CAG's shipwreck & mrs. shipwreck preview the new releases for the week of January 15th, 2008. This week is pretty slim on the pickings, but it's got a lot of variety. That counts for something, right?
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 [email protected] or [email protected].
Special thanks to www.GoDaddy.com for providing CAG Foreplay listeners with a code for domain names for just $6.95 a year. Just enter code "GAMER1" when you check out to get your savings.
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Wii
Action Girlz Racing Dev. Data Design Interactive Pub. Conspiracy Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
Who else but me would you want to preview this game? I'm thinking of splitting from Ship in order to create my own podcast that focuses solely on games ending in "z". The Action Girlz are Bratz rip-offs, and this title lets us gamers race around various fairy tale-themed racetracks. I think the best use of my time would be to copy and paste the developer's description of the group and let our audience laugh amongst themselves. I've bolded the especially hysterical parts: Meet Kat, an action girl with no fear – she will take anything on! She loves to hug the curves of every race track as close as she can, and is always the first to have a drink after the racing is over. Latisha is so cool you have to check her for a pulse - nothing riles this girl! She knows her own mind and no one changes it - watch out for her, she'll have no qualms about overtaking at speed. Bianca is all about being a professional - she has it all! She uses her head and thinks about every corner and pick-up on the track. But she isn't all brains though, Bianca knows how to have fun & relax with her mates once the race is finished. Amber may come across like she's more concerned about her looks but that's only because she wants to win in style! Her image is important to her, but nothing compares to the feeling of winning. Akiko likes indie music and tap-dancing, hey every girl's different! But when it comes to racing she only thinks about the finish line, and will do whatever it takes to cross it first. Blossom harnesses flower-power like no other female - she's really something, and her passionate yet relaxed personality makes her the ideal driver - all the other girls love her. Courtney is up there with Latisha for being the coolest chick around – but she's not copying man, oh no, she's got her own style. When she overtakes her competitors on the track, she knows she'll be seeing them L8er. Now wasn't that worth reading? - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Action Girlz Racing.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
CSI: Hard Evidence Dev. TellTale Games Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
Ship covered this game awhile ago with some catchy little line about searching for clues. The game is based on the well-known series, so fans will recognize all the characters. The gameplay is focused more on forensics, including using ballistics and video surveillance. All in all, this title was re-developed for the Wii, so you won't be disappointed in the Wii-mote capabilities. Also, it's developed by TellTale Games, so it should be worth the cash if you're a true CSI fan. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for CSI: Hard Evidence.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Furu Furu Park Dev. Taito Pub. Majesco Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
This Japanese-import title is a mini-game compilation that has several interesting qualities. First, it's rated E10+, which strikes me as weird. Second, it has graphics that remind me of Elebits with all the bright colors. Third, while some of the mini-games are said to be fun, no one who has actually played this game thinks it should be priced over $20. So my advice is to wait until the clearance sale. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Furu Furu Park.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Kidz Sports: Ice Hockey Dev. Data Design Interactive Pub. Bold Games Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
(Deja Preview) A quote on Amazon proudly proclaims: "This isn't your parents' ice hockey game!". Nope, this is instead one-third of an old PC game bundle which sells for $5 on Amazon that has been updated with Wii motion controls. Aah, Wii development... a thing of beauty. This game features the same big-headed cartoon characters you've come to expect, but unlike the Backyard Sports series, there is no official NHL license attached, so take that into account if your young one actually knows any professional hockey players. I'd be lucky to name more than a handful, so I'd probably be fine with this game... if I was five... and had questionable tastes in video games. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Kidz Sports: Ice Hockey.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Nitrobike Dev. Left Field Productions Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
In case your trucks are all out of excitement, former Excitebike 64 developer "Left Field Productions" has strapped rockets onto some dirt bikes in a bid to up the ante on extremitude. When you boil everything down, you get something similar to Pod Racing, but replace any Star Wars references with really big jumps and nac-nacs. Those familiar with the tilty steering of Excite Truck will be right at home and, surprisingly enough, Nitrobike offers six-player online racing. There's also a bowling mini-game to mix in the mandatory amount of zaniness, so those of you looking for an arcade-style racer might have some fun with Nitrobike. - ship
Best Deal:
Target is offering Nitrobike for $30.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $48.06 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Target $29.99
