Lot’s of stuff on the DS front… not so much for anything else. And to be honest, the DS offerings aren’t especially impressive, so I guess it’s a week to catch up on past releases.

For Consoles

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon | Wii
Seriously, who doesn’t love chocobos? Coming from Square Enix and having the Final Fantasy name attached, this pretty obviously offers up some RPG action. In this Final Fantasy spin off, you take control of a chocobo named Chocobo and his pal Cid as they attempt to figure out why the people of a mysterious town lose their memories every time the clocktower bell rings.

Gears of War (2-Disc Edition) | 360
Nothing like cashing in on the popularity of a franchise. This is a 2-disc special edition of Gears of War. The first disc contains the original game. The second disc contains a handful of extras, including map packs 1 and 2, trailers, themes, and gamer images. If you happen to be in need of a copy of the game… well, really it’d be more cost effective to pick it up used somewhere at this point. But if you prefer your game discs shiny and new, have at it.

Purr Pals | Wii
Don’t get me wrong… I love cats. But I prefer the real thing (even when they do try to eat the Wii Nunchuck cord). Purr Pals is pretty much the kitty cat version of Nintendogs… for Wii. Customize your kitties, play with them, tease them with laser pointers… It’s just like having a real pet. If your real pet lived in the TV.

For Handhelds

Ducati Moto | Nintendo DS
Motocross racing for the DS. Choose from five championship events, and play against up to three other people over Wi-Fi. Ducati Moto offers arcade style racing with power sliding, wheelies, and jumps in five locations, with the choice of eleven bikes.

Journey to the Center of the Earth | Nintendo DS
Another movie tie-in game (and by now, I’m sure you all know how much I just love those…), this one let’s you play as the three main characters form the movie, explore the different locals of the movie, and do… pretty much what they did in the movie.

Soul Bubbles | Nintendo DS
In Soul Bubbles, you play as a shaman’s apprentice, charged with saving lost souls and steering them to safety by creating and manipulating bubbles. A puzzley, actiony sort of game, I’ve heard some halfway decent reviews of this one.

1 vs. 100 | Nintendo DS
The DS version of the TV game show of the same name, 1 vs. 100 is at heart, a trivia game. Multiplayer mode is available for up to four players, with one as the contestant and the other three as part of the Mob. And it has Bob Saget. Whether that’s meant as a selling point or a reason not to buy the game, I’m not entirely sure.

Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 | Nintendo DS
A sequel to Under the Knife, this is a medical action title for one player. Dr. Derek Stiles and Nurse Angie Thompson must deal with the aftermath of the devastating GUILT virus.

WiiWare

Magnetica Twist (1000 Wii Points)
A puzzle game in which you launch marbles at the advancing army of more marbles by twisting the Wii-Remote. The game has five different modes.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King - Content Update

Infinity Spire (300 Wii Points) - adds two dungeons, including Infinity Spire which becomes harder every time you clear it.

Castle Renovation (100 Wii Points) - adds a jukebox and the ability to rename your adventurers to the castle

Library (200 Wii Points) - unlocks the ability to built libraries, which teach race-specific abilities

New Royal Outfit 2 (100 Wii Points) - a summer outfit for the king

New Chancellor Outfit 2 (100 Wii Points) - a summer outfit for Chime

Amazon.com is having a Nintendo blowout in the GoldBox today.

The deal of the day is Super Smash Bros. Brawl for Wii for $25.99 (nearly half-price). There are also lighting deals coming up all day long. If you missed out on Yoshi’s Island DS earlier today, you still have a chance at The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for Nintendo DS for $22.99 for the next hour or so.

Plus, 6 additional lightning deals will be revealed every 2 hours. Happy shopping!

Square Enix released a new trailer today for their Final Fantasy mash-up fighting title, Dissidia: Final Fantasy (coming eventually to a PSP near you). In addition to some new character reveals, the trailer also show 2008 as the release window for the game… at least in Japan. It’s anyone’s guess when it will make it stateside. Check out the trailer at GameTrailers.com

Does anyone actually remember “Hot Coffee” from back in 2004? You know… the “sex” mini-game (that had no nudity) in GTA San Andreas that you could only access it if you had the PC version of the game or an Action Replay for Xbox or PS2 and applied the mod? The one that had the media up in arms and resulted in a lawsuit? We all know that they settled, now the numbers are out for the settlement.

It was settled for $1.3 million in legal fees and a whole $30,000 to resolve all 2676 claims brought by people who purchased the game and were offended by the Hot Coffee content. Just to put that in persepctive, the game has sold 21.5 million units (that’s as of March 2008) making it one of the best selling games of all time.

All I can say is this:

Best. Advertising. Campaign. Ever.

Yes, I know this is a gaming blog, but I’m writing a book report anyway. So…. you remember that Metal Gear Solid book that came out awhile back?

