Video Games and Apps

Disney Planes The Video Game Trailer!

21 June 2013 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

“Disney’s Planes” is a flying adventure video game inspired by the upcoming Disney animated comedy adventure film. Available exclusively for Nintendo platforms including the Wii™ and Wii U™ systems as well as the Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ handheld devices on August 6th, just a few days prior to the film’s August 9th opening in theaters nationwide, the game will expand beyond the storyline of “Disney’s Planes,” offering players the opportunity to enjoy the thrill of flight as one of the popular characters from the film.

From above the world of “Cars,” the “Disney’s Planes” video game takes players on a high-flying, action-packed, fun-filled adventure with Dusty, a big-hearted, speed-loving crop duster who is voiced by actor and comedian Dane Cook. Players will take to the skies with Dusty and other characters, including Ishani, voiced by actress Priyanka Chopra; Echo, voiced by actor Anthony Edwards; and Bravo, voiced by actor Val Kilmer, as they embark on global missions, air races and grand adventures around the world.

Instagram Lets You Create and Enjoy Insta-Disney!

4 February 2013 by Suzannah Otis 5 Comments

It’s no secret that social media is an amazing way to connect with friends, make new friends, and in the case of bloggers, keep in touch with readers and reach new ones. The major networks are of course, Facebook, twitter, and most recently, Pinterest and tumblr have joined the mainstream. It may seem hard to keep up with all of the outlets out there, so you might decide to be a “Facebook person” or a “twitter person” much like people are dog people or cat people. (Have I mentioned I have a dog and a cat at home?) I do use both, but I will admit to having a definite preference toward twitter. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s much easier for me to follow along on twitter than Facebook’s ever-changing news feed format. I will always update my Facebook page with photos and links from posts here, and if I’m at an event, try to add more photos too. If you click on any of those photos, you’ll most likely see where they originate – Instagram.

While I’m confessing my social additions, I will shout from the Splash Mountain-top that I am completely addicted to Instagram. Perhaps more shocking, I actually got an iPhone a little over a year ago, predominantly because of wanting to use Instagram. Embarrassing? Maybe, but I own it. Taking photos is something I’ve always loved and Instagram is a great way to get those photos in neat little square packages, and, just for fun, add filters and frames to make the photos unique. Instagram gets a lot of flack online, among those who say “why do you want to make photos taken today look like they were taken in 1978” and complain that Instagram (and other photo apps) mess with a good thing by editing photos too much.

Tilt-shift Big Thunder by @otisney — This tilt-shift Big Thunder Mountain Railroad taken by @otisney on Instagram

Well, my personal opinion is that, as a local, I may have taken approximately 1971 photos of Cinderella Castle, and while it never gets old for me, I like to shake things up. Instagram and other photo apps make it easy and fun to focus on one castle spire, or close-up on the clock, do a tilt-shift of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, all sorts of FUN stuff. And, within the Instagram app lies a whole other community, connected by hashtags and common friends, of people that support and enjoy photos as much as you do. It really is a wonderful place. And you can in turn share the photos you create on Instagram over on twitter or Facebook or tumblr or even Flickr and Foursquare. It’s so easy. (And I mentioned fun, right?) One note of caution: many people feel like using social networks in the parks can lead to missing out on what’s going on around you. As someone who is guilty of that, I’ve come up with a sort of solution. I will take photos along the way, but still enjoy everything that’s happening and not get too engrossed in my phone. Then later, when we stop for a break, I’ll edit and post the photos then. It makes for a nice balance where you aren’t spending the entire visit with your head down in your phone.

Over time, I’ve downloaded quite the collection of photo editing apps, for making photos pop or adding some sparkles here and there, and it’s become quite an art form in its own right. Of course other times I just want to share a photo of my cat or my kids being silly. That’s the great part about Instagram, there are no rules. Another great part of the Instagram community are the hashtags, just like on twitter using a tag like this: #disney will allow you to find lots of other photos using that tag, and ensure your photo is seen by more people. It’s also fun to go back and look at hashtags later on and relive the memories you created. My friends, family and I have taken to using “#widdlebabygio” every time we post a photo of my youngest – just looking back on that set of photos puts a huge smile on my face. The use of hashtags then leads to other fun stuff, like photo challenges.