Samurai Warriors: Katana Dev. Omega Force Pub. Koei Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
Straying from the formula of mindlessly mowing through hapless enemies while repeatedly pressing a button and sometimes a different button, Samurai Warriors: Katana is actually a first-person rail-based sword-swinging, gun shooting Wii-em-up. There's quite the variety of weapons to flail around with and there's row after row of half-witted Samurai to dispatch whether you are waving, poking, or shooting. Early reviews are varying wildly on this one, so it may just come down to your tolerance level of the control scheme. - ship
Best Deal:
Family Video is offering Samurai Warriors: Katana for around $48 shipped.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $46.87 (99 cent shipping)
DS
Corvette Evolution GT Dev. Milestone Pub. Valcon Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
A name like Corvette Evolution GT would suggest to me that this is a Corvette racing game, but to my surprise there are several other makes and models from the likes of Volkswagen, Audi, Renault and others. I guess Opel Evolution GT just wouldn't move as many copies at Walmart. Regardless, the PS2 version of this game was a decent simulation racer with an interesting driver RPG element where your performance in races allowed you to level up your character. I'm assuming the DS version keeps this system intact so it could offer some budget priced fun for a genre that's not often seen on Nintendo's portable. Don't expect much in the way of car customization or tuning though. Do expect Opels. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Corvette Evolution GT.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Purchase At Deep Discount $18.99 (Free shipping)
Miami Nights: Singles in the City Dev. Gameloft Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
A dating sim where you must worry about your character's sex appeal, humor, popularity, charisma, hygiene, and other things that matter if you want to catch the biggest fish in your pond. Remember that you have to be as attractive as possible. Make sure to keep your hair spotless and clean. Wash it at least every two weeks, once every two weeks. Follow that plan and you'll be knocking the boots in no time. Oh, and to fully immerse you in the Miami nightlife, you can also assault and pickpocket people. No, I'm not kidding. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Miami Nights: Singles in the City.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $28.84 (99 cent shipping)
PSP
FlatOut: Head On Dev. Bugbear Entertainment Pub. Empire Interactive Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
Head On: Apply directly to your forehead. Head On: Apply directly to your forehead. Head On: Apply directly to your forehead. Oh, wait. This is a PSP racing title. My bad. Anyway, this game should be pretty similar to FlatOut and FlatOut 2, only it promises more bone-breaking slaughter. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for FlatOut: Head On.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping)
PC
Battlefield 2142: Deluxe Edition Dev. Digital Illusions CE Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PC MSRP: $29.99
Battlefield 2142 gets bundled with the Northern Strike expansion pack. The Northern Strike pack adds three new maps, two new vehicles, and a bunch of unlockables. This bundle is currently slightly more expensive than just buying the original game and downloading the $10 expansion. Maybe someone just wants it all in one box though? - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Battlefield 2142: Deluxe Edition.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $28.84 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Buy.com $28.99 (Free shipping)
Zoo Tycoon: Complete Collection Dev. Blue Fang Games Pub. Microsoft Systems: PC MSRP: $9.99
This PC title is one that I have enjoyed over the years. The whole goal of Zoo Tycoon is, obviously, to create and manage your own zoo. That being said, I always had a lot of fun playing the missions rather than the free-style mode. I guess you could say I'm a goal-oriented gamer (aka achievement whore). The only other thing you need to know is that this compilation includes Zoo Tycoon (the original), and it's two expansion packs: Marine Mania and Dinosaur Digs. The aquatic pack always seemed cool to me, but for some reason the Dinosaurs didn’t appeal. For $10, it's well worth a play or two on your PC. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Zoo Tycoon: Complete Collection.
Purchase At Amazon $9.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
On The DL with the Shipwrecks
Pac-Attack Systems: Wii (SNES) MSRP: $8
Help Pac-Man munch some ghosts in this block-falling puzzler from the Super Nintendo. Not really too much to say here. - ship
Riot Zone Systems: Wii (TG16 CD) MSRP: $8
Take control of one of two characters, Tony or Hawk, to rescue Hawk's girlfriend from an evil something or other that steals girlfriends and then sends out bad guys that you must repeatedly kick and punch while walking to the right. Evil something or others love to steal girlfriends. Don't miss the sequel where Tony inpregnates Hawk's girlfriend, but then she gets kidnapped and it's up to their friends Dave and Mirra to save her while Tony and Hawk work through a situation more awkward than walking left while punching bad guys. - ship
Boogie Bunnies Systems: 360 MSRP: $10
Boogie Bunnies is your pretty gem matching game in the vain of Bust-A-Move or Snood, but replace the gems with dancing bunnies. Somewhat cute, but that $10 price tag seems a hare high. - ship
Burnout 3: Takedown Systems: 360 MSRP: $15
The Xbox Original Burnout 3: Takedown hits the marketplace this week. Now you'll have something to play when you need to take a break from playing the two current gen Burnouts! - 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.
