[preview][img-l=1]2[/img-l]CAG's shipwreck & mrs. shipwreck preview the new releases for the week of July 1st, 2008. This week we are "Back in the Saddle" and ready to see if the last two weeks of releases have "What It Takes" to have you "Walk This Way" to your local retailer. I'm sure you are saying, "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing", so "Just Push Play" and we'll see you on "The Other Side". (Man, I think that Gene Shallot correspondence course is really paying dividends.)
Don't forget to enter our contest for "Professor Layton & the Curious Village" courtesy of CAG Robjus.
Special thanks to GoDaddy.com for providing CAG Foreplay listeners with a code for domain names for only $6.95 a year. Just enter code "GAMER1" when you check out to get your savings.[/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].
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Multi-Platform
Alone in the Dark (Last Week) Dev. Eden Games Pub. Atari Systems: PS2, Wii, PC, 360, PS3 MSRP: $39.99-$59.99
Atari resurrects one of the original horror series with the release of Alone in the Dark; which must have been buried in an ancient Micmac burial ground as it has come back a bit "different". Slightly straying from it's traditional third-person, puzzle solving roots, this sixth game is an odd mix of first-person shooting, with third-person Prince of Persia style platforming, and the occasional driving section as well. Mixing three different concepts into one game can be extremely tricky and the early reviews have indicated that there are a lot of good concepts that don't get fully realized. For example, the game starts with the all-too-familiar amnesia scene where we are intended to be immersed into the story through the eyes of the main character, Edward. That's all fine and good, but switching to third-person tends to hamper the immersion that you just set in place. Which is a shame, because the third-person platforming bits look like a good time, even adding an almost Ico like dynamic with the way your character must interact with the game's female companion (so disregard that "Alone" in the title - lack of light, still applicable). Add in a unique episodic presentation that allows you to play the chapters of the game in whichever order you wish with familiar "previously on" clips, and you can certainly tell that this game had a lot of creative minds behind it. Maybe they could have used someone with a little more focused vision, as apparently the game trips all over these scattered ideas with cumbersome controls, frustrating combat, and a overly-restrictive inventory system which is a shame for the amount of potential this game had. With reviews all over the map, your enjoyment could ultimately come down to your willingness to work through the frightening flaws. - ship
Best Deal:
EB/GameStop is offering the Xbox 360 version of Alone in the Dark for $50 and all versions come with a free t-shirt and soundtrack. GoGamer.com is offering the Xbox 360 and Wii versions for around $41 shipped and the PS2 version for around $33 shipped as part of a 48 hour madness sale.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At EB Games $49.99 (Free t-shirt and soundtrack CD)
Purchase At Family Video $56.48 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At GoGamer $37.90 ($2.99 shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $47.47 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At EB Games $39.99 (Free t-shirt and soundtrack CD)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At GoGamer $29.90 ($2.99 shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At EB Games $49.99 (Free t-shirt and soundtrack CD)
Purchase At Family Video $47.47 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At GoGamer $37.90 ($2.99 shipping)
Battlefield: Bad Company (Last Week) Dev. EA Digital Illusions CE Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $59.99, $69.99
Okay, so let's go ahead and get the Call of Duty 4 comparisons out of the way. Like every smart post-COD4 military shooter, Battlefield features an online leveling up system that has you chasing experience points to upgrade your character and unlock new gear and perks (yes, I realize that Battlefield 2 also had a ranking system, but COD4. What sets Bad Company apart, is the vehicles: instead of calling in attack choppers, you'll be able to pilot your own Apache or Black Hawk... or tanks and various other vehicles of destruction. And that destruction will come in handy as the environments of the game allow for quite a bit of deformation leading to a constantly changing battleground. With so much emphasis on environmental interactions though, it seems strange to me that no cover system was introduced this time around. As such, the game plays very similarly to Battlefield 2 with its perfectly acceptable controls and large levels that are a staple of the series. New this time around, however, is an actual single player story campaign from which we get the mandatory subtitle. It turns out your character has just been assigned to the Army's band of misfit soldiers: AKA the Bad Company. And once you've fought alongside them and had to suffer through their streams of one-liners, you'll understand the double meaning. I also have "Feel Like Makin' Love" stuck in my head now, thanks EA. - ship
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering Battlefield: Bad Company for $53.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $58.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Fry's $52.99
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $58.95 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Fry's $52.99
Purchase At Play-Asia $49.90 ($3.40 shipping - Region-Free Asian Version)
Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $68.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $68.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Play-Asia $59.90 ($5.90 shipping - Region-Free Asian Version)
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Dev. Neversoft Pub. Activision Systems: PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $49.99-$149.99
This new edition of Guitar Hero was selling out at midnight at our local Meijer, so it's clearly a game to be talked about. You can buy the title game-only or bundled with an Aerosmith guitar. The gameplay remains the same as Guitar Hero III and features (DUH) the music of Aerosmith, the Kinks, Cheap Trick, and a few more opening-band songs. There are many, many sources for the full playlist, but notedly there are a few greats missing, notedly Janie's Got A Gun. No doubt there will be downloadable content. I personally can't wait to play Dream On and Sweet Emotion. Something tells me I'd better learn how to hammer on first. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There are all kinds of different bundles for Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, but the best deal is probably at Best Buy where you get a free Aerosmith CD and $10 off Microsoft Points.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $53.99 ($1.99 shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $59.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD & $10 off 1600 Microsoft Points)
Purchase At Circuit City $59.99 (Free guitar strap)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $44.99 ($1.99 shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $49.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD)
Purchase At Circuit City $49.99 (Free guitar strap)
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $53.99 ($1.99 shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $59.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD)
Purchase At Circuit City $59.99 (Free guitar strap)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $44.99 ($1.99 shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $49.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD)
Purchase At Circuit City $49.99 (Free guitar strap)
Purchase At Amazon $99.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $93.74 ($1.99 shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $99.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD & $10 off 1600 Microsoft Points)
Purchase At Circuit City $99.99 (Free guitar strap)
Purchase At Amazon $89.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $84.12 ($1.99 shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $89.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD)
Purchase At Circuit City $89.99 (Free guitar strap)
Purchase At Amazon $109.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $102.75 ($1.99 shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $109.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Circuit City $109.99 (Free guitar strap)
Purchase At Amazon $99.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $93.74 ($1.99 shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $99.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD)
Purchase At Circuit City $99.99 (Free guitar strap)
Purchase At Amazon $99.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $93.74 ($1.99 shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $99.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD)
Purchase At Circuit City $99.99 (Free guitar strap)
Purchase At Target $149.99 (Target exclusive)
Hail to the Chimp (Last Week) Dev. Wideload Games Pub. Gamecock Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $39.99
Oh, this title seems a little bizarre to me. It's a politics-themed party title with different animals competing to be elected as the next King of the Jungle (the Lion resigned recently - the details are fuzzy but there's scandal involved). The mini-games are all election-themed, and not all the gameplay is on the up-and-up. The replay value is pretty good, since depending on the particular mini-game and the characters participating in the event, the strategy changed. Overall, it looks intriguing. I'd wait for the price to drop a bit before giving it a try though. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Hail to the Chimp.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Hellboy: The Science of Evil (Last Week) Dev. Krome Studios Pub. Konami Systems: PSP, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99, $59.99
Conveniently releasing just weeks before the upcoming Hellboy movie sequel and featuring the voice acting of Ron Perlman and the rest of the film's cast, The Science of Evil is not technically a movie-tie-in, but rather a completely separate story. And this story centers around you hitting all manner of demons with your oversized right hand of stone and shooting them with your equally oversized firearm in the hopes of saving the world fromthe sheer boredom that is this game Herman von Klempt. Up to four players can get in on brawling through bland environments both locally or online, but good luck finding a friend that wants to play as Abe the humanoid amphibian while you tear up the place as Hellboy. In all likelihood, it's not a terrible game, but your $60 may want more than a barebones beat 'em up. - ship
