Lego Batman

Lego Batman. Burbank, CA: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Inc., 2008. $19.99 ISBN 993929020720

Plot Summary: Batman and Robin must save Gotham City from the villains recently escaped from Arcane Asylum.

Critical Evaluation: This game was pretty fun, but after about thirty minutes I was confused about what I was supposed to accomplish. I couldn't figure out how to defeat Clayface and soon gave up. If I was a better video game player I may have kept going, or looked up what I was supposed to do. It would be a better game if playing with a friend, which it has the option of doing. I will probably give it another try.

Reader's Annotation: Legos and Batman come together for an action packed video game to follow Batman and Robin as they defeat the villains from Arcane Asylum.

Author Bio:

Genre: Science Fiction, Comic, Adventure

Curriculum Ties:

Booktalking Ideas: Show some legos, preferably Batman themed Legos, and a few Batman comic books and smash them together (carefully) to illustrate the fusion of Batman and Legos in the action packed video game.

Reading Level/Interest Age: Ages 9 and up

Challenges: The violence may be an issue.

Reason for including: I love Batman and Legos, so this was a great combo. It says E (for everyone), but I felt that it best suited the tween group because it is in between the kid world of Legos and teen world of action packed comic books.

Totally Spies Wii Game

Totally Spies. Redmond, WA: Valcon Games, 2009. $19.99 UPC 853333001479

Plot Summary: Based on the French TV show and graphic novel series Totally Spies! the game follows cute spies Sam, Clover and Alex on their mission to defeat Mandy and The Boss. It follows a story by chapter, and allows the players to attempt to defeat Mandy on multiple game boards that lead to arcade games. Through out the game, players are able to get new outfits and put on fashion shows.

Critical Evaluation: I must admit I was very disappointed with this game. It made no sense. However, if I hadn't been playing alone and knew the background story it might have been more fun. The activities are those of high school aged girls, but definitely geared toward tween age girls. I find this to be very confusing.

Reader's Annotation: Help spies Sam, Clover and Alex defeat their enemy Mandy by battling her across the game board.

Author Bio: N/A

Genre: Manga

Curriculum Ties: None.

Booktalking Ideas: Talk about the graphic novel/Manga series and tie it into a game night.

Reading Level/Interest Age: Ages 7-12

Challenges: The situations are definitely geared toward high school age girls, but is marketed and aimed at tween girls.

Reason for including: I thought it looked like a Manga style video game, which would definitely appeal to many tween girls.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for Wii

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for Wii
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Electronic Arts: 2009. $49.99 SKU
Readers Annotation: Become a witch or wizard while playing Wii by flying a broomstick, dueling with wands, and making potions.
Plot Summary: This Wii game follows both the book and movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, taking aspects from both. Players are able to start at the beginning, following Harry and his friends as they roam around the castle, take classes, and learn magic at Hogwarts. If following the story isn't your thing, then duel a friend with magic wands, or play quidditch on a broom. This game will give hours of enjoyment as you play your way through Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Critical Evaluation: This Wii game is a step up from the last Harry Potter Wii game based on The Order of the Phoenix. This game allows for up to two players, unlike the previous one which only allowed one player at a time. Although only one player can play the story aspects of the game, two can be part of the Gryffindor Dueling Club. Players can also play quidditch and make potions, which is another step up from the previous game. If only there was a Wii version of the Quidditch World Cup game from a few years ago. Suggested for ages ten and up, teens will really get into the action of the game and the exitement of pretending to fly a broom or hold a wand. I found the game to be much more interesting than the previous Wii game, and a lot more user friendly. The spellwork isn't as complicated as before, and the instructions are easier to follow. Dueling was a blast, literally.
Information about the Author: EA is one of the leading makers of video games, including Madden and all of the other professional sports games, as well as Sims and the new EA Sports Active.
Genre: Action & Adventure, Fantasy
Age Level: Everyone, ages 10 and up
Curriculum Ties: No curriculum ties.
Book talking ideas: Get a Harry Potter discussion going. Discuss how using Harry Potter types magic would make things different.
Challenge Issues: The fact that players are emulating spell work and potion making, essentially wielding magical powers, may make some parents uncomfortable.
Why I included it: How could I not include something Harry Potter? Harry Potter seems to be an intergenerational series, with many teens getting so into the books that they dress up for movie and book releases, and are the same Harry Potter character every year for Halloween (including yours truly). How fun would it be to pretend to be Harry and his friends and battle Lord Voldemort while wielding the Wii remote as a wand?