I picked up my pre-ordered copy this morning and have spent all day playing it. It pleases me to report that Kirby's Epic Yarn not only breathes new life into the Kirby franchise but also marks a return to Nintendo's roots of stylish graphics combined with innovative game mechanics.

The game is very easy to control and players from ages six to ninety-six should have no problems learning how to play. You hold the Wii controller sideways so that the D-Pad is on the left and the 1 and 2 buttons are on the right. Button 2 controls Kirby's jumping and other movement functions such as turning into a parachute when falling. Button 1 is Kirby's action button and is used for attacking, latching on to various objects, throwing enemies and even shooting projectiles. The controls are very intuitive and responsive. You won't need to think about how Kirby moves and jumps, it really will come naturally to you.

As you most likely know, the graphics follow a fabric theme. After an unfortunate encounter with a sorcerer, Kirby loses his classic abilities and is transformed into a creature made of yarn. He finds himself in a strange kingdom called Patch World. The developers really ran with the fabric theme as the game looks like a big fluffy bed. Backgrounds are made of pieces of fabric. Buildings and other items are patches. You don't so much open a treasure chest as you pull it off of the fabric to reveal the treasure hiding underneath it. Kirby can also manipulate the environment around him. At one point you may be working your way up a tree and pull on a certain button which will cause the whole tree to collapse to a more manageable height.

The game also sounds great. The whimsical music reminds me very much of the Forrest Gump soundtrack and you'll hear pianos, flutes and other classical instruments in what turns out to be a very pleasing playlist of melodies. The game sound effects sound cartoony, particularly when unraveling enemies into bits of yarn but are very appropriate to the atmosphere.

I hesitate to refer to Kirby's Epic Yarn as a sandbox game but those elements are certainly present. You can wander around a palace, go to the plaza where you can listen to the game's music or watch videos, collect rare items or even decorate your apartment with furniture. As Kirby you wander across Patch World and must walk to a level and select it in order to play. Various patches and items reveal new levels as Kirby hunts for bits of magic yarn to stitch Patch World together.

The game does have some very challenging moments but Kirby's Epic Yarn may seem relatively slow paced compared to some action games out there. This game is very reminiscent of classic Nintendo titles in that regard.

I feel that this game is a very worthy addition to the Wii library and have no problems recommending it to my friends as well as the younger members of my family.

If you have been a savvy shopper and bought your Wii recently enough that it was a fantastic price, then you may be missing one of the cornerstone games of the Wii. Now, this isn't the best game on Wii by a long shot mind you, but it offers motion controls like few other games.

Most of these are 4 player, and they thrive on multi-player action. They are okay single player but you might get bored more quickly.
All games offer a variety of training modes and medals that can be won for each. Once you have played any one game a lot and done well, you are awarded "pro" status. This will give you some minor cosmetic bonus (stars on your bowling ball) that makes it feel worth it. There is plenty to do if you are the type who likes to 100% games. And all data is saved on your mii so if you put your mii on you Wii remote (Mii Channel) you can bring your high cores and records with you!

This title includes 5 mini games where your custom-made mii joins others in some sporting fun: bowling, tennis, golf, baseball, and boxing.

Bowling: This is a fully multi-player even with just one Wii remote! The remote will track your arm and your mii will follow in real time as you throw it down the lane (or down the gutter as I often do). No surprises here, even better than real bowling because I don't have to wear those horrible shoes.
9/10

Tennis: Co-op or Vs, up to four players. This is my favorite game on here, really energetic and accurate to the player's swinging. You don't play a full game, but you can just hit play again. It seems at first that you just swing but with practice, you will figure out techniques that assure victory of defeat.
10/10

Golf: 4 players, 1 remote play again (if you so choose).... This is probably the best one if you plan on playing alone. Very fun and an enormous amount of room for improvement with practice.
8/10

Baseball: Glorified rock paper scissors. I almost never play this one anymore. To be fair, it is probably playing to a certain audience. If that is the case, I am not part of it. I don't feel like I've played it enough to offer much of a description, but the pitching seems sloppy, the batting seems dull and the rest seems over simplified. If you want baseball that much, play Mario Sluggers, also only $20.
4/10

Boxing: This one is pretty fun for a while but it wears you out and begins feel a bit repetitive after a while. Unlike golf, bowling, and tennis, the controls seem a bit off in this one. It is still pretty fun though. This one requires nun chuck and is up to 2 players. It is pretty satisfying to beat up on low level AI too.
7/10

All in all the game is good family fun. You will enjoy this no matter your age you will find something to love about this game (I a 23 year old guy, my 8 and 10 year old nieces, and my 59 year old mother-in-law all agree that the bowling is a load of fun). However, you will probably all find something not to love about it as well. The motion controls are exemplified by some games and laughable in others.

Odds are,if you are looking at reviews to decide if you want it, you should get it.

As with many people, I found this game to be wonderful, magical, fun, clever, and satisfying. And I am a grownup. Go figure. I have enjoyed the other Lego games and thanks to the dedication to the source material, this game really clicked with me.

But since I have little to say that hasn't already been said by many other glowing reviews, I wanted to offer something that might be helpful to other gamers, a tip that I myself was unable to find on the forums and therefore wanted to share the fix. I am sure I am not the only person who ran into this particular glitch, so here it is.

I am sandbox play person, someone who loves to systematically explore everything before moving on to another level, and when I began running through Hogwarts during the first level or two, I smashed and charmed everything I could find and somehow managed to enter a courtyard I may not have been expected to enter at that stage of the game. This didn't cause any problems until after I left Snape's potion lab and discovered that every time I followed the ghost's directions to get outside to what would eventually be the greenhouse area, the game would freeze up when I entered the aforementioned courtyard. EVERY time.

I tried cleaning the disk, and even tried another disk of the game, and it froze every time and broke my heart. I searched forums and while many glitches were reported and even a few suggestions, I found no description of that particular glitch, and wondered if there was something wrong with my Wii, such as limited memory or something.

This is what I stumbled upon: I erased the saved game and started fresh, which was a bit tedious considering you don't get to skip the animation sequences.... This time around, instead of running amuck and exploring everything, I followed the ghosts' directions and went where the game wanted me to go. Needless to say, the levels played very quickly, but suddenly I found myself past the freezing glitch and into many more levels. After I had completed those levels, I copied the saved game file to my SD card for safekeeping, as I knew that save was a good one, and could go back into the game and free play and explore to my heart's content. And if I find another freeze glitch, I can copy the saved game file from the SD card back onto the Wii itself and continue from that point.

Bottom line: the game design somehow made it so that you might inadvertently get ahead of the game's intentions by exploring too much, and if that happens, the game gets confused when it finds you had already done something it wasn't expecting you to have done yet, and it freezes. The best way to avoid this is to go where the game tells you to, THEN free play later and explore.

Yes, this was very frustrating for me to figure out, and certainly could have been avoidable by the game designers. However, the overall pleasure I got from the game compensates for the issue, and I won't really hold it against anyone, at least not now that I solved what turned out to be the biggest unintentional puzzle of the game for me.

Hope this helps any of you who may run into the same problem! Now go enjoy this delightful game!

With all the hype Nintendo is generating with the upcoming Wii U and the 3DS, it is hard to believe that maybe in 2013 they will stop making games for the Nintendo Wii. Yet, with the influence of motion gaming from Nintendo, it really influenced the way we played games with the motion of the wrist. Yet, there are so many games that have been so definitive to showcase with the Wii. The biggest one in my book for adventure is Super Mario Galaxy. With the joy of seeing Mario in space, it really changed the perspective on how we play adventure games. But unlike Sony & Microsoft with platformers, Mario will always be king, not just in gameplay, but also control, and that now with a new lower price for Super Mario Galaxy, it definitely is a great time to battle Bowser in space once again.

Super Mario Galaxy, as a part of the Nintendo selects series, is definitely a great game from start to finish, as you are thrusted into space to rescue Princess Toadstool a.k.a. Princess Peach from the clutches of Bowser, as you not only brace yourself in space to save Peach, but also try and help Rosalina save her spaceship from the ruined damage. As you thrust yourself in space, you have so many dynamic enemies to master from a giant-sized spider spitting galactic venom, to Bouldergeist, a villainous enemy that is a deadly ghost that packs a punch when he protects himself with rock armor, and then grows vulgar arms. Graphically, the games looks amazing start to finish, while the music of the game brings celestial moods all the way to classic Mario themes from past games, to a epic orchestral Bowser showdown. The control of the game is very simple and easy to control Mario through the challenges from emptying trash to get a star, to trying to defeat foes without suffering damage to get stars....

All in all, Super Mario Galaxy is a fantastic game is worth every penny and definitely one of the most defiant games that showed what Mario could really do on the Nintendo Wii. If you've never played Super Mario Galaxy when it originally came out back in 2007, than it honestly is a great time to get this game and watch Mario placed into orbit. I absolutely loved this game when it originally came out nearly 4 years ago, and you'll love it too. Definitely one small step for a plumber, but one giant leap into gaming.

Graphics: A

Sound: A+

Control: A

Fun & Enjoyment: A+

Overall: A

I like to shop Amazon to save money. But this is one item I have found you can pick up at Wal-Mart or Hastings for about $130.00. Now keep in mind other that the DSI XL. The last system I bought was the PS2. But I am amazed at all this system does. It kinda turns your TV into a smart TV. The one thing I really do like is you can use it with the Amazon instant video channel to play your Amazon unbox videos on your tv, which has brought me back to watching movies and tv shows I had bought some time ago. The console includes 2 games on 1 disc WII sports and WII sports resort which combined give you about 18 games to play. I havent tried them all but I have tried a few of the games. So I feel it is a nice starter kit. Also Comes with a WII motion plus remote and a numchuck. I am well pleased with this purchase.

What a great addition to the Harvest Moon series! I think it is definitely HM at it's best, no doubt.

For those new to the series, the concept is that you are a farmer-rancher who just moved to town. You are given a house, introduced to the townspeople and started a new life. Once you get to your new abode and settle into the town, your mission is to find the Harvest Goddess. Once you talk to her, the problem becomes clear: there are five bells missing and you must find them all to restore the power of nature, reviving the Goddess Tree. Along the way, Finn, a harvest sprite, will guide you. You also have the option to seek the love of bachelors and bachelorettes, provided you know just what they like. A major feature in Animal Parade which differs greatly from other HM titles are the animals. Throughout the "world" you will find and be able to befriend wild animals, if you so choose.

So thats the basis of the game. I will now break up my review into parts:

STORY: I love the adventure in this game! Your quest to find the bells pretty much starts once you locate the Harvest Goddess, and at this point the adventure takes off. You have to complete one side-quest or two before you can actually speak with the Harvest Goddess and begin your quest, but these are simple and take three game days at most. She makes it clear on what your goal is and you can always go back if you have questions. But Finn is very helpful by always giving you hints and guiding you in your mission. Personally, I was able to deduce what I had to do before Finn told me, but if you get stuck then Finn will definitely help (sometimes I did need him to point me in the right direction). The first bell you get provides just the right amount of challenge.... Once you get the red bell, this opens up the option to find all the other bells. This really gets the game going. I loved how the adventure was an integral part of the game, not just some optional thing. It is a blast trying to find all the bells because you have to interact with a lot of the townspeople to do so. You might have to complete some side-quests for them or have certain items in order to proceed, but it is always fun and rewarding once completed.

TOWN: The town is well made. I like how there are several places to explore. You can visit Harmonica Town, Garmon Mines, and Flute Fields. Toucan Island only becomes available later in the game (I haven't gotten it yet). Within each place are worlds within worlds, so there is more to explore once you get somewhere. The load screens aren't too bad, either. At first they become tedious, but then you just get used to it. They really aren't that bad, it just gets annoying to see the name of the place pop up every time you go somewhere.

