DIGITAL EDITION
September/October 2017 $6.99 USA $8.99 CANADA
Super Mario Odyssey and characters represented are © & ™ of Nintendo.
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Our Mission Statement
Little Player Magazine’s mission is to provide a safe, fun and advertising-free reading experience that parents can feel good about giving to their kids. We also want to inspire and teach kids to make good gaming choices and play what is appropriate for their age group. We only cover and review games that are rated EC, E, and E10+ to ensure that young children are not exposed to content meant for teens or mature audiences. 2 Little Player Magazine
DIGITAL EDITION
Why I will never stop playing Super Mario games... It all began in 1986 when I found a Nintendo VS. arcade game featuring the original Super Mario Bros. at the mall near my dad’s house. I put in a quarter simply because I recognized Mario from Donkey Kong and Mario Bros. I was instantly hooked! That summer I spent my entire allowance on beating the game that had become my favorite past time. Super Mario Bros. was actually the main reason I begged my parents for an NES when they finally became available later that year! Fast forward to 2017 and I’ve played every single Super Mario game released on a Nintendo system to date. There is an unmatched charm and a real magic to the Super Mario series. Young players can enjoy these games as much as older players. I am happy to say that Super Mario Odyssey is following in the footsteps of its predecesors. The game is an absolute joy to play or even just watch someone else play! I am so excited about the potential of this game to ignite the passion of playing console games in younger players! If you have a Switch, Super Mario Odyssey is a must have. If you don’t have a Switch yet, this is the best reason to get one this Holiday season!
Martin Alessi Publisher / EIC
little player
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Video Game Magazine for Kids A Massive Impact, Inc. Periodical ISSN 2572-6145 (Print) ISSN 2572-6153 (Online)
Sept./Oct. 2017, Issue 9 1st Printing
Publishers Martin Alessi & Shelly Alessi Editor-in-Chief / Creative Director Martin Alessi Managing Editor Shelly Alessi Senior Editor / Content Director Jason Kaplan Associate Editor Nathan Alessi Junior Editors Isabella Ocampo, Brody Patterson Hannah Friedman, Aiden Friedman Contributing Editors Todd Friedman, Tim Wilkus Copy Editor Jenny Kaplan Industry Correspondant Patrick Scott Patterson Art Director / 3D Artist Allen Forbes Illustration Artist Thor Thorvaldson Video Capture Technician Pete Hahn Creative Consultant David Ray Siller Legal Counsel Erich G. Monzon
__________________________ © Copyright 2017, Massive Impact, Inc. All rights reserved. Little Player is published bi-monthly by Massive Impact, Inc., P.O. Box 512, Wheeling IL 60090. Subscriptions are 6 issues for $24.99. Please allow 6-8 weeks before receiving your first issue as well as any subscription changes on an existing account. Little Player is a registered trademark of Massive Impact, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without express written permission of Massive Impact, Inc. Trademark and copyright for all other products and characters contained therein are owned by the respective trademark and copyright owners. For permisson to reuse material from our publication or to use our logo contact martin@littleplayermag.com. DIGITAL EDITION
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Little Player is published bi-monthly. Domestic rate is $24.99 for 6 issues. NEW SUBS: www.shoplittleplayer.com Subscription Inquiries: 312-574-0499 subs@littleplayermag.com Please send letters and artwork to: letters@littleplayermag.com or Little Player Magazine P.O. Box 512 Wheeling IL 60090 Little Player Magazine 3
FEATURE STORY
Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Systems: Switch Players: Single-player, Multiplayer Release Date: 10/27/2017 ESRB Rating: E10+ Content Descriptors: Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief
Power up your airship and rescue Peach from Bowser! By Martin Alessi
Get ready to join Mario on his biggest and most incredible adventure! Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach once again and now he plans to marry her! Packed with secrets and surprises, this time the game is played sandbox style which means you can practically go anywhere and do anything! Mario has a new friend named Cappy and he can now throw his cap to attack enemies, use it to jump over obstacles, or even take control of enemies and objects.
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Master Mario’s awesome new moves! These are just a few!
Run
Jump
Wall Jump
Climb
Swim
Cap Throw
Cap Jump! Throw your Cap to help you get across!
