It's a-me! Xbox One!
Last week the PlayStation 4 launched without much else going on around it. There were a few other releases on Monday or Tuesday, but the main focus was on the end of the week. This week marks the launch of Microsoft's next console, but the Xbox One is far from alone. There are a ton of big names launching right alongside it, making this one of the busiest weeks of the year.
We hope all of you out there have prepared your wallets, because we're fairly certain you're going to want at least one of the games on this list, even if you're not picking up the new Xbox. With names like Zelda and Mario waiting in the wings, there's a ton of quality gaming coming from this week.
Zumba Fitness: World Party
Coming To: Xbox 360, Wii U, Wii, Xbox One (November 19)
The Zumba fitness craze brings yet another video game to consoles with World Party, in an effort to help you shake those pounds off of your moneymaker. If you have no idea what Zumba is, it's an exercise routine set to upbeat, high-tempo samba music, with a lot of hip-shaking and arm and leg extensions. It's a great way to work up a sweat and get some exercise without the sterile surrounding of a gym or fitness club, and you may even find some new music in the process. Viva Zumba!
Need for Speed: Rivals
Coming To: PS3, 360, PC (November 19); PS4, Xbox One (November 22)
Xbox has Forza, PlayStation has Gran Turismo, but both systems have the Need for Speed. This year's installment, Rivals, looks to build on the remarkable multiplayer offerings of last year's Most Wanted. Playing with friends has the same level of quick thinking and intensity found in popular shooters, as we spoke of in our recent preview. Plus, after a long absence, the fan favorite Ferrari is back and ready for action. The next generation may be upon us, but this storied name is marching closely at its side. The Need for Speed will live on.
Lord of the Rings Online: Helm's Deep
Coming To: PC (November 22)
If you're still visiting Middle-Earth regularly in Lord of the Rings Online, then this is the week for you. There's a brand new expansion coming your way, centering around one of the most famous battle in LOTR lore. The Helm's Deep expansion brings a new level cap of 95, fresh customization options, and famous Middle-Earth locations to the game including the Westernment of Rohan, Rohan's Edoras capitol, Dunharrow, and Helm's Deep itself. Best of all, if you don't play LOTR:O now, it's free-to-play, so it'll cost you nothing to sign up. We're not seeing a negative side to any of this.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Coming To: 3DS (November 22)
What many reviews (including ours!) are calling the best Zelda game in years is FINALLY seeing the light of day this week. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds brings the classic Link to the Past style gameplay back to the forefront while simultaneously changing the familiar Zelda "dungeon, item, boss, repeat" formula. The new item rental system means any dungeon can be accessed at any time, so it's up to you the player how to proceed. Furthermore, there are once again two full kingdoms to explore: the familiar Hyrule, and the parallel "dark world" called Lorule (we see what you did there, Nintendo). Longtime Zelda fans will have a new challenger in the "best Zelda ever" argument, while those who have never played Zelda now have the perfect entry point. Can you tell how excited we are for this game?
Super Mario 3D World
Coming To: Wii U (November 22nd)
Not to be outdone by his Nintendo friend (or the new console) in green, Super Mario has two games of his own launching the same day. The first is Super Mario 3D World for Wii U, which brings the superb platforming of Super Mario 3D Land for 3DS to the console side, though this one has considerable upgrades. New power-ups like the Cat Suit and the Multiplier Cherry add a new spin on things, and the four-player cooperative option is a first for any 3D Mario game. Oh, and it's the first time since Super Mario Brothers 2 on the NES that Mario, Luigi, Toad, AND Princess Peach are all selectable in one game. New consoles are great and all, but Mario's still Mario, so don't let this game pass you by.
Mario Party: Island Tour
Coming To: 3DS (November 22)
The second new Mario game this week is Mario Party: Island Tour, the newest version of the world's most evil board game. Look, we love Mario Party a lot. We love playing the minigames, we love collecting stars, and we love the competition it breeds among us...perhaps a little too much. See, Mario Party has been known to end friendships across the world due to how competitive it gets. Many controllers have been thrown, obscenities have been shouted, and chairs have been kicked since the original shindig on N64, and now that it's on the 3DS we may have to add "handheld consoles thrown at heads" to the list. That said, we're really happy a new Mario Party game is coming and we can't wait to play it.
Tearaway
Coming To: Vita (November 22)
The beauty and charm of Media Molecule comes to the Vita in Tearaway, an adventure set in a world of paper. By tearing, cutting, and crumpling (or uncrumpling) the world around the hero Iota (or the female Atoi), Tearaway seems like it's trying to be a digital arts and crafts session. Leave it to Media Molecule to come up with such a radically fun idea; after all, this is the studio who put burlap on the map with LittleBigPlanet's Sackboy, so we have full trust that their world of paper will leave the same kind of mark of us. Tearaway will not be a throwaway, we bet.
Young Justice: Legacy
Coming To: PS3, Xbox 360, DS, PC (November 19)
Teen Titans? No, Young Justice. While the idea of following the exploits of teenage version of superheroes is similar, Young Justice is in a league of its own. Their first game, Young Justice: Legacy, will feature twelve playable superheroes, including Robin, Nightwing, Zatanna, and more, in a squad-based combat setting. Players will lead their teams against the Light, who has kidnapped a renowned archaeologist for their nefarious schemes. It sounds like normal comic book fare for us, which means we can expect a lot of thugs to be punched, kicked, blasted, and more throughout the game. Let's do it.
Angry Birds Star Wars
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
A new generation of consoles means a new generation of birds to fling at pigs, and Angry Birds Star Wars has answered the call. Like a 74-Z speeder racing through Endor, Angry Birds Star Wars zips into the Xbox One's launch lineup, bringing the same pig-bashing action we've come to expect, just with a Star Wars twist. Jedi and Rebel birds take on the Imperial pigs, including Pig Vader himself, in brand new stages that we'll spend insane amounts of time on, just like every other game. Seriously, we just start to get over our Angry Birds obsession and WHAM, new awesome game. Will it ever end? WILL THESE BIRDS AND PIGS EVER MAKE PEACE?! WE CAN'T HANDLE MUCH MORE!
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
The total console domination of Assassin's Creed is almost to fruition. When the Xbox One launches this Friday, the Assassins will have made their mark on every home console there is, offering zero excuse to not play this tale of pirates and plunder. Captain Edward Kenway and his motley crew has booty to steal and treasure to find, and there's plenty more secrets awaiting you throughout the adventure. The modern-day stuff is interesting too, including what may be a peek into the future of the franchise. If you're an Assassin's Creed buff and you haven't played Black Flag, the only valid reason you had was that you were waiting for your Xbox One to play it. Come Friday, that excuse is gone.
Battlefield 4
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
One of the cornerstones of Microsoft's E3 press conference (even if the demo didn't work WHOOPS), Battlefield 4 is sure to be an early indication of the Xbox One's graphical power. After all, previous Battlefield games have been some of the best looking games on the consoles, so why shouldn't we expect incredible graphics on a next-gen console? Did you see that building collapse during the EA E3 conference right after MS? How freakin' cool was that? There's no doubt Battlefield 4 will be bringing its best to the new Xbox, especially considering their biggest competitior is joining the next-gen party on day one as well. The Xbox One becomes a Battlefield this Friday; are you loading up?
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
The Call of Duty franchise has seen greater success in the seventh console generation than any other franchise. Millions of copies are sold every single year, and billions of hours (and counting) have been logged in the series' extensive multiplayer offerings. Activision would be foolish to let that momentum slip away, so a new Call of Duty, Ghosts, will be available day and date with Microsoft's new console on Friday. The new campaign follows an elite group of American soldiers fighting to save their homeland in its darkest hour, and the new Squads multiplayer mode will add another new wrinkle to the experience. The name Call of Duty looks to live on in a new generation, starting this Friday with Ghosts.
Crimson Dragon
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
Remember Panzer Dragoon, the excellent on-rails dragon riding shooter for the Sega Saturn and original Xbox? If you haven't played them, surely you've played something from the Star Fox series, right? If you enjoyed those games, then Crimson Dragon is totally for you. Created by the orignial Panzer Dragoon producer, Yuiko Futatsugi, Crimson Dragon brings back the old-school Panzer Dragoon gameplay just in time for a new console generation. We can't wait to swoop through the sky on our noble dragon steed, destroying our enemies with energy blasts and all around badassery. Best of all, it's only $20 o at launch! We can't find anything wrong with this picture!
