CAG's shipwreck & mrs. shipwreck preview the new releases for the week of October 9th, 2007. After a week of slacking, we're back and ready to tear through a fresh batch of games including The Orange Box, Touch Detective 2 1/2, and, of course, Mountain Bike Adrenaline.
You can now subscribe to Foreplay on iTunes by clicking this link:
CAG Foreplay on iTunes
You can also contact us with any questions or comments at
shipwrecks@cheapassgamer.com or
foreplay@cheapassgamer.com.
CAG Foreplay Podcast show notes will be up later today.
http://media.libsyn.com/media/foreplay/cagforeplay19.mp3
Backyard Football 2008 Dev. Humongous Entertainment Pub. Atari Systems: PS2 MSRP: $29.99
This children's football game holds the licenses for the NFL, so your kids' can actually play as their favorite stars. It has several levels, so your tween and your kindergartner can play and have fun. For $30, it seems a little pricey, but these titles are solid as far as kids' games go and are probably worth it. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Backyard Football 2008.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping)
Balls of Fury Dev. Black Lantern Pub. Destination Software Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
You can't go wrong with Christopher Walken. Unless it's a game based upon a movie about ping pong. The Continental, now there's the game they should have made. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Balls of Fury.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Bleach: The Blade of Fate Dev. Treasure Pub. Sega Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
An Anime based game that I actually might be interested in? Well, with Treasure developing you've certainly made me take a second look at this 2D fighting game. Fans of the series who haven't already imported will be treated to 28 characters and furious four-player action (imagine Super Smash Bros. mixed with a more traditional 2D fighter). And when I'm talking about four players, I'm talking about either four people online or four people local with one cart! This really looks to be a top notch fighting game for the DS. So if you enjoy multiplayer games on your portable systems, this looks like a must buy even if you're less of an Anime fan than I am. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Bleach: The Blade of Fate.
Purchase At Amazon $29.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $28.84 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping)
Bleach: The Shattered Blade Dev. Polygon Magic Pub. Sega Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
A 3D sword fighting game where you swing the Wiimote and Nunchuk sounds like a great idea. Get back to me in a few years when they actually have a control device sensitive enough to make this idea work. True Bleach fans will pick this up regardless and I'm sure they'll be pleased with the 32 playable characters and their own amazing ability to "work" with the control scheme. - ship
Best Deal:
Purchase At Amazon $49.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $48.01 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $43.99 (Free shipping)
The Cheetah Girls: Pop Star Sensations Dev. Disney Interactive Pub. Disney Interactive Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Take the Hollie Hobby description and add in some songs and dancing. Done. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for The Cheetah Girls.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.64 (99 cent shipping)
Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast Dev. Paon Corporation Pub. Nintendo Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
Originally known as "Bongo Blast" and scheduled for release on the GameCube, Nintendo's drum infused rail racer reaches the U.S. shores without bongo (or advertising) support. When Nintendo chooses to sneak something to store shelves you'd better believe something is amiss. Shake your Wiimote and Nunchuk up and down to emulate drum-like beatings (and stare longfully at those bongos sitting next to your couch) as the game steers you around the track and you make life-changing decisions such as "should I dodge that obstacle or just let it hit Donkey Kong in the face?" Hey, maybe it will knock some sense into him and they'll stop experimenting on the ape with all these ill-conceived game mechanics. It's cruelty to animals I tell ya. - ship
Best Deal:
Deep Discount is offering Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast for $44 shipped.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $43.99 (Free shipping)
FIFA Soccer 08 Dev. EA Canada Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: Everything MSRP: $29.99-$59.99
Much like hockey, soccer games are not my area of expertise. Much like NHL 08, however, I can tell that there have been a lot of improvements in FIFA 08 that set it apart from previous iterations. The game in general has been slowed down and the players move and react more like they would in a real world game. Their animations have a sense of weight to them and the controls are fluid and intuitive. With more game modes and a large list of licensed leagues and teams, if you haven't given FIFA a chance in a few years, it might be time to get back on the pitch. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for FIFA Soccer 08.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $58.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.94 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $28.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $37.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $58.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $48.95 (Free shipping)
Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions Dev. Square Enix Pub. Square Enix Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
The King has died, leaving his 2 year-old son as the ruler of Ivalice. Enter the warring relatives fighting for control. This well-known PS1 title has been ported to the PSP, and comes jam-packed with some new extras. There are now two multiplayer modes, and new cut scenes, characters, and classes have been added. It still has the same addicting turn-based strategy gameplay, but since it's on the PSP, it has added portability. The graphics aren't that great being a PS1 title, and it's not the easiest game to learn. Plus, the camera angles can be annoying. For those of you who remember this title fondly on the PS1, you should check out the new PSP version. If you've never played this title before but need a good tactical title for your PSP, make sure you know what you're spending your $40 on. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Final Fantasy Tactics.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping)
Flipper Critters Dev. Ignition Entertainment Pub. Ignition Entertainment Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
This DS pinball game has got it all. As the gamer, your task is to aid the fuzzy critters in their quest by playing pinball in one of the many entertaining environments. The pinball game-play uses both screens for a full view of the game, and it controls using the touch-screen, D-pad, and microphone. There are mini games sandwiched in between pinball levels which are reported to be pretty lame. But, the frame rate is awesome and the game is fairly well done. It shipped to Europe this past spring and got mediocre scores. For $15, if you're looking for a pinball DS game, this should do nicely. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
Deep Discount is offering Flipper Critters for $14 shipped.
