[preview][img-l=1]2[/img-l]CAG's shipwreck & mrs. shipwreck preview the new releases for the week of March 10th, 2009. This week we talk about big releases such as Resident Evil 5 and MadWorld, but there are plenty of lower profile games that are worthy of your time as well. We also discuss Lisa Kudrow.
Special thanks to GoDaddy.com for providing CAG Foreplay listeners with a code for domain names for only $7.49 a year. Just enter code "GAMER1" when you check out to get your savings.
[podcast]56[/podcast]
Download - 70 minutes, 32MB
[/preview]
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].
Multi-Platform
[IMG-L=5137]5530[/IMG-L]MySims Party Dev. EA Redwood Shores Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: DS, Wii MSRP: $29.99, $39.99
Mini-games with mini-Sims. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=5137]5533[/IMG-L]Resident Evil 5 Dev. Capcom Pub. Capcom Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $59.99, $89.99
Do you like Resident Evil 4, co-op gameplay, and Africa? Resident Evil 5 certainly hopes so as it continues the departure from the slow-paced, puzzle oriented beginnings of the series and embarks on a action-packed safari of African zombie killing. Featuring two-player co-op both locally and online, the game is built around teamwork... well that, and really cumbersome controls. I certainly enjoy taking down the undead, but for some reason I was absolutely terrible at Resident Evil 4 and those skills have carried over to Resident Evil 5 which results in this being a game that I really want to enjoy, but simply can't. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Newegg $53.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Toys R Us $59.99 (Free $20 gift card with purchase on 3/13 or 3/14)
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Newegg $53.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Toys R Us $59.99 (Free $20 gift card with purchase on 3/13 or 3/14)
Purchase At Amazon $89.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $78.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Newegg $79.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $89.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $78.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Newegg $79.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=5137]5540[/IMG-L]SBK: Superbike World Championship Dev. Milestone Inc. Pub. Crave Entertainment Systems: PSP, 360, PS3 MSRP: $19.99, $29.99
This crotch-rocket simulator isn’t going to blow your chaps off, but for a budget price it may rub some people the right way. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=5137]5541[/IMG-L]Totally Spies!: Totally Party Dev. UbiSoft Pub. Valcon Systems: PS2, Wii MSRP: $9.99, $19.99
I RSVP’d “No”. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $9.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=5137]5534[/IMG-L]Trivial Pursuit Dev. Adrenalin Interactive Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99, $39.99
I’m excited about this title only because we’ve been having so much fun playing Buzz! on our PS3. We also have Scene It for the 360, but have generally preferred Buzz because of it’s variety of topics and quirky game twists. From what I can tell, there are several different game modes and some free downloadable content available already. The graphics look bland and you generally can’t really tell if you’re going to like these type games before you play them. We’ll buy it, play it, and let you know. But no doubt the game would be improved by some pie throwing. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At GameStop $39.99 (Free code to unlock 300 gaming related questions)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
Wii
[IMG-L=5137]5528[/IMG-L]M&M's Beach Party Dev. Zoo Games Pub. Zoo Games Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
At last, the perfect pairing of anthropomorphic chocolates and steamy, sandy beach sports has come to pass. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=5137]5525[/IMG-L]MadWorld Dev. PlatinumGames Pub. SEGA Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
What’s black and white and red all over AND makes assholes obsolete? Well, a colostomy bag made of newspaper of course, but this is actually a preview for MadWorld; SEGA’s ultraviolent beat’em up portrayed in stark monochromatic style. With bonus points for the amount of brutality used when disposing of enemies, this game is ludicrously over-the-top and the running commentary (featuring John DiMaggio and Greg Proops) perfectly compliments you whether you are impaling someone with a stop sign or simply boring them a new one with your chainsaw arm. My only concern is the game’s ability to stay fresh throughout, but in quick, blood-drenched bursts, MadWorld is going to be a lot of fun. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $46.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=5137]5538[/IMG-L]Marble Saga: Kororinpa Dev. Hudson Entertainment Pub. Konami Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
The follow-up to the well-received Kororinpa: Marble Mania, Marble Saga expands on the maddening marble mazes by including multiplayer races, customizable marbles, Balance Board support, and a level creator. There’s also over 150 levels in the main campaign which centers around an ant trying to reach a sunflower. Okay, so maybe not the most intriguing of storylines, but it does add another dimension to the “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” scale of environments. For $30, this seems sizeable. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=5137]5531[/IMG-L]New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis Dev. Camelot Pub. Nintendo Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
I liked this game on the GameCube where the controls worked well and actually required quite a bit of precision on a lot of the mini-games. Updating this with Wiimote controls just simplifies the game to Wii Sports levels – which is great for Nintendo’s pick-up-and-play audience, but not so hot for those of us who know better. Just stick with the original. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=5137]5532[/IMG-L]New Play Control! Pikmin Dev. Nintendo Pub. Nintendo Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
I can’t be so harsh at the retooling of Pikmin with Wii controls as they actually make sense for a game built around selecting cute little plant-creatures and telling them where you’d like them to waddle. The only negative to this is that they’ve already announced that the superior Pikmin 2 will also be getting the Wii treatment later this year. So if you’ve been able to wait eight years to play Pikmin, you might be able to wait eight years and a few more months to play the sequel. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
DS
[IMG-L=5137]5521[/IMG-L]Animal Planet: Emergency Vets Dev. Activision Pub. Activision Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
I have no idea how this compares to the litter of other veterinarian games on the DS other than this is the first one from Activision. Congrats, Activision, you’ve made it. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=5137]5522[/IMG-L]Avalon Code Dev. Marvelous Pub. Xseed Systems: DS MSRP: $34.99
The world is ending (again), so it’s your character’s job to record as much of it as possible into a large encyclopedia. That way, everything can be recreated once the universe settles down. Sounds like a simple storyline, but this title is a must-try for RPG lovers. The developer is behind such games as Harvest Moon and Rune Factory, so I’m extra-excited to give this title a go. Visually, it reminds me of Eternal Sonata (which is a pretty solid compliment for a DS title). The game play, however, is like nothing I’ve played before. It can only be described as innovative and thus entertaining. As you meet characters, monsters, and visit various locations throughout this action-RPG, you log each person/place/thing into a prophecy book. Then, you are able to change their properties. Difficult to defeat monster? Not when you remove its power-ups. Meet someone new? Smack them with the book and imprint their properties into it, allowing the book to level up. I’ll be playing this one upon release. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $34.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=5137]5523[/IMG-L]BOING! Docomodake Dev. AQ Interactive Pub. Ignition Entertainment Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Based on the theory that mushrooms with limbs sell games, Ignition Entertainment brings us the newest DS action/adventure title. The little mushroom man is the mascot for a Japanese cell phone company, and he’s spawning his own line of stuff a-la Spot from 7UP (remember that game?). Sure, it’s an advertisement in disguise. But what is this game really? Awesome! The visuals remind me of Super Mario World for the SNES. The mushroom character splits into four mini-mushrooms, allowing for puzzle action throughout the levels. There are also the standard weight-based puzzles and other entertaining fare. Overall, this game is a must-buy for those looking for a solid platformer on the DS. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=5137]5537[/IMG-L]Dream Day: Wedding Destinations Dev. THQ Pub. THQ Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Believe it or not, I’m not going to make fun of this game. It’s a hidden-object game where clicking on stuff (entirely logically) leads to perfectly planned weddings for three different brides. I would probably play this… and like it. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=5137]5524[/IMG-L]Jake Power: Handyman Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Can’t this guy hold a steady job? First he was a policeman and a firefighter, and now he’s moving in on Schneider’s territory? Please, Jake Power, you are no Schneider. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=5137]5527[/IMG-L]My English Coach Para Hispanoparlantes Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
The follow-up to My Spanish Coach tests if you’ve learned enough Spanish to teach yourself English. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=5137]5529[/IMG-L]My Pet Shop Dev. Taito Pub. Square Enix Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
“Catch over 40 different animals, ranging from golden retrievers and calico cats to pandas and penguins.” I knew a Square Enix published “Pet Shop” game would somehow be absurd. Now everybody quiet down, that golden retriever is anxiously close to springing my “tennis ball under a cardboard box trap”. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=5137]5535[/IMG-L]World Championship Games: A Track & Field Event Dev. Code Monkeys Pub. The Game Factory Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
With World Championship Games you can compete alone or online in fourteen events featuring typical rhythmic and meter-based track and field controls. Most likely, you will be competing alone. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=5137]5536[/IMG-L]ZUBO Dev. EA Bright Light Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Bright colors? Check. Cute characters? Check. Rhythm-based-action/RPG game play? Check. It is geared toward younger audiences, but seems intriguing enough to entice the DS lover. Check out the online game trailers to get a better idea of what to expect. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
PSP
[IMG-L=5137]5526[/IMG-L]Mana Khemia: Student Alliance Dev. Gust Pub. NIS America Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
In gearing up for this preview, I broke out Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis for the PS2. The overall concept of the storyline is an RPG based around a school campus, which I love. The first hour I played of Al-Revis was a lot of introduction, but the graphics are great and the storyline kept me interested from the start. I loved it. However, I don’t tend to pick up the PSP except on special occasions, and this title is an “updated” port of the PS2 version. I can’t find any previews and the game descriptors could fit with either game. Unless the updates are spectacular, I don’t see much need to add the game to my own collection. But, those of you who enjoy your RPGs on the go should definitely check it out. On a side note, this title got a 68/100 critic scores on metacritic, with IGN and 1-Up rounding out the bottom. The users gave it a 9.6/10. Yes, it’s got some old-school graphics but I found them nostalgic and resfreshing. At least all the characters don’t look like Precious Moments figurines. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)
On The DL
[IMG-L=5137]5574[/IMG-L]Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars Dev. SEGA Pub. SEGA Systems: Wii Virtual Console (Master System) MSRP: $5
The Lost Stars is SEGA’s Monchichi wannabe’s second platforming outing. It’s not as good as the first outing, and, honestly, the first game doesn’t really hold up well either. Which, coincidentally, is also true of thirty-year-old Monchichi fur. - ship
[IMG-L=5137]5576[/IMG-L]Gradius ReBirth Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $10
A remix of sorts of classic 16-bit Gradius games mashed into a single game. Gradius fans should enjoy it, although $10 for five levels is on the pricey side. - ship
[IMG-L=5137]5575[/IMG-L]Crystal Defenders Dev. Tose Co., Ltd. Pub. Square Enix Systems: XBLA MSRP: $10
Previously released for the iPod and iPhone, this tower defense game starring characters from the Final Fantasy universe is coming to the PSN and WiiWare services at a later date. Fans of the genre and Chocobos should check it out as I enjoyed the small amount I played on my iPod. Unfortunately, it's still a single player affair though. - ship
[IMG-L=5137]5539[/IMG-L]NCAA Basketball 09: March Madness Edition Dev. EA Canada Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: XBLA MSRP: $15
If you are a University of Memphis fan, such as myself, this is almost the perfect package: all the excitement of March Madness without having to play all those Conference USA games. Since I wasn’t thrilled with the gameplay of the full retail release, though, I think $15 is still a tad too much. - ship
[IMG-L=5137]5577[/IMG-L]Peggle Dev. PopCap Games Pub. PopCap Games Systems: XBLA MSRP: $10
Wow, so I've played 2 out of the 3 XBLA games this week on my iPod. That certainly says something about the state of iPod/iPhone gaming, but what you really need to know about are rainbows, unicorns, Extreme Fevers, and the music from Die Hard - now with four-player multiplayer! None can resist the combination of those wonderful things when it comes to shooting balls at pegs and watching them bounce around. - 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.
