The way of the knight is a path of honor, duty, and cute graphics. At least that's what it is according to Battle Princess Madelyn. This knight in training and her kingdom fall under siege to the forces of a cruel wizard. With her ghost dog Fritzy, fight, jump and bite your way to saving your kingdom.

The first thing this game says is that it is heavily inspired by the Ghosts and Goblins franchise, and this is true in every step down to the way Madelyn runs. While she tosses spears, she can either have her dog shoot balls of energy to stop her foes or she can channel his power to charge at enemies to devour them whole. 

The first impressions are great so far. The story isn't trying to be some deep and complicated trek into Madelyn's world and yet I was invested into the introduction of the game. The combat was simple, but it felt satisfying and fun. My spear wasn't too weak and the trusty ghost dog didn't make the enemies in my way super easy. The artstyle is visually pleasing; people may say doing retro graphics is a lazy indie trope, yet the team behind Madelyn worked hard to make sure the world pulls you in. 

The most important aspect of these sorts of games is the challenge. Despite my own experiences with Ghosts and Goblins, I had a hard yet fair adventure with Madelyn. The enemies were paced well, I didn't get to a point where I felt I could just rush through the game. The enemies were varied and unique. This game doesn't suffer from “enemy recolor number 1000” syndrome. I started my journey with Madelyn in a unkempt graveyard. I had to climb through an Underground Mausoleum and it ended with a boss battle with a giant skeletal knight. When a game is challenging, the satisfaction of beating a level or a boss is all the sweeter. 

I can't completely critique a game that is far from finished so I’ll talk about what should be improved or what I hope stays strong. The music for the first few stages was not what I’d call memorable. While the artstyle pulled me in despite being based on retro graphics, the old school music just didn't do the same thing for me. I hope that the rest of the tracks are more immersive as the game progresses. While the enemies were varied in my playthrough of Madelyn, I hope this stays true throughout the game's development. Recolored enemies can make or break a game; that's why I hope enemy design remains unique throughout the levels. 

For being a loyal My Nintendo member, I was offered two tickets to attend the Chicago Nintendo Switch demo event.  My husband and I planned on going without our kids since tickets were limited.  Thankfully, 360 PR was able to let us bring our three kids along and they had a blast testing out the upcoming console and launch titles with us.  The turnout was good, and I’d guess that there were three hundred or so people there.  The staff members were easy to identify with their red Switch shirts and warm smiles.  They were also very knowledgeable about the game demos and were happy to teach and assist if you got stuck in a game. 

Out of all of the launch games, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was the most in demand and you had to grab game session tickets to schedule your twenty-minute play session.  Headphones were provided to help drown out the loud electronic dance music that the DJ was playing, as well as the substantial crowd noise throughout the event.  I really enjoyed my time with the game, though like many open world games, twenty minutes was barely enough time to get a good feel for it.  I was very impressed with the art style, the beauty of the world, and how much there is to do.  The clearly less than 1080p pixels on TV was rather annoying, but you do get used to it.  It looks gorgeous on the small Switch screen.  Combat was also fun, and there is a lot of variety as well.  You constantly pick up new weapons either found outside, or as dropped loot.  Items, including weapons, wear down and break, which is a bit of an adjustment from previous games.  Arrows also seemed hard to come by, but I can understand that given how powerful they are.  I definitely look forward to playing this game more once we get it, since we pre-ordered it along with our Switch.  

Some classic games like Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers and Sonic Mania added retro feels, but didn’t show off what the new console system was capable of doing visually.  ARMS was fun and looked good on the flat screen TV/monitors we played it on.  I thought it was one of the highlights of the show, but it's hard to say if it is worth full price, since it's somewhat of a one trick pony.  Some games like Splatoon 2 were playable on TV/monitors as well as the Switch itself.  In all honestly I was disappointed with the pixelated visuals of this title on the TVs there and while there are new weapons, I don’t think it’s different enough to warrant buying it at full price.  On a positive note, this did spark some interest in our kids playing the Wii U version we already own.

Since the dawn of time, humans have strived to build vast civilizations on earth. Rulers have sought to leave their mark on history by making advances in construction, culture and technology and by taking as much stuff from their neighbors as possible. The civilization series depicts this struggle from the Stone Age through to the modern era and beyond.

The PC versions of Civilization have given me more than a few bouts of ‘one more turn’ fever over the years. They are compelling classics that are epic in scope. But what of the trimmed down version for consoles and mobile devices? I played Civilization Revolution 2 on the iPad to see whether it could recreate the complex joy of the PC experience.

The game starts as all Civ games do. You control a group of wide-eyed settlers looking for the perfect spot to found their first city. Once the foundations of your soon-to-be great civilization are laid, it’s time to turn to the serious business of world domination. Explore your surroundings, choose technologies to develop, train units, and build municipal buildings for your city. The choices you make determine how quickly your civilization develops, scientifically, culturally, financially and militarily. Each of these four areas can lead to victory, so it is important to decide where to focus your efforts.

You encounter rival civilizations along the way with which you can trade, swap technologies or fight. Most of the fighting occurs as a result of direct competition for land. Everyone is vying to found their cities in the juiciest spots, and this is where friction arises. There can be rewards in combat - If you manage to capture all three enemy capital cities, you win the game. But it also comes at a great cost - war is expensive, after all. Get bogged down in a long, protracted war and more peaceful civilizations will outstrip you in other areas of the game.

Though stripped down from the PC version, Civ Rev 2 manages to pack in a lot of features. Games can last for many hours and there is great pleasure in seeing your people rise from stone huts to build great wonders and powerful cities. There is a lot of replay value with many civilizations to choose from, each with their own bonuses and special troops. You earn achievements for winning in various different ways and unlock new civilizations to play with. There are also a variety of scenarios to play through that change the gameplay up, such as focussing solely on the space race, or defeating barbarian hordes.

Thank you Riverdale Ave. Books for sending us this e-book to review!

When Micky Neilson was eight months old he was kidnapped by his schizophrenic father and lived as a nomad in the desert.  He didn’t attend school until the seventh grade and his only socialization with other kids was in Boy Scouts. Although Micky thought his father’s stories and notions were strange, he loved him regardless.   

Sometimes Micky and his father would take refuge in Mormon churches, but religion didn’t last with Micky.  His life was pretty rough with being asked to steal or even point a gun at someone from a distance.  Before he was a teenager, he was in a foster home and would continue his relationship with his father via letters.

Micky goes into detail about his experience at different foster homes, jobs, serving in the Gulf War and even his love life.  As a gamer I found his experience at Blizzard Entertainment to be the most fascinating, though his pranks as a teenager are pretty hilarious as well.  I like the prank where he swapped out his boss’ telephone number with a customer's and had a new hire at the telemarketing company call him.

Some of the language in the book is a bit much for children to read and there is some mature content in terms of the war experiences and Micky’s first time with a prostitute.  There are also several references of drinking and partying.  Though Micky got baptized as a teenager his faith didn’t last long and he dabbled in using the Ouija board with his friends on several occasions.  

Microsoft has celebrated the anniversary of the backward compatibility feature for its Xbox One consoles by adding a fan favorite to the list of available games. Anyone who owns a physical or digital copy of Skate 3 by EA Black Box can now play the classic 360 game on their Xbox One or Xbox One S console. Check the ‘games’ screen of your console for more information on this and other available backplay titles.

When backward compatibility for Xbox 360 games was announced at the E3 segment, there was an instant demand for Skate 3 to be among the available titles. The third installment of this cult EA skateboarding series instantly became the most popular yet upon its release in 2010, plus the game had something of a revival in 2014 after YouTube boosted its popularity. It rose to become one of the most demanded titles in fan forums for the backplay feature, and is a very welcome addition to the growing catalog of compatible 360 games.

Grab a copy if you missed it the first time

Backplay is available to any Xbox One owner - if you didn’t own a 360 game originally, you can still pick them up for just a few dollars in second hand gaming stores or online. Research Team at Frugaa (a leading coupon provider in the USA) saw a sudden surge in searches for deals on Skate 3 games right after the update was announced, and the game also became a featured product on Amazon’s front page for a short time, because of the boom in demand.

Not only is the game included in the list of compatible titles, but you can get to all the DLC extras as well! From extra tracks and courses to fun merchandise and additional tasks, many of the add-ons have been free to Xbox 360 users for some time and can be added directly from the menu when you load up the game. Some versions of the game include all of the extra features within the disk - these can be ordered online or found in most gaming stores.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the most family friendly games we have reviewed in 2016. More reviews can be found on ChristCenteredGamer.com! Each game is given a gameplay score for the overall gaming experience and a moral score for how suitable it is for younger gamers. The Amazon and Humble Store links will benefit Christ Centered Gamer by giving us a small % of the sale.