Many people on Instagram start monthly photo-a-day challenges encouraging folks to use their creativity and be committed to posting at least one photo a day, based on the daily topic. This of course branches out into various fandoms, and the Disney fandom on Instagram is huge. My very sparkly and also Instagram-addicted friend, Nicole, from SparklyEverAfter.com and I came up with our very own photo challenge, and this month we’re focusing on the whimsical aspects of Disney (or anything else, you won’t get scolded for using other subject matter!).

Our hashtag for this challenge is #WhimsicalDisneyGram and there you can see all of the daily topics and the photos participants have created. February just started and we’ve already seen some amazing content! So if you haven’t tried Instagram before, give it a go, you just may fall in love! And if you’re already up there, look me up – I’m @zannaland, Nicole is @sparklynicole and you’ll find so many other Disney friends there too! Nicole and I would love to have you take part in our February photo adventure, with more to come each month! No pressure, just drop in and out as you please, and have fun!

I hope to see you ‘gramming soon!

Disney Club Penguin Helps Kids Give Back With Coins for Change

20 December 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

If you have little ones and a computer, chances are they are playing Club Penguin, the #1 virtual world for kids. Since the holidays are about giving back, Club Penguin wants to empower their players to do the same. With their annual Coins for Change program, where players can donate virtual coins that they earn playing games to real-world causes that matter to them.

Running from December 20 to January 2, the Coins for Change program will turn Club Penguin into the biggest virtual bake sale ever, with players baking virtual cookies and buying them with virtual coins that act as votes to influence where Club Penguin’s $1 million US cash donation will go. The votes determine the percentage of donations made in three areas: providing medical help, building safe places, and protecting the earth.

Through programs like Coins for Change, Club Penguin has given a total of $9 million to charities all over the world, further raising social consciousness among the more than 750 million players who take part in the online community. In last year’s event, kids donated over 10 billion coins to help make the world a better place, including funding projects in 42 countries such as:

20 schools built for over 20,000 children
25 school libraries built for over 50,000 children
27 playgrounds built for over 50,000 children
33 clean water projects for over 50,000 children and families
Youth engagement and education programs around the world for over 1,000,000 children and families

Here’s how kids can take part – when players virtually buy the special bake sale cookies, they will be transformed into the new holiday characters for a short period of time. All players can transform into toy cars, while members are rewarded by transforming into reindeer puffles and “frost bites,” which allow them to temporarily freeze in-world items. Sounds festive, right?

Head over to ClubPenguin.com for tips to start your own real-world bake sale, with recipes too, and to begin earning your Coins for Change today!

GIVEAWAY: Epic Mickey 2-The Power of Two Game Plus Oswald Ears

3 December 2012 by Suzannah Otis 71 Comments

Disney’s Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is shaping up to be THE gift for the holiday season, and now you have a chance to get one of five copies I’m giving away here at Zannaland, thanks to the wonderful folks at Disney Interactive. As if that wasn’t exciting enough, you’ll also get a set of Oswald ears, so you can play your game in style.

I’m going to make entering extra simple, with the use of Rafflecopter below. Just log in using facebook or your email and check off the options for extra entries without leaving this page. The one mandatory entry is leaving a comment on this page. If you need a little inspiration or just want to learn more about the Epic Mickey 2 gameplay, head over to my Epic Mickey 2 review for the game trailer and some gorgeous hi-res photos of the gameplay.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Best of luck in the giveaway and in saving Wasteland!

REVIEW: Epic Mickey 2: Power of Two for Xbox360

30 November 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

For this review, I enlisted the help of the gamers in my household, my husband and son, to get some more official opinions from those that know what they are doing with a controller. Below are their thoughts, and then head over to read my reaction after playing the Power of Illusion version on Nintendo 3DS back in September. Happy playing!

If you hadn’t heard about Epic Mickey 2 – here is a synopsis of the game: In “Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two,” gamers will play as Mickey Mouse and for the first time ever, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney’s first cartoon star, in an all-new adventure of creativity and discovery. Created by industry luminary Warren Spector and Disney Interactive’s Junction Point game development studio, “Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two” returns Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to Wasteland, an alternate world filled with 80 years of forgotten Disney characters and theme park attractions. But for the first time, Mickey and Oswald will join forces as true partners – Mickey with his magical paint brush that wields paint and thinner, and Oswald with his powerful remote control that allows him to command electricity.

