[preview][img-l=1]2[/img-l]CAG's shipwreck & mrs. shipwreck preview the new releases for the week of November 20th, 2008. After a month hiatus featuring the sad demise of my hard drive, we're back and, wouldn't you know it, there are ten craptons of games to go over.
Don't forget to enter our contest for a code for the God of War themed Little Big Planet goodies courtesy of CAG jondy1703.
Special thanks to GoDaddy.com for providing CAG Foreplay listeners with a code for domain names for only $7.49 a year. Just enter code "GAMER1" when you check out to get your savings.
[podcast]37[/podcast]
Download - 75 minutes, 34MB
[/preview]
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Multi-Platform
[IMG-L=4848]3363[/IMG-L]Disney's Bolt Dev. Avalanche Software Pub. Disney Interactive Systems: DS, PC, PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99, $49.99
Play as a superhero dog and his human girl in this brawling platformer that's not as good as Kung Fu Panda... even though a hamster in a ball is inherently humorous. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $24.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
Purchase At Amazon $24.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
Purchase At Amazon $24.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3374[/IMG-L]Karaoke Revolution presents American Idol Encore 2 Bundle Dev. Blitz Games Pub. Konami Systems: Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $49.99
Features 40 songs including "Hey There Delilah", "Losing My Religion", "Pinball Wizard", "Rocket Man", and "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough". - ship
Purchase At Amazon $44.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $44.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $44.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3375[/IMG-L]Left 4 Dead Dev. Turtle Rock Studios Pub. Valve Software Systems: PC, 360 MSRP: $49.99, $59.99
Shooting zombies is fun. Playing co-op is fun. Add them together and you get four times the fun. (Trust me, I took a lot of calculus in college.) In Valve's latest use of the Source Engine, four players must work together to survive against an outbreak of zombies (the quick kind, not the shuffling variety) and reach safe points throughout the city. The game plays out a bit like "Terrorist Hunt" mode in the Rainbow Six games, but with much smarter enemies that find you in intense situation after intense situation. It really gets the zombie attack atmosphere down right and players must constantly work together to stay alive... plus you get rewarded for helping out your friends so it makes even selfish bastards seem like thoughtful teammates. Although the game is meant for co-op play, you can play it on your own with three computer controlled allies, but I don't think I'm alone in being skeptical on how that will play out... I'm picturing a lot of yelling at the TV. In addition to the main co-op mode, there is also online versus multiplayer where one team plays as the humans and the other as the living dead. All-in-all, it's another infectiously enjoyable first-person experience from Valve. I just have to wonder if asking $60 for this is a bit... ooooh, zombies! Shoot'em, shoot'em, shoot'em! - ship
Purchase At Amazon $53.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $44.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3381[/IMG-L]Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe Dev. Midway Pub. Midway Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $59.99, $69.99
Sure, it took Midway and DC over twelve years to team up and issue a response to the Marvel vs. Capcom series, but it's finally here and for Mortal Kombat fans, it is a return to form. Although the game has been toned down slightly to recieve a "Teen" rating, the fighting is still really brutal and features a few different mechanics built around interacting with the multiple levels and rooms within the arenas. The game plays fast and fluid, is immediately accessible, and, well, it's just really fun to spear the Green Lantern and drag him into a Scorpion uppercut. There are plenty more memorable moves and matchups with twenty-two playable characters (eleven from each IP), a separate storyline for each universe, and online multiplayer. Beyond that, however, there's apparently not much else. I guess I can live without a Krypt full of unlockables since the actual fighting is much improved over the previous generation Mortal Kombat games, but hopefully they'll add all the goodies back in for the inevitable sequel. In the meantime, I'm just waiting for my uncensored European version to "Get over here!". - ship
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Purchase At Amazon $58.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3383[/IMG-L]NCAA Basketball 09 Dev. EA Canada Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PS2, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99, $59.99
This year's collegiate game includes a new tempo gauge that lets you set the pace you want your players to slide around the floor. Somebody seriously needs to dust that floor. Maybe we can get a downloadable floor mop. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3384[/IMG-L]Need for Speed: Undercover Dev. EA Black Box Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: Everything MSRP: $29.99-$59.99
This game will sell millions and involves racing cars. Somehow a lot of CAGs will end up owning it despite not really looking forward to it. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $36.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3385[/IMG-L]NPPL Championship Paintball 2009 Dev. Pub. Activision Systems: PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99-$49.99
Virtual shoot people with non-lethal force at a "Budget Price". - ship
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3389[/IMG-L]Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Dev. UbiSoft Paris Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS, Wii MSRP: $29.99, $49.99
More of the same zany mini-game fun and now there's Wii Balance Board support. I'll admit it, I had fun playing this game at E3, but I am still upset at the Frag Dog who was throwing snowballs at me while I was trying to steer a wildebeest with my butt. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $46.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3391[/IMG-L]Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2 Dev. Harmonix Pub. MTV Games Systems: PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99
