Chibi Robo: Park Patrol

A new park is being built and a Chibi Robo has been commissioned to toil as a gardener, groundskeeper, and guardian. At the outset of the game, a delivery truck deposits Chibi Robo's headquarters directly in the park which serves as the base of operations. Two tools are used to help the 10cm robot achieve its goals: A spraying mechanism which shoots out water and a boombox with built-in turntable which plays gracious melodies. Once Chibi Robo is under player control, move it next to the first flower on the field and play some music. Roll the stylus around in a circular motion on the virtual turntable properly and the flower will eject seedlings onto the field. Water the seedlings and watch them grow instantly into flowers which may also propagate their own seedlings... «more»

Dokidoki Majo Shinpan

Way back in 1692, there was a mania that spread across Salem Village, MA which is now known as the Salem Witch Trials. In that episode of questionable intentions and widespread hysteria, hundreds of women and men were accused of practicing witchcraft. Nineteen of the accused were sent to Gallows Hill for hanging. The populace engaged in "witch hunts" where a mere accusation was grounds for imprisonment.

Dokidoki Majo Shinpan is sort of like that. Instead of a fevered mob of villagers with lit torches, the player acts alone and checks for witches by examining a target's body with the stylus or perhaps a finger. You're looking for a mark which may be on her shoulder, the back of her thigh, or another region that only a stylus-wielding sleuth can ferret out. «more»

Puchi Puchi Virus

An off-world virus has invaded Earth and is mutating humans into adorable monsters. A scientist named Kevin Noguchi discovers a cure that he calls the Virus-Buster but each patient must be treated individually due to the nature of the virus. To help the hapless, the scientist and his assistants Honey-Bee and Josh take it upon themselves to cure everyone of their ails by way of triangle-creating antics.

Each infected patient's body is a battleground where blobs that represent the virus are arranged on a grid made up of 10x10 hexagons. To destroy the viruses in groups of three, tap on each like-colored virus to encapsulate and wipe them from the screen. Chain combos can be created by intersecting two triangle groups of viruses and tapping once. «more»

Boku no Natsuyasumi 3

It's the summer of 1975 and Mama's about to have another baby. She already has a 10-year old named Boku who's becoming a handful and is beginning to fray her nerves. Mama decides to send Boku to spend the summer with his aunt and uncle in the countryside of Hokkaido so she can relax and prepare herself for the birthing process.

One day, a train takes Boku from the city to the country. Aboard the train, he peers out the window at the greenery while poppy keeps a watchful eye over him. At one point, he leans out the window (clearly illegal and dangerous) and symbolically looks forward to the summer of fun that awaits him. Upon disembarking, he's greeted by his uncle at the train platform and the two travel by car to the ranch he'll be staying for a few weeks. Boku can engage in various activities such as catching insects, flying kites, swimming, enjoying the summer festival, skipping stones across a river, and even pitting beetles against each other. Sony boasts over 100 diversions that may be played in the game. «NCS Game Notes»

Super Robot Wars OG 8M Memory Card

Hori is the undisputed master of memory cards in Japan. Over the years, the company has licensed games such as Seiken Densetsu 4, the Biohazard games, the Onimushas, the Sakura Taisen games, the Growlansers, and pretty much every other notable game that's been released for the PS2. The company captures the magic of Super Robot Wars OG with a nifty memory card which includes the following items:

» White 8M Memory Card. The front of the card features a recreation of the artwork from the SRW Original Generations game cover.

» Transparent 8M Memory Card holder with label stickers which may be affixed to the front of any other standard PS2 memory card.

» A sheet of four Super Robot Wars decals. Paste them on your PC, on your PS2, or on your arm if you're into temporary tattoos.

» The cardboard backing of the blister packaging is a glossy placard with an image of the Earth that can be used as a mini poster or a place setting when you're eating dinner.

Jeanne D'Arc [The Best]

In Domremy, France, a village is burning and blue orcs are on the attack. All that stands before them is a blonde maiden in haus frau clothing who's capable of laying down some serious damage. In the early goings in the first mission, brilliant fireflies flit upwards from the flames in the village and course through the air in straight trajectories. Battles are fought on 3D tactical arenas where players move three characters at the outset and attack the orcs and their leader. The game is based on the legend of Joan of Arc and mixes fact and fiction for an engaging experience with crystalline graphics and brilliant visual effects.

When its time for action, players highlight the active character with a blue square and tap the "O" button once. A menu appears with movement and attack options. To move, press "O" on the top menu option and lighted blue grids overlay the countryside or town which shows the range of movement. Sidle up next to an enemy and attack with the usual tactical conventions where your attack is more effective from the side or behind the target than if you face it head-on.

When attacking, the camera zooms in on the blow being meted out and the enemy is given a chance to automatically counterattack. If he misses, an animation will show Jeanne or another character leaning back and swerving to avoid the blow. Attacking the enemy from behind will avoid a counterblow. Once killed, the orc seemingly gives up its last breath and heaves forward before collapsing into a clump on the ground. «g-notes»