Purchase At Amazon $15.99
Purchase At Family Video $14.99 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $13.99 (Free shipping)
Folklore Dev. Game Republic Pub. SCEA Systems: PS3 MSRP: $59.99
This title is an action-adventure RPG with some pretty nice graphics and even nicer gameplay. The gamer starts off playing as a girl who is following clues left by her deceased mother. The story brings her to Doolin, a sad and hauntng town. Keats, the male character in the story, has been brought to Doolin by a woman who claims to need his help but is found murdered. Sound catchy? You choose your character at the beginning of each level, but you can't just stick to one person - you must complete each character's storyline to beat the game. How you do so is up to you. The game-play itself is just as innovative, with the coolest twist being that you can steal your defeated enemies' powers for your own. However, doing so requires some sixaxis movements that aren't all that sensitive. This title has been getting some pretty good scores (IGN gave it a 9) and some lower scores. Overall, it's averaging about a 7.5, and the comments are largely positive. The negatives? It's pretty linear and can be unfocused and incongruent. You'll have to decide for yourself if it's worth $60. But what else are we going to play on our PS3? Try the demo on the PSN. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
Play-Asia is offering the Asia Version of Folklore with English text and voices for $53 shipped.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Play-Asia $49.90 ($3.10 shipping - Asia Version)
Half-Life 2: The Orange Box Dev. Valve Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PC, 360 MSRP: $49.99, $59.99
Gordon Freeman is back and is trying once again to make an impact on the console scene. Although the original Xbox's Half-Life 2 was passable, the unsteady frame rate really hampered console gamers from seeing what all the hubbub was about for a game that is held up among the PC's elite. Well, with this gen's powerful hardware and a little more care put into the port, Half-Life finally seems like it's ready to make some waves in the living room in a serious way. Not only did they include the original Half-Life 2 and its cleverly named episodic expansions (Episode 1 & Episode 2), but there's an all-new first-person adventure game with puzzle elements called "Portal" and the beautifully comic-looking squad-based shooter "Team Fortress 2". There's entirely too much content to talk about in the course of a paragraph and it's clear that Valve and EA want to position this as a viable franchise in the console market. If I were them, I'd have positioned it a few more weeks away from Halo 3. - ship
Best Deal:
Family Video is offering the Xbox 360 version of The Orange Box for $55 shipped. Fry's is offering the PC version for $37 and Circuit City is selling it for a buck more.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $53.97 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At EB Games $54.99
Purchase At Circuit City $37.99
Purchase At Fry's $36.99
Holly Hobbie & Friends Dev. Majesco Pub. Majesco Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Holly Hobbie looks exactly like Polly Pocket, but what do I know? Anyhow, your DS will be rockin' with this mini-game/clothing design/makeover girl-fest with added Holly Hobbie trivia. Sweet. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Holly Hobbie & Friends.
