Black Friday deals week continues at the PlayStation Store where a buttload of PSN games are now on sale for a limited time. For PlayStation Store shoppers in the U.S., Mexico, Chile and Argentina, Sony is offering a cash back reward promotion for Thanksgiving. Sony Entertainment Network users who purchase at least $60 worth of digital goods through December 3rd will receive a code for a $10 credit by December 13th.

Here’s a list of this week’s PSN game deals!

– Alien Breed (Cross Buy) Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
– Alien Breed 2: Assault Sale Price: $3.49 Original Price: $9.99
– Alien Breed 3: Descent Sale Price: $3.49 Original Price: $9.99
– Alien Breed Trilogy Sale Price: $7.89 Original Price: $22.99
– Alien Breed: Impact Sale Price: $3.49 Original Price: $9.99
– Atomic Ninjas (Cross Buy) Sale Price: $7.99 Original Price: $9.99
– Dragon’s Crown Sale Price: $29.99 Original Price: $49.99
– Dragon’s Crown – Into The Labyrinth Theme Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $1.99
– Dragon’s Crown Ps Vita – Storyteller Voice Pack Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $1.99
– Dragon’s Crown Ps3 – Storyteller Voice Pack Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $1.99
– Dragon’s Crown Vita Sale Price: $29.99 Original Price: $39.99
– Dynasty Warriors 6 Sale Price: $14.99 Original Price: $19.99
– Dynasty Warriors 7 Sale Price: $24.99 Original Price: $29.99
– Foosball 2012 (Cross Buy) Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $7.99
– Game Of Thrones Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $19.99
– God Mode Sale Price: $2.99 Original Price: $9.99
– Kung Fu Rabbit Sale Price: $2.49 Original Price: $4.99
– Magic 2014: Duels Of The Planeswalkers Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
– Nun Attack Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
– Odin Sphere Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
– Persona 4 Arena Sale Price: $14.99 Original Price: $29.99
– Persona 4 Arena Ultimate Edition Sale Price: $22.49 Original Price: $44.99
– Persona 4: Golden Sale Price: $19.99 Original Price: $29.99
– Persona4 Arena – Additional Colors Full Pack Sale Price: $2.99 Original Price: $5.99
– Persona4 Arena – Additional Colors Pack #1 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
– Persona4 Arena – Additional Colors Pack #2 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
– Persona4 Arena – Additional Colors Pack #3 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
– Persona4 Arena – Additional Colors Pack #4 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
– Persona4 Arena – Glasses Full Pack Sale Price: $2.99 Original Price: $5.99
– Persona4 Arena – Glasses Pack #1 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
– Persona4 Arena – Glasses Pack #2 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
– Persona4 Arena – Glasses Pack #3 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
– Persona4 Arena – Glasses Pack #4 Sale Price: $0.99 Original Price: $1.99
– Persona4 Arena – Navigation #1 (Teddie) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
– Persona4 Arena – Navigation #2 (Yosuke) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
– Persona4 Arena – Navigation #3 (Mitsuru) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
– Persona4 Arena – Navigation #4 (Aigis) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
– Persona4 Arena – Navigation #5 (Fuuka) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
– Persona4 Arena – Navigation #6 (Nanako) Sale Price: $1.49 Original Price: $2.99
– Puddle Sale Price: $3.99 Original Price: $7.99
– R.I.P.D. Sale Price: $2.99 Original Price: $9.99
– Stella Deus Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
– Superfrog HD (Cross Buy & Cross Play) Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
– The Cursed Crusade Sale Price: $9.99 Original Price: $19.99
– The Impossible Game – Minis Sale Price: $1.99 Original Price: $2.99
– The Testament Of Sherlock Holmes Sale Price: $19.99 Original Price: $29.99
– Trine 2 Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $14.99
– Worms Sale Price: $3.29 Original Price: $12.99
– Worms 2: Armageddon Sale Price: $5.19 Original Price: $14.99
– Worms 2: Armageddon Trial: Worms2: Armageddon Battle Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
– Worms 2: Armageddon Trial: Worms2: Armageddon Forts Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
– Worms 2: Armageddon Trial: Worms2: Armageddon Puzzle Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
– Worms 2: Armageddon Trial: Worms2: Armageddon Retro Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
– Worms 2: Armageddon Trial: Worms2: Armageddon Time Attack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
– Worms Crazy Golf Sale Price: $2.59 Original Price: $9.99
– Worms Revolution Sale Price: $7.59 Original Price: $14.99
– Worms Revolution Extreme Sale Price: $7.49 Original Price: $14.99
– Worms Revolution: Worms Revolution Funfair Pack Sale Price: $2.59 Original Price: $4.99
– Worms Revolution: Worms Revolution Mars Pack Sale Price: $2.59 Original Price: $4.99
– Worms Revolution: Worms? Revolution Medieval Tales Sale Price: $2.59 Original Price: $4.99
– Worms Ultimate Mayhem Sale Price: $5.19 Original Price: $14.99
– Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Customization Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
– Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Multi-Player Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
– Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Single-Player Pack Sale Price: $1.79 Original Price: $4.99
– Worms: Battle Islands Sale Price: $3.79 Original Price: $14.99
– Young Thor – Minis Sale Price: $2.49 Original Price: $4.99
– Ys: I & Ii Chronicles Sale Price: $7.49 Original Price: $14.99
– Ys: Seven Sale Price: $7.49 Original Price: $14.99
– Ys: The Oath In Felghana Sale Price: $7.49 Original Price: $14.99
– Zeno Clash 2 Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $14.99
– Zombie Tycoon – Minis Sale Price: $2.49 Original Price: $4.99
– Zombie Tycoon II: Brainhov’s Revenge (Cross Buy) Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99
– Zombie Tycoon II: Brainhov’s Revenge Vita (Cross Buy) Sale Price: $4.99 Original Price: $9.99