Dead Rising 3
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
Dead Rising 3 originally had us scared out of our wits, but not for the reasons Capcom intended. Its E3 2013 debut cast it in a more gritty light than its predecessors, making us wonder if the development team eschewed the trademark silliness and humor for a more serious tone. As it turns out, we were a bit hasty in our judgments; Dead Rising 3 is just as goofy as ever. Once we saw a screenshot of a Servbot-headed, mankini wearing Nick Ramos bludgeoning the undead with a giant stuffed bear, our fears were immediately calmed. Now we're ready to kill us some zombies in the giant city of Los Perdidos, and we only have to wait until Friday to do it.
FIFA 14
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
What would the year be without a new installment of the world's most popular sport? FIFA 14 has been heralded by some as the best sports game available for a few years now, and we're sure a new generation of consoles will only make the experience better. New features like Precision Movement and Pure Shot make the game even more realistic than it already was, and the new Ultimate Team Legends will let you add some of the greatest soccer players the world has ever known to your Ultimate Team rosters, including Pele himself. We're excited to hit the pitch in the brand new Xbox One arena, as we think we'll be scoring goals and winning games for a long time coming.
Fighter Within
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
Ubisoft wants us to find the Fighter Within, and to do so they're utilizing something that very few fighting games have attempted to use: the Kinect. With the new enhanced motion-sensing capabilities of the Xbox One's Kinect, Fighter Within boasts that it can translate even the slightest of movements for use in an one-on-one battle with an array of computer opponents. Now we're not trained in any real martial arts, but you better believe we're going to do our best Bruce Lee impressions in front of our cameras. We can only hope no one outside of the room will be able to view that video, as that could be REALLY embarrassing...
Forza Motorsport 5
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
There's a reason that Forza 5 is launching with the Xbox One...and not just because it's a first-party game. Racing games are known for their visuals; the most ultra-realistic graphics in gaming usually come from games where we speed past the landmarks at 200 MPH. It seems odd that so much detail is put into the background of a race, but it's totally true, and the Forza games are all prime examples. Now with Forza 5, Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios are going to show us right out of the gate what the newest Xbox is capable of producing, and we're all for it. We'll get behind the wheel and see for ourselves on Friday.
Just Dance 2014
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
We always thought that this year's Just Dance title was a no-brainer for the new Microsoft console, and we were proven exactly right when Just Dance 2014 was announced. New dance moves, new tracks to perform, and a brand new Kinect sensor will mean even more precision in reading and translating how you get down with yo bad self. Who doesn't want to get down to Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" or the Ghostbusters theme song? We're already swaying in our chairs just thinking about it!
Killer Instinct
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
ULTRA COMBOOOOOOO!!!! We're so happy that Killer Instinct is coming back to the gaming world. It might not have been the best fighter in the world, but MAN did we love playing it. Some of the combos we'd pull off were just insane, and we can't wait to make it happen again on Xbox One. It's also great to see familiar faces like Jago, Chief Thunder, and Orchid, albeit in an entirely new way. It sounds like Killer Instinct will be supported for a long time to come too, as developer Double Helix has talked about "season" of new DLC spread out over a long period of time. We don't care what they decide to do, we're going to revel in beating the crap out of our friends all over again.
LocoCycle
Coming To:Xbox One (November 22)
Having previewed LocoCycle a few times, one thing is for certain: we want a LocoCycle. We're not sure we want to ride the LocoCycle, whose name is I.R.I.S by the way, but we totally want a real one so we can see it in action. The bike known 40 forms of combat and can speak 50 languages fluently. Its top speed is 180 MPH (which is one mile every 20 seconds if you break it down) and it can cloak itself if need be. Seriously, how can this bike be any more badass? No Harley or Kawasaki in the world can touch I.R.I.S., which is why we really want one to ourselves. Can that happen? No? Well, I guess we'll have to live this fantasy out in the game then...*sigh*
Madden NFL 25
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
25 years of Madden history will continue on to the eighth console generation, there's no surprise there, but what is a bit shocking is how damn good Madden 25 looks. It's getting to the point where we have to run 40-yard-dashes in our backyards before we start playing just so we know we can keep up with the players on-screen. We're waiting for Robert Griffin III to complete a touchdown pass, look at the camera, and smile while offering us a Subway sandwich. We do hope, though, that some liberties were taken in trying to capture the realism of the NFL; the last thing we want is to get penalized 15 yards for breathing on a quarterback after he throws a pass. Those penalties suck.