Best Deal:
Hellboy: The Science of Evil comes with a free movie ticket packaged in the game. Meijer is offering the Xbox 360 version of the game for $29.99.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping, movie ticket, and digital comic)
Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Meijer $29.99
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping, movie ticket, and digital comic)
Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping, movie ticket, and digital comic)
Purchase At Family Video $28.24 (99 cent shipping)
Top Spin 3 (Last Week) Dev. PAM Development Pub. 2K Sports Systems: DS, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99-$59.99
The on-going volley between Virtua Tennis and Top Spin continues with Top Spin 3 returning with a more realistic take on the royal game. Yes, that immediately means more difficult, but any tennis game worth it's fuzzy balls has a bit of a learning curve. Perhaps the most apparent improvement is in the animation department where players have uncannily realistic weight and fluidity when approaching, hitting, and following through shots. It's pretty impressive, especially when you can instantly recognize the swings of Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, and legends like Boris Becker and Monica Seles. (Yes, it's hard to believe that I would know what those players look like when they swing, but when you see the game in motion, some bizarre recessed portion of your mind that stores Andy Roddick minutia will instantly tell you it looks right.) In an interesting exclusivity move, Rafael Nadal is only available in the PlayStation 3 version of the game, but maybe you can make a mohawked version of him with the built-in create-a-character in the other versions. (Why must they always show off custom characters with mohawks?) And of course there is online play for up to four players. Unless you get the Wii version, then you get no online play and an updated version of Top Spin 2 with motion controls and party games. The ball's back in your court now Virtua Tennis... don't try to hit it back to quickly or you'll just dive and make yourself look like a fool. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Top Spin 3.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $48.06 (99 cent shipping)
Wall-E (Last Week) Dev. Heavy Iron Studios Pub. THQ Systems: PC, DS, PSP, PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $19.99-$49.99
Have I mentioned how much I love previewing games that are being released for every system possible, including the PC AND the Mac? Wall-E is the hero robot in the new Disney/Pixar film, so this title is (of course) and action-adventure/platformer. It's got all the necessary components: adorable characters with endearing character flaws, well-known Hollywood actors doing voice-overs, and the token collectable items with in each linear level. Maybe I'm just a bit jaded this week. The nice thing is that the 360/PS3 versions of the game were developed first and then downscaled to the other consoles/outlets. So, you're not paying for a PS2 port, which goes in the plus column. It also uses the Havoc engine, which means the physics should be good. Overall, it seems that for what it is (a game-based on a summer kids movie), the good Pixar animation and the decent game development mean that this game is actually a solid title. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
Best Buy is offering a free movie ticket with your purchase of Wall-E.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $48.07 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $49.99 (Free movie ticket)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.94 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $29.99 (Free movie ticket)
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $39.99 (Free movie ticket)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $48.07 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $49.99 (Free movie ticket)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.94 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $29.99 (Free movie ticket)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $48.01 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Best Buy $49.99 (Free movie ticket)
Wii
Big Beach Sports (Last Week) Dev. HB Studios Pub. THQ Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
There's a gameplay video for this title out on the Wii channel. Ship and I checked it out, and it looks like Mii-ish characters playing bocci, soccer, football, volleyball, frisbee golf, and cricket. The gameplay looks similar to Wii sports, and seems like a good idea for someone who plays a lot of local multiplayer. There isn't going to be anything particular mind-blowing about this title, which makes the $30 price tag pretty accurate. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
Circuit City is offering Big Beach Sports for $27.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.94 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Circuit City $26.99
Cocoto Kart Racer (Last Week) Dev. Neko Entertainment Pub. Conspiracy Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
It's kart racing featuring our favorite budget devil character. There's been a cauldron theft, and the racing somehow their only chance of recovering it comes from racing various oppenents. Overall, these games are what you'd expect from a budget title, but a mediocre budget Wii racing title might appeal to some gamers. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Cocoto Kart Racer.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Myth Makers: Trixie in Toyland (Last Week) Dev. Data Design Pub. Conspiracy Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
The first thing that pops into my mind is who the hell is Trixie and why is she in Toyland? Those seem like the first details I'll need for the preview. Based on the cover art, she's a giant cross-eyed girl with a rattle or lollipop of some sort. These titles are budget, and usually PS2 games ported to the other systems. It's a platformer, so you can expect orbs to collect and some candy-themed interactive objects. Historically, the Myth Makers games get reviews in the 2-3/10 range, so wait for this one to hit the bargain bin if it really piques your interest. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Myth Makers: Trixie in Toyland.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Purr Pals Dev. Crave Entertainment Pub. Crave Entertainment Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
(Deja Preview) Yet another pet simulator for theDS Wii that simply makes me wonder why we haven't seen NintenCats yet. It's your usual fare here: adopt a kitten, care for it, buy it accessories, eventually forget about it. This one seems to include a lot of activites for your kitty though including what appears to be cat karaoke. That's right folks, it might be time to give Jingle Cats a run for their money. See if you can overstimulate your digital feline and reach the cat nirvana simply known as "iPod the Cat's overwhelming Christmas encounter". - ship
The Wii version allows you to drive your virtual feline neurotic by using the Wiimote as a laser pointer in addition to fishing string and other cat toys. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Purr Pals.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping)
Rock Band (Last Week) Dev. Harmonix Pub. MTV Games Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99, $169.99
Wii owners now get the chance to clutter up their living rooms with peripherals that will be obsolete when the next crop of music games come out. And since you're cool cat and have no need for storage, don't worry about having to download additional tracks as you'll be able to expand your setlist by buying additional song packs on retail discs. One other important thing to note: the Wii's Guitar Hero III controller does not work with Rock Band. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Rock Band.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $48.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $169.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At EB Games $169.99
Purchase At Deep Discount $168.99 (Free shipping)
DS
1 vs. 100 Dev. ECI Pub. Destination Software Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Even though this game show might be cancelled (there's no formal word on it's fate), you can still play until your heart's content with the new DS version of 1 vs. 100. Based on multiple choice trivia questions, the goal is to eliminate the "100" by answering questions correctly. Although the game version features host Bob Saget on the cover, the show reportedly is searching for a new host. If trivia is your gaming forte, then you should pick this one up for $20. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for 1 vs. 100.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
American Girl: Kit Mystery Challenge (Last Week) Dev. THQ Pub. THQ Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
This point-and-click adventure title features Kit, an American Girl living in Cincinnati during the Great Depression. Kit's goal is to write an article for the Cincinnati Register, and but she needs to solve the case in order to get a good story! This title is geared towards the tween girl, as is the popular book series it's based upon. As found with any tween girl title, there are random side quests to earn money and different outfits for Kit to wear. Check and check. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for American Girl: Kit Mystery Challenge.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.94 (99 cent shipping)
AMF Bowling Pinbusters! Dev. Vir2L Studios Pub. ZeniMax Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
(Deja Preview) Sure, the Wii comes bundled with a bowling game already, but that’s not going to stop yet another bowling game from releasing. So, oil up your balls and get ready to experience zany characters like drill sergeants and cowgirls and the always exciting, rave-tastic cosmic bowling. And rounding out the list of features are, of course, some mini games. – ship
The DS version adds global WiFi play and a point and click control scheme. Zany characters and locales are intact. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for AMF Bowling Pinbusters!
