We'll be taking a bit of a different focus today, as not all of the fun games we can play at the library are video games. Instead, today I want to focus on a really fun board game I played recently, one that is a ton of fun and (don't tell anyone!) actually a really great educational tool.

The game comes with a set of nine cubes, each with a different image on each side.  In order to play, players roll a set number of dice, the more dice the more difficult the game will be.  Once the dice have been rolled the player then keeps track of the images that are face up, then must write a story using each of the items that came up.  For example, in the picture above the player that rolled these dice must attempt to write a short story including an eye, a shooting star, a turtle, a bridge, an apple etc.  The number of cubes rolled can vary, changing the difficulty of the game for the age of the participants.  Older players can even participate at the same time as younger ones, the older ones will just have more cubes to work into their story.  Once all of the stories have been written, players will each take a turn at reading their stories aloud to the group.

This game is a lot of fun for kids of all ages, it gets participants working on their writing skills while laughing and having fun writing wacky stories.  A vivid imagination is almost required for this game, something that most kids have no problem bringing to the table. While writing and reading aloud their own stories to the group may be a bit daunting, once the ball gets rolling kids will be clamoring over one another as to who gets to be the next one to share.  With no specific goal or end game there are no winners and losers, which is key for a learning game of this type.  With no specific winners or losers, kids won't be discouraged if something they wrote didn't win. 

This game offers a ton of upside for kids of any age level.  It promotes using your imagination, good writing skills and confidence speaking in front of a group.  With such open ended gameplay, the players have a lot of control over how the game is played and what happens in their stories, an excellent departure for kids used to playing games that direct exactly from one action to the next.  In most situations writing short stories like this would be considered a chore, or even homework for players, but the addition of the cubes and the randomization of play makes all the difference and injects an exciting fun factor.  While we don't currently have a copy of this game at the library, look for it to be arriving soon!

Back to the handheld side of games for a bit, with my first post about one of my favorite series of all time. 

                The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is the second legend of Zelda game made for the Nintendo DS.  The series dates back to the original Nintendo Entertainment System and has been a centerpiece of any Nintendo system since. In each story the green clad hero Link must save whatever realm he happens to be residing in from destruction by evil forces.  While the villains change throughout the series, Link is our ever present hero.  By traveling through dungeons and solving puzzles, the player is ultimately able to save the day and thwart whatever evil plot had been concocted.  

                In this game Link has been awarded the honor of being a spirit train conductor, giving him the ability to travel all across the world in his special train, following the spirit tracks that crisscross the countryside (hence the title of the game).  Unfortunately, the tracks that are so important to everyone in the kingdom are slowly disappearing and no one knows why.  It is up to the player to guide Link across the world to bring the tracks back and find out why they are in danger.  Players navigate their way across the tracks to reach new levels and complete side missions, gaining new equipment and bonuses along the way.  Exploration is always a big part of any Zelda game and for a lot of experienced Zelda gamers Spirit tracks was a bit of a disappointment due to the fact that you were only allowed to navigate where the tracks were.  In the previous game the entire world was covered by an ocean and the player was able to sail anywhere they wanted, without any prohibitions.  However, being stuck on the tracks actually makes this a perfect game for younger players or those who have never played a Legend of Zelda game.  The tracks help guide you along to the major plot points and also give hints as to where side quests are hidden.  Whereas in other games less experienced gamers could become hopelessly lost and confused, Spirit Tracks is the perfect place to start for someone playing a Zelda game for the first time.

                This particular game has the same cel shaded graphics that were used for the Gamecube “Windwaker” Zelda game and for the first Zelda game on the DS “The Phantom Hourglass”.  This type of animation embraces  its cartoony side, using a lot of round shapes and bright colors.  This is one of the reasons why this is one of the better Legend of Zelda games for younger players.  The bright colors and graphic style appeal to younger gamers without coming off as babyish or too cute and cuddly.

                Overall, I think that any Zelda game for a Nintendo system is a great purchase.  While there is no multiplayer aspect to the games, they story that each weaves along the way on top of the puzzles that need to be solved to pass each level make them classic pieces of gaming.  If you’re new to the series and have a DS, Spirit Tracks is a fantastic place to start.  If you’ve played Zelda games before and haven’t picked this one up yet, you won’t be disappointed.

Dusting off old franchises has become a staple of Nintendo’s game development arsenal and lucky for us, they are really good at it.

                Donkey Kong Country Returns is a complete blast from the past, being the first console platformer for Donkey Kong since the Super Nintendo era.  While there have been other Donkey Kong games in the years since, none of them have been in the style of the original Donkey King Country games.  Once again Donkey Kong’s banana horde has been stolen by some baddies and he must make his way through level after level to retrieve his stolen goods. Level design is pretty basic in the beginning, really evoking the early worlds from the original Donkey Kong Country.  While this isn’t a bad thing, the nostalgia isn’t quite as nice as it is in some other games.  The first world or two can actually be a bit boring for an experienced gamer. Fortunately, this isn’t the case with the rest of the game.  Later levels are designed beautifully, and I found myself looking forward to what the next set of screens would challenge me with.

                The only potential downside to this game is that a challenge is exactly what it is.  While not as blisteringly hard as Rayman: Origins, DKCR still holds a lot of challenge for gamers, especially less experienced ones.  However, this game does offer an auto play mode that most games of this sort do not.  After failing a particular level a certain number of times, the game offers to complete it itself.  If selected, the gamer can put their controller down and watch the computer navigate DK through the level.  While this will not appeal to some people, it does offer players a chance to skip particularly hard sections and allow them to experience the entire game.  For this reason even inexperienced gamers are able to fully enjoy DKCR, while they wouldn’t be able to do so with other games of this caliber.

                Another aspect that helps make this game more enjoyable is the introduction of simultaneous co-operative play.  Co-op play was available in the original games on the Super Nintendo, but players had to take turns controlling their characters, only playing when the other players character had died.  In this version players can play simultaneously, making some of the platforming sections a little tricky but providing a lot of opportunities for tense and wacky fun.

                Donkey Kong Country Returns is another game on the list of franchises that Nintendo has revived from the past.  As solid as its predecessors, this game is fun for players of any age, even parents who used to love playing their old Super Nintendos.  If you’re looking for a game to play with your kids that the whole family can enjoy but are sick of the usual board game fare, try this one on for size and you will not be disappointed.