For the DLC-challenged. Features 20 songs including "El Scorcho", "Call Me", "Girl U Want", "Message in a Bottle", and the Circuit City theme song. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3393[/IMG-L]Shaun White Snowboarding Dev. UbiSoft Montreal Pub. UbiSoft Systems: Everything MSRP: $29.99-$59.99
Apparently this is a more realistic take on snowboarding. Some of you might remember when you couldn't go into a store without tripping over snowboarding games. Some of you simply remember how bad that snowboarding story was that Cammie Dunaway told at Nintendo's E3 Press Conference. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3395[/IMG-L]Skate It Dev. EA Montreal Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: DS, Wii MSRP: $29.99, $49.99
EA's successful skating franchise heads to the Wii with Balance Board support. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $46.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3397[/IMG-L]Sonic Unleashed Dev. Sonic Team Pub. SEGA Systems: PS2, Wii, 360 MSRP: $39.99, $49.99
Is this the Sonic game we’ve been waiting for? Maybe. The game is in effect two-in-one, with each level being playable during the daytime and at nighttime. The difference? Playing during the day offers a “normal” Sonic on-the-rails 3D level focused on speed and grabbing rings. Playing at night however, changes Sonic into a Werehog that isn’t so much about the speed as he is about smashing up stuff. The game at night turns into a platformer/button-masher and isn’t getting great comments for it’s game play. The two different “levels” within each area offer twice the game play, so that’s a good thing. But to be honest, I’m not a fan of Sonic on rails, and with the nighttime Sonic not really impressing the reviewers, I’m not sure this game is for me. Maybe it’s what you’ve been waiting for. But I doubt it. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3400[/IMG-L]Tomb Raider Underworld Dev. Crystal Dynamics Pub. Eidos Systems: Everything MSRP: $29.99-$59.99
Crystal Dynamics continues to make Tomb Raider viable with their third go at the series. Being a big fan of the last two games (Legend and Anniversary), I'm expecting another solid foray into spelunking. The game is on a whole new engine, and based upon what I played of the demo, this seems to an even further refining on Lara's mechanics and abilities. She now has a little Assassin Creed style climbing ability where she simply moves to the next available grapple point with the push of the analog stick. In addition, she's also able to shoot while climbing and there's a variety of other upgrades that just make her movements seem more agile and less sterile. And, in a move I'm hoping is a trend among all games, quick-time events have been replaced with actual movements that you, the user, can actually control! Novel, I know, and it's one of the many reasons I'm looking forward to exploring this one soon. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $56.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $56.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $36.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3402[/IMG-L]Ultimate Band Dev. Fall Line Studio Pub. Disney Interactive Systems: DS, Wii MSRP: $29.99, $49.99
Features over 30 songs including "Fell in Love with a Girl", "Beverly Hills", "Steady as She Goes", and the Circuit City theme song. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
Wii
[IMG-L=4848]3350[/IMG-L]Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun Dev. AWE Games Pub. Dreamcatcher Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
Point and clicky, solve a mystery. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3352[/IMG-L]AMF Bowling World Lanes Dev. Pub. Bethesda Softworks Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
Bowl in exotic locales. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3354[/IMG-L]Animal Crossing: City Folk Dev. Nintendo Pub. Nintendo Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
While I originally was excited about this new Animal Crossing title, the reviews that it’s been getting have made me question whether spending $50 on this title is worth it. Calling the title a sequel would be lying, yet it’s not quite a direct port of the DS version of animal crossing. It’s some weird hybrid of the two, with the game play being almost a direct copy of the DS version. The fishing, planting, buying and selling of goods are the same, and the online play is pretty much what you’d expect. There is a new concept with the online play in that items you bring with you on your travels outside your town have the potential to be spread through your friends’ friends and so on. Woo hoo, start the party. So the only really “new” aspect of the game is the “city” mentioned in the title: a nearby city-center with a special boutique, a fortuneteller, and Redd: all the aspects of the DS title that were scheduled visits to your town. It seems to me that Nintendo turned in a half-assed game, knowing it would sell during the up coming holiday season when they had a golden opportunity to create something new and exciting. If this title is any indication of the future, I predict the Animal Crossing series going the way of Harvest Moon. That is, release the same game over and over until the only people who buy it are the hard-core fans who just can’t help themselves. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3358[/IMG-L]Castlevania: Judgment Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
I find this game guilty of being a watered down Soul Calibur with an affinity for the of flailing arms. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3359[/IMG-L]Championship Foosball Dev. Pub. 505 Games Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
No parlor game is safe from the charms of the Wii. This game makes my wrists hurt just from thinking about the potential of all that virtual spinning action. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3361[/IMG-L]Cooking Mama: World Kitchen Dev. Cooking Mama Ltd. Pub. Majesco Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
A much improved version of Mama where motions are recognized better and there are even mini-games built right into the mini-games. Kind of like sausages wrapped in bacon. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3366[/IMG-L]Gallop & Ride! Dev. Pub. THQ Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
