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Think of the Children for November 8th

Think of the Children for November 8th

Written by Dan Keener on 11/8/2007 for DS   PC   PS2   PS3   PSP   Wii   360  
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Well, it was only a one-week miss this time instead of a couple months. I did however go back and retrieve every game rated since this was last put together, and it was a doozy of a list with a very some very distinctive trends.

The first thing that jumped out was the HUGE push that Nintendo platforms are getting leading up to the holidays. Usually, the DS is fighting with PC for honors, but this time the Wii, GBA and DS combined for a staggering 43 of the 86 rated games. Granted, there is some real junk that gets thrown out there (including a bunch of self-help language “games” on the Game Boy Advance and DS), but still. Also, a lot of kid-friendly titles are getting rated, probably with an eye on Mommy and Daddy’s holiday bucks. Regardless, Software makes the gaming world go round, and if you don’t have the titles available, you usually will struggle.

If you are into the off-the-beat-and-path sports and racing games, this was the two-week period for you. For sports, there was a new Cabela Bass game, two Bowling themed, a Jackass title and a Feelin’ It Sport pack. As for racing, there was everything from Quads and ATVs, to Jetskis, Big Rigs and Monster Trucks. There were also new versions from the GripShift and FlatOut franchises, as well as a London Taxi driving game.

Well, I guess things don’t look so bad for the true next-gen systems when you wait for two-weeks to file your story. As the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 combined for 18 rated games this week (still well short of the 28 on the Wii). Still, most of these are cross-platform games (All PS3 titles also on Xbox 360), with only four Xbox 360 titles (Every Extend Extra Extreme, GripShift, Shrek-n-Roll and Legendary: The Box) not appearing on the PS3. The Shrek-n-Roll is one of the first titles that Microsoft announced for its more kid-friendly offerings on the Xbox 360. I expect to see more games being rated for the platform in the near future.

There were not any next-gen titles “announced” by the ESRB, but the one thing that caught my eye was the rating of GripShift for the Xbox 360. The game was originally released on the Playstation 3 and had been published Sony Online Entertainment. However, the 360 rated version Sidhe Interactive as the Publisher, which means that SOE either is looking for alternative options by farming out their games, or they sold the publishing rights to it to Sidhe Interactive. Either way, that may be one of the first SOE or Microsoft Game Studio published games to cross the console divide.

Here is the final tally on who, what and where everything was rated for the last two weeks. There were 86 rated entries on 12 platforms. Windows PC (29), Wii (28), Nintendo DS (11) and Xbox 360 (10) had the most games rated. There were 68 of the 86 games at E10+ or lower, 13 rated at T for Teen and five rated at M for Mature.

