Except for 1942: Joint Strike on Thursday, this week looks like a mostly portable/PC cycle, to be followed next week by more console-oriented stuff, such as the remaining 3 copies of Soulcalibur IV that were actually held for release on their street date. Here's your syllabus, class, will you be taking home any of this for closer study? Tell us in the comments.

Monday (July 21)
Final Fantasy IV (DS)
City Life 2008 Edition (PC)
Baseball Mogul 2009 (PC)

Tuesday (July 22)
Ubersoldier 2: The End of Hitler (PC)
Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns (DS)
Order Up! (Wii)
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (PS2, Wii, DS)
New International Track & Field (DS)
Kidz Sports: Crazy Golf

Wednesday (July 23)
Nancy Drew: The Mystery of the Clue Bender Society (DS)

Thursday (July 24)
1942: Joint Strike (PS3, X360)

This week won't be just about new games announced for release more than a quarter down the road. We've actually got a pretty sizeable list of drops, highlighted (for me, anyway) by NCAA Football 09, which comes out on Tuesday. This title was the reason I bought my first console since — actually since getting a Colecovision off of usenet in college. I played it on my buddy David's Gamecube in 2003, and I decided right then and there I had to have an Xbox. Oh lawdy, that was bad of me. But seriously. My crazy Vegas lawyer friend Davor had a PS2 and we'd bet on computer-vs-computer simulations, too. With a spread. Good times.

Let us know what you're buying/renting in the comments:

Monday (July 14)
1701 A.D. Gold Edition (PC)
Yamaha Supercross (PC, PS2, Wii, DS)

Tuesday (July 15)
NCAA Football 09 (X360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP)
The Golden Horde (PC)
City Life 2008 Edition (PC)
Deadliest Catch: Alaskan Storm (PC) (JESUS, LIQUID DRAGON IS THIS THING EVER GOING TO DROP? WTF. THAT IS ALL.)
We Love Golf! (Wii)
B-Boy (PS2)
Code Lyoko: Quest for Infinity (PSP)
Rock Band Track Pack Vol 1 (Wii, PS2)
Space Chimps (360, PS2, WII, DS)
Hunting Unlimited 2009 (PC)
Nancy Drew: The Mystery of the Clue Bender Society (DS)
Mister Slime (DS)

Wonder if Beijing 2008 will feature photorealistic smog effects or incorporate the stupefying algae bloom in the nautical events. Still, pretty ambitious of Sega to put out a sports game featuring events that even sports fans don't follow except for two weeks out of a four year span (and dropping it less than a week before NCAA Football 09). If the spirit of brotherhood and competition isn't your thang, Unreal Tournament 3 comes to 360 this week also. Or maybe you prefer Sports Party on the Wii. Or Purr Pals. Let us know what you're buying/renting in the jump.

Monday (July 7)
Unreal Tournament 3 (360)
Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice (PC)

Tuesday (July 8)
Devil May Cry 4 (PC)
Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution (360, PS3, DS)
Beijing 2008 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games (360, PS3)
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon (Wii)
Ghost Online (PC)
Wonder World Amusement Park (Wii)
Carnival Games (DS)

Thursday (July 10)
Purr Pals (Wii)

Friday (July 11)
Sports Party (Wii)

Alone in the Dark takes you to Central Park this week. Also, Rock Band comes to the Wii, Guitar Hero to the DS, and Aerosmith to Guitar Hero. Then you have major drops like Battlefield: Bad Company for the PS3 and 360, plus Supreme Commander for and Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath for the 360. And a Hellboy movie adaptation. If tennis is your game, 2K's Top Spin 3 is out.

Yes, gamer, you will consuuuuuuuume. Or at least rent. Tell us in the comments if you've been waiting on any of these.

