CAG's rocksolidaudio & shipwreck preview the new releases for the week of March 20th, 2007. This week we both pass out trying to keep up with the avalanche of new games... and then CheapyD arranges us in compromising positions.
After Burner: Black Falcon Dev. Planet Moon Pub. SEGA Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
The re-imagining of the classic arcade game ditches the sit-down cabinet for the portability of the PSP. This is an entirely new game based upon the basic principles that made After Burner a success: fly fast, blow things up. Along with the F-14 Tomcat, there is a full carrier of different jets for you to purchase, customize and upgrade as you progress through the game. Add in 2 player local co-op and 4 player multiplayer and this could very well be a classic modernization that doesn't crash and burn. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for After Burner: Black Falcon.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free Shipping
Armored Core 4 Dev. From Software Pub. SEGA Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $59.99
From did a damn fine job on Chromehounds, as methodically paced and tactical as it was. Unfortunately, they still can't seem to pull off fast, intense mech battles. It can be pretty in places (though very sparse in others), but it's not deep or visceral enough to be rewarding and still pales in comparison to the Zone of the Enders games. It's worth checking out if you're a mech fan, but don't drop the money until you've given it a serious test drive. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Fry's is giving you a $5 break on both versions of the game this week, but if you want to order online Amazon's free shipping seems to be the best option.
Purchase At Amazon $59.82 Free Shipping
See fidodido's Fry's ad $54.99
Purchase At Amazon $59.95 Free Shipping
See fidodido's Fry's ad $54.99
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII Dev. Ubi Soft Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
Well, Blazing Angels is back on the new releases and once again you are asked to enlist to fight against Nazi's and really terrible voice acting. This time you can choose to fly using Wiimotion, but in the end, this is the same mediocre game it's been on every other system under the sun. Barring a sudden announcement of a plug-in-play version of this game, this could very well end the year long reign that Blazing Angels has had on the new release charts. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Blazing Angels: OMG Another Version.
Purchase At Amazon $49.82 Free Shipping
Cooking Mama: Cook Off Dev. Office Create Pub. Majesco Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
At twenty bucks, the DS version (of which this is essentially a port) was a fun couple hours of increasingly complex recipes assembled with mostly fun touch-screen cooking mechanics (chopping, mixing, frying, etc.). It seems to work alright with the Wii functionality, but there a very limited amount of entertainment to be gleaned for a full fifty bucks. This will be a nice addition as a budget game, but for now even Wario Smooth Moves will last you much longer than this. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Fry's is giving you a $5 break on Cooking Mama this week, but if you want to order online Amazon's free shipping seems to be the best option.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping
See fidodido's Fry's ad $44.99
Custom Robo Arena Dev. Noise Pub. Nintendo Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
You'd be surprised at how decent this is. A lot of the game is wandering around town talking to characters and progressing the minimalist story, but it's well translated and oddly enjoyable. The Robo battles themselves are short and sweet, requiring a nice balance of skill and pre-fight customization (you'll amass parts to "Custom" your "Robo"), though they're a little on the easy side. It won't blow anyone away and the aesthetic is decidedly for a younger audience, but it's simple and fun. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Amazon is offering Custom Robo Arena for $25.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $25.99 Free Shipping
Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai Another Road Dev. Dimps Pub. Atari Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
The characters of Dragon Ball Z have terrible negotiation skills and are thus forced to settle their differences by beating each other senseless... again. This version of the game features some tweaks to the fighting system and some new skills that I'm sure will cause lots of pretty colors to show up on your PSP. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Dragon Ball Z.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free Shipping
Earth Defense Force 2017 Dev. Sandlot Pub. D3 Systems: 360 MSRP: $39.99
Do you like monsters, giant insects, robots and flying saucers? Do you like destroying those things with a huge array of weaponry and a few vehicles? Then buy this game. You're dropped into cities overrun with these pests, tasked to destroy everything that moves - the amount and scale of the enemies is simply awesome, and the gameplay is straightforward and immensely satisfying. There's no online play unfortunately, but the previous import-only EDF had the best split-screen EVER, and you're sure to have a good time with it here too if you can drag someone over to play it with you. Reward D3 for bringing this over, and don't let it pass you by completely because you haven't heard of it. - rock
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Earth Defense Force 2017.
Purchase At Amazon $39.82 Free Shipping
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Dev. Bethesda Pub. 2K Systems: PS3 MSRP: $59.99
For those poor souls that have yet to explore the expanses of Cyrodiil, there's no better time to lose your life to the obscenely massive RPG romp. It's immediately the best game on PS3, and you could make a good case for the best game ever. If you own a PS3 and haven't played Oblivion yet (and don't only play Madden), buy it. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Both Circuit City and Fry's are offering Oblivion for $49.99 this week and Amazon is offering the game for $54.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $54.99 Free Shipping
See speedy1961's Circuit City ad $49.99 Free Mini Guide
See fidodido's Fry's ad $49.99
Full Auto 2: Battlelines Dev. Deep Fried Entertainment Pub. SEGA Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
While it shares the same name as it's PS3 brethren, this version of cars with guns may actually be the true sequel to the original Xbox 360 game. The number of cars has increased along with greater customization options. The story now stretches across different continents instead of being confined within one city and you are given a bigger arsenal for blowing up these locales. In the end though, most people will probably just wish it was a new Twisted Metal, but there is some fun to have here when this heads to the bargain bin. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Full Auto 2.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free Shipping
The Godfather: Blackhand Edition Dev. Electronic Arts Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
The Godfather: The Don's Edition Dev. Electronic Arts Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PS3 MSRP: $59.99
Never one to let Ubi Soft beat them at slathering a game across as many platforms as possible, EA one ups them by bringing The Godfather to two more platforms. The Wii version sports some new motion controls, while the Playstation 3 version has some new missions and Six-Axis controls. There may be a few more changes, but that's the gist of it. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for either edition of The Godfather.
Purchase At Amazon $49.82 Free Shipping
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 Free Shipping
Kororinpa: Marble Mania Dev. Hudson Pub. Hudson Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
Translating roughly to "super happy marble fun time concept that makes perfect sense on the Wii but is still overpriced," Kororinpa is a marble-rolling romp in the vein of Marble Madness, Marble Blast Ultra, and Super Monkey Ball. Just like SMB, you'll navigate floating obstacle courses and mazes, only you'll have full 360-degree tilting control over the level. Everything is super-cute and the music is bouncy, but there's only fifty-ish levels and little else to do when you're done. Again, probably a good budget buy, but tough as even a forty dollar game. - rock
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Kororinpa: Marble Madness.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free Shipping
Lost in Blue 2 Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
The deserted island simulator makes its return and fans of the original are in for a similar, but more in-depth experience. If you are not familiar with the series (or could never find the first game), this is an adventure game where you help a girl and a boy survive after being washed up on an island. This involves carpentry, cooking, rock climbing, and of course, wicker work. Yeah, it's not for everybody. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Lost in Blue 2: Electric Boogaloo.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 Free Shipping
Major League Baseball 2K7 Dev. Take 2 Interactive Pub. 2K Sports Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Major League Baseball 2K7 allows you to feel like your favorite stars with touch screen batting and pitching. Well, you pretty much don't have another option for baseball on your DS, so at least it's cheap. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for MLB 2K7.
Purchase At EB Games $19.99
Nickelodeon Volume 1 Four Pack Dev. THQ Pub. THQ Systems: GBA MSRP: $29.99
In case you missed Rocket Power: Zero Gravity Zone, Nicktoons: Freeze Frame Frenzy, SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge, and The Fairly Odd Parents! Shadow Showdown the first time around, well now you can have this compilation of ridiculously long-named games on one cartridge. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Nickelodeon Volume 1 Four Pack.
Purchase At EB Games $29.99
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords Dev. D3 Pub. D3 Systems: DS, PSP MSRP: $29.99
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
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Puzzle Quest.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 Free Shipping
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 Free Shipping
Rocky Balboa Dev. Ubi Soft Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
This game might have slipped out last week, but judging by reviews, you weren't missing out on much if you didn't buy it already. This seems to be a mediocre boxing game that most people wouldn't even give a second look if it weren't for you being able to fight classic fights and with classic characters from the Rocky movies. Clubber Lang vs. Ivan Drago may sound tempting until you see that price tag. - ship
Cheapest Price:
Amazon is selling Rocky Balboa for $28.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $28.99 Free Shipping
Shining Force EXA Dev. SEGA Pub. SEGA Systems: PS2 MSRP: $49.99
Reminding me that I still haven't picked up Shining Force Neo, the next Shining Force game is launching this week. This is another dungeon crawler and has a battle system much like Neo's, but again only supports one player. Games like this scream for co-op -- there's even two main characters for Pete's sake. I guess PS2 owners should just be glad that new RPGs are still finding their way stateside. - ship
Cheapest Price:
Fry's is offering the game for $47.99 and Amazon has Shining Force EXA for $49.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping
See fidodido's Fry's ad $47.99
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl Dev. THQ Pub. THQ Systems: PC MSRP: $39.99
There's been a lot of buzz about this oft-delayed PC game lately and I've seen it popping up in a lot of threads right here on CAG. And while I know nothing about this game, I do think it is wonderful that the non-stereotypical African-American is getting his due. So kudos to THQ for not going the Roadblock or Heavy Duty route. (Here's hoping S.H.I.P.W.R.E.C.K. will be out soon!) So if you're a fan of first-person shooters or maybe strategy games or possibly something like minesweeper, then Strategic Tactical Advanced Laserbeams Kill Everyone Radiantly could be just the game you've been waiting for. Actually, if you're into PC gaming, this looks like it might be worth checking out as it's getting a lot of comparisons to Deus Ex. - ship
Cheapest Price:
You've got couple of different options on S.T.A.L.K.E.R.. Both EB/Gamestop and Best Buy are offering free multiplayer map downloads when you buy the game for $39.99. Alternatively, Target and Fry's have the game for $34.88 and $33.99 respectively.
Purchase At EB Games $39.99 Free Multiplayer Map Download
See speedy1961's Target ad $34.88
See speedy1961's Best Buy ad $39.99 Free Multiplayer Map Download
See fidodido's Fry's ad $33.99
Steel Horizon Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
A real-time and turn-based strategy game centered around World War II naval battles. Yawn. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Steel Horizon.
Purchase At Amazon $29.82 Free Shipping
Test Drive Unlimited Dev. Eden Studios Pub. Atari Systems: PS2, PSP MSRP: $39.99
The MMO racer goes for a spin on the PSP and PS2 and based upon early reviews it seems to be adequate, but not as polished as the original Xbox 360 version. So if you're looking for a mediocre online racer for either of these platforms, I guess you'll be satisfied. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Test Drive Unlimited.
Purchase At Amazon $39.82 Free Shipping
Purchase At Amazon $39.82 Free Shipping
Tetris Evolution Dev. Mass Media Pub. THQ Systems: 360 MSRP: $29.99
It's Tetris - with a couple new modes, online play and achievements. Would have been better as an XBLA game, but probably still worth $30 for big puzzle fans. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Amazon is offering Tetris Evolution for $27.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 Free Shipping
Theme Park Dev. Electronic Arts Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Here's a little blast from the past. I was expecting this to be a completely new game, but judging from the screen shots this looks to be a port of the classic Theme Park from the 16/32 bit era. Touch screen controls have been added to help you run your park and, through the magic of friend codes, you can now visit your buddies parks. The dual screens look like they will be great for keeping track of your park and stats at the same time. This will definitely be a nice addition to the DS and takes me back to a time when sim games weren't so complicated. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Theme Park.
Purchase At Amazon $29.95 Free Shipping
TMNT Dev. Ubi Soft Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: Everything MSRP: $29.99-$49.99
Meh. If you would have told me a while back that Ubisoft were making a Prince of Persia TMNT knockoff, I'd probably tell you to shut your dirty mouth with such lies, as I'm about as hardcore a Turtles fan as they come. And despite the last three abominations, there's always hope. Now that I've played it though... well, that's where the "meh" comes in. The combat, the wall crawling, EVERYTHING is half-baked, unchallenging and unsatisfying. It's not a terrible game, it's just unapologetically targeted at a younger market. - rock
Cheapest Price:
EB/Gamestop are offering a free comic with the purchase of TMNT or if you aren't interested in the comic, Amazon has the game for the same price with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping
Purchase At EB Games $49.99 Free Comic
Purchase At Amazon $29.82 Free Shipping
Purchase At EB Games $29.99 Free Comic
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 Free Shipping
Purchase At EB Games $29.99 Free Comic
Purchase At Amazon $39.82 Free Shipping
Purchase At EB Games $39.99 Free Comic
Purchase At Amazon $39.82 Free Shipping
Purchase At EB Games $39.99 Free Comic
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free Shipping
Purchase At EB Games $39.99 Free Comic
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping
Purchase At EB Games $49.99 Free Comic
UEFA Championships League 2006-2007 Dev. Electronic Arts Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: 360, PS2, PSP MSRP: $29.99-$59.99
Mix your typical FIFA style gameplay with a card collecting game and out pops UEFA. Collect and trade virtual player stickers that you use to field your team and fill in your checklist. I don't know, must be a European thing. Apparently the sticker collecting is a major part of this game, so if you are just wanting a normal soccer game you might want to look elsewhere. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for UEFA.
Purchase At Amazon $59.82 Free Shipping
Purchase At Amazon $29.95 Free Shipping
Purchase At Amazon $39.95 Free Shipping
Virtua Tennis 3 Dev. Sumo Digital Pub. SEGA Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $49.99
Great-looking with solid, accessible game mechanics, Virtua Tennis 3 seems a worthy followup to it's predecessor's legacy. It would be nice to see a little innovation to go with the refinement, but I suppose this is more to please casual fans than draw in new ones. I'd recommend Rockstar's Table Tennis for something a bit more interesting and unique, but if you like tennis you probably want the real thing. It should be noted that the 360 version has full online play while the PS3 version doesn't; it's unfortunate, but definitely something to consider if you're choosing between them. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Fry's is offering Virtua Tennis 3 for $44.99 and if you want to buy online, Amazon is selling the game for $49.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping
See fidodido's Fry's ad $44.99
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping
See fidodido's Fry's ad $44.99
Wing Island Dev. Hudson Pub. Konami Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
Use your Wiimote to fly your small squadron of planes and wish that this was Pilot Wings. Then beat the whole thing in less than 3 hours and weep yourself to sleep. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Wing Island.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free Shipping
Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2007 Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
I can not possibly have the willpower to research anything about this game at this point. I'm assuming it's your typical card battling monster game with anime characters. Expect it to be slightly better than the 2006 version and slightly worse than the 2008 version. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Yu-Gi-Oh.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 Free Shipping
On The DL with Shipwreck:
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Systems: 360 MSRP: $10
The greatest month in the short history of Xbox Live Arcade continues with one of the most highly regarded games ever. Castlevania: SOTN is an outstanding blend of platforming and action with role-playing elements to boot. This release offers the choice between classic and enhanced graphics and of course there are nerd points to be had as well. The wait is over Castlevania fans, and you can finally play this game without paying eBay prices.
Excitebike Systems: Wii MSRP: $5
A true NES classic. Race your motocross bike up and down and to the right. Watchout, don't overheat!
Beyond Oasis Systems: Wii MSRP: $8
A Genesis adventure-RPG that I can't really comment on since I never got around to playing it.
Splatterhouse Systems: Wii MSRP: $6
Having never owned a Turbografx-16, but loving the Splatterhouse series on the Genesis, this could very well be the game to break open wallet to the Virtual Console. I certainly love side-scrolling horror beat 'em ups.
General Deals that could be applied to save you some money:
As always Best Buy's Gamer Gift Card $5 Coupon can be applied to save you $5 on any of these games. Check out all the details here.
(Please note that you must have already signed up for both of the following deals, but the purchase periods are still active.)
Paypal is currently offering a $15 rebate on qualifying $30 purchases. Check out all the details here.
Google Checkout is still running their $10 off any $10 or more purchase for new users. Check out the details here.
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.
