It's NEW-sday!

That's right! It's NEW-sday, which is my term for new release Tuesday. This is usually the day of the week when all the new games drop at your local retailer. Traditionally, the summer is a dry time in terms of good games to play and new releases are few and far between. 2009 is thankfully different. And each week I'll be showcasing the top games coming out on each platform right here. So let's get started.



Guitar Hero Smash Hits

Available on Xbox 360, Ps3, Wii and PS2

Rated T for Mild Lyrics

Available June 16th, 2009

MSRP: 59.99 (49.99 for Wii, PS2)


Guitar Hero Smash Hits is a compliation of music from the previous Guitar Hero games. Up until Guitar Hero World Tour's release, the game only allowed you to play the guitar and bass notes of the songs in the game. So essentially what they've done is taken all of the most popular tracks from Guitar Hero I, II, III and Rocks the 80's and given full band support to those songs. Now you can drum along to "Through the Fire and Flames" by Dragonforce or belt out the vocals to "I Wanna Rock" by Twisted Sister. This is a great collection for those of you who never got to experience some of the awesome songs that were only available on the Playstation 2 games, so definitely give the full track list a look.




Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Available on Xbox 360, Ps3, Wii, PS2, and PC

Rated T for Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language

Available June 16th, 2009

MSRP: 59.99 (49.99 for Wii, PS2 and PC)


The Ghostbusters have been around for a long time. The movies themselves are instantly recognizeable by the characters, the one-liners and even the cast of ghosts themselves. Spawning comic books, video games and action figures alike, the Ghostbusters remains a classic series of films that anyone is sure to enjoy.


And now, the Ghostbusters are returning to video games with (nearly) the full cast in tow. Egon, Ray, Peter and Winston will be present in the game and voiced by their real life counterparts. The game itself recruits you as the newest member to the ghostbusting team. You'll find yourself battling through scenes from the original movies and even taking on some new ghosts as you train to become a full fledged ghostbuster. All the tools of the trade will be at your fingertrips: the protonpacks (don't cross the streams!) and PKE meters are all at your disposal. The game supports both a versus and co-op gameplay element to keep the action fast paced and long-lasting, too.



Vertigo

Available on Wii

Rated E

Available June 16th, 2009

MSRP: 19.99


Vertigo is simple. It's a futuristic racing game that can be played two ways. Either with the Wii Remote or while standing on the Wii Fit Balance Board. By either shifting your weight from side to side or tilting the Wii Remote, players control the direction of a racing orb as it speeds across tracks that bend and twist in a multitude of directions. As you race, you can pick up power-ups and even upgrade your orb as your progress through the game. At a budget price, Vertigo might just be the thing for those of you looking for something a little more exciting than the current selection of cart-based racing games on the Wii. Think racing in the way of classics like F-Zero or Extreme-G.


Other releases worth mentioning:


Flower, Sun, Rain (DS) - A mystery-action-thriller game for the handheld from the creators of No More Heroes.

Hurry Up Hedgehog! (DS) No, not THAT hedgehog. Hurry Up Hedgehog! is a puzzle/strategy game that allows for multiple ways to play. But the main concept is to lead your hedgehog through a garden while dodging obstacles and make it out before everyone else. Kind of a Pacman/Frogger hybrid if you ask me.


That's it for this week. Buyer's tip: Toys 'R' Us is offering giftcards with the purchase of Ghostbusters and Best Buy is giving out extra foot pedals to those who buy the new Guitar Hero. Only while supplies last, so hurry!