New Releases

Players take on hordes of invading poultry in this frantic fixed-screen shooter from Zoo Games. There are ten different weapons to unlock, including shotguns, rocket launchers, and dynamite, and gamers must use their arsenal to rid the screen of crazed zombie chickens, pilot chickens, and roller-skating chickens, among many other foul-tempered fowl. The chickens fight back by tossing eggs, so players must duck and dodge the projectiles to avoid losing important energy, and as many as four gamers can go head-to-head in chicken-blasting action. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Take a nostalgic trip back to when Mystery Inc. first began solving cases in Scooby-Doo! First Frights. Play as young versions of Shaggy, Scooby, Fred, Daphne, and Velma as they run and jump through 3D environments filled with puzzles to solve and creatures to battle. Collect yummy treats as you explore a seemingly haunted cruise ship, castle, carnival, and high school. Each character offers a distinct attack, and solo players can switch back and forth between protagonists to take advantage of special abilities. Fred, for example, uses his strength to move heavy objects, while Shaggy pelts enemies from afar with his slingshot. Discover a variety of costumes and unlock an assortment of characters for use in the game's separate "explore" mode. First Frights includes simultaneous co-op action for two players and a total of four cases to crack, offering over 20 levels of play. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Grab a construction helmet and get ready to go to work in this lighthearted building game for Nintendo's Wii. Your Wii Remote and Nunchuk are the only tools you'll need to saw, paint, hammer, tile, spackle, and more. Projects range from renovating a garden to remodeling a bathroom. Your goal is to increase the value of your custom-built dwelling by quickly completing hands-on home improvement activities. Race through the hardware store to acquire the tools needed for your next project, and challenge up to three friends in the fast-paced Party Mode. Support for the system's WiiConnect24 service lets players check the progress of their friends' homes on a virtual street. Mix-and-match modern, Asian, Victorian, and other styles for a personal touch when designing your home. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Based on the family friendly Club Penguin online community, Elite Penguin Force introduces the web-based characters and arctic island setting to a handheld audience. As a member of the Elite Penguin Force, you'll use gadgets, vehicles, and other devices to complete various objectives. Exploring different areas on the island will open up whimsical mini-games, from delivering pizzas and dancing to racing and fishing. The DS game also features wireless connectivity to the Club Penguin website, allowing owners to transfer items and unlock special features for use online. The "Collector's Edition" comes bundled with a special stylus, an Elite Penguin Force DS skin, and a 2,500-coin card for use in a user's Club Penguin account. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Living up to its title, Wacky World of Sports features ten silly sporting contests supporting up to four players. Events include Ice Golf, Card Boxing, Extreme Ironing, Tuna Tossing, Furniture Racing, Mud Sliding, Lawn Mower Racing, Log Cutting, Cheese Rolling, and the Dutch sport of "Fierjeppen." Choose one of four playable characters and compete against eight computer-controlled rivals in locales across the globe. Each activity takes advantage of the system's motion-sensing controls for spinning, throwing, steering, and more. Compete by yourself in the single-player tour mode, or challenge up to three friends with the multiplayer option. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Players must keep their eyes peeled for a bespectacled man wearing red and white stripes in Where's Waldo? The Fantastic Journey. He's hiding there somewhere in each scene, but it's not always easy to find him among hundreds of other hand-drawn characters. The game is based on the series of illustrated books by Martin Handfor that first gained international popularity in the 1990s, in which players pore over colorful, full-page, comic-style scenes to locate Waldo (known as "Wally" in the U.K., and by other names around the world). Where's Waldo is played like other hidden object games, with different items and Where's Waldo characters to look for in each scene. So that players may concentrate on their searches, the game is designed for easy control, with a straightforward touch-screen interface. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection, the second entry in Crave's licensed pinball series, offers a total of ten authentic tables from Williams' extensive library. Featured titles in the collection include the industry's first talking pinball game, Gorgar (1979), as well as Black Knight (1980), Space Shuttle (1984), PinBot (1986), Taxi (1988), Whirlwind (1990), Funhouse (1990), Firepower (1980), Jive Time (1970), and Sorcerer (1980). Yet instead of having all tables accessible from the start, the game requires you to unlock all but four of the titles. To acquire the remaining tables, you'll have to complete various milestones, from surpassing a high score to attaining a specific bonus multiplier. You'll also be able to unlock artwork, custom balls, free plays, and other bonuses as you progress. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Timed to celebrate 25 years of comics, cartoons, movies, toys, and video games, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up is a fighting game designed to give the franchise the full Super Smash Bros. treatment, complete with environmental attacks, eight-player battles, and a large roster of fighters. Players can select from more than 15 characters, including series mainstays Michaelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, Splinter, and Shredder, as well as a few characters from outside of the "Turtle" universe, such as publisher Ubisoft's unofficial mascot, Raving Rabbid. Each character has a unique fighting style, and gamers can also unleash projectiles and special ninja powers, such as fire, lightning, tornados, and earthquakes. The game makes use of detailed backgrounds and a 2.5D perspective, giving depth and interactivity to more than a dozen trap-filled stages. "Arcade" mode serves as the primary single-player feature, though solo gamers can also participate in "Battle Royale" and "Survival" modes, as well as the mini-game-filled "Mission Mode." Multiplayer fans can join up to seven friends for "Swap Out" and "Tournament" modes, or head online for one-on-one action. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Activision's best-selling hunting series continues with Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010. This version focuses on a story-driven campaign starring a young but talented hunter named Jack Wilde. As Wilde, you'll need to overcome a number of environmental dangers, from turbulent streams and rolling logs to treacherous cliffs and avalanches, while stalking your prey. Once your target is in your sights, you'll need to steady your grip as you deal with simulated breathing, wind, and other variables that can influence the accuracy of your shot. Seek out cover points to earn bonuses and unlock new areas by receiving medals for top performances. In addition to the main campaign, Big Game Hunter 2010 also includes a fast-paced shooting gallery with waterfowl, upland birds, and small game serving as targets. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Microsoft and Bungie's blockbuster sci-fi shooter series continues with this standalone expansion to Halo 3. Battle through an all-new campaign as an ODST, short for Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, in a story line that serves as a prequel to the events chronicled in Halo 3. Your mission is to locate the remaining members of your squad somewhere within the Covenant-besieged city of New Mombasa. A new multiplayer mode entitled "Firefight" is introduced, where up to four players must work together to repel increasingly challenging waves of enemies. A second disc is home to a total of 24 multiplayer maps, three of which are new, with the remainder comprised of the "legendary," "heroic," and "mythic" Halo 3 map packs that were previously available as downloadable content via Xbox Live. Initial runs of Halo 3: ODST also include a key to the multiplayer beta of the franchise's next anticipated entry, Halo: Reach. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Fabulous Finds puts an entrepreneurial twist on traditional hidden object games, as players not only search cluttered scenes, but also hold yard sales to sell off any valuable items they might uncover. Gamers inherit an extravagant and extremely cluttered home in Carmel, CA, and it's their job to turn trash into treasure and make the home respectable once again. There are three separate game modes and 12 different levels to explore, and players can earn some extra cash by playing item-sorting mini-games. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

