Shippin' Out Nov. 16-22: Left 4 Dead, Animal Crossing

MK vs. DC Universe, Shaun White Snowboarding, Lips, Tomb Raider Underworld, NFS Undercover, Rabbids TV Party, New Xbox Experience all launch this week.

Fusillade? Deluge? Avalanche? Call it what you will, retailers are bracing themselves for an untenable number of new releases hitting their shelves this week, as game companies empty their tanks in advance of Black Friday and the official start of the holiday shopping season.

New Releases

Take a look at what's out this week.

Where to begin? Arguably the top release in this jam-packed week is Valve and Turtle Rock Studios' zombie-crazed shooter Left 4 Dead. First announced in 2007, the co-op-centric, Source engine-powered shooter saw its development extended after Valve bought the one-time CounterStrike mod shop in January. Since then, the game has become central to Valve's 2008 strategy, and represents the company's biggest release for the Xbox 360 and PC this year.

Usually a day of rest for retailers, Sunday saw the launch of five different games. Released earlier this month on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 2 exclusively at Wal-Mart, the AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack thunderstruck the Wii. That release was accompanied by two Nintendo exclusives: Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades jams on the DS just five months after its best-selling original, and Animal Crossing: City Folk for the Wii, of which GameSpot hosted a live gameplay marathon on Friday.

Also on Sunday, Midway released its first new Mortal Kombat for the Xbox 360 and PS3, MK vs. DC Universe. Shaun White Snowboarding, which buried critics in an avalanche of morose, also hit the slopes on Sunday for the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, and DS.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 is in for a big week, and that's not just because its online service will see the release of its long-awaited dashboard overhaul. Lips, a karaoke rhythm game from Elite Beat Agents studio Inis and equipped with a motion-sensing microphone, joins Codemasters' Xbox Live Vision camera-supported You're in the Movies to lead Microsoft's casual-gamer offerings this week. Square Enix's Japanese role-playing game The Last Remnant and Namco Bandai's action adventure Naruto: The Broken Bond will also see release exclusively for Microsoft's console.

Putting partisan gaming aside for a moment, EA will be hitting all relevant platforms this week with a reboot of its once-mighty Need for Speed for franchise, Need for Speed Undercover. The publisher also has on tap its collegiate hoops simulation NCAA Basketball 09 for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PS2, and will be distributing MTV Games' Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2 for the X360, PS3, PS2, and Wii.

In other multiplatform news, Lara Croft will disembark on on her latest loot-hoarding expedition in Eidos and Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider Underworld for the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii, DS, and PC. Disney's Bolt, a John Travolta-led animated feature about a delusional dog, will make its way to theaters while its trusty-companion game tie-in sees release on the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii, DS, and PC. Retailers also expect to see Sega's Sonic Unleashed zip in and out of their stores on the Xbox 360, PS2, and Wii this week. (The game is expected to arrive for the PS3 in December.)

A whole mess of Nintendo Wiis and DSs are in gamers' hands, so its only natural those platforms would see an equal smorgasbord of new titles. Ubisoft's maniacal rabbids return this week on the Wii and DS with the Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party, the console version of which is Balance Board-compatible. EA's Skate franchise ollies onto Nintendo's two platforms as well with Skate It. Disney, too, will drum on both of Nintendo's systems with Ultimate Band.

Nintendo will also see a number of system exclusives this week. Sidestepping that whole defeat-throngs-of-enemies-before-a-climactic-boss-fight thing, the Belmont clan throws down against Dracula and his lieutenants in Konami's Wii fighter Castlevania Judgment. In a battle of the culinary arts, Majesco is serving up Cooking Mama World Kitchen on the Wii. For the DS, Activision's accelerometer-equipped Tony Hawk's Motion/Hue Pixel Painter, Neverland's Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon, SNK's Metal Slug 7, and Atlus' Lumines Arc 2 all see release.