Purchase At EB Games $29.99
Purchase At Family Video $28.84 (99 cent shipping)
Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights Dev. Juice Games Pub. THQ Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
(Deja Preview) Everything you'd expect to find in another street racing game. Customize your tuner car, bet on races, drift around corners, and use plenty of nitrous. There are two unique features that set this title apart. The first is its DNA tracking system which creates a profile with your racing tendencies that you can then trade with friends. The second is a "Spooking" mechanic which causes cars to freak out and wreck if you race directly behind them for extended periods of time. Oh, and not to worry, the game has plenty of characters with attitude and dated slang terms to further immerse you into the "culture". - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Juiced 2.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal Dev. Red Tribe Pub. Warner Bros. Interactive Systems: PS2, Wii, 360 MSRP: $29.99, 39.99
Play as Bugs, Daffy, Marvin the Martian, the Tazmanian Devil, Gossamer, and other crazy Looney Tunes characters in this platformer that's coming to the Wii, PS2, and 360. Each level is a different era with a different skewed view on world history. WWII was really Foghorn Leghorn fighting giant robots. Daffy goes to Mars, and Bugs destroys most of ancient Egypt. The characters are tougher than they were on TV, and there are crazy weapons (which upgrade) and each character comes with their own set of skins. If you buy the PS2 version, you also get an exclusive Wile E. Coyote racing level. The 360 offers co-op on XBL, and the Wii uses the Wii-mote. Whichever version you choose will feature monotonous button-mashing gameplay and some questionable level design. So, while this title is a nostalgic platformer with great CG cut-scenes, the game-play isn't so great Play the demo on the 360 before spending your money . - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $28.84 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck Dev. WayForward Technologies Pub. Warner Bros. Interactive Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
The premise for this game is awesome. For those of you who aren't familiar with the classic Looney Tunes short that the game title refers to, let me explain. For the entire episode, an anonymous animator is erasing and otherwise screwing with Daffy. In the end, the animator turns out to be Bugs Bunny. Sound familiar? Well, this time around it's you who's been put in charge of pissing Daffy off, and you get too use your DS to do so. You can use your stylus to destroy the game background, poke and prod, or just sit there and let him get annoying all by himself. Or, you can shut your DS and listen to him rant. Simply put, this title is a mini game compilation that does well when played in short periods. The mini games are varied and entertaining. The downside is that the directions on the mini games are sometimes a bit fuzzy. You have to appreciate the humor and originality of this title, and for $30, it looks like a good buy. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $28.24 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping)
Mercury Meltdown: Revolution Dev. Ignition Entertainment Pub. Ignition Entertainment Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
(Deja Preview) This budget title (originally on the PSP) is a Marble Madness-esque puzzler where you use the Wiimote to tilt the levels to guide your blob of mercury to safety. With over 150 levels, there's a lot of game here for your $20... and it's enjoyable. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Mercury Meltdown: Revolution.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Purchase At Deep Discount $18.99 (Free shipping)
Mountain Bike Adrenaline Dev. Valcon Pub. Valcon Systems: PS2 MSRP: $19.99
Ladies and gentlemen, I present our newest contender for inclusion in a future Wal-Mart three-pack: Mountain Bike Adrenaline. Feel the rush! - ship
Best Deal:
Family Video is offering Mountain Bike Adrenaline for $16 shipped.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Purchase At Family Video $14.99 (99 cent shipping)
Sega Rally Revo Dev. Sega Racing Pub. Sega Systems: PSP, PC, PS3, 360 MSRP: $39.99, $59.99
Power-slide and rumble your way over real-time deforming ruts in this rally racing game from Sega. Make no bones about it, this is an arcade racer through and through as you race against five other cars in your standard environments (desert, arctic, muddy mud place). The dynamic tracks left in the terrain by the cars is fairly impressive and you really feel the impact - both in the way the car physics react and in the immense amount of rumble from the controller (well, in the Xbox 360 version). All in all, it's a fun racing game that may get overlooked due to its lack of depth and the ridiculous amount of racers it has to compete against. - ship
Best Deal:
Family Video is offering the 360 and PS3 versions for $55 shipped. EB Games is offering $10 off if you pre-order the game so YMMV if that still works.