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Purchase At Deep Discount $18.99 (Free shipping)
Cake Mania 2 (Last Week) Dev. Digital Embryo Pub. Majesco Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Cake Mania 2 is a Diner Dash-type strategy game where the goal is to maximize profit via cake-baking. My first instinct with this title was to smirk and roll my eyes, but after spending about 30 minutes on playing the demo over and over and over, I can see how these titles are addictive. Almost as addictive as cake itself! - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Cake Mania 2.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Ducati Moto Dev. Vir2L Studios Pub. ZeniMax Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
“Hypermotard”: a potentially offensive insult or just a brand name motorcycle? If you can answer that with any sort of certainty, maybe Ducati Moto will get your engine running. Featuring eleven different crotch rockets manufactured by Ducati, this arcade racer allows you to upgrade your bike across fifty different challenges that span locations like Morocco, Italy, and Hong Kong. And with the built in Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, maybe you’ll race against actual people from those locales as you strive to be king of the Hypermotards! - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Ducati Moto.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Purchase At Deep Discount $18.99 (Free shipping)
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (Last Week) Dev. Square Enix Pub. Square Enix Systems: DS MSRP: $39.99
Fans of the series will be pretty familiar with this formula by now, but if you care to invest massive amounts of time building your clan of warriors from over fifty different job types, this is going to keep you happily tapping and watching as the methodical turn-based battles unfold. The graphics have of course been improved and they are certainly vibrant and colorful in the classic Final Fantasy style. The two screens split up the clutter of information somewhat as the bottom screen contains the grid based map and battle actions while the top screen simply keeps you up to date on which character currently has the floor and the order in which the remaining characters will get their turn. So if you're looking for a slightly updated version of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, with over 400 different quests and 100+ hours of gameplay, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is ready to fill that full-time position in your DS slot. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Final Fantasy Tactics A2.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Gourmet Chef Dev. Ubisoft Pub. Ubisoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
All those people out there cooking for sustenance need to expand their horizons and cook for fame! Or so Ubisoft would like us to think with their newest DS release. This simulation title has different missions involving french cooking, food critics, and picky customers. Plus, you learn new recipes as you play and can even create your own. Clearly this is a title geared for the casual gamer. If only they'd gotten the Emeril license, it'd be worth the $29.99. Too bad. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
Circuit City is offering Gourmet Chef as part of a 2 for $40 on select DS games deal.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Circuit City $19.99 (Buy 2 select DS games for $40)
Guitar Hero: On Tour (Last Week) Dev. Vicarious Visions Pub. Activision Systems: DS MSRP: $49.99
Obviously, this is a rhythm-based game using the Nintendo DS based on the well-known and hugely popular Guitar Hero franchise. Those facts are fairly indisputable. What you might not know is that the game is played holding the DS vertically, and comes with a guitar grip that fits into the GBA slot on the DS. The gameplay is pretty much what you'd expect: a single-player career mode similar to the console version of the game. You strum via the DS touch screen and stylus and whammy using a squiggly motion with the stylus. The song choices are a bit more main-stream that what is included with the console version, and there are only about 25 songs due to the limited space the cartridge format. There is also wireless multi-player. Overall, the game is getting solid reviews as a legit member of the Guitar Hero franchise. The main negative is that the guitar fret add-on can come loose during gameplay, requiring a restart. Other than that, it's a solid game that fits the bill as "Guitar Hero Lite". Most gamers with still prefer the console versions but will appreciate the portable version when they're on the go. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Guitar Hero: On Tour.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $48.07 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At EB Games $179.99
Journey to the Center of the Earth Dev. THQ Pub. THQ Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Take control of Brendan Fraser as he skillfully Brendan Fraser’s the classic Jules Verne sci-fi novel in this movie tie-in game that is exclusive to the DS. Through simple stylus movements, you can help Brendan Fraser float down a perilous river, swing across perilous ropes, and escape from perilous dinosaurs. In addition to playing as Brendan Fraser, you also get to play as the kid who is not Brendan Fraser or the love interest that is also not Brendan Fraser. Although if all the characters were Brendan Fraser, that might make this more interesting… but probably equally as terrible. Put your $30 to better use and just pick up some back-up copies for those Encino Man and Monkeybone DVDs that have been in heavy rotation on your home theatre. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Mazes of Fate (Last Week) Dev. Sabarasa Pub. Graffiti Entertainment Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Another of Graffiti Entertainment's late generation Game Boy Advance titles gets the DS treatment this week as first-person RPG "Mazes of Fate" gets a second chance to navigate to retail success. Featuring three different playable characters (Warrior, Rogue, and Mage), the game plays out a lot like the old Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder games with real-time battles and plenty of dungeons to explore... and possibly dragons of some sort. As to be expected, the visuals of a 3D GBA game ported up to the DS are a bit of a lost cause, but the old-timey, menu based combat could be a worthwhile exploration for fans of RPGs of yore. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Mazes of Fate.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Mega Man Star Force 2: Zerker X Ninja (Last Week) Dev. Capcom Pub. Capcom Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Mega Man Star Force 2: Zerker X Saurian (Last Week) Dev. Capcom Pub. Capcom Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Somebody is supporting all these non-shooting, non-jumping, non-boss-power-stealing bastardizations of Mega Man, so if you are one of the masses that prefers your Mega Man to do battle in virtual land with collectible cards, well Capcom has come up with with two new flavors of sequels for the Star Force universe. That nonsense after the colon refers to the different types of Mega Man power ups available in each version. Zerker Mega Man is available in both and bestows the power of thunder. Then you have to make your choice. You can either go for the fire based dinosaur or the Ninja with the power of wood. That's right, Wood Ninja Mega Man. Not content to stop at that level of ridiculousness, by combining the three different "Tribes", you can morph the abilites together to end up with things like Dinosaur Mega Man with the powers of wood... who battles with cards. I gotta be honest, at this point I'm rooting for Dr. Wily. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Mega Man Star Force 2.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.64 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.64 (99 cent shipping)
Midnight Play Pack (Last Week) Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Well isn't that just a non-descript title for a game? Sometimes it's listed as Midnight Play! Pack, which I guess is a bit better. What's not good is the product description: "Immerse yourself in lively and bold nightlife environments to play your favorite activities. Meet colorful characters that will make each game a unique electric experience! A real Midnight experience, coming soon on your Nintendo DS!" Now is it just me, or does this game not sound E-rated? The bullet points get even better, and it's not until the third bullet point that they actually tell you about the game play:
• This is not another dull, ordinary game compilation! Well at least they cleared that up!
• Late-night settings with colorful characters take these familiar solo games to a whole new level. Does "late-night settings" mean naked women?
• Choose your game from pool, bowling, poker, solitaire, or Block Breaker.
• Experience beautiful 3D graphics and intuitive controls for immediate gaming pleasure. I can't be the only one who thinks this line is hysterical, can I?
I think this game is originally a mobile phone game, and for all I know it could be the best thing since sliced bread. However, I can't pass up the chance to not have to write something original when a game comes with descriptions as entertaining as these! - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Midnight Play Pack.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
My Weight Loss Coach (Last Week) Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $39.99
The fitness train is charging full steam ahead, as evidenced by this new get-in-shape title for the Nintendo DS. The game comes with a pedometer that you carry around and then plug into your DS via the GBA slot and the game uploads your activity for the day. That's pretty cool to me, although the pedometer is fairly large and wouldn't fit into any pockets I own. Each day the user is given different nutritional and physical tasks to complete in order to switch to a more healthy lifestyle. Essentially, it's a piece of nutritional software similar to what I'd want in a widget for my Mac. For $40 it seems pricey, but if putting the cartridge into my DS will somehow convince me I don't want Penn Station for dinner tonight, then I guess it's worth it to my waistline. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for My Weight Loss Coach.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Shining Stars: Super Starcade (Last Week) Dev. Pub. Destination Software Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
I learn new things every week doing CAG Foreplay. This week I learned that there is a competitor to WebKinz in the stuffed animals as gateway drugs to online playgrounds industry. These are of course "Shining Stars" which are not only plush animals with a website, but plush animals with a website that allows you to name an actual star through the International Star Registry. Now the game based upon this license has you creating a theme park or "Super Starcade" by accumulating "glow points". You can achieve "glow points" by playing mini-games of which seven out of the fifteen can be played with any friend that visits your park through a Wi-Fi connection. And, ask any little girl, you can never have enough "glow points" orWebKinz Shining Stars. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Shining Stars: Super Starcade.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Soul Bubbles Dev. Mekensleep Pub. Eidos Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
This new puzzle title involves creating bubbles around animal souls and guiding the bubbles through mazes to the afterlife. Sounds simple, but of course there are plenty of obstacles standing in your way. The bubbles can be split, combined, deflated, bounced, and of course, popped. The game has gotten great reviews for it's originality, great design, and nice graphics. There are special collectables within the levels, and is rumored to be highly addictive. This title is right up Ship's alley, so we'll no doubt be bringing this one home. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Soul Bubbles.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 Dev. Atlus Pub. Atlus Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