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 [email protected] or [email protected].
Special thanks to www.GoDaddy.com for providing CAG Foreplay listeners with a code for domain names for just $6.95 a year. Just enter code "GAMER1" when you check out to get your savings.
[media]http://media.libsyn.com/media/foreplay/cagforeplay29.mp3[/media]
[digg]http://digg.com/podcasts/CAG_Foreplay[/digg]Wii
Action Girlz Racing Dev. Data Design Interactive Pub. Conspiracy Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
Who else but me would you want to preview this game? I'm thinking of splitting from Ship in order to create my own podcast that focuses solely on games ending in "z". The Action Girlz are Bratz rip-offs, and this title lets us gamers race around various fairy tale-themed racetracks. I think the best use of my time would be to copy and paste the developer's description of the group and let our audience laugh amongst themselves. I've bolded the especially hysterical parts: Meet Kat, an action girl with no fear – she will take anything on! She loves to hug the curves of every race track as close as she can, and is always the first to have a drink after the racing is over. Latisha is so cool you have to check her for a pulse - nothing riles this girl! She knows her own mind and no one changes it - watch out for her, she'll have no qualms about overtaking at speed. Bianca is all about being a professional - she has it all! She uses her head and thinks about every corner and pick-up on the track. But she isn't all brains though, Bianca knows how to have fun & relax with her mates once the race is finished. Amber may come across like she's more concerned about her looks but that's only because she wants to win in style! Her image is important to her, but nothing compares to the feeling of winning. Akiko likes indie music and tap-dancing, hey every girl's different! But when it comes to racing she only thinks about the finish line, and will do whatever it takes to cross it first. Blossom harnesses flower-power like no other female - she's really something, and her passionate yet relaxed personality makes her the ideal driver - all the other girls love her. Courtney is up there with Latisha for being the coolest chick around – but she's not copying man, oh no, she's got her own style. When she overtakes her competitors on the track, she knows she'll be seeing them L8er. Now wasn't that worth reading? - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Action Girlz Racing.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)CSI: Hard Evidence Dev. TellTale Games Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
Ship covered this game awhile ago with some catchy little line about searching for clues. The game is based on the well-known series, so fans will recognize all the characters. The gameplay is focused more on forensics, including using ballistics and video surveillance. All in all, this title was re-developed for the Wii, so you won't be disappointed in the Wii-mote capabilities. Also, it's developed by TellTale Games, so it should be worth the cash if you're a true CSI fan. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for CSI: Hard Evidence.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)Furu Furu Park Dev. Taito Pub. Majesco Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
This Japanese-import title is a mini-game compilation that has several interesting qualities. First, it's rated E10+, which strikes me as weird. Second, it has graphics that remind me of Elebits with all the bright colors. Third, while some of the mini-games are said to be fun, no one who has actually played this game thinks it should be priced over $20. So my advice is to wait until the clearance sale. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Furu Furu Park.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)Kidz Sports: Ice Hockey Dev. Data Design Interactive Pub. Bold Games Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
(Deja Preview) A quote on Amazon proudly proclaims: "This isn't your parents' ice hockey game!". Nope, this is instead one-third of an old PC game bundle which sells for $5 on Amazon that has been updated with Wii motion controls. Aah, Wii development... a thing of beauty. This game features the same big-headed cartoon characters you've come to expect, but unlike the Backyard Sports series, there is no official NHL license attached, so take that into account if your young one actually knows any professional hockey players. I'd be lucky to name more than a handful, so I'd probably be fine with this game... if I was five... and had questionable tastes in video games. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Kidz Sports: Ice Hockey.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)Nitrobike Dev. Left Field Productions Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
In case your trucks are all out of excitement, former Excitebike 64 developer "Left Field Productions" has strapped rockets onto some dirt bikes in a bid to up the ante on extremitude. When you boil everything down, you get something similar to Pod Racing, but replace any Star Wars references with really big jumps and nac-nacs. Those familiar with the tilty steering of Excite Truck will be right at home and, surprisingly enough, Nitrobike offers six-player online racing. There's also a bowling mini-game to mix in the mandatory amount of zaniness, so those of you looking for an arcade-style racer might have some fun with Nitrobike. - ship
Best Deal:
Target is offering Nitrobike for $30.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $48.06 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Target $29.99 Samurai Warriors: Katana Dev. Omega Force Pub. Koei Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