Purchase At Amazon $59.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $53.99 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At EB Games $49.99
Purchase At Amazon $39.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $59.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $53.99 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At EB Games $49.99
Purchase At Amazon $37.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At EB Games $29.99
Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron Dev. Rebellion Pub. LucasArts Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
Join Han Solo's band of rebels in this PSP exclusive entry into the Star Wars Battlefront series. This time around predetermined classes are replaced with a credit system that allows you to customize your character with the weapons and gear of your choosing. (Nothing beats a good blaster at your side.) With 16 player online play and 8 player local play, your enjoyment of this game is clearly going to come down to whether you can handle playing multiplayer shooters on the PSP. I wish I could as it looks like it could be quite fun. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron, but EB/GameStop is offering a free Han Solo in Carbonite PSP case.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At EB Games $39.99 (Free Han Solo Carbonite PSP case)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Thrillville: Off the Rails Dev. LucasArts Pub. LucasArts Systems: DS, PC, PSP, PS2, Wii, 360 MSRP: $29.99-$49.99
Manage your own Theme Park and become a Rollercoaster Tycoon in the sequel of this original series that's not based on any previous amusement park simulator that I can readily think of. Customize and build your own coaster creations, thrill rides, and carnival games and be sure to keep your park patrons' gullets full and their bladders empty. (Hope you like bar graphs!) Overall, there's a lot of activities and several different levels of gameplay here that are all fairly enjoyable. It's a shame that the graphics remind me of the games that I can't remember (that this game is completely not based off of in any way). - ship
Best Deal:
Deep Discount is offering both the Wii version and the Xbox 360 version of Thrillville: Off the Rails for $44 shipped.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $43.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $34.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $33.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $43.99 (Free shipping)
Touch Detective 2 1/2 Dev. BeeWorks Pub. Atlus Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Well, Atlus heard Ship's cries of frustration and has made this title easier than the first. At least, they've created some new visual clues in this quirky point-and-click mystery title. The game isn't really a sequel, it's more of the same when it comes to the characters and game-play. That's not a bad thing when it comes to the well-designed locations and unique writing. If you liked the first title, you'll like this one too. If you missed out on Touch Detective, you should definitely check it out this time around. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Touch Detective 2 1/2.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.64 (99 cent shipping)
Warhawk (Game Only) Dev. Incognito Pub. SCEA Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
(Deja Preview) This online multiplayer-only game supports up to 32 players with clan support and detailed stat tracking. It's an impressive mix of on-foot, turret, land-vehicle, and Warhawk combat that is certainly action-packed and takes advantage of tilt-capabilites of the Six-Axis controller. The whole concept is compelling and will probably keep PS3 owners happily fragging people for months to come whether they buy the retail version with the Bluetooth headset or opt to download the game from the PlayStation Store. For those that own both a Xbox 360 and PS3, though, $40 may seem a little steep for a game with no single player functions when Master Chief's shadow is growing bigger by the day. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Warhawk.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
On The DL with the Shipwrecks
Art of Fighting Systems: Wii MSRP: $9
(Deja Preview) Well, this is
a highly unnecessary
compilation. A fighting game so weak I could beat down the whole series even if it bum-rushed me... when I was seven... wearing nothing but Umbros. - ship
Well, those were actually my thoughts on the Art of Fighting Anthology which sells for $15 on the PS2. Needless to say, I'm not amused that Nintendo is trying to sell one of the games on that compilation for $9. - ship
Fatal Fury Systems: Wii MSRP: $9
(Deja Preview) SNK's 2D fighter makes its way onto
XBLA the Virtual Console
with online play for the
bargain price of
$5 $9. 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. - ship
World Heroes Systems: Wii MSRP: $9
Well, at least I can't just reference an already released anthology with this 2D fighter on it and show how the pricing on this is ridiculous. Wait... is that a good or a bad thing? - ship
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords Systems: 360 MSRP: $15
(Deja Preview) Okay, this is perhaps the nerdiest game releasing this week, and guess what: I'm excited for it. This RPG/Puzzle hybrid has you dishing out damage with a turn-based Bejeweled-esque battle system. Match-up different colored gems to gain different types of mana, coinage, experience, and to perform physical attacks on your enemies. There's also a pet aspect to the game and you can get together with your geeky friends and battle against each other. I find the whole concept intriguing and other dorks might want to give it a look this week as well. - ship
I said it way back in March and I wholeheartedly stand by that preview to this day. Great game and should be even greater with online play - ship
Yaris Systems: 360 MSRP: Free
Product placement comes to the XBLA in the form of the customizable racing game featuring the Toyota Yaris. The game is free, which is nice, but doesn't have quite the entertainment pull as the Burger King titles did. You can play online, and while your Microsoft Yaris can be customized with various weapons, it's a safe bet that your real-life Yaris won't be. - 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.
er and it turns out to be the Shipwrecks. Try something more peaceful.