My 13 year-old had this succinct review of his time playing: The art design was really cool and the scenery and backgrounds were really fun to play through and walk around in. Overall gameplay was really fun, with lots of items to collect and lots to keep you entertained. Playing as a single player was a bit frustrating as you had to wait for Oswald to come over and do his parts of the game, but that was the only downside.

Whereas my husband had a bit more to say:

The much anticipated followup to Epic Mickey is a great game on the Xbox360. Dazzling graphics highlight the game, and fans of the original game will not be disappointed. However, Epic Mickey 2 is not without its problems, minor as they are.

Although they are rare, there are still some camera issues left over from the first game. You will find yourself cursing the camera as it auto-zooms to awkward angles while you are climbing rock piles or running into rooms.

Unfortunately the story seems to get in the way of the game. The graphics and game-play draw you in and really make you want to play. Just as you get into a groove running around Mean Street, you realize that you are stuck having to go back collect an item, or take a picture, or complete a task that you overlooked. A little bit of “free play” would have made this game perfect. The story is not linear, even though it seems like it would have been easy enough to make it so. When you first enter the game you are bombarded with side-quests and story details that are hard to remember and juggle.

Now for the good news. Many of the control issues that plagued the first game have been taken care of in Epic Mickey 2. You will no longer find yourself losing at critical points because Mickey does not move or paint in the directions you expect him to. The movement is smooth, and game-play is very enjoyable.

Also, the developers did a good job of interweaving side-scrolling platform levels into the game. They do so in a way that is not obtrusive to player and does not have you stalling to remember how to control the game. You can effortlessly move from the 3D, third-person view of Mean Street, to the side-scrolling of the D.E.C. without losing a beat.

But, by far, the biggest plus to this game is the two player action using Oswald. A second player can control Oswald and join in the game, helping Mickey along in his adventure. Oswald has his own powers and his own part to play in completing puzzles and tasks. This makes the game a far more rewarding, fun, and collaborative experience for two players.

Single people; fear not – if you play the game on single play, the computer controls Oswald, completing his tasks for you automatically. This leaves single players open to worry about the unfolding story tasks.

“Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two” is rated ‘E’ for Everyone by the ESRB, and is now available for the Playstation 3
computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 and Wii U for a suggested retail price of $59.99 and Wii for a suggested retail price of $49.99. “Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion” is also rated ‘E’ for Everyone by the ESRB and is now available on the Nintendo 3DS for a suggested retail price of $39.99.

Disclosure: I was provided with a complimentary Xbox360 and Nintendo 3DS game for review purposes. Thoughts and opinions expressed here are those of the authors. Links included are affiliate links.

Club Penguin’s Annual Halloween Party Visits the Haunted Mansion!

23 October 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Club Penguin is such a popular and fun site for kids to play games, create their own characters, and even better, get some Disney-exclusive costumes and settings for their games. I’m consistently impressed at the crossovers Club Penguin has with Marvel and now Disney’s Haunted Mansion too! Check out the official news below:

Ghosts and ghost hunters have taken over Disney’s Club Penguin, the #1 virtual world for kids, in its annual Halloween Party. With over 6 million penguins taking part in last year’s event, Club Penguin’s Halloween Party is the biggest Halloween event online for kids. The fun and fright continues in this year’s event, where players will need to solve the mystery of ghost-researcher Gariwald VIII’s disappearance and uncover the secrets behind his Walt Disney Parks and Resorts-inspired haunted mansion.

While solving the spooky mystery, members can turn into ghosts and haunt the Island, and all players will have the chance to become ghost hunters and catch rogue ghosts. Players can also listen to the latest Club Penguin single, “Ghosts Just Wanna Dance” and take part in two new spook-tacular scavenger hunts. The Halloween Party will begin on October 18 and run until November 1.

Some haunting highlights of the 2012 Club Penguin Halloween Party include:

Spooky Island Transformation: The Island will be overrun with ghosts and it is up to players to protect it by becoming ghost hunters.
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts-Inspired Haunted Mansion: This year’s party will feature a new haunted mansion, inspired by the Haunted Mansion attraction found at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. By exploring the 9-room mansion, fans will discover numerous nods to the infamous ride, like the maid and butler costumes worn by Haunted Mansion cast members.

