Gamasutra's
regular round-up of worldwide video game releases, "Release This!", takes a look at every game title we know to be shipping to stores this week, in an exclusively compiled list.
Burnout Paradise and
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin will see release in North America and Europe this week, while the U.S. additionally receives awaited titles like
Endless Ocean and
No More Heroes.
In Japan, the anime-based
Lucky Star will likely dominate sales among this week's titles, as
Yggdra Union receives a PSP remake and
Exit makes its Nintendo DS debut.
The following list covers all of the game software we know to be available -- across all platforms and regions -- for the week ending January 26th, 2008.
Games Released in the United States:
Nintendo Wii: - Endless Ocean - Kawasaki Jet Ski - No More Heroes - One Piece: Unlimited Adventure
Xbox 360: - Burnout Paradise
PlayStation 3: - Burnout Paradise
PlayStation 2: - Iridium Runners | Nintendo DS: - Advance Wars: Days of Ruin - Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
PlayStation Portable: - Rainbow Islands Evolution
PC: - The History Channel: Lost Worlds - Pirates of the Burning Sea |
As was the case last week, the bulk of this week's release activity centers around Nintendo's platforms, with the Nintendo Wii and the DS hosting several anticipated debuts. The week will see the introduction of Grasshopper Manufacture's first Wii title,
No More Heroes, alongside the Nintendo-published underwater exploration game
Endless Ocean.
On the Nintendo DS, this week's release of
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has attracted attention after the success of the previously released Wii version, and
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin serves as the follow-up to the early DS strategy hit
Advance Wars: Dual Strike.
Elsewhere,
Burnout Paradise continues Criterion's destruction-based driving series on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, while the seafaring MMORPG
Pirates of the Burning Sea finds release on PC platforms.
Games Released in Europe:
Nintendo Wii: - Donkey Kong Jet Race
Xbox 360: - Burnout Paradise
PlayStation 3: - Burnout Paradise
PlayStation 2: - PDC World Championship Darts 2008 - Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus | Nintendo DS: - Advance Wars: Dark Conflict
PC: - Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus - Universe at War: Earth Assault |
Gaming platforms in the UK will see a fairly equal distribution of debuting titles this week, including standouts like
Burnout Paradise and the alternately titled
Advance Wars: Dark Conflict. Otherwise, much of this week's European lineup consists of titles previously seen in North America, like
Donkey Kong Jet Race (aka
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast) and the MMORPG expansion
Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus on the PlayStation 2 and PC.
Games Released in Japan:
PlayStation 3: - Drift Nights: Juiced 2
PlayStation 2: - Lucky * Star - TOCA Race Driver 3: The Ultimate Racing Simulator
PlayStation Portable: - Winning Eleven Ubiquitous Evolution 2008 - Yggdra Union | Nintendo DS: - Hijouguchi: Exit DS - Kawaii Koneko DS - The Sims 2: Survival - SuperLite 2500 Brickdown - SuperLite 2500 Joshikousei Nigeru! Shinrei Puzzle Gakuen - Takahashi Shoten Kanshuu: Saihinshutsu! SPI Perfect Mondaishuu - Tennis no Oujisama: Driving Smash! Side King |
Dairantou Smash Brothers X (
Super Smash Bros. Brawl) was initially expected to dominate software sales among this week's Japanese lineup, but its release has recently been delayed until next week. In its absence, this week's top seller is expected to be
Lucky Star, a greatly anticipated anime-based PlayStation 2 adventure title.
Lucky Star currently leads in preorder sales among this week's releases at Amazon.co.jp, and should prove to be a top seller for many weeks to come, as was the case with the recently released
Suzumiya Haruhi no Yakusoku for the PSP.
The week's offerings are mostly unremarkable otherwise, save for the Nintendo DS debut of Taito's
Exit and a PSP remake of
Yggdra Union. Next week, however, is shaping up to be the biggest week of new releases Japan has seen in quite some time. Big names like
Dairantou Smash Brothers X and
Devil May Cry 4 will compete with anticipated RPGs like
Disgaea 3 and
Tales of Destiny: Director's Cut, while a PlayStation 2 take on the
Suzumiya Haruhi no Yakusoku anime license stands to be popular among series fans worldwide.