Title Publisher Rating Platforms
Creativity Express GeeGuides, LLC E Mac, PC
Jackass the Game Red Mile Entertainment T DS
Shrek-n-Roll Activision E 360
Strawberry Shortcake - The Sweet Dreams Game The Game Factory ApS E PC
Supreme Commander Forged Alliance THQ Inc. E10+ PC
Airbus Series - Volume 1 Just Flight E PC
Dance Praise2 - the ReMix Digital Praise E Mac, PC
Miami Nights Ubisoft Entertainment T DS
Bubble Bobble TAITO Corporation E Wii
Go, Diego, Go! Safari Rescue 2K Play E PS2, Wii
High Velocity Bowling SCEA E10+ PS3
Need for Speed™ ProStreet Electronic Arts E10+ PC, 360, PS3
Petz Horsez 2 Ubisoft E PC
Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun Dreamcatcher Interactive Inc. T PC
Alien Soldier SEGA of America E10+ Wii
AMF Bowling Pinbusters! Bethesda Softworks E Wii
Arcade Gold featuring Pac-Man JAKKS Pacific Inc. E Plug-and-Play
Chicken Hunter United Developers E10+ DS
Combat Flight Simulator 3 ValuSoft E PC
Endless Ocean Nintendo of America E Wii
EverQuest II: Rise of Kunark Sony Online Entertainent LLC T PC
EverQuest: Secrets of Faydwer Sony Online Entertainment T PC
FlatOut Head On Empire Interactive T PSP
London Taxi: Rush Hour Destineer E Wii
Luxor: Pharaoh's Challenge United Developers E PS2, DS, PSP, Wii
Reaxxion United Developers E PC
Shining Force II SEGA of America E Wii
Wheel of Fortune: Second Edition JAKKS Pacific Inc. E Plug-and-Play
Yoshi's Story Nintendo of America E Wii
Zoo Tycoon: Complete Collection ValuSoft E PC
Big Island Blends RealNetworks E PC
Mon Entraineur Personnel en Espagnol Ubisoft E DS
Kawasaki Jetski Destineer E Wii
Cabela's Monster Bass Activision Value E PC, PS2, 360, Wii, PS3
Dungeon Explorer: Warriors of Ancient Arts Hudson Entertainment Inc T PSP
GripShift® Sidhe Interactive E10+ 360
Myth Makers: Orbs of Doom Destineer E Wii
Buzz! Robo Jam SCEA E PS2
Classic British Motor Racing Destineer E Wii
Art of Fighting SNK Playmore USA T Wii
Soldier of Fortune Payback Activision Value M PC, 360, PS3
SOULCALIBUR Legends Namco Bandai Games America T Wii
Math Patrol: The Venus Virus GXB Interactive Corp E GBA
Little Shop of Treasure 2 RealNetworks E Mac, PC
Painkiller: Overdose DreamCatcher M PC
Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom Tecmo, Inc. E Wii
Word Safari: The Friendship Totems GXB Interactive Corp E GBA
BlackSite: Area 51 Midway Amusement Games LLC T PC, 360, PS3
College Hoops 2K8 Visual Concepts E PS2, Xbox
College Hoops 2K8 Visual Concepts E 360, PS3
Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends Majesco Entertainment E DS
Cruis'n Midway Home Entertainment E Wii
HAZE Ubisoft M PS3
Feelin' It: Sports Pack Novint Technologies E PC
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates Square Enix, Inc E10+ DS
Fritz 10 Viva-Media, LLC E PC
Furu Furu Park Majesco Entertainment E10+ Wii
Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity SEGA of America, Inc. E PS2, Wii
Smarty Pants™ Electronic Arts E Wii
The History Channel: Battle for the Pacific Activision Value T PC, 360, PS3
Trauma Center: New Blood Atlus USA T Wii
Kawasaki Quad Bikes Destineer E Wii
Legendary: The Box Spark Unlimited Inc. M PC, 360
My Little Pony: Pinkie Pie's Party Parade ValuSoft E PC
My Spanish Coach Ubisoft E Wii
Monster Trux Offroad Destineer E Wii
Octomania Conspiracy Entertainment Corporation E Wii
Rig Racer Destineer E Wii
Zoo Vet Endangered Animals Legacy Interactive E10+ PC
Fantasy Wars Atari, Inc. T PC
Delicious 2 Deluxe RealNetworks E PC
MX vs ATV: Untamed THQ E PSP
My French Coach Ubisoft E Wii
Math Patrol: The Kleptoid Threat GXB Interactive Corp E GBA
Mon Entraineur Personnel en Anglais Ubisoft E DS
Puppy Luv: Spa & Resort Activision Publishing E GBA, DS
Pirates of the Crimson Coast Online Sony Online Entertainment E10+ PC
Dirty Dancing Codemasters Online Gaming E PC
Need for Speed™ ProStreet Electronic Arts E10+ PS2, Wii
Safari Island RealNetworks E PC
Caveman Rock UFO Interactive Games E DS
Finkle's World UFO Interactive Games E DS
Every Extend Extra Extreme Q Entertainment Inc. E 360
Thousand Island Solitaire Electronic Arts E PC, Web Browser
SimCity Societies Electronic Arts E10+ Mac, PC
Alpha Prime Meridian 4 M PC

Until next week, make sure you know what your kids are playing……

* The product in this article was sent to us by the developer/company.


About Author

Like many gamers in their 40's, I developed my love of gaming from my Commodore 64 after we wore out our Intellivision. I spent countless hours wandering around the streets of Skara Brae, as my life was immersed in The Bard's Tale series on the C-64, D&D Titles and any/all Epyx titles (California Summer and Winter Games) and sports titles.  After taking the early 90's off from gaming (college years) minus the occasional Bill Walsh College Football on Sega, I was re-introduced to PC games in the mid 1990's with a couple of little games called DOOM II and Diablo. I went all-in with the last generation of consoles, getting an Xbox 360 on launch weekend as well as adding a PS3 and Wii in subsequent years.  I now am into the current-generation (latest?) of consoles with the WiiU and Xbox One.  Recently, I was able to get back into PC gaming and have enjoyed it very much, spending most of my time going solo or playing with my fellow GamingNexus staffers in controlled multiplayer action.

While my byline is on many reviews, articles and countless news stories, I have a passion for and spent the last several years at GamingNexus focusing on audio & video and accessories as they relate to gaming. Having over 20 years of Home Theater consulting and sales under my belt, it is quite enjoyable to spend some of my time viewing gaming through the A/V perspective. While I haven't yet made it to one of the major gaming conventions (PAX or E3), I have represented GamingNexus at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in nine of the last ten years.

Personally, I have been a staff member at GamingNexus since 2006 and am in my third tour of duty after taking off the last year and a half.


 

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