Special thanks to GoDaddy.com for providing CAG Foreplay listeners with a code for domain names for only $7.49 a year. Just enter code "GAMER1" when you check out to get your savings.
[podcast]56[/podcast]
Download - 70 minutes, 32MB
[/preview]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].
Multi-Platform
[IMG-L=5137]5530[/IMG-L]MySims Party Dev. EA Redwood Shores Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: DS, Wii MSRP: $29.99, $39.99
Mini-games with mini-Sims. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=5137]5533[/IMG-L]Resident Evil 5 Dev. Capcom Pub. Capcom Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $59.99, $89.99
Do you like Resident Evil 4, co-op gameplay, and Africa? Resident Evil 5 certainly hopes so as it continues the departure from the slow-paced, puzzle oriented beginnings of the series and embarks on a action-packed safari of African zombie killing. Featuring two-player co-op both locally and online, the game is built around teamwork... well that, and really cumbersome controls. I certainly enjoy taking down the undead, but for some reason I was absolutely terrible at Resident Evil 4 and those skills have carried over to Resident Evil 5 which results in this being a game that I really want to enjoy, but simply can't. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Newegg $53.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Toys R Us $59.99 (Free $20 gift card with purchase on 3/13 or 3/14) Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Newegg $53.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Toys R Us $59.99 (Free $20 gift card with purchase on 3/13 or 3/14) Purchase At Amazon $89.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $78.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Newegg $79.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $89.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $78.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Newegg $79.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=5137]5540[/IMG-L]SBK: Superbike World Championship Dev. Milestone Inc. Pub. Crave Entertainment Systems: PSP, 360, PS3 MSRP: $19.99, $29.99
This crotch-rocket simulator isn’t going to blow your chaps off, but for a budget price it may rub some people the right way. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=5137]5541[/IMG-L]Totally Spies!: Totally Party Dev. UbiSoft Pub. Valcon Systems: PS2, Wii MSRP: $9.99, $19.99
I RSVP’d “No”. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $9.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25) Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=5137]5534[/IMG-L]Trivial Pursuit Dev. Adrenalin Interactive Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99, $39.99
I’m excited about this title only because we’ve been having so much fun playing Buzz! on our PS3. We also have Scene It for the 360, but have generally preferred Buzz because of it’s variety of topics and quirky game twists. From what I can tell, there are several different game modes and some free downloadable content available already. The graphics look bland and you generally can’t really tell if you’re going to like these type games before you play them. We’ll buy it, play it, and let you know. But no doubt the game would be improved by some pie throwing. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At GameStop $39.99 (Free code to unlock 300 gaming related questions) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)Wii
[IMG-L=5137]5528[/IMG-L]M&M's Beach Party Dev. Zoo Games Pub. Zoo Games Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
At last, the perfect pairing of anthropomorphic chocolates and steamy, sandy beach sports has come to pass. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=5137]5525[/IMG-L]MadWorld Dev. PlatinumGames Pub. SEGA Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
What’s black and white and red all over AND makes assholes obsolete? Well, a colostomy bag made of newspaper of course, but this is actually a preview for MadWorld; SEGA’s ultraviolent beat’em up portrayed in stark monochromatic style. With bonus points for the amount of brutality used when disposing of enemies, this game is ludicrously over-the-top and the running commentary (featuring John DiMaggio and Greg Proops) perfectly compliments you whether you are impaling someone with a stop sign or simply boring them a new one with your chainsaw arm. My only concern is the game’s ability to stay fresh throughout, but in quick, blood-drenched bursts, MadWorld is going to be a lot of fun. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $46.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=5137]5538[/IMG-L]Marble Saga: Kororinpa Dev. Hudson Entertainment Pub. Konami Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
