New Releases

Petz: Dolphinz Encounter finds gamers travelling to eight different seas and oceans around the world in an attempt to rescue imperiled dolphins from polluted and dangerous environments. Players treat dolphins that have been injured by propellers, nets, and floating debris, and then they can go for virtual swims with the friendly creatures, photographing them, petting them, and learning about the various species. Petz: Dolphinz Encounter includes information about more than 50 sea creatures, from cetaceans to sea turtles, and gamers can use sophisticated equipment to take photos of the underwater wildlife. DSi owners can also snap photos of themselves and watch as their likenesses joins the Ocean Rescue Team. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Based on Nickelodeon's educational entertainment television series for preschoolers and designed for the youngest of console gamers, Ni Hao, Kai-lan: Super Game Day is a collection of easy-to-play mini-games featuring six-year-old Kai-lan and her young animal friends, Rintoo the tiger, Tolee the koala, and Hoho the monkey. The ten mini-games involve gentle and engaging activities such as catching butterflies, popping bubbles, playing badminton, and racing in boats. The games can be played alone or against a friend, and the presentation is designed to promote ideas of friendly competition and good sportsmanship. All games have simple controls. As in the animated series, characters encourage multicultural appreciation, with both American and Chinese themes. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Nintendo's exclusive Sims spinoff moves out of the forest and into the jungles, deserts, and river beds of Africa for another adventure in taming, training, and playing with wild animals. SimAnimals Africa features a new, more playful art style and a wide selection of new creatures, but the gameplay once again involves picking up and placing animals in stimulating environments where they can thrive and be happy. Players can interact with a variety of different creatures, such as lions, zebras, crocodiles, and gorillas, and every species has a unique skill that can be used to maintain the serenity of an environment, unlock new landscapes, and discover special items. There are more than 70 rare bugs, fruits, and flowers to find, and new mini-games let players use their Wii Remote to pet and play games with the animals, making it easier to progress through the overall adventure. Gamers can also choose to play as one of the various creatures, allowing them to water the foliage as an elephant, kick fruit off trees as a zebra, or chase after gazelles as a lion, among many other activities. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Namco's hand-to-hand fighting game series debuts on high-definition consoles with enhanced graphics, destructible environments, online features, and the series' largest character roster to date. The "King of Iron Fist Tournament" brings 40 contenders into the fray this time around, with mainstays such as Jin, King, Anna, Law, Phoenix, and Heihachi, as well as six newcomers, including the jet-pack enabled Alisa Bosconovitch, the veteran warrior Lars Alexandersson, and the obese but impossibly quick American karate champion known as Bob. The series' fan-familiar match types and battle modes are included, although some have been revamped. In the storyline-driven "Scenario Campaign" mode, similar to the "Tekken Force" mode featured in earlier editions of the game, a chosen character battles through set piece areas, fighting numerous enemies to progress.

Online functionality is fundamental in Tekken 6. Players can join matches against others over the console network, or fight alongside a human-controlled ally in a co-op campaign mode (which becomes available in a free, downloadable patch). "Ghost" characters can be trained to fight in a gamer's personal fighting style, and then sparred against to reveal strengths and weaknesses, or shared and traded online to provide a customized challenge to other players. Worldwide and regional leaderboards track rankings and top performances in all main game modes. The series' new PS3 and Xbox 360 graphics feature character models and animations of unprecedented quality, as well as enrichments such as special lighting and depth-of-field effects, all in sharp, HD detail. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Ported from the 2007 Wii title Petz: Horsez 2, Petz: Saddle Club once again finds players guiding a girl named Lilly on foot and in the saddle, as she trains and cares for her horse on a family-owned ranch. In order to prevent the bank from foreclosing on the property, Lilly must enter and win various dressage, cross, and show jumping competitions. Players can influence the attributes of their foal by selecting its parents, and other customization features include the ability to upgrade the ranch and stable over time, and the option to purchase assorted saddles, bridles, and brushes to keep horses in show-worthy shape. ~ All Game Guide

Microsoft's premiere driving simulation series revs up with its second high-definition release for Xbox 360, Forza Motorsport 3. The third in the series enhances or improves upon nearly all the key features of earlier games, while adding new driver-assisting functions to make play more accessible to a wider audience. Central to Forza 3 are detailed, virtual re-creations of more than 400 models of automobile, from 50 different manufacturers. Races may be run on more than 100 tracks, including old favorites and some new to the series, based on actual locations around the world. Graphically, the cars are built from over ten times the number of polygons used to create the cars in Forza 2. The game's physics model refines the systems used in the previous game, and developers worked with other driving-game experts as well as with representatives of several auto manufacturers, in their efforts to build-in authentic cause-and-effect elements in minute detail.

For more casual drivers, Forza 3 offers features such as auto-braking and computer-assisted tuning, allowing for a freer driving experience without the constant danger of a crash around each tight corner, or concerns about inefficient settings for the current road conditions. When accidents do happen, the game's new "rewind" feature allows the player to stop, roll back time, and try again. Meanwhile, the hardest-core of driving aficionados can eschew the computer assistance for realistically demanding experience, just as gearhead gamers are free to do their own custom tuning, with the ability to make essentially any adjustment to their virtual auto that could be made to its real-life counterpart, for realistic performance tweaks. Xbox Live-connected Forza 3 players can race against others online in a selection of events, and show off their favorite tunings and custom paint jobs. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Create and personalize your own zoo while caring for over 90 species in World of Zoo. Watch each animal roam around in its assigned exhibit while interacting with it through various hands-on mini-games and activities. Your primary goal is to ensure that each animal is well cared for and happy by gaining its trust over time. You'll also be able to create an unlimited number of monkeys, lions, bears, and other creatures with the built-in animal creator feature. Information on the various species and factoids are provided on National Geographic animal fact cards, and you can earn achievements and special unlockables during the course of play. In addition, the DS version lets you share your animals via wireless connection. The game's developer, Blue Fang, previously worked on the Zoo Tycoon series. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

SpongeBob SquarePants teams up with Plankton to recover Mr. Krabs' coveted Krabby Patty formula in Truth or Square. The platform-style action has you controlling the yellow cartoon character through an assortment of familiar locales, including downtown Bikini Bottom, the Krusty Krab, the Jellyfish Fields, and Rock Bottom, while advancing across 12 levels. With the help of Plankton's memory machine, SpongeBob will also revisit ten of the "happiest moments" in his underwater life. It is hoped that by revisiting his past, SpongeBob will remember where he placed the secret formula. In addition to jumping and spinning, SpongeBob can morph into a sledgehammer, water gun, and explosive cannon to defeat rivals. Both the Wii and Xbox 360 versions of the game feature cooperative support for two players. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

SpongeBob SquarePants teams up with Plankton to recover Mr. Krabs' coveted Krabby Patty formula in Truth or Square. The platform-style action has you controlling the yellow cartoon character through an assortment of familiar locales, including downtown Bikini Bottom, the Krusty Krab, the Jellyfish Fields, and Rock Bottom, while advancing across 12 levels. With the help of Plankton's memory machine, SpongeBob will also revisit ten of the "happiest moments" in his underwater life. It is hoped that by revisiting his past, SpongeBob will remember where he placed the secret formula. In addition to jumping and spinning, SpongeBob can morph into a sledgehammer, water gun, and explosive cannon to defeat rivals. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Based on the popular prime time game show, premiering on Fox in the U.S., Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Game Time challenges players to answer questions and solve quick puzzles based on facts and trivia that might be taught in an elementary school classroom. The game features over 5,000 original questions, in 28 primary school categories such as "World History," "Drama," "Science," and "Vocabulary." Questions become more difficult as the game progresses from first to fifth grade levels, and correct answers become more valuable, with the top prize reaching a million video game dollars. Gamers play along with fifth-grade classmate characters, and a virtual Jeff Foxworthy hosts the proceedings, with familiar charm and gentle ribbing toward contestants. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Set in a steampunk version of the late 19th century where people use giant airships to travel the world, Nostalgia puts gamers in the shoes of Eddie Brown, the son of a great adventurer who disappeared after coming across a mysterious organization. After securing his father's dirigible, The Maverick, Eddie and his companions, Fiona, Melody, and Pad, leave the confines of London and head out on an epic journey that takes them all around the world, with stops in places like Cairo, Tokyo, and New York City. In each location, players must seek out helpful citizens and dredge up information about where to head next, while also participating in some dungeon crawling to fund their journey.

Gamers can engage in airborne ship battles as well as traditional ground combat, both of which unfold in a turn-based manner. The Maverick is outfitted with a cannon, machine gun turrets, a laser, and a "prow" used for ramming, and players can purchase upgrades for each weapon from city merchants. The higher gamers soar, the faster they can travel from place to place, but as the altitude rises, so too does the strength of enemy ships. Ground-based combat is no cinch either, with players squaring off against a variety of mythical beasts, but each character has special attacks and skills that can be customized. Those not satisfied with exploring the world and hunting down Eddie's father can stop by the Adventurer's Association for a variety of lucrative side quests. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Help the anthropomorphic animals from the Madagascar films win multiple go-kart championships in this four-player racing title from Activision. A total of nine themed environments are included, from a beach and volcano to a freighter and zoo, each offering hazards to avoid and power-ups to collect. Perform stunts, battle for three cups, and earn medals in one of four distinct vehicle classes: 50CC, 100CC, 150CC, and 200CC. Featured drivers include Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, Julien, the chimps, and the penguins. Play modes range from a Time Trial and Checkpoint Race to a Quick Race and Championship. As a special bonus, computer animated stars Shrek and B.O.B. (from Monsters vs. Aliens) are also included as playable characters. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide