We cast our gaze onto the Lord of the Rings open world, There is some good in this world, Mr Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.

The peaceful shire holds lots of secrets and we see how Batman and Wild Style can work together to obtain a ‘precious’ gold brick!
Rivendell the land of the elves may hold a clue of how to control the Balrog? Maybe the Witch from Oz can help?

Gollum needs some help with Orcs but the call of Boromir it too great!
Inside Mordor we discover Unikitty has her own challenge again and we tackle a challenge with Chell and the companion cube from Portal2 to get another ‘precious’ gold brick!

After a race around the mountain we head to Minas Tirith to find we need a hacker like a cyberman or the Dr to unlock another ‘precious’ gold brick!

Parent’s guide to Mario Maker

1. Genre
Super Mario Maker is an extensive game maker for the Wii U through which players can create and share their own 2D platforming levels in the style of Super Mario.

Players use the Wii U GamePad’s touch screen and stylus to design their levels, dragging and dropping objects onto the grid. You can choose between different environments – e.g. underground, underwater, ghost house – and different eras that make your level look more retro or modern. Once you’ve proven that your level can be completed, you can upload it to Course World for other players to play, or just share and swap them with the rest of your family.

You begin with a limited number of level creation tools, unlocking more as you play and create more. You can use Amiibo to unlock costumes for Mario to wear.

Other games, like LittleBigPlanet, have had level creation tools that have been used to make millions of levels, but Super Mario Maker was designed around level creation rather than as a platformer first.

2. Story
Super Mario Maker doesn’t have a story mode as such, but it does feature a mode called the 10 Mario Challenge that challenges you to get through eight levels in ten lives.

3. Developer
Super Mario Maker is developed by Nintendo, from the same team that made New Super Mario Bros. for DS, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and New Super Mario Bros. U.

4. Format
Available for Wii U only, Super Mario Maker costs £34.99 on the Nintendo eShop.You can also get a version boxed with a pixelated Mario Amiibo.

5. Duration and Difficulty
With intuitive touch-screen controls, it should be easy for even young players to create their own levels.

6. UK RatingIn the UK and Europe, PEGI rates Super Mario Maker as only appropriate for those aged 3 and older.
http://www.pegi.info/en/index/global_id/505/?searchString=super+mario+maker

8. Themes
Super Mario Maker may not have a narrative, but it enables players to express their creativity and learn about video game design through trying it out for themselves.

9. Why people play
A large proportion of people of all ages who play video games have played at least one Mario game, but this is the first time that those players are able to create their own Mario levels to try. Maybe future developers will get their first taste of game design with these accessible tools.

In this edition of the LEGO Dimensions open World Series we fly into the land of Oz.

We quickly fly to the aid of the scarecrow and with the help of wild style we help him solve some puzzles. We take a look at the graveyard where we will need the eagerly anticipated Ghost Busters set to trap the ghosts, before making our way into the witches castle to solve another challenge to get a gold brick with the help of Shaggy and Wild Style.

The Emerald City holds yet more secrets for you to solve with the help of the Batmobile, Dr Who or Bennie from Lego Movie.

A trip to the Munchkin Village leads us not along the yellow brick road but to find out where that red brick road leads! Want to find out? Take a look!

As we delve into the exotic open world of Legends of Chima from Lego dimensions we discover an entire civilisation made up of different tribes of animals. Don’t be fooled this is not a set just for the children!

We discover that the starter character wild style still has a purpose in the open worlds. As well as finding out just how to get hold of those elusive red bricks!

With the help of Scoobydoo we discover another entire world hidden under the water as well as using the Ninjacopter from the Ninjago fun pack to explore the extremely high mount Cavora!

On this journey through the LEGO Dimensions portal we visit Ninjago World!

Taking our first steps into the Open world of Ninjago from Lego dimensions we discover a whole host of scenic locations
We look at some of the different challenges available from speed runs to acrobatics on your quest to hunt down those gold bricks!
Unikitty from Lego Movie has her own unlockable area again! And we ask if a flying vehicle makes it easier? or will it make you miss things?

On this journey through the LEGO Dimensions portal we visit Jurassic World!

