GAME REVIEWS

Task 7

ESO 2 Students School Year 201 0-11 INS La Llauna

Looking for a way to chill out during your summer holidays?

Looking for a game to play with your friends?

If you read these game reviews, you’ll probably find a game that suits you.

ESO 2 students from La Llauna recommend some of their favourite games. They include board games and computer or video games.

Enjoy!

BOARD GAMES

Blokus

Blokus is a strategy family game. This game was created by Bernard Tavitian in 2000.

To play this game you need a special board and twenty-one pieces of four different colours that the pack game includes. Your goal is to put as many pieces as possible on the board. Each player has twenty-one pieces of different sizes and different colours (blue, yellow, red and green). You've got to put your pieces on the board making them touch only at the corners. Flat edges of the same colour can't be connected. This rule only affects the pieces which have the same colour. This game is a strategic game because you have to try to block your opponent's pieces while you're trying to put all your pieces on the board.

This game is good because it trains your brain when you try to think of a strategy and you can have fun with your family or friends, too. The worst things about this game are that the game has some small pieces that can get lost and that the game can end up with an argument between players because it is an absolutely competitive game.

I recommend Blokus because I have enjoyed it every time I have played although sometimes I argue with the other players about the rules.

by Berta

Cluedo

Cluedo is a popular mystery deduction board game. It is a funny game for the whole family.

You need a board, a dice and cards. The game is for two to six players. The object of the game is to discover the culprit.

The game is played like this. You choose a case and have to throw the dice. There are 10 points where you can get clues. You choose a letter and it says, for example, “Go to Mr.White’s house" or "I give you all the information I have about Lady Celeste and do what I say.”

The best thing about this game is that it is exciting and makes you think. It is neither easy nor difficult.

I recommend this board game because you can have a great time playing it with your friends or family.

by Judit

Cluedo is a popular murder/mystery deduction board game.

At the beginning of the game you choose three cards: one suspect, one weapon, and one room card. You put them into a special envelope so that no one can see them. These cards represent the facts of the case. Players throw the dice and move along the board. The object of the game is to deduce the details of the murder. Players announce suggestions to the other players, for example, "I suggest it was Professor Plum, in the Library, with the candlestick."

The best thing about this game is that it is a strategic game, and the worst thing is that it is a bit long.

I recommend this board game because I think this game is very competitive and you can play with all your friends or family.

by Anna

Dominoes

This is a board game with tiles with numbers from zero to nine. In Spain the game is from zero to six.

To play the game your opponent plays a tile, and you must play a tile with the same number and you should try to repeat your number as many times as you can, or your partner’s value. By repeating your numbers, you can avoid your opponent playing, so you can dominate the game. The object of the game is to accumulate the biggest amount of points.

I recommend this game because it is very funny, and you can play it in a party or in a friends’ or family meeting.

by Clàudia

Dominoes was created in the eighteenth century. The name of the game comes from French. This game is popular in Spain.

Playing this game is very simple. You only need 28 dominoes tiles. The object of game is to place the dominoes first. Each player receives 7 tiles. They have two numbers, you have to play the tile next to another one that has the same number. When one player can't play any tile, the turn passes from player to player. The first person to play all his tiles is the winner.

The best thing about this game is that it's very easy. This game is easier and shorter than other games like chess or Monopoly. The worst thing is that it's only based on luck.

I recommend this game because it is very easy to play and you can play with your friends.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominoes

by Roger

Dominoes originated in China. It is a game for all the family and is very popular.

You are the winner if you run out of dominoes. You have to join pieces with the same number. The pieces are rectangular and divided into two equal parts with a number from 0 to 6 points. The total set of domino consists of 28 pieces but there are other variations of dominoes like one from 0 to 9 points and the total set of domino are 55 pieces.

I think that it is very funny and it’s very easy to learn. The worst thing is that it isn’t colorful and is sometimes boring.

I recommend this board game because it’s very entertaining and funny.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domin%C3%B3

http://www.hispanosnet.com/reglas_juegos/reglas_domino.html

by Mar

La herencia de Tía Ágata

This is a board game. All the players have special cards. Each card is a different character and you should hide your card so that other participants can’t see them. Four people can play this game.

In the game there are 16 character figures, for example, the inheritor, Yithe or the hairdresser, Sabino. Little by little they will be eliminated keeping the part of the inheritance that corresponds to them. It is not an easy game because there are many traps.

The worst thing of the game is that there are too many traps so it is a bit more difficult. It is also entertaining because you have to solve a mystery, and the best thing is that it is very funny. You can have a great time with your friends or family.

I recommend this game because it is not the typical boring board game and it is a skill game.

by Elena

Memory

Memory is a card game. You only need mental ability and memory. It’s for children between 3 and 9, it’s famous all around the world.

Playing this game is very easy, you only need a deck of cards that can vary according to the number of players, but usually there are 28 cards; and you also need a flat surface to put the cards. The object of this game is to be the player with the most pairs of cards. To start playing, first you must put all the cards face down and shuffle them. Then, in turn, each player should turn over two cards. If the pictures are the same, the cards will be removed and the player will get one point, then the player can play again. If the pictures are not the same picture, the player must put again the cards where they were before and the next player plays. The player with more pairs wins.

The best thing of Memory is that it is easy to get. If you don't have money, you can create your own cards, and it is very easy to play. There are also different types of cards with different pictures, for example, food, animals, objects ... The worst thing about this game is that if you don't have good memory, you have got little chance of winning.

I like this game and I recommend it because it is easy, funny, it isn’t difficult to get and you can have a great time.

by Berta

Monopoly

Monopoly is a board game invented by Charles B. Darrow. It’s a popular game around the world. At the moment there are more than 1.700 versions in 37 different languages.

At the beginning, playing this game is a bit difficult, but then it becomes easier. You need a Monopoly Board, two dices, a counter for each player, houses and hotels, cards and money. The board has got 40 squares divided into 8 different colours. There are streets, railways, the Go square, a jail and six more squares where you have to draw one card and do what it’s written on it. The players throw the dices in order and you move your counter. You’ll land on a square which represents a property. When you are there, you can buy it. You must do it because the object of the game is to get a lot of properties (streets and railways). When you have bought all the same colour squares, you can build houses or hotels. Each time you land on a property someone else owns, you have to pay the quantity that the card says. If there are houses or hotels, it will be more expensive. There’s a special square, jail. If you land there, you’ll spend there three turns and you can’t buy anything meanwhile! Another special square is the Go square. Every time you pass it, the bank will give you some money. You win when you’re the only person who has money.

The best thing about this game is that it’s very exciting and many people can play(from two to nine). The worst thing is that it can last a long time. Once, I was playing for more than three days! Anyway, I love it!

I recommend Monopoly because you can have fun with your friends and at the same time it’s very competitive because everyone wants to have money and win.

by Laia

Pasta Gansa

Pasta Gansa is not very popular among children in Spain.

This game is a bit difficult to understand. You need a board, a dice and a counter for each player. The object of the game is to have more dollars than the other players. The board has 31 squares (each square represents 1 day of the month). You have to throw the dice and move your counter. If you land on ''correos'' you have to draw one card from ''correos''. If you have to pay, you pay at the end of the month.

The best thing about the game is that it's really funny and interesting and the worst thing is that when you spend a lot of time playing this game, you get bored.

I recommend this board game because I think that it's a really interesting and exciting game!

by Víctor

Rubik’s Cube

Rubik's cube was invented in Budapest. It's a cube with nine squares on each face (3x3 cubes), and you can spin each row of squares vertically and horizontally. There are six colours that are usually green, blue, red, yellow, white and orange. There also exist 2x2, 4x4 and 5x5 Rubik's cubes.

Rubik's cube seems easy to play, but it's actually really hard to achieve what you have to do. To play it you just need the Rubik's cube. The aim of the game is to make all the faces of the cub remain in one colour (one colour per face). You usually play this game alone, but you can also play it with another person with another Rubik's cube, competing to see who's the first to form all the faces.

The best thing of the Rubik's cube is that you don't need any counters or boards to play it, so you can play it anywhere. The worst thing is that it involves a long time, concentration and, most of all, practice. I've always tried to make the cube, but I've never fully completed it!

I recommend Rubik's cube because it's a challenging game to play and, if you are stubborn and like to achieve your goals, this is your game!

http://www.museumofchildhood.org.uk/collections/games/rubiks-cube

by Noelia

Snakes and Ladders

Snakes and Ladders is an ancient Indian board game. Now it is very popular around the world. It is very funny and you can play with your family.

Playing this game is very easy. Two or more people can play this game. When you land on a snake you go up, but if you land on a ladder you go down. The object of the game is to be the first person to reach square 100. You only need counters and a dice to play.

The best thing of this game is that anybody can win because it is a game based on luck and it is a competitive game. The worst thing is perhaps it never ends.