If you find this guide or site useful please consider supporting us via Patreon or donating through Paypal.

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Counter Strike: Global Offensive was released to the public in 2012 and can be played on various platforms such as OS X, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, Steam, Linux and PlayStation 3.

Counter Strike is a multiplayer game in which a player can join either the Counter-terrorist or the Terrorist team. Its main objective  is to eliminate the opponent. The game is over when all the players in one team are dead, or the objective of the team is completed.

Development of Counter Strike: Global Offensive

A year after the release of the game, cosmetic items were added like weapon finishes. These cosmetic items were obtained through opening virtual crates and game-end drops that could be purchased through microtransactions just like in Dota 2 and Team Fortress 2.

Another update was made in October 2014. This time music kits were added, thus replacing the default in-game music.  The kit could also be borrowed, exchanged or sold within the community market.

Thank you Daniels Murphy Communications for sending us a screener for this special!

It has long been debated about the effects of video games on the human brain.  Do they make people more violent?  Can they be addicting?  Are there practical uses for them?  The BBC’s special Your Brain On Video Games which premiered on the Science Channel on November 1st, 2016 set out to answer all of those questions.

More and more violent video games are coming out every year and despite the bad press they are receiving, they only account for 5% of the games that are released.  There are 1.2 billion people in the world who play video games and a majority of them are over thirty-five.  Many of them have been gaming since their childhood and video game addiction is only attributed to less than 1% of them.  Gamers who play extended gaming sessions every day (on the tune of 20 hours a week) did not scientifically qualify as addiction through both the use of personality tests and brain scans.  According to Valerie Voon from University of Cambridge, one of the indicators of video game addiction is requiring instant gratification in many real life scenarios.  

Many professors including Craig Anderson and Doug Gentile from Iowa State University and Brad Bushman from Ohio State University have studied the effects of playing violent video games and how they raise levels of aggression.  Their findings indicated that after playing a violent video game the aggression level of college aged students showed an increase between 4-9%.  Studies have also revealed that gamers are desensitized to real world violence after playing violent video games.  

Despite the desensitizing and slight aggression level increases there is no direct correlation of video games influencing violent crimes.  In fact, many of the professors featured in the special believe the opposite.  They believe the routine activities theory is taking place where less opportunities are available for potential criminals since they are too busy playing video games instead of committing crimes.  

ZORP (Zombie Oblivion Response pack)
Developed by: Carl Sommer
Price: $35

Thank you Wonky Rhino Games for sending us a review prototype!

ZORP is a table top strategy game that utilizes fun weapons like flame throwers, grenades, cars, and bazookas against hordes of zombies that are blocking the way to a cure.  Up to four players can play and there are only nine turns for the humans to make it to the limited number of cures available.  One player controls the zombie hordes while the rest focus on clearing a path to the coveted cure.  

Each turn has two movement phases and one action phase and they can be taken in any order.  After all of the humans take their turn, the zombie master gets to move all of the zombies and play an event card if applicable.  The possible zombie events include super zombies, explosive zombies, zombies armed with slingshots, and resurrecting zombies.  

To my understanding, the version I have is not the review versions so this is the first impressions write-up.

Man O' War Corsairs is one of the latest Games Workshop licensed games.  Set in the Old World of Warhammer it mainly focuses on the waters off the coast of the Empire and my beloved Bretonnia.  The player takes on the role of the captain of a privateer ship and combines resource management with ship combat on the high seas.

The combat at sea is fast paced.  Very fast paced, and to be honest it felt more like I was driving a speed boat than a tall ship.  The vessel turns rapidly, moves fast and reacts very rapidly to enemy movements.  It's real time, so no time to plan moves or devise strategy between commands.  The primary opponents, at least in the early stages, are Orcs, though there's plenty of room for different adversaries as the campaign goes on.  I learned quickly how aggressive Orcs are, with a ship ramming my own and sending over a boarding party.  At that point the game turns into an almost over the shoulder FPS style game as you defend your ship against boarders.  I have to admit, it was pretty awesome when the Orcs started to pour onto my deck and the camera pulled back and the captain drew a flintlock pistol to dispense a little justice on the invading greenskins.