Let me tell you, it was pretty corny. Granted, I wasn’t really expecting much from something that tries to condense a 40 hour video game into a scant 336 pages. Unfortunately, it was a lot worse that I’d thought it would be… not only because it reads like a transcript of the game (right down to the phrase “his trademark punch-punch-kick combo” being used more times than I cared to count), but also because it really didn’t give much life to any of the characters.

I guess if you just wanted to brush up on the story, it’s fine… although some of the additions the author makes are entirely unnecessary… like the gratuitous mention of the 9/11 attacks, which had nothing whatsoever to do with the rest of the dialog on that page, or the cheesy jokes that were thrown in at random.

The novel seems to be written very much for readers who are too lazy to play the game all the way through. The author might just as well have written a walkthrough for the game and posted it to gameFAQs.com. You can literally tell where every cutscene, every boss battle, and every shift in gameplay occurs… mostly because there is no smooth transition between any of them. One moment Snake is sneaking around, the next, a boss is challenging him, and then they fight.

It also suffers from one of my biggest pet peeves in literature. “Intelligent”-sounding words that aren’t especially common in everyday language (or even in popular literature, for that matter), thrown in, seemingly at random… usually during an inner monolog or description of action being taken or planned. A couple times I actually had to go back and reread a sentence because the use of language was just so odd and out of place for the tone of the story at that point.

In the end, I made it through the book (which wasn’t really that much of an effort… 336 pages is short to begin with, and it has large print) before I made it through the game (I’d started MGS about a week before the book arrived). The book could have been halfway decent, if the author hadn’t written it from the game almost directly. I do realize there’s a significant level of difficultly involved in novelizing something that is primarily visual, like a movie or a video game, but this one was just poorly done in so many respects that it’s hardly worth the effort unless you don’t plan on ever playing MGS but need to know the plot for some reason.

There’s a whole lot of new titles this week, so let’s get right to it…

For Consoles

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith | Wii | 360 | PS3 | PS2
The latest edition to the Guitar Hero series, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith puts fans in the shoes of the legendary rock band responsible for such hits as Sweet Emotion and Livin’ on the Edge. Follow the bands career from their first gig through their rise to fame and beyond. The set list includes some of Aerosmith’s biggest hits, from Love in an Elevator to Dream On.

Alone in the Dark | Wii | 360 | PS2
Actually the fifth game in the series, in Alone in the Dark, strange things are happening in New York’s Central Park, and it’s up to paranormal investigator Edward Carnby to find the cause as pure evil spills out from within the park over the course of a single apocalyptic night.

Battlefield: Bad Company | PS3 | PS3 Gold Edition | 360 | 360 Gold Edition
The 222nd Army battalion, B-company is where the Army tosses together all the troublemakers that don’t fit in with any other unit. Set in the near future, Battlefield: Bad Company is a single-player campaign title that puts the player behind enemy lines as part of a squad of four soldiers who risk it all to go AWOL on a personal quest. Featuring an open world and environments where nearly everything is destructible, Bad Company also offers online multiplayer action for up to 24 players.

Big Beach Sports | Wii
New for Wii, Big Beach Sports offers players a selection of games at an ocean-side setting. Choose from volleyball, soccer, football, bocce, disc golf and cricket in both solo and multiplayer modes.

Overlord: Raising Hell | PS3
An action RPG from Codemasters, Overlord: Raising Hell is set in a warped fantasy world in which the player is immersed in twisted parodies of classic fantasy scenarios. Fight to become the almighty Overlord and amass an army of Minions to do your bidding.

Command and Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath | 360
The follow-up to Command & Conquer 3, this real-time strategy title returns players to the Tiberium Universe, and allows you to command more the 100 units and structures. You can choose from three of the classic factions, or any one of six new ones as you set your army against your enemies.

WALL-E | Wii | PS3 | 360 | PS2 | Nintendo DS | PSP
Based on the upcoming Diseny/Pixar movie, WALL-E, this title let’s you play as both WALL-E and EVE as they work to save the world. The game features some of the movie’s most memorable moments, and voice talent from the movie.

Operation Darkness | 360
A WWII strategy RPG, Operation Darkness puts you in command of a British Special Forces squad that has been tasked with taking out the Nazis and Hitler while fighting a host zombies, skeletons, vampires, and werewolves, using an array of magic and artillery.

Hellboy: The Science of Evil | PS3 | 360 | PSP
In this original story set in the Hellboy universe, players have the opportunity to uncover a Nazi plot for world domination and put a stop to it by unleashing Hellboy’s superhuman abilities. Both solo and co-op multiplayer modes are available, allowing you to play as your favorite characters from the comic book.

