Kotaku: Twig

Week in Games: Pinata Colada

Owen Good — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:00:00 MDT

So, Mercenaries 2 is already out as of today. Tuesday has several drops with some anticipation behind them, whether that's Infinite Undiscovery, Facebreaker, or Viva Pinata. If anyone is planning on picking up Vampire Rain for the PS3 please do let us know so we can stage a Maury Povich-style intervention. Also, heads up, next Sunday is Spore's full release on PC and Mac.

Today (Aug. 31)
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (360, PS3)

Monday (Sept. 1)
Combat Mission: Shock Force - Marines (PC)

Tuesday (Sept. 2)
Infinite Undiscovery (360)
Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise (360)
Warhammer: Battle March (360)
FaceBreaker (360, PS3)
Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball (XBLA)
NFL Head Coach 09 (360, PS3)
Rapala Fishing Frenzy (PS3, Wii, 360)
GTR Evolution (PC)
FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage (PC)
PictoImage (DS)
Vampire Rain: Altered Species (PS3)

Sunday (Sept. 7)
Spore (PC)
Spore Creatures (DS)

The Week in Games: Quest for Quality

Owen Good — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:00:00 MDT

Looks like we've cycled over to a DLC week, headlined by Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty on PlayStation Network, with Galaga Legions coming out a day earlier (but far, far overshadowed) on XBLA. After R&C, it's a very thin week. Interesting that a downloadable title is the heavy here. Anibus for Wii, I never heard of it and can't find anything on, but it's an Egyptian tomb crawler, but the God in question is Anubis. So maybe this is about a dyslexic archaeologist, I don't know.

UPDATE: EDIT: I am no less than an imbecile for neglecting Too Human. That is all.

Tuesday (Aug 19)
Super Pick Ups (Wii)
Commando: Steel Disaster (DS)
Shattered Suns (PC)
Two Worlds: Epic Edition (PC)
Too Human (360)
Smash Court Tennis 3 (360)

Wednesday (Aug. 20)
Galaga Legions (XBLA)
MindHabits (PC)

Thursday (Aug. 21)
Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty (PSN)
Tank Universal: Challenger Eight (PC)
Anibus (Wii)
Sinking Island (PC)
Dracula 3: Path of the Dragon (PC)

The Week in Games: Slightly Shotgunned Formation

Owen Good — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:00:00 MDT

A pretty big week considering one hard copy title, Madden 09, always sits like a 500-pound gorilla on the second Tuesday in August. Madden will release on seven — that's right — consoles, and it's not surprising that some big boxes in rural areas are breaking street on that (I bought Madden '05 in Morganton, N.C. about four days ahead).

The real action is in the realm of downloadables, like Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, which should be a hoot and is out for Wii and PC. Bionic Commando: Rearmed provides action and nostalgia for the same low price on PSN and XBLA. There's also Fable II pub games, beating the drum for that franchise's upcoming sequel.

All things considered, this is a value-added week for new games. Which ones are you grabbing?

Monday (Aug. 11)
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 1: Homestar Ruiner (Wiiware, PC download)

Tuesday (Aug. 12)
Madden NFL 09 (PS2, PS3, PSP, 360, Xbox, DS)
Madden NFL 09 All-Play (Wii)
Bangai-O Spirits (DS)
Deadliest Crap: Alaskan Vaporware (PC)
Sinking Island (PC)
Line Rider 2: Unbound (DS, PC, Wii)
Imagine Teacher (DS)
N+ (PSP)
Dracula 3: Path of the Dragon (PC)
Space Siege (PC)

Wednesday (Aug. 13)
Bionic Commando Rearmed (XBLA)
Fable II Pub Games (XBLA)

Thursday (Aug. 14)
Bionic Commando Rearmed (PS3, PC)

Friday (Aug. 15)
Baseball Mogul 2009 (PC)
Ford Racing: Off Road (PC)

Week in Games: So Which Is It Gonna Be?