The sandbox style gameplay lets you do almost anything!
Drive a Scooter!
Jump rope! DIGITAL EDITION
Ride a Lion Statue! Little Player Magazine 5
PREVIEWS
Publisher: Warner Bros. Developer: TT Games Systems: Switch, PS4, XO Players: Single-player, Multiplayer Release Date: 11/14/2017 ESRB Rating: RP Content Descriptors: N/A
Marvel’s super heroes are back for more fun than ever! By Nathan Alessi
Standing as a sequel to the critically acclaimed LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 mashes together iconic heroes and villains from across the Marvel Universe in this brand new adventure. Taking place in the amazing open hub world of Chronopolis, this epic tale transports players into an intergalactic battle that spans through a multitude of Marvel locations ripped from time and space itself. Introducing new gameplay features such as the ability for characters to manipulate time, an array of new playable characters, and a four player co-op competitive Super Hero battling mode, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 is guaranteed to be a thrill for fans of the original game, as well as newcomers to the series. Releasing first on Xbox One and PS4, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 will be available on November 17th. The game will also be available for the Nintendo Switch this upcoming Christmas. 16 Little Player Magazine
While game play details are not yet released, we do know that most of your favorite Marvel Super Heroes are here! DIGITAL EDITION
PREVIEWS
Rev your engines! Another Forza is on the way! By Tim Wilkus
Publisher: Microsoft Studios Developer: Turn 10 Studios Systems: XO, XOS, XOX Players: Single-player, Multiplayer Release Date: 10/3/2017 ESRB Rating: E Content Descriptors: N/A
Racing fans can start getting excited! This October is the release of the next installment of the Forza series titled Forza Motorsport 7. It is truly every car enthusiast’s dream come true. Featuring over 700 cars, there is surely a ride to fit everybody’s taste. Not only will Forza Motorsport 7 feature an unbelievable amount of cars, but also dynamic weather that will change mid-race! You can even see rain approaching as the clouds shift in the distance. When driving in the cockpit view, mirrors will even rattle in response to bumps in the road. Speaking of the tracks, 30 tracks are planned with over 200 different variations of them for players to choose from including weather effects and night mode. Puddles on the ground will even change in real-time when it pours. The realism that the developers are trying to achieve is staggering. Pick from 700 cars and race on 30 different tracks with weather and night mode!
The amount of realism is incredible! From the cars themselves to the tracks they race on... this game is filled with detailed sounds and sights of real racing! DIGITAL EDITION
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SPORTS SPECIAL PREVIEWS
Publisher: EA Sports Developer: EA Tiburon Systems: PS4, XO Players: Single-player, Multiplayer Release Date: 8/25/2017 ESRB Rating: E Content Descriptors: N/A
Madden 18
By Tim Wilkus
With each version of the Madden series, EA Sports has introduced new features, and this year’s edition is no different. New to Madden 18 is a mode called MUT Squad. It’s a 3 vs. 3 online team play in Madden Ultimate Team. Another new feature that sounds really exciting are the new game styles being introduced: arcade (fast-paced and high scoring), simulation (true to life where team ratings matter), and competitive (head-to-head and tournament play). We can’t wait for Football season!
Publisher: EA Sports Developer: EA Canada Systems: PS4, XO Players: Single-player, Multiplayer Release Date: 9/15/2017 ESRB Rating: E10+ Content Descriptors: N/A
NHL 18
By Tim Wilkus
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For all you hockey fans out there, you will be happy to know a ton of new features are being added to this year’s version of NHL 18! One of the coolest new features is the ability to combine moves to create highlight reel plays on offense. There is also an arcade 3-on-3 mode which is easy to pick up and play if high scoring suits your style of play. If that wasn’t enough you can actually draft your own expansion team to the NHL! Needless to say, we are very excited about this year’s version of NHL 18. DIGITAL EDITION
SPORTS SPECIAL PREVIEWS
Publisher: 2K Sports Developer: Visual Concepts Systems: Switch, PS4, XO, PS3, X360 Players: Single-player, Multiplayer Release Date: 9/19/2017 ESRB Rating: E Content Descriptors: Mild Lyrics
NBA 2K18
By Tim Wilkus
Basketball fans should be excited about this year’s NBA 2K18 releasing this fall. The series has always had excellent gameplay and graphics, but this year the graphics are approaching photorealism. You really have to see this game in action to believe it. It’s biggest gameplay addition this year is a story-driven general manager mode and a jump shot creator mode where you can design your own jump shot! NBA 2K18 is set to release on September 19th.
