If I thought the previous week was busy, the ESRB must have been trying to get ahead due to Labor Day weekend approaching as there were 64 submissions that were rated (with very little dupes.) After scanning the list a couple times, it was pretty evident that the DS is getting ready to take over the world. There were so many entries for the DS platform that it makes you wonder if they are just cranking out crap, or if the games are really that good. I also noticed an inordinate amount of kid centric games that were rated, right along side several gambling titles for people to get their fix. And once again, the true next-gen platforms simply don’t have much quantity (and very little quality) coming out, but expect that to change over the next several weeks.
This week was a stellar week for the DS. Not only are the hardware sales leading the pack, but games are getting pushed through at an unbelievable clip with another 21 being rated this week. However, a lot of this may just be fluff and crap, or crappy fluff, and geared towards the younger players and the puzzle people. Regardless, Nintendo has got a good thing going and the third party publishers are all lining up for the chance to sell people their wares…
I would guess the holidays must be approaching, otherwise we wouldn’t see over 10 titles geared towards kids (mainly on DS) that are getting rated. A couple of Petz games (Dogs and Cats 2), a Dora the Explorer and Diego game and some “Let’s Ride”. Also seen were a Hannah Montana (can’t believe that is Billy Ray Cyrus’ daughter, I’m getting old) and a Hot Wheels offerings among others. The only thing missing was Barbie Horse Adventures for the Xbox 360!
Gambling games are also getting some new blood, with Vegas Stakes for Wii, World Series of Poker 2008 on multiple platforms and Hoyle Casino 2008 on the Mac and PC.
And that brings us to the true next-gen platforms, namely the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. This was a pretty slow week for the PS3 and 360. This week’s offerings on the Xbox 360 are kinda week (other than Ace Combat 6) and leave me wanting more. They were Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, Bee Movie Game, World Series of Poker 2008: Battle for the Bracelets, Cabela’s Trophy Bucks and WWE SmackDown vs RAW 2008. At least the PlayStation 3 had a couple worthy titles (kinda, maybe?), including Folklore, LocoRoco Cocoreccho!, Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online, World Series of Poker 2008: Battle for the Bracelets and WWE SmackDown vs RAW 2008.
| Title |
Platforms |
Publisher |
Rating |
| Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation |
Xbox 360 |
Namco Bandai Games America |
T |
| Bee Movie Game |
Wii |
Activision |
E |
| Diary Girl |
Nintendo DS |
Konami Digital Entertainment |
E |
| Folklore |
PlayStation 3 |
Sony Computer Entertainment |
T |
| Freddi Fish Kelp Seed Mystery |
Windows PC |
Humongous, Inc. |
E |
| Hot Wheels: Beat That! |
Nintendo DS |
Activision Value |
E |
| Hoyle Puzzle & Board Games 2008 |
Macintosh, Windows PC |
Encore, Inc., A Navarre Corporation Company |
E |
| Microsoft® Flight Simulator X: Acceleration Expansion Pack |
Windows PC |
Microsoft |
E10+ |
| Neves |
Nintendo DS |
Yukes Company of America |
E |
| Orcs & Elves |
Nintendo DS |
Electronic Arts |
T |
| Pearl Harbor |
Macintosh, Windows PC |
GameMill Entertainment |
E |
| Tarr Chronicles |
Windows PC |
CDV Software Entertainment USA |
T |
| The History Channel Great Battles of Rome |
Windows PC |
CDV Software Entertainment USA |
T |
| Word Jong |
Nintendo DS |
Destineer |
E |
| Bee Movie Game |
Windows PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 |
Activision |
E |
| DI-GATA Defenders |
Nintendo DS |
The Game Factory ApS |
E |
| Dora The Explorer: Dora Saves The Mermaids |
Nintendo DS |
Global Star Software |
E |
| Fish Tycoon |
Nintendo DS |
Majesco Entertainment |
E |
| Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue |
Nintendo DS |
Global Star Software |
E |
| Hoyle Casino 2008 |
Macintosh, Windows PC |
Encore, Inc., A Navarre Corporation Company |
T |
| LocoRoco Cocoreccho! |
PlayStation 3 |
SCEA |
E |
| MegaMan ZX Advent |
Nintendo DS |
Capcom Entertainment |
E10+ |
| Prison Tycoon 3: Lockdown |
Windows PC |
ValuSoft |
T |
| Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online |
PlayStation 3 |
Namco Bandai Games America |
T |
| The Golden Compass |
Nintendo DS |
Sega of America |
E10+ |
| Prison Tycoon 3: Lockdown |
Windows PC |
ValuSoft |
T |
| Bee Movie Game |
Nintendo DS |
Activision |
E |
| Caillou Ready to Read |
Macintosh, Windows PC |
Brighter Minds Media |
E |
| Are You Smarter than a 5TH Grader |
Windows PC, Nintendo DS |
ValuSoft |
E |
| Dream Chronicles |
Macintosh, Windows PC |
Brighter Minds Media |
E |
| Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness |
PSP |
NIS America, Inc. |
T |
| Geometry Wars: Galaxies |
Nintendo DS, Wii |
Vivendi Games |
E |
| Hannah Montana: Music Jam |
Nintendo DS |
Disney Interactive Studios |
E |
| Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow |
PSP |
Sony Computer Entertainment America |
T |
| Let's Ride: Horse Club The Saddle Show Mystery |
Windows PC |
ValuSoft |
E |
| Let's Ride Sunshine Stables |
Windows PC |
ValuSoft |
E |
| Petz Catz 2 |
PlayStation 2, Wii |
Ubisoft |
E |
| Richard Garriot's Tabula Rasa |
Windows PC |
NC Soft |
T |
| River King: Mystic Valley |
Nintendo DS |
Natsume Inc |
E |
| World Series of Poker 2008: Battle for the Bracelets |
Windows PC, PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 |
Activision Value Publishing, Inc. |
T |
| Avatar The Last Airbender: The Burning Earth |
Nintendo DS |
THQ |
E |
| Age of Empires 3: The Asian Dynasties |
Windows PC |
Microsoft |
T |
| Buzz!: The Mega Quiz |
PlayStation 2 |
SCEA |
E10+ |
| Cabela's Trophy Bucks |
Windows PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 |
Activision Value |
T |
| G.H.O.S.T. Hunters: The Haunting of Majesty Manor |
Windows PC |
eGames Inc |
E |
| Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day |
Nintendo DS |
Nintendo of America |
E |
| Ducati World Championship |
Windows PC |
Strategy First |
E10+ |
| Elements of Destruction |
Nintendo DS |
ValuSoft |
E10+ |
| Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers |
Wii |
Capcom |
T |
| The Amazing Spider-Man in the Villian Round-Up |
Plug-and-Play |
JAKKS Pacific Inc. |
E10+ |
| SPY Fox:In Dry Cereal |
Windows PC |
Humongous, Inc. |
E |
| The Sims™ 2 Castaway |
PlayStation 2, Wii |
Electronic Arts |
T |
| Touch Detective 2 1/2 |
Nintendo DS |
Atlus USA, Inc. |
E |
| Vegas Stakes |
Wii |
Nintendo of America |
E |
| Wave Race 64 |
Wii |
Nintendo of America |
E |
| Metroid |
Wii |
Nintendo of America |
E |
| Neverwinter Nights 2 Mask of The Betrayer |
Windows PC |
Atari, Inc. |
T |
| Sally's Salon |
Macintosh, Windows PC, Web Browser |
GamesCafe Inc. |
E |
| Petz Dogz 2 |
PlayStation 2, Wii |
Ubisoft |
E |
| Pet Luv Spa and Resort Tycoon |
Windows PC |
GameMill Entertainment |
E |
| Putt Putt Saves the Zoo! |
Windows PC |
Humongous, Inc. |
E |
| Puzzle de Harvest Moon |
Nintendo DS |
Natsume Inc |
E |
| WWE SmackDown vs RAW 2008 |
PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 |
THQ |
T |
| Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals |
Windows PC |
Microsoft |
E10+ |
Here is the final tally on who, what and where everything was rated. There were 64 rated entries on 10 platforms (Browser and Plug & Play debut this week). Windows PC (27), Nintendo DS (21), Wii (9) and Playstation 2 (8) had the most games rated. There were six of the 42 games at E10+ or lower, six rated at T for Teen and four rated at M for Mature (Includes Conan, Manhunt 2, Clive Barkers Jericho and Turok).
Until next week, make sure you know what your kids are playing……
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