Myth Makers: Trixie in Toyland | Wii
The evil Penumbra, leader of the Aristocrat Riders has stolen the Myth Makers Orbs and has hidden them in Toyland. Trixie must explore every inch of the strange world and find the stolen Magical Orbs in order to return balance to the Myth Realm, all while battling killer clowns and rampaging robots.

Cocoto Kart Racer | Wii
When the holy cauldron of Cocoto disappears the Imps are in danger of losing all their powers. Their only chance to recover them is to beat all their opponents in a series of fierce kart races to win the prize, the mysterious cauldron. Several modes of play are available, including Championship, Time Challenge, and Multiplayer.

For Handhelds

Final Fantasy Tactics A2 | Nintendo DS
The latest addition to the Final Fantasy Tactics series, in Tactics A2, you play as Luso, an unfortunate student stuck at school over summer vacation who finds himself pulled into an ancient book and thrust into an adventure he could only have dreamed up in the land of Ivalice. The game features 50 job classes, and more than 400 quests.

My Weight Loss Coach | Nintendo DS
Track the progress of your diet and exercise on you DS. My Weight Loss Coach, developed in conjunction with a nutritionist, is intended to help you take control of your efforts to lose weight. The game comes with a free pedometer to measure your physical activity, and motivates you with coaching sessions, challenges, mini-games, and quizzes.

Mega Man Star Force 2: Zerker x Ninja | Nintendo DS
A blend of RPG-style exploration and action/platforming, this latest Mega Man Star Force game allows the player to switch between the real world, where they play as a human, and the virtual world, where they are transformed into Mega Man. Get assistance from friends via the Nintendo Wi-Fi network, as you fight to save the virtual world.

Cake Mania 2 | Nintendo DS
Featuring a non-linear storyline, more than 200 levels, and 6 possible endings, in Cake Mania 2, you must guide Jill as she helps friends, rescues her old flame, and meets the demands of her customers.

NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 | PSP
Jump into a head to head fighting title featuring all of your favorite characters from the Naruto anime series. Naruto must learn the truth surrounding the mysterious fortress that has suddenly appeared over the Leaf Village. As the energy of the villagers is slowly drained away, Naruto and his friends must unravel its secrets.

American Girl Kit Mystery Challenge | Nintendo DS
A tie-in with the upcoming movie and based on the American Girl stories, help fledgling reported Kit Kittredge unravel six different mysteries during the Great Depression.

Midnight Play Pack | Nintendo DS
A 5 for 1 deal that offers a selection of Pool, Hold ‘em Poker, Bowling, several varieties of Solitaire, and Block Breaker in one convenient place. The game as a casino setting and promises colorful characters with distinct personalities to play against.

Gourmet Chef | Nintendo DS
The thrilling life of a famous gourmet chef is yours to experience as you master the art of French cooking. Prepare meals for customers and food critics, and become the top chef at a high-end restaurant. The game features over 70 authentic recipes that are detailed enough to create outside of the game using the DS as a cookbook.

Shining Stars: Super Starcade | Nintendo DS
A virtual world where players can name their own star, play games, create cartoons, send greeting cards, and nteract with each other through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The game is a tie-in with the Shining Stars plush toys line.

WiiWare

Gyrostarr (700 Wii Points)
With 50 levels, this classic arcade-style title challenges you (and up to three more players) to pilot your ship through a series of tracks while battling alien forces at increasing speeds. In addition to fighting and flying, you must also collect enough energy to activate the warpgate at the end of each track or the gate will slam shut destroy your ship.

Ever want to build your own MMORPG? If the time I’ve spent hanging out in the various gaming sections on Yahoo!Answers is any indication (no, I really don’t have any life at all…) quite a few people do. Well, that, and they want to know how to pirate games, but since I disagree on moral grounds with the latter, we’ll concentrate on the former.

Personally, I’ve never really had the desire to go nuts making my own game. I did it once, for a competition, and that was enough. I prefer to play them, and for my daily dose of geekiness, I’ll stick to PHP, thank you very much. But I know a lot of budding game developers out there are just dying to make their own game, so here’s something that might help them along.

MMORPG Tycoon. It’s a free download, and it’s unique in that it’s a game where the object is to… um… create a game. Think Railroad Tycoon, but even more nerdy. The player must make a popular online game (and turn a profit) by balancing in-game elements, business expenses, and technical details like servers ‘n such.

Just to be clear, now… you’re not actually creating a game per se… you’re playing a game about creating a game that people in the game play (how’s that for recursive gaming?).

If you’re interested, you can read more about it (and download a copy… it’s free!) here. You may also want to hit up the official site.

Sure, Bad Company comes out next week, but if you’re interested in the Gold Edition of the game, you might want to head on over to Amazon before the release and pre-order it. For doing so, you get a free $10 Amazon.com gift card.