Ghost Goggles and Ghost Lab: Once they find the Ghost Goggles hidden in the haunted mansion, players will be able to see the ghosts that are haunting the Island, as well unearth the Ghost Lab.
Spook-tacular Scavenger Hunts: Players can complete the “To Boo” list during two new Halloween Scavenger Hunts, giving them the chance to unlock a secret chest and earn new igloo items.
Brand New Song: Penguin Band featuring Cadence has released a haunting new song for Halloween – “Ghosts Just Wanna Dance,” that members can play in their igloo when throwing the ultimate Halloween party.
Cool Costumes: Players can dress their penguins in the coolest Halloween costumes yet – ghost catchers, ghosts, slices of pizza, ninja robots, creepy cats and more!
Famous Penguin Visits: Lucky players will be able to interact with Gary the Gadget Guy during the Halloween party, helping him solve the mystery of his great uncle Gariwald’s disappearance.
Igloo Contest: Club Penguin is holding their annual igloo contest, encouraging players to decorate with their most fearsome furnishings for the chance to win huge in-world prizes.

Penguins are invited to put on their spookiest or silliest costumes and join the fun at: clubpenguin.com!

VIDEO: Warren Spector and Peter Ong Discuss Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion for Nintendo 3DS

24 September 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Junction Point vice president and creative director Warren Spector, Peter Ong and the rest of the team from DreamRift behind the development of Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion for the Nintendo 3DS and some folks from Disney Interactive. We were shown an amazing Disney day and night, meeting with VIP lounges and Magic Kingdom tours and a lovely dinner at California Grill. In between all the wining and dining, we learned so much about the game, from the people that poured their hearts and souls into its creation. It’s rare, as a consumer, to meet the minds behind a video game, and discover all hard work and detail each person contributed.

Hearing from Warren Spector was, as a Disney fan, wonderful. Not only is he a long-time video game fan, but a long-time Disney fan as well. Seeing his passion in action was a treat as he described his involvement in Epic Mickey. I had wondered if Disney nerds experts like those of you reading this now, would find things within the game that would satisfy our particular level of…attention. Warren assured us that we would be in heaven with the specific park and Disney film details within Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion.

In addition, talking through the actual game developers throughout the day and learning how they watched the Disney films used in the game countless times, and various other ways they kept true to the Disney brand, the classic gaming experience they were honoring, and bringing in a whole new generation with the drawing aspect to the Nintendo 3DS.

This video below will shed some light on the thought process behind the game and how game play develops.

As far as the details go, yes, it is played on a 3D handheld system, however you can turn OFF 3D any time, if your eyes have had too much or you’d just like a traditional gaming experience. The game is rated G but for ages 7 and up because of the 3D aspect. Too much exposure to the 3D setting on young eyes can be damaging. Outside of that issue, there are no other concerns as far as violence or age range go.

Epic Mickey Power of Illusion — Screenshot from the Aladdin level

I was able to play through the first level of the game, and as a very casual gamer, I was able to figure things out, but there were some parts that were a little frustrating, so keep that in mind with younger players. Of course practice and patience is the key to any successful video game conquest!

Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion is a great game for anyone looking to recreate a classic 16 bit experience with a modern update, or any fan of Disney animated features or Parks. The game will be available on November 18, 2012.

Disclosure: Great thanks to the Disney Interactive team for our day in the parks as we learned about this game. I was provided special access at Walt Disney World, dinner and refreshments throughout the day. My opinions and thoughts are my own.

Swampy Celebrates 1st Birthday With Exclusive Birthday Content in Where’s My Water

21 September 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

When I got my iPad for Christmas, the first thing I did was download Where’s My Water and proceeded to pretty much play it not stop until I’d tri-ducked all the levels. The game is so addictive, fun, and constantly updated with new levels and content.

Now Swampy is turning one and you get the present in the form of an exclusive free birthday-themed level in Where’s My Water? titled, “Make a Wish,” in addition to 10 more free Lost Levels and 40 new Mystery Duck levels! Hint: Tap the birthday present on Where’s My Water?’s main menu to unwrap the secret birthday level tomorrow, September 22, 2012.

