well as local action for up to eight players. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Designed for the Kinect motion-sensing camera, Once Upon a Monster has youngsters helping Cookie Monster and Elmo solve a series of problems for their fellow monster friends. The game is structured like a storybook, with each chapter devoted to an individual monster and his peculiar predicament. Through hands-on activities, players will make new friends, cooperate, confront fears, and learn about the similarities and differences that make others unique.

As players engage in the story, they will sway from side to side to avoid obstacles, jump over items, flap their arms to fly, play instruments, blow out candles, and perform rhythmic motions that correspond to an onscreen character. In addition to Cookie Monster and Elmo, popular characters Grover and Oscar will make appearances along with all-new monsters. Drop-in and drop-out cooperative play is also supported, allowing parents, siblings, or friends a chance to share in the activities. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Nicktoons MLB is an off-the-couch sports game, featuring a diverse lineup of characters from Nickelodeon cartoons playing alongside real-life big league baseball players. In the field, on the mound, and at the plate, Kinect gamers use realistically athletic motion controls to engage in exaggerated-action, video game baseball. The game's unusual style is balanced on the juxtaposition of animation-inspired silliness and serious sports play. From popular and cult-favorite cartoons, both past and present, Nickelodeon characters include SpongeBob, Invader Zim, Fanboy, Chum Chum, Ren, and Stimpy. High profile players from all 30 Major League Baseball teams are also featured, including Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers, Andre Ethier from the Dodgers, and the Yankees' Robinson Cano. Nickelodeon characters appear as they do in their cartoons, but in virtual 3D. The real-life MLB pros are rendered with equal authenticity, and each wears his team uniform. Similarly, the toon-inspired stadiums in the game impose humorous ground rules, and are festooned with inside jokes for fans, while the stylized re-creations of real-world MLB stadiums will be recognizable by ballpark regulars. The Xbox 360 version of Nicktoons MLB was developed by High Voltage Software, experienced creators of cartoon-themed games including Nickelodeon Fit and Nickelodeon Dance. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

The only college football video game in the country returns to the high-def gridiron for the 2011-12 season. The goal of NCAA Football 12 is to present onscreen action that plays with on-field authenticity, and that looks like a Saturday afternoon broadcast in the heart of the season. Topping the list of the "2012" game's technical advancements is a new tackling system, which relies on momentum for realistic hits and take-downs. Dozens of real-world teams are available for play, including many hometown favorites and all of the Game-of-the-Week contenders, re-created with actual team names, uniform options, and playbooks. As in earlier editions of the annual offering, gamers can create custom players to add to their favorite team, or to guide through an entire collegiate career.

Gamers may also choose to draft and field the game's pre-designed fictional players, focusing instead on building a dynasty for their favorite team. Top schools enjoy traditional gameday celebrations as their squads take the home turf, including the University of Oklahoma's "Sooner Schooner" covered wagon and Georgia Tech's "Ramblin' Wreck" old-time automobile. Highlighting the game's graphical improvements, a new "high dynamic range" rendering process produces more realistic lighting effects. The process better accounts for the eye's natural adjustment to different levels of brightness, especially when playing in an afternoon field, half-covered by shadow, or in an artificially lit night game. Additional presentational upgrades include 3D-rendered grass on the field, higher-resolution crowds, new Nike-brand uniform options, and additional player-customization choices. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide