Shippin' Out September 17-21: World in Conflict, Eternal Sonata, MySims

Though Microsoft's $10 million Halo 3 hype machine would have you believe otherwise, other games are actually coming out during September. Foremost on real-time strategy fans' lists is World in Conflict, an alternate-history real-time strategy game depicting World War II between the US and the Soviet Union. Developed by Massive Entertainment (Ground Control), the game is rated T for Teen and comes in two versions: a $49.99 standard edition and a $59.99 collector's edition, which includes an authentic piece of the Berlin Wall and a bonus DVD from The History Channel. GameSpot is currently hosting a demo for the PC game, which will have an Xbox 360 sibling later this year.

For those not partial to global conflagration, this week has over two dozen other games arriving in North American stores. As rumors of a PlayStation 3 version reverberate through the Web, the Xbox 360 version of Namco Bandai's role-playing game Eternal Sonata hits retail, while THQ's street racer Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights hits the gas on the Xbox 360, PS2, and DS (the PS3 and PSP versions are expected next week). Midway continues with its tiered release schedule this week with the PC version of Stranglehold, a week before the PS3 version and two weeks after the 360 edition.

With more releases on one day than most weeks of the summer, Tuesday is stacked to appease gamers of nearly all tastes. EA's MySims, the cartoonish, Mii-esque spin-off of its hugely popular franchise, will be available for the Wii and Nintendo DS, while Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII streak onto the Xbox 360 and PC (with the PS3 version slated for next week). Koei's Omega Force studio has Dynasty Warriors/Samurai Warriors mash-up Warriors Orochi queued up for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2, while the latest Nancy Drew sleuths up the DS and Coded Arms: Contagion shoots it out on the PSP.

Nintendo's reliable green dinosaur runs amok on the Wii's Virtual Console this week in Yoshi's Story. A rare addition from the Nintendo 64 library, Yoshi's Story is available for 1,000 Wii points ($10). Also on the VC this week are the Genesis copter shoot-'em-up Super Thunder Blade for 800 Wii points ($8) and the TurboGrafx-16's World Class Baseball for 600 Wii points ($6). Microsoft had not revealed its weekly Xbox Live Arcade addition(s) as of press time.

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

SEPTEMBER 17, 2007
Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights (X360, PS2, DS)
Eternal Sonata (X360)
Stuntman Ignition (PS3)
The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome (PC)
Big Buck Hunter (PC)
Experiment 112 (PC)
AniMates (DS)

SEPTEMBER 18, 2007
World in Conflict (PC)
Stranglehold (PC)
MySims (Wii, DS)
Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII (X360, PC)
Sonic Rush Adventure (DS)
SingStar '80s (PS2)
SingStar Amped (PS2)
Coded Arms: Contagion (PSP)
Warriors Orochi (X360, PS2)
Digimon World Data Squad (PS2)
Digimon World: Dawn (DS)
Digimon World: Dusk (DS)
Growlanser: Heritage of War (PS2)
Mercury Meltdown Revolution (Wii)
Fantasy Wars (PC)
Neopets: Codestone Quest (PC)
Namco Museum DS (DS)
Nancy Drew: Deadly Secret of Olde World Park (DS)
Backyard Basketball (DS)
Puppy Luv: Spa & Resort (DS, GBA)
Master Jin Jin's IQ Challenge (DS)
Jewel Quest: Expeditions (DS)
Agatha Christie: Double Murder Mystery Pack (PC)
Fishing Master (Wii)
Death to Spies (PC)
Cosmic Family (Wii)
Anubis II (Wii)
Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror (PS2)