FOR NINTENDO DS™ IS NOW AVAILABLE

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – February 28, 2011 – Activision (Nasdaq: ATVI) and GameMill Publishing, in association with Cepia, LLC, today announced that ZhuZhu Princesses: Carriages & Castles for Nintendo DS™ is now available. Players will go on a magical journey with their favorite hamster bunch and help Princess Snowcup find Prince Dashington’s castle.

In ZhuZhu Princesses: Carriages & Castles, ZhuZhu fans will become hamster royalty and go on a quest through all new locations and mazes to find Prince Dashington and his majestic castle. Players will explore with their old friends, Patches, NumNums, Pipsqueak, Jilly, Nugget, Peachy, and Pinky, as well as new friends, Princess Snowcup and Prince Dashington, dressing them up in outfits and accessories fit for a royal family! (or something like that. Just seems weird that the prince will be wearing princess outfits) With more than 40 levels to explore and hamsters to care for and dress up, ZhuZhu Princesses: Carriage & Castles will fulfill players’ royal fantasies.

ZhuZhu Princesses: Carriages & Castles is now available on Nintendo DS™. This game is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB. For more information, please visit www.activision.com.

About GameMill Entertainment

GameMill Entertainment is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. GameMill is a third party publisher of various Children’s and Casual games for the PC, Nintendo DS, and Wii from Nintendo. With development across the globe, GameMill is a source of entertaining and fun games for all ages. www.game-mill.com.

About ZhuZhu Pets™

ZhuZhu Pets™ are innovative, realistic, interactive, plush, and artificially intelligent hamsters that talk and move around in their own playsets.  ZhuZhu Pets include two play modes: nurturing mode where the hamsters coo and purr and adventure mode where the hamsters explore their habitat with intelligent audio and mechanical responses to various habitat stimuli.  Over a dozen add-ons can be purchased to build an ever-evolving hamsterworld for your hamster to play in and explore.  Powered by 2 AAA batteries (included), ZhuZhu Pets™ are suitable for ages 4 and up.  For more information, please visit www.zhuzhupets.com.

About Cepia, LLC

Cepia was founded in 2002 in St. Louis, Missouri by a senior management team boasting over 100 years of combined history in the toy industry.  Ingenuity, creativity, playfulness, and passion are the heart of Cepia and everything it creates.  Cepia is especially known for its use of advanced technology, which is employed in such an unobtrusive way that the toys are not only fun to play with, but often viewed as “wonderful” or “magical.” Cepia’s toy brand building enterprises include Glo-e a light-up plush bear, Hydro Max a motorized water blaster, Sky Raptors, Sk8, and their newest venture ZhuZhu Pets™.  For more information, please visit http://www.cepiallc.com/.

About Black Lantern
Black Lantern Studios, Inc. is an independent interactive entertainment software developer for consoles and the PC. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Black Lantern Studios is committed to providing the highest quality, richest, and most satisfying gaming experience to its customers, and delivering value to its publishers and partners. For more information about Black Lantern Studios, please visit www.blacklanternstudios.com or e-mail info@blacklanternstudios.com.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision Publishing maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, http://www.activision.com/.

Our daughter was recently given the opportunity to review EA‘s newest DS title Littlest Pet Shop 3 Biggest Stars Blue Team for the Nintendo DS.  We checked out the game, and found it to be suitable for children of most ages.  Here is her review.

You can change the color of your pets.  You can also name the pet.  Sometimes you will win food for your pet by petting, and playing.  Fabrics can be made by finding flowers throughout the game.  By finding carrots, apples, and grapes you can also make your pets favorite food.  While looking for the food mystery gifts will appear that will allow you to win more accessories, and food.  There are 10 mini games that can be played as they are made available by completing different things.  You can only have 2 game saves on the cartridge at a time.  You can play this game multiplayer by hosting, or joining another DS game.  I think that they should have made it so you could have more than the alloted amount of pets in the game.  The graphics were great.  The game is very easy to play, and for a dedicated person the game can be completed in just days.