TOWNSFOLK: What I love most about the people in this game is that they are very good hint-droppers. Sometimes they make it really obvious and other times I have to kind of deduce what they are saying, but its funny at how they give me little hints on what to do. There is a good variety on people and they each play a role in the game. It is fun that they give side-quests for you to do, especially since they usually lead to your progression in the game, not just something to do and you get no reward.

DATING: I'm not gonna lie, its hard to get hearts in this game. So far I am at the end of spring (not so far into the game yet but I've been playing it) and I have more hearts with the animals than I do with people. In fact, I have no people hearts. The eligible girls and boys are wide in variety so if you like a certain trade (mining, cooking, jewelry-making, fishing, etc) there is most likely a bachelor/ette perfect for you. Luckily the friends menu allows you to see what each person likes and dislikes, making it easier to give gifts that win points. However so far I've noticed those recommendations only show items that people "like." I have yet to figure out what they truly love and what will earn me hearts. You can also track people on the menu, making it easy to give gifts if you can't find someone.

ANIMALS: I really like the addition of animals to the town. Not only can you have livestock, but there are several animals roaming in the wild. Each location has its own animals. So far I've met such a variety as dogs, cats, boar, squirrel, snake, raccoon, rabbit, frog, turtle, bear, and many more! Its really fun to discover new ones. You can make friends with any animal you meet by visiting it frequently and feeding it something it likes. Like for friends, the wild animal menu shows what they like and dislike. The location stays the same but some only stick around in a particular season or climate, so you'll always know where to find your favorites. If you get enough heart points with an animal, they can become your pet and help you around the game. With the starting house you receive, you can only have pet but once you expand, you get to have more and more. I thought this was a great addition to the game concept.

DIFFICULTY: This game is in the middle. It is not painstakingly hard (obviously its HM) nor is it ridiculously easy (again its HM). It has the right amount of challenge for the seasoned HM fan/gamer but enough hints for newcomers. I would recommend it to any wii fan and especially to fans of the HM series.

CONTROLS: The controls are straightforward and easy. One thing that bothered me for a little was some lack of explanation in the manual. They don't tell you that when you buy new furniture you have to open up the furniture menu to place it. This frustrated me for a while but then I got it. Its not a big deal but they could have explained that in the manual. Another thing is the camera. No complaints there except that sometimes you can't see a path, which means you're missing an entire entrance to a new location. Luckily I was exploring and happened to find this new stretch of beach that was barely visible unless I had been really looking (it was on the edge of the screen thats why, most locations are clearly visible). If I hadn't stumbled across this one path, I don't know how long it would have taken me to find the yellow bell. Guess I was lucky! But other than that, the controls are super.

DS vs WII: I've gotta say I prefer HM on the wii any day. I have island of happiness for ds, and while its a fun game, HM is the type of game that I feel plays better on the Wii. The big screen allows you to experience the world better. You can explore more thoroughly and the graphics are so much better. Overall its just a better gaming experience on the Wii when it comes to HM.

I know this is a long review but I wanted to be thorough. Thanks for reading it all! This is a great addition to any Wii game collection and while it is somewhat addicting, I think its a lot of fun and has good replay value and longevity for a game. Definitely worth the price. A whole lotta fun! I would recommend playing the whole game and taking advantage of everything; don't skip the adventure, thats the best part! Oh and the animals, too!

Have fun!

I like to shop Amazon to save money. But this is one item I have found you can pick up at Wal-Mart or Hastings for about $130.00. Now keep in mind other that the DSI XL. The last system I bought was the PS2. But I am amazed at all this system does. It kinda turns your TV into a smart TV. The one thing I really do like is you can use it with the Amazon instant video channel to play your Amazon unbox videos on your tv, which has brought me back to watching movies and tv shows I had bought some time ago. The console includes 2 games on 1 disc WII sports and WII sports resort which combined give you about 18 games to play. I havent tried them all but I have tried a few of the games. So I feel it is a nice starter kit. Also Comes with a WII motion plus remote and a numchuck. I am well pleased with this purchase.