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896343 Cheatwell Christmas Express Gam

Christmas or Christmas

As Christmas draws ever closer here are two boxed game products that remind you of the fact every time you look at their boxes. First a box that contains eight games in the one box. Second a fun filled race to the North Pole and it does not get more Christmassy than a visit to the North Pole.
The eight different games in the one box are Xmas Lists, Xmas Charades, Xmas Trivia, Santas Sack, Bah! Humm Bug, Under The Tree, Santa Says and Silent Night. These are stated as suitable for 12 plus and 2 or more teams. There are eight packs of different cards – actually four packs of double sided cards – to get get the eight packs. Also in the box are a large while pad of plain paper and a slightly smaller marked ad of paper to keep scores for all eight games.
896414 Nocturnarya Collectors Editio

Nocturnarya : Iki Games

Can you save the Vampire nation from total annihilation with this new Match 3 title from Iki Games.
With a title, that I have no doubt will cause me to struggle when pronouncing it, Nocturnarya is a Match 3 game developed by IKI Games.  I have been looking at the Collector's Edition of this blood-thirsty title which comes with a number of bonus items to supplement the main game.  These bonus items are made up of wallpaper, background stories, bonus levels and some extra mini game puzzles.
With 22 possible puzzle types and over 100 locations, you have plenty to select from with this next title.
So how do you plan to celebrate Halloween?  Tiny Little Lion hope you might put your puzzle solving skills to the test with this next software.  To this end Tiny Little Lion has developed their Super Spooks Subgame Spectacular Collector's Edition offering.  As befits its rather lengthy title, this product comes with a collection of game pay that covers a wide range of puzzle options to appeal to different players.
With its fair share of potions, spirit creatures and skeletons, this next title should make you feel completely at ease during Halloween.
This next game, from the inventive people at Elephant Games, opens as you receive a letter from an old friend called Martha Williams.  She was visiting Ardanti Castle where  she was being held prisoner and being forced to invite you to join her there.  Fortunately Martha was able to include a cryptic clue that not all was well and that she required help from you.
A Chromebook is an alternative to a Windows PC if all you use it for is emails, scouring the web and suchlike. These days a Chromebook has anti virus built in so you are already saving money and you should be safe to trawl the net, but as always remember if the offer looks to too good to be true it almost certainly is and you will probably get bugs that you do not want.
The measures 36x23.5x1.5cm. Going around the outside it has USB 'C', HDMI and USB on the left. The front is clear, the right side has 3.5mm audio socket, USB 'C' and Kensington lock port. The back is also clear as the screen goes back to 190 degrees. The back has four 3x.5cm small rubber feet in each corner the two at the front vertical and the two at the back horizontal. The weight of the unit is 1.37 kilos which is a tiny amount over three pounds.
Can you work your way through a haunted manor in this Match 3 guided tour?
It is that time of the year again and Ironcode Gaming has released its latest title to help you celebrate the occasion of Halloween.  Aiming to get you in the mood to face the spirits of the night, this Ironcode title goes under the name of Halloween Trouble 5.  This is a Match 3 game that is set in the mysterious world of a haunted manor.
Looking to practise your jigsaw solving skills then this collection of 500 cats could provide the incentive.
Obviously there is at least one staff member at 8 Floor Games who is a cat owner to explain yet another entry in the company's Cute Cats series of jigsaw offerings.  1001 Jigsaw Cute Cats 3 is the latest title to arrive from 8 Floor Games.  As with the other titles in this 1001 series, you are presented with 500 images of felines doing their best to captivate their audience with their antics and cuteness.
When a Phoenix joins forces with Gargoyles, madness is bound to follow but can you cope?
Friendly Fox takes players on an excursion to the Dark City environment with its International Intrigue Hidden Object Adventure game.  I have been looking at the Collector's Edition version of this title which comes with a collection of bonus items to enhance the gaming experience.  While some of the bonus items can be accessed immediately. others, such as Achievements, Collectibles and Morphing items, require progress in the game before they can fulfil their operation.
As Christmas draws even closer more games come in for review. Here I am looking at Nostalgia something that as an older person I have a lot of and this game reminds one of the past. The second offering is Family Quiz Nights and it has questions suitable for both children and adults.
The first thing to say is that it has a good solid box, the board is 25.5x25.5cm and is one piece - no fold - to tear or rip. The inside of the box has nine compartments eight of which have appropiate packs of cards the ninth has playing pieces and a rather special dice that has two of each one, two and three.
Once again Detective Amanda is given the run-around as she investigates the case of a stolen painting.
Following on from the Detective Agency Gray Tie title, AVI Games has set Detective Amanda, and her male companion, another case involving retrieving stolen property.  In this latest case, the stolen item is a valuable painting.  As in the earlier case, the thief seems to regard the whole incident as a kind of game similar to Hide & Seek.  It is up to you to aid detective Amanda in the Hidden Object Adventure game of Detective Agency - Gray Tie 2.