The follow-up to the well-received Kororinpa: Marble Mania, Marble Saga expands on the maddening marble mazes by including multiplayer races, customizable marbles, Balance Board support, and a level creator. There’s also over 150 levels in the main campaign which centers around an ant trying to reach a sunflower. Okay, so maybe not the most intriguing of storylines, but it does add another dimension to the “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” scale of environments. For $30, this seems sizeable. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=5137]5531[/IMG-L]New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis Dev. Camelot Pub. Nintendo Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
I liked this game on the GameCube where the controls worked well and actually required quite a bit of precision on a lot of the mini-games. Updating this with Wiimote controls just simplifies the game to Wii Sports levels – which is great for Nintendo’s pick-up-and-play audience, but not so hot for those of us who know better. Just stick with the original. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=5137]5532[/IMG-L]New Play Control! Pikmin Dev. Nintendo Pub. Nintendo Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
I can’t be so harsh at the retooling of Pikmin with Wii controls as they actually make sense for a game built around selecting cute little plant-creatures and telling them where you’d like them to waddle. The only negative to this is that they’ve already announced that the superior Pikmin 2 will also be getting the Wii treatment later this year. So if you’ve been able to wait eight years to play Pikmin, you might be able to wait eight years and a few more months to play the sequel. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)DS
[IMG-L=5137]5521[/IMG-L]Animal Planet: Emergency Vets Dev. Activision Pub. Activision Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
I have no idea how this compares to the litter of other veterinarian games on the DS other than this is the first one from Activision. Congrats, Activision, you’ve made it. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=5137]5522[/IMG-L]Avalon Code Dev. Marvelous Pub. Xseed Systems: DS MSRP: $34.99
The world is ending (again), so it’s your character’s job to record as much of it as possible into a large encyclopedia. That way, everything can be recreated once the universe settles down. Sounds like a simple storyline, but this title is a must-try for RPG lovers. The developer is behind such games as Harvest Moon and Rune Factory, so I’m extra-excited to give this title a go. Visually, it reminds me of Eternal Sonata (which is a pretty solid compliment for a DS title). The game play, however, is like nothing I’ve played before. It can only be described as innovative and thus entertaining. As you meet characters, monsters, and visit various locations throughout this action-RPG, you log each person/place/thing into a prophecy book. Then, you are able to change their properties. Difficult to defeat monster? Not when you remove its power-ups. Meet someone new? Smack them with the book and imprint their properties into it, allowing the book to level up. I’ll be playing this one upon release. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $34.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=5137]5523[/IMG-L]BOING! Docomodake Dev. AQ Interactive Pub. Ignition Entertainment Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Based on the theory that mushrooms with limbs sell games, Ignition Entertainment brings us the newest DS action/adventure title. The little mushroom man is the mascot for a Japanese cell phone company, and he’s spawning his own line of stuff a-la Spot from 7UP (remember that game?). Sure, it’s an advertisement in disguise. But what is this game really? Awesome! The visuals remind me of Super Mario World for the SNES. The mushroom character splits into four mini-mushrooms, allowing for puzzle action throughout the levels. There are also the standard weight-based puzzles and other entertaining fare. Overall, this game is a must-buy for those looking for a solid platformer on the DS. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=5137]5537[/IMG-L]Dream Day: Wedding Destinations Dev. THQ Pub. THQ Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Believe it or not, I’m not going to make fun of this game. It’s a hidden-object game where clicking on stuff (entirely logically) leads to perfectly planned weddings for three different brides. I would probably play this… and like it. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=5137]5524[/IMG-L]Jake Power: Handyman Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Can’t this guy hold a steady job? First he was a policeman and a firefighter, and now he’s moving in on Schneider’s territory? Please, Jake Power, you are no Schneider. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=5137]5527[/IMG-L]My English Coach Para Hispanoparlantes Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