After Burner: Black Falcon Dev. Planet Moon Pub. SEGA Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
The re-imagining of the classic arcade game ditches the sit-down cabinet for the portability of the PSP. This is an entirely new game based upon the basic principles that made After Burner a success: fly fast, blow things up. Along with the F-14 Tomcat, there is a full carrier of different jets for you to purchase, customize and upgrade as you progress through the game. Add in 2 player local co-op and 4 player multiplayer and this could very well be a classic modernization that doesn't crash and burn. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for After Burner: Black Falcon.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free ShippingArmored Core 4 Dev. From Software Pub. SEGA Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $59.99
From did a damn fine job on Chromehounds, as methodically paced and tactical as it was. Unfortunately, they still can't seem to pull off fast, intense mech battles. It can be pretty in places (though very sparse in others), but it's not deep or visceral enough to be rewarding and still pales in comparison to the Zone of the Enders games. It's worth checking out if you're a mech fan, but don't drop the money until you've given it a serious test drive. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Fry's is giving you a $5 break on both versions of the game this week, but if you want to order online Amazon's free shipping seems to be the best option.
Purchase At Amazon $59.82 Free Shipping See fidodido's Fry's ad $54.99 Purchase At Amazon $59.95 Free Shipping See fidodido's Fry's ad $54.99Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII Dev. Ubi Soft Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
Well, Blazing Angels is back on the new releases and once again you are asked to enlist to fight against Nazi's and really terrible voice acting. This time you can choose to fly using Wiimotion, but in the end, this is the same mediocre game it's been on every other system under the sun. Barring a sudden announcement of a plug-in-play version of this game, this could very well end the year long reign that Blazing Angels has had on the new release charts. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Blazing Angels: OMG Another Version.
Purchase At Amazon $49.82 Free ShippingCooking Mama: Cook Off Dev. Office Create Pub. Majesco Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
At twenty bucks, the DS version (of which this is essentially a port) was a fun couple hours of increasingly complex recipes assembled with mostly fun touch-screen cooking mechanics (chopping, mixing, frying, etc.). It seems to work alright with the Wii functionality, but there a very limited amount of entertainment to be gleaned for a full fifty bucks. This will be a nice addition as a budget game, but for now even Wario Smooth Moves will last you much longer than this. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Fry's is giving you a $5 break on Cooking Mama this week, but if you want to order online Amazon's free shipping seems to be the best option.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping See fidodido's Fry's ad $44.99Custom Robo Arena Dev. Noise Pub. Nintendo Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
You'd be surprised at how decent this is. A lot of the game is wandering around town talking to characters and progressing the minimalist story, but it's well translated and oddly enjoyable. The Robo battles themselves are short and sweet, requiring a nice balance of skill and pre-fight customization (you'll amass parts to "Custom" your "Robo"), though they're a little on the easy side. It won't blow anyone away and the aesthetic is decidedly for a younger audience, but it's simple and fun. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Amazon is offering Custom Robo Arena for $25.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $25.99 Free ShippingDragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai Another Road Dev. Dimps Pub. Atari Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
The characters of Dragon Ball Z have terrible negotiation skills and are thus forced to settle their differences by beating each other senseless... again. This version of the game features some tweaks to the fighting system and some new skills that I'm sure will cause lots of pretty colors to show up on your PSP. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Dragon Ball Z.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free ShippingEarth Defense Force 2017 Dev. Sandlot Pub. D3 Systems: 360 MSRP: $39.99
Do you like monsters, giant insects, robots and flying saucers? Do you like destroying those things with a huge array of weaponry and a few vehicles? Then buy this game. You're dropped into cities overrun with these pests, tasked to destroy everything that moves - the amount and scale of the enemies is simply awesome, and the gameplay is straightforward and immensely satisfying. There's no online play unfortunately, but the previous import-only EDF had the best split-screen EVER, and you're sure to have a good time with it here too if you can drag someone over to play it with you. Reward D3 for bringing this over, and don't let it pass you by completely because you haven't heard of it. - rock
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Earth Defense Force 2017.
