"You can't win unless you learn how to lose."

Although I'm not really the sporty type, there have been some great sports games released by Nintendo the years. When I was at school Nintendo world cup was one of my favourites. For a sports game back then it was really basic, but there was something about those cute 8bit players being able to scissor kick the ball that had me hooked. When the boys and I are having a little one on one gaming session with the 3DS's, we still occasionally have a Mario slam basketball still tournament and we like to get a little competitive with Mario and Sonic at the Rio Olympic games. Nintendo does a great job of adding a less serious, more quirky approach to sports games.

With the release of Mario Sports Superstar, 5 more sports have been given the Nintendo twist. The Football for me didn't have the same nostalgic feel that I got when I recently played Nintendo world cup again at my friends, but... it is still a great game and I loved being able to play as Nintendo's finest. Baseball took us a while to get the hang of, Pitching was fine but when it came to batting we all had teething issues with actually hitting the ball. We had a really good chuckle though at just how bad we all were. 

The tennis and golf were like playing old favourites with a new twist. And the Horse racing was definitely one of my favourites as it was like playing a strange game of Mario kart. Whats great about Mario Sports Superstar is that the fun isn't just stuck at playing the actual sports, there is a lot of strategy that also goes into the game play to help your progress. 

There are a variety of tournaments to get through in single player mode and although I'm yet to fully try out the multiplayer mode , I am looking forward to competing against online players. I'm still holding out for ice hockey to be included in a Mario sports game somewhere down the line, maybe next time. 

"Work like a Captain - Play like a Pirate!"

One of our favourite places to visit during our last trip to Orlando was Pirates Cove golf adventure. Pirates cove is one of those fun looking places that you see from the road while driving and you know you have to go and play. Despite the heat and the sweat continuously running down my face I just love being outdoors in the sun, doing something fun (and a little bit competitive) with the people I love most. With the option of the Captain's course, Blackbeard's challenge (which is more difficult) or the 36 hole Adventure, we decided to go for Blackbeard's challenge and with our putters and balls at the ready, it was game on!

Someone may have got a couple of cheeky hole in ones!!!

 Pirates cove on international drive is in the perfect spot if you are planning a day of visiting some of the smaller attractions that Orlando has to offer. If you are not hiring a car during your stay, Pirates cove is on the I-Ride route which connects most of the attraction by bus, making it really easy to get around. As an 18 hole game only takes around an hour it's great to squeeze in between other places to visit. We had been to the outlet malls and had a game before going to Ripleys believe it or not. It's handy to know that the location is also near Wonderworks, The Titanic experience, and many other great attractions.

We had left the last two days of the holiday free with no plans and asked the boys what they would like to do most. They both wanted to try out the other Orlando Pirates cove situated at Lake Buena Vista, as we had driven past it many times during our stay and they wanted to try out a different course, as I said it is one of our favourite things to do while away.  The layout of the course is completely different than the one on international drive so it is definitely worth checking the two out if you enjoy a spot of putting.

If you want a great way to fill an hour between attractions then I cannot recommend this place enough, the friendly welcoming staff and fun pirate themed course compliment the amazing weather perfectly and it is the perfect way to relax while away.