Light new release slate led by mustached plumber’s nostalgic return on Wii; period expansion for Battlefield entry on PC.
Last week Deathwing brought his deathly ire to Azeroth, ripping apart World of Warcraft in the game’s third expansion, Cataclysm. This week the House of Mario brings its famed plumber back into the spotlight, but perhaps with less vengeance than Deathwing.
Championing the week is Sunday’s release of Super Mario All-Stars exclusively on Wii. The $30 limited edition, in commemoration of Mario’s 25th anniversary, contains four classic Super Mario Bros. titles, as well as a commemorative art booklet and soundtrack CD.
The four titles included in the bundle are Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros. 2, and Super Mario Bros. 3. All four bundled titles feature updated graphics and enhanced sound.
The soundtrack CD, dubbed Super Mario History, is a collection of music and sound effects from the mustachioed-plumber’s virtual history. Specifically, the disc features music ranging from the original Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario Galaxy 2, which was released earlier this year. In addition, the soundtrack will contain the first official release of the “Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme,” the memorable tune from the original Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario All-Stars will also come with an art book. The 32-page Super Mario History book contains interviews, concept art, behind-the-scenes details on the history of Mario, and “never-before-seen design sketches.”
For PC shooter fans, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 gets a period expansion this Saturday
via the EA Store. The $15 multiplayer expansion pack will allow players of the contemporary military shooter to take a trip back in time to the Vietnam War, which raged from the mid-1960s to early 1970s. It will consist of four maps, including the rice fields of the Phu Bai Valley and the napalm-kissed wasteland of Hill 137. The Vietnam expansion will also pack in a number of period-specific weapons, including the Navy SEAL XM22 machine gun.
The expansion, due out on Dec. 21 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, will also feature all-new dialogue based on actual Vietnam War radio chatter, as well as eight radio channels with nearly 50 tracks. The selection of songs will range from Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” to Richard Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries.”
For further details on the week’s games, 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.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12
Super Mario All-Stars–Wii–Nintendo
MONDAY, DECEMBER 13
NewU Fitness First Mind Body, Yoga & Pilates Workout–Wii–SouthPeak Games
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14
Europa Universalis III: Divine Wind–PC–Paradox Interactive
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15
Zooloretto–Wii–Playlogic
Starpoint Gemini–PC–Little Green Men
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16
Conquer Online: The Returning Light–PC–TQ Digital Entertainment
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam–PC–EA Games
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