Pokemon Art Academy; Toy Stunt Bike; Hooligans 'The Bravest', gaming reviews
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****
3DS (£34.99)
Art and Pokémon. It may seem an odd combination, but Nintendo pulls it off with charm and polish. With one drawing challenge per technique, and mini-lessons unlocked after each picture, the game is at its best when you stand back and admire a freshly painted masterpiece, with a sense of pride and, in my case, surprise at the quality. This won't make you the next Da Vinci, nor is it for non-Pokémaniacs (and it's not exactly cheap), but it's enjoyable. Now, where did I put my brush?
Toby Clarke
Toy Stunt Bike
**
3DS (£4.49)
Games such as the recent Trials Fusion made a similar formula look bombastic and exciting, but Toy Stunt Bike is happy to plod along and do the bare minimum. As the game progresses, mastering the trickier levels is where some enjoyment is to be found. For a sub-£5 game released on a handheld, it's understandable that the levels aren't the most intricate or attractive. But with so many superior competitors on the market, there's no real reason to pick this one.
Jack Fleming
Hooligans 'The Bravest'
***
iOS (£1.99)
It seems rather cynical to launch a game about beered-up football hooligans in the midst of a World Cup but the frenetic action, power-ups and humorous, cartoon-like visuals raise this game above being a passable, side-scrolling beat-'em-up. To a degree, anyway. While it shows signs of ingenuity – the use of beer to recruit shaven-headed crew members, and green-tinged burps – its grim-faced, crowbar-wielding anti-hero looks bored, mirroring the feelings of players in a game that becomes rather tiresome the more you progress.
David Crookes
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