Today (June 22)
Rock Band (Wii)
Guitar Hero: On Tour (DS)

Monday (June 23)
Battlefield: Bad Company (360, PS3)
Top Spin 3 (360, Wii, PS3, DS)
Supreme Commander (360)
Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath (360)

Tuesday (June 24)
Alone in the Dark (360, PS2, PC, Wii)
Hail to the Chimp (PS3, 360)
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (DS)
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress (PSP)
Operation Darkness (360)
Hellboy: Science of Evil (PSP, 360, PS3)
Mega Man Star Force 2: Zerker x Ninja (DS)
Overlord: Raising Hell (PS3)

Thursday (June 26)
Deadliest Catch: Alaskan Storm (PC)

Sunday (June 29)
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith (360, WII, PS2, PS3)

Quiet week for consoles, but the DS has seven titles dropping in the coming week, and Secret Agent Clank for the PSP also hits the street. Also, if this Deadliest Catch game doesn't go out this week, I am de-listing it. So, spending your coin on handheld toys this week? Let us know in the jump, or tell us what you're playing instead. My guess is it rhymes with Shmetal Shmear Shmolid.

Monday (June 16)
The Political Machine 2008 (PC)
Requiem: Bloodymare (PC)
1701 A.D. Gold Edition (PC)

Tuesday (June 17)
Deadliest Catch: Alaskan Storm (360, PC)
Secret Agent Clank (PSP)
Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard (DS)
Space Invaders Extreme (PSP, DS)
Code Lyoko: Fall of X.A.N.A. (DS)
Wacky Races: Crash & Dash (Wii, DS)
Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 (DS)
Arkanoid DS (DS)
Imagine Rock Star (DS)

Metal Gear Solid 4 dominates the releases this week, dropping on Thursday. NASCAR 09 and Dragon Ball Z pick up the leftovers on Tuesday, plus there's the Don King-branded boxing game which, come on, how can that game not have an ultra-realistic litigation engine built in, if it's Don King. So, if you game on the PS3, this is pretty much your week to shine. Let us know what you're buying, and if you're buying a PS3 just to play MGS4, in the comments.

Today (June 8)
Total Extreme Wrestling 2008 (PC)

Tuesday (June 10)
Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit(360, PS3)
NASCAR 09 (360, PS3, PS2)
Don King Presents: Prizefighter (360)
Deadliest Catch: Alaskan Storm (360, PC)
EVE Online: Empyrean Age (PC)
Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy (Wii)
Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles (DS)
Looney Tunes: Cartoon Conductor (DS)
Backyard Baseball 2009 (Wii)
Trainz: The Complete Collection (PC)

Thursday (June 12)
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)

The Week in Games: No Reversals!

Mario Kart Wii, the other half of our nonstop new release blitz for the past month, releases today, too. So all is not GTA IV. If any of you backsliding heathens skipped church to snag your copy, assuming ya don't have blue laws forbidding the sale of video games 'afore 1 pee em in your county, let us know what you think in the comments.

For those who've been consumed by all things Niko and Liberty City, you can see what the fuss is at the following links.

Justify Your Mario Kart Wii
Mario Kart Wii Driving School Impressions
The Kartokumentary
Mario Kart Wii Across America
A 6-Year-Old's Take on the Wii Wheel
Going Online With Mario Kart Wii (And Hands On With That Wheel Thing)

European Rock Band Wii, PS3, PS2...Not Until August 29th [Update]

According to Videogamer.com, the controversial European release of Rock Band just got a little worse. While we knew that Xbox 360 owners would get Rock Band earlier than everyone else (May 23rd), EA has announced that the Wii, PS2 and PS3 versions will not be released until August 29th. That's a loooong delay...namely for those who sleep next to their PS3 at night, one bed over, waiting intently to take their relationship "to the next level" over a game that's already been finished.
Rock Band coming to PS3, PS2 and Wii on August 29 [VideoGamer]

UPDATE - Videogamer's report was based on a Rock Band fact sheet sent to European press outlets, which listed a release date of August 29. EA have since retracted that date, saying it "isn't confirmed, and is on the fact sheet in error".

The Week in Games: You Are the Music (and DS Game) in Me

You can expect this out of me if I'm running TWIG from now on — the WTF drop of the week is the lede, and this one is for High School Musical 2 (Two): Work This Out. A Disney press release spends reams of copy talking about the franchise's marketing chops and about a paragraph explaining why the game is worth playing. To wit:

• It's "the only musical adventure game allowing fans to immerse themselves in the world of "High School Musical 2." And thank God for that.

• You can play as one of six characters and "go on various adventures at the resort, compete in time-based challenges and play different rhythm games, all while listening to the hit songs from "High School Musical 2." Something tells me the last part of that is what Disney considers most important.

Here's the rest of your roster of new releases. Tell us in the comments if you're picking any of these up.

Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis (PC)
Major League Baseball 2K8 Fantasy All Stars (DS)
AMF Bowling Pinbusters! (DS)
Rondo of Swords (DS)
Okami (Wii)
Jack Keane (PC)
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (PS3)
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (PC)
Turok (PC)
Europa Universalis: Rome (PC)
High School Musical 2: Work This Out! (DS)
Cory in the House (DS)
The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff (PC)
Summer Sports: Paradise Island (Wii)
Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys! (DS)
Emergency Mayhem (Wii)
Final Fantasy XI: Vana'diel Collection 2008 (PC)

New Releases, Week of April 13 [Gamestop]

Week in Games: We Had the Time of Our Lives

There are 18 releases coming up this week, and the largest drop appears to be the PC versions of Assassin's Creed and Portal, plus a Half Life 2 Episode Pack. Those are the biggest names I spot anyway.

The WTF drop of the week, hands down, is "Dirty Dancing." This movie was a favorite of 40-something women strung out on prescription antidepressants and boxed wine in 1987. They're now 60-something. Not exactly the demographic that camps out on Tuesdays for a new release. Or picks up a controller. The parade of new games is after the jump:

Week In Games: Come Back Next Week Edition

March was a huge month for game releases. Huge. Crisis Core, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Condemned 2, God of War: Chains of Olympus—it looked more like October than March, as far as game releases go. April? It starts with but a whimper. This week sees practically nothing new in the way of marquee titles. A few Dreamcatcher Interactive numbers, a dusting of super-hardcore RPGs, but not much else.

Perhaps everyone just wants to steer clear, very clear, of Grand Theft Auto IV's April release. Next week? It's not much better.

Call of Duty 4: Game of the Year Edition (Xbox 360)
Not so much a new release, as a re-badging with a downloadable variety map pack.

Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis (PS2)
The Atelier Iris series continues to pump out more alchemy school themed role-playing games. This is one of them.

Toy Shop (DS)
Stylus controlled toy shop management fun. We're sure of everything except the fun part.

Great War Nations: The Spartans (PC)
The PC finally gets a real-time strategy game, said to feature "glorious 3D."

Week In Games: Shoot The Core

The wait for more Final Fantasy VII is almost over for North American gamers, as this week's biggest drop is arguably Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII for the PSP. It joins a pair of well known ninja in the week's new releases, which is also heavy on action and real-time strategy. A slew of Wii shovelware hits, excluded from our list of new releases, but there's something for everyone!

Let us know what you're picking up this week in the comments.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP)
This fanfic fodder prequel to the PS One classic Final Fantasy VII makes its way stateside.

Dark Sector (PS3, Xbox 360)
Sci-fi. Third-person shooter. Black ops. Krull.

Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword (DS)
Team Ninja brings stylus stabbing action to the DS.

Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath (PC)
C&C 3's first expansion features more units, more wrath.

Week In Games: A Rainbow Of Fruit Flavors

Talk about variety! The Rainbow Six team are back, joining a super budget re-release of the first three Metal Gear Solid games, making tactical action a big factor in this week's releases. On the casual sports side, Sega's mascot-heavy tennis game ships the same day as the newest Hot Shots Golf.

I think I'll have one of more of these bad boys in hand by the end of the week, but if you're picking up anything, let us know in the comments.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (PS3, Xbox 360)
Oh no! Somethin's goin' down in Las Vegas. Rainbow Six assemble!

Sega Superstars Tennis (DS, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)
Take Virtua Tennis, add Sonic, new mini-games, done.

Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection (PS2)
Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, cheap. Perfect for getting up to speed for 4.

Week In Games: Suffer Like G Did?

There is no shortage of things to kill this week, as hundreds of zombies, mutant fish and mentally unstable hobos vie for your first person view killing dollars. If House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return and Condemned 2: Bloodshot aren't up your alley, perhaps some of this week's portable role-playing games will be. The full list is after the jump!

