Rayman Origins for Xbox review

I am not sure where we have been when it comes to the Rayman series of games!

We were recently sent the Rayman Origins game on XBox 360 for review and it was the first time we had come across Rayman and his friends.  With the option to play solo or co-op with up to 4 players the game is fast and furious.

Rayman Origins has over 60 levels and over 100 characters involved and the graphics are quirky and fun.  Although Rayman Origins is a 2D game the game play itself  is seamless and you become absorbed in the whole game very quickly. It is a classic platform game where you help Rayman and his friends restore peace to the Glade of Dreams and kick the Dartoons out and with end of challenge Boss Battles the game is intense but fun.

My 10 year old son became quite frustrated at times as he tried to master the moves but the co-op facility allows you to help out and so eases the frustration at not being able to complete a move or challenge - phew!

Whether you love Rayman and have played all the previous games or are, like us, experiencing it for the first time the game holds something for everyone but I would not say that younger players will find it easy and may need a helping hand.

Rayman Origins is available for Wii, XBox 360 and the PS3 and like its Rayman game predecessors may just be a classic in the making.

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Experience the Black Eyed Peas for yourself with Ubisoft

The Black Eyed Peas Experience from Ubisoft allows you to join in with Fergie, Will I.Am, Apl.de.Ap and Taboo, as you learn the choreography to 28 of their chart topping tracks including I Gotta Feeling, Shut Up and my favourite The Time (Dirty Bit!). 


Your  routines are scored for accuracy whilst the lyrics are displayed on screen so you can join in with a quick sing song whilst you dance away - a total Black Eyed Peas Experience!

We love the Black Eyed Peas in our family so we happily joined in with the songs although it was a little dissapointing that a lot of the dance sequences required better dance moves than we had and there were few 'easy' or 'novice' options but that didn't stop us having a go.  My daughter loves to use the dance mat games in our local bowling alley and so found the game a lot easier than I did!


The game graphics may not be as 3d and state of the art as some modern games but it was clear it was the Peas and I especially liked the Will.I.Am character. You can't mistake Will.I.Am after all!


A very entertaining game that we experienced on Xbox 360 and with the Kinect picking up our every dance move it was very interactive.  You can't help but join in with the words and is a perfect gift for any fan.  Another feature of the game is the Choreo-Maker mode where you can choreograph your own dance routine to challenge your friends.  You can also share them on XBox Live.


The Black Eyed Peas Experience by Ubisoft is available for XBox (Kinect sensor required) and Wii so crack out your leotards, leg warmers or just dance in your PJ's. 

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The adventurers return in a new Ubisoft game

So hands up who remembers Tin Tin from their own youth? Yep me to!

My children are now experiencing Tin Tin and Snowy the dogs adventures all over again with the recent film launch and now The Adventures of Tin Tin by Ubisoft.

We have been playing the Xbox version of the game and it has become an instant hit in our house.  The game is a combination of excerpts from the film and clever game play that sees both 2D and 3D animation. The flow of the game is very good and even though it is interjected with film clips it seamlessly blends and does not interrupt the play.

The 3D animation was impressive but hard to capture with my camera!

The game had my children hooked and the music alone keeps you enthralled as you play as Tin Tin on search of treasure, unlocking maps and solving mysteries as you go.  Even Captain Haddock is featured!

I found the game was suitable for my children at aged 10 and 12 although my 12 year old has now completed the game after about 3/4 days of play.  That's not the end though as you can complete a series of Kinect compatible challenges or join in and help a friend play the game in co-op game mode.

The Kinect compatible challenges are good as you drive alongside with Captain Haddock in his sidecar, controlling its direction with your body, but is a supplementary addition to the game itself so you can play the game without the Kinnect accessory.

Help your aim by lining up with the lines

The game box does state there is depictions of violence, always something I look for with a game, but it was fairly mild in comparison to many games I have seen and with the classic cartoon style circle of stars around the head when a player or adversary is knocked out of the game it keeps a more friendly feel although it is rated as 12 by PEGI (Pan European Game Information).  I did not see anything I was uncomfortable with but the game does contain a sword fight aboard a ship which I wanted to raise awareness of for parents of  younger players.

The game is availiable on Xbox 360, Nintedo 3DS, Wii, and PS3. A great platform style game for all the family and not too difficult to pick up - even for us more mature game players!
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