Purchase At Amazon $39.82 Free ShippingThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Dev. Bethesda Pub. 2K Systems: PS3 MSRP: $59.99
For those poor souls that have yet to explore the expanses of Cyrodiil, there's no better time to lose your life to the obscenely massive RPG romp. It's immediately the best game on PS3, and you could make a good case for the best game ever. If you own a PS3 and haven't played Oblivion yet (and don't only play Madden), buy it. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Both Circuit City and Fry's are offering Oblivion for $49.99 this week and Amazon is offering the game for $54.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $54.99 Free Shipping See speedy1961's Circuit City ad $49.99 Free Mini Guide See fidodido's Fry's ad $49.99 Full Auto 2: Battlelines Dev. Deep Fried Entertainment Pub. SEGA Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
While it shares the same name as it's PS3 brethren, this version of cars with guns may actually be the true sequel to the original Xbox 360 game. The number of cars has increased along with greater customization options. The story now stretches across different continents instead of being confined within one city and you are given a bigger arsenal for blowing up these locales. In the end though, most people will probably just wish it was a new Twisted Metal, but there is some fun to have here when this heads to the bargain bin. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Full Auto 2.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free ShippingThe Godfather: Blackhand Edition Dev. Electronic Arts Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
The Godfather: The Don's Edition Dev. Electronic Arts Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PS3 MSRP: $59.99
Never one to let Ubi Soft beat them at slathering a game across as many platforms as possible, EA one ups them by bringing The Godfather to two more platforms. The Wii version sports some new motion controls, while the Playstation 3 version has some new missions and Six-Axis controls. There may be a few more changes, but that's the gist of it. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for either edition of The Godfather.
Purchase At Amazon $49.82 Free Shipping Purchase At Amazon $59.99 Free ShippingKororinpa: Marble Mania Dev. Hudson Pub. Hudson Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
Translating roughly to "super happy marble fun time concept that makes perfect sense on the Wii but is still overpriced," Kororinpa is a marble-rolling romp in the vein of Marble Madness, Marble Blast Ultra, and Super Monkey Ball. Just like SMB, you'll navigate floating obstacle courses and mazes, only you'll have full 360-degree tilting control over the level. Everything is super-cute and the music is bouncy, but there's only fifty-ish levels and little else to do when you're done. Again, probably a good budget buy, but tough as even a forty dollar game. - rock
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Kororinpa: Marble Madness.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free ShippingLost in Blue 2 Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
The deserted island simulator makes its return and fans of the original are in for a similar, but more in-depth experience. If you are not familiar with the series (or could never find the first game), this is an adventure game where you help a girl and a boy survive after being washed up on an island. This involves carpentry, cooking, rock climbing, and of course, wicker work. Yeah, it's not for everybody. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Lost in Blue 2: Electric Boogaloo.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 Free ShippingMajor League Baseball 2K7 Dev. Take 2 Interactive Pub. 2K Sports Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Major League Baseball 2K7 allows you to feel like your favorite stars with touch screen batting and pitching. Well, you pretty much don't have another option for baseball on your DS, so at least it's cheap. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for MLB 2K7.
Purchase At EB Games $19.99Nickelodeon Volume 1 Four Pack Dev. THQ Pub. THQ Systems: GBA MSRP: $29.99
In case you missed Rocket Power: Zero Gravity Zone, Nicktoons: Freeze Frame Frenzy, SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge, and The Fairly Odd Parents! Shadow Showdown the first time around, well now you can have this compilation of ridiculously long-named games on one cartridge. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Nickelodeon Volume 1 Four Pack.