Condemned 2: Bloodshot (PS3, Xbox 360)
Crumple the skulls of scores of scary homeless guys as you search for clues.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (DS)
Four-player RPG fun over Wi-fi makes big-head role-playing possible.

House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return (Wii)
Zombies must be destroyed, whether by pistol or shotgun.

In addition to the release of Army of Two and Super Smash Bros Brawl there are two baseball game releases to remind us that Spring is just around the corner - at least it is here in Atlanta. Despite the dusting of snow on my deck last week, blooms are appearing around the yard already. And as always there's a handful of quirky DS games to give me pause.

Bully: Scholarship Edition (Wii, X360)
Rockstar's Bully comes to the Wii and 360 with optimized graphics and all new missions.

Let's Ride! Friends Forever (DS)
"Every girl needs a best friend, and yours is your horse! Together, there's nothing you can't do."

Major League Baseball 2K8 (PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, X360)
MLB '08: The Show (PS2, PS3, PSP)
Performance enhancing drugs not included.

Army of Two (PS3, X360)
The third-person shooter with a heavy reliance on partnership hits the streets.

Chicken Hunter (DS)
Shoot the chickens while they run amok.

Imagine: Figure Skater (DS)
Following in the footsteps of Imagine Fashion Designer, Imagine Animal Doctor, Imagine Babyz and Imagine Master Chef.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
You won't have to wait much longer - it's set to be released March 9th, 2008.

Week In Games, PS3s Rejoice Edition

I don't know about you, but not owning a PC, I can't wait to crack open UT3 on my PS3. While Motostorm was decent, it has more potential than any PS3 title before to cement its networked play. Here's a rundown on what else is coming out this week.

BlackSite: Area 51 (PS3)
Man vs. Alien. Pick a side. Pssst. Aliens will eventually destroy man.

The Orange Box (PS3)
If McWhertor doesn't mind the frame rates, neither will you.

NCAA March Madness 2008 (PS2, PS3, Xbox 360)
This thrills someone, we're sure.

Luxor 2 (DS)
Twice the Luxor, twice the fun?

Super Swing Golf Season 2 (Wii)
Go ahead, John Daly that shit.

Showtime Boxing (Wii)
Punching real people maye be more fun, but getting punched...not so much.

Kawasaki Quad Bikes (Wii)
WTF is a quad bike?

Indy 500 Legends (Wii)
We refuse to race on the Wii without car vaulting.

Mythmakers: Orbs of Doom (Wii)
Over 40 puzzles to solve for puzzle-fiends.

Dai Senryaku Exceed (PS2)
Military strategy, translated.

NeoGeo Battle Coliseum (PS2)
Fight characters from World Heroes, Art of Fighting, Fatal Fury, Samurai Shodown, Last Blade, Metal Slug and Kizuna Encounter.

Warriors of the Lost Empire (PSP)
Dungeon hacking on your PSP.

Universe at War: Earth Assault (PC)
RTS at its finest. Just don't blow up Crecente's units when he lets you play. He gets mad.

Few Kotaku readers will gripe that this week contains too many must-buys. The only complaints that will come from this pre-holiday release week will come weeks from now, as one is faced with a surprise copy of Alvin & The Chipmunks stashed under the tree. Consider it a good week to catch up on November's releases.

The Golden Compass (DS, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360)
Relive the magic of the computer animated film at home!

Beowulf (PSP)
Relive the magic of the computer animated film at home!

Alvin & The Chipmunks (PC, PS2, Wii)
Relive the magic of the computer animated film at home!

Dance Dance Revolution Universe 2 (Xbox 360)
This is a game that you play with a "dance pad", stepping in time to the "rhythm."

Dragon Ball Z Budokan Tenkaichi 3 (Wii)
Big pecs, big hair, big action. Atari needs the money.

Godzilla Unleashed (Wii)
Giant monsters fight each other. Guys? Atari needs money.

Jenga (Wii)
The virtual version of the blocky board game. Seriously, Atari needs money. Bad.

Draglade (DS)
Atlus introduces Nintendo DS owners to "grapping", a hybrid of rhythm and fighting gameplay.

So, uh, who's getting what?