A much better value than the unsuccessful Gallop or Ride! - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3378[/IMG-L]Merv Griffin's Crosswords Dev. Pub. THQ Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
The late, great maker of game shows has a game about his late, great game show. Actually, I don't know if I ever watched this particular show. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3380[/IMG-L]Monkey Mischief: Party Time Dev. Pub. Activision Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
In one of the twenty mini-games you get to throw toilet paper at zoo patrons. That seems like the direct opposite of what monkeys throw. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3387[/IMG-L]Petz Crazy Monkeyz Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
Woah, more monkeys. These may have some sort of mad cow disease. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3394[/IMG-L]Skate City Heroes Dev. Pub. Zoo Games Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
I'm having Yanya Caballista flashbacks. Some of you might remember when you couldn't go into a store without tripping over skateboarding games. Hmm... wonder if Cammie has any good skateboarding stories? - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
DS
[IMG-L=4848]3353[/IMG-L]Animal Boxing Dev. Gammick Entertainment Pub. Destineer Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Now did your grandchild ask for "Animal Crossing" or was it "Animal Boxing" for Christmas? If it involves a human punching animals in the face, you've found the right one. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3357[/IMG-L]Candace Kane's Candy Factory Dev. Destineer Pub. Destineer Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
I don't think that's her real name. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3360[/IMG-L]Chrysler Classic Racing Dev. Pub. Zoo Games Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Finally, a game where you can trade your MG for a white Chrysler LeBaron. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3362[/IMG-L]Cradle of Rome Dev. Cerasus Media Pub. D3 Publisher Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Seems to be a Jewel Quest type game set in a city in Italy. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3406[/IMG-L]Guitar Hero on Tour: Decades Dev. Vicarious Visions Pub. Activision Systems: DS MSRP: $34.99, $49.99
Featuring 28 songs including "Buddy Holly", "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", "No Rain", and "We Are The Champions". - ship
Purchase At Amazon $34.99 (Free Shipping)
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3367[/IMG-L]Hello Kitty: Big City Dreams Dev. Pub. Empire Interactive Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Hello Kitty wants to play some mini games. She'll maul you with cuteness if you decline. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3368[/IMG-L]Imagine: Ballet Star Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
The closest I can imagine is Julia Stiles from Save the Last Dance. Do I win? - ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3369[/IMG-L]Imagine: Movie Star Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
I'm going to have to go with that girl that was in The Wizard. She was spunky. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3373[/IMG-L]Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine Dev. Black Lantern Studios Pub. Destineer Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
It's cuisine with sour cream. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3377[/IMG-L]Luminous Arc 2 Dev. Image Epoch Pub. Atlus Systems: DS MSRP: $39.99
While Ship and I are Atlus-lovers, neither of us played the original Luminous Arc. Atlus has just been releasing these RPGs too fast for us to keep up. This strategy RPG has a hand-drawn appearance to it, and boasts a new control scheme. While the original got mediocre reviews, it was compared to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Overall, the game is probably a solid RPG but not anything you’ll be amazed at. The Japanese reviews have been about the equivalent of a 7/10. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $36.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3379[/IMG-L]Metal Slug 7 Dev. SNK Playmore Pub. Ignition Entertainment Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
The seventh game in the campy side-scrolling shooter debuts on the DS this week and is the first in the series not to originate as an arcade game. Fans familiar with the series will know exactly what to expect here as your hand-drawn soldier of choice takes the one-man army approach in laying waste to hundreds of enemies and rescuing prisoners of war. There's extra emphasis on the "one-man army", as unfortunately there is no co-op support included. Truthfully, I doubt I would have ever played co-op mode on the DS anyway, so just having a brand new portable Metal Slug game has me pretty excited. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $24.96 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3386[/IMG-L]Petz Catz Clan Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Do you know who your cats are hanging out with? - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3405[/IMG-L]Petz Monkeyz House Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Probably not based upon "Welcome to the Monkey House" by Kurt Vonnegut. Exhaustive research has proved inconclusive. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3388[/IMG-L]Petz Rescue: Endangered Paradise Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
There's a koala on the cover. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3390[/IMG-L]Robocalypse Dev. Vogster Entertainment Pub. Tecmo Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Ship and I decided this week on a new, pared-down list of games where each of us select five games that interest us or are appealing to our audience. Imagine my surprise when I came across a real-time strategy title that meets both those criteria. I’m not a fan of the RTS genre, but the robots and fun graphics and personality of Robocalypse caught my eye, and it should catch yours, too. The RTS elements revolve around action flags that are placed on the battlefield, instructing the robots to do different things nearby. The game is a good, solid RTS title with comedic fun and cartoon animation. Robots make any game better, don’t they? – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3392[/IMG-L]Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon Dev. Neverland Pub. Natsume Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
