There was going to be separate entries today for all the releases but there’s too many of them. (i.e. I’m too busy to produce a bunch of news posts.) Here we go, some releases for November 17, 2009:

• Left 4 Dead 2 (360, PC) from Valve Software and EA
• Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles (Wii) from Capcom
• Naruot Shippuden: Clash of Ninja Revolution 3 (Wii) from Tomy
• Princess and the Frog (DS, Wii) from Disney Interactive
• God of War Collection (PS3) from SCEA
• LittleBigPlanet (PSP) from SCEA
• Tony Hawk: Ride (360, PS3, Wii) from Activision
• Assassin’s Creed II (360, PS3) from Ubisoft
• Lego Indiana Jones 2 (360, PS3, Wii, DS, PSP) from LucasArts

The on-rails arcade shooter is not dead. Well, maybe it is or maybe it has returned as a shambling zombie. Lets go with the latter description since Capcom today announced that the Wii-exclusive Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles has shipped.

Besides filling in some of the massive, chasm-shaped holes in the story of the Umbrella Corporation and “retraces the terrifying ordeals of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil Code: Veronica, but this time from an all-new perspective. A vibrant new South America part of the story pairs Jack Krauser with Leon S. Kennedy as they hunt down Javier Hidalgo, a drug lord connected to the Umbrella Corporation.”

Rated “M” for Mature and available for $49.99US.

It’s really easy to tell what time of year it is just by the pile of games hitting shelves lately.  Here’s your update for today, Tuesday, October 20, 2009:

• Borderlands (360, PS3; PC coming October 26)
• FIFA 10 (360, PS3)
• Astro Boy:  The Video Game (Wii, PS2, PSP, DS)
• Lips: Number One Hits (360)
• Tropico 3 (PC)
• Grand Theft Auto: China Town Wars (PSP)
• MotorStorm Arctic Edge (PS2)
• Charm Girls Club (DS)
• Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo (Wii)

Mother Nature must be taking some cues from the Big Three console makers because as the leaves fall so do the prices for the consoles.  Confirming rumors that have been circulating for a bit, Nintendo has stated that on September 27, 2009 you’ll be able to walk into a retailer and pick-up a Wii for $199US (or $219.95CAN).

Full release below:

VANCOUVER, BC., Sept. 23, 2009 – Beginning Sunday, Sept. 27, the world’s most popular home video game system gets even more appealing. On that day, Nintendo’s suggested retail price for its record-setting Wii™ drops by $60 to $219.95. The new $219.95 Wii price point delivers the full iconic Wii gaming experience, including the motion-sensing Wii Remote™ controller, Nunchuk™ controller and Wii Sports™ software, and furthers Nintendo’s mission to expand the gaming universe by making video games accessible to more and more consumers.

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Rather than have many, many separate news entries, we’ll just lump all of today’s releases here:

• Order of War (PC) from Square Enix
• Katamari Forever (PS3) from Namco Bandai
• Spyborgs (Wii) from Capcom
• Family Party: 30 Great Games Outdoor Fun (Wii) from D3Publisher
• Halo ODST (360) from Microsoft
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Smash-Up (Wii) from Ubisoft

Today Capcom announced that Spyborgs (Wii) — partly described as a “thrill ride” — has shipped to retailers.  Since I don’t work in PR/Marketing that short description sounds a little overstated; I mean, it is a game after all, but it does look like a good time for those with found memories of sidescrolling beat ‘em ups.  Here’s a clip and some more information via the official press release:

In Spyborgs, a cybernetically-enhanced group of superheroes is set-up to be destroyed by a former team member. When players take control of the weapon-enhanced cyborgs in their pursuit of the traitor, they will come together in 2-player co-op to face over 35 stages of mind-blowing challenges packed with epic boss battles and swarms of enemies that only a team of two can defeat!

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On Talk Like a Pirate Day, what could be any better than finding Davey Jones locker filled with swashbuckling booty? How about a free PC game?

To celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day (Sept. 19), Telltale Games and LucasArts are giving gamers the first episode of the new Tales of Monkey Island episodic series completely FREE.

Here’s the swashbuckling details from LucasArts and Telltale, you scurvy landlubbers:

SAN FRANCISCO – September 17, 2009 – Each year on September 19, brigands and scallywags ‘round the globe rule the day on International Talk Like a Pirate Day. And what better way to mark the occasion than by jumping into the celebrated Monkey Island® swashbuckling pirate games by LucasArts and Telltale!

On September 19, Telltale is making the premiere episode of Tales of Monkey Island® a FREE download on their website (http://www.playlikeapirate.com/) all day.

In addition, through September 21, LucasArts is offering a virtual treasure trove of deals on several versions of The Secret of Monkey Island®: Special Edition titles, including:

• 50% off the iPhone and iPod touch version of LucasArts’ new The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition via Apple’s App Store

• 50% off The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition on Steam®, Valve Corporation’s delivery and management platform for the PC and Direct2Drive, IGN Entertainment’s digital download store

Best ye’ jump on these offers smartly before they expire!

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Not out for a 6-8 weeks yet, Rage of the Gladiator is on the horizon for a WiiWare release.  It looks to be a solid Punch-Ou!!esque game featuring multiple mythical creatures to fight and some really cool light effects.  Take a look at the clip below:

Though the H1N1 flu virus is set to wash over a country under constant attack from polar bears and Fedeal elections, there’s finally some good news for Canadian hockey fans.  2K Sports announced today that NHL 2K10 for Wii will be bundled with the MotionPlus attachment for 1-to-1 motion control.  (The game can also be purchased without MotionPlus.)

