New release slate led by oft-delayed PS3 racing title, Nintendo’s Wii gorilla revival installment; Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time, Michael Jackson The Experience, Undead Nightmare Pack also out.
This week’s new release slate isn’t quite a cornucopia of blockbusters, but it does include two hotly hyped exclusives.
Championing the week is the release of Gran Turismo 5, the long-awaited, oft-delayed PlayStation 3 racing simulator from Polyphony Digital. GT5 will feature close to 1,000 vehicles on more than 70 tracks in 20-plus locations. With a massive budget of $60 million, it is also an official licensee of several major racing circuits, such as NASCAR and the World Rally Championship. A sample of the PlayStation 3 exclusive, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, was released in April 2008, garnering decent reviews.
Gran Turismo 5 was originally unveiled for the PlayStation 3 back in 2006. Since then it has faced numerous delays, missing its first shipping date back in March of this year where its release was put on indefinite hold, before later being delayed again past its November 2 release date.
Another prominent system exclusive due out this week is Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Nintendo Wii. The title was developed by Retro Studios, the outfit behind the Metroid Prime series. The 2D platformer sees Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong return to action with many of the DKC series’ familiar trappings, from banana collecting and mine-cart racing to being shot out of barrels.
The Wii-exclusives don’t stop there. Also due out this week is Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time. From Ubisoft, the zany title follows the neurotic, misshapen rabbit-like creatures as they use a time washing machine to go back in time and alter history to their liking.
The King of Pop will once again hold court this week as Michael Jackson The Experience makes its debut. While the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the title won’t ship until 2011, the Wii, DS, and PSP versions are out on Tuesday. The title displays the “breadth and depth” of Michael Jackson, with players dancing and singing along to some of his most famous songs. Those picking up the Wii version of the title will earn one of Jackson’s famous props: a facsimile of his iconic studded white glove. The glove will be bundled with copies of the game for a limited time.
Gamers looking to fight the undead can pick up the Red Dead Redemption Undead Nightmare Collection at retail this week. The content bundle will arrive in stores November 23, giving those who don’t own Red Dead Redemption an opportunity to play the game’s add-ons without needing the original disc. The package will include all four of the previously released downloadable content packs: Undead Nightmare; Outlaws to the End; Legends and Killers; and Liars and Cheats. The retail collection will also include all previously released multiplayer free roam modes and will sell for $30.
Game Republic’s Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom also hits the PS3 and Xbox 360 this week. The game focuses on cooperation between two lead characters, one of them a roguish youth who returns to his homeland after its population is decimated by spectral warriors controlled by a “dark force.” Once said youth arrives in the kingdom, he teams up with Majin, a horned creature with a mysterious past and the ability to evolve throughout the game. Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom’s gameplay has players directly control the youth, who in turn can give the AI-controlled Maijin orders to fight off enemies and overcome obstacles.
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, NOVEMBER 21
Donkey Kong Country Returns–Wii–Nintendo
Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time–Wii–Ubisoft
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22
Supermarket Mania–DS–G5 Software
Sniper Elite–Wii–Reef Entertainment
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23
Auditorium–PS3–Zoo Games
Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles 2–DS–O Games
Chuck E. Cheese’s Kart Racing–Wii–Tommo
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Unsolved!–DS–Ubisoft
Disney Tangled: The Video Game–Wii, DS–Disney Interactive
Drawn to Life Collection–DS–THQ
Fable III: Understone Quest Pack–X360–Microsoft Game Studios
Football Manager 2011–PC–Sega
Hot Wheels: Track Attack–Wii, DS–THQ
Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom–X360, PS3–Namco Bandai Games America
Michael Jackson The Experience–Wii, DS, PSP–Ubisoft
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX–PS3–Namco Bandai Games America
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare Collection–X360, PS3–Rockstar Games
Sherlock Holmes: The Silver Earrings–PC, Wii–Dreamcatcher
Silly Bandz–DS–Zoo Games
Spelunker HD–PS3–Tozai Games
Splatterhouse–X360, PS3–Namco Bandai Games America
Worms: Battle Islands–Wii–THQ
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24
Crazy Taxi–X360–Sega
Gran Turismo 5–PS3–SCEA
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26
Marvel Superheroes 3D: Grandmaster’s Challenge–Wii–Marvel Comics
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