The game is still being polished and getting the finishing touches, so I'm eager to see how it all settles in!

New video out! It's a bit different from our usual Sonic Sitcom cartoons. Any Professor Layton fans out there? How about Phoenix Wright fans? I think you guys would enjoy this one:

Fresh on the heels of Agar.io is a new, exciting multiplayer game: Slither.io. Challenging for casual and advanced gamers alike, Slither.io is one of many free titles available at Poki.com. It's essentially a highly competitive and fun multiplayer version of Snake. Below, we've outlined five of the best reasons to play Slither.io.

5. It Really Is Free
Not every "free" game is truly without cost. Many of the most popular online games are free to play, but inundate gamers with invasive advertisements. Or, all too often we start a game at the beginner level, and have a difficult time progressing due to competitors that have paid for upgrades and special abilities. Slither.io doesn't incur any of these issues, because it's completely free, and there's absolutely nothing to pay for. Everyone is on an even playing field.

4. Quick to Start
Slither.io is a casual multiplayer game. By casual, we mean that every player can begin a game within seconds. When you're done playing, simply close the game or your browser, and start fresh next time. There's no lengthy registration process or progress to save. There aren't any introduction videos, cutscenes, or ending credits. Slither.io is one of the most convenient games to join and leave whenever you wish. That's why it works great on desktop computers, tablets, and mobile devices alike—try Slither.io and see.

VR Has leveled up: Oculus has included the sense of smell with their latest product, the Oculus Snift!

By adding the sense of smell to video games they take gaming to a whole new level! For example, when you burn a meal in the forthcoming VR version of Cooking Mama you’ll take your meal preparation a little more seriously!  A DLC for Lucky's Tale will feature Pepe’ Le Pew as he pursues his love interest, a black and white cat that looks like a skunk.  “Believe me, you DO NOT want to get him killed” says the present of Oculus VR, Brendan Iribe. Some games will feature pleasant smells like the Snift version of Flower which will be coming to PC later this year.  

Owners of the Snift can put their noses to the test with the future release of Jackbox Games'  "Name that Smell!". If your nose isn't very good, doctors are looking into using Snift's technology to strengthen the sense of smell.  Nothing can be confirmed without FDA approval though. Pricing and availability for Snift has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. Snift is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.

Thank you Falco Ink For sending us a screener of this movie!

When Joel Evan Green was a one-year-old, he had brain tumors and was only given four months to live.  His parents had a choice.  They could distance themselves and prepare for his death, or celebrate each day of his life.  While the tumors came and went with chemotherapy, Joel lived a few more years and was showered with love each and every one of those days.  Throughout Joel’s treatment, his parents documented their journey for this documentary and their game immortalizing Joel’s battle with “That Dragon, Cancer”.  

Both the film and the game capture the struggles and testing of the family’s faith and hope for saving their son’s life.  Lots of emotions are shown and they’re all genuine.  A couple of swear words are said so keep that in mind for younger audiences.   

It was really neat to see the behind the scenes discussions and work put into the making of “That Dragon, Cancer.”   Ryan and Amy Green worked together on the script and their sons lended their voice talents in the game as well.  While the laughs in the game are Joel’s, the crying is not.  

The following is a list of Wii U games that I have played and can personally recommend as some of the best out there. Wii U games from 2012-13 might be hard to find, but all of them are available on the Nintendo eShop, in case you want to download them.

15. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

For all of those SEGA fans out there, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is the racing game for you. Like Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, the game bears striking similarities to the Mario Kart series. However, the overall game is much more enjoyable and creative than its predecessor. Aside from the odd inclusion of Danica Patrick, the amount of characters and tracks has greatly improved. Characters like NiGHTS who should have been in the first one are now playable. Plus, Wreck-it Ralph is in the game. You gotta love Wreck-it Ralph.

Thank you BuyCostumes.com for sending us a deluxe Bowser costume!

BuyCostumes.com, a division of BuysSeasons Inc. was founded in 1999 and is one of the largest internet retailers of costumes and accessories.  Their motto is “Life’s Better in Costume.” While Halloweeen costumes are their biggest market, they sell costumes for events and cosplay all year round. 