September 3, 2009 – 2K Sports is proud to offer an exclusive bundle in Canada with Wii MotionPlus™ for its highly anticipated hockey simulation video game, NHL 2K10.  The bundle will include NHL 2K10 for the Wii™ system from Nintendo and Wii MotionPlus in a single package for the terrific value of $59.99. It will only be available at retailers throughout Canada while supplies last, starting on September 15.  NHL 2K10 for Wii will also be available simultaneously as a standalone product for $49.99.
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Nintendo announced today that the Metroid Prime Trilogy (Wii) and Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box (DS) are now available at retail.

I only have positive things to say about the Metroid Prime Trilogy. The added 16:9 support for the original Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GameCube) makes the games look better than ever, but it’s the controls of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii) that really make the first two games feel new again. Retailing for $59.99CAN, it’s a solid deal for those that missed them the first time around.

As for Professor Layton, I haven’t been able to play any of it owed to the fact my wife has taken the game. I’ve heard several exclamations of “Ah ha!” as she plays so I’ll take that as a good sign. When I get my hands on it, expect a full review. Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box retails for $34.99CAN.

I thought this had already happened, but EA today confirms that Spore is headed to Nintendo’s game machines with Spore Hero (Wii) and Spore Hero Arena (DS). Here’s more info from the press release:

Maxis, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) studio, today announced that Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena will be available at North American retailers on Oct. 6 2009 and internationally on Oct. 9, 2009. Built from the ground up exclusively for the Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ platforms, Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena introduce a new level of action-packed adventure and combat to the critically acclaimed Spore franchise.

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2K Games has released the official list of bulletpoint features of the upcomnig NHL 2K10 (releases September 15, 2009), which includes new AI, stumbles shots, small animation systems, and a host of new online and multiplayer options. It all sounds really nice, but I won’t just recap the features for you when the press release does such a great job of it:

NHL 2K10 redefines the sports gaming experience with a new emphasis on social gaming. Whether you’re a die-hard NHL fan or a casual player, NHL 2K10’s pick-up-and-play controls, true-to-life authenticity and variety of on- and off-line multiplayer modes promise hours of entertainment for any gamer. Among the new features that will make this the must-have hockey game of the season include:

New Gameplay Mechanics – Completely rewritten AI, enhanced defensive controls and stick lifts, stumble shots, a new defensive skating model and new incidental contact and small animation systems

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Proving once again that game development is big business, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are involved in a wry battle of wits — politicians are involved, mind you — to get/keep Longtail Studios. This report courtesy of the CBC:

The P.E.I. government said it is doing what it can to keep a U.S.-based video game developer from moving to Nova Scotia.

Last week, all 23 employees of Longtail Studios working in its Charlottetown office were told they had the option to move to a new office it plans to open in Halifax.

“I am concerned with the possible loss of these positions on P.E.I.,” Innovation Minister Allan Campbell told CBC News on Tuesday.

“I’ve asked staff in my department to put together a package that is attractive to the company and that incites them to remain here on P.E.I.,” he said.

“Why Nova Scotia in particular has targeted this particular company, I’m not sure about that,” Campbell said.

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With much contraction happening in the game industry, it’s always good news when companies announce expansion. This time it’s Ubisoft, on-track to open a studio in Toronto, Ontario (Canada) in late 2009 — the third Canadian studio for the company. It’s “expected to result in the creation of 800 net new jobs within the province over the next decade. The government of Ontario is investing CA$263 million over ten years in the company and Ubisoft’s net investment will be over half a billion CAD in the new studio, which will begin operations in late 2009.”

Here’s more from the official release:

“Today’s announcement marks a strategic move for Ubisoft as we continue to expand our internal development force,” said Yves Guillemot, president and chief executive officer at Ubisoft. “We are in an excellent position to grow and after extensive analysis we are thrilled to have reached an agreement with the government of Ontario to found our new studio in Toronto. The city is one of North America’s economic and cultural epicenters and our expectations are high. We’re excited to be able to count on the exceptional local talent, who will contribute to our accelerated growth and will have a profound impact on the video game industry with the excellence of their creativity.”

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It has been a long bumpy road for Ghostbusters, but it finally hits retail today! Here’s the brief from the press release:

NEW YORK, NY – June 16, 2009 – Atari, one of the world’s most recognized video game publishers, today announced that the highly anticipated, summer blockbuster title, Ghostbusters®: The Video Game is now available at retailers across North America.

Working closely with Sony Pictures Consumer Products and acclaimed development studios Terminal Reality and RedFly, Atari brings this completely all-new chapter of the blockbuster Ghostbusters saga to advanced gaming platforms coinciding with the 25th Anniversary celebration of the film’s original theatrical release. Ghostbusters: The Video Game, based on the smash hit motion picture franchise, is penned by original Ghostbusters writers and stars Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd and reunites many of the original cast members. In addition, the game also launches today along with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s worldwide debut of the original motional picture on Blu-ray Disc™.

Featuring the unique blend of humor and fright that established Ghostbusters as a pop culture sensation, this new chapter of the blockbuster franchise is available at retailers across North America for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft ($59.99), Windows PC ($29.99), PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system ($59.99), PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system ($19.99), Wii™ ($39.99) and Nintendo DS™ ($29.99).
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