The original Rune Factory game provided a breath of fresh air when it was released back in 2007. With it’s soft, hand-drawn visuals, the added element of the sword, and a control scheme that worked, Harvest Moon fans rejoiced. While Rune Factory 2 continues with the same style as Harvest Moon, there are some added elements that make this game a must-have. First, the storyline spans not one, but two generations of main characters. This makes getting married and having a baby an integral part of the storyline. Second, there are quick-buttons within the touch-control scheme that make switching weapons and such must faster, allowing for quicker game play overall. Third, there are new Wi-Fi options. I have to confess, with the Ship household being a Mac-dominated world, getting online with the DS is a giant pain. So, I myself don’t find the online play attractive, but I can see how others might. Overall, the game is still a Harvest Moon title, but it’s one that should appeal to those who only play the occasional Harvest Moon title in addition to lovers of the franchise. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)(Free plush squirrel)
[IMG-L=4848]3396[/IMG-L]Smart Girl's Winter Wonderland Dev. Pub. UFO Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Includes interactive versions of "A Christmas Carol" and "The Nutcracker" as well as Christmas songs and the usual activities these games encompass. Boys, you'll have to wait a week to get your Christmas spirit on. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3398[/IMG-L]Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff Dev. Tecmo Pub. Tecmo Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
A re-imagining of Super Tecmo Bowl, but there's no Bo Jackson. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3401[/IMG-L]Tony Hawk's Motion Dev. Creat Studios - Kionix Pub. Activision Systems: DS MSRP: $39.99
Includes a motion sensor to go along with a skateboarding game, snowboarding game, and game where you save a barren wasteland by painting. Because Tony Hawk does that. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)
PlayStation 3
[IMG-L=4848]3351[/IMG-L]Alone in the Dark: Inferno Dev. Eden Studios Pub. Atari Systems: PS3 MSRP: $49.99
Atari made a lot of positive changes to the PlayStation 3 version of Alone in the Dark. My full review will be up shortly. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)
PlayStation 2
[IMG-L=4848]3355[/IMG-L]Army Men: Soldiers of Misfortune Dev. Pub. Zoo Games Systems: PS2 MSRP: $12.99
(Deja Preview) I'm trying to come up with a witty opening for this preview, but, damn, there’s a new entry into the Army Men franchise? Unlike most of the games in this storied franchise, Soldiers of Misfortune actually has you playing as a boy who has been "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids"-inized. As Timmy, you must do battle with the tan soldiers throughout the rooms of his house in the suburbs. You see, in a “Small Soldiers”-esque twist, the plastic tan soldiers have turned evil, captured the green soldiers, and are determined to conquer your home. To win this Toy Story, you’re going to have to turn your formerly mundane toys into whimsical weapons and adeptly use the cover that throwing all those temper tantrums in the Target toy aisle has provided you. – ship
Purchase At Amazon $12.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)
[IMG-L=4848]3356[/IMG-L]Burnout Anthology Dev. Criterion Games Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PS2 MSRP: $29.99
Includes Takedown, Dominator, and Revenge. That's a lot of crashing cars. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3364[/IMG-L]Dynasty Warriors 6 Dev. Omega Force Pub. KOEI Systems: PS2 MSRP: $29.99
(Deja Preview) Ironically enough, my scathing previews of the Dynasty Warriors series have become just as derivative as the material they're previewing. They have updated the graphics this time around, so I decided I'd update my font color to keep pace. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)
Xbox 360
[IMG-L=4848]3399[/IMG-L]The Last Remnant Dev. Square Enix Pub. Square Enix Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
Square-Enix's latest RPG hits the 360 and it certainly doesn't seem like it's getting much fanfare. It's a turn-based affair with a unit-grouping twist that adds a bit of strategy as you work through battles and organize your large parties. The storyline seems somewhat cookie-cutter in that you are a young lad with a sword out to save the world, but the visuals are nice and it seems like there is a lot of exploration and customization. Frankly, there really haven't been a lot of well-received, traditional J-RPG's this generation, so hopefully The Last Remnant will keep fans of the genre entertained. With the way these games have been dropping in price, and a large pile of games to play through, I think this one is on my horizon for next spring. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $56.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3376[/IMG-L]Lips Dev. iNiS Pub. Microsoft Systems: 360 MSRP: $69.99
Featuring 40 songs including "Walk Like An Egyptian", "In Bloom", "Young Folks" and "Island in the Sun". - ship
Purchase At Amazon $66.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3382[/IMG-L]Naruto: The Broken Bond Dev. UbiSoft Montreal Pub. UbiSoft Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
Another in the genre of wandering around until you find somebody to fight and then fighting them. Looks pretty though. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $56.99 (Free Shipping)
[IMG-L=4848]3404[/IMG-L]You're in the Movies Bundle Dev. Pub. Microsoft Systems: 360 MSRP: $69.99
A bizarre combination of green screen technology and Mad Libs. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free Shipping)
On The DL
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 4: Dangeresque 3 Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $10
This point-and-clicky puts episodes out on a more regular basis than we do. - ship
Target Toss Pro: Bags Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $7
Cornhole season is over here in Ohio, but now we have a way to practice indoors. - ship
Forgotten Worlds Systems: Wii VC (Genesis) MSRP: $8
An excellent side-scrolling shooter with hovering dudes that can be found on some of the Capcom compilations. - ship
Space Invaders: The Original Game Systems: Wii VC (SNES) MSRP: $8
The Super Nintendo version of the synchronized and dropping alien invasions simulator. - ship
