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Gamasutra's round-up of worldwide video game releases, "Release This!", takes a look at every game title we know to be shipping to stores this week, with The Godfather: Blackhand Edition and the PS3 port of Oblivion soon to hit the United St

Danny Cowan, Blogger

March 19, 2007

6 Min Read

Gamasutra's regular round-up of worldwide video game releases, "Release This!", takes a look at every game title we know to be shipping to stores this week, in an exclusively compiled list. Gamers in both the United States and Europe have a busy week in new releases to look forward to. Offerings like The Godfather: Blackhand Edition and the PS3 port of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion are currently generating the most buzz in the United States, while Europe prepares itself for the more than twenty launch titles that are set to debut alongside the PlayStation 3. Japan will see a relatively quiet release week in comparison, though Musou Orochi and the Xbox 360 port of Armored Core 4 are generating decent amounts of interest in the days prior to their debut. The following list covers all of the game software we know to be available -- across all platforms and regions -- for the week ending March 24, 2007. Games Released in the United States:

Nintendo Wii:
- Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
- Cooking Mama: Cook Off (#5 on GamerMetrics, 6.00% Mindshare)
- The Godfather: Blackhand Edition (#1 on GamerMetrics Most Anticipated New Releases, 10.74% Mindshare)
- Kororinpa: Marble Mania
- TMNT
- Wing Island

Xbox 360:
- Armored Core 4
- Earth Defense Force 2017 (#6 on GamerMetrics, 5.64% Mindshare)
- Tetris Evolution
- TMNT (#9 on GamerMetrics, 4.94% Mindshare)
- UEFA Champions League 2006-2007 (#8 on GamerMetrics, 5.29% Mindshare)
- Virtua Tennis 3 (#7 on GamerMetrics, 5.42% Mindshare)

PlayStation 3:
- Armored Core 4 (#10 on GamerMetrics, 4.72% Mindshare)
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (#2 on GamerMetrics, 10.55% Mindshare)
- The Godfather: The Don's Edition (#4 on GamerMetrics, 6.02% Mindshare)
- Virtua Tennis 3

PlayStation 2:
- Shining Force EXA
- Test Drive Unlimited
- TMNT
- UEFA Champions League 2006-2007

Nintendo DS:
- Custom Robo Arena
- Major League Baseball 2K7
- Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
- Steel Horizon
- Theme Park
- TMNT
- Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2007

PlayStation Portable:
- After Burner: Black Falcon
- Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai Another Road
- Fully Auto 2: Battlelines
- Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
- Test Drive Unlimited
- TMNT
- UEFA Champions League 2006-2007

Game Boy Advance:
- Nickelodeon Vol. 1 4-Pack
- Petz Vet
- TMNT

GameCube:
- TMNT

PC:
- ETROM: The Astral Essence
- Genesis Rising: The Universal Crusade
- Hans Christian Andersen: The Ugly Prince Duckling
- Mission: Blackhawk
- Silent Hunter: Wolves of the Pacific
- Silverfall
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (#3 on GamerMetrics, 9.85% Mindshare)
- Test Drive Unlimited
- TMNT
- Top Spin 2

Two new ports of EA's The Godfather -- both featuring unique content not seen in any previous release of the game -- will make their way to store shelves this week in the United States, with the Wii's Blackhand Edition being the more anticipated of the two, according to IGN's GamerMetrics. The awaited and previously delayed PS3 port of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion should also be a popular choice upon its release later this week, as should S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl and Cooking Mama: Cook Off, the Wii sequel to the DS original. The Xbox 360, meanwhile, will see its most popular releases in Virtua Tennis 3 and Armored Core 4 -- two titles that met with acclaim upon their earlier debut in Japan. Games Released in Europe:

Nintendo Wii:
- The Godfather: Blackhand Edition
- TMNT

Xbox 360:
- Brian Lara International Cricket 2007
- Def Jam: Icon
- NBA Street Homecourt
- TMNT
- UEFA Champions League 2006-2007
- Virtua Tennis 3