Purchase At EB Games $29.99Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords Dev. D3 Pub. D3 Systems: DS, PSP MSRP: $29.99
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
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Puzzle Quest.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 Free Shipping Purchase At Amazon $29.99 Free ShippingRocky Balboa Dev. Ubi Soft Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
This game might have slipped out last week, but judging by reviews, you weren't missing out on much if you didn't buy it already. This seems to be a mediocre boxing game that most people wouldn't even give a second look if it weren't for you being able to fight classic fights and with classic characters from the Rocky movies. Clubber Lang vs. Ivan Drago may sound tempting until you see that price tag. - ship
Cheapest Price:
Amazon is selling Rocky Balboa for $28.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $28.99 Free ShippingShining Force EXA Dev. SEGA Pub. SEGA Systems: PS2 MSRP: $49.99
Reminding me that I still haven't picked up Shining Force Neo, the next Shining Force game is launching this week. This is another dungeon crawler and has a battle system much like Neo's, but again only supports one player. Games like this scream for co-op -- there's even two main characters for Pete's sake. I guess PS2 owners should just be glad that new RPGs are still finding their way stateside. - ship
Cheapest Price:
Fry's is offering the game for $47.99 and Amazon has Shining Force EXA for $49.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping See fidodido's Fry's ad $47.99 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl Dev. THQ Pub. THQ Systems: PC MSRP: $39.99
There's been a lot of buzz about this oft-delayed PC game lately and I've seen it popping up in a lot of threads right here on CAG. And while I know nothing about this game, I do think it is wonderful that the non-stereotypical African-American is getting his due. So kudos to THQ for not going the Roadblock or Heavy Duty route. (Here's hoping S.H.I.P.W.R.E.C.K. will be out soon!) So if you're a fan of first-person shooters or maybe strategy games or possibly something like minesweeper, then Strategic Tactical Advanced Laserbeams Kill Everyone Radiantly could be just the game you've been waiting for. Actually, if you're into PC gaming, this looks like it might be worth checking out as it's getting a lot of comparisons to Deus Ex. - ship
Cheapest Price:
You've got couple of different options on S.T.A.L.K.E.R.. Both EB/Gamestop and Best Buy are offering free multiplayer map downloads when you buy the game for $39.99. Alternatively, Target and Fry's have the game for $34.88 and $33.99 respectively.
Purchase At EB Games $39.99 Free Multiplayer Map Download See speedy1961's Target ad $34.88 See speedy1961's Best Buy ad $39.99 Free Multiplayer Map Download See fidodido's Fry's ad $33.99Steel Horizon Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
A real-time and turn-based strategy game centered around World War II naval battles. Yawn. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Steel Horizon.
Purchase At Amazon $29.82 Free Shipping Test Drive Unlimited Dev. Eden Studios Pub. Atari Systems: PS2, PSP MSRP: $39.99
The MMO racer goes for a spin on the PSP and PS2 and based upon early reviews it seems to be adequate, but not as polished as the original Xbox 360 version. So if you're looking for a mediocre online racer for either of these platforms, I guess you'll be satisfied. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Test Drive Unlimited.
Purchase At Amazon $39.82 Free Shipping Purchase At Amazon $39.82 Free ShippingTetris Evolution Dev. Mass Media Pub. THQ Systems: 360 MSRP: $29.99
It's Tetris - with a couple new modes, online play and achievements. Would have been better as an XBLA game, but probably still worth $30 for big puzzle fans. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Amazon is offering Tetris Evolution for $27.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 Free ShippingTheme Park Dev. Electronic Arts Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Here's a little blast from the past. I was expecting this to be a completely new game, but judging from the screen shots this looks to be a port of the classic Theme Park from the 16/32 bit era. Touch screen controls have been added to help you run your park and, through the magic of friend codes, you can now visit your buddies parks. The dual screens look like they will be great for keeping track of your park and stats at the same time. This will definitely be a nice addition to the DS and takes me back to a time when sim games weren't so complicated. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Theme Park.
Purchase At Amazon $29.95 Free ShippingTMNT Dev. Ubi Soft Pub. Ubi Soft Systems: Everything MSRP: $29.99-$49.99
Meh. If you would have told me a while back that Ubisoft were making a Prince of Persia TMNT knockoff, I'd probably tell you to shut your dirty mouth with such lies, as I'm about as hardcore a Turtles fan as they come. And despite the last three abominations, there's always hope. Now that I've played it though... well, that's where the "meh" comes in. The combat, the wall crawling, EVERYTHING is half-baked, unchallenging and unsatisfying. It's not a terrible game, it's just unapologetically targeted at a younger market. - rock
Cheapest Price:
EB/Gamestop are offering a free comic with the purchase of TMNT or if you aren't interested in the comic, Amazon has the game for the same price with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping Purchase At EB Games $49.99 Free Comic Purchase At Amazon $29.82 Free Shipping Purchase At EB Games $29.99 Free Comic Purchase At Amazon $29.99 Free Shipping Purchase At EB Games $29.99 Free Comic Purchase At Amazon $39.82 Free Shipping Purchase At EB Games $39.99 Free Comic Purchase At Amazon $39.82 Free Shipping Purchase At EB Games $39.99 Free Comic Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free Shipping Purchase At EB Games $39.99 Free Comic Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping Purchase At EB Games $49.99 Free ComicUEFA Championships League 2006-2007 Dev. Electronic Arts Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: 360, PS2, PSP MSRP: $29.99-$59.99
Mix your typical FIFA style gameplay with a card collecting game and out pops UEFA. Collect and trade virtual player stickers that you use to field your team and fill in your checklist. I don't know, must be a European thing. Apparently the sticker collecting is a major part of this game, so if you are just wanting a normal soccer game you might want to look elsewhere. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for UEFA.
Purchase At Amazon $59.82 Free Shipping Purchase At Amazon $29.95 Free Shipping Purchase At Amazon $39.95 Free ShippingVirtua Tennis 3 Dev. Sumo Digital Pub. SEGA Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $49.99
Great-looking with solid, accessible game mechanics, Virtua Tennis 3 seems a worthy followup to it's predecessor's legacy. It would be nice to see a little innovation to go with the refinement, but I suppose this is more to please casual fans than draw in new ones. I'd recommend Rockstar's Table Tennis for something a bit more interesting and unique, but if you like tennis you probably want the real thing. It should be noted that the 360 version has full online play while the PS3 version doesn't; it's unfortunate, but definitely something to consider if you're choosing between them. - rock
Cheapest Price:
Fry's is offering Virtua Tennis 3 for $44.99 and if you want to buy online, Amazon is selling the game for $49.99 with free shipping.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping See fidodido's Fry's ad $44.99 Purchase At Amazon $49.99 Free Shipping See fidodido's Fry's ad $44.99 Wing Island Dev. Hudson Pub. Konami Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
Use your Wiimote to fly your small squadron of planes and wish that this was Pilot Wings. Then beat the whole thing in less than 3 hours and weep yourself to sleep. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Wing Island.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 Free ShippingYu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2007 Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
I can not possibly have the willpower to research anything about this game at this point. I'm assuming it's your typical card battling monster game with anime characters. Expect it to be slightly better than the 2006 version and slightly worse than the 2008 version. - ship
Cheapest Price:
There don’t appear to be any specific deals for Yu-Gi-Oh.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 Free ShippingOn The DL with Shipwreck:
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Systems: 360 MSRP: $10
The greatest month in the short history of Xbox Live Arcade continues with one of the most highly regarded games ever. Castlevania: SOTN is an outstanding blend of platforming and action with role-playing elements to boot. This release offers the choice between classic and enhanced graphics and of course there are nerd points to be had as well. The wait is over Castlevania fans, and you can finally play this game without paying eBay prices.
Excitebike Systems: Wii MSRP: $5
A true NES classic. Race your motocross bike up and down and to the right. Watchout, don't overheat!
Beyond Oasis Systems: Wii MSRP: $8
A Genesis adventure-RPG that I can't really comment on since I never got around to playing it.
Splatterhouse Systems: Wii MSRP: $6
Having never owned a Turbografx-16, but loving the Splatterhouse series on the Genesis, this could very well be the game to break open wallet to the Virtual Console. I certainly love side-scrolling horror beat 'em ups.
General Deals that could be applied to save you some money:
As always Best Buy's Gamer Gift Card $5 Coupon can be applied to save you $5 on any of these games. Check out all the details here.
(Please note that you must have already signed up for both of the following deals, but the purchase periods are still active.)
Paypal is currently offering a $15 rebate on qualifying $30 purchases. Check out all the details here.
Google Checkout is still running their $10 off any $10 or more purchase for new users. Check out the details here.
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.
ing buy uefa i repeat do not buy uefa get winning eleven 2k7 its way better
'ed over his preview for that naval warship game.