Until then, take a look at the amazing statistics “Where’s My Water” can boast on the following graphic: (click to enlarge)

All-New Disney Epic Mickey 2 Opening Movie Titled “A Story Begins”

12 July 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

I am SO ready for Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two to be released! Disney Interactive just announced that the new game will be featured in a panel at the San Diego Comic Con show this Sunday, July 15th. In anticipation of that panel, the game’s creators have given us this never-before-seen opening movie for the game, called “A Story Begins.” Read all about the official news and watch the video below:

BURBANK, Calif. — (July 12, 2012) – “Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two” will be presented in a panel discussion taking place on Sunday, July 15^th at 1:00 p.m. at the San Diego Convention Center, Room 25ABC. Participating in the panel are video game designer Warren Spector of Disney Interactive’s Junction Point, Peter David, award-winning comic writer and author of the upcoming “Disney Epic Mickey 2 Graphic Novel” and Marv Wolfman, award-winning American comic book writer and co-writer of “Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two.” The panelists will discuss how the team mapped out the story for this innovative new video game and unveil the first details surrounding the graphic novel, a 48 page retelling of Mickey’s return to Wasteland that will extend the video game experience for readers. Additionally, Becky Cline, Director of The Walt Disney Archives will be on hand to discuss the historical significance of Walt Disney’s first cartoon star, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who is prominently featured in the video game. The panel will reveal all-new gameplay footage and artwork, and a special never-before-seen sequence of pages from the upcoming graphic novel.

“The story in ‘Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two’ will immerse players in an even deeper and richer gameplay experience than before as they take on the roles of Mickey Mouse and Oswald to befriend and battle their way through the world of Wasteland on a brand new journey of creativity and discovery,” said Warren Spector, creative director and vice president, Junction Point. “We’re honored to have collaborated with such talented individuals as Marv Wolfman, Peter David and Becky Cline on Mickey and Oswald’s next adventure, and we look forward to offering Comic-Con attendees a behind-scenes-look at the game and graphic novel.”

Written by Peter David and illustrated by Fabrizio Petrossi, the “Disney Epic Mickey 2: Graphic Novel” is a 48 page retelling of Mickey Mouse’s return to Wasteland to help Oswald the Lucky Rabbit as he faces the Mad Doctor. The graphic novel extends the videogame experience for readers and will include exclusive footage, a backstage pass, and more.

The “Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two” video game returns Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to Wasteland, an alternate world filled with more than 80 years of forgotten Disney characters and theme park attractions. But for the first time, Mickey and Oswald will join forces as true partners – Mickey with the magical paint brush that allows him to wield paint and thinner, and Oswald with a powerful remote control that allows him to command electricity. This new co-op play further enhances the idea that “PlayStyle Matters” – a unique approach to gameplay pioneered by Warren Spector where players tackle challenges the way they want to in order to explore a variety of possibilities and storylines, but always with consequences for their chosen actions.

Development for “Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two” for the Wii™ system from Nintendo, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system is being led by Disney Interactive’s Junction Point. Supporting the latest technology, the game will also feature full support for the PlayStation®Move motion controller. “Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion” for the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system is under development by critically-acclaimed developer DreamRift, in collaboration with Junction Point. The games are currently unrated by the ESRB. For more information, go to www.disney.com/disneyepicmickey.

Can’t wait to play! Will you be picking up Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two?

Brave Video Games Get Set To Hit The Target On Consoles and Phones

18 June 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

After seeing Disney Pixar’s Brave last week, I can’t wait to get more Brave action in the form of some amazing video games that Disney Interactive Studios has lined up for us. Merida’s archery skills and her action-packed encounters within the film set the perfect backdrop for video games the whole family can enjoy.

A third person action-adventure, “Brave: The Video Game” expands the tale beyond the movie’s storyline. Gamers can play as Merida, an expert archer and heroine, and in the console versions, players can also play as other entertaining characters from the film. In addition, they will be able to go on quests through a magical world and solve puzzles to uncover secrets. Available for Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3, PC/Mac, and also Nintendo DS consoles.

Check out the Brave video game trailer below:

In addition, Disney Interactive Studios has created a Brave version of the insanely popular Temple Run app for both Android and iPhones. From Imangi, the makers of Temple Run, and Disney comes a new take on the most exhilarating Android app. Join Merida from Disney/Pixar Brave as you run, slide, jump, turn and shoot your way across the wilds of Scotland on an endless running adventure!

New features just for Temple Run: Brave —
• Introducing ARCHERY — tap targets to shoot a bullseye and earn extra coins
• New, amazing visuals. It looks better than ever!
• All new environments inspired by Disney/Pixar Brave and the wilds of Scotland
• Play as Merida from Disney/Pixar Brave
• Outrun Mordu, the demon bear, to earn running glory

Here’s the Brave Temple Run trailer below:

Brave Temple Run is available for download now and Disney Pixar’s Brave the Video Game for consoles is out tomorrow, June 19!