Straying from the formula of mindlessly mowing through hapless enemies while repeatedly pressing a button and sometimes a different button, Samurai Warriors: Katana is actually a first-person rail-based sword-swinging, gun shooting Wii-em-up. There's quite the variety of weapons to flail around with and there's row after row of half-witted Samurai to dispatch whether you are waving, poking, or shooting. Early reviews are varying wildly on this one, so it may just come down to your tolerance level of the control scheme. - ship
Best Deal:
Family Video is offering Samurai Warriors: Katana for around $48 shipped.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $46.87 (99 cent shipping)DS
Corvette Evolution GT Dev. Milestone Pub. Valcon Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
A name like Corvette Evolution GT would suggest to me that this is a Corvette racing game, but to my surprise there are several other makes and models from the likes of Volkswagen, Audi, Renault and others. I guess Opel Evolution GT just wouldn't move as many copies at Walmart. Regardless, the PS2 version of this game was a decent simulation racer with an interesting driver RPG element where your performance in races allowed you to level up your character. I'm assuming the DS version keeps this system intact so it could offer some budget priced fun for a genre that's not often seen on Nintendo's portable. Don't expect much in the way of car customization or tuning though. Do expect Opels. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Corvette Evolution GT.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25) Purchase At Deep Discount $18.99 (Free shipping)Miami Nights: Singles in the City Dev. Gameloft Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
A dating sim where you must worry about your character's sex appeal, humor, popularity, charisma, hygiene, and other things that matter if you want to catch the biggest fish in your pond. Remember that you have to be as attractive as possible. Make sure to keep your hair spotless and clean. Wash it at least every two weeks, once every two weeks. Follow that plan and you'll be knocking the boots in no time. Oh, and to fully immerse you in the Miami nightlife, you can also assault and pickpocket people. No, I'm not kidding. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Miami Nights: Singles in the City.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $28.84 (99 cent shipping)PSP
FlatOut: Head On Dev. Bugbear Entertainment Pub. Empire Interactive Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
Head On: Apply directly to your forehead. Head On: Apply directly to your forehead. Head On: Apply directly to your forehead. Oh, wait. This is a PSP racing title. My bad. Anyway, this game should be pretty similar to FlatOut and FlatOut 2, only it promises more bone-breaking slaughter. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for FlatOut: Head On.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping)PC
Battlefield 2142: Deluxe Edition Dev. Digital Illusions CE Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PC MSRP: $29.99
Battlefield 2142 gets bundled with the Northern Strike expansion pack. The Northern Strike pack adds three new maps, two new vehicles, and a bunch of unlockables. This bundle is currently slightly more expensive than just buying the original game and downloading the $10 expansion. Maybe someone just wants it all in one box though? - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Battlefield 2142: Deluxe Edition.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $28.84 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Buy.com $28.99 (Free shipping)Zoo Tycoon: Complete Collection Dev. Blue Fang Games Pub. Microsoft Systems: PC MSRP: $9.99
This PC title is one that I have enjoyed over the years. The whole goal of Zoo Tycoon is, obviously, to create and manage your own zoo. That being said, I always had a lot of fun playing the missions rather than the free-style mode. I guess you could say I'm a goal-oriented gamer (aka achievement whore). The only other thing you need to know is that this compilation includes Zoo Tycoon (the original), and it's two expansion packs: Marine Mania and Dinosaur Digs. The aquatic pack always seemed cool to me, but for some reason the Dinosaurs didn’t appeal. For $10, it's well worth a play or two on your PC. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Zoo Tycoon: Complete Collection.
Purchase At Amazon $9.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)On The DL with the Shipwrecks
Pac-Attack Systems: Wii (SNES) MSRP: $8
Help Pac-Man munch some ghosts in this block-falling puzzler from the Super Nintendo. Not really too much to say here. - ship
Riot Zone Systems: Wii (TG16 CD) MSRP: $8
Take control of one of two characters, Tony or Hawk, to rescue Hawk's girlfriend from an evil something or other that steals girlfriends and then sends out bad guys that you must repeatedly kick and punch while walking to the right. Evil something or others love to steal girlfriends. Don't miss the sequel where Tony inpregnates Hawk's girlfriend, but then she gets kidnapped and it's up to their friends Dave and Mirra to save her while Tony and Hawk work through a situation more awkward than walking left while punching bad guys. - ship
Boogie Bunnies Systems: 360 MSRP: $10
Boogie Bunnies is your pretty gem matching game in the vain of Bust-A-Move or Snood, but replace the gems with dancing bunnies. Somewhat cute, but that $10 price tag seems a hare high. - ship
Burnout 3: Takedown Systems: 360 MSRP: $15
The Xbox Original Burnout 3: Takedown hits the marketplace this week. Now you'll have something to play when you need to take a break from playing the two current gen Burnouts! - 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.
ed up and makes me sad.
