Game Reviews and News - Scout Life magazine

Pokémon X and Y game review

Pokémon X and Y offer some of deepest play you can get in a game today. If you want value and excitement, this intelligent re-imagining of Pokémon is the way to go this fall.

Awesome. Yes, indeed. You’re going to feel a sense of awe early in Rayman Legends. Awe about the beautiful artwork. Awe about the generally well-balanced game play. Awe about the sweeping, stirring music. And it’s going to stay with you throughout the game.

Disney Infinity game review

A few years ago, Skylanders — with its adventure game and action figures — came out of nowhere to become a big best-seller. Now Skylanders has a challenger called Disney Infinity. Is it a worthy competitor? The Games Guru has the answer.

Turbo: Super Stunt Squad game review

Turbo: Super Stunt Squad has some flaws, but the Games Guru says its still a pretty good game. Especially for the price.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf game review

Despite a few flaws, Animal Crossing: New Leaf is a constantly engaging simulation for the Nintendo 3DS that’s great for everybody in the family and rarely fails to surprise.

Best of the E3 2013 gaming conference

E3 has come and gone, and one thing is clear: The next generation consoles and games will transport you to a level of realism you’ve never seen before. Of course, no one has played these games through to the finish. But from my Guru’s eye view, here are the 10 most promising games of E3.

Grid 2 game preview

You never can tell about the finished product from a preview disk. Yet one thing is clear: There is bold imagination in Grid 2, and that’s always a good sign. Hopefully, the gameplay will turn out to be even better than what I’ve seen.

Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon game review

The last time Luigi starred in a Nintendo game was back in 2001’s Luigi’s Mansion for GameCube. Mario’s cool twin brother really deserves more starring roles. The GameCube offering was good, but the new Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon is even better.

Lego City Undercover game review

It’s like James Bond with Legos! Lego City Undercover is the first new Nintendo series in a long time, and this open-world game is really the first must-have Nintendo game of the year.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

Sly Cooper is a raccoon who’s also thief. But he’s not a bad guyl. He steals only from other thieves. In Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, the fourth chapter in the Sly saga, the wily mammal travels through time with a few smart pals to unravel a great mystery.

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch game review

Don’t be put off by the title. Otherwise, you’ll miss one of the most delightfully fresh experiences I’ve seen in a role-playing game in some time.

Five cool games you’ve probably never heard of

Here are some of the coolest recent games you’ve probably never heard of.

The 2012 Boysie Awards

2012 was a year of change in videogames. There were more phone and tablet games than ever before and fewer big consoles games, especially for kids. Change may come, but the cream always rises to the top. Here are the Boysie Awards for this year’s best games!

Wii U console review

Is the Wii U worth buying? The Games Guru's Wii U review has the scoop on this new video game console from Nintendo.

Skylanders: Giants game review

Last year, Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure came almost out of nowhere to sell 30 million games. Now Activision has released Skylanders: Giants. And guess what? I’m happy to report that Giants is excellent.

Kirby’s Dream Collection game review

Kirby is back! The air-sucking, sometimes-floating pink ball with a can-do attitude just turned 20 years old, and Nintendo has packed a wealth of games and commemorative content into this collection.

3DS XL and New Super Mario Bros. 2 game review

Incoming! They’re arriving just in time for your last summer trip (and just before school begins). The 3DS XL and New Super Mario Bros. 2 have been released at the same time, and the Games Guru has a review.

The Amazing Spider-Man game review

The Amazing Spider-Man is 50 years old this year. Let’s see if the game for Nintendo DS lives up to the legend that is the comic-book and movie hero.

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes game review

Batman and Robin form a powerful union with the Justice League of America in one of the year's best kid-friendly games.

Best of the E3 2012 gaming conference

They really stand out. Of the hundreds and hundreds of games displayed at E3 in Los Angeles this year, a few are head and shoulders above the rest. So without further ado, here are the most promising games of E3 2012.

Minecraft game review

Since it first hit PCs a couple of years ago, Minecraft has taken the world by storm. Now, the game has sold a million copies within a few days of its release on Xbox Live. Check out the Games Guru's review and see if its worth your money.

Battleship game review

There’s no doubt that the board game Battleship is one of the best ever made. Unfortunately, Battleship the video game, which is based on the new movie, is actually a strategy game that’s like the board game – but not nearly as much fun.