NBA 2K14
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
Of course, if we're going to talk about sports games and impressive graphics, we need to mention NBA 2K14. The first time we saw a trailer for the game, we thought we were watching a commercial for an actual NBA game. We were amazed at the facial expressions and player movements in the trailer, and we're still amazed that 2K Sports was able to accomplish it. Perhaps the idea of finally having competition on the hardwood for the first time in three years was enough to make them want to step their game up, but whatever it was we hope they keep doing it, because NBA 2K14 looks incredible. Let's hope the game plays just as well on Friday.
NBA Live 14
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
Speaking of 2K competition, here it is: NBA Live is back and just in time. After the total disaster that was NBA Elite 11, the NBA Live team took some time to re-construct their approach, and from the looks of things they may have figured it out. Now, we're going to remain cautious, as we've been burned by EA's NBA franchise before, but we're more hopeful than ever before that the series can return to its former prominence. The 2K franchise is serious competition, but competition usually brings out the best in both sides, and in that case we the players are the winners. We need Live to survive, and starting with NBA Live 14, we hope it can.
PowerStar Golf
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
The PS4 launch came and went without the storied Hot Shots Golf franchise, and frankly that makes us sad. We love the cartoony spin those games put on the Gentleman's Game, and we didn't think we'd get to see what a next-gen golf game like that would look like for a while. However, our wishes were answered by PowerStar Golf, which is basically Hot Shots for the Xbox One. We're not complaining; based on what we've seen so far, it's exactly the kind of golf experience we wanted from a new Hot Shots, only it's on the opposite console. No matter, we're more than happy to hit the links in PowerStar Golf on Friday. Your move, Hot Shots.
Ryse: Son of Rome
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
Ryse: Son of Rome brings some well-deserved attention to the Roman empire, a time period criminally overlooked by non-strategy games. Capcom's Shadow of Rome on PS2 is a respectable example, but we're hoping Ryse will be the impetus for many more Roman-era conflicts in gaming. How do we not have more games set in the time of Caesar, when gladiators duked it out for the enjoyment of the entire empire? We want Ryse to show off everything Roman times had to offer, especially bloody swordplay and hordes of barbaric enemies. I guess you could say we want the Roman Empire to RYSE to video game greatness, right?! Right? Guys?
Skylanders: Swap Force
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
If you're the parent of a young video game enthusiast, we're pretty sure that you know all about Skylanders. We'd even wager that there are some figurines strewn about your living room or dining room right now. If that little gamer of yours is jonesing for the Xbox One this holiday season, there's a game waiting for him from the get-go. Skylanders is spreading its influence to the new consoles with Swap Force, introducing new figurines with swappable parts to the world. Best of all, the previous figures are compatible with the new game, so you won't have to replace all of those expensive toys once you upgrade. It's a total win-win!
Zoo Tycoon
Coming To: Xbox One (November 22)
We've always wanted to own and operate a zoo, but real animals are dangerous and not friendly and cute as they always seem. Zoo Tycoon on Xbox One may let us cross that hurdle by letting us build our dream virtual zoo, complete with monkeys and lions and no danger of physical harm to anyone I care for. The Tycoon games have been incredibly successful for PC gamers, and while some portable versions of the brand have been released, this is the first bonafide Tycoon game for a home video game console. We're hoping that it serves as a satisfactory ambassador for the franchise, but mostly we hope we can befriend a peacock and let us walk around the zoo with us. Seriously, how cool would that be?
At least One reason to look ahead
A new Xbox, two new Marios, a new Zelda, and Media Molecule's next great adventure all await us at the end of the week. We'd wager that this week may end up being the best of the entire year, because the PS4 launch, as cool as it was, didn't have Mario or Zelda or papercraft. It just didn't.
For more on what comes out this month, check out the games of November 2013, or for some Grade A GamesRadar silliness, check out the Xbox One's announcement to launch in meme form.