PlayStation 3:
- Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
- Call of Duty 3
- Def Jam: Icon
- Enchanted Arms
- Fight Night Round 3
- Formula One Championship Edition
- Full Auto 2: Battlelines
- Genji: Days of the Blade
- The Godfather: The Don's Edition
- Marvel Ultimate Alliance
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Target in Sight
- MotorStorm
- NBA Street Homecourt
- Need for Speed Carbon
- NHL 2K7
- Resistance: Fall of Man
- Ridge Racer 7
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07
- Tony Hawk's Project 8
- Virtua Fighter 5
- Virtua Tennis 3
- World Snooker Championship 2007

PlayStation 2:
- Brian Lara International Cricket 2007
- Burnout Dominator
- UEFA Champions League 2006-2007

Nintendo DS:
- Bomberman Land Touch!
- Bubble Bobble Double Shot
- Flipper Critters
- Mind Quiz: Your Brain Coach
- Mystery Detective
- Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2
- Theme Park
- TMNT
- Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: Spirit Caller

PlayStation Portable:
- Asphalt: Urban GT 2
- Exit 2
- Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure
- Rainbow Islands Evolution
- TMNT
- UEFA Champions League 2006-2007

Game Boy Advance:
- TMNT

PC:
- Brian Lara International Cricket 2007
- Silent Hunter 4: Wolves of the Pacific
- SpellForce 2: Dragon Storm
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
- TMNT
- UEFA Champions League 2006-2007
- War Front: Turning Point
- Wild Earth: Africa

The big news in Europe this week is March 23rd's debut of the PlayStation 3, which will be accompanied by the release of almost two dozen launch titles. Past hits such as Resistance: Fall of Man and MotorStorm will hit retail alongside more recent titles like The Godfather: The Don's Edition and the Europe-exclusive World Snooker Championship 2007, in the hopes of attracting gamer interest and hardware purchases in the console's first week of release. Other consoles boast robust release lineups as well, with many of this week's titles set to debut simultaneously in the U.S. and Europe. Exclusives like Bubble Bobble Double Shot, Brian Lara International Cricket 2007, and Exit 2 additionally prove to be intriguing prospects, and should see brisk sales in the coming days. Games Released in Japan:

Nintendo Wii:
- Cars
- Puzzle Series Vol. 1: Sudoku
- Sangokushi XI with Power-Up Kit

Xbox 360:
- Armored Core 4

PlayStation 3:
- Mist of Chaos

PlayStation 2:
- The Godfather
- Musou Orochi
- Pachinko Kaou: Misora Hibari
- Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary
- Rogue Galaxy Director's Cut
- Rozen Maiden: Geppetto Garden
- Sangokushi XI with Power-Up Kit

Nintendo DS:
- Bomberman Story DS
- Crayon Shin-Chan DS: Arashi wo Yobu Nutte Crayoon Daisakusen!
- Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Goku Densetsu
- Front Mission: The First
- Negima!? Chou Mahora Taisen Chuu: Check-In Zenin Shuugou! Yappari Onsen Kichaimashitaa
- Tossa no Keisanryoku Shunkan Sokutou: Keisan DS Training

PlayStation Portable:
- Bomberman Land Portable
- Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary
- Sangokushi VIII

Koei's Musou Orochi stands out as Japan's most-wanted software title across all platforms this week, if the current rush on preorders at Amazon is of any indication. The awaited Xbox 360 port of Armored Core 4 is also generating a large amount of preorder interest, even after its successful run on the PlayStation 3. The original PlayStation 2 version of The Godfather will also be released in Japan this week, almost exactly one year after it premiered in the United States and Europe. Other releases of potential interest to importers include Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary for the PS2 and PSP, two new portable entries in the Bomberman series, and a number of anime-licensed titles scattered across all platforms. [About IGN GamerMetrics: IGN GamerMetrics is an interactive tool designed to report the real-time behavior and interests of visitors to IGN Entertainment's network of gaming enthusiast web sites. Using data collected from IGN's readers, GamerMetrics shows the levels of consumer awareness, engagement, and purchase intent in every video game title released in the U.S. market.]

About the Author(s)

Danny Cowan

Blogger

Danny Cowan is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist for Gamasutra and its subsites. Previously, he has written reviews and feature articles for gaming publications including 1UP.com, GamePro, and Hardcore Gamer Magazine.

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