2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL PS3 Game – Review & Giveaway (12/16) #SfSHolidayGiftGuide

 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, cartoon network, For the Kids, games, Giveaways, holiday gift guide, Playstation games, PS3, Reviews, video games  22 Responses »
Dec 032011
 
2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Suggestions for Kids

(Be sure to check out all the other great Gift Guide items and giveaways here.)
It can sometimes be hard to find age-appropriate video games for the preteen set.  Many games kids consider too “babyish”, some are too complicated in the game play and many are too graphic.  The Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL is none of those things.
Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL is a brawler video game with 26 playable characters from shows like Johnny Bravo, The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory and many more.  There are six play modes: story mode, battle mode, arcade mode, PTE mode, Fight the Drones mode and training mode; with both story mode and battle mode up too 4 players can play together (or against each other!).  You’ll also find 26 different battle arenas in which to play.  Cool items and characters can be unlocked in the PTE store using the coins you earn battling.

A2 tested out the game for us first.  He thought it was okay, but shared that he felt kids 8-14 would probably enjoy it most.  I also think that adults who enjoy some of the Cartoon Network TV shows would enjoy this game as a fun break from more “serious” games, too.  (I always enjoy a good Dexter’s Lab.)
The controls are very intuitive, especially for those familiar with the brawler genre.  All of the character each have four special moves, but this doesn’t make the game complicated.
Below is a screen grab of a battle scene with Johnny Bravo so you can have a feel for what the game play looks like.  As you can see it’s all fun, cartoon-y stuff, not blood and gore.

You can also check out the video below from the developers.

Where to Buy:
Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL is rated E (Everyone age 10+) and in addition to the PS3 version ($39.99) it is available on the Xbox 360 ($39.99) and Nintendo Wii ($29.99).
Want to Win?

One winner will receive a copy of Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion XL for the PS3.  To enter fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  Reminder: Rafflecopter sometimes takes a moment to load; if you don’t see it after a minute, please try refreshing your browser.

ENTER HERE:

I received a copy of the game in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% mine and my family’s.

2011 Holiday Gift Guide Starts Today! Great Reviews & Giveaways for Everyone on Your Lists #SfSHolidayGiftGuide

 2011 Holiday Gift Guide, Christmas, gift guide, gifts, Giveaways, Holidays  6 Responses »
Nov 142011
 
I couldn’t wait any longer so today I am officially kicking off my 2011 Holiday Gift Guide!  For the next month or so I will be bringing you a number of reviews and giveaways to help you complete your shopping lists.

As sponsors are confirmed I will be adding them to the 2011 Holiday Gift Guide page.  Here you’ll be able to get a sneak peak at the products coming; you’ll also find links to each sponsor’s website in case you’d like more information.  And as each item’s review and giveaway goes live, you’ll also be able to click the image and go directly to the giveaway.
I’m also bringing you two special additions.  The first will be the “For Your Holiday Table” supplement.  Towards the end of the month I will have reviews and giveaways that focus on tasty treats  to serve at your parties plus decorating items for entertaining.  These will all happen over the same weekend as opposed to spread throughout the month (meaning that there will be tons of great giveaway prizes for you to win that weekend, especially!).
The second special treat is an ongoing giveaway that starts today and ends on 12/16.  The giveaway is for a Christmas Stocking full of gifts, treats and gift cards.  Each day after you enter the new Gift Guide giveaways you can come back to this post and fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  For each Gift Guide giveaway you enter you’ll get an entry into the Christmas Stocking giveaway.  There will also be an extra “Bonus Entry” each day that you can complete.
ENTER HERE:

Cute Piggy Wiggies Pals – Review & Giveaway (US, ends 11/17)

 Giveaways, kids, piggy wiggies, Reviews, toys  58 Responses »
Nov 032011
 

Piggy Wiggies are collectible plush toys that are made from socks.  The company was launched earlier this year at the New York Toy Fair and has already had the distinction of having their product named Plush Toy of the Year by Creative Child.

Piggy Wiggies are named after members of the creator’s family.  Bingy and Lilly are sister Piggy Wiggies (named after the creator, Emma Louise, and her own sister).  Other family members are also represented such as Doodles (the Dad).  There are even limited edition holiday ones: Loved Santa and Santa Snorz (great stocking stuffers!).

These toys are recommended for ages 3 and up, and because of the buttons used for nostrils, I definitely agree with that recommendation.  However, Baby C. saw them and instantly fell in love.  At first she was only allowed to play with them while sitting on either my or hubby’s lap so we could monitor her play and ensure she wasn’t putting the buttons in her mouth.  She loved them so much, though, that she never wanted to set them down.  So we ended up cutting off the buttons.  Poor Piggy Wiggies!  It was the only way we were comfortable with letting her play with them, though, and it’s good that we did.  She’s grown so attached that she literally cries if I take one out of her hand long enough to just put her arm through her stroller strap.

Joining the Piggy Wiggies family are Howly Owlies.  The first one, Sad Sam, is available now; the rest should be available starting in December.


Like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to keep up with updates and other news.

Where to Buy
Piggy Wiggies start at $13 ($6.99 for key chains) and are carried at FAO Schwarz, various boutiques and zoos around the country, and online.
You can also win your choice of one large Piggy Wiggy and one key chain!  Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  Reminder: Rafflecopter takes a moment to load; if you don’t see the form after a minute, please try refreshing your browser.
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Gooseberry Patch Quick & Easy Christmas – Review & Giveaway

 Christmas, cookbook, easy recipes, Giveaways, gooseberry patch, quick recipes, Recipes, Reviews  5 Responses »
Oct 262011
 
I received my first Gooseberry Patch book from my grandmother when I was in high school.  It was about planning and decorating for Christmas, recipes and gift ideas and the style it was written in was very engaging.  Combining a number of my favorite things made it a sure-fire hit with me and from that day on I was hooked.

Gooseberry Patch was started back in 1984 by Delaware, Ohio, neighbors Vickie and Jo Ann.  They both had young kids and were looking for a way to do something they loved that allowed them to stay home with the kids and as they both shared a love of home cooking and making memories they created the idea of Gooseberry Patch.  What started as a catalog turned into their first cookbook in 1992 and they haven’t stopped  since.

One of their newest cookbooks is Quick & Easy Christmas.  It has over 220 “Christmas-y” recipes, most of which are in 30 minutes or less.  A feature of the recipes that I love is that they’re all submitted by Gooseberry Patch fans and readers so you are getting many time-tested, family-approved dishes to try.

The book also contains simple decorating and gift ideas, tips and tricks, and holiday quotes.  There is one at the bottom of nearly every page; at 218 pages that’s a lot of bonuses!  I also adore the country Christmas sketches and images that adorn most pages.  It really gets you into the Christmas spirit!  The last neat feature is a US to Canadian measurement conversion in the back of the book which I’m guessing could be quite handy!

For more information on Gooseberry Patch – and notices about fund-raising opportunities, sales, contests, free recipes and more – you can find them on Facebook, watch them on YouTube and follow them on Twitter.

You can purchase a copy of Quick & Easy Christmas for yourself on Amazon for $11.41 (or $9.99 on the Kindle) – or you can win one below!  Just enter on the Rafflecopter form with as many or as few options as you would like.  Reminder: Rafflecopter sometimes takes a moment to load; if it hasn’t loaded after a minute, please try refreshing your browser.

Enter Here:

I received a copy of the cookbook for purposes of facilitating the review. All opinions are 100% that of myself and my family.

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