A Kingdom for Keflings Systems: 360 XBLA MSRP: $10
The first game to use Xbox 360's new Avatars is a city building simulation from the folks at NinjaBee. - 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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[podcast]37[/podcast]
Download - 75 minutes, 34MB
[/preview]You can now subscribe to Foreplay on iTunes by clicking this link: CAG Foreplay on iTunes
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Multi-Platform
[IMG-L=4848]3363[/IMG-L]Disney's Bolt Dev. Avalanche Software Pub. Disney Interactive Systems: DS, PC, PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99, $49.99
Play as a superhero dog and his human girl in this brawling platformer that's not as good as Kung Fu Panda... even though a hamster in a ball is inherently humorous. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $24.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25) Purchase At Amazon $24.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25) Purchase At Amazon $24.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3374[/IMG-L]Karaoke Revolution presents American Idol Encore 2 Bundle Dev. Blitz Games Pub. Konami Systems: Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $49.99
Features 40 songs including "Hey There Delilah", "Losing My Religion", "Pinball Wizard", "Rocket Man", and "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough". - ship
Purchase At Amazon $44.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $44.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $44.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3375[/IMG-L]Left 4 Dead Dev. Turtle Rock Studios Pub. Valve Software Systems: PC, 360 MSRP: $49.99, $59.99
Shooting zombies is fun. Playing co-op is fun. Add them together and you get four times the fun. (Trust me, I took a lot of calculus in college.) In Valve's latest use of the Source Engine, four players must work together to survive against an outbreak of zombies (the quick kind, not the shuffling variety) and reach safe points throughout the city. The game plays out a bit like "Terrorist Hunt" mode in the Rainbow Six games, but with much smarter enemies that find you in intense situation after intense situation. It really gets the zombie attack atmosphere down right and players must constantly work together to stay alive... plus you get rewarded for helping out your friends so it makes even selfish bastards seem like thoughtful teammates. Although the game is meant for co-op play, you can play it on your own with three computer controlled allies, but I don't think I'm alone in being skeptical on how that will play out... I'm picturing a lot of yelling at the TV. In addition to the main co-op mode, there is also online versus multiplayer where one team plays as the humans and the other as the living dead. All-in-all, it's another infectiously enjoyable first-person experience from Valve. I just have to wonder if asking $60 for this is a bit... ooooh, zombies! Shoot'em, shoot'em, shoot'em! - ship
Purchase At Amazon $53.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $44.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3381[/IMG-L]Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe Dev. Midway Pub. Midway Systems: 360, PS3 MSRP: $59.99, $69.99
Sure, it took Midway and DC over twelve years to team up and issue a response to the Marvel vs. Capcom series, but it's finally here and for Mortal Kombat fans, it is a return to form. Although the game has been toned down slightly to recieve a "Teen" rating, the fighting is still really brutal and features a few different mechanics built around interacting with the multiple levels and rooms within the arenas. The game plays fast and fluid, is immediately accessible, and, well, it's just really fun to spear the Green Lantern and drag him into a Scorpion uppercut. There are plenty more memorable moves and matchups with twenty-two playable characters (eleven from each IP), a separate storyline for each universe, and online multiplayer. Beyond that, however, there's apparently not much else. I guess I can live without a Krypt full of unlockables since the actual fighting is much improved over the previous generation Mortal Kombat games, but hopefully they'll add all the goodies back in for the inevitable sequel. In the meantime, I'm just waiting for my uncensored European version to "Get over here!". - ship
Purchase At Amazon $56.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $58.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3383[/IMG-L]NCAA Basketball 09 Dev. EA Canada Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PS2, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99, $59.99
This year's collegiate game includes a new tempo gauge that lets you set the pace you want your players to slide around the floor. Somebody seriously needs to dust that floor. Maybe we can get a downloadable floor mop. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3384[/IMG-L]Need for Speed: Undercover Dev. EA Black Box Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: Everything MSRP: $29.99-$59.99
This game will sell millions and involves racing cars. Somehow a lot of CAGs will end up owning it despite not really looking forward to it. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $36.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3385[/IMG-L]NPPL Championship Paintball 2009 Dev. Pub. Activision Systems: PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99-$49.99
Virtual shoot people with non-lethal force at a "Budget Price". - ship
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3389[/IMG-L]Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Dev. UbiSoft Paris Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS, Wii MSRP: $29.99, $49.99
More of the same zany mini-game fun and now there's Wii Balance Board support. I'll admit it, I had fun playing this game at E3, but I am still upset at the Frag Dog who was throwing snowballs at me while I was trying to steer a wildebeest with my butt. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $46.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3391[/IMG-L]Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2 Dev. Harmonix Pub. MTV Games Systems: PS2, Wii, 360, PS3 MSRP: $29.99
For the DLC-challenged. Features 20 songs including "El Scorcho", "Call Me", "Girl U Want", "Message in a Bottle", and the Circuit City theme song. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3393[/IMG-L]Shaun White Snowboarding Dev. UbiSoft Montreal Pub. UbiSoft Systems: Everything MSRP: $29.99-$59.99
