Nintendo Wii Screenshots: 10 Minute Solutions

I rented 10 Minute Solutions for the Wii about a month ago. I instantly liked the variety of the step aerobics, although I still do not like the tutorial always being at the beginning and you have to be damn perfect to get past it and actually start the workout.

The boxing is sort of crap compared to Gold's Gym, but I finally realized it could be done with 2 wii remotes. There is not as much of an issue of responsiveness accuracy in boxing, but I think that is only because that is my strong suit.

Overall I kind of like the game as a quick workout. I even ended up buying it. However, it can also be one of the most frustrating exergaming games I have played and hence I really recommend you rent it first or entirely avoid it for the better put together exergaming games such as Gold's Gym, Wii Fit Plus, or even My Fitness Coach.

Click the thumbnails below to see a larger version of the screenshots.

Nintendo Wii Screenshots: LEGO Harry Potter

Earlier this month I really enjoyed playing through LEGO Harry Potter on the Nintendo DS. I thought I would also enjoy the Wii version. I knew it was different, as I had heard they changed stuff for the DS. Thus I figured it would be a fun new experience. Well, it was certainly new and not at all like the DS version at least as far as I got. However, it was not fun.

The DS version has a lot of in game instruction without feeling overly tutorial. Well, the Wii version has very little help as you play. I do not mind that too much, but the game gets confusing and I had no idea where or what I was supposed to be doing half the time. The troll level (I assume it is a level, but the structure is so free form that I never seemed to even finish one level despite it seeming a few levels in) is what killed my interest in the game and that was not even two hours into playing. I should mention of those 2 hours I played the game over 1 hour was just on the small part of the troll level.

The first issue I ran into with the troll level was that near the fountain I was Harry and fell off the ledge and got entirely stuck. Harry could not get out. I could switch to Ron, but I was totally stuck in that part of the game because Harry could not move out of the spot. I had to restart my Wii, which put me way back in the game because the save point was not near this part of the game. Then I get through that area and I get stuck by the bathroom door. It would not let me in, I think because I was not a girl character and I could not figure out what the heck to do. I probably could have looked it up online, but I was already so frustrated with this version and decided to mail it back and get my next Gamefly rental instead.

Bottom line I loved the DS version and even though I beat it I would consider buying it to play more. The Wii version I do not care for at all and probably would not even play it again if I got it for free.

Click the thumbnails below to see a larger versions of the screenshots.

Nintendo DS Screenshots: LEGO Harry Potter

I rented LEGO Harry Potter for the DS for about a month. I only spent about two actual weeks playing it daily, but I really loved it. I played through it just once, but I would have played it more to try to get all the extras and get closer to 100% complete if I did not end up with the Wii version as a rental. The DS version was a lot of fun and not too challenging. It is different than the console versions, but in my opinion it is for the better, although it is very similar to the set up for LEGO Indiana Jones and Star Wars.

I have not been much into Harry Potter games since the early ones (I played through almost all the versions of the Sorcerer's Stone on different systems years ago), but this one got my interest and kept it throughout. I liked that it was not too hard. It was simple in that enemies were not too hard and if you die you just respawn right there usually. It is not exactly easy, though, as there are still some challenges more in the puzzle solving way.

Overall it is a lot of fun to play the game. The cut scenes are also funny as I have come to expect from LEGO.

Click on the thumbnails below to see a larger version of the screenshots.

Cooler Car Entertainment with the XDMA6630

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dual Electronics. All opinions are 100% mine.

The XDMA6630 will surely make your car cooler than your friends that do not have it due to it being an ultimate car audio system.  It is a new car mobile entertainment system with some pretty cool features.  The XDMA6630 mobile entertainment system from Dual Electronics has high speed functionality while also having Bluetooth connectivity.

What I like is that is has easy connectivity with iPods and iPhones with a front panel USB connection that also charges the devices.  Even better is that it is also compatible with other devices, although it does not charge all. It also has 3.5mm auxiliary input and 2-RCA preamp outputs.

Another nice feature is the wireless remote.  The remote allows you to control your music from a distance, which means people in the backseat can control the music while those in the front pay attention to driving and navigating.

The XDMA6630 is also a potential solution for those that need to talk on their cell phone hands free while in the car.  The sound quality of calls using the XMDA6630 is improved by having an external microphone.  Sound quality is often an issue with hands free calling using car entertainment system devices to do it, but it seems the external microphone can solve the issue.

Nintendo DS Screenshots: Puffins Island Adventure

This is an unique racing game, but it also has some adventure style parts where you have to fly around the map to do things to unlock new levels. Sounds different and it is, but it is also darn annoying and boring to have these in between things to do between the more interesting levels. I liked the racing and diving levels, but the in between stuff annoyed me so much I did not play for very long.

Click the thumbnails below to see a larger version of the screenshots.