Release This: Ninja Gaiden DS, Crisis Core Premiere in U.S.

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. This week will see anticipated North American debuts for portable titles like Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII and Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. UK gamers can expect a first look at an English version of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, while Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G and Raiden Fighters Aces stand out in a busy week in Japan. The following list covers all of the game software we know to be available -- across all platforms and regions -- for the week ending March 29th, 2008. Games Released in the United States: Many of this week's most notable North American offerings are set to arrive on portables. The Nintendo DS will see a new Harvest Moon release and the Ninja Gaiden series' anticipated portable debut Dragon Sword, while on the PSP, Square Enix's enduring RPG favorite Final Fantasy VII receives a prequel in Crisis Core. The PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 will host awaited action titles like Dark Sector and Viking: Battle for Asgard. Wii owners can expect to see puzzler Octomania, the RPG Opoona, and horror-adventure sequel Obscure: The Aftermath. Next week will bring a trio of niche PS2 offerings in Arcana Heart, Baroque, and Mana Khemia, though new releases on other platforms will be scarce until mid-April. Games Released in Europe: In addition to sharing many of North America's biggest releases this week, the UK is set to receive a number of anticipated releases and exclusive debuts. As the PSP gets localizations of big-name titles like God of War: Chains of Olympus and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus, DS owners can expect to see the UK-exclusive debuts of Hurry Up Hedgehog! and Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys! Console-wise, gamers in the UK will soon see the world's first English-language release of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, a preview version of developer Polyphony Digital's upcoming PS3 racer. Prologue is not set to see a U.S. release until April. On other platforms, European Wiis will soon host Konami's Dancing Stage Hottest Party (previously released elsewhere as Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party), while the Xbox 360 receives a port of the popular PC sports team management sim Football Manager 2008. Games Released in Japan: Capcom's Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G ranks high in Amazon.co.jp's multiplatform preorder charts this week. Amazon also notes increasing preorder numbers in anticipation of Kidou Senshi Gundam 00 and both the PS2 and PSP editions of Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch - Lost Colors. Importers will likely take interest in the Phantasy Star series compilation Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 32: Phantasy Star Complete Collection and the Guilty Gear expansion Accent Core Plus. Shooter fans worldwide await the release of Raiden Fighters Aces, meanwhile, as none of the Raiden Fighters titles included in the collection have received a home port since their initial arcade releases throughout the late 1990s.