We check out Owens tracking ability as well as discovering what builds are available at a cost of those LEGO studs! Down in the research facility we discover we need the help of Chell from Portal 2 to unlock a gold brick as well as Dr Who’s help in creating a new dinosaur. Whether tracking down missing eggs or taking in the views Jurassic world is a dangerous place full of secrets and wonder!

Parent’s guide to Tearaway Unfolded.

1. Genre
Tearaway Unfolded is a PS4 game described as an “expanded retelling” of the Vita game Tearaway. It’s a platforming game where players have to navigate levels and overcome obstacles.

In Tearaway Unfolded, the world and characters are made of paper, and interactions with the game revolve around this. You do things like swipe the touch pad on the DualShock 4 controller to send a gust of wind into the game, or point the light bar at the screen to light the way. At times objects appear to be thrown inside the controller and audibly rattle around before being flung back into the world.

Like Tearaway, Tearaway Unfolded has printable papercraft that you can put together in real life, which are good for families. Also good for families is the companion app that lets a second player help the first by drawing

Obviously Tearaway Unfolded is most similar to Tearaway, but its handmade aesthetic is also reminiscent of LittleBigPlanet from the same developer.

2. Story
In Tearaway Unfolded, a messenger called either Atoi or Iota has a message for you, the player, and you have to help them get through the papery world so they can deliver it to you.

3. Developer
Tearaway for Vita was developed by LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule, but a studio called Tarsier helped to bring it to PS4.

4. Format
Tearaway Unfolded is only available for PS4, for £34.99/$39.99. Some features require the PlayStation Camera, which can cost around £40/$45.

5. Duration and Difficulty
Tearaway for Vita took around eight hours to complete. The PS4 game will take longer.

Although offering a challenge, Tearaway is not designed to be super difficult. Less experienced and younger players will be able to enjoy it unaided.

6. UK Rating
In the UK and Europe, PEGI rates Tearaway Unfolded as only appropriate for those aged 7 and older, for pictures or sounds likely to be scary to young children, apparently including “some dark overtones and creepy settings where monsters can jump up and potentially scare younger players”. This is a higher rating than Tearaway for Vita, which was rated PEGI 3.
http://www.pegi.info/en/index/global_id/505/?searchString=tearaway

7. Other Ratings
In the US, the ESRB rates Tearaway Unfolded E for Everyone (http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp), with content descriptors for Mild Cartoon Violence. It explains that “damage is indicated by small comical yelps” and that “enemies disappear in bursts of confetti when defeated”.
http://www.esrb.org/ratings/synopsis.jsp?Certificate=34009&Title=Tearaway%20Unfolded

8. Themes
There are monsters in Tearaway Unfolded, but since they’re made of paper they aren’t as scary as they could be.

As well as helping your messenger, you also help other characters you come across in the game. There’s also the opportunity to express your creativity through designing papercraft objects to place in the world.

9. Why people play:
People play Tearaway because it’s different from other games. Its papercraft world and characters are unique, as are the mechanics through which the player gets to interact with that world and the way the player is involved in the story. Its charm appeals to players of all ages.

In the fourth guide to LEGO Dimensions open worlds we take a trip Scooby Doo.

In these levels we discover what is included within this extra level pack and how it sits with the main Starter Pack! With the Mystery Machine and Shaggy in tow we follow Scooby Doo around the Spooky Island from the deserted fun fair, to the haunted house!
Velma has lost her glasses, again! And we show you how we use the game portal to solve puzzles. Again we take a glance at what extra packs we might need such as the Jurassic World Team Pack to access closed off areas.

But not before we answer the biggest mystery of all! Who are Scooby doo’s parents?

We also revisit the DC Comics worlds to see the City of Atlantis that is hidden in the sea.

In the fifth guide to LEGO Dimensions open worlds we take a trip into the labs of Portal.

Set after the Portal 2 game we find Chell back in the Apature testing facility, armed with her portal gun. We show you the basics of this amazing concept! And we look at what other game franchises such as Dr Who & DC comics you may require. Including a very intriguing hint at time travel with the DeLorean too!