Do you yearn for the fast arcade action of yesteryear? If so then this next title might appeal.
Sometimes the title of a product under review can bring back memories of a period long since past.  This is one of those occasions.  On coming across Bricks Crusher Breaker Ball, this title immediate reminded me of some classic titles of yesteryear such as Pong, Space Invaders and Break Out.  While more like the Break Out format, Brick Crusher Breaker Ball does contain a version of Pong but more of that later.
Pack your magnifying glass and puzzle solving skills as you embark on another journey to exotic places.
Our Beautiful Earth 7 brings together a combination of Hidden Object game play and mini game puzzle solving.  Developed by BD Studio Games, this title follows a similar pattern to those adopted by earlier offerings in the series.  You are taken on a journey that covers a mixture of 30 locations spread over various cultures with tasks that include finding set objects before being challenge to complete a mini game puzzle.
Very few pieces of software have been used by me for as many years as Acronis Cyber Protect Home Office, these days it is more important than ever, earlier this year I told you about a hard drive that expired and a recent backup allowed full restore of everything in an afternoon onto a new SSD drive. Now just after the installation of this latest version another disaster the motherboard expired and while this required a new – second hand PC – the SSD meant I was back up and running quickly.
The job of Acronis is to protect you from whoever and whatever tries to destroy your files and data and for the past few years the way they do this is Ransonware which means once infected you have a very expensive doorstop. Apart from protecting from almost any intrusion regular backups will still protect you from your own stupidly like visiting dodgy websites and this year another new feature is Identity Protection.
Can you help Detective Louis solve why bad weather is affecting an Amazon village?
Hidden Riddles - The Amazon Mystery is a puzzle game that combines a healthy collection of nanogram game play within a detective based narrative.   Developed by DIGIMIGHT, this game, as it title might indicate, is set in the Amazon region as Detective Louis, a professional private eye, aided by Ricardo, a young local, tries to solve some unexpected happenings and weird weather conditions that are affecting one of the nearby villages.
While you may regard your home as a castle or palace, in times gone-by such buildings did exist and you can view them now.
8 Floor Games has continued with its drive to populate the digital world of Jigsaw puzzle game play.  The company’s latest collection of Jigsaw puzzle is entitled 1001 Jigsaw Castles and Palaces 3.  Like the other titles in this particular series, this collection is made up of 500 images that represent ancient architecture and other elements that have come to be regarded as the popular concept of Medieval Europe.
Developed by Elephant Games, Grim Tales – Horizon of Wishes is a Hidden Object Adventure game.
This review is based on the Collector’s Edition of Grim Tales - Horizon of Wishes, which comes with a number of bonus items to add extra appeal to the main game involving a daughter’s search for her father.  The usual mixture of immediate accessible and progress required collection of items from this aspect of the title.  To check out a bonus chapter, visit a secret room and access an expedition section, you must complete the main game.
As Christmas draws ever closer more items pass onto my desk that could be suitable as gifts. First a jig saw that could also help you discover where your favourite wine comes from while you solve it. Second a card game that enables you to find out where the Yeti is, your job to get its picture before anyone else.
Unless you are Italian of go there a lot then the shape of Italy as a leg with a foot could be one of the few things you know. Another being the fact they like their wine and they grow a lot of grapes. The traditional Chianti bottle that has a straw basket could be another way to recognise the wine as Italian, now where in Italy does your favourite wine cone from, is it the foot, the calf or up at the top of the leg.
Can you stop the mirror breaker from creating their own world which they can rule?
Domini Games has returned to its Crossroad of Worlds environment with this next offering.  This return visit to the land of non-stop Hidden Object Adventure game play is entitled Mirrored Earth.  I have been checking out the Collector’s Edition of this title that comes with bonus offerings that are made up of Concept Art, Wallpaper, Music and a bonus chapter that acts as the supreme reward for completing the game.
You can join a Pirate crew and help find hidden treasure in this next game while playing cards.
DIGIMIGHT has taken the popular Solitaire card game and wrapped it into a story of Pirates and their love of buried treasure.  The result is a game entitled Pirates Adventure Solitaire.  Although not claiming to belong to the Collector’s Edition type of offering, this card playing adventure of High Seas pirates searching for rewards does include some bonus items which gradually become unlocked as the game progresses.
Adding to its Nature Escape range, Tiny Little Lion takes you on a visit to another 24 locations.
Once again those inventive people at Tiny Little Lion have returned to an area previously visited to create a follow-up title.  In this case the subject matter concerns the Hidden Object genre as the player is invited to visit 24 locations and carry out a variety of tasks.  The follow-up offering is entitled Nature Escapes 3 Collector’s Edition.  Justifying the C.E.
896314 Master Dater by Cyanide Happines