Publisher: EA Sports Developer: EA Canada Systems: Switch, PS4, XO, PS3, X360 Players: Single-player, Multiplayer Release Date: 9/29/2017 ESRB Rating: E Content Descriptors: N/A
FIFA 18
By Tim Wilkus
Soccer fans (or football fans as they’re known across the ocean) are very excited about FIFA 18. A ton of new features were announced. One is the new varied team style approach where teams will actually have different on-field tactics and positioning of players. Another is the improved presentation of the stadiums which include the crowds and lighting thanks to a new graphics engine. FIFA 18 is looking to take the series to a whole new level this year! DIGITAL EDITION
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BIG & little Reviews Meet the Crew
BIG Players
little Players
SHELLY ALESSI
ISABELLA OCAMPO
JASON KAPLAN
HANNAH FRIEDMAN
NATHAN ALESSI
BRODY PATTERSON
MARTIN ALESSI
AIDEN FRIEDMAN
Shelly is looking forward to fall and bringing cooler weather. She has been playing a lot of 3DS and mobile games lately. She is waiting for Super Mario Odyssey to be released with much anticipation! Jason has spent considerable time playing the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy on PS4. He’s is also getting hyped for the Xbox One X and looking forward to playing Ori: Will of the Wisps.
Nate has been enjoying playing Oceanhorn and Slime Rancher on Xbox One. He is really excited for the upcoming holiday release of The Champion’s Ballad DLC for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Martin has been super busy playing retro Neo Geo titles like Last Resort on the Switch. He thinks Splatoon 2 is loads of fun too! He’s totally into all things related to Super Mario Odyssey and Metroid Returns on 3DS!
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As summer comes to an end, Isabella continues the fun with new hits such as Splatoon 2 and Hey Pikmin. She is still making time for mellower activities like writing and walks in the rain. Hannah has had a busy summer. She is getting ready to start 6th grade and is excited to see her friends. She has been playing a lot of Splatoon 2 and loves Minecraft for the Nintendo Switch.
Brody’s made the leap to middle school, and is excited about his new adventure. He hopes he can decorate the inside of his locker with old video game pictures so he can find new friends with similar interests.
Aiden spent this summer playing Tennis. He is looking forward to starting 6th grade. Aiden has been playing a lot of games this summer and his favorite are Splatoon 2 for Switch and Miitopia for 3DS.
BIG & little Reviews Splatoon 2
Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Systems: Switch Players: Single-player, Multiplayer Release Date: 7/21/2017 ESRB Rating: E10+ Content Descriptors: Cartoon Violence
8.5 BIG REVIEW MARTIN
8.5
little REVIEW
9.0
little REVIEW
Splatoon 2 offers a fun, nonviolent alternative to the typical First Person Shooter. The graphics are super colofrul and the action is as fast and chaotic as it gets. Even if you never played the first Splatoon, this game is a blast and easy to pick up. Look for even more multi-player fun with upcoming DLC packs!
little REVIEW ISABELLA
In a fresh, new battalion of rip-roaring fun comes the sequel to Splatoon! The graphics pop with brightness and fluid color in either an exciting Story Mode or a chaotic Turf War! Unique characters, attractions new and familiar are brought to the game. Playing with splatters is easier and more fun than ever!
HANNAH
Average Score
9.0
Splatoon 2 is where you have some type of painting tool and you try to paint the most turf. Your character can choose between a boy and girl and you can customize your clothes. If you win you get a certain amount of points to level up and get new supplies. I suggest this game for all ages
AIDEN
7.5
Splatoon 2 is cool because you can paint the most ink on the map to win. I like the cartoon-like graphics, it makes the game fun to look at. When you reach level 10, you can do a ranked battle and when you win you can get a higher ranking. There is a secret tutorial next to the weapon shop, make sure you check it out!
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