Nintendo 3DS XL * (£174.99) and Nintendo New Style Boutique * (£22.99)
As obsessed with all things beauty that I am, there's still plenty of time for me to dedicate to some of my other obsessions. Take addictive games as an example. As an 8 year old, all of my wishes felt like they had come true at once when I was able to take home my very own Nintendo Gameboy Colour (the purple one of course) and a copy of Pokemon. Countless hours of gameplay later I was well and truly fixed, and the same can definitely be said 13 years down the line. When I was contacted by Nintendo and asked if I was interested in playing one of their newer releases, New Style Boutique for the Nintendo 3DS XL, of course I had to say yes and keep that addiction alive. I was very kindly loaned a copy of the game and a 3DS XL console to get to grips with all things fashion and beauty in the virtual world, and I can safely say that this game had me completely hooked from the word go!
The premise of the game is such a simple one and that is one of the things that instantly had me curious. Without yabbering on for too long about the story behind the game, you are the newcomer to a sleepy town and who just happens to impress the manager of a fashion boutique and land yourself a job (score). As you learn the tricks of the trade while working as an assistant in the boutique, you will quickly gain experience serving customers and giving out plenty of helpful fashion advice. Other tasks such as managing stock, networking with famous faces and still finding the time to look your best will become a piece of cake as you progress in the game, and then before you know it you will be the proud manager of your own boutique!
Expansion affects not only your boutique but the whole town, with opportunities to experiment with hair, make-up and even photography popping up throughout the game. With around 12,000 items in total to choose from, the styling possibilities are endless and there really are clothing pieces to cater for every style. As you become more experienced with stock buying and catering to your loyal customers, new brands are unlocked and this means a lot more clothing to choose from. Some may say that this is a game for little girls, but I really have to disagree and say that I've found it completely addictive and am sure there plenty more girls around my age who wouldn't be able to put the DS down until crazy hours in the morning.
A lovely touch to the game-play is definitely its overall look which is very pleasing on the eye. The graphics are very modern looking without coming across as too silly or unrealistic, and with plenty of color and personality given to all of the characters that you meet it's no surprise that the experience was so enjoyable for me. I'd definitely recommend this game to all you budding fashionistas out there, and also to anyone who is a sucker for addictive games like I am.
