New Releases

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

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

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

Put your construction and remodeling skills to the test as you complete a series of home improvement projects in Our House for Nintendo DS. Check the job board or newspaper for a list of contracts from ten quirky clients and prepare to hang wallpaper, replace floors, mortar bricks, connect electrical wires, and more. Over 100 mini-games are available in total, each earning you money to spend on furniture and appliances for your dream home. You'll eventually be able to upgrade your dwelling five times throughout the game, and you can monitor your accumulated possessions at any time from within the storage screen. Earn bonuses for either completing projects quickly or receiving a high quality rating. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Come on down, again, for more price-predicting play in this updated sequel to television's longest-running game show. Like its predecessor, this edition follows a similar format the television series, with the action divided into distinct phases. After selecting an onscreen persona, you'll need to bid on authentic items on contestants' row before advancing to one of the show's signature pricing games, from "Safe Crackers" and "Lucky Seven" to "Golden Road" and "Plinko." The top three winners of the pricing games get a chance to spin the big money wheel to compete for the ultimate prize collection: a showcase showdown. A number of new pricing games are included with this 2010 version, bringing the total number of activities to 20. The number of licensed items to bid on has also doubled, allowing for less repetition during subsequent play sessions. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, 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

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

The superhero universe is embroiled in civil war, and it's time for players to choose sides in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. The game is a mission-driven action-adventure with a focus on small-squad combat, viewed from an isometric perspective. As in Marvel's earlier 3D action games (such as titles in the X-Men Legends series, as well as the original Marvel: Ultimate Alliance), role-playing aspects also influence the adventure, with gamers choosing which heroes to control, and how to improve their various superpowers and abilities as they gain experience by defeating enemies and accomplishing goals.

In most scenarios, a team of four Marvel heroes battles a path through areas teeming with high-tech defenses, heavily armed thugs, and rival superhero and supervillian enemies. Players can switch control between the characters, while the computer takes control of additional teammates. Co-operative multiplayer modes for up to four are available, both online and for same-screen players. While all the heroes and villains can perform basic maneuvers such as leaps and melee attacks, each also has a distinct superpower. Over two dozen heroes and villains are available for play, and the special powers of any two super-beings can be combined into a new, even more powerful "fusion" ability. A team with a good mix of special abilities is better prepared for the diverse dangers and challenges that wait in each mission.

The story of the Ultimate Alliance 2 is taken from the Civil War saga, the major crossover event that was first revealed in the pages of multiple Marvel comics in 2006 and early 2007. The U.S. government is calling on all super-powered humans to reveal themselves and register with an official agency, for the safety and protection of the population at large. Heroes and villains now reevaluate past loyalties and regroup according to their stance toward this conflict, which pits the security of the people against the liberties of the individual. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Bleach: The 3rd Phantom takes the series away from the world of traditional fighting and into the realm of grid-based strategy, letting gamers control and level up a squad of eight Soul Reapers. Set before the beginning of the popular Cartoon Network anime series, The 3rd Phantom focuses on the two playable lead characters, Matsuri Kudo and her brother Fujimaru. Gamers fill out the remainder of their eight-member squad by choosing from more than 50 different characters, each with unique skills and special attacks. Players can gain a tactical advantage by selecting where they want to place each character prior to combat, and once the battles are over, the resulting experience points can be divvied up in any manner gamers see fit. After completing the 30-hour "Story" mode, players can continue to level their characters though 30 levels of gladiator battle in "Tower" mode, while those looking for a human challenge can take on a friend in local wireless matches. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

NHL 2K10 returns to the rink with revamped visuals, rewritten artificial intelligence, and redesigned multiplayer features. A new skating system has been included on defense to complement such details as incidental contact, stick lifts, stumble shots, and more. New rink introductions, goal celebrations, and player models are just a few of the notable changes to the presentation, but one aspect that remains the same is the commentary team of Randy Hahn and Drew Remenda. Franchise play returns with a new free agency system, financial model, support for fantasy drafts, dynamic player progression, and tools for easier roster management. Play a franchise season game cooperatively with a friend (online and off), or create a team with custom uniforms. Track your online accomplishments and progress with "My Player Card," and upload your franchise's stats and standings to your own web page at 2KSports.com. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Ubisoft is encouraging kids to play with their food -- their giant, virtual food, that is. The video game version of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a 3D platform-adventure that follows the plot of the 2009 Sony Pictures feature film. Players take control of ambitious inventor Flint Lockwood to save the world from a contraption-gone-wrong, which is causing oversized food to fall from the skies. Through 20 levels of story-driven play, Flint must explore his surroundings, search for useful parts, solve location-based platform puzzles, and even do battle against mutant food, in order to figure out how to stop his own invention (which, as it so happens, is the source of the rogue comestibles). By collecting and combining gadget parts, Flint can create devices to help him out of tight spots, as well as weapons to fling food at approaching enemies. A console-exclusive feature allows a second player to jump in and out of the game at any time, taking the role of Flint's simian sidekick. The story of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is from the bestselling children's book by Judi and Ron Barrett. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Ubisoft is encouraging kids to play with their food -- their giant, virtual food, that is. The video game version of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a 3D platform-adventure that follows the plot of the 2009 Sony Pictures feature film. Players take control of ambitious inventor Flint Lockwood to save the world from a contraption-gone-wrong, which is causing oversized food to fall from the skies. Through 20 levels of story-driven play, Flint must explore his surroundings, search for useful parts, solve location-based platform puzzles, and even do battle against mutant food, in order to figure out how to stop his own invention (which, as it so happens, is the source of the rogue comestibles). By collecting and combining gadget parts, Flint can create devices to help him out of tight spots, as well as weapons to fling food at approaching enemies. A console-exclusive feature allows a second player to jump in and out of the game at any time, taking the role of Flint's simian sidekick. The story of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is from the bestselling children's book by Judi and Ron Barrett. ~ T.J. Deci, 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