Apparently this is a more realistic take on snowboarding. Some of you might remember when you couldn't go into a store without tripping over snowboarding games. Some of you simply remember how bad that snowboarding story was that Cammie Dunaway told at Nintendo's E3 Press Conference. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $59.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3395[/IMG-L]Skate It Dev. EA Montreal Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: DS, Wii MSRP: $29.99, $49.99
EA's successful skating franchise heads to the Wii with Balance Board support. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $46.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3397[/IMG-L]Sonic Unleashed Dev. Sonic Team Pub. SEGA Systems: PS2, Wii, 360 MSRP: $39.99, $49.99
Is this the Sonic game we’ve been waiting for? Maybe. The game is in effect two-in-one, with each level being playable during the daytime and at nighttime. The difference? Playing during the day offers a “normal” Sonic on-the-rails 3D level focused on speed and grabbing rings. Playing at night however, changes Sonic into a Werehog that isn’t so much about the speed as he is about smashing up stuff. The game at night turns into a platformer/button-masher and isn’t getting great comments for it’s game play. The two different “levels” within each area offer twice the game play, so that’s a good thing. But to be honest, I’m not a fan of Sonic on rails, and with the nighttime Sonic not really impressing the reviewers, I’m not sure this game is for me. Maybe it’s what you’ve been waiting for. But I doubt it. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3400[/IMG-L]Tomb Raider Underworld Dev. Crystal Dynamics Pub. Eidos Systems: Everything MSRP: $29.99-$59.99
Crystal Dynamics continues to make Tomb Raider viable with their third go at the series. Being a big fan of the last two games (Legend and Anniversary), I'm expecting another solid foray into spelunking. The game is on a whole new engine, and based upon what I played of the demo, this seems to an even further refining on Lara's mechanics and abilities. She now has a little Assassin Creed style climbing ability where she simply moves to the next available grapple point with the push of the analog stick. In addition, she's also able to shoot while climbing and there's a variety of other upgrades that just make her movements seem more agile and less sterile. And, in a move I'm hoping is a trend among all games, quick-time events have been replaced with actual movements that you, the user, can actually control! Novel, I know, and it's one of the many reasons I'm looking forward to exploring this one soon. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $56.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $56.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $36.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3402[/IMG-L]Ultimate Band Dev. Fall Line Studio Pub. Disney Interactive Systems: DS, Wii MSRP: $29.99, $49.99
Features over 30 songs including "Fell in Love with a Girl", "Beverly Hills", "Steady as She Goes", and the Circuit City theme song. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)Wii
[IMG-L=4848]3350[/IMG-L]Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun Dev. AWE Games Pub. Dreamcatcher Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
Point and clicky, solve a mystery. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3352[/IMG-L]AMF Bowling World Lanes Dev. Pub. Bethesda Softworks Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
Bowl in exotic locales. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3354[/IMG-L]Animal Crossing: City Folk Dev. Nintendo Pub. Nintendo Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
While I originally was excited about this new Animal Crossing title, the reviews that it’s been getting have made me question whether spending $50 on this title is worth it. Calling the title a sequel would be lying, yet it’s not quite a direct port of the DS version of animal crossing. It’s some weird hybrid of the two, with the game play being almost a direct copy of the DS version. The fishing, planting, buying and selling of goods are the same, and the online play is pretty much what you’d expect. There is a new concept with the online play in that items you bring with you on your travels outside your town have the potential to be spread through your friends’ friends and so on. Woo hoo, start the party. So the only really “new” aspect of the game is the “city” mentioned in the title: a nearby city-center with a special boutique, a fortuneteller, and Redd: all the aspects of the DS title that were scheduled visits to your town. It seems to me that Nintendo turned in a half-assed game, knowing it would sell during the up coming holiday season when they had a golden opportunity to create something new and exciting. If this title is any indication of the future, I predict the Animal Crossing series going the way of Harvest Moon. That is, release the same game over and over until the only people who buy it are the hard-core fans who just can’t help themselves. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3358[/IMG-L]Castlevania: Judgment Dev. Konami Pub. Konami Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
I find this game guilty of being a watered down Soul Calibur with an affinity for the of flailing arms. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3359[/IMG-L]Championship Foosball Dev. Pub. 505 Games Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
No parlor game is safe from the charms of the Wii. This game makes my wrists hurt just from thinking about the potential of all that virtual spinning action. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3361[/IMG-L]Cooking Mama: World Kitchen Dev. Cooking Mama Ltd. Pub. Majesco Systems: Wii MSRP: $49.99
A much improved version of Mama where motions are recognized better and there are even mini-games built right into the mini-games. Kind of like sausages wrapped in bacon. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3366[/IMG-L]Gallop & Ride! Dev. Pub. THQ Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
A much better value than the unsuccessful Gallop or Ride! - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3378[/IMG-L]Merv Griffin's Crosswords Dev. Pub. THQ Systems: Wii MSRP: $19.99
