3 comments about Sonic and the Secret Rings (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. Although Sonic The Hedgehog has been one of the most loved video game characters since his debut back in 1991, there is absolutely yet to be a strateegy guide since Sonic Adventure DX that can display a definitive reflection through the maps and routes. For Sonic's latest adventure on the Wii, this guide doesn't hit the nail on the head. Sonic & The Secret Rings guide from Prima, doesn't display a lot to help you battle your way through each of the courses of the game. It is unfortunate, because the maps aren't as displayed vividly, and it doesn't actually pinpoint certain areas to help you find hidden items, and features to go against some of the bosses in the game. All in all, I really think Sega should've made the strategy guide themselves instead. The secret is I really don't suggest you get this if you get the game.
   
   Price: C-
   
   Convience: D
   
   Maps: C
   
   Overall: C-
   
   1,100th review!!!!



2. If you must know where everything is then this is a guide book for you. Prima does a great job and they even have a website available for updates to their books (do this if you like guidebooks and do MMO games).



3. I have been a fan of Sonic the Hedgehog for many years. When I heard that Nintendo would be selling Sonic video games, I was a little skeptical about the quality, but they didn't disappoint. This player's guide also reflects the quality of the game with detailed maps and startegies. It's a must for any Sonic fan.

4 comments about Medal of Honor: Airborne (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. A truely great Game! If only I could figure out why I can't keep the Broomhandle Mauser even after completing the mission?



2. CoD4 is by far the most visually realistic FPS thus far for us still playing Computer Games.
   The graphics and story line are excellent. I do not play mutiplayer , so I cannot review the wants or dislikes of mulfiplayers.
   What I can say is, if you like to play single this will not disapoint.



3. Remarkable free-form game that allows you to jump into any of a multiple of scenarios for any one operation.
   
   You can play a completely different game for the same operation simply by landing by parachute somewhere else on the visible area on the computer screen.
   
   One minus I would possibly give is that they don't allow the shooter to go into the prone position. When you're getting shot at, the tendency is to get your body as close to the ground as you can.
   
   Another is that when you think you have your own guys covering your back, you suddenly find yourself getting shot by the enemy coming at you from a direction you thought your guys were covering.
   
   All-in-all, this game is the best by far. I'll be looking forward to their next release.



4. This guide is very well-written and structured with comprehensive coverage of everything you would need to know if you're trying to go for 1000 gamerscore (for the 360 players out there). I read this guide front to back and did not find a single mistake. The guide also contains some very good information regarding achievements that I could not find on any of the gaming websites that provide free walk-throughs. If you're having any trouble with the campaign or multi-player (or if you're going for that 1000 gamerscore), this guide is a worthy investment. Nice job by the author here.

4 comments about Tekken 5 Official Strategy Guide (Signature Series).

1. This is a good book and it tells me how to play this game. Also, it tells me which players versus each other is good or bad. In addition, the Tekken: Devil within game isn't tell me a lot, but each thing it tells is useful. So, it is a good book to buy to play with the game together. Go for it. :)



2. All the details described by the other readers are all true. There is only one thing this guide falls short of, it doesn't have maps of the Devil Within Game and the Strategies for the Devil Within Game are insufficient. Other than that, this guide is complete!



3. A good strategy guide I would have to say, very good. it lists every characters moves and what level each move hits and anything special about each move except Jinpachi since you cannot use him but I would've enjoyed an analysis of Jipachi within this guide. It also gives a list of combos for each characters which are mostly juggles which is the main thing to do in Tekken 5 if you want to play with crazy fanatics who play for many hours which, I am somewhat kinda like that. It also gives pictures and the cost of each customization item which was kind of interesting. Also it gives some secrets away in the back and it comes with a free wall scroll. of course in there are some typos within the guide but it happens in most guides, no big deal. This is helpful and convenient.



4. Super!!! It has a lot of juggle combos and all the special moves!!!
   it's really worthy to buy it if you are a tekken fan it's a must have

5 comments about Official Nintendo Animal Crossing: Wild World Player's Guide.

