Shippin' Out 9/25-9/29: NBA trifecta, Just Cause, Valkyrie Profile 2
Sony, EA, and 2K Sports hit the hard court this week as Eidos offers up over-the-top action and Square Enix brings a long-awaited sequel to retail.
September's come and almost gone, which means the all-important fourth quarter of the year is almost upon us. But don't look too far ahead, as the third quarter's going out with a bang when it comes to new releases.
Just as the NBA season trails the NHL season by a little bit each year, so too do the basketball games trail their hockey counterparts. 2K Sports and Electronic Arts hit the ice with their respective efforts in the middle of this month, and now the sports-game titans are reprising their feud once more with NBA 2K7 arriving in stores across multiple formats on the same day as most versions of EA's NBA Live 07. Sony's NBA 07 franchise is getting in the mix, as well, with versions for both the PlayStation Portable and the PlayStation 2.
Nonsports gamers also have a bevy of choices on tap this week, as Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis hits the Nintendo DS, the long-awaited sequel to the original PlayStation game Valkyrie Profile arrives on the PS2, and Eidos' over-the-top, open-world action game Just Cause also drops in on the Xbox 360, Xbox, PS2, and PC.
On the strictly PC side of things, Vivendi Games' city-building sim Caesar IV ships out this week, alongside a port of Majesco's Jaws Unleashed and a rare PC title from Namco Bandai in Mage Knight: Apocalypse. Namco Bandai's DS effort based on the same tabletop gaming license, Mage Knight: Destiny's Soldier, is also set to arrive in stores.
This week's new releases are listed below. The list is taken from retailer information, so actual dates may vary. Contact your local retailer for availability.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2006
Backyardigans: Mission to Mars (PC)
Baten Kaitos Origins (GC)
Dora the Explorer: Dora's World Adventures (PC)
Family Feud (PC)
Ford Bold Moves Street Racing (Xbox, PS2, PC)
Go Diego Go! (PC)
Hollywood Posh Pets (PC)
King's Quest Collection (PC)
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (DS)
Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2 (GC)
NBA 07 (PSP)
NBA 07 Featuring The Life (PS2)
NBA 2K7 (Xbox 360, Xbox, PS2)
NBA Live 07 (Xbox 360, PSP, Xbox, PC)
Pacific Storm (PC)
Paparazzi (PC)
Pony LUV (PC)
Strawberry Shortcake Sweet Dreams (GBA)
SEPTEMBER 26, 2006
Backyard Football 2007 (GBA)
Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2007: 10th Anniversary Edition (PC)
Caesar IV (PC)
Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA (PS2)
The Fast and the Furious (PS2)
Greg Hastings' Tournament Paintball Max'd (PS2)
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (PS2, GC)
GTR 2 (PC)
Harlem Globetrotters: World Tour (GBA)
Hidden Expedition: Titanic (PC)
Hoyle Bridge Club (PC)
Import Tuner Challenge (Xbox 360)
Jaws Unleashed (PC)
Just Cause (Xbox 360, Xbox, PS2, PC)
Mage Knight Apocalypse (PC)
Mage Knight: Destiny's Soldier (DS)
MotoGP (PSP)
NRA Gun Club (PS2)
Princess Natasha: Student Secret Agent (GBA)
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots (GBA)
Spectral Souls (PSP)
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (PS2)
SEPTEMBER 27, 2006
Alex Rider: Stormbreaker (DS, GBA)
ParaWorld (PC)
Unfabulous (GBA)
World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions (PC)
SEPTEMBER 28, 2006
NBA Live 07 (PS2)
SEPTEMBER 29, 2006
Bubble Bobble Revolution (DS)
El Matador (PC)
Rainbow Islands Revolution (DS)
Hot Stories
Newsmakers
-
Biden: No legal problem with taxing violent games
United States Vice President Joe Biden believes there is no legal restriction on ability to tax violent media. Full Story
- Posted May 13, 2013 12:50 pm PT
-
Just Cause dev promises 'holy f**king sh**' moments in future games
Avalanche Studios co-founder says developer's ambition is for action, not moments that make players cry; steampunk-style game on hold. Full Story
- Posted May 15, 2013 6:33 am PT
Featured Stories
-
Bungie shoots down Destiny for PS Vita rumor
Developer confirms image suggesting version of upcoming shared-world shooter in development for Sony's latest portable is a fake. Full Story
- Posted May 16, 2013 5:08 am PT
-
Ubisoft planning to release games more frequently
Assassin's Creed and Far Cry publisher says its network of 26 studios and over 7,000 developers will allow company to ship major franchises more regularly. Full Story
- Posted May 16, 2013 4:42 am PT
-
Metro: Last Light dev responds to workplace conditions claims
4A Games creative director Andrew Prokhorov thanks Jason Rubin for telling the studio's story, but says, "We deserve the ratings we get." Full Story
- Posted May 16, 2013 12:44 pm PT
-
EA opens DICE LA to make Star Wars games
DICE head would also like to poach top talent from rivals Infinity Ward and Treyarch. Full Story
- Posted May 15, 2013 3:28 am PT
-
EA dropping Online Passes - Report
Future EA games won't require Online Passes; the service is being scrapped after tepid player response. Full Story
- Posted May 15, 2013 8:28 pm PT
Related Game
Caesar IV
- Publisher(s): Vivendi Games
- Developer(s): Tilted Mill
- Genre: Strategy
- Release:
- ESRB: E10+