There are costumes for people of all sizes and shapes; even couple’s and group costumes are available.  Costumes for pets are not left out either!  If you’re looking for indoor, yard, or porch decorations, BuyCostumes.com has you covered!

Gamers may want to check out their video game collection.     BuyCostumes.com sells officially licensed Nintendo costumes featuring Mario, Luigi, Toad, Princess Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, and Pikachu.  Other popular video game costumes include: 

• Master Chief
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• Kitana, Subzero, and Scorpion from Mortal Kombat
• Batman
• Arno from Assassin’s Creed  

Minecraft fans may want to check out the block heads for Endermen, Creepers, and the default character, Steve.  Skylander collectors might like the Spyro, Jet Vac, Wash Buckler, and Trigger Happy costumes.  

Here’s a quick breakdown of the most family friendly games we have reviewed in 2015. More reviews can be found on ChristCenteredGamer.com! Each game is given a gameplay score for the overall gaming experience and a moral score for how suitable it is for younger gamers. The Amazon and Humble Store links will benefit Christ Centered Gamer by giving us a small % of the sale.

If you find this guide or site useful please consider supporting us via Patreon or donating through Paypal.

Another great way to support us is to

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Disclaimers:

Thank you Leap Trade for providing us with credit on your website to trade/purchase a game!
Although Leap Trade does advertise with us, it does not influence this review of their service in any way. 

Many of us have games laying around that we no longer play or want anymore.  While GameStop is convenient for trading them in, they give you very little money for them.    If you're not in a rush to sell your games, Leap Trade will give you  more credit for them than Game Stop and Amazon.

There is no cost to join the site and after joining,  you can buy Leap Trade credit at a reduced price for a limited time. The game prices are competitive and updated every couple of weeks.  There is a forum to suggest pricing changes if needed. 

The game price is the final price to your door as shipping is included.  The United States Postal Service shipping labels are paid for by the seller and it's very reasonably priced at $3.50.   Tracking is included and easily accessible via Leap Trade's website.

Digital gaming on PC is taking off with services like Steam, GOG, GamersGate, Green Man Gaming, Origin, and Uplay.  Electronic versions of games are often cheaper than their physical counterparts.  Consoles also offer games in digital formats in their electronic stores like Nintendo's eShop, Play Station's store and Xbox's marketplace.  Many console games are only available digitally so checking out the shops every now and then is highly recommended.     Instead of comparing prices on several sites to get the best deal, CheapDigitalDownload.com does all of the price comparison shopping for you!  They also anonymously test their suppliers to ensure the confidence of their customers.

CheapDigitalDownload features prices for the latest games on many platforms including PC, Play Station, Nintendo, and Xbox.   Besides games, CheapDigitalDownload also offers competitive prices on gift cards and subscription plans.   While the Nintendo prices are well above retail, there are plenty of deals to be had in the Xbox, PS4 and PC section.  Some games can be yours for less than a dollar!

When I was in the market for an Xbox Gold subscription I purchased my two year code through them.  Instead of receiving a physical code, I was e-mailed a clear photograph of the back of a card and it worked flawlessly.  Why pay fifty dollars on Amazon for a one year membership when I can get a two year subscription for the same price on CheapDigitialDownload.com?  

There are plenty of ways to get free games through CheapDigitalDownload if you have social media accounts.  If you connect your Facebook account with their website you can earn points by registering, visiting, and commenting on the site.   There are also daily and weekly raffles to enter in as well using e-mail, Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

Disclosure: I was financially compensated for this post. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience

Thank you Education.com for sending us a one-month trial code!

Kids are getting tech savvy younger and younger these days.  Why not use their computer skills to help them increase their math and reading proficiency?  Brainzy offers over three-hundred games and activities to keep them entertained and sitting still. Their format, which uses catchy music and colorful animations, is similar to Sesame Street.

Brainzy follows the Common Core guidelines and offers both family and classroom versions of their programs.  Families can pay as little as $3.99 a month if billed annually, or in monthly installments of $6.99.  There’s a seven-day trial available to see if your children are compatible with the browser-based program.  ;)  Each family account can support up to three players.

At this time Brainzy has curriculums for Pre-K through First Grade.  My son, who is in first grade, enjoyed using Brainzy while my older daughters watched and chimed in as well.  They wished there were higher level courses available.