PlayStation Store Update [PlayStation.Blog]

Howdy there, folks. I know it’s been a while, but we’re finally back with a new giveaway. This week we have codes for recently released PSN titles Elminage Original and Jetpack Joyride up for grabs in a pair of prize bundles. The former’s an old-school turn-based dungeon crawl RPG for PSP/Vita, the latter is the PlayStation Minis port of Halfbrick’s uber-fun mobile hit. Two completely different types of games, one awesome combo pack perfect to take on the road during your holiday travels. Enter now for a chance to win both games in one shot!

Contest Details:

Prize: 2 prize packs each containing U.S. PSN codes for Elminage Original and Jetpack Joyride. Elminage Original is available now for PSP with PS Vita compatibility for $14.99 from UFO Interactive. Jetpack Joyride is available now for $3.99 as a PlayStation Minis title for PS3, PSP and PS Vita from Beatshapers and Halfbrick Studios. (Note: Jetpack Joyride won’t be available to download directly to Vita from the PSN Store until December 18, but is currently compatible via transfer from PS3.) Each prize pack is valued at $18.98.

How to enter:

1) Leave a comment on this post.

2) Follow VGBlogger on Twitter @vgblogger and retweet this message

3) ‘Like’ us on our Facebook page and then ‘Like’ and comment on this post

4) Email us at contests@vgblogger.com with the subject line “Elminage Original & Jetpack Joyride Giveaway”

Only ONE form of entry is required, but entering through multiple channels will increase your odds of winning. Please remember that the download codes available in this giveaway are for the U.S. PSN Store only.

Entry Period: Wednesday, December 12 – Friday, December 14 at 2:00 PM EST. 2 total contest winners will be selected at random and announced after entry deadline on Friday, December 14.

If you own a modern PlayStation gaming device, whip out your paddle and get ready to break some bricks. Our giveaway this week, courtesy of Beatshapers, is the excellent brick-breakin’ PlayStation Minis title BreakQuest: Extra Evolution. Check out our recent review to see why you’re going to want to win a code–and if you don’t win, you should buy it any way!

We’ve got PlayStation Network codes for both North America and Europe, so enter now if you’d like a chance to win. Here are the rules:

Contest Details:

Prize: 4 download codes for BreakQuest: Extra Evolution, including 2 for the U.S. PlayStation Store and 2 for the European PlayStation Store. Game is valued at $3.99 and is compatible with PS3, PSP, and Vita.

How to enter: Tell us which regional PSN version of the game you would like to win in at least one of the following ways:

1) Leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

2) Follow VGBlogger and Beatshapers on Twitter @vgblogger and @Beatshapers and RT your entry with this message

3) ‘Like’ us on our Facebook page and then ‘Like’ and comment on this post

4) Email us at contests@vgblogger.com with the subject line “BreakQuest Giveaway”

Only ONE form of entry is required, but entering through multiple channels will increase your odds of winning. Please remember to include the PSN region you are vying for in your comments/entries.

Entry Period: Monday, November 12 – Friday, November 16 at 12:00 PM EST. 4 total contest winners will be selected at random and announced after entry deadline on Friday, November 16.

In late 2009/early 2010, Beatshapers released the first BreakQuest PlayStation Mini. I played it briefly, but remember the controls being a bit too squirrelly for my tastes, and after a few attempts at trying to play even the first level (out of 100) I regrettably dismissed the title. Beatshapers has followed up its bite-sized brick breaker this fall with an extra evolved sequel, and this time I wasn’t going to make the same mistake of casting it aside. Turns out, being stuck on a 4-hour plane flight with not much else to do provided the ideal circumstance to load up BreakQuest: Extra Evolution on my Vita. I was immediately hooked.