Promising non-traditional gameplay for the genre, environments where you can destroy nearly everything, and online multiplayer for up to 24 people, this should be a good one.

PS3 Gold Edition | 360 Gold Edition | PS3 Regular Edition | 360 Regular Edition

Two nifty items today, in the stuff-I-don’t-need-but-want-anyway category… one of which I had to buy, because I couldn’t say no to it.

First up, wash your hands old-school style with some Pacman soap. Awww…. It smells like bananas, and the description says it has moisturizing eyes (which is actually a little creepy, now that I think about it). And it can be yours for the low, low price of $3.00.

Second, is the one I bought… Nintendo Cartridge Earrings! I’m a sucker for earrings… I’ve got more than I could ever wear, and I just keep buying them (they’re like freakin’ crack, I swear). But these were too cute to pass up, and for something made in miniature out of clay, the detail work is awesome. Best of all, you can pick your titles. I got the original Super Mario Bros. and SMB3 on mine. The maker of this fine jewelry has a fairly extensive collection of other Mario-inspired items to hang from your earlobes, too.

Apparently this is Nintendo week, as there is virtually nothing for anything other than Wii and DS on the release schedule… although that Secret Agent Clank for PSP look somewhat tempting.

Wii

Rockband
Well, it technically doesn’t ship until the 22, but that’s before my next This Week post, so here you go. Rockband for the Wii. Yay! It’s available as a bundle with the instruments or as a stand-alone game disc. Start your own band and shoot for the stars.

WonderWorld Amusement Park
In WonderWorld, you can take you character to a virtual amusement park and send him or her off on the interactive rides. There are also over 30 motion-sensing mini-games that will net you new outfits and other prizes. The game has a story mode, as well as practice and party modes.

WiiWare

Block Breaker Delux (800 Wii Points)
A re-invention of the classic arcade game, in which you… break blocks.

Cocoto Fishing Master (700 Wii Points)
A fishing game in which you must land the 5 millennial fish to save the world.

Nintendo DS

Guitar Hero: On Tour
Coming out on June 22, rather than earlier in the week is Activision’s portable entry in the Guitar Hero franchise. The game comes bundled with the Guitar Grip peripheral, and features the standard career mode, as well as co-op mode over wireless.

Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard
And RPG from Atlus that focuses heavily on dungeon exploration, in Etrian Odyssey II, a crisis befalls the nation of High Lagaard, and it is decreed that the first person to retrieve the Grail of Kings will be rewarded with fame and fortune. Your party can be customized from 12 different classes, and more than 100 sidequests are available. Like it’s predecessor, Etrain Odyssey II requires that players maintain their own map using the game’s mapping tool.

Space Invaders Extreme
Also available on: PSP
A classic comes to the DS, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Space Invaders. The game has been given a facelift, new power-ups have been added, and different modes can be unlocked. Multiplayer is an option over Wi-Fi, and the game supports Download Play, meaning that a multiplayer match can be played using only one copy of the game.

Arkanoid
Another classic making its DS debut, in Arkanoid, you break the blocks to clear the board. Multiplayer mode is available, and you can challenge up to four people over the Nintendo Wi-Fi network.

Imagine Rock Star
Releasing on the 22nd, in this DS title, you start your own rock band, pick your instrument, and vie for fortune and fame. Customize the look of your band, and perform. You can even team up with up to three friends. *Amazon has a preorder bonus on this game that will net you unlock codes for an extra song, outfit, and four additional instruments.

Code Lyoko: The Fall of X.A.N.A.
Based on the fourth season of the Cartoon Network show of the same name, Code Lyoko offers both 2D and 3D gameplay as you move from the real world to a virtual one in an effort to save your friend William and protect the Earth from the evils of X.A.N.A.

Petz Dogz Fashion
In Petz Dogz Fashion, you can dress you favorite dogs in the hottest fashions, and hold your own shows. The game contains 16 mini-games that can be played with both you virtual puppies or wirelessly with your friends.

Garfield Gets Real
Based on the Garfield Gets Real straight-to-DVD movie, in this game, you’re in the director’s seat, and it’s your job to make the movie a hit. As you complete each level, a cutscene from the DVD movie plays, adding to the interactive experience. The game is also set to come out on the Wii later this month.

PSP

Secret Agent Clank
A new addition to the Ratchet and Clank franchise, this one puts Clank in the main role. The game combines action, stealth, and puzzle solving as Clank works to clear Ratchet of a crime he didn’t commit.

Code Lyoko: Quest for Infinity
Also available on: PS2
Based on the end of the fourth season of the show, in Quest for Infinity, X.A.N.A. has succeeded in destroying the virtual world of Lyoko, and it is up to the boarding-school heroes to restore it and track X.A.N.A. down.