When you purchase the LPS3 Biggest Stars game you will get a code for the LPS online game.  You can get clothing, and posters for your pets with this code.

This title comes in 3 colored teams… Purple, Pink, and Blue.  Each title has specific pets.

I think that this game would be good for boys and girls ages 6-10 years old. 

I give the game a 8 out of 10.

I had to take off 2 points because of the ease, and feeling that the game should have been able to have more pets.

The msrp of LPS3 Biggest Stars is $34.99.  This title is available through most stores like Toys’R'Us, and many others.

The game is rated E for everyone.

POWER A today announced that the POWER A LEGO® Play & Build Remote for Wii™ is now shipping into Toys”R”Us stores in North America with an MSRP of $39.99. The perfect holiday gift for LEGO fans, this officially licensed LEGO product lets players use official LEGO pieces to creatively customize a full featured remote for Wii!

Features

• Build, play and customize with this fully featured LEGO remote for Wii!  
• Compatible with Wii MotionPlus™.
• Comes with 31 BONUS colorful LEGO tiles to personalize the design of the remote’s top surface.
• Use your own official LEGO pieces (not included) to build a custom display stand using the Buildable Battery Cover!
• The remote features internal accelerometers, an internal speaker, and larger buttons for enhanced control during game play.
• Works with most Wii chargers and attachments (using included Standard Battery Cover).
• Includes Remote, Wrist Strap, 2 Battery Covers, and 31 Mini LEGO tiles with LEGO Tile Separator tool.
• Officially licensed LEGO product; original POWER A design.

About The LEGO Group

The LEGO Group is a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company is still owned by the Kirk Kristiansen family who founded it in 1932.  The LEGO Group is engaged in the development of children’s creativity through playing and learning. Based on the world-famous LEGO brick, the company today provides toys, experiences and teaching materials for children in more than 130 countries. The LEGO Group has approximately 8,000 employees, and it is the world’s fifth largest manufacturer of play materials.

About POWER A

POWER A creates reliable, high quality and innovative accessories that amplify consumers’ experiences with the world’s best technologies. This consumer products division of Seattle-based BDA, Inc. partners with some of the most popular consumer electronics companies in the world, including Nintendo of America Inc, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC, Microsoft® and Apple®. Committed to producing the safest products possible, POWER A carefully monitors product development and quality assurance to exceed the testing requirements of its licensors. POWER A products are available at major retailers in North America, Europe, Australia, and Latin America. To learn more about POWER A accessories, please visit http://www.powera.com/. POWER A: Amplify Your Experience™.

She has My Fitness Coach at the top of the list.

Maya will guide you through dynamic workouts featuring close to 500 unique exercises – this ensures that no two workouts are ever the same. Choose your music, your mood, areas you want to focus on and Maya will take care of the rest.

• Fitness goals and workout calendar: decide if your fitness goal is weight loss, upper body strength, lower body strength, core body strength, cardio fitness, or flexibility. Then choose the length of your program and establish how often you plan to workout.
• Training sessions with over 500 unique exercises featuring Yoga, Pilates, Kickboxing, Cardio fitness, Strength Training, Flexibility, and Weight Loss Routine.
• Tutorials: during the workout you can pause the action and watch the model demonstrate exactly how a move is done correctly.
• Settings: 9 different workout environments and 4 types of music (Hip Hop, 80′s, Latin and Dance).

My daughter got to review Activisions Build-A-Bear Welcome To Hugsville for the Nintendo DS.

The game retails for $29.99

The game is rated

Here is her review…

The game is about Build A Bears that need help with getting there tasks done, and to make the town beautiful.  In order to win things in the game you need to complete various challenges.  I think the game is great for kids aged 5 to 12.  Kids that like bears will definitelly love this game.  I found the graphics to be very good.  The game sounds were well done, and change throughout the different places.  The game was fun.  It was easy to make things, paint, and find hidden things.  I found the maze challenge to be very hard.  You can have up to 3 save files.  I only wish you could have more bears in the game save.  You also can’t go inside of your house.  Players can earn plants by doing challenges.  You can play multiplayer in the mini-games.  You can make cars, scooters, skateboards, and more.  Here is the most important thing… You can unlock codes for Buildabearville.com for your person, and your bear.