Older Children & Adults

Most toys and games are purchased in the three months before Christmas, and while I told you about the two games below in early summer I thought a little reminder in October if their subjects suit your household, these are for older children and adults.
Both games are from a company called Cyanide & Happiness. Players vie for attention and also try to create perfect or horrible dates using a range of specific – and perhaps very unusual – interests. You need to match cards using the three packs of cards ‘Head’, ‘Body’ and ‘Interests’. The ‘Head’ and ‘Body’ cards are slightly larger than the more prolific ‘Interest’ cards.
It is time to return to Magic City and solve murders and disappearances that are upsetting the status quo.
Domini Games has returned to its Magic City Detective environment for this next title.  Entitled Rage Under Moon, this offering places you in the role of a detective.  In this guise you are equally as ease when dealing with standard type humans and those who have retain their magical abilities allowing them to transform and make use of certain animal features.
Continuing its Daydream saga, Suricate Software takes you on an underwater experience as a princess and warrior try to save their worlds.
Suricate Software, in collaboration with Lucaciu Studio, has  added an episode to its Daydream Mosaics saga.  This tale of world saving proportions tells the story of the fragile balance between the worlds of Azure and Crimson.  Due to outside influences, the situation between the two worlds has become disrupted in such a manner that the Azure world could freeze while the Crimson world could become engulfed in a ball of fire.
Your Solitaire card playing skills are called upon to solve crimes in this next offering.
Solitaire Investigations is, as you might suppose from its title, an offering that combines some Solitaire game play with a degree of investigation action to challenge your gaming skills.  Developed by Lazy Turtle Games, Solitaire Investigations is set in Victorian London and focuses on the deductive powers of a private detective and his doctor friend who make a habit of solving crimes that have defeated the police.
As Christmas draws ever nearer I get the occasional chance to try games and puzzles here is one such item from a range by Geomag. This product is one of a range that gives the child a chance to use their brain to create an item that works.
Aimed at ‘8 plus’ this product should be for child old enough not to try eating parts of it but the ‘safety’ guide covers what younger children might try to do. The manual is in three languages all on the same pages with English always listed first. There are 130 pieces in total that come in four different sealed bags.
Why are ghostly figures causing problems at a winery and an attached hotel? It is up to you to solve the mystery.
Developed by Big Fish Games, Paranormal Files – Price of a Secret is a Hidden Object Adventure game.  I have been looking at the Collector’s Edition of this title that comes with a number of bonus items to enhance the player’s enjoyment.  Making up these bonus items are a familiar collection of items, some of which are available immediately, others have some progress has been made and, in the case of a bonus chapter only once the main game has been completed.
896223 HeyDoodle Reusable Colouring Ma

HeyDoodle Time : HeyDoodle

When is a toy not a toy? Maybe when it can serve some educational or artistic purpose.
It is commonly accepted that children can tend to imitate adults in how they act.  For example children may have seen you, or other family members, doodling on paper while hanging about on the phone waiting for a company to pick up your important call regarding some issue.  So why not put this action to use and provide children with their own doodling facility with this next product.
896225 I Love Finding Furbabie

Furbabies Rule!

Does a Tiny Little Lion qualify as a Furbaby or not?
Continuing with its "I Love" theme, Tiny Little Lion has come up with I Love Finding Furbabies Collector's Edition.  This title combines Hidden Object game play with a variety of mini game puzzles plus a number of bonus items. Allowing different people to play the game, profiles can be created to store their performance and progress.  Separate volume levels can be set for background music, sound effects and ambience.
Writing this at the start of September but this product being small and easy to post is an ideal present that auntie or uncle can send to their niece or nephew without exorbitant extra charges. I don’t get the chance to see too many items aimed at younger children. But to my knowledge this is the first item of this type that I have knowledge of.
The product consists of a wipe clean ‘Mini Mat’ which has outlines of 13 wild animals and three felt pens (wipe clean). The mat is 30x20cm and has 13 different outlines of animals to colour and each has a capital letter beside them which can also be coloured in. Once the mat has been coloured in it can be wiped clean ready to be used again on another day. The three Hey Doodle felt pens have clip on lids in the colour of the ink while the rest of the pen is white.
Adding a matching colour requirement to Match 3 game play is a feature found in a game from Itera Labs.
A few months ago I took a look at a new title from Itera Labs.  This was a Match 3 game entitled StarL that relied more on challenging game play than a backing story.  At the time I was undecided as to the reason for the game's title and I am no wiser as Itera Labs has now released a follow-up title which you will not be surprised to hear goes by the name of StarL 2.
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