Fall 2012 video game guide
Since long before Mario began his epic battles against Bowser, fall has been a busy time for the video game industry, and this year is no exception. Lots of games -- sequels and familiar franchises, mostly -- are coming soon to a store near you, including such eagerly awaited titles as Just Dance 4, Madden NFL 13 and NBA 2K13. Here's a roundup of 10 highly anticipated video games set for release before the end of the year.
New Super Mario Bros. 2
Nintendo 3DS
Publisher: Nintendo
Rating: Everyone
Release date: Sunday
Price: $39.99
When the first New Super Mario Bros. hit the Nintendo DS in 2006, it brought the famous franchise back to its side-scrolling roots, which date to 1985 with the groundbreaking Super Mario Bros. for the NES. New Super Mario Bros. 2 finds Mario and Luigi (solo or together in two-player simultaneous mode) once again running, jumping, flying, warping through pipes and otherwise making their way through a secret-filled world filled with turtlelike Koopas, mushroom-esque Goombas and other curious creatures. The mission, of course, is to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser, but coin-collecting plays more of a role in this game than in previous Mario titles.
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
PS3, Xbox 360
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Rating: Teen
Release date: Sept. 11
Price: $59.99
To be released more than a decade after Tekken Tag Tournament, TTT2 continues the popular "Tekken" fighting game series, which began in the arcades and on the PlayStation in 1995. The 3-D, mano-a-mano action lets gamers select from two fighters who can be switched out at any time. More than 50 characters are available, each of whom can be customized in appearance and, for the first time, in fighting moves. Gamers can duke it out with weaponry, fists and feet in countries around the world in one-on-one, one-on-two or two-on-two tag-team battles. In Pair Play mode, up to four gamers each control a character in the "ultimate team battle."
Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse
PS3, Xbox 360
Publisher: Activision
Rating: Mature
Release date: Sept. 25
Price: $59.99
Seth MacFarlane's raunchy animated comedy gets its second console release with Back to the Multiverse, a third-person action/adventure game based on a fan-favorite episode, Season 8's Road to the Multiverse. Gamers play as either the erudite toddler Stewie or the anthropomorphized family dog Brian as they embark on a mission to prevent Bertram (Stewie's evil twin) from destroying the town of Quahog. According to Activision associate producer Alex Knight, the game will include platforming, shooting and light puzzle-solving, among other types of gameplay. Many of the weapons, such as a giant chicken and Stewie's melee golf club, are specific to the show.
Resident Evil 6
PS3, Xbox 360
Publisher: Capcom
Rating: Mature
Release date: Oct. 2
Price $59.99
While not the first "survival horror" game, Resident Evil for the original PlayStation is certainly one of the most important, kick-starting the modern era of the genre back in 1996. The sixth main game in the popular series offers three distinct yet interconnected storylines, each with its own pair of protagonists for one or two players to control (online or off), including returning favorite Leon S. Kennedy teaming up with his new partner, government agent Helena Harper. As fans of the frightful franchise know, zombies are the predominant enemies, but Resident Evil 6 introduces a smarter infestation called the J'avo, who can use weapons and work together to plan attacks.
Dishonored
PS3, Xbox 360
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Rating: Mature
Release date: Oct. 9
Price: $59.99
A first-person action RPG set in a dark, dystopian, steampunk world, Dishonored puts players in the role of the mask-wearing, revenge-seeking Corvo Atano (voiced by Josh Holloway), a former bodyguard framed for the murder of an empress. To battle the guardsmen, soldiers, stilt-wearing law officers and other enemies he'll encounter, Atano wields guns, grenades, crossbows, daggers, swords and other weapons. He's also equipped with an assortment of supernatural powers, including the ability to stop time, create powerful gusts of wind, possess any living creature, summon swarms of rats and teleport short distances. Mission outcomes vary by player choices, and there are times when stealth is strategically advantageous over brutal force.
Assassin's Creed III
PS3, Xbox 360
Publisher: Ubisoft Entertainment
Rating: Mature
Release date: Oct. 30
Price: $59.99
The follow-up to Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (2010), Assassin's Creed III, set in Colonial America, puts players in the role of half-English, half-American Indian Connor Kenway, a new character in the series. In addition to battling British Redcoats and other enemies with such weapons as tomahawks, guns and bayonets, Kenway engages in naval combat and various bow-hunting missions. Most of the third-person, 3-D action takes place in Boston, in New York and on the open frontier, which includes snowy forests, craggy cliffs, raging rivers and Kenway's Mohawk village. Epic in scope, Assassin's Creed III is one of the most anticipated games of 2012.
WWE '13
PS3, Xbox 360, Wii
Publisher: THQ
Rating: Teen
Release date: Oct. 30
Price: $59.99 on PS3 or Xbox 360, $49.99 on Wii
WWE '13 is similar to last year's WWE '12 but is enhanced with a number of fresh features, including new animations, new moves, enhanced audio and, most notably, a special Attitude Era mode, which lets gamers relive classic scenarios (such as the rivalry between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon) from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Of course, modern-era wrestlers are featured as well, including Big Show, Mark Henry, John Cena, CM Punk and current World Heavyweight Champion Stephen "Sheamus" Farrelly. For those who pre-order WWE '13, boxing bad boy Mike Tyson will step into the ring as well.
Halo 4
Xbox 360
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Rating: Mature
Release date: Nov. 6
Price: $59.99
The popular Halo series, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2011, continues with Halo 4, a starting-over point for the franchise. John-117, aka Master Chief, returns as the chief protagonist (so to speak), but the game's developer, 343 Industries, is touting a new story-driven experience called Spartan Ops, playable cooperatively by up to four gamers. Something of a departure from traditional first-person shooters, Halo 4 relies more on mystery, exploration and character development than previous installments. New characters, vehicles and weapons are featured, along with revamped armor for Master Chief.
Call of Duty:
Black Ops II
PS3, Xbox 360
Publisher: Activision
Rating: Mature
Release date: Nov. 13
Price: $59.99
The ninth game in the "Call of Duty" series and a sequel to the popular Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010), Black Ops II gives players more first-person shooter action, but it deviates from the formula with its immersive futuristic setting (2025) and accompanying future-warfare technology (though one of the two storylines presented will take place during the 1970s and '80s). In addition, for the first time in the history of the franchise, the game offers a branching storyline that is directed by player choice, making for a more open-ended experience. During single-player campaigns, special Strike Force missions let players control robots, jet fighters, unmanned aerial vehicles and other implements of death and destruction.
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
PS3, PlayStation Vita
Publisher: Sony
Rating: Teen
Release date: Nov. 20
Price: $59.99 on PS3, $39.99 on PlayStation Vita
Sporting similar gameplay to the party-style, four-on-four fighting action of Nintendo's inventive "Super Smash Bros." series, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale lets gamers select from among 20 characters found in an assortment of past PlayStation games (both first- and third-party), including such popular figures as Kratos ( God of War), Sly Cooper ( Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus), Big Daddy ( BioShock) and Sweet Tooth ( Twisted Metal). Environments, both static and interactive, come from PlayStation games as well, including Metropolis from Ratchet & Clank, Dreamscape from LittleBigPlanet and Sandover from Jak & Daxter. Tournaments, rivalries and an award system designed to encourage competition add to the fun.
Brett Weiss is the author of the "Classic Home Video Games" book series (McFarland).
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