I give the game a 9 out of 10.

My daughter also received Activisions Build-A-Bear Friendship Valley for the Nintendo Wii.

The game retails for $29.99

The game is rated

Here is her review…

It is almost time for the town festival.  You have to get everything read, talk to people, and earn things.  I believe that children from 5 to 12 years old will love this game.  Kids that like stuffed animals will also like this.  Using the Wii remote is challenging, so the player needs to be very good with the Wii Remote.  The gameplay was great.  The graphics, and sound were excellent.  It was fairly easy to bake, and also fix things.  The mini games were slightly challenging.  I didn’t like that you can only have 1 Build A Bear in each save.  I wasn’t fond of doing quests.  You can play multiplayer in the mini-games.  You can go inside your house in the Wii version.  You can unlock codes for Buildabearville.com for your person, and your bear.

I give the game a 10 out of 10.

Receiving these games did not effect our review of the game.  We were sent the games to review the product.

Here is the review by my daughter Leeann…

You can only have 4 dragons throughout the game.  This is one thing that I didn’t like because it would have been nice to be able to have more.  This may be because I like to have a lot of things.  I liked that you can customize your dragons, and fight dragons in tournaments.  There are mini games that can also be played.  It was a bit hard for me to train the dragons, fight in the tournaments.  I liked that you can find objects, and play along with friends.  The graphics were incredible.  Kids 5 to 12 years old can play this, adn enjoy.  I think they will want to be into fantasy games.

I rate the game 10 out of 10.

Here is a review by her friend Taylor…

I liked that you are allowed to customize your dragons, and how there’s a variety of dragons to pick from.  I didn’t like that it was a bit hard to figure out the multiplayer.  It was a bit hard fighting the dragons, and playing tournaments, but is was easy to pick up foods, ointments, bugs, and rocks.  I liked using Astrid as my character.  The graphics seemed pretty realistic, and colorful.  Some of the background in The Wild Zone was a bit creepy.  I think kids will like this game a lot, and especially if they like dragons, action, or adventure.

I rate the game 10 out of 10. 

The gameplay seemed easier with the PS3 game, and the moves were different between the two versions.

Here is a brief explanation of the game…

The game is about viking kids that train their dragons, take care of their dragons,and enter tournaments to fight each other.  You can design your dragon, and customize it in many ways.  In Adventure Mode you can explore the game world as either Hiccup, or Astrid.  You can also play in Arena Mode were you can fight, fire, and fly.  The end object of the game is to win tournaments, and become a skilled dragon fighter.

I rate the game 10 out of 10.

The game is rated:

MSRP of How To Train Your Dragon is $49.99 for the Wii, and also the PS3.

Get your copy today by visiting your local retailer.

My daughter went crazy when Santa brought Zhu Zhu pets for Christmas.  She plays with them quite often.  They are one of her more favorite toys.  Recently my daughter was given the opportunity to review Zhu Zhu Pets for the DS.  Here is another cute thing that I found, and it is that the hamsters have their own blog… It is at zhuzhupetshamsterblog.com.

In the beginning the game will come included with “Baxter”, an exclusive baby hamster.

We checked out the game for a little while, and found the game to be addictive, and fun.  The mazes can be challenging.

Here is her review…

I liked that you can take care of your Zhu Zhu pets, and play mini games.  I didn’t like to unlock the Zhu Zhu pets.  You have to take care of every Zhu Zhu pet that you have.  It was easy to take care of the pets, and there were some hard parts in some of the games.  The graphics were very good throughout the game.  I think a boy, or a girl that likes animals, or Zhu Zhu pets will like playing this game.  One of the nicest things about this game is that the instructions are spoken aloud.

Zhu Zhu pets can eat, drink, and sleep.  The object of the game is to find all 9 of the Zhu Zhu pets.  Some can be unlocked by playing the game for an amount of time, or by completing mazes, and winning trophies.  Throughout the mazes you will find different objects to collect.  You will also find various hazards in the mazes that you need to navigate through in order to get to the finish.  You help navigate the mazes by using your stylus.  The more you collect the more trophies you will win.  There is a autosave feature for when you turn off the game.  This works everywhere except when you are involved in mazes.  You can have up to 3 save files.  The Zhu Zhu pets can also have treats, go to the bathroom, exercise, and most of all… they need love.  Gameplay has 30+ mazes, and more.

The only thing that I don’t understand is why the adult Zhu Zhus can go into the nursery, but cannot interact with the babies.

I loved this game.  I rate the game 10 out of 10.  No issues, or problems as far as I am concerned.

MSRP of Zhu Zhu pets is $19.99

The game is rated E.

You can purchase this game by visiting your local game retailer.

Thanks to Activision for allowing her to review this game.  This review was not influenced by receiving the game for review.

A while back my wife got the EA Sports Active Personal Trainer to review, and even though she enjoyed using it she wanted more workout for her trouble spots.  When she got the new EA SPORTS Active More Workouts, an extra resistance band, and a leg strap she couldn’t wait to try it out.  She said that not only did they add 35 new exercises, but a new 6 week challenge with warm up, and cool down techniques.  They put in a way cool, and new optical course.  Her and the little one loved playing on it when they made their own custom workout.  They also added new AB exercises to help tone your mid-section.  She did find it a little hard at times doing them because they didn’t register correctly all the time.  One of the other cool things you can do with this one is if you have the old one like she does you can incorporate your old data in to the new one.

She has even had a friend come over, and use it to show her how easy it is to workout.  I never knew just how competive my wife was until the other day.  All I heard her tell her friend was how her friend could drink all the weight loss drinks she wanted, and in the end she would beat you by just burning more calories than her.  Overall she feels it’s not only more fun than a boring video that you do the same thing over, and over.  Its well worth the money that is being charged.  She gave it an 8 out of 10, and said she is so happy they improved it, but they need to work on the way it registers the exercise.

ACTIVISION PUBLISHING BRINGS “TOY OF THE YEAR” WINNER ZHU ZHU PETS™ TO LIFE TODAY ON NINTENDO DS™

First Copies Come Packaged With A Collectible Baby Hamster Toy!

SANTA MONICA – March 23, 2010 — Activision Publishing (Nasdaq: ATVI), GameMill Publishing, Inc., and Cepia LLC today announced the release of Zhu Zhu Pets™ for Nintendo DS, based off of the cuddly “Toy of the Year”-winning hamsters. The initial shipment of the game includes a Collectors’ Edition baby hamster named Baxter and is available while supplies last.

“Zhu Zhu Pets for Nintendo DS is arriving at a great time for the property,” said David Oxford at Activision Publishing. “After winning ‘Toy of the Year’, everyone is eager to see the next phase of their favorite toy.”

Gary Miller, President, GameMill Publishing, added, “This game delivers loveable hamsters, fun adventures and everything that Zhu Zhu Pets fans will love to play.” 

“The Zhu Zhu Pets ‘Zhu-niverse’ is growing exponentially and fans are having a lot of fun with each evolutionary step,” said Natalie Hornsby, Vice President of Marketing, Cepia LLC.  “We are extremely pleased to take this first step in our partnership with GameMill and Activision.”

Zhu Zhu Pets for Nintendo DS allows players to care for and play with their favorite hamsters, including Mr. Squiggles, Num Nums and Chunk. Players can lead their hamsters through more than 30 twisty, loopy levels on a skateboard, in a car or spinning in a hamster ball. After so much adventure, hamsters are sure to get tired and hungry and will need lots of care and love. Players can to make sure their hamsters get snacks, exercise, sleep and lots and lots of love!

Zhu Zhu Pets was the best-selling toy last holiday season and recently won three industry awards at the 10th annual Toy Industry Association Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards, including the 2010 “Toy of the Year,” “Girl Toy of the Year” and “Innovative Toy of the Year.”

Zhu Zhu Pets for Nintendo DS is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and is now available for Nintendo DS at the retail price of $29.99. For more information visit www.activision.com or www.gamemillpublishing.com.

About GameMill Entertainment

GameMill Entertainment is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. GameMill is a third party publisher of various Children’s and Casual games for the PC, Nintendo DS, and Wii from Nintendo. With development across the globe, GameMill is a source of entertaining and fun games for all ages. www.game-mill.com 

About Zhu Zhu Pets

Zhu Zhu Pets are innovative, realistic, interactive, plush, and artificially intelligent hamsters that talk and move around in their own playsets. Zhu Zhu Pets include two play modes: nurturing mode where the hamsters coo and purr and adventure mode where the hamsters explore their habitat with intelligent audio and mechanical responses to various habitat stimuli. Add-on accessories can be purchased to build an ever-evolving habitat for your pet to play in and explore. Zhu Zhu Pets expands in product line with the addition of Zhu Zhu Rock Stars, Zhu Zhu Wild Bunch and Kung Zhu, the first Zhu Zhu Pets specifically designed to appeal to boys.  Powered by 2 AAA batteries (included), both Zhu Zhu Pets and Kung Zhu are suitable for ages 4 and up. For more information, please visit www.zhuzhupets.com.

About Cepia LLC

Headquartered in St Louis, Mo., Cepia LLC is a privately held company that manufactures toys and games for children of all ages. The company was founded on the premise that sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Ingenuity, creativity, playfulness, and passion are the heart of Cepia and everything it creates. Cepia’s toy building enterprises include: Glo-e, a light-up plush bear, Hydro Max, a motorized water blaster, Sky Raptors, and their newest venture Zhu Zhu Pets. Zhu Zhu Pets has become an international sensation by combining realistic interaction with a fun, imaginative, interactive play design. Zhu Zhu Pets, their Zhu-niverse of accessories, and other toys from Cepia LLC are sold globally through national chain retail outlets and independent toy stores. For more information, please visit www.cepiallc.com.   

About Black Lantern
Black Lantern Studios, Inc. is an independent interactive entertainment software developer for consoles and the PC. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, Black Lantern Studios is committed to providing the highest quality, richest, and most satisfying gaming experience to its customers, and delivering value to its publishers and partners. For more information about Black Lantern Studios, please visit www.blacklanternstudios.com or e-mail info@blacklanternstudios.com.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Activision Publishing maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

Our little one was given the opportunity to review MySims Agents for the Nintendo DS by EA.

Before we gave it to her to try out we took a quick run through with it.  We found that the game is a great game for either boys, or girls.  The game will keep a child busy for quite some time.

You can learn more about the game by going to EA MySims Agents site.

Here is our little ones review…  (She seems to like this title a lot.)

In brief this game is about a crook that stole a secret map, and it is your job as a secret agent to get it back before he finds the treasure that the map will lead him to.

Being a girl I liked that you can shop, and design things to dress your person up.  You can also decorate your virtual house.  Other things you can buy are virtual food, clothes, furniture, and flowers.  Music plays throughout the game.  In the gametime of day the music is happy type, and in gametime of night the music is a bit creepy.  You can also play mini games.  I didn’t like that some parts of the mini games, and story were a bit harder than I expected, like following someone to their hideout.  I had to get my parents to help me with a few things because I get mad when I can’t complete something.  I think the game was esay to play for the most part.  The graphics were well done throughout the entire game.  I think girls, and boys that can be calm, and patient through a game will enjoy this title a lot.  I think that children from ages 6 to 12 should be fine playing this.

I give the game a 10 out of 10.

The game retails for $29.95

The official EA Info…

In MySims Agents players take on the role of a special agent on a mission to uncover and foil the sinister plans of Morcubus, the corrupt CEO of MorcuCorp. Players will search for clues and solve cases across the city and far beyond as they piece together his nefarious plans.

Armed with a set of increasingly sophisticated gadgets, players will track footprints, pick locks, hack into computers and do molecular forensics.

They will jump, climb, balance and build their way to follow cases no matter where they lead, even taking a private jet to reach an ancient temple, a spooky mansion and an icy mountaintop chalet. Along the way they meet MySims they can recruit to build up their own team of agents, and unlock rare items they can use to deck out their headquarters.

“Charm Girls Club celebrates everything that’s fun about being a girl,” said Sarah Handley, Senior Director of Marketing, EA Play Label. “Girls are gamers too and EA wants to provide them with games that are fun, fabulous and appeal to their interests.”

Recently my daughter was given the opportunity to review EA – My Perfect Prom – Charm Girls Club for the Nintendo DS.  The wife got a chance to quickly look over the title, and she said that she feels this is a great game for little girls.  The game is easy enough to play, and can easily take a child a good amount of time to play.

Here is our 10 year old daughters review.

I think girls will like this game.  In the game you are able to dress your person, collect charms, and play mini games.  Throughout the game music plays.  The game is played out on both screens of the DS, and the graphics are great.  I found it was easy to play, and earning charms was the easiest, and the hardest thing I found was a few of the mini games were not as easy as I would have liked.  The game requires time, and patience.

The game is basically about a person trying to get ready for the prom.  There are 8 mini games included.  You can earn clothes, jewelry, and more by playing the mini games.  Througout the game you get to virtual text your in-game friends about questions, and other things that you may need to know.  By texting you increase your friendship with others, and earn more charms.

I rate the game 10 out of 10.

The game is rated

MSRP of the game is $29.95.

There are other titles in the Charm Girl series.  My Fashion Show, and My Fashion Mall are 2 of the others that I have read about.

Thank you EA for the opportunity to review this title.

*This review is a result of a feedback campaign by EA.  I was asked to give my honest opinion about the product I received.  Receiving products will not result in favorable reviews, as I will always give my honest opinion. *

This title clears up the gaps that were missing from the first title.  My wife has been having her friend come over, and together they use More Workouts.  Her friend has decided that she won’t be using diet pills anymore because she wants to make this a routine activity with my wife. I will report back to everyone after she uses it a bit more.  She already told me that she won’t stop using the original title, as together they make a great system to use.  The MSRP of this title is $39.95.

Additional accessory packs for use with EA Sports Active are available for a MSRP of $19.95.  The accessory pack comes with a resistance band, and a leg strap.

You can purchase the above items at your local retailer, or by CLICKING HERE to go to the EA Store.

Here is a video from the EA site that shows just a bit about the title.

She has impressed me with how much she has lost, and I can thank Wii for helping her with her weight loss.  She has never been much of a video gamer, and I can’t say that this is a video game, but in all reality it is.  It is better than just a workout.  You get to workout at your own pace, and on your own schedule.  The program keeps track of your progress, and even awards you trophies.  She has been doing the 30 day challenge.

This has been the best weight loss product that she has used to date, and I hope she keeps it up.  The little one, and I are very proud, and whatever help she needs she will get.

Legendary Starfy

How was the gameplay?

Daughter: The game was on 2 screens.  You can dress up your person with stuff you find, and some parts of the game you can change into other things that can help you.

Wife: It was a lot like Mario Brothers.

Other notes…

Wife: They were cute, and bright.  The story line is a lesson in helping out someone in need.

Daughter: The story line was easy to follow, and I would play this.

Wife: I enjoyed playing it, and can see children playing it.  It has a lot of really cool missions.

Daughter: I understood the game without problem.  It was fun being a little star, and you have to help a bunny find out who he is.

Wife: It’s not for a child that is too young, as you need to read quite a bit.

Rating

My overall rating is 8 out of 10.

This is because you have to watch a lot of “video clips”

Here is a short video from the game.