The follow-up to My Spanish Coach tests if you’ve learned enough Spanish to teach yourself English. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=5137]5529[/IMG-L]My Pet Shop Dev. Taito Pub. Square Enix Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
“Catch over 40 different animals, ranging from golden retrievers and calico cats to pandas and penguins.” I knew a Square Enix published “Pet Shop” game would somehow be absurd. Now everybody quiet down, that golden retriever is anxiously close to springing my “tennis ball under a cardboard box trap”. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=5137]5535[/IMG-L]World Championship Games: A Track & Field Event Dev. Code Monkeys Pub. The Game Factory Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
With World Championship Games you can compete alone or online in fourteen events featuring typical rhythmic and meter-based track and field controls. Most likely, you will be competing alone. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=5137]5536[/IMG-L]ZUBO Dev. EA Bright Light Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Bright colors? Check. Cute characters? Check. Rhythm-based-action/RPG game play? Check. It is geared toward younger audiences, but seems intriguing enough to entice the DS lover. Check out the online game trailers to get a better idea of what to expect. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)PSP
[IMG-L=5137]5526[/IMG-L]Mana Khemia: Student Alliance Dev. Gust Pub. NIS America Systems: PSP MSRP: $29.99
In gearing up for this preview, I broke out Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis for the PS2. The overall concept of the storyline is an RPG based around a school campus, which I love. The first hour I played of Al-Revis was a lot of introduction, but the graphics are great and the storyline kept me interested from the start. I loved it. However, I don’t tend to pick up the PSP except on special occasions, and this title is an “updated” port of the PS2 version. I can’t find any previews and the game descriptors could fit with either game. Unless the updates are spectacular, I don’t see much need to add the game to my own collection. But, those of you who enjoy your RPGs on the go should definitely check it out. On a side note, this title got a 68/100 critic scores on metacritic, with IGN and 1-Up rounding out the bottom. The users gave it a 9.6/10. Yes, it’s got some old-school graphics but I found them nostalgic and resfreshing. At least all the characters don’t look like Precious Moments figurines. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)On The DL
[IMG-L=5137]5574[/IMG-L]Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars Dev. SEGA Pub. SEGA Systems: Wii Virtual Console (Master System) MSRP: $5
The Lost Stars is SEGA’s Monchichi wannabe’s second platforming outing. It’s not as good as the first outing, and, honestly, the first game doesn’t really hold up well either. Which, coincidentally, is also true of thirty-year-old Monchichi fur. - ship
[IMG-L=5137]5576[/IMG-L]Gradius ReBirth Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $10
A remix of sorts of classic 16-bit Gradius games mashed into a single game. Gradius fans should enjoy it, although $10 for five levels is on the pricey side. - ship
[IMG-L=5137]5575[/IMG-L]Crystal Defenders Dev. Tose Co., Ltd. Pub. Square Enix Systems: XBLA MSRP: $10
Previously released for the iPod and iPhone, this tower defense game starring characters from the Final Fantasy universe is coming to the PSN and WiiWare services at a later date. Fans of the genre and Chocobos should check it out as I enjoyed the small amount I played on my iPod. Unfortunately, it's still a single player affair though. - ship
[IMG-L=5137]5539[/IMG-L]NCAA Basketball 09: March Madness Edition Dev. EA Canada Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: XBLA MSRP: $15
If you are a University of Memphis fan, such as myself, this is almost the perfect package: all the excitement of March Madness without having to play all those Conference USA games. Since I wasn’t thrilled with the gameplay of the full retail release, though, I think $15 is still a tad too much. - ship
[IMG-L=5137]5577[/IMG-L]Peggle Dev. PopCap Games Pub. PopCap Games Systems: XBLA MSRP: $10
Wow, so I've played 2 out of the 3 XBLA games this week on my iPod. That certainly says something about the state of iPod/iPhone gaming, but what you really need to know about are rainbows, unicorns, Extreme Fevers, and the music from Die Hard - now with four-player multiplayer! None can resist the combination of those wonderful things when it comes to shooting balls at pegs and watching them bounce around. - ship
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