I recommend this game because it is very funny and easy to play and it is more competitive than other games. You can play with your friends and with your family.

by Carles

Spillikins

It originated in China. The game has different names in different countries, for example in Europe it’s generaly known as Mikado.

This game consists of throwing the sticks vertically. And then removing them one by one without touching the other sticks. When you have finally removed all the sticks, you count the score according to the color of each pole.

The best thing about this game is that it's very simple but sometimes it's difficult and exciting, and also you can play on your own. The worst thing is that you must be very patient.

I recommend this game for all ages because you exercise the mind, your selfcontrol and concentration. And it isn’t expensive!!!

http://www.museumofchildhood.org.uk/collections/games/spillikins

by Raquel

Tic-Tac-Toe

Tic-Tac-Toe or Noughts and Crosses is a traditional pencil and paper game. It is played around the world. There are a lot of variants of this game but I'm going to explain only one.

Tic-Tac-Toe is very easy to play. This game is only for 2 people. You only need a paper and a pencil, and you draw a 3x3 grid (9 squares). One of the two starts drawing a personal mark (normally, one draws a cross and the other one a zero) wherever you want. You take turns to draw your mark and when one of the two draws three marks one after the other, he wins. If nobody wins, it's a tie.

I think that the best thing is that it's easy to play because you only need a pencil! If you get bored in a maths or Spanish class you can play with your partner and the teacher can't tell you anything because you aren't talking; but the worst thing is that the game is very short.

I recommend this game because you can have a good time with your friend because it's an interactive game and it's very funny!

You can play with the computer here: http://www.portalsolidario.net/ocio/tresen.php

Webpages:

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tres_en_l%C3%ADnea

http://www.mamilogopeda.com/2011/01/3-en-raya.html

by Alba

It’s a board game for 2 players. It’s a very old game, they think that it originated during the Roman Empire. You can play it with pen and paper or with a Tic-Tac-Toe grid, 3 circles and 3 crosses.

Playing this game is very simple. One player draws circles and the other crosses. Normally crosses start the game but it depends. The object of the game is to complete 3 consecutive squares of the board with your figure in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row. All you have to do is to draw one of your figures in a square when it is your turn.

The best thing about this game is that it’s easy to play, and that you can play it with only a pen and paper. The worst thing about the game is that a lot of times no one wins, so there’s a draw.

I recommend this game because it’s really easy to play, it isn’t expensive and I personally have a great time playing the game.

by Laura

Tic-tac-toe, also called wick wack woe and X's and O's, is a popular game in many countries of the world like Spain or Britain because it’s simple and entertaining.

Playing this game is simple. First of all you need a board or a paper divided into nine equal square boxes. Secondly, you need six counters, three of them in circle form and the other three are crosses. Only two players can play and each one represents one of the two symbols of the counters. The object of the game is to place the counters in the boxes until you put three of your counters in line horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

On the one hand, the best thing of the game is that it is very simple to play and to understand its rules. Another good thing about this game is that you don't need special materials to play, sometimes you only need a paper and a pen. On the other hand, the worst thing of tic-tac-toe is that it is very easy to draw, and in this case you must start all over again.

I recommend this board game because it is very simple to play and children of all ages can play.

by Júlia

The War

The war is a card game. It originated in Spain. This card game is for the whole family and friends.

You need a pack of cards and a mat. The object of the game is to get your opponent's cards. You deal half of the cards. The players throw one card. The person who has the highest card takes the letters of the game. It's said “war” when the cards are the same. The person who has the highest card wins the war and takes the cards. The most important cards are the king, the knight and the jack. You have to play very fast.

The best of this game is that you don't need skills and many people can play. It's very competitive.

I recommend this game because it is one way to spend the time with your family and friends, and you can have a great time.

by Natán

UNO

UNO is a popular board game among children but it is for all ages. UNO was born in the United States in the 70s. The game was invented by the owner of a hair saloon.

The game has got different types of cards: special and normal. Playing the game is easy. We need a pack of UNO cards. To win we need to get rid of all the cards but the most important rule is that when you only have one card, you have to say UNO before one of the other players because if one of the other players says it before you, you have to draw two cards. There are 108 cards and each player has 7 at the beginning of the game.These cards are of 4 different colours and each card has one number (from 1 to 9) except the special cards , for example, +2,+4 or the wild card.

The best thing about this game is that it’s for all ages so you can play with your friends, your family, etc. The best is also that it’s very funny and really easy to play. The worst is that this game is based on luck so if you have good cards it’s fun but if the cards don’t suit you, it can be very boring.

I recommend this game because it’s so funny and competitive. And you can have a good time with it.

by Marta

COMPUTER GAMES

Call of Duty Black Ops

This is a shooting game. The series Call of Duty is very large, but this is one of the latest games. I like this type of games.

The object of the game is mainly to kill the maximum number of people but there are other types of games like capturing the flag. You only need the game, the console, and the controller. I have it for Wii but this exists for Xbox and Playstation 3.

The best thing about this game is to kill people and some of the games in it but some people don’t like this type of games. The worst thing about this game is the graphics, for Wii they are not bad but I don’t like them very much.

I recommend this game if you like shooting games and if you like killing people, and you can play online (this is the best thing).

by Ferran

Doctor Who –Evacuation Earth

This computer game is based on my favourite TV series, Doctor Who. You need a Nintendo DS to play this game. It's based on a lot of puzzles that you have to solve during the story.

Doctor Who –Evacuation Earth is not available in Spain, so I had to buy it on the Internet, in a very reliable web called Amazon.

The best thing of this game is that the characters’ voices are Matt Smith's and Karen Gillian's voices, the real TV series actors. It's in English and I see the TV series in English, so it's very easy to understand.

The worst thing is that, contrary to the TV series, it's a bit childish... But I recommend all Whovians!!!

If you are not fan of Doctor Who, you may not enjoy the game so much...!

by Alicia

Dragon Age

Dragon Age is a video or computer game, it’s a role game. It was created by Bioware, an enterprise linked to EA. There’s Dragon Age: Origins, launched in 2009, and Dragon Age II, launched in 20011.

To play with the games you need the CD and a console (a computer, a Play Station or an XBOX).These games are set in a fictional world called Thedas, in the Middle Ages. In the first game you belong to an order of great warriors, the Grey Wardens, who must fight horrible and evil monsters, the Dark Spawns (they look like giant, grey, angry gremlins), who destroy everything in their path. The second game starts when you’re running away from the Dark Spawns who have destroyed your hometown. You run away to a city called Kirkwall where you have to get a name to survive and start a new life. In both games you meet different characters that stay with you and help you to fight.

The best thing about these games are the stories and the relationship you can start with the other characters and the fight is very exciting. Moreover, you improve your fighting skills. The worst thing is that it is quite an old game and so the graphics aren’t very good and the gameplay could be improved.

I recommend these games to people who like videogames, especially role games. It’s a game to play alone because it’s still not possible to be played by different people at the same time.

by Ruth

Just Dance

Just Dance is a new Wii game. It is very funny and you can do sport. Just Dance was invented last year (2011) approximately in September. It was inspired by other dance games but this one is different.

The object of the game is to dance very well and win but it is very difficult. A lot of people like this game because a maximum of four people can play this game. The person that has the highest score is the winner. This game has three versions and an extra one and it has modern and old songs. The game is not only for children. Adults can also play this game because it is interesting and funny.

In my opinion this game is very entertaining and funny. I play this game with my friends and my family and we love playing Just Dance!

by Marta

Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare is a computer game developed by Infinity Ward.

The object of the game is to kill people. I love this game because I think playing it is a great experience and you can enjoy the experience of war.

I hate this game because there are many hackers hidden at one end of the map.

I recommend this game because in the game you get into the war and you can burn adrenaline and enjoy it with friends.

by Albert

N.O.V.A 2

(Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance 2)

N.O.V.A 2 is an iOS game (Apple). You are a soldier of a space army (humans and aliens united). Six years later of the first N.O.V.A the civil war explodes and you are the only one who can stop this war.

The game is easy to play. It’s a multi-touch control game. There are two control pads, one on the left and one on the right. The right one is the shot button and the left one is used to move. There are six more buttons: pause button, grenade button, change weapon, reload button, jump button and skill button. This game has a gyroscopic control so you move the iPhone/iPod and the screen moves too.

One of the best things is that you can unlock new skills and weapons. The worst thing is that, as a multiplayer, it goes too slow and is sometimes boring.

I recommend it because it’s exciting, it’s easy to learn how to play and there is a lot of action and shots.

by Leonardo

PACMAN

It was created in Japan and it’s famous all around the world. It’s a game for all ages, it’s a classic game.

Playing this game is very easy. You only need a computer, some luck and some skill. The object of the game is to eat all the fruits, pieces or balls (there are some different names) and avoid the ghosts because they try to kill you and you can’t touch them unless you eat a big fruit.

The best thing of this game is that it’s very easy to play and it’s really exciting. It’s wonderful and colourful. The worst thing is that it’s an individual game and it’s always the same but a bit more difficult.

