Cheap Ass Gamer™

CAG Foreplay #15: The Mice is Right (9/5/07)

Download (56 minutes, 26 MB) Discuss	CAG's shipwreck & mrs. shipwreck preview the new releases for the week of September 4th, 2007. This week we slow-motion slide our way across every surface in our apartment as we stylistically cover the handful of games that were lovingly released like a flock of doves. Yep, just like we always do. Check out all the deals by clicking on the "Continue Reading" link below!

Garfield's Nightmare Dev. Shin'en Pub. Game Factory Systems: PSP MSRP: $19.99
(Deja Preview)Too much lasagna prior to bedtime leads Garfield into a deep sleep. In order to awake him, you must lead him through this decent 2D platform title. For $20, it looks surprisingly entertaining and the graphics are good, but is this the game you're going to spend your money on this week? I doubt it. - mrs. ship

Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Garfield's Nightmare.

Purchase At Amazon
$19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Purchase At Family Video $19.99 (99 cent shipping)


Medal of Honor: Airborne Dev. EA Los Angeles Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PC, 360 MSRP: $49.99, $59.99
While other series have moved away from World War II, Medal of Honor still believes there's plenty of life left in the Nazi killing industry. The one element of this game that sets it apart from the rest is that you start each level by air-dropping into battle. This allows you to control your parachute and where you land significantly impacts the way that you will play the level. It certainly goes a long way in trying to get around the point-to-point style that has made the majority of WWII games stale, as you can play each area with many different strategies. In the end though, it pretty much just comes down to mowing through the Axis in very familiar scenarios. - ship

Best Deal:
Family Video is offering the Xbox 360 version of Medal of Honor: Airborne for $56 shipped. Circuit City is selling the PC version for $40.

Purchase At Amazon
$59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $54.98 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $57.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon
$47.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $44.99 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Circuit City $39.99


Naruto Uzamaki Chronicles 2 Dev. Namco Bandai Pub. Namco Bandai Systems: PS2 MSRP: $39.99
There's a large fanbase out there for the Naruto titles, and those gamers will be glad to know that the screen shots of this title look good. Plus, there's a head-to-head mode, traditional action mode, survival mode, and a mission mode. You can take your pick of ninjas, weapons, and magic-type moves. However, PSM magazine gave the game a 6/10 and didn't have very nice things to say about the title, so I suggest that unless you're a hard-core fan who's going to buy the game regardless, you hold onto your $40 until the final verdict is in. - mrs. ship

Best Deal:
Best Buy is offering a free $10 gift card when you also purchase Naruto: The Movie on DVD. EB Games is offering a free Naruto neck strap.

Purchase At Amazon
$39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $39.99 (Free $10 gift card when you also purchase Naruto: The Movie DVD)
;ps2: Purchase At EB Games
$39.99 (Free Naruto neck strap)


Pool Party Dev. SouthPeak Interactive Pub. SouthPeak Interactive Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
Pool Party (Wii)
Thinking of a mini-game compilation involving Marco Polo and cannon balls? Sorry guys, this game is strictly billiards. Invite your friends over to play one of over 13 types of pool (did you even know there were that many?!?) with real-world physics. Based on the cover art, it looks like a budget title. But, not wanting to judge a book by it's cover, I checked out the screen shots too. Nope, definitely a budget title. Seriously, since so much of this game's playability depends on how well the wii-mote works, you'd better read a few reviews before you rush out and buy it. - mrs. ship

Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Pool Party.

Purchase At Amazon
$29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $28.24 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping)


Stranglehold Dev. Midway Chicago Pub. Midway Systems: PC, 360 MSRP: $49.99, $59.99
Max Payne meets a Crisco covered world in this follow-up to John Woo's "Hard Boiled". Slip-slide your way gracefully across countertops, bannister railings, and pretty much anything else that will make shooting someone in the jugular a slow-motion thing of beauty. Chock full of action and... uhm... more action, Stranglehold looks to have plenty of fodder to keep you entertained when you need to take a break from all that classic 16th century British literature you've been catching up on. - ship

Best Deal:
Circuit City is offering the Xbox 360 version of Stranglehold for $48 and there is a YMMV coupon out there for another $10 as well. Family Video is offering the Collector's Edition for $61 shipped and they are also offering the PC version for $46 shipped.

Purchase At Amazon
$56.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $52.99 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Circuit City $47.99
Purchase At Amazon
$46.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $44.99 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Amazon
$69.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $59.99 (99 cent shipping)


Worms: Open Warfare 2 Dev. Team17 Software Pub. THQ Systems: DS, PSP MSRP: $29.99
Worms: Open Warfare 2 (PSP, DS)
If you're a fan of this franchise but are still reeling from the mediocrity of Worms: Open Warfare, you're day of reckoning has come. It goes along with the old adage: if you don't succeed, try, try again. This title is good, with the same action-strategy components we've come to love. The goal: blow up you opponent's worms. How? Well, take your pick from Uzi's, missiles, bombs, and exploding sheep. Who doesn't love a good exploding sheep? The multiplayer modes are awesome, and there isn't much about the game to find fault with. So, stop reading and go buy this great title for $30. - mrs. ship

Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Worms Open Warfare 2.

Purchase At Amazon
$29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.94 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon
$29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.94 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping)


On The DL with the Shipwrecks

Adventure Island Systems: Wii MSRP: $5
This NES title involves two main game play elements: avoiding enemies and grabbing fruit. Various weapons are available to help you achieve goal #1, including hammers and a skate board. It's one of those titles in which you run through the level and try hard not to die. I wasn't so good at it, and I much prefer Super Adventure Island, but this title might bring back some happy memories and be well worth the $5.

Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure Systems: Wii MSRP: $6
Bonk travels across the country to search for his stolen bike and finds out that the Alamo has no basement. Oh wait, no, it's Bonk. He's back to bonk some more stuff and eat lots of body altering meat. - ship

Cyberball 2072 Systems: 360 MSRP: $5
Robots playing football. Robots playing football. Robots playing football!! -ship

Donkey Kong Jr. Math Systems: Wii MSRP: $5
For an NES game based on homework, it's about as boring as they come. Unless you sit at home and go through multiplication flash-cards in your spare time, skip this title. Here's some math for you: video games based on school + $5 = save your money. - mrs. ship

Fatal Fury Special Systems: 360 MSRP: $5
SNK's 2D fighter makes its way onto XBLA with online play for the bargain price of $5. Sure, I always passed over this series for Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat when I was younger, but maybe now is a good time to see what Terry and Andy Bogard were up to when Ryu and Scorpion were stealing all my quarters.

Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole Systems: Wii MSRP: $8
Ironically, this Genesis title was the subject of last week's Depth Charges (if that reference means nothing to you, check out our audio podcast on iTunes). In this game, you play as Nigel, an elf treasure hunter who saves the life of Friday, a fairy-type creature. This game comes with the standard sword and heart-container sort of action-adventure layout with your goal of hunting for treasure within many dungeons and towns. It has fairly advanced graphics for it's time, Ewok knock-offs, and is a pretty solid nostalgic title. It's a game that we ultimatley decided to keep as part of our collection, so adding this title to your own collection for $8 is a pretty good buy. - mrs. ship


Feedback:

Did we miss a good sale on a game? Did we miss previewing a game completely? Well, the only way that everyone can know a better deal is out there is to let us know about it. Post deals you've found or games that we missed in the thread so that CAGs can make sure they are getting the absolute best prices on new releases.