1. I normally don't buy guides for the games that I play, because for me, part of the fun is figuring out what to do. I enjoy the surprise of what comes next, and knowing what lies around the corner just spoils it for me. However, there are a few games that I don't think guides can ruin, and one of those games is Animal Crossing (Wild World or the Gamecube version).
   
   While I still maintain that it's better to figure out things on your own, this guide does a good job of keeping many things secret. It intentionally leaves out some of the different items you can get in the game, and only shows you roughly 75 to 80% of them. It also doesn't show you how to get specific haircuts, instead showing you a small gallery of potential haircuts you can receive.
   
   I liked this guide, but I wanted to like it even more. It does a good job on the content it has, but ultimately falls short of it's full potential. I like the fact that it encourages you to find things out on your own, as I know far too many children that can't even play some games unless they have a guide for it. This guide is made for them.
   
   Unfortunately, I'm a 25 year-old Adult, and I bought this guide hoping to get complete lists of everything obtainable in the game, and I didn't get that. It has some nice pictures for what it does have, but as for me, I was able to get all the information I needed on the Internet.



2. Great guide, shows all the furniture pieces, bugs, fossils, fish and gyroids. Helpful hints too!!



3. Very valuable for the avid Animal Crossing fan!! Four of us in the family play the game and the guide is very helpful. A must have ;o)



4. My daughter had this guide and found it indespensible. Two of her friends were so excited about it when they saw it, that I bought two more copies to give to these freinds as birthday gifts. One gal read it cover to cover. The other two use it for reference. I was thanked over and over for getting it by one of the friends.



5. This was a very helpful book when I played Animal Crossing like non-stop. I found myself sitting down and reading it over and over again, I couldn't look at it enough! And I also knew what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it on the game thanks to this book! It was much help...a must have if you love Animal Crossing!

No comments about Sonic the Hedgehog (PS3, 360) (Prima Official Game Guide).

5 comments about Reset: Changing the Way We Look at Video Games (BK Currents (Hardcover)).

1. Rusel DeMaria is a veteran in the video games business. He's a very connected individual and has had a prolific career writing in-depth strategy guides for key games, and also regarding the history of the business.
   
   His new book "RESET" has changed the way I think about games and their social impact. It's an important read for parents and those that wish to understand the gaming industry from someone who's able to really take a close and very revealing look.



2. I'm an avid gamer and I bought this book for my mother because I thought it presented games in a new light. Instead of portraying them as evil, time wasting, and corruptive, it points out ways games can be used in a useful and constructive fashion.
   
   Highly recommended.



3. As the parent of a long time gamer, I think this is a terrific book that would be of much value to a wide variety of people; parents, educators, psychologists, gaming journalists, and children's recreational supervisors. It would also be of value to anyone who works in the game industry or wants to work in the game industry, particularly in the business, community relations, executive, legal, or general design areas. Although it's certainly not aimed at gamers, I would say that gamers who have a serious interest in the broader aspects of the field should give it a read. It offers a lot of insights into video gaming, as well as offering up a good many ways that video games can add value and dimension to our personal, educational, and professional lives.



4. The book is a spirited attempt to defend the concept of computer gaming. It attempts to draw out and articulate the components of games which offer the potential to revolutionise the learning experience. The primary one being the involvement and identification of game play which `motivates' the user to learn complex subjects without the traditional experience of learning as a difficult and unappealing task.
   
   The strongest elements of the book lie mostly in the author's attempt to `unpack' game-play and relate the different components back to (mostly psychological) research into learning and motivation. His central thesis is that if learning is unstructured and `fun', is it far more productive. Games focus on positive user experiences, and learning becomes almost a by-product of the on-going attempt to repeat the `buzz' of achieving desired tasks. Partly this is because learning is provided within more exciting and interesting contexts, and partly because the user doesn't perceive tasks as `compulsory', but is allowed to learn at their own pace and in their own way.
   
   Whilst this idea is not new:
   
   "Generally speaking, a child's education must be based on the principle that everything must come from his own will. Nothing should be given in a ready made form. One can only give the idea, one can only guide or even teach indirectly, starting from afar and leading him to the point from something else." (Gurdjieff 1928 - Views from the Real World.)
   
   ... it has (up till now) never meaningfully challenged the idea that learning (almost by definition) should be boring, hard and laborious.
   
   In my opinion the author does an excellent job of reviewing the important elements of game-play and in showing how much this medium has to offer. He comes close to establishing `computer games' as a potential paradigm shift in the structure of education.
   
   I think this is a book the critics should read!



5. Video games can prove powerful tools for learning and social change: that's the eye-opening revelation in RESET: CHANGING THE WAY WE LOOK AT VIDEO GAMES, which comes from a gaming journalist and concerned parent who examines the myths and stereotypes revolving around video games. From an analysis of the business forces behind these games' development to the unique qualities which distinguish video games from other media and the latest learning research on play and learning connections, chapters extol the possibilities of video games as powerful tools for education and inspiration - if presented properly. A fine choice for education and social issues libraries alike, this will reach college-level audiences.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

4 comments about Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy.

1. It seems like everyone's an expert on this topic lately. And frankly, I, as both a gamer and a game developer, am sick of it. For every so-called study that concludes games and media are a direct influence on violent behavior, three more clinical studies conclude just the opposite. Read this book if you like, it's an interesting look at another person's view (I'm not using the word "opinion," since the authors try to remain fairly neutral while presenting as much material as possible). Quite a few studies are cited, although several of them were not in controlled environments.
   The fact of the matter is, it's very difficult to rule one way or another. Violent behavior is a result of many factors; often genetics, parental attention, environmental stimulus, internal psychology and sometimes pathology, and an infinite number of other variables. The authors present this idea as well, and they do it better than some other politically minded "ban violent videgames" type books.
   The truth is, as the authors have written, digital media is only one factor that needs to be monitored by parents, where the responsibility should ultimately lie. Certain age groups should not be exposed to certain stimulus, least of all without proper guidance, which many parents seem to ignore.
   All in all, this is a decent book. Much better than several others, and better than listening to Hillary Clinton's and Jack Thomson's accusations and generalizations. My personal feelings obviously color this review, but don't let it color your opinion of the book: it is actually pretty good for a topic where there is as much misinformation as information.
   Read it, do some of your own research, and form your own opinions.
   And most importantly, pay attention to ratings on all media. They exist for a purpose.



2. Great book for all of you who are interested in Video game violence. I am in Graduate School studying video game violence and am using this great book for my thesis. It is very up to date, and a lot more reliable, in a topic/genre with a lot of unrealiable sources.
   
   I got the book faster than I thought I would, about a week early!!!



3. It's interesting when reading about how video games influence violent behavior. It's like reading up on studies about ESP, they are interesting to read about but very clearly flawed in many ways. Putting aside the fact that many of the studies presented in this book lack the basic requirements of an acceptable study (Double-Blind Experiments with no room for observer bias) In the end this book presents generic ideas that can be changed slightly to apply to anything. Video games desensitize children to violence and promote aggressive behavior. Competitive sports desensitize children to having fun and increase likelihood of back-stabbing and double-crossing to get ahead and win.
   
   Nonetheless this topic brings to mind the subject of angry, ignorant parents who will no doubt eat this up like another garbage-filled episode of Dr. Phil. To those parents I say this. Don't want your kids to play violent video games? Fine, don't buy it for them. There are ESRB ratings for a reason. Don't know what ESRB ratings are? Big surprise, hence making you an ignorant, angry parent. Let's forget the fact that all video game systems have parental controls on them and that each video game sold has a rating on it that states if there is any mature material on there, let's just focus on vague correlations that say that kids who play video games are more prone to aggressive behavior. Hey while we're lying to ourselves we might as well believe that we're actually in IRaq to spread democracy. Let the good times roll.



