Call of Duty  

Call of Duty: Black Ops, Wii Remote Plus

 

ne year ago this week Activision released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the critically and financially successful shooter from Infinity Ward. Now it's Treyarch's turn. The developer's greatly hyped Call of Duty: Black Ops comes to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, DS, and PC on Tuesday. Analysts believe it could sell upwards of 18 million units, behind a huge preorder run.

Black Ops features a star-studded voice acting cast, a soundtrack composed by Sean Murray of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and will be available in three distinct editions ranging in price from $60 to $150. The Cold War-era shooter will also sport a Zombie mode, a fan-favorite component made famous by Treyarch's Call of Duty: World at War.
Nintendo ushers in a new wave of control this week with the Wii Remote Plus. The Wii Remote Plus will debut on November 7 and will be sold in all-new Wii hardware packages and bundles. It will also be sold separately beginning on that date for $39.99. The Wii Remote Plus combines the original Wii Remote with the MotionPlus add-on.
Nintendo also will release two new Mario anniversary systems this week. The new Wii package--in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.--will include a red system, copies of New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Wii Sports, a Wii Remote Plus, and everything else normally associated with the system. It will debut at $200 and will be a limited edition.
Also being released on November 7 will be a new $180 DSi XL bundle. Similar to the Wii package, the DSi XL bundle is also a limited edition and is colored red in honor of the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. This package will include a DSi XL with three themed graphics on its face, a copy of Mario Kart DS, and three preinstalled titles: Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Express: Math, and Photo Clock.
Making its way to shelves on the same day is FlingSmash, Nintendo's latest controller/software pairing. The new SKU bundles a Wii Remote Plus with a copy of the game. According to Nintendo, FlingSmash "combines the hands-on fun of tennis with the nonstop action and instant gratification of pinball." Nintendo employed a similar tactic with Wii Play when the company included a Wii Remote with the title. That game went on to become the best-selling game of all time in the United States. The FlingSmash bundle will retail for $49.99.
Also releasing this week is The Fight: Lights Out. A PlayStation Move exclusive, the title lets players fight in the dark and gritty underground with Sony's new motion controllers, which have shipped more than a million units since releasing on September 17.
Those looking to the past for new fun can pick up The Sly Collection this week for the PlayStation 3. The bundle includes all three PlayStation 2 Sly games: Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, Sly 2: Band of Thieves, and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves.
Besides having remastered HD graphics, The Sly Collection will boast 3D visuals--provided the player has a television that supports 3D. It will also support Sony's PlayStation Move motion-sensing system, which hit the US market in September. In addition, the collection will have full trophy support, with remastering duties of the Sucker Punch-developed originals being handled by Sanzaru Games.
Gamers looking to bundle up this week can pick up the ESA Game Pack. Bearing the Entertainment Software Association's logo, the $30 PS3 pack bundles copies of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, and Tomb Raider: Underworld.
Rounding out the week is the Wii version of the decently received Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2 and Knights in the Nightmare for PSP. Those who purchase the latter will score a free digital copy of another Atlus PSP RPG remake, Yggdra Union. The game will be available to those who pick up Knights in the Nightmare from retailers or download it through the PlayStation Network.
For further details on the week's games, visit GameSpot's New Release page. The full list of downloadable games on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live Marketplace, and Wii Shop Channel will be revealed later this week. Release dates are based on retailer listings and are subject to change.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7
FlingSmash--Wii--Nintendo
Wii Remote Plus
Nintendo DSi XL Anniversary bundle
Nintendo Wii Anniversary bundle

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8
Gods vs. Humans--Wii--Zallag
Nickelodeon Fit--Wii--2K Games
Noah's Ark--DS--SouthPeak Games

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9
Beyblade: Metal Fusion--DS--Hudson Entertainment
Call of Duty: Black Ops--DS, Wii, X360, PS3, PC--Activision
Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles 2--DS, PC, Wii--O Games
Crime Lab: Body of Evidence--DS--City Interactive
ESA Game Pack--PS3--SCEA
Family Feud Decades--Wii--Ubisoft
Hasbro Family Game Night 1 & 2 Bundle--Wii--Electronic Arts
Just Dance Kids--Wii--Ubisoft
Karaoke Revolution Glee--Wii--Konami
Knights in the Nightmare--PSP--Atlus
Majesty 2: Battles of Ardania--PC--Paradox Interactive
Minute to Win It--Wii--Zoo Games
Monster Jam: Path of Destruction--X360, PS3, Wii, DS, PSP--Activision
MySims Collections--Wii--Electronic Arts
Reload: Target Down--Wii--Mastiff
Remington Super Slam Hunting Africa--Wii--Mastiff
Remington Super Slam Hunting North America--Wii--Jack of All Games
Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer--DS, Wii--Crave
Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon--DS--Natsume
SingStar Dance--PS3--SCEA
Style Lab Fashion Design--DS--Ubisoft
The Fight: Lights Out--PS3--SCEA
The Sly Collection--PS3--SCEA
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2--Wii--Ubisoft

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10
Chevrolet Camaro: Wild Ride--Wii--CokeM Interactive
Guwange--X360--Cave
Hidden Mysteries: Salem Witch Trials--DS--GameMill Publishing
Zhu Zhu Pets: Kung Zhu--DS--Activision