Shippin' Out Feb. 12-18: Twisted Metal, PS Vita games

With Valentine's Day on Tuesday, love is in the air and new games are on store shelves, including Twisted Metal, UFC Undisputed 3, Grand Slam Tennis 2, and a host of PlayStation Vita titles.

The Twisted Metal franchise comes back to life this Tuesday.

Leading the way this week is the PlayStation 3-exclusive vehicular combat game Twisted Metal. The first installment in the series since 2008's Twisted Metal: Head-On - Extra Twisted Edition for the PlayStation 2, Twisted Metal is being developed by many of the series' original designers at Eat Sleep Play. Besides a campaign mode, the game will sport two-player split-screen action, as well as online battles.

This week also hosts new hardware in the form of the PlayStation Vita First Edition, which arrives on Wednesday. The PS Vita First Edition bundle will be available in the US and Canada on February 15 for those who preordered it. Priced at $349 and $299, respectively, the US package includes a 3G version of the system, while the Canadian edition will be Wi-Fi only. These prices represent a $50 premium over a stand-alone system.

Aside from the variance in connectivity options, the contents of the bundles are identical across regions. The package will include a PS Vita system, a copy of Bigbig Studios' Little Deviants, a 4GB PS Vita Memory Card, and a limited-edition case.

Gamers looking to stock up on Vita games can grab a host of new titles before the system's launch in full on February 22. New PS Vita titles out this week include Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Wipeout 2048, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, Little Deviants, Lumines: Electronic Symphony, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Rayman Origins, and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

Gamers can start stocking up on Vita games this week.

The PS Vita isn't the only portable system to get a high-profile new release this week, as the 3DS welcomes Tekken 3D Prime Edition on Tuesday. The first Tekken game for a Nintendo portable since 2002's Tekken Advance, Tekken 3D Prime Edition features a roster of more than 40 fighters, from series mainstays Heihachi and Kazuya to recently introduced characters like Lili and Alisa. Namco Bandai is also promising wireless multiplayer action at 60 frames per second and 3DS Street Pass support that will have players trading collectible Tekken cards with others while the system is asleep.

Also out this week is mixed martial arts title UFC Undisputed 3, from THQ. The game is due for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and sports a number of changes to UFC's classic striking and grappling systems, an alternate, simplified control scheme, and in-match tutorials.

Fans who enjoy sports titles but prefer racquets to fists can pick up Grand Slam Tennis 2 this week for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game features all four of the sport's biggest championships: the French Open, the Australian Open, the US Open, and Wimbledon, which will be exclusive to EA Sports' game. Grand Slam Tennis 2 also features more than 20 past and present pros, including Bjorn Borg and Serena and Venus Williams.

Lastly, PC gamers finally get their mitts on Alan Wake this week. Due out on Thursday, Alan Wake is a third-person-oriented action game that has players battling supernatural forces in the town of Bright Falls. The game was originally released for the Xbox 360 in 2010.

For further details, visit GameSpot's New Releases page. The full list of downloadable games on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live Marketplace, and Wii Shop Channel will be revealed later this week. Release dates are based on retailer listings and are subject to change.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13:
Rhythm Heaven Fever--Wii--Nintendo
Warp--PC, PS3--Electronic Arts
Zumba Fitness Rush--X360--Majesco

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14:
B-Units: Build It!--Wii, DS--505 Games
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend--Vita, X360, PS3--Aksys Games
Crusader Kings II--PC--Paradox Interactive
F1 2011--Vita--Codemasters
FIFA Soccer--Vita--Electronic Arts
Grand Slam Tennis 2--X360, PS3--Electronic Arts
Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom--PSP--Aksys Games
Lumines: Electronic Symphony--Vita--Ubisoft
Mario & Sonic at the 2012 London Summer Games--3DS, Wii--Sega
Michael Jackson The Experience HD--Vita--Ubisoft
Rayman Origins--Vita--Ubisoft
The Sims 3 Hidden Springs--PC, Mac--Electronic Arts
Tales of the Abyss--3DS--Namco Bandai Games
Twisted Metal--PS3--SCEA
UFC Undisputed 3--X360, PS3--THQ
Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition--Vita--Sega

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15:
Ben 10: Galactic Racing--Vita--D3Publisher
Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational--Vita--SCEA
Little Deviants--Vita--SCEA
Modnation Racers: Road Trip--Vita--SCEA
Pinball FX2: Epic Quest--X360--Zen Studios
Reality Fighters--Vita--SCEA
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3--Vita--SCEA
Uncharted: Golden Abyss--Vita--SCEA
Warp--X360--Electronic Arts
Wipeout 2048--Vita--SCEA

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16:
Alan Wake--PC--Remedy Entertainment