FIFA Street game review

FIFA Street is very addicting, and the Games Guru has the sore wrists to prove it. But is it worth your money? Find out in this review.

Kid Icarus: Uprising game review

Kid Icarus: Uprising will go down in history as one of the most inventive games Nintendo has ever made for the 3DS. Despite challenges with the controls, you’ll thrill to hours and hours of engrossing fun that includes a rich story as well.

PlayStation Vita review

Thumbs up or thumbs down? Is the brand-new PS Vita worth the money?

Plus, find out how to win one from Boys' Life magazine.

NFL Blitz game review

What was Electronic Arts thinking? We’re deep into basketball and hockey season, so it seems like a weird time to be releasing a football game. But the Super Bowl is right around the corner. So the time might be right for this truly over-the-top arcade game.

The 2011 Boysie Awards

It’s been a fascinating year for games. From LittleBigPlanet 2 early in the year to Skyward Sword last month, you never had to look far to find something good. But after a lot of blood, sweat and game playing, here are this year’s winners!

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 game review

While it’s not that different from the last offering, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 gives you a ton of enjoyable gaming. If you don’t want to say goodbye to Harry just yet, here’s a fine way to spend time in his world -- throughout the holidays and beyond.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword game review

Despite its few glitches, Skyward Sword is the Wii game to get this season. With over 40 hours of play, it will keep you magically occupied for weeks on end.

Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure game review

Combining a toy with a game is a good idea that might put new life into the Spyro series. But now that it’s out, is Skylanders all it’s cracked up to be? Let's find out.

Four great downloadable games for Xbox Live

Some of the downloadable games on Xbox Live are real gems. Many are cheaper (and shorter) than their console cousins, but they often give you the same thrilling gameplay. In some cases, the play is even better.

Nicktoons MLB game preview

Here’s a preview of a truly unique baseball game coming out on Sept. 13.

NCAA Football 12 game review

Does NCAA Football 12 live up to the thrilling real-life experience of college football?

Games Guru reviews summer movie games

With the summer’s biggest movies come the summer’s film-inspired video games. Are they hot or not? Here are three that you should know about.

Best of the E3 2011 gaming conference

The Games Guru picks the best games announced at the 2011 gaming conference.

Lego Pirates of the Caribbean video game review

Is the new LEGO Pirates game a Yo Ho Ho or a No, No, No? Find out in this exclusive Games Guru review.

Racing video game reviews

It’s racing season! Since most of us can’t get behind the wheel to feel the exhilaration of speeding to victory on the racetrack, video games are pretty much the next best thing. Here are two new options.

Games Guru previews Nintendo 3DS and games

It’s like science fiction, but it’s real. The Nintendo 3DS arrives March 27! Forget those goofy glasses. The 3DS lets you play games in 3D without them. It lets you watch movies in 3D, too. Why is the 3DS so cool? Let’s take a peek under the hood.

Mario Sports Mix game review

With Mario Sports Mix, it’s all about the zany characters. If you’re a true Nintendo fan, there’s nothing like playing as these animated wonders and adding your Mii to their team.

LittleBigPlanet 2 game review

Sackboy is back. But the new game isn’t just a platform game. It’s a platform for you to make all kinds of games. In other words, this game is GINORMOUS.

The 2010 Boysie Awards

What a great year it’s been for video games. There have been almost 100 really good games this year. But only a fraction of them are great. Here are the best of the best!

Disney Epic Mickey game review

When I first saw Disney Epic Mickey at E3, I thought, “What a beautiful, ingenious game.” Now that I’ve played it, I can still say it’s beautiful and ingenious. But, sadly, it also has gameplay issues.

Bakugan: Defenders of the Core game review

The first thing you need to know about Bakugan: Defenders of the Core is that these guys are humongous, sometimes as tall as skyscrapers. And when they get to brawling, all bets are off. Godzilla has nothing on Bakugan.

Microsoft Kinect review

Microsoft’s Kinect was released to great fanfare, including a party in New York’s Times Square. But does the cool, high-tech camera that lets you play games without a controller really deliver the goods?

Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs game review

It’s like greeting an old friend. When you get your hands on a new Pokémon game, you get that familiar feeling. You know the controls. You know that you’re in for an adventurous story. But this time, it’s not about catching ’em all.