4. I tend to suspect a bias when a researcher claims the debate is over. The authors of this book make this claim in their introduction: "Nevertheless, the scientific debate about whether exposure to media violence causes increases in aggressive behavior is over and should have been over 30 years ago."
   
   After reading this book, one should also read "Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do" by Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson.

5 comments about Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. I bought this guide because it was the only one available and silly me I thought it would include information for the Nintendo DS version. It doesn't. Just wanted to give anyone else a heads up before they make the mistake of wasting their money like I did. I bought it because I can't find some of the bricks and cannisters and it is not helpful at all.



2. In my recent trip to Mcallen, I've see it in a Toy'R'Us (more expensive than Amazon), but for a strange reason I did not bought. Now I'm seeing that is very useful, because the game (that is very easy) did not explain a lot of things, and maps are the most unvaluable help in this guide, because you have only 10 minutes to search blue canisters. Every thing is showed with a lot of precision ande make more dinamic the game.



3. Somebody should alert new buyers that this guide is useless for Nintendo DS users (as I am).



4. Really Helps : ) and good picture to help you find all of the "goodies" too.



5. This product is way over priced here. If you go to Prima Guides website you can download the 208 page guide for like less than $14.00. Also the game is great and as also fun and funny. I just thought I'd in formed others that are looking for good deals.

5 comments about Animal Crossing (Prima's Official Strategy Guide).

1. I dont know if this is the animal crossing guide i have or not. But the one i have is full of useful information on this game, that's fun to just look at.. even if you have the game if you ask me.



2. Animal Crossing is a real world type game.It has great graphics and is not violent.It has a lot of stuff you would do when you move out of your parents house like bills house ware and of course geting letters from your mom! By:Andrew Fink



3. This guide is a great tool for Animal Crossing fans to find out what pieces they are missing from their sets, and when activities happen (in general) and items can be found. Beware, however, if you are looking for a guide that will tell you every detail of your game. Due to the nature of Animal Crossing, no guide can give you a complete list of what to expect. The guide includes a calendar of the events for 2003, so if you're playing the game at the current date and time these events will not be accurate. This guide can tell you what to expect, but can't tell you exactly when and where it will happen in your Animal Crossing town. The only way to do that is to play your game every day ;) The layout of the guide makes it easy to catalog what you have collected and see what you are still missing, but looking up items takes a bit of page turning. There are nearly complete item lists, and approximate timetables for catching fish and insects. Overall, this guide is a great resource for collecting, but it can't replace the months/years of gameplay necessary to 'complete' the game and do all there is to do in your town.



4. Since this item is no longer in stock it would be nice if you would delete it from the listing. I have been looking for this title for a long time and was very disappointed to find that it is sold out.



5. If you play Animal Crossing a lot then you have to have this because there is so much to the game. There are some problems but it still is handy and can help a lot. That said you still will have to get some info on the internet. Is there such a thing as a casual AC player? I don't think so.

3 comments about EverQuest II Atlas (Prima's Official Atlas).

1. The maps themselves are very detailed, but end up being hard to read, mostly because every page is covered in some weird LSD dayglo colored layout. I sort of wish they would just had a black and white book at this point instead of bright purple, blue and green colorings over everything. It not only makes the text hard to read, but gives you a headache when looking at it too long. You could almost lick the book it is so colorful. This might be good for something like an art book, but this is meant to be a reference book, so the coloring doesn't work well for this format.
   
   Also, a numbering system for mob/npc placement would go a long way to making this a better product for future books. I'd like to look at the map on one page filled with a list of numbers, and on the opposite page have the numbers and their descriptions laid out.
   
   Overall, still a decent book, just very hard to use.



2. very clear guide for any everquest gamers makes it easier as you can look at atlas rather than small maps on screen.



3. I really like the idea of an Atlas for EQ2. It has a lot of zones. The maps though are tough to read. They are pretty tiny and in tough colors to stare at. One thing that the Atlas is really missing though is a level guide. As a noob for EQ2 I have no idea which zone is really for my character level or not and unfortunately this Atlas doesn't help.