The late, great maker of game shows has a game about his late, great game show. Actually, I don't know if I ever watched this particular show. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3380[/IMG-L]Monkey Mischief: Party Time Dev. Pub. Activision Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
In one of the twenty mini-games you get to throw toilet paper at zoo patrons. That seems like the direct opposite of what monkeys throw. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3387[/IMG-L]Petz Crazy Monkeyz Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: Wii MSRP: $39.99
Woah, more monkeys. These may have some sort of mad cow disease. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3394[/IMG-L]Skate City Heroes Dev. Pub. Zoo Games Systems: Wii MSRP: $29.99
I'm having Yanya Caballista flashbacks. Some of you might remember when you couldn't go into a store without tripping over skateboarding games. Hmm... wonder if Cammie has any good skateboarding stories? - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)DS
[IMG-L=4848]3353[/IMG-L]Animal Boxing Dev. Gammick Entertainment Pub. Destineer Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Now did your grandchild ask for "Animal Crossing" or was it "Animal Boxing" for Christmas? If it involves a human punching animals in the face, you've found the right one. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3357[/IMG-L]Candace Kane's Candy Factory Dev. Destineer Pub. Destineer Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
I don't think that's her real name. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3360[/IMG-L]Chrysler Classic Racing Dev. Pub. Zoo Games Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Finally, a game where you can trade your MG for a white Chrysler LeBaron. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3362[/IMG-L]Cradle of Rome Dev. Cerasus Media Pub. D3 Publisher Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Seems to be a Jewel Quest type game set in a city in Italy. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3406[/IMG-L]Guitar Hero on Tour: Decades Dev. Vicarious Visions Pub. Activision Systems: DS MSRP: $34.99, $49.99
Featuring 28 songs including "Buddy Holly", "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", "No Rain", and "We Are The Champions". - ship
Purchase At Amazon $34.99 (Free Shipping) Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3367[/IMG-L]Hello Kitty: Big City Dreams Dev. Pub. Empire Interactive Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Hello Kitty wants to play some mini games. She'll maul you with cuteness if you decline. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3368[/IMG-L]Imagine: Ballet Star Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
The closest I can imagine is Julia Stiles from Save the Last Dance. Do I win? - ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3369[/IMG-L]Imagine: Movie Star Dev. UbiSoft Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
I'm going to have to go with that girl that was in The Wizard. She was spunky. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3373[/IMG-L]Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine Dev. Black Lantern Studios Pub. Destineer Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
It's cuisine with sour cream. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3377[/IMG-L]Luminous Arc 2 Dev. Image Epoch Pub. Atlus Systems: DS MSRP: $39.99
While Ship and I are Atlus-lovers, neither of us played the original Luminous Arc. Atlus has just been releasing these RPGs too fast for us to keep up. This strategy RPG has a hand-drawn appearance to it, and boasts a new control scheme. While the original got mediocre reviews, it was compared to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Overall, the game is probably a solid RPG but not anything you’ll be amazed at. The Japanese reviews have been about the equivalent of a 7/10. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $36.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3379[/IMG-L]Metal Slug 7 Dev. SNK Playmore Pub. Ignition Entertainment Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
The seventh game in the campy side-scrolling shooter debuts on the DS this week and is the first in the series not to originate as an arcade game. Fans familiar with the series will know exactly what to expect here as your hand-drawn soldier of choice takes the one-man army approach in laying waste to hundreds of enemies and rescuing prisoners of war. There's extra emphasis on the "one-man army", as unfortunately there is no co-op support included. Truthfully, I doubt I would have ever played co-op mode on the DS anyway, so just having a brand new portable Metal Slug game has me pretty excited. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $24.96 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3386[/IMG-L]Petz Catz Clan Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Do you know who your cats are hanging out with? - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3405[/IMG-L]Petz Monkeyz House Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Probably not based upon "Welcome to the Monkey House" by Kurt Vonnegut. Exhaustive research has proved inconclusive. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3388[/IMG-L]Petz Rescue: Endangered Paradise Dev. Pub. UbiSoft Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
There's a koala on the cover. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3390[/IMG-L]Robocalypse Dev. Vogster Entertainment Pub. Tecmo Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
Ship and I decided this week on a new, pared-down list of games where each of us select five games that interest us or are appealing to our audience. Imagine my surprise when I came across a real-time strategy title that meets both those criteria. I’m not a fan of the RTS genre, but the robots and fun graphics and personality of Robocalypse caught my eye, and it should catch yours, too. The RTS elements revolve around action flags that are placed on the battlefield, instructing the robots to do different things nearby. The game is a good, solid RTS title with comedic fun and cartoon animation. Robots make any game better, don’t they? – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3392[/IMG-L]Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon Dev. Neverland Pub. Natsume Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