If you like Trauma Center, this is certainly more of it. Picking up 3 years after the original game, Under the Knife 2 puts you back into the shoes of surgeon extraordinaire Derek Stiles, but changes the venue from a bustling metropolis to a post-guerilla war Africa. And that’s about all that has changed. Other than offering a much appreciated “Easy” difficulty setting, the game offers no new instruments or procedures to accompany the new storyline. So think of this game as more of a yearly check-up for the series rather than a breakthrough in biomedical research. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $27.64 ($1.99 shipping)
PlayStation 3
Overlord: Raising Hell (Last Week) Dev. Triumph Studios Pub. Codemasters Systems: PS3 MSRP: $59.99
(Deja Preview) Another game featuring minions this week (we need more of these), Overlord takes a humorous approach to just what goes into being an evil mastermind. Set in a medieval fantasy setting, command your underlings to do your bidding as you rise in power. Similar in humor to Bard's Tale with strategy elements a-la Pikmin, this game looks pretty entertaining. - ship
After playing a significant amount of the Xbox 360 version, I can definitely say that it is pretty entertaining. This PlayStation 3 addition adds all of the downloadable content that was put out later for the 360 and incorporates a mini-map that will prove to be invaluable as I constantly got lost in this game. This looks to be the definitive version of the game with small improvements to AI and the camera, but with the Xbox 360 version currently retailing for $20, the PlayStation 3 version for $60 seems a bit evil. - ship
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering Overlord: Raising Hell for $55.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Fry's $54.99
PSP
Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress (Last Week) Dev. CyberConnect2 Pub. Namco Bandai Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
Oh no, headband donning Narutites, there is a floating fortress over Leaf Village and it rests upon you to win overly drawn-out battles with a team comprised of Naruto… and three other characters that you probably could name from the series. Essentially the same game as the first, this version includes over twenty playable characters and a second story mode that opens up once you have defeatedSkeletor Mumm-Ra Gargamel the bad person Naruto fights against. There’s also quite a few extras thrown in like mini-games and unlockable do-dads to keep the fans served and believing it. - ship
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress for $35.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Fry's $34.99
360
Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath (Last Week) Dev. EA Los Angeles Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: 360 MSRP: $39.99
(Deja Preview) Expanding on the popular real-time strategy game, Kane's Wrath introduces a global conquest mode, an additional Brotherhood of Nod campaign, new sub-faction units, and thirty new multi-player maps. Seems like that should keep fans of the series content for awhile. - ship
Fortunately, this Xbox 360 version does not require Tiberium Wars and it even improves upon the controls of the original, so if you are looking for some C&C on the console, $40 seems like a nice introductory price. - ship
Best Deal:
EB/GameStop is offering a free Kane bobblehead with the purchase of Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At EB Games $39.99 (Free Kane Bobblehead)
Purchase At Deep Discount $38.95 (Free shipping)
Gears of War Refresh (Last Week) Dev. Epic Games Pub. Microsoft Systems: 360 MSRP: $39.99
It's Gears of War. Now in thirst quenching two disc form. The second disk includes both Gears of War map packs and Themes and Gamer Pics for both the original game and for the upcoming Gears of War 2. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Gears of War Refresh.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Operation Darkness (Last Week) Dev. Success Pub. Atlus Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
First of all, the scores this game is receiving from the big review sites are completely ridiculous. If you haven't noticed, let's just say the Metacritic score is abysmal. Now I've played a lot of bad games in my time, so I feel like I have a fairly good feel for what is absolutely terrible... and this game is not absolutely terrible. That's not to say it's a masterpiece either, but if you have interest in a methodical turn-based strategy game featuring Nazi's, werewolves, and vampires, you should at least give the demo a shot. Sure the graphics are dated, the camera is finnicky, and the cutscenes are pure cheese, but the core gameplay of strategically moving several different classes of characters around a grid is satisfying and has a good amount of depth. Well, maybe we're not wolfman's nards deep in quality here, so the $60 price tag may be a bit much, but I'll be keeping a keen eye out for a price drop on this one. And for all the reviewers that hacked this game to pieces, I'm coming for you... just as soon as I get this camera facing in your general direction and if you could just wait where you are until another half hour and three or four more turns go by... I'll definitely be there. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Operation Darkness.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping)
Supreme Commander (Last Week) Dev. Gas Powered Games Pub. Aspyr Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
Did somebody order another strategy game for the Xbox 360 this week? Like Command & Conquer, but set in an even more futuristic environment... and more likely to contain sour cream. This popular PC real-time strategy game uses a pretty unique macro to micro view of the battlefield and was supposed to have a fairly high learning curve even with a mouse and keyboard. Now you get to see if you can master all the commands with an Xbox 360 controller. Enjoy, but lactose intolerant beware. - ship
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering Supreme Commander for $55.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Fry's $54.99
PC
American McGee's Grimm Dev. Spicy Horse Pub. GameTap Systems: PC MSRP: N/A
From the guy that brought us Alice and (ugh) Bad Day in LA, Grimm is an episodic weekly release that takes you into various classic fairy tales and mucks them up. This adventure game takes you into the role of Grimm as he journeys into the Disney-fied versions of tales such as Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. As the tale progresses, you are given the opportunity to tweak how macabre you want it to be - based on the original stories before Disney and ilk made everything into sunshine and lollipops. Each episode is supposed to last roughly 30 minutes with 24 episodes in a season. As such, it's perfectly fitting for this title to be a GameTap release. - Treehouse Gamer
Best Deal:
This game is included with a GameTap subscription.
SimCity Societies Destinations (Last Week) Dev. Tilted Mill Entertainment Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PC MSRP: $29.95
This is an expansion for SimCity Societies. The idea is that you are put in charge of a resort city where you have to keep both tourists and normal denizens happy. This should add a little of the much-desired micromanagement for which Sim City is known. Societies fans should be the only ones clamoring for this title. There just doesn't seem to be enough additions to warrant you running out and purchase this and Societies if you haven't played it before. - Treehouse Gamer
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for SimCity Societies Destinations as it appears to be only available as a digital download through EA's site.
Purchase From EA's Site $29.95
The SimCity Box (Last Week) Dev. Maxis Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PC MSRP: $39.99
If Societies and its Destinations expansion sound good, this is a great package. At only $10 more than the Societies expansion, you get the original title as well as its expansion, SimCity 4 and the Rush Hour expansion and The Sims Carnival SnapCity. This really is a great deal for those wishing to be introduced or re-introduced to the SimCity franchise. SnapCity is a puzzle game twist on the city-building sim that may be a fun little diversion. Is it SimCity's answer to Portal? My sources say no, but this is a great deal nonetheless. - Treehouse Gamer
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering The SimCity Box for $35.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)
Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping)
Purchase At Fry's $34.99
The Sims 2: IKEA Home Stuff (Last Week) Dev. Maxis Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PC MSRP: $19.99
For the uninitiated, the Sims 2 "Stuff" SKU's are purely item expansions. Much like the H&M Stuff, this is a package sponsored by IKEA featuring new furniture items. Without any gameplay additions, you are literally paying for an in-game advertisement. No, thanks. That is not the Cheap Ass (tm) way. - Treehouse Gamer
Best Deal:
Best Buy is offering The Sims 2: IKEA Home Stuff for $15.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free exclusive in-game NOMINELL chair)
Purchase At Best Buy $14.99
On The DL with the Shipwrecks
Gyrostarr (Last Week) Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $7
A Tempest style tube-shooter that allows for four player co-op without the eye-tearing visuals of Space Giraffe. Some people like it, some people say it's boring. I even saw a "Yaris" comparison thrown about over on WiiWare-World.com. Yikes! - ship
Magnetica Twist Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $10
This new WiiWare title is really similar to Zuma, the game in which you shoot little colored balls at other little colored balls to make them all disappear. The differences include that in Magnetica Twist a lob shot can be used to skip over colored balls in the way, and there's a decent multiplayer. I am slightly tired of the Mii-inspired graphics in all these new games; it seems as if using bright colored Miis substitutes for making the game graphics interesting. Other than that, Zuma, I mean Megnetica Twist, has a entertaining gameplay and should be a decent buy for $10. - mrs. ship
Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Last Week) Systems: Wii Virtual Console (Master System) MSRP: $5
One of the original Sega platformers arrives on the Wii this week. Alex Kidd chronicles the adventures of a Monchichi-looking boy as he punches and rock-paper-scissors his way into your heart. - ship
Burning Fight (Last Week) Systems: Wii Virtual Console (NEOGEO) MSRP: $9
It's like Final Fight, but with less definitiveness and more combusting. Play as the requisitely named tough guys Billy, Ryu, and Duke as you punch, kick, and lead pipe your way down memory lane. And yes, this game is a part of the SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 collection that is a much better value. - ship
Fatal Fury 2 Systems: Wii Virtual Console MSRP: $9
Sure, it’s a pretty good 2D fighter, but for around the same price you can get Fatal Fury Battle Archives Vol. 1 on the PS2 which includes three other Fatal Fury games. - ship
Happy Tree Friends: False Alarm (Last Week) Systems: XBLA MSRP: $10
The "real-world" Itchy and Scratchy gets another video game in this new Puzzle-Action title coming to XBLA. Featuring Flippy, Lumpy, and Handy, this title has a great animation style with lots of colors, cartoonish detail, and blood, guts, and gore. The gameplay revolves around getting our three friends through each level alive - not a simple task for our accident-prone woodland creatures. It's a Lemmings clone, but one that is worth it's $10 price tag. Of course, we should all play the demo first just in case it's total crap. - mrs. ship
SoulCalibur Systems: XBLA MSRP: $10
It’s SoulCalibur, without all the crazy Darth Vader, Spawn, and Link cameos. This version features higher resolution graphics, lots of modes and leaderboards, and ridiculous boobage... unlikely the hugedonkcular boobage you find later in the series. Makes me want to plug in the Dreamcast... - ship
Ticket to Ride (Last Week) Systems: XBLA MSRP: $10
