Gaming reviews: Mario Party: Island Tour; OlliOlli; Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z
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***
3DS (£34.99)
Mario loves to throw a party, it's his 10th, in fact. Island Tour offers an impressive selection of minigames, and although the computer-controlled players make it far too easy for you to win, just up their difficulty for a real challenge. There's also Download Play so friends can join the party without buying the game (though without online multiplayer you need three friends with a 3DS to get the most out of it, as naturally you won't be sharing a TV screen). Like before, too much time is spent rolling as opposed to actually playing minigames – waiting for others to complete their turn is never fun. Excellent for kids, but not quite substantial enough for adults.
OlliOlli
***
PS Vita (£7.99)
It might be a grind to rival Tony Hawk in the virtual skating world, but it doesn't have to be a bail. In this 2D side-scrolling skateboarding game, you'll need to master the precision of flicking and rotating the left analogue stick while timing landings to master "sick" tricks, but with each achievement accomplished to unlock the next level you're reassured that practice pays off. Simple background graphics let the delicacy of tricks take centre stage – plus it's complete with a tricktionary.
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z
***
PS Vita (49.99)
Based on the anime television series with a huge franchise in Japan, this fighting/fantasy game that keeps things fast-paced as enemies attack from all angles – with over 70 characters to choose from. The online multiplayer mixes things up (though unavailable offline), but this is definitely one for fans of the Dragon Ball Z series, as it's difficult to get into missions as a new player.
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