And, of course, PC gamers have a few to look forward to this week. Obsidian's Neverwinter Nights 2 expands with a new 15-hour campaign in Storm of Zehir. Meanwhile, EA's Spore sees its first of undoubtedly many add-ons with the Creepy & Cute Parts Pack.

A contender for the longest-title-of-the-year award, Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 4: Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective from Telltale wages its mischief-making on Nintendo's WiiWare and the PC. Desktop gamers can pick up the game for $8.95 on Telltale's Web site, while the downloadable console edition runs for 1,000 Wii points ($10). Also out for Nintendo's online storefront this week is Target Toss Pro: Bags (700 Wii points, $7), the Genesis remake Forgotten Worlds (800 Wii points, $8), and a Super NES port of Space Invaders: The Original Game (800 Wii points, $8).

While the New Xbox Experience has supplanted Microsoft's new weekly Wednesday game, the publisher will be adding Atari's Zapper to its Xbox Originals download program this week for 1,200 Microsoft points ($15). Sony had not revealed its Thursday download slate as of press time.

This week's new releases are listed below (list taken from retailer information--actual dates may vary).

NOVEMBER 16, 2008
AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack (Wii)
Animal Crossing: City Folk (Wii)
Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades (DS)
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (X360, PS3)
Shaun White Snowboarding (X360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, DS)

NOVEMBER 17, 2008
Forgotten Worlds (Wii VC)
Gallop and Ride (Wii)
Hello Kitty: Big City Dreams (DS)
Left 4 Dead (X360, PC)
Merv Griffin's Crosswords (Wii)
NCAA Basketball 09 (X360, PS3, PS2)
Need for Speed Undercover (X360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, DS, PC)
Robocalypse (DS)
Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2 (X360, PS3, PS2, Wii)
Spore Creepy & Cute Parts Pack (PC)
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 4: Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective (WiiWare, PC)
Target Toss Pro: Bags (WiiWare)
The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria Complete Edition (PC)
The Sims 2 Mansion & Garden Stuff (PC)
Zapper (XBLA)

NOVEMBER 18, 2008
Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun (Wii)
Alone in the Dark: Inferno (PS3)
AMF Bowling World Lanes (Wii)
Bolt (X360, PS3, PS2, Wii, DS, PC)
Castlevania Judgment (Wii)
Championship Foosball (Wii)
Cooking Mama World Kitchen (Wii)
Cradle of Rome (DS)
Dynasty Warriors 6 (PS2, PC)
EverQuest II: The Shadow Odyssey (PC)
Gothic 3 - Forsaken Gods (PC)
Imagine: Ballet Star (DS)
Imagine Movie Star (DS)
Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine (DS)
Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2 (X360, PS3, Wii)
Legendary (PC)
Lips (X360)
Luminous Arc 2 (DS)
Metal Slug 7 (DS)
Monkey Mischief: Party Time (Wii)
Naruto: The Broken Bond (X360)
Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir (PC)
NPPL Championship Paintball 2009 (X360, PS3, PS2, Wii)
Petz Catz Clan (DS)
Petz Crazy Monkeyz (Wii)
Petz Monkeyz House (DS)
Petz Rescue Endangered Paradise (DS)
Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party (Wii, DS)
Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon (DS)
Skate City Heroes (Wii)
Ski & Shoot (PS2)
Ski Doo: Snowmobile Challenge (X360, PS3)
Sonic Unleashed (X360, PS2, Wii)
Tomb Raider Underworld (X360, PS3, PS2, Wii, DS, PC)
Tony Hawk's Motion/Hue Pixel Painter (DS)
Ultimate Band (Wii, DS)
Winter Sports 2: The Next Challenge (X360, PS2, DS)
You're in the Movies (X360)

NOVEMBER 19, 2008
Burnout Anthology (PS2)
New Xbox Experience
Skate It (Wii, DS)

NOVEMBER 20, 2008
The Last Remnant (X360)

NOVEMBER 21, 2008
Beyond Protocol (PC)

68 Comments

  • megamaster32

    Posted Nov 23, 2008 11:20 am PT

    cant wait till christmas

  • Media_Mind

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 6:20 pm PT

    Burnout Anthology PS2, Metal Slug 7 and mk vs. dc for me PS3!!!

  • hassy94

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 8:43 am PT

    flame ducky it's not them who choose the charts, it depends on how many people look on the left 4 dead page.

    It's not up at top because there's no review/preview on the front page yet.

  • flameducky

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 12:27 pm PT

    Oh yeah and, how come the new xbox experience is already up there but Sony is still working on Playstation Home? What the hell?

  • flameducky

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 12:24 pm PT

    Why isn't Left 4 Dead at the top of the Gamespot charts?

  • zombey1333

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 10:56 am PT

    HOLY HECK O_O I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEYZ TO PURCHASE ALL OF THE GAMES I WANT, THERE ARE TOO MANY!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!! If only I didn't have to pay bills ;_;

  • TreMattic

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 10:40 am PT

    Can somebody give me one good reason why Street Fighter 2 Remix isnt on this ******* list?? What is Capcom waiting on?

  • Spybreak

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 10:34 am PT

    It's always a flood of new games but don't forget the old still decent super cheap ones. Just got GH:Aerosmith and NFSro Street from the Gamefly Nov sale for 30 bucks total! I'm a cheap ass, what can I say lol.

  • Chimpman_Z

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 10:15 am PT

    The list neglected to include Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff for DS. If you're hunkering for a handful of old-school nostalgia, check it out! It ships on the 18th.

    It's the rebirth of the "He did what?!" combined with the "W00T pwned thaat srry n00b!!!!!!11!!!!!1!" of Wi-fi. Oh yeah.

  • ramok2k

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 10:10 am PT

    Yea sonic!!

  • res0i39c

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 10:10 am PT

    I really don't need any games on that list.

  • XanderKage

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 10:00 am PT

    Holy mother of god, what isn't being released this week? Awesome...

  • jcloverboy

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 9:31 am PT

    a very busy week indeed.

    Grabbing NFS: Undercover, Left 4 Dead, Lips, You're In The Movies, Last Remnant this week.

    Already got Animal Crossing and Shaun White.

    At least it slows down soon.

  • BigDaddy973

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 9:30 am PT

    LEFT 4 DEAD!!!!!! Woot!

  • werc96

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 9:14 am PT

    Left 4 Dead, NFS, Tomb Raider, Mk vs Dc,......There shall be spiderwebs in my wallet after this holiday season!

  • DataDream

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 9:12 am PT

    L4D and TombRaider for sure for me - then probably Last Remnant, if I can finally push my self to buy a turn based RPG.

    I hate turn based RPG's - but this one may be just to good to pass up.

  • funnysplay

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 8:42 am PT

    Left4Dead for me. Other then that maybe MKvDC but theirs no review yet
    so ill half to wait and see.

  • LimitedVert

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 7:39 am PT

    I preloaded left4dead and at 12:15am eastern I was able to play the full version. It's almost 10am now and I have a full day of classes ahead of me and only 2 hours of sleep....the game ROCKS.

  • aBathingApe_

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 6:52 am PT

    Left 4 Dead will be what to look out for here. Hopefully it will be absolutely stellar. This is a 360 exclusive that Microsoft should tote and brag. Rather than brandish Halo all the time

  • Sins-of-Mosin

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 6:26 am PT

    MK vs DC for sure. Left 4 Dead and the new NFS probably. Look at all the shovelware for the Wii/DS. The Naruto: Broken Bond demo was great so I'll have to see about getting that. Never been a fan of Lara Croft grames. And finally Shaun White might be worthy of a look.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 6:22 am PT

    Besides Tomb Raider Underworld, nothing else interests me this week. I'm on the fence about The Last Remnant. Hasn't exactly been enough previews and such to convince me to purchase it. I'll wait on reviews.

  • Fady117

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 5:16 am PT

    wow, i guess i'm gonna have to pierce my wallet once more....

  • KevComesRipping

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 4:54 am PT

    Good god... I've got Gears of War 2 to tide me over for a while thank you... I'll wait til after christmas until I start binge buying again.

  • speed10039

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 3:15 am PT

    sonic is a series that never really transfered well into 3D, i hate every last one of the sonic games that came out in 3D and i played all of them. i like the old sonic and its a series that should have stayed 2D like street fighter or megaman.

  • slickvic1990

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 1:47 am PT

    SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONIC!!!!!! (better not suck, lol)

  • Pete5506

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 10:20 pm PT

    I may get Left 4 Dead

  • Momota77

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 9:41 pm PT

    And not a cent to be dropped for any of these, by moi. Hey look, a family of rare moths just flew out of my old worn jeans.

  • Kh1ndjal

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 9:39 pm PT

    nice week for gamers

  • quirkelchomp

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 9:08 pm PT

    Food4Less is gonna rock - oh wait, i mean Left4Dead.

  • Ton77

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 8:24 pm PT

    last remnant for me

  • finaleve

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 7:43 pm PT

    shemrom > Fall rush don't end til after thanksgiving. Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving...and considering Fall doesn't end until December 21st so there's a lot of time left.

    Left 4 Dead is a definite. Honestly I find it GotY material (if only map would change randomly too). Animal Crossing I might get eventually...maybe.

  • popdacracka

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 7:41 pm PT

    Ready to go pick up my reserved Animal Crossing: City Folk tomorrow. Ton of games that are coming out. I can not wait to finally own a 360 and a PS3. I'll be in gamer heaven in 2009.

  • mjc0961

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 7:28 pm PT

    Wow, all those games and the only one I see worth my money is Tomb Raider. Too bad I just got my copy of BK: Nuts and Bolts in the mail and will be playing that for a few weeks.

    Also, Strongbad is on Episode 4 now? I thought Episode 2 just came out...

  • muppen

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 7:21 pm PT

    Tomb Raider Underworld, wohoo!

  • glitchgeeman

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 6:28 pm PT

    Woah, Animal Crossing, L4D, Luminous Arc 2, Rune Factory 2, and the Last Remnant all in one week!? My wallet is going to take one hell of a beating this week.

  • Spartan_418

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 6:26 pm PT

    Left 4 Dead!!!!!!!!!!1!!!one!!!! now we finally have a reason to take a break from feral ghoul hunting in Fallout 3.

  • siLVURcross

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 6:23 pm PT

    I'm sorry, but Hello Kitty on the DS has won my moneyz.

  • SyrusKahn

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 5:18 pm PT

    OMG JUST 3 HOURS!!! LEFT 4 DEAD!!!! PWNAG3!!!!!!!!

  • Expo_Smacko

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 5:16 pm PT

    Left 4 dead

  • MasterChiefBMN

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 5:04 pm PT

    Damnit, no Street Fighter HD Remix this week... I guess there's always next week.

  • Bobzfamily

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 5:02 pm PT

    Actually, now that I think about it is a pretty big couple weeks.

  • rozenkrautz

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 4:56 pm PT

    Anybody notice it said Naruto The Broken Bond by Namco Bandai. Its by Ubisoft. Man cant wait for it that will be awesome. Go UBI

  • Turbo-Evil

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 4:45 pm PT

    NFS is out already? Damn!

  • cyanyde420

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 4:45 pm PT

    I hope NFS:U is worth the wait!

  • SiKyung

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 4:43 pm PT

    now just you wait Left 4 Dead and NXE.
    oh maybe CoD 5 too. Anyway this year been great with a lot great games. I wonder how it will be in next or after 2 years.

  • SR71halo

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 4:34 pm PT

    Can't wait for Sonic Unleashed.

  • Deiuos

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 4:31 pm PT

    All that in one week? Wow. Glad I didn't apply for Gamestop.

  • allotheabove123

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 4:23 pm PT

    left 4 dead

  • jazzyrider

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 4:08 pm PT

    Maybe NFS and L4D!

  • BelmontMaster

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 4:00 pm PT

    Left 4 Dead and CV Judgment woo!

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