Another excellent board game gets the Live Arcade treatment this week and after a quick trial run, we were all aboard. A bit like a simplified version of our household favorite Carcassone, each character is trying to claim pieces of a map as their own. Instead of building medieval strongholds though, this game has a railroad theme where you must complete tracks between various North American cities by playing color-coded cards. It's a nice casual strategy game... and if the mood strikes you, you can really screw over the other person by blocking essential paths they are trying to complete. The game supports up to four people on Live and is equally fun to play with those you share a couch with as the ever important local multiplayer is included. - ship
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Multi-Platform
Alone in the Dark (Last Week) Dev. Eden Games Pub. Atari Systems: PS2, Wii, PC, 360, PS3 MSRP: $39.99-$59.99
Atari resurrects one of the original horror series with the release of Alone in the Dark; which must have been buried in an ancient Micmac burial ground as it has come back a bit "different". Slightly straying from it's traditional third-person, puzzle solving roots, this sixth game is an odd mix of first-person shooting, with third-person Prince of Persia style platforming, and the occasional driving section as well. Mixing three different concepts into one game can be extremely tricky and the early reviews have indicated that there are a lot of good concepts that don't get fully realized. For example, the game starts with the all-too-familiar amnesia scene where we are intended to be immersed into the story through the eyes of the main character, Edward. That's all fine and good, but switching to third-person tends to hamper the immersion that you just set in place. Which is a shame, because the third-person platforming bits look like a good time, even adding an almost Ico like dynamic with the way your character must interact with the game's female companion (so disregard that "Alone" in the title - lack of light, still applicable). Add in a unique episodic presentation that allows you to play the chapters of the game in whichever order you wish with familiar "previously on" clips, and you can certainly tell that this game had a lot of creative minds behind it. Maybe they could have used someone with a little more focused vision, as apparently the game trips all over these scattered ideas with cumbersome controls, frustrating combat, and a overly-restrictive inventory system which is a shame for the amount of potential this game had. With reviews all over the map, your enjoyment could ultimately come down to your willingness to work through the frightening flaws. - ship
Best Deal:
EB/GameStop is offering the Xbox 360 version of Alone in the Dark for $50 and all versions come with a free t-shirt and soundtrack. GoGamer.com is offering the Xbox 360 and Wii versions for around $41 shipped and the PS2 version for around $33 shipped as part of a 48 hour madness sale.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At EB Games $49.99 (Free t-shirt and soundtrack CD) Purchase At Family Video $56.48 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At GoGamer $37.90 ($2.99 shipping) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $47.47 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At EB Games $39.99 (Free t-shirt and soundtrack CD) Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At GoGamer $29.90 ($2.99 shipping) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At EB Games $49.99 (Free t-shirt and soundtrack CD) Purchase At Family Video $47.47 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At GoGamer $37.90 ($2.99 shipping)Battlefield: Bad Company (Last Week) Dev. EA Digital Illusions CE Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $59.99, $69.99
Okay, so let's go ahead and get the Call of Duty 4 comparisons out of the way. Like every smart post-COD4 military shooter, Battlefield features an online leveling up system that has you chasing experience points to upgrade your character and unlock new gear and perks (yes, I realize that Battlefield 2 also had a ranking system, but COD4. What sets Bad Company apart, is the vehicles: instead of calling in attack choppers, you'll be able to pilot your own Apache or Black Hawk... or tanks and various other vehicles of destruction. And that destruction will come in handy as the environments of the game allow for quite a bit of deformation leading to a constantly changing battleground. With so much emphasis on environmental interactions though, it seems strange to me that no cover system was introduced this time around. As such, the game plays very similarly to Battlefield 2 with its perfectly acceptable controls and large levels that are a staple of the series. New this time around, however, is an actual single player story campaign from which we get the mandatory subtitle. It turns out your character has just been assigned to the Army's band of misfit soldiers: AKA the Bad Company. And once you've fought alongside them and had to suffer through their streams of one-liners, you'll understand the double meaning. I also have "Feel Like Makin' Love" stuck in my head now, thanks EA. - ship
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering Battlefield: Bad Company for $53.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $58.95 (Free shipping) Purchase At Fry's $52.99 Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $58.95 (Free shipping) Purchase At Fry's $52.99 Purchase At Play-Asia $49.90 ($3.40 shipping - Region-Free Asian Version) Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $68.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $68.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Play-Asia $59.90 ($5.90 shipping - Region-Free Asian Version)Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Dev. Neversoft Pub. Activision Systems: PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $49.99-$149.99
This new edition of Guitar Hero was selling out at midnight at our local Meijer, so it's clearly a game to be talked about. You can buy the title game-only or bundled with an Aerosmith guitar. The gameplay remains the same as Guitar Hero III and features (DUH) the music of Aerosmith, the Kinks, Cheap Trick, and a few more opening-band songs. There are many, many sources for the full playlist, but notedly there are a few greats missing, notedly Janie's Got A Gun. No doubt there will be downloadable content. I personally can't wait to play Dream On and Sweet Emotion. Something tells me I'd better learn how to hammer on first. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There are all kinds of different bundles for Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, but the best deal is probably at Best Buy where you get a free Aerosmith CD and $10 off Microsoft Points.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $53.99 ($1.99 shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $59.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD & $10 off 1600 Microsoft Points) Purchase At Circuit City $59.99 (Free guitar strap) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $44.99 ($1.99 shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $49.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD) Purchase At Circuit City $49.99 (Free guitar strap) Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $53.99 ($1.99 shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $59.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD) Purchase At Circuit City $59.99 (Free guitar strap) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $44.99 ($1.99 shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $49.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD) Purchase At Circuit City $49.99 (Free guitar strap) Purchase At Amazon $99.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $93.74 ($1.99 shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $99.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD & $10 off 1600 Microsoft Points) Purchase At Circuit City $99.99 (Free guitar strap) Purchase At Amazon $89.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $84.12 ($1.99 shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $89.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD) Purchase At Circuit City $89.99 (Free guitar strap) Purchase At Amazon $109.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $102.75 ($1.99 shipping) Purchase At Amazon $109.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Circuit City $109.99 (Free guitar strap) Purchase At Amazon $99.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $93.74 ($1.99 shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $99.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD) Purchase At Circuit City $99.99 (Free guitar strap) Purchase At Amazon $99.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $93.74 ($1.99 shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $99.99 (Free Aerosmith Greatest Hits CD) Purchase At Circuit City $99.99 (Free guitar strap) Purchase At Target $149.99 (Target exclusive)Hail to the Chimp (Last Week) Dev. Wideload Games Pub. Gamecock Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $39.99
Oh, this title seems a little bizarre to me. It's a politics-themed party title with different animals competing to be elected as the next King of the Jungle (the Lion resigned recently - the details are fuzzy but there's scandal involved). The mini-games are all election-themed, and not all the gameplay is on the up-and-up. The replay value is pretty good, since depending on the particular mini-game and the characters participating in the event, the strategy changed. Overall, it looks intriguing. I'd wait for the price to drop a bit before giving it a try though. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Hail to the Chimp.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)Hellboy: The Science of Evil (Last Week) Dev. Krome Studios Pub. Konami Systems: PSP, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99, $59.99
Conveniently releasing just weeks before the upcoming Hellboy movie sequel and featuring the voice acting of Ron Perlman and the rest of the film's cast, The Science of Evil is not technically a movie-tie-in, but rather a completely separate story. And this story centers around you hitting all manner of demons with your oversized right hand of stone and shooting them with your equally oversized firearm in the hopes of saving the world from
Best Deal:
Hellboy: The Science of Evil comes with a free movie ticket packaged in the game. Meijer is offering the Xbox 360 version of the game for $29.99.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping, movie ticket, and digital comic) Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Meijer $29.99 Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping, movie ticket, and digital comic) Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping, movie ticket, and digital comic) Purchase At Family Video $28.24 (99 cent shipping)Top Spin 3 (Last Week) Dev. PAM Development Pub. 2K Sports Systems: DS, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99-$59.99
The on-going volley between Virtua Tennis and Top Spin continues with Top Spin 3 returning with a more realistic take on the royal game. Yes, that immediately means more difficult, but any tennis game worth it's fuzzy balls has a bit of a learning curve. Perhaps the most apparent improvement is in the animation department where players have uncannily realistic weight and fluidity when approaching, hitting, and following through shots. It's pretty impressive, especially when you can instantly recognize the swings of Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, and legends like Boris Becker and Monica Seles. (Yes, it's hard to believe that I would know what those players look like when they swing, but when you see the game in motion, some bizarre recessed portion of your mind that stores Andy Roddick minutia will instantly tell you it looks right.) In an interesting exclusivity move, Rafael Nadal is only available in the PlayStation 3 version of the game, but maybe you can make a mohawked version of him with the built-in create-a-character in the other versions. (Why must they always show off custom characters with mohawks?) And of course there is online play for up to four players. Unless you get the Wii version, then you get no online play and an updated version of Top Spin 2 with motion controls and party games. The ball's back in your court now Virtua Tennis... don't try to hit it back to quickly or you'll just dive and make yourself look like a fool. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Top Spin 3.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $48.06 (99 cent shipping)Wall-E (Last Week) Dev. Heavy Iron Studios Pub. THQ Systems: PC, DS, PSP, PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $19.99-$49.99
Have I mentioned how much I love previewing games that are being released for every system possible, including the PC AND the Mac? Wall-E is the hero robot in the new Disney/Pixar film, so this title is (of course) and action-adventure/platformer. It's got all the necessary components: adorable characters with endearing character flaws, well-known Hollywood actors doing voice-overs, and the token collectable items with in each linear level. Maybe I'm just a bit jaded this week. The nice thing is that the 360/PS3 versions of the game were developed first and then downscaled to the other consoles/outlets. So, you're not paying for a PS2 port, which goes in the plus column. It also uses the Havoc engine, which means the physics should be good. Overall, it seems that for what it is (a game-based on a summer kids movie), the good Pixar animation and the decent game development mean that this game is actually a solid title. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
Best Buy is offering a free movie ticket with your purchase of Wall-E.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $48.07 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $49.99 (Free movie ticket) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $27.94 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $29.99 (Free movie ticket) Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $39.99 (Free movie ticket) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $48.07 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $49.99 (Free movie ticket) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $27.94 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $29.99 (Free movie ticket) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $48.01 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Best Buy $49.99 (Free movie ticket)Wii
Big Beach Sports (Last Week) Dev. HB Studios Pub. THQ Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
There's a gameplay video for this title out on the Wii channel. Ship and I checked it out, and it looks like Mii-ish characters playing bocci, soccer, football, volleyball, frisbee golf, and cricket. The gameplay looks similar to Wii sports, and seems like a good idea for someone who plays a lot of local multiplayer. There isn't going to be anything particular mind-blowing about this title, which makes the $30 price tag pretty accurate. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
Circuit City is offering Big Beach Sports for $27.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $27.94 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Circuit City $26.99 Cocoto Kart Racer (Last Week) Dev. Neko Entertainment Pub. Conspiracy Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
It's kart racing featuring our favorite budget devil character. There's been a cauldron theft, and the racing somehow their only chance of recovering it comes from racing various oppenents. Overall, these games are what you'd expect from a budget title, but a mediocre budget Wii racing title might appeal to some gamers. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Cocoto Kart Racer.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)Myth Makers: Trixie in Toyland (Last Week) Dev. Data Design Pub. Conspiracy Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
The first thing that pops into my mind is who the hell is Trixie and why is she in Toyland? Those seem like the first details I'll need for the preview. Based on the cover art, she's a giant cross-eyed girl with a rattle or lollipop of some sort. These titles are budget, and usually PS2 games ported to the other systems. It's a platformer, so you can expect orbs to collect and some candy-themed interactive objects. Historically, the Myth Makers games get reviews in the 2-3/10 range, so wait for this one to hit the bargain bin if it really piques your interest. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Myth Makers: Trixie in Toyland.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)Purr Pals Dev. Crave Entertainment Pub. Crave Entertainment Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
(Deja Preview) Yet another pet simulator for the
The Wii version allows you to drive your virtual feline neurotic by using the Wiimote as a laser pointer in addition to fishing string and other cat toys. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Purr Pals.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping)Rock Band (Last Week) Dev. Harmonix Pub. MTV Games Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99, $169.99
Wii owners now get the chance to clutter up their living rooms with peripherals that will be obsolete when the next crop of music games come out. And since you're cool cat and have no need for storage, don't worry about having to download additional tracks as you'll be able to expand your setlist by buying additional song packs on retail discs. One other important thing to note: the Wii's Guitar Hero III controller does not work with Rock Band. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Rock Band.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $48.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Amazon $169.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At EB Games $169.99 Purchase At Deep Discount $168.99 (Free shipping)DS
1 vs. 100 Dev. ECI Pub. Destination Software Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Even though this game show might be cancelled (there's no formal word on it's fate), you can still play until your heart's content with the new DS version of 1 vs. 100. Based on multiple choice trivia questions, the goal is to eliminate the "100" by answering questions correctly. Although the game version features host Bob Saget on the cover, the show reportedly is searching for a new host. If trivia is your gaming forte, then you should pick this one up for $20. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for 1 vs. 100.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)American Girl: Kit Mystery Challenge (Last Week) Dev. THQ Pub. THQ Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
This point-and-click adventure title features Kit, an American Girl living in Cincinnati during the Great Depression. Kit's goal is to write an article for the Cincinnati Register, and but she needs to solve the case in order to get a good story! This title is geared towards the tween girl, as is the popular book series it's based upon. As found with any tween girl title, there are random side quests to earn money and different outfits for Kit to wear. Check and check. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for American Girl: Kit Mystery Challenge.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $27.94 (99 cent shipping)AMF Bowling Pinbusters! Dev. Vir2L Studios Pub. ZeniMax Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
(Deja Preview) Sure, the Wii comes bundled with a bowling game already, but that’s not going to stop yet another bowling game from releasing. So, oil up your balls and get ready to experience zany characters like drill sergeants and cowgirls and the always exciting, rave-tastic cosmic bowling. And rounding out the list of features are, of course, some mini games. – ship
The DS version adds global WiFi play and a point and click control scheme. Zany characters and locales are intact. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for AMF Bowling Pinbusters!
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25) Purchase At Deep Discount $18.99 (Free shipping)Cake Mania 2 (Last Week) Dev. Digital Embryo Pub. Majesco Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Cake Mania 2 is a Diner Dash-type strategy game where the goal is to maximize profit via cake-baking. My first instinct with this title was to smirk and roll my eyes, but after spending about 30 minutes on playing the demo over and over and over, I can see how these titles are addictive. Almost as addictive as cake itself! - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Cake Mania 2.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)Ducati Moto Dev. Vir2L Studios Pub. ZeniMax Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
“Hypermotard”: a potentially offensive insult or just a brand name motorcycle? If you can answer that with any sort of certainty, maybe Ducati Moto will get your engine running. Featuring eleven different crotch rockets manufactured by Ducati, this arcade racer allows you to upgrade your bike across fifty different challenges that span locations like Morocco, Italy, and Hong Kong. And with the built in Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, maybe you’ll race against actual people from those locales as you strive to be king of the Hypermotards! - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Ducati Moto.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25) Purchase At Deep Discount $18.99 (Free shipping)Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (Last Week) Dev. Square Enix Pub. Square Enix Systems: DS MSRP: $39.99
Fans of the series will be pretty familiar with this formula by now, but if you care to invest massive amounts of time building your clan of warriors from over fifty different job types, this is going to keep you happily tapping and watching as the methodical turn-based battles unfold. The graphics have of course been improved and they are certainly vibrant and colorful in the classic Final Fantasy style. The two screens split up the clutter of information somewhat as the bottom screen contains the grid based map and battle actions while the top screen simply keeps you up to date on which character currently has the floor and the order in which the remaining characters will get their turn. So if you're looking for a slightly updated version of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, with over 400 different quests and 100+ hours of gameplay, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is ready to fill that full-time position in your DS slot. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Final Fantasy Tactics A2.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping)Gourmet Chef Dev. Ubisoft Pub. Ubisoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
All those people out there cooking for sustenance need to expand their horizons and cook for fame! Or so Ubisoft would like us to think with their newest DS release. This simulation title has different missions involving french cooking, food critics, and picky customers. Plus, you learn new recipes as you play and can even create your own. Clearly this is a title geared for the casual gamer. If only they'd gotten the Emeril license, it'd be worth the $29.99. Too bad. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
Circuit City is offering Gourmet Chef as part of a 2 for $40 on select DS games deal.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $28.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Circuit City $19.99 (Buy 2 select DS games for $40)Guitar Hero: On Tour (Last Week) Dev. Vicarious Visions Pub. Activision Systems: DS MSRP: $49.99
Obviously, this is a rhythm-based game using the Nintendo DS based on the well-known and hugely popular Guitar Hero franchise. Those facts are fairly indisputable. What you might not know is that the game is played holding the DS vertically, and comes with a guitar grip that fits into the GBA slot on the DS. The gameplay is pretty much what you'd expect: a single-player career mode similar to the console version of the game. You strum via the DS touch screen and stylus and whammy using a squiggly motion with the stylus. The song choices are a bit more main-stream that what is included with the console version, and there are only about 25 songs due to the limited space the cartridge format. There is also wireless multi-player. Overall, the game is getting solid reviews as a legit member of the Guitar Hero franchise. The main negative is that the guitar fret add-on can come loose during gameplay, requiring a restart. Other than that, it's a solid game that fits the bill as "Guitar Hero Lite". Most gamers with still prefer the console versions but will appreciate the portable version when they're on the go. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Guitar Hero: On Tour.