The concept to brick breaking games hasn’t changed much over the decades.  You’re still just moving a paddle left and right across the bottom of the screen to deflect a ball up and break floating brick patterns.  Add in special modifiers that drop down and enhance the paddle so that it is wider, is magnetic or can shoot bullets, and any given board can go from being a boring slog to an experiment in how quickly the area can be cleared.

BreakQuest: Extra Evolution adds some neat twists to the base concept.  Similar to the first title, you are presented with 100 new boards to clear, which are displayed in a ten by ten grid.  The first board in each row is unlocked and as each additional board is completed the next one unlocks.  In addition, at the end of each row, the 10th board then provides a bonus boss level to complete.  Some boards resemble a very traditional brick pattern, while other boards are more abstract and the objects being “broken” are flower petals or simply little pellets that are consumed à la Pac-Man as the ball travels over them. The constant change of audiovisual styles is one of this game’s main draws.

Any fan of brick breaking games will tell you, the worst part of playing any board is trying to get that last brick.  BreakQuest: Extra Evolution offers a wonderful solution to this.  If the level seems to drag on for a set period of time and no additional bricks are destroyed, a random enhancement will drop allowing a GPS missile (or scatter gun) to fire up at the lone brick that has managed to escape destruction.  This is a wonderful helper feature that kept me playing more and more levels as I never felt frustrated by not being able to finish a board.

One other new feature that has been introduced is a shield mechanic.  The moment the first ball is launched from the paddle, a small line is drawn across the bottom of the screen.  Once the line is drawn completely to the middle, the L1 and/or R1 buttons can be pressed to shift the line up a space and then a secondary line begins to draw across the bottom again.  Once the first line has shifted up to the second space, the line acts as a protective shield capable of deflecting two hits before being destroyed. Managing the shields and utilizing the various modifiers that drop, combined with the wonderful, constantly changing levels, makes BreakQuest: Extra Evolution a Mini with a surprising amount of depth and variety, despite its sub-100 MB size.

While Minis don’t offer Trophy support, there are in-game achievements which add to the addictive nature of the game. Achievements are earned by taking down the bosses at the end of each row, as well as by earning various point totals (which are added cumulatively over the course of the game).  Obviously the game doesn’t offer leaderboards either, but one thing I wish that the Vita would allow is at least the option to take screenshots while playing Minis.  At least that way I could take a screenshot and Tweet the pic from my Vita instead of having to brag and not be to back up my claims.

But overall, BreakQuest: Extra Evolution is a wonderful game with addictive brick-busting gameplay and a dynamic presentation that changes visual styles and sound themes with each new level unlocked.  With over 100 levels to play, and at a price of less than a large caramel latte, this Mini is a smashing success.

Pros:
+ Great audiovisual style changes with each level
+ Improved ball and paddle handling doesn’t feel squirrely
+ In game achievements

Cons:
– I know it’s a Mini, but no online leaderboards is still a drag
– Can’t capture screenshots

Game Info:
Platform: PlayStation Minis (PS3, PSP, Vita)
Publisher: Beatshapers
Developer: Beatshapers
Release Date: 10/16/2012
Genre: Brick Breaker
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Players: 1
Source: Review code provided by publisher

[nggallery id=2734]

Having already cast his nostalgic charm spell on PC and Xbox Live Indie gamers, the wizard capable of transforming into a magical orb and swatting himself about environments ripped straight out of an 8-bit console role-playing quest is now doing his ball and paddle thing on all three modern PlayStation platforms. That game is, of course, the aptly named Wizorb, and you can download it to your PS3, PSP and/or PS Vita right now for a paltry $3.99. Well, you can download it to your PS3 and then transfer it to your Vita later, but for some reason you can’t buy and download it directly onto your Vita just yet (at least not from the U.S. PSN Store).

This is a shame, because the Vita is the best of the three devices for this game to be played on. Not that the other two Sony systems don’t run it well, but on the Vita the load times are peppier by at least a good five seconds on average and the retro sprites just plain look cleaner and crisper on that gorgeous OLED screen. On the PS3, the graphics look nice but are a touch too saturated for my liking; on the PSP they’re darker and muted and just don’t have the same pop, even after bumping the brightness button to the max setting.

Broadening the platform comparisons, while the Vita version’s colors are more vivid, the presentation is sharper and I personally prefer the convenience of portability with a pick up and play style of game such as this, the PC version continues to rule in all-around content thanks to online leaderboards and Steam Achievements. As a PlayStation mini, these features sadly are not available, which is a knock to overall replay value but not a major one considering the game sells for less than a fiver. Whichever system you choose to play it on, just know that you’re getting a fun-in-short-bursts game that puts a clever twist on one of gaming’s oldest design models.

Branching off from the Breakout / Arkanoid family tree, Wizorb is a mostly traditional ball and paddle game that has you bouncing the wizard–in orb form remember–with a small wand that scrolls horizontally across the bottom of the screen. Like the games it derives from, the objective is to clear all blocks from the play area by repeatedly ricocheting the orb into them like a chainless wrecking ball. If at any point the ball slips by your wand defending the screen’s lower edge like a goalie, a life is lost.

Breakout and Arkanoid may want to pay a visit to the Maury Povich Show for a paternity test battle, though, because someone here has obviously been fooling around with a certain Hyrulian hero. (Hey, Link gets bored when Zelda’s not around!) While Wizorb’s pixelated presentation and old-school themes are reminiscent of many RPGs from the Nintendo Entertainment System era, The Legend of Zelda’s influence is felt the strongest. You see, you aren’t just hitting a ball at simple block formations; you’re also defeating enemies, slaying bosses, discovering treasure chests and secret doors, hitting switches, avoiding infection from status ailments, and collecting gold coins and gems, all in an effort to rescue the 4 Sacred Children and save a kingdom from demons.

On this mighty quest, you’ll battle through roughly 60 levels staged in a slime-infested forest, a village overrun by werewolves, a rotten mine teeming with flying beholders, and a castle haunted by transporting ghosts, before ultimately confronting the undead on their home turf in the Netherworld. As you collect treasure, you’ll be able to periodically drop by the demolished Tarot Village to donate your earnings towards the town’s rebuilding effort. By doing so, you’ll earn rewards and eventually gain access to a shop offering extra lives (represented by hearts, of course), potions and special charms to augment your game with multi-orbs, orbs that deal double damage and wand enlargement–it’s like Viagra for magic users!

The other twist to the brick-breaking formula is the addition of spellcasting. As the orb is pinging to and fro, Cyrus (that’s the wizard’s proper name) can launch fireballs for added destruction or summon gusts of wind to shift the ball’s trajectory mid-flight, either for last-second saves or to give the orb an extra nudge into a tight opening. Casting these spells at the point of contact between the orb and wand adds other more powerful arcane properties at the expense of more magic juice, including a magma coating that sends the ball barreling through everything in its path without bouncing and a set of wings that sprout so you can directly guide the orb where you want it to go for a short time. Because magic power is limited, there is some strategy to conserving spells and knowing appropriate times to use them. It may save precious time, but lobbing a couple fireballs to pick off a lingering block or two at the end of a stage can leave you in a tough spot without mana to burn later on.

Familiar yet fresh and different at the same time, Wizorb is proof positive that, even after all these years, the simple joys of topping your best score and adventuring through colorful fantasy worlds made of sprites never go out of style and still have evolutionary potential. Other than the occasional difficulty spike, where out of nowhere one stage tosses a maddeningly tricky brick layout at you without the expected gradual build of difficulty from level to level, there is a lot to love about this game and really nothing to hate.

Not to sound all sadomasochistic or anything, but if you enjoy paddling balls for high score pleasures and long to return to the glory days of console RPGs, you’re going to get a real kick out of Wizorb. The new PlayStation minis versions are missing that little something extra offered by the Steam version’s leaderboards and achievements, but the price is right and the gameplay is a retro smash no matter which gaming machine it’s played on.

Pros:
+ Clever hybrid of two classic genres
+ 8-bit graphics and chiptune sounds lay on the retro charm
+ Pay once for continuous play on up to three different devices = convenient transportability

Cons:
– Currently can’t be bought and directly downloaded to the Vita
– Lack of leaderboards and trophies cuts down the replay incentive offered by the Steam version
– Occasional level will frustrate the hell out of you

Game Info:
Platform: PlayStation Minis (PS3, PSP, PS Vita)
Publisher: Beatshapers
Developer: Beatshapers/Tribute Games
Release Date: 7/24/2012
Genre: Arcade/RPG
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Players: 1
Source: Review code provided by publisher

After achieving indie success on PC/Mac/Linux and as an Xbox Live Indie Game, Tribute Games’ mash-up of Breakout block busting and NES-era fantasy JRPG adventuring is bringing its nostalgically refreshing brand of ball-and-paddle arcade fun to the North American PlayStation minis library.

Starting next week on Tuesday, July 24, you’ll be able to download and enjoy Wizorb on your PS3, PSP and PS Vita for a mere $3.99. Yes, a new game that actually plays across all three PlayStation platforms (yet we still can’t get functional versions of PSP games like Unchained Blades and Gungnir working on the Vita… argh!!!).

Check out our review of the PC version from earlier in the year to see why you’re going to want this in your PlayStation digital collection. If you don’t have a PlayStation system, the Steam version is currently on sale for less than two bucks.