I recommend this computer game because it’s free, very exciting and in the new versions you can play with friends.

by Gerard

PES 2012

Pes 2012 is a game developed and published by Konami on September 27, 2011. It’s very popular all around the world. It’s similar to FIFA. This game is for consoles Play 3, Wi and Xbox.

Playing this game isn’t easy because you need a joystick to play and move the players, choose the options, etc. The buttons of the joystick are a bit difficult to control because there are a lot of buttons. Pes 2012 has got more options to play: League, UEFA Champions League, Cup, or Football Life, for example.

The best thing is that you can choose many options to play but the worst thing are the graphics because, for example, when one player is running with the ball, another player can take the ball but he doesn’t touch the ball.

I recommend this game because it is very funny and competitive. I can’t stop playing because it is very addictive.

by Mario

Pocket Tanks

Pocket Tanks is a computer game. It’s not popular but I like it. I love this game because when I was child, I played it with my brother.

Playing this game is very simple. You are a tank and the object of the game is to win the adversary. Before you start the game, you choose your weapons. Many weapons are so funny! Afterwards, you battle with your opponent. To injure the opponent you need to calculate the strength of the shot and the angle. The adversary is another tank.

The best thing about this game is that it’s based on skill because you can choose your favourite weapons. If you calculate the force or the angle wrongly, you often lose the game. The worst thing is that the graphics are bad.

I recommend this computer game because it’s very easy to play and it’s perfect when you have nothing to do. It’s fantastic!

http://www.blitwise.com/ptanks.html

by Daniel

Sing 4

Sing 4 is a Wii game. This game is about singing different songs alone or with more people and get the highest score. There are more Wii games for singing but I like this one.

You can play the game alone or with more people. You have to sing some songs and get the highest score. There are different categories: Duo, Trio or Quartet. There are two versions of all the songs. In the game, you can listen and watch the video clips of all the songs (Jukebox), sing the songs and listen to your version of it.

The best thing of the game is all the game, but the worst thing is the limited number of songs. I would like to have more and sing all the songs I love.

I recommend this game because I love singing and in this game there are a lot of lovely songs that a lot of people like, and you can play with friends or family and have a good time. The best songs for me are Haven't met you yet by Michael Buble and My life would suck without you by Kelly Clarkson. I love these two artists.

by Clàudia

SingStar

SingStar is one of the world's most popular games. It is a music video game developed by London Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The game is based on various music videos accompanied by all their lyrics to be sung by two or more players.

Players sing with the music to score points. Players interact with their console via SingStar microphones while a video of a famous singer sounds as background music. Players have the lyrics at the bottom of the screen. There are different colors to differentiate the part of the song that each player has to sing. The game analyzes a player's voice and compares it to the original song.

My favorite thing about SingStar is that it makes you feel an authentic pop star. You can imagine you're at a concert singing your favorite songs, enjoying it and having a great time! But one thing I hate about SingStar is that sometimes the microphones break down or stop working for a while, and you have to reconnect, restart the game ...

I recommend this game to all the people who like singing and dancing. You can enjoy it with friends. It is a game where you can all play. You will laugh a lot and you will have a great time!

by Maria

The Sims 3

The Sims 3 is the third sequel of the popular series The Sims. It is a computer game for one or two players because you need a desktop or laptop and you have to share a single mouse.

You have to create a character that is called Sim. Later you have to dress it up, name it, and choose if it is going to be a boy or a girl. Then you have to assign it a life, a house, a family, a job … among other things. With this character you can travel, go shopping, go to the gym, make barbeques and many more things.

The best thing is that you can have a good time handling your Sim, and the worst thing it is that you can spend hours and hours in front of the computer and it is not healthy.

I recommend this game because it’s funny and entertaining.

by Wendy

The Sims 3 is a game for PC, Mac and consoles. This game is very popular around the world. The Sims 3 began in 2006.

Playing this game is difficult because you have to handle all the family and their house. This game has expansion packs that include new objects to decorate the house. There are clothes, accessories and shoes for the “Sims” (virtual characters). You can go to the shop or library by their car. When the Sims die, Death comes and sometimes we can make a deal with her to survive.

The best thing about this game is that it’s very funny. It’s difficult, but it is very entertaining. The worst thing for me is that you play individually and you become addicted and have to be many hours in front of the computer, which isn’t very wise, but I like it because I decorate and I handle all the family.

I recommend this game because it’s very funny. It’s expensive but this game is better than many others, the graphics are very realistic and there are more objects and clothes thanks to the expansion.

by Marta