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.

While gamers in North America can expect another slow release week highlighted by niche offerings like Baroque and Arcana Heart, Europe and Japan prepare for the release of Mario Kart Wii, which debuts alongside a variety of releases in both regions.

The following list covers all of the game software we know to be available -- across all platforms and regions -- for the week ending April 12th, 2008.

Games Released in the United States:


As was the case last week, only a small handful of new console releases will find their way to stores in North America this week. Among these are a pair of niche offerings from Atlus -- the action-roguelike Baroque and the 2D fighter Arcana Heart -- and the SNK-published Real Bout Fatal Fury sub-series compilation Fatal Fury Battle Archives Vol. 2.

New releases are similarly sparse on portables this week, while PC platforms will see an awaited port of Assassin's Creed and standalone retail versions of Valve's Portal, Team Fortress 2, and Half-Life 2: Episode Pack.

The PlayStation 3 will see its first April release next week with Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, an anticipated preview version of Gran Turismo 5 that has met with quick and continuing success in Europe upon its release there earlier this month. Other debuts for next week include Emergency Mayhem for the Nintendo Wii and a PC port of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2.

Games Released in Europe:


Though first-party Nintendo Wii titles often arrive in Europe weeks or months after debuting in other regions, Mario Kart Wii is set to see a near-simultaneous release this week in Japan and the UK. A U.S. release is not scheduled until the last week of April.

The Wii will additionally see a localization of Victorious Boxers Revolution (retitled Victorious Boxers: Challenge) this week, along with The Dog Island and Puppy Luv. Other titles making their way to Europe this week from overseas include the RPG sequel Wild ARMs 5, first-person shooter The History Channel: Battle for the Pacific, and the Assassin's Creed portable spinoff Altair's Chronicles for the Nintendo DS.

Games Released in Japan:


Nintendo's mascot racer sequel Mario Kart Wii will hit Japan one day before its arrival in Europe this week, alongside a port of MileStone's Dreamcast-born vertical shooter Karous. On other platforms, Prototype's adventure series Shinkyouku Soukai Polyphonica receives a PlayStation 2 compilation, while Sega releases the butt-biting insect-hosted rhythm trainer (seriously) Oshiri Kajiri Mushi no Rhythm Lesson DS: Kawai Ongaku Kyoushitsu Kanshuu on the Nintendo DS.

Next week is expected to offer a smaller lineup of Japanese releases, with highlights including the PS2 debut of Hoshigari Empusa and the Steambot Chronicles-based fighter Poncotsu Roman Daikatsugeki Bumpy Trot: Vehicle Battle Tournament for the PSP.

[UPDATE: The game Gem Pour: Sacks, a joke we played on other media outlets, is not factual and has been removed.]