Games I’ve Been Playing Lately

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged about gaming! I haven’t been playing as many video games since I started working full time, but I got some new games for Christmas that I’ve been enjoying working through!

So here are some of my favorites so far in 2017 :)

Zumba

This is a game that I’ve been eyeing for a year or two now. I’ve always wanted to take a Zumba class, but haven’t been able to find a class at a good time or didn’t want to go by myself, so I thought this would be a fun alternative. I got this game as a Christmas present this year and couldn’t wait to try it out!

www.microsoft.com

Overall, I really liked the game. There were songs that you would normally associate with Zumba from Latin American countries, but then there were also a lot of other regions and their dances represented at well. It provided variety if you ever got bored of one style of dance. It was a pretty good workout, too! The first time I played, I could only make it through about four songs before being beat. But I could feel myself getting stronger the more that I played, and that encouraged me to play even more.

There was also a kind of “training” mode, where you could learn complicate steps for each style of dance in slower motion and repeatedly practice them. That was a good introduction to the game for me since I don’t fancy myself that much of a dancer where I could work on those moves before being thrown into the song.

The only thing I didn’t like about the game is the user interface. Moving between menus was motion activated, meaning you had to raise your hand in the air to select songs. Oftentimes you would have to stand with your arm raised for thirty seconds or more before it even read that you were trying to navigate between the menus, and then you had to hover for a couple seconds for it to select. If your hand wavered slightly, it would come off the selection. It really didn’t make sense why you couldn’t use a controller to navigate through the game in addition to using your hand.

Castle Crashers

electricsistahood.com

This is a fun arcade style game that Andrew and I have played on and off for a while now that we recently returned to beat. You play as knights who storm castles to rescue all of the kidnapped princesses. You can level up your knight and allocate your skill points, and in some parts of the game you compete for the princesses’ kiss. It’s reminiscent of older games to me since it’s pretty straight forward, which is why I think I enjoy it so much. There’s a lot of humor in it as well, like you can battle your allies and the winner receives a kiss from the princess.

xbox.com

We’ve only played this together so far, so I can’t attest to the single player, but the multiplayer is great! There are a lot of games that I’ve played with Andrew that aren’t really meant for multiplayer, but this one is perfect for it. There are a couple other mini games on the side that you can play online, and those are fun if you need a break from the main storyline.

 

LEGO Lord of the Rings

You guys know that I love the Lord of the Rings, books or movies, I’ll take ’em all. This game is no different. I’ve always been a big fan of the Lego video games, having played Lego Jurassic World, and Lego Hobbit.

The game does a good job of condensing the main plot line while still keeping the original charm of the movie. Many of the scenes are shot for shot recreations of the movie but with Lego characters instead, which I loved. Plus there is the standard Lego humor (i.e. one of the humans in the opening scenes of the movie drops his ring, a pig gets caught stealing carrots instead of Merry and Pippin, just funny little bits here and there that make you laugh).

http://criticallysane.com

The game breaks down the plot down into levels, but I love the game play between the levels. There is an open-world where you can move all over middle-earth and complete side quests, find letters to forge new items from the blacksmith, buy characters and power ups, etc. Plus it’s just fun to ride around on a horse through the Shire and through Rohan.

http://www.gamesoft.hu

This is one of those games that I can’t play for just fifteen minutes because as soon as I pick up the controller I’ll play it for four hours. Plus, even though it’s a Lego game, it is still very pretty! From the setting in the Shire to Mordor, the scenery and background images are beautiful! It makes me want to watch the movies.

 

Have you played any good games recently?

19 thoughts on “Games I’ve Been Playing Lately”

  1. I feel like I’m a social outcast when it comes to gaming. I’ve been interested in playing video games, but I’ve never had one nor have I ever known anyone that has one. I’m weird, I know.

  2. AHH you’re playing games! I remember you said you started when you got married. I have Castle Crashers but I’ve never played it, though I’ve played games with similar gameplay and art style. I’m currently playing a really good mobile RPG called PostKnight! It’s funny because there are five girls in the game you can charm. :P

    The Lego series is so cool! I’ve never played any of them because I didn’t want to pay but the scene reenactments are really cute.

    I haven’t played any good games lately with traveling and looking for a job, except for PostKnight because I can play it while I’m commuting! :P

  3. I have been playing a bit more hardcore games but I am happy to say I will be getting Breath of The Wild soon and I cannot wait to play that soon! <3 Lego anything is fun. I love the whole series! We have Lego Dimensions and that is so much fun!~

  4. I’m intrigued by the Zumba game… it’s something I’ve always wanted to try and I DO use my WiiFit fairly regularly… hmmm I may have to poke amazon

  5. Gahhhh! Your post reminds me of my gaming backlog. I beat two games last month, but then I lost my mojo. Ack! Gotta bring it back XD;

    I’ve not played any of the games you played, but I do know of the Zumba one and the Lego LotR . . . I love LotR and the Hobbit, but I can’t get into the whole Lego thing XD;;; I never liked Lego and then the little Lego people just doesn’t appeal to me X_X; Buuuuut I’m glad you’re loving it! It sounds like a good game to play if you’re already a fan of the books and films :D

    Enjoy your gaming life! ^^

  6. WOOOP for playing video games! I’m glad you have been making time for yourself! I really love Zumba! I would recommend that you go even alone because you can really meet awesome energetic likeminded people! I was really scared going alone before but I don’t regret it, met some awesome people. I’d love to do zumba at home though and it’s always fun in a game setting too I bet!

    This post makes me want to get into my gamer mode again, I haven’t played video games in ages!

  7. I went to a Zumba class when I was in college but never thought about trying the game. I’ve done Just Dance and Dance Central so I imagine it’s similar?

    And I’m with Mija on the Castle Crashers, I haven’t played that game in ages. I always wanted them to bring it to the DS or make it a phone game.

    On to the games that I’ve been playing, Pokemon Sun and Final Fantasy Explorers on the 3DS. I just recently bought the FF game so the BF and I could CO-OP and I have to say, I love playing games with him. It’s just so much fun, I love that I can play games with him.

  8. Zumba sounds great! I love any sort of dance-based games though! I’ve just brought my old dance mat home, so I can try and get fit with that, because it’s way more fun than exercising.

    I love all the Lego games. It’s so fun collecting all the characters, and I love the humour too. I laughed so much at the Avengers one. Definitely agree with it being addictive. I think me and Andy were playing 10 hours a day last year, when we were trying to complete the last bits.

    I’m currently playing the Batman: Arkham Origins games, and lots of Pokémon!

  9. Those games look so great. I have never played a Lego game, but have always wanted too. I would especially like to try the Harry Potter related ones.

  10. Following exercise videos are fun! You can do it at your own leisure and privacy (bonus points for me). I’ve heard that Zumba is a fun way to get active :D. For some reason, the whole theme of Castle Crashers remind me of Mario XD. *go to the castle and save princess peach*

    LEGO Lord of the Rings looks like a fun game! I love how the background looks pretty realistic and you have a little LEGO figure running around XD. I always lose track of time whenever I play games @__@. Oops, it’s been an hour already??

    I’ve been playing SkyForge lately. It’s a MMO like World of Warcraft :).

  11. The Zumba game looks fun! A plus that it’s a good workout too :) I haven’t played Castle Crashers in a long time, but it’s such a fun game. I loved the humor of it.

    I haven’t played any of the Lego games, but I’ve always heard that they’re good. I wasn’t expecting the scenery to be so pretty in those games!

    I think my favorite games that I played recently were Tomb Raider and Rayman Legends. I’m also about to get the Switch and am hoping the new Zelda game is good!

  12. Before the internet became big, I was a gamer in my childhood. I mostly grew up with Nintendo SNES, N64, GameCube, etc. Favorites were Mario 64, Banjo Kazooie, DK 64, Mario Sunshine, and the list goes on.

  13. I haven’t played any games in a while. 😞 Recently I prefer to watch other people play, like Nick playing some simulator-type games, and on YouTube he watches some people too, which is fun. I keep telling people I should get back into games but… I’ve been telling that to people since 2013, which I think is the last time I played a game – Minecraft. I’m so silly. I should definitely get back into it. There I go again hahaha.

    I did, however, find that I could relate to this:

    This is one of those games that I can’t play for just fifteen minutes because as soon as I pick up the controller I’ll play it for four hours.

    This used to happen to me on the PS, especially with games like GTA. 😆

    I have played once dancing game on my friend’s Wii, but I don’t remember what it was called. Definitely one of the more popular ones. It was pretty fun, but I think I had the same problem where it wouldn’t register some of my moves. I feel it was because I was too energetic and maybe too fast. 😜

    I really like arcade-style games. I used to play Commander Keen a lot when I still had my PC. It looked hilarious on a 27″ monitor because of the 8-bit graphics. 😎 I played a similar thing on very our old Sega Megadrive, something with wizards collecting fruit… I also cannot remember the name of that, haha.

  14. I haven’t played new games in a while, most of the stuff I played during the winter break were old games that I still haven’t finished. I’m no longer updated with the new consoles. The latest console I had was a 3DS but I had to sell it to pay for my TOEFL exam and my other consoles (Wii and PS3) were left at home in the Philippines :(

    The Zumba game sounds really fun! I actually like dance/exercise games because I’m so self-conscious when I’m dancing or working out with other people. At least in playing games, you can do it at the comfort of your own home without being watched. LOL!

  15. I really like the idea of a Zumba game! I’ve been trying to find interesting ways to work out and stay active but I’m house-bound. I like the Just Dance games because I can move and have fun without feel like I’m working out. I don’t know why but I feel so insecure and awkward at the gym. I’ll have to look up the Zumba game. =)

    And the lego game looks so much more fun and involved than I would expect it to be! Then again, I’ve heard some pretty goof things about other lego games.

  16. I had the Zumba game that’s still sitting in my drawer… I haven’t had a chance to try it out, but now that you’ve mentioned it, it might be time to come out!
    Lord of the Rings Lego – super awesome! We’re a lego family, movies, or games, we’ve done them all. I’m glad you also enjoyed it!

  17. Dancing games can be fun. I love DDR! The more you play the better you get! And Lego games can be fun too!

  18. Ooh! The Zumba one interests me! I loved playing DDR Max 2 on my PS2, plus some racing games. When I next get a gaming system, I’d want Wii (if it’s still around 😅) because I loved how active those games were and how there were various sports I could play without having to leave home and have the proper equipment. 😁

    I’ve been playing Papa Pear Saga via an app on my phone. It’s synced to my FB progress with the game. I didn’t come so far to start all over. 😒

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