Owen Good — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:00:00 MDT

Oh man, Hannah Montana or the Cheetah Girls. Hannah Montana or the Cheetah Girls. Let's not miss the bigger picture here: Hannah's on the PS2 only. Nintendo, you been served notice that Sony's in your henhouse, gonna break your hold on tweentertainment bubblegumware. This totally makes up for Final Fantasy XIII.

Monday (Aug 4)
King of Clubs (Wii)
Tuesday (Aug. 5)
Beijing 2008 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games (PC)
Ford Racing: Off Road (PC)
B-Boy (PS2)
Hannah Montana: Spotlight World Tour (PS2)
Monster Madness: Grave Danger (PS3)
Little League World Series 2008 (Wii, DS)
Crash Time (360)
GRID (DS)
Puzzler Collection (DS)
The Cheetah Girls: Passport to Stardom (DS)
Quick Yoga Training (DS)

Wednesday (Aug. 6)
Braid (360)

Friday (Aug. 8)
Fate: Undiscovered Realms (PC)

The Week in Games: Gamefly Pocket Vetoes

Owen Good — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 18:00:00 MDT

Looks like this is Soulcalibur IV's big week to shine. Still not sure how I feel about that one. Or fighters in general. I am an inveterate button masher, and so are my friends. Plus I already blew my games budget this month on a couple of Gamefly pocket-vetoes, where you just go the hell with it and buy the game because you kinda like it and you've been paying $20 to keep it for the past month. Where was I? Yeah, here's the list of titles up for the next week, and let us know what you're gonna buy or rent in the comments.

Special Note: Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People was given a July release date for the Wii (Wiiware) and PC. That means it's either coming this week or it's late. Don't know exactly, but keep your eyes peeled.

Tuesday (July 29)
Soulcalibur IV (360, PS3)
Spectral Force 3 (X360)
Summer Athletics (WII, X360, PS2)
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI (PC)
City Life 2008 Edition (PC)
SNK Arcade Classics Volume 1 (WII)
MLB Power Pros 2008 (WII, PS2)
Everlight (PC)
Art of Murder: FBI Confidential (PC)
~~Deadliest Catch: Alaskan Storm (PC)~~ FUCK YOU DEADLIEST CATCH: ALASKAN STORK, I HAVE BEEN POSTING YOUR LIES FOR FOUR MONTHS NOW.

Wednesday (July 30)
Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 (X360)

Thursday (July 31)
Beijing 2008 - The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games (PC)
Baseball Mogul 2009 (PC)

Friday (Aug. 1)
Legend: Hand of God (PC)

The Week in Games: FFIV on DS, Joint Strike

Owen Good — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:00:00 MDT

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)

The Week in Games: You Can Actually Play These

Owen Good — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:00:00 MDT

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)

The Week in Games: Faster, Higher, Stronger

ogood — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:00:00 MDT

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)

The Week in Games: Diablo III is Not On This List

Owen Good — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:00:00 MDT

Thin week for The Week in Games. You can sense the pattern, big week of console releases, then thin week with mostly handheld drops. The pattern continues. Let us know if any of these get your gamer coin.

Monday (June 30)
1 vs 100 (DS)
The Immortals of Terra (PC)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (DS)
Roogoo (PC)

Tuesday (July 1)
Hail to the Chimp (PS3, 360)
AMF Bowling Pinbusters (DS)
Gears of War w/maps, GoW2 Preview (360)
Purr Pals (Wii)
Ducati Moto (DS)

Wednesday (July 2)
Dungeon Runners (PC)

Thursday (July 3)
Fading Shadows (PSP)

The Week in Games: Keep on Rockin' in the Wii World

Owen Good — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:00:00 MDT

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)

The Week in Games: Handheld Week

Owen Good — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:20:00 MDT

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)

The Week in Games: Games of the Patriots

Owen Good — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 18:00:00 MDT

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: Kung Fu Bug's Life Bee Movie Cars Panda

Owen Good — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:00:00 MDT

This week looks like the second wave of big summer-season releases, dropping Ninja Gaiden II, GRID, Lego Indiana Jones, and The Bourne Conspiracy on Tuesday, followed by The Incredible Hulk on Friday. Oh, and let's also not forget ~~Activision payday~~ movie tie-in Kung Fu Panda: Shovelware edition, which accompanies the animated, thinly veiled Nacho Libre redux hitting screens this week. Consistent readers of the site will know I despise two things: Yap dogs, and animated movies with a color-by-numbers stranger-in-a-strange-land narrative. Hate them like Colbert hates bears. And a panda is a bear.

Buying/renting any of these? Hit the comments.

Monday (June 2):
Dracula: Origin (PC)
Stronghold Crusader Extreme (PC)

Tuesday (June 3):
Ninja Gaiden II (360)
GRID (PC, 360, PS3)
Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy (360, PS3)
Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (PSP, 360, Wii, PS3, PC, PS2, DS)
Kung Fu Panda (360, PC, PS2, Wii, PS3, DS)
Summon Night: Twin Age (DS)
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 (PSP)
Fatal Inertia EX (PS3)

Wednesday (June 4):
Roogoo (360)

Thursday (June 5):
The Incredible Hulk (360, PS2, Wii, PS3, DS)

The Week in Games: No Reversals!

Owen Good — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:00:00 MDT

Major League Eating comes to DS this week, so you can, I dunno pack your face using the stylus while you chow down at a McDonald's on a lunch break or something. Remind me to tell you all sometime about the abortive fried chicken eating match contest I nearly got into at West Wendover, Nevada back in 2001.

Actually, that's about all there is to the story. A lawyer friend in Las Vegas, unintimidated by my claim to clean drumsticks in two bites, proposed we meet at middle ground (between Vegas and Denver) and settle up. But we couldn't get the International Federation of Competitive Eating to sanction the duel,. And my attempts to get the local chamber of commerce to give us free shit didn't pan out, either. Also, the idea of spending an entire weekend in eastern Nevada eating chicken was not, shall we say, palatable. So we both mutually bowed out. But I'll take any of your asses on, especially if you live near a Bojangles.

Anyone picking up any of these? Let us know in the comments.

Deca Sports (WII)
We Ski (WII)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King (WII)
Assault Heroes 2 (X360)
Ford Racing: Off Road (PC)
Drone Tactics (DS)
Myst (DS)
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (X360, PS3, PS2, WII, DS)
Rocketmen: It Came from Your Uranus (X360, PS3)
Major League Eating: The Game (WII)
Castle of Shikigami III (WII)
Toki Tori (WII)

New Releases — Week of May 11 [Gamespot]

The Week in Games: Mutual of Kotaku's Wild Kingdom

ogood — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:00:00 MDT

Alright, not much to pick on here in TWiG's April 20th installment. But Wild Earth: African Safari, well good thing that's a kid title. Otherwise it looks about as interesting as watching old people fuck. Virtual photography? That's a side mission in about four titles I already own.

I realize everyone here hates teh sports, but if I wasn't moving I'd be at least renting NBA Ballers: Chosen One. I bought the first one during the 2004 playoffs and created my baller, Two-Car Fatal, as an homage to the scut work Crecente and I were doing on the night shift at the time. (I also created Ice Killus as an homage to the Greek playwright.) I'd happily revisit that series again.

Here's what's coming up, let us know if you'll pick or pass. Thanks.

The Red Star (Wii)
Wild Earth: African Safari (Wii)
River King: Mystic Valley (DS)
Chameleon (PSP)
Dream Pinball 3D (Wii, DS)
Target: Terror (Wii)
Battle of the Bands (Wii)
Turok (PC)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time (DS)
Persona 3: FES (PS2)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness (DS)
NBA Ballers: Chosen One (PS3, X360)
The World Ends With You (DS)

New Releases Week of April 20, 2008 [Gamespot]

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

ogood — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:00:00 MDT

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]