The original Rune Factory game provided a breath of fresh air when it was released back in 2007. With it’s soft, hand-drawn visuals, the added element of the sword, and a control scheme that worked, Harvest Moon fans rejoiced. While Rune Factory 2 continues with the same style as Harvest Moon, there are some added elements that make this game a must-have. First, the storyline spans not one, but two generations of main characters. This makes getting married and having a baby an integral part of the storyline. Second, there are quick-buttons within the touch-control scheme that make switching weapons and such must faster, allowing for quicker game play overall. Third, there are new Wi-Fi options. I have to confess, with the Ship household being a Mac-dominated world, getting online with the DS is a giant pain. So, I myself don’t find the online play attractive, but I can see how others might. Overall, the game is still a Harvest Moon title, but it’s one that should appeal to those who only play the occasional Harvest Moon title in addition to lovers of the franchise. – mrs. ship
Purchase At Amazon $27.99 (Free Shipping)(Free plush squirrel)[IMG-L=4848]3396[/IMG-L]Smart Girl's Winter Wonderland Dev. Pub. UFO Systems: DS MSRP: $19.99
Includes interactive versions of "A Christmas Carol" and "The Nutcracker" as well as Christmas songs and the usual activities these games encompass. Boys, you'll have to wait a week to get your Christmas spirit on. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $19.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3398[/IMG-L]Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff Dev. Tecmo Pub. Tecmo Systems: DS MSRP: $29.99
A re-imagining of Super Tecmo Bowl, but there's no Bo Jackson. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3401[/IMG-L]Tony Hawk's Motion Dev. Creat Studios - Kionix Pub. Activision Systems: DS MSRP: $39.99
Includes a motion sensor to go along with a skateboarding game, snowboarding game, and game where you save a barren wasteland by painting. Because Tony Hawk does that. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $39.99 (Free Shipping)PlayStation 3
[IMG-L=4848]3351[/IMG-L]Alone in the Dark: Inferno Dev. Eden Studios Pub. Atari Systems: PS3 MSRP: $49.99
Atari made a lot of positive changes to the PlayStation 3 version of Alone in the Dark. My full review will be up shortly. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $49.99 (Free Shipping)PlayStation 2
[IMG-L=4848]3355[/IMG-L]Army Men: Soldiers of Misfortune Dev. Pub. Zoo Games Systems: PS2 MSRP: $12.99
(Deja Preview) I'm trying to come up with a witty opening for this preview, but, damn, there’s a new entry into the Army Men franchise? Unlike most of the games in this storied franchise, Soldiers of Misfortune actually has you playing as a boy who has been "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids"-inized. As Timmy, you must do battle with the tan soldiers throughout the rooms of his house in the suburbs. You see, in a “Small Soldiers”-esque twist, the plastic tan soldiers have turned evil, captured the green soldiers, and are determined to conquer your home. To win this Toy Story, you’re going to have to turn your formerly mundane toys into whimsical weapons and adeptly use the cover that throwing all those temper tantrums in the Target toy aisle has provided you. – ship
Purchase At Amazon $12.99 (Free Shipping on Orders over $25)[IMG-L=4848]3356[/IMG-L]Burnout Anthology Dev. Criterion Games Pub. Electronic Arts Systems: PS2 MSRP: $29.99
Includes Takedown, Dominator, and Revenge. That's a lot of crashing cars. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3364[/IMG-L]Dynasty Warriors 6 Dev. Omega Force Pub. KOEI Systems: PS2 MSRP: $29.99
(Deja Preview) Ironically enough, my scathing previews of the Dynasty Warriors series have become just as derivative as the material they're previewing. They have updated the graphics this time around, so I decided I'd update my font color to keep pace. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $29.99 (Free Shipping)Xbox 360
[IMG-L=4848]3399[/IMG-L]The Last Remnant Dev. Square Enix Pub. Square Enix Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
Square-Enix's latest RPG hits the 360 and it certainly doesn't seem like it's getting much fanfare. It's a turn-based affair with a unit-grouping twist that adds a bit of strategy as you work through battles and organize your large parties. The storyline seems somewhat cookie-cutter in that you are a young lad with a sword out to save the world, but the visuals are nice and it seems like there is a lot of exploration and customization. Frankly, there really haven't been a lot of well-received, traditional J-RPG's this generation, so hopefully The Last Remnant will keep fans of the genre entertained. With the way these games have been dropping in price, and a large pile of games to play through, I think this one is on my horizon for next spring. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $56.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3376[/IMG-L]Lips Dev. iNiS Pub. Microsoft Systems: 360 MSRP: $69.99
Featuring 40 songs including "Walk Like An Egyptian", "In Bloom", "Young Folks" and "Island in the Sun". - ship
Purchase At Amazon $66.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3382[/IMG-L]Naruto: The Broken Bond Dev. UbiSoft Montreal Pub. UbiSoft Systems: 360 MSRP: $59.99
Another in the genre of wandering around until you find somebody to fight and then fighting them. Looks pretty though. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $56.99 (Free Shipping)[IMG-L=4848]3404[/IMG-L]You're in the Movies Bundle Dev. Pub. Microsoft Systems: 360 MSRP: $69.99
A bizarre combination of green screen technology and Mad Libs. - ship
Purchase At Amazon $69.99 (Free Shipping)On The DL
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 4: Dangeresque 3 Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $10
This point-and-clicky puts episodes out on a more regular basis than we do. - ship
Target Toss Pro: Bags Systems: WiiWare MSRP: $7
Cornhole season is over here in Ohio, but now we have a way to practice indoors. - ship
Forgotten Worlds Systems: Wii VC (Genesis) MSRP: $8
An excellent side-scrolling shooter with hovering dudes that can be found on some of the Capcom compilations. - ship
Space Invaders: The Original Game Systems: Wii VC (SNES) MSRP: $8
The Super Nintendo version of the synchronized and dropping alien invasions simulator. - ship
A Kingdom for Keflings Systems: 360 XBLA MSRP: $10
The first game to use Xbox 360's new Avatars is a city building simulation from the folks at NinjaBee. - ship
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