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $48.07 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At EB Games $179.99 Journey to the Center of the Earth Dev. THQ Pub. THQ Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Take control of Brendan Fraser as he skillfully Brendan Fraser’s the classic Jules Verne sci-fi novel in this movie tie-in game that is exclusive to the DS. Through simple stylus movements, you can help Brendan Fraser float down a perilous river, swing across perilous ropes, and escape from perilous dinosaurs. In addition to playing as Brendan Fraser, you also get to play as the kid who is not Brendan Fraser or the love interest that is also not Brendan Fraser. Although if all the characters were Brendan Fraser, that might make this more interesting… but probably equally as terrible. Put your $30 to better use and just pick up some back-up copies for those Encino Man and Monkeybone DVDs that have been in heavy rotation on your home theatre. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)Mazes of Fate (Last Week) Dev. Sabarasa Pub. Graffiti Entertainment Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Another of Graffiti Entertainment's late generation Game Boy Advance titles gets the DS treatment this week as first-person RPG "Mazes of Fate" gets a second chance to navigate to retail success. Featuring three different playable characters (Warrior, Rogue, and Mage), the game plays out a lot like the old Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder games with real-time battles and plenty of dungeons to explore... and possibly dragons of some sort. As to be expected, the visuals of a 3D GBA game ported up to the DS are a bit of a lost cause, but the old-timey, menu based combat could be a worthwhile exploration for fans of RPGs of yore. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Mazes of Fate.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)Mega Man Star Force 2: Zerker X Ninja (Last Week) Dev. Capcom Pub. Capcom Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Mega Man Star Force 2: Zerker X Saurian (Last Week) Dev. Capcom Pub. Capcom Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Somebody is supporting all these non-shooting, non-jumping, non-boss-power-stealing bastardizations of Mega Man, so if you are one of the masses that prefers your Mega Man to do battle in virtual land with collectible cards, well Capcom has come up with with two new flavors of sequels for the Star Force universe. That nonsense after the colon refers to the different types of Mega Man power ups available in each version. Zerker Mega Man is available in both and bestows the power of thunder. Then you have to make your choice. You can either go for the fire based dinosaur or the Ninja with the power of wood. That's right, Wood Ninja Mega Man. Not content to stop at that level of ridiculousness, by combining the three different "Tribes", you can morph the abilites together to end up with things like Dinosaur Mega Man with the powers of wood... who battles with cards. I gotta be honest, at this point I'm rooting for Dr. Wily. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Mega Man Star Force 2.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $27.64 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $27.64 (99 cent shipping)Midnight Play Pack (Last Week) Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Well isn't that just a non-descript title for a game? Sometimes it's listed as Midnight Play! Pack, which I guess is a bit better. What's not good is the product description: "Immerse yourself in lively and bold nightlife environments to play your favorite activities. Meet colorful characters that will make each game a unique electric experience! A real Midnight experience, coming soon on your Nintendo DS!" Now is it just me, or does this game not sound E-rated? The bullet points get even better, and it's not until the third bullet point that they actually tell you about the game play:
• This is not another dull, ordinary game compilation! Well at least they cleared that up!
• Late-night settings with colorful characters take these familiar solo games to a whole new level. Does "late-night settings" mean naked women?
• Choose your game from pool, bowling, poker, solitaire, or Block Breaker.
• Experience beautiful 3D graphics and intuitive controls for immediate gaming pleasure. I can't be the only one who thinks this line is hysterical, can I?
I think this game is originally a mobile phone game, and for all I know it could be the best thing since sliced bread. However, I can't pass up the chance to not have to write something original when a game comes with descriptions as entertaining as these! - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Midnight Play Pack.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)My Weight Loss Coach (Last Week) Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $39.99
The fitness train is charging full steam ahead, as evidenced by this new get-in-shape title for the Nintendo DS. The game comes with a pedometer that you carry around and then plug into your DS via the GBA slot and the game uploads your activity for the day. That's pretty cool to me, although the pedometer is fairly large and wouldn't fit into any pockets I own. Each day the user is given different nutritional and physical tasks to complete in order to switch to a more healthy lifestyle. Essentially, it's a piece of nutritional software similar to what I'd want in a widget for my Mac. For $40 it seems pricey, but if putting the cartridge into my DS will somehow convince me I don't want Penn Station for dinner tonight, then I guess it's worth it to my waistline. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for My Weight Loss Coach.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)Shining Stars: Super Starcade (Last Week) Dev. Pub. Destination Software Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
I learn new things every week doing CAG Foreplay. This week I learned that there is a competitor to WebKinz in the stuffed animals as gateway drugs to online playgrounds industry. These are of course "Shining Stars" which are not only plush animals with a website, but plush animals with a website that allows you to name an actual star through the International Star Registry. Now the game based upon this license has you creating a theme park or "Super Starcade" by accumulating "glow points". You can achieve "glow points" by playing mini-games of which seven out of the fifteen can be played with any friend that visits your park through a Wi-Fi connection. And, ask any little girl, you can never have enough "glow points" or
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Shining Stars: Super Starcade.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25)Soul Bubbles Dev. Mekensleep Pub. Eidos Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
This new puzzle title involves creating bubbles around animal souls and guiding the bubbles through mazes to the afterlife. Sounds simple, but of course there are plenty of obstacles standing in your way. The bubbles can be split, combined, deflated, bounced, and of course, popped. The game has gotten great reviews for it's originality, great design, and nice graphics. There are special collectables within the levels, and is rumored to be highly addictive. This title is right up Ship's alley, so we'll no doubt be bringing this one home. - mrs. ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Soul Bubbles.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping)Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 Dev. Atlus Pub. Atlus Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
If you like Trauma Center, this is certainly more of it. Picking up 3 years after the original game, Under the Knife 2 puts you back into the shoes of surgeon extraordinaire Derek Stiles, but changes the venue from a bustling metropolis to a post-guerilla war Africa. And that’s about all that has changed. Other than offering a much appreciated “Easy” difficulty setting, the game offers no new instruments or procedures to accompany the new storyline. So think of this game as more of a yearly check-up for the series rather than a breakthrough in biomedical research. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2.
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $27.64 ($1.99 shipping)PlayStation 3
Overlord: Raising Hell (Last Week) Dev. Triumph Studios Pub. Codemasters Systems: PS3 MSRP: $59.99
(Deja Preview) Another game featuring minions this week (we need more of these), Overlord takes a humorous approach to just what goes into being an evil mastermind. Set in a medieval fantasy setting, command your underlings to do your bidding as you rise in power. Similar in humor to Bard's Tale with strategy elements a-la Pikmin, this game looks pretty entertaining. - ship
After playing a significant amount of the Xbox 360 version, I can definitely say that it is pretty entertaining. This PlayStation 3 addition adds all of the downloadable content that was put out later for the 360 and incorporates a mini-map that will prove to be invaluable as I constantly got lost in this game. This looks to be the definitive version of the game with small improvements to AI and the camera, but with the Xbox 360 version currently retailing for $20, the PlayStation 3 version for $60 seems a bit evil. - ship
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering Overlord: Raising Hell for $55.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Fry's $54.99 PSP
Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress (Last Week) Dev. CyberConnect2 Pub. Namco Bandai Systems: PSP MSRP: $39.99
Oh no, headband donning Narutites, there is a floating fortress over Leaf Village and it rests upon you to win overly drawn-out battles with a team comprised of Naruto… and three other characters that you probably could name from the series. Essentially the same game as the first, this version includes over twenty playable characters and a second story mode that opens up once you have defeated
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress for $35.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Deep Discount $38.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Fry's $34.99 360
Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath (Last Week) Dev. EA Los Angeles Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: 360 MSRP: $39.99
(Deja Preview) Expanding on the popular real-time strategy game, Kane's Wrath introduces a global conquest mode, an additional Brotherhood of Nod campaign, new sub-faction units, and thirty new multi-player maps. Seems like that should keep fans of the series content for awhile. - ship
Fortunately, this Xbox 360 version does not require Tiberium Wars and it even improves upon the controls of the original, so if you are looking for some C&C on the console, $40 seems like a nice introductory price. - ship
Best Deal:
EB/GameStop is offering a free Kane bobblehead with the purchase of Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At EB Games $39.99 (Free Kane Bobblehead) Purchase At Deep Discount $38.95 (Free shipping)Gears of War Refresh (Last Week) Dev. Epic Games Pub. Microsoft Systems: 360 MSRP: $39.99
It's Gears of War. Now in thirst quenching two disc form. The second disk includes both Gears of War map packs and Themes and Gamer Pics for both the original game and for the upcoming Gears of War 2. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Gears of War Refresh.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping)Operation Darkness (Last Week) Dev. Success Pub. Atlus Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
First of all, the scores this game is receiving from the big review sites are completely ridiculous. If you haven't noticed, let's just say the Metacritic score is abysmal. Now I've played a lot of bad games in my time, so I feel like I have a fairly good feel for what is absolutely terrible... and this game is not absolutely terrible. That's not to say it's a masterpiece either, but if you have interest in a methodical turn-based strategy game featuring Nazi's, werewolves, and vampires, you should at least give the demo a shot. Sure the graphics are dated, the camera is finnicky, and the cutscenes are pure cheese, but the core gameplay of strategically moving several different classes of characters around a grid is satisfying and has a good amount of depth. Well, maybe we're not wolfman's nards deep in quality here, so the $60 price tag may be a bit much, but I'll be keeping a keen eye out for a price drop on this one. And for all the reviewers that hacked this game to pieces, I'm coming for you... just as soon as I get this camera facing in your general direction and if you could just wait where you are until another half hour and three or four more turns go by... I'll definitely be there. - ship
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for Operation Darkness.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $57.68 (99 cent shipping)Supreme Commander (Last Week) Dev. Gas Powered Games Pub. Aspyr Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
Did somebody order another strategy game for the Xbox 360 this week? Like Command & Conquer, but set in an even more futuristic environment... and more likely to contain sour cream. This popular PC real-time strategy game uses a pretty unique macro to micro view of the battlefield and was supposed to have a fairly high learning curve even with a mouse and keyboard. Now you get to see if you can master all the commands with an Xbox 360 controller. Enjoy, but lactose intolerant beware. - ship
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering Supreme Commander for $55.
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Fry's $54.99 PC
American McGee's Grimm Dev. Spicy Horse Pub. GameTap Systems: PC MSRP: N/A
From the guy that brought us Alice and (ugh) Bad Day in LA, Grimm is an episodic weekly release that takes you into various classic fairy tales and mucks them up. This adventure game takes you into the role of Grimm as he journeys into the Disney-fied versions of tales such as Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. As the tale progresses, you are given the opportunity to tweak how macabre you want it to be - based on the original stories before Disney and ilk made everything into sunshine and lollipops. Each episode is supposed to last roughly 30 minutes with 24 episodes in a season. As such, it's perfectly fitting for this title to be a GameTap release. - Treehouse Gamer
Best Deal:
This game is included with a GameTap subscription.
SimCity Societies Destinations (Last Week) Dev. Tilted Mill Entertainment Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PC MSRP: $29.95
This is an expansion for SimCity Societies. The idea is that you are put in charge of a resort city where you have to keep both tourists and normal denizens happy. This should add a little of the much-desired micromanagement for which Sim City is known. Societies fans should be the only ones clamoring for this title. There just doesn't seem to be enough additions to warrant you running out and purchase this and Societies if you haven't played it before. - Treehouse Gamer
Best Deal:
There don't seem to be any specific deals for SimCity Societies Destinations as it appears to be only available as a digital download through EA's site.
Purchase From EA's Site $29.95The SimCity Box (Last Week) Dev. Maxis Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PC MSRP: $39.99
If Societies and its Destinations expansion sound good, this is a great package. At only $10 more than the Societies expansion, you get the original title as well as its expansion, SimCity 4 and the Rush Hour expansion and The Sims Carnival SnapCity. This really is a great deal for those wishing to be introduced or re-introduced to the SimCity franchise. SnapCity is a puzzle game twist on the city-building sim that may be a fun little diversion. Is it SimCity's answer to Portal? My sources say no, but this is a great deal nonetheless. - Treehouse Gamer
Best Deal:
Fry's is offering The SimCity Box for $35.
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free shipping) Purchase At Family Video $38.46 (99 cent shipping) Purchase At Fry's $34.99 The Sims 2: IKEA Home Stuff (Last Week) Dev. Maxis Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PC MSRP: $19.99
For the uninitiated, the Sims 2 "Stuff" SKU's are purely item expansions. Much like the H&M Stuff, this is a package sponsored by IKEA featuring new furniture items. Without any gameplay additions, you are literally paying for an in-game advertisement. No, thanks. That is not the Cheap Ass (tm) way. - Treehouse Gamer
Best Deal:
Best Buy is offering The Sims 2: IKEA Home Stuff for $15.
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free shipping on orders over $25) Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free exclusive in-game NOMINELL chair) Purchase At Best Buy $14.99 On The DL with the Shipwrecks
Gyrostarr (Last Week) Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $7
A Tempest style tube-shooter that allows for four player co-op without the eye-tearing visuals of Space Giraffe. Some people like it, some people say it's boring. I even saw a "Yaris" comparison thrown about over on WiiWare-World.com. Yikes! - ship
Magnetica Twist Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $10
This new WiiWare title is really similar to Zuma, the game in which you shoot little colored balls at other little colored balls to make them all disappear. The differences include that in Magnetica Twist a lob shot can be used to skip over colored balls in the way, and there's a decent multiplayer. I am slightly tired of the Mii-inspired graphics in all these new games; it seems as if using bright colored Miis substitutes for making the game graphics interesting. Other than that, Zuma, I mean Megnetica Twist, has a entertaining gameplay and should be a decent buy for $10. - mrs. ship
Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Last Week) Systems: Wii Virtual Console (Master System) MSRP: $5
One of the original Sega platformers arrives on the Wii this week. Alex Kidd chronicles the adventures of a Monchichi-looking boy as he punches and rock-paper-scissors his way into your heart. - ship
Burning Fight (Last Week) Systems: Wii Virtual Console (NEOGEO) MSRP: $9
It's like Final Fight, but with less definitiveness and more combusting. Play as the requisitely named tough guys Billy, Ryu, and Duke as you punch, kick, and lead pipe your way down memory lane. And yes, this game is a part of the SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 collection that is a much better value. - ship
Fatal Fury 2 Systems: Wii Virtual Console MSRP: $9
Sure, it’s a pretty good 2D fighter, but for around the same price you can get Fatal Fury Battle Archives Vol. 1 on the PS2 which includes three other Fatal Fury games. - ship
Happy Tree Friends: False Alarm (Last Week) Systems: XBLA MSRP: $10
The "real-world" Itchy and Scratchy gets another video game in this new Puzzle-Action title coming to XBLA. Featuring Flippy, Lumpy, and Handy, this title has a great animation style with lots of colors, cartoonish detail, and blood, guts, and gore. The gameplay revolves around getting our three friends through each level alive - not a simple task for our accident-prone woodland creatures. It's a Lemmings clone, but one that is worth it's $10 price tag. Of course, we should all play the demo first just in case it's total crap. - mrs. ship
SoulCalibur Systems: XBLA MSRP: $10
It’s SoulCalibur, without all the crazy Darth Vader, Spawn, and Link cameos. This version features higher resolution graphics, lots of modes and leaderboards, and ridiculous boobage... unlikely the hugedonkcular boobage you find later in the series. Makes me want to plug in the Dreamcast... - ship
Ticket to Ride (Last Week) Systems: XBLA MSRP: $10
Another excellent board game gets the Live Arcade treatment this week and after a quick trial run, we were all aboard. A bit like a simplified version of our household favorite Carcassone, each character is trying to claim pieces of a map as their own. Instead of building medieval strongholds though, this game has a railroad theme where you must complete tracks between various North American cities by playing color-coded cards. It's a nice casual strategy game... and if the mood strikes you, you can really screw over the other person by blocking essential paths they are trying to complete. The game supports up to four people on Live and is equally fun to play with those you share a couch with as the ever important local multiplayer is included. - 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.
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