Shippin' Out September 8-12: NHL, TNA iMPACT!

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Sep 8, 2008 6:16 pm PT

Heavyweights join Sega's crime syndicate actioner Yakuza 2, Atlus' sci-fi strategy game Zoids Assault, and Rare's papier-mache garden on the go, Pocket Paradise.

Many gamers this week are undoubtedly entrenched in creating worlds with EA Maxis and Will Wright's evolution simulator Spore. However, as that game came out on Sunday, the week that is has its own nibbles of gaming goodness on hand. Namely, as Electronic Arts and Take-Two execs square off in the board room, their annualized hockey sims will likewise do battle at the ice rink. From Take-Two, NHL 2K9 will skate onto the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and Wii this Monday, while EA's NHL 09 checks the 360 and PS3 on Tuesday. (NHL 09 on the PC and PS2 are expected later this month.)

Midway has its own brand of professional athletes on hand this week as well, though whether their performance can be considered a sim is a matter of interpretation. After first being announced in 2006 for a 2007 debut, TNA iMPACT! will attempt to make its mark this week on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PS2. (A Wii edition is expected next week.) The game features 25 stars from the TNA wrestling brand, including Kurt Angle, Booker T, Sting, Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Jeff Jarrett, Christian Cage, Rhino, and Christopher Daniels.

With Sega's Yakuza 3 slated to hit Japanese PS3s early next year, the publisher has at long last brought its predecessor to North American PS2s this week. The crime syndicate action game will be joined by equally Japanese-made Zoids Assault, a sci-fi turn-based strategy game developed by Takara Tomy and published by Atlus in the US for the Xbox 360. Rare's Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise--in which gamers cultivate gardens of papier-mache animals--will be available for the Nintendo DS.

The Xbox 360 online storefront is in for a busy week, as three new titles have been added to the service. RocketBowl equips players with jet-fuel-propelled bowling balls and is available for 800 Microsoft points ($10). Shotest Shogi will be listed for the same 800 Microsoft point fee this Wednesday, and presents a Japanese take on the classic game of chess. Lastly, SNK's classic fighter Samurai Shodown 2 can be downloaded for 400 Microsoft points ($5).

Nintendo has its own trio of downloadable titles populating its Virtual Console and WiiWare service. From the classics category, Nintendo has added two TurboGrafx-16 shooters: Final Solider (700 Wii points, $7) and Cho Aniki (900 Wii points, $9). Empty Clip Studios' Groovin' Blocks finds its rhythm on WiiWare for 800 Wii points ($8). The music-based puzzler accommodates features 27 stages and three skill levels, and accommodates play for up to two.

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

SEPTEMBER 8, 2008
Cho Aniki (Wii VC)
Final Soldier (Wii VC)
Groovin' Blocks (WiiWare)
Lock's Quest (DS)
Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir (DS)
NHL 2K9 (X360, PS3, PS2, Wii)
Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise (DS)

SEPTEMBER 9, 2008
Active Life: Outdoor Challenge (Wii)
Aqua Mania (PC)
Cabela's Legendary Adventures (Wii, PS2, PSP)
Hell's Kitchen (Wii, DS)
Mazes of Fate DS (DS)
NHL 09 (X360, PS3)
Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI (PC)
The Price is Right (Wii, DS)
TNA iMPACT! (X360, PS3, PS2)
Yakuza 2 (PS2)
Zoids Assault (X360)

SEPTEMBER 10, 2008
CSI: Super Pack (PC)
Dragonball Z: Trilogy (PS2)
RocketBowl (XBLA)
Samurai Shodown 2 (XBLA)
Shotest Shogi (XBLA)

SEPTEMBER 11, 2008
Sony had not revealed the contents of its weekly Thursday update as of press time.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2008
Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party 2 (Wii)
Righteous Kill: The Game (PC)

31 Comments

  • jadefury27

    Posted Sep 11, 2008 10:53 am PT

    ss 2 is probably the best in the series. they need more snk games for download. 3 count bout maybe? king of the monters 2? any of the kof games?

  • TheArcade

    Posted Sep 10, 2008 6:25 pm PT

    Lastly, SNK's classic fighter Samurai Shodown 2 can be downloaded for 400 Microsoft points ($5).

    It's a lie. That game is 800 Microsoft points.

  • muertebringer

    Posted Sep 10, 2008 9:48 am PT

    samurai showdown is 800 ms points im still downlading though...

  • S_Pac_316

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 6:48 pm PT

    Samurai Shodown 2 on XBLA! Awesome!

  • ScottEFresh

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 4:22 pm PT

    Actually looking forward to NHL09 this year...thats rare.

  • lastflowers

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 3:00 pm PT

    Sure we'll get NHL 09 today... =(

  • Lostboy1224

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 10:34 am PT

    Can we just skip this week and right to the good stuff? God? Hello?

  • padouke

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 10:26 am PT

    man, i wish some decent wiiware games would come out once in a while. im sick of all these casual, one-play puzzle games. i want more games like the final fantasy one. I dont care about the steep price; i want an new RPG, FPS, or adventure title thats actually worth playing

  • raahsnavj

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 9:51 am PT

    Unless you like the NHL this week is the quiet before the storm... RB2 and SW:TFU next week!

  • akiwak

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 9:48 am PT

    I have to pick up the Yakuza games 1-2

  • georgeorjose

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 8:10 am PT

    NHL YEAH!!!!

  • Sins-of-Mosin

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 6:28 am PT

    For hockey, NHL 09 gets my vote after playing both demos. I'm a huge fan of Hell's Kitchen so I'll have to look at it for the DS.

  • ebookerd1

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 6:09 am PT

    Finally......!!! The Price is Right! Def Game of the Year!! FTW

  • w0lfsban3

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 4:07 am PT

    Nothing interesting except NHL and Yakuza 2

  • muppen

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 3:18 am PT

    Can't wait for NHL 09

  • theclaw135

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 2:17 am PT

    Oooh. Yakuza 2 finally? Let's hope it's easy to find a copy...

  • raverrozza

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 1:57 am PT

    i agree totally strider. and LBP for me to add to that list.

  • strider_ATI

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 12:58 am PT

    october will be the perfect months for videogames....these games are nothing compared to fallout 3, red alert 3, farcry 2,.......

  • buffdaddy69

    Posted Sep 9, 2008 12:33 am PT

    What ever happened to the TNA demo? i would atleast like a demo before i dish out 60 bucks.

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