New Releases

Slip on a stethoscope and a pair of latex gloves to diagnose and treat 40 species of animals in Activision's Vet Life. Based on actual cases featured on the Animal Planet cable and satellite channel, Vet Life has you practicing 60 distinct procedures on a combination of domestic, farm, and exotic animals throughout the world. As you progress, you'll learn an assortment of facts and trivia through "Did You Know?" questions from the Animal Planet archives. You'll also have the opportunity to care for your patients after their medical treatment. ~ 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

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

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, multiplayer 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 their friends for "Swap Out" and "Tournament" modes, or head online for one-on-one action. ~ Christopher Brown, 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

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

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

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

Gamers can grab their Wii Remote, hop on their Wii Balance Board, and try out 28 different Summer Olympics-style disciplines in World Championship Athletics. Players create and develop their own athlete, choose a country to represent, and then head off for competition in a variety of swimming, diving, cycling, shooting, and track & field events. Split-screen and hot seat multiplayer modes are available for up to four. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

A new chapter in an ongoing saga opens on DS with Naruto Shippuden: Ninja Destiny 2, a combat adventure set in the advanced Naruto storyline, taking place after the young hero has undergone years of training and featuring allies and villains who are more powerful than they were in the original anime series. Following in the silent footsteps of the original Ninja Destiny, the first dual-screen Shippunden features 3D fighting and a single-player role-playing-styled campaign. The game features 30 playable characters, including Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, mercenary Akatsuki villains, and other allies and rivals, all a little wiser, a little stronger, and geared out in their Shippuden outfits and accessories. Players control their fighting ninjas with well-timed button presses, and powered-up special attacks can be triggered with touch-screen input. In the quest modes, characters battle though mazes and defeat computer-controlled opponents to gain RPG-style performance upgrades. A pair of cartridge-equipped players can fight head-to-head in the game's multiplayer mode, through a wireless DS connection. ~ T.J. Deci, 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. 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

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