Minecraft, $6.99-$26.95 Xbox 360, PC and Mac, Android and Apple iOS ages 10-up
Journey, $14.99, or $29.99 for collector's edition with Flow and Flower PS3 ages 10-up And after you finish the game, you can create your own levels. Musical sounds are emitted as you jump, run and stick to surfaces. Advancements transfer between the PS3 and Vita versions.Ī creative highlight for Sony's latest handheld game system, Sound Shapes plays as a left-to-right platform game with mesmerizing visuals and music from the likes of Beck and Deadmau5. One to four players can battle simultaneously at home or online. $39.99- $59.99 PS Vita, PS3 ages 13-upĪ fun brawler that gathers a gaggle of PlayStation characters including God of War's Kratos, Uncharted's Nathan Drake, Little Big Planet's Sackboy and Parappa the Rapper. And another new mode lets two compete in a create-your-own-moves contest. A new party mode lets up to eight get their groove on. The latest edition of the body-tracking dance game covers music from the '70s to Moves Like Jagger - and yes, you'll soon be able to add Call Me Maybe and Gangnam Style, too. Harry Potter for Kinect, $49.99 Xbox 360 with Kinect ages 10-up The PS3's camera and Move controller transforms a new interactive book into a 3-D pop-up adventure tome that tests your spell-casting progress. This augmented-reality game creates a virtual Hogwarts where players can learn spells that are conjured up by Harry Potter author J.K. $39.99 (book and game), $79.99 (book, game, Move controller and camera) PS3 ages 10-up While Xbox 360 owners can make like Peyton Manning and verbally bark out plays with Kinect, Wii U players can call audibles with the touch screen. An updated physics engine delivers more realistic tackling. $39.99-$59.99 PS3, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U all agesĪ perennial performer, Madden NFL lets you manage a player or coach's virtual career – or simply pit your favorite teams against each other. Two can play cooperatively on consoles – for example, one controlling Frodo, the other Sam. Voices and scenes replicate the Peter Jackson-directed movies with humorous twists. The successful string of Lego-based renditions of films including the Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchises continues with this fun frolic through the Tolkien trilogy. Kinect Rush, $49.99 Xbox 360 with Kinect all ages. And toys can be used across various game systems and inserted into new iOS games. A fun game for role-playing parents to experience with their kids, and for good or bad, there's the inevitable store-hopping hunt for individually sold characters ($9.99-up) that can be added. This sequel makes use of the "Portal of Power" pedestal from last year's hit game to transport a new line of collectible characters including eight "giants" – and the original lineup – into this adventure game. Mario & Co.'s first high-def venture provides breathtaking visuals.
And solo sessions can be conducted completely on the GamePad using only its touchscreen, leaving the TV free for other family members.
Up to five can play simultaneously with current Wii remotes and the new GamePad (sold separately with system, $299.99). Nintendo icon Mario helps usher in the Wii U era with another charming chapter in the long-running franchise. The action all plays out in environments inspired by the space saga, complete with appropriate music and sound effects. As Obi-wan, Han Solo and Luke, they can use The Force, fire a blaster or unleash a lightsaber before crashing. When the angry birds strike back in this enchanting mashup, they have new powers to unleash on the storm-trooper-transformed pigs.
$0.99-$4.99 PC, Mac, Apple iOS, Google Android, Windows Mobile rated for all ages