NHL 10 builds on its acclaimed predecessor with over 200 refinements to the play mechanics. The passing system now lets you influence a puck's speed and direction a full 360° around your skater. More dramatic ways to score are possible, from shots on one's knees to batting a puck in the air before sending it into the net. Goaltenders have been redesigned to read and react to the puck more efficiently, with 250 new animations for added variety during save attempts. Athletes subjected to punishing defensemen will feel the wear and tear over time, bobbling passes, showing fatigue, and losing composure. When it's time for the gloves to come off, you'll witness the rough-and-tumble action from a new first-person fighting perspective. Other changes include enhanced crowd atmosphere; post-whistle checks and fights; in-game facial animations; and revamped board interactions.

New game types are introduced along with retooled versions of NHL 09's play modes. The EA Sports Hockey League is back with a significant change in its structure: seasons are now monthly, allowing for more winners in a choice of formats. Various equipment upgrades can also be unlocked as you progress. One new play option is "Battle for the Puck," which has you and a friend vying for the Stanley Cup. Injuries, key match-ups, and in-game stories will persist over the course of the series. Season mode now supports multiple players, letting you or your friends take control of all teams in the league. Fantasy drafts are included, and you can play a season with a created team, the AHL, or European Leagues. "Be a GM" mode tracks the important decisions you make throughout multiple seasons, including trades, waiver pick-ups, draft picks, and more. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide