Shippin' Out August 13-17: Madden, Metroid, Hexic 2

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Aug 13, 2007 2:08 pm PT

The second-half of 2007 game blitz kicks off this week, as Electronic Arts officially puts its annual footballer in the game.

This week, the end-of-year-release onslaught kicks off with EA Sports' Madden NFL 08 blitz of retail shelves on Tuesday. This year's improvements to the franchise of franchise's gameplay include a newly redesigned branching animation system and a heavier emphasis on the "weapons," or outstanding players, on each team.

Having apparently slimmed down during the off-season, Madden 08 will only be appearing on 10 platforms this year. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions lead the price pack at $59.99, with the PlayStation 2 and Wii versions running for $49.99; the PC, Mac, PlayStation Portable, GameCube, and Xbox versions for $39.99; and the Nintendo DS version for $29.99. For the play-by-play on this year's game, be sure to tune in to GameSpot's Madden NFL 08 Launch Center for this week's gameplay marathon, as well as reviews, previews, trailers, and more.

For those looking to sidestep the Madden rush, this week also sees a number of new handheld and console games coming to market. On the handheld front, Kuju Entertainment plays dungeon master in Dungeons & Dragons Tactics on the PSP, while Coyote Console attempts to find a happy middle between modern-day warfare and WWII shooters with Operation: Vietnam for the DS. Also on the DS, Image Epoch's tactical turn-based strategy Luminous Arc hits retail shelves. With its school supplies now properly in tow, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 on the PS2 also reemerges this week.

The downloadable games machine continues to churn on the Wii and Xbox 360, as well. Gearing up for Samus Aran's debut on the Wii with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on August 27, Nintendo has dedicated its Virtual Console updates this month to the Metroid series. Fittingly, the original Metroid is first out of the gate and is available for 500 Wii points ($5). Joining the heavily armored heroine will be Climax Entertainment's Sega Genesis dungeon-crawler Shining in the Darkness for 800 Wii points ($8) and Hudson's labyrinthine actioner for the TurboGrafx-16, Cratermaze, for 600 Wii points ($6).

Appearing this Wednesday on Microsoft's downloadable game service will be a time-traveling dolphin and a mind-bending puzzler. While Carbonated Games' original Hexic came part and parcel with the Xbox 360 Premium package, Hexic 2 will cost all Xbox 360 owners 800 Microsoft points ($10). Already available for the Wii's Virtual Console, Novatrade's Ecco the Dolphin rides the tide onto Xbox Live this Wednesday for 400 Microsoft points ($5).

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

AUGUST 13, 2007
Metroid (Wii)
Shining in the Darkness (Wii)
Cratermaze (Wii)

AUGUST 14, 2007
Madden NFL 08 (X360, Xbox, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, DS, GC, PC, Mac)
Dungeons & Dragons Tactics (PSP)
Operation: Vietnam (DS)
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 (PS2)
Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon (DS)
Luminous Arc (DS)
Heroes of Mana (DS)
Billy the Wizard: Rocket Broomstick Racing (Wii)
Fatal Fury: Battle Archives Volume 1 (PS2)
High School Musical: Makin' the Cut (DS)
Book of Mysteries (PC)
Mystery Solitaire: Secret Island (PC)
Prank TV (PC)
7 Wonders of the Ancient World 2 (PC)
1914 Shells of Fury (PC)

AUGUST 15, 2007
Hexic 2 (X360)
Ecco the Dolphin (X360)
ATV/Monster Truck Mayhem (DS)

54 Comments

  • brkr12002

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 7:30 pm PT

    Old school fighting with Fatal Fury. Sweeet!!! Now, if only SNK did an anthology with Showdown and KOF.

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 6:29 pm PT

    I have just enough money!

  • condemned100

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 2:28 pm PT

    Bioshock, and Stranglehold.

  • packernation31

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 1:32 am PT

    How pathetic: High School Musical: Makin' The Cut *shakes head*

  • onlineps2player

    Posted Aug 15, 2007 12:15 am PT

    No PS3 games?!

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 11:27 am PT

    A few RPGs coming out this week. Only 3 of them are probably worth getting though. Persona 3, Luminous Arc, and Heroes of Mana.

  • HumanTorch101

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 10:08 am PT

    I'm waiting for Stranglehold and then ALL the other marquee games that are coming to the 360. I'm not saying Stranglehold is a marquee game, but it just looks awesome so I am getting it.

  • darkzerogamer

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 9:44 am PT

    Good thing I stuck with my 360.

  • Sonovius

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 6:25 am PT

    I am honestly regretting my Wii purchase. Galaxy need to hurry up because it's a dust collector at this point. Not only is 'Billy the Wizard' embarrassing but it makes the console look like its just for cheep, bargain games.

    Terrible.

    Bioshock iz pwn.

  • GrimBee

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 2:26 am PT

    I hope that Ecco has the soundtrack from the Sega CD version - great soundtrack

    At the end of august - metroid prime 3 will be out That list would be even more exciting if it went to the end of the month

  • Superion74

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 10:23 pm PT

    Looks like I'm getting both Madden 08 and Metroid 3 for my Wii. I don't think Wii has a week where 2 marquee titles are coming out around the same time. More weeks like this will definitely help the system alot.

  • Wayward_Son_88

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 10:17 pm PT

    To me, the only game worth getting on this entire list is Metroid (and maybe persona 3, but seeing as I can't play it I'm not counting it) I'm gonna be playing that all day tommorow.

  • Wazzo_Wisto_2

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 8:57 pm PT

    Metroid P3C, Madden 08, then getting Halo 3, Fifa 08, SSBB,Rock Band, Guitar Hero 3 whoa this year's insane!!! i'm gonna get poor...

  • spraynard

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 8:38 pm PT

    dl'ed the first Metroid today, reserved my copy of Corruption. woooOOOooo!!!

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 8:14 pm PT

    $10 Hexic? Nah, I'm cool with my FREE Hexic, thanks.

  • Lightchaos

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 8:10 pm PT

    yay for Metroid and next week Super Metroid!

  • chisoxrule

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 7:27 pm PT

    This month is financial crunch time with Bioshock & Super Metroid VC coming out next week followed by Metroid Prime Corruption the next week. I haven't bought any games for awhile, now its time to go to town.

  • ocdog45

    Posted Aug 13, 2007 7:15 pm PT

    madden and metroid will last a long time.

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