Mario Party 8 (Wii)

In this carnival-themed excursion, players might use the Wii Remote to punch the air to chip away at a statue, point it at the screen to shoot at targets or balance it like a tightrope walker's pole. The amazing functions of the Wii Remote add a new level of hilarious competition. This new Mario Party installment includes new boards, characters, moves and minigames.

Since the original Mario Party debuted in 1999 on Nintendo 64, the franchise has been a perpetual fan favorite, selling nearly 6.5 million in the United States alone. It's the video game version of a board game, where each player takes a turn moving spaces. Then everyone competes in a fast-paced minigame at the end of the round. Its controls are fun and easy enough that every member of the family can join in. Mario Party 8 lets players get into the action like never before, and is a great follow-up for gamers and families who had fun competing in Wii Sports.

Mario Party 8, Rated E for Everyone, launches May 29.

Forza Motorsport 2 (Xbox 360)

Timed to mark the biggest racing event of the year, these announcements are sure to ignite the driving spirit in gamers and car enthusiasts alike as the 91st Annual Indianapolis 500 kicks off today.

Tuned and developed with the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel, Forza Motorsport 2 supports true force feedback, setting a new precedent for realism in the racing simulation genre that will have gamers feeling every bump in the road and every jolt of acceleration as they take the corners on 12 of the most renowned tracks on the globe. With the game running at an astounding 60 frames per second, authentic simulation physics, and rumble functionality with the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, Forza Motorsport 2 offers incredible realism and depth for a complete racing experience in gaming.

In addition, to mark the release of the new title, gamers in the U.S. will be able to participate in the Forza Motorsport 2 Race Weekend, running June 1 through June 3. Gamers will be able to participate in a Play and Win, Livery contests, gameplay sessions with developers, and a leaderboard tournament. Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheels and other prizes will be awarded to winners. Gamers will experience all the racing excitement they can handle with the following new gameplay experiences:

• Collect, upgrade and tune hundreds of cars. From sport compacts to purpose-built race cars, Forza Motorsport 2 offers more than 300 cars from over 50 of the worlds leading manufacturers such as Ferrari, Porsche, Nissan, Volkswagen, General Motors and Lamborghini. Players can take their car to the garage and install alternative engines, suspension kits, bolt-on superchargers, brakes, rims and racing slicks. Players can also dial in advanced suspension settings, tire pressure and gear ratios.
• Experience an uncompromising physics simulation. Top automotive engineers, professional race car drivers and experienced programmers teamed up to create a complete racing simulator experience. Cars incur dramatic damage and wear, which affects vehicle performance. Advanced tire and suspension models that respond to heat and pressure changes as well as weight transfer and aerodynamic load are just a few examples of how the gamer plays both crew chief and driver.
• Master real-world tracks from around the world. From the famously challenging Nürburgring Nordschleife to the green hills of Tuscany, gamers can race on meticulously designed tracks with an incredible sense of speed and realism. Forza Motorsport 2 features 47 ribbons across 12 environments, including real-world licensed circuits such as Mugello, Suzuka and Sebring International Raceway.
• Create and share a masterpiece with the world. Players can express their inner artist in the paint and upgrade shops with nearly endless personalization options. They can customize the shape of their car by combining different licensed rims, performance parts and aftermarket body kits and create a unique paint scheme using millions of paint and decal options. Then racers can hit the track and take in-game pictures of their creation in the Forza Motorsport 2 Photo Mode, or sell their work of art to an eager community for in-game credits over Xbox LIVE using the Forza Motorsport 2 Auction House.
• Literally feel the road, just like a professional driver. Through the rumble functionality in the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, players will feel uncompromising responsiveness to every acceleration, downshift and turn, making the racing experience as true to life as possible. With the latest improvements to rumble, force feedback and wireless technologies, form and function are placed into high-speed gaming motion, letting racers feel every bump around the turns at famous tracks such as Sebring as well as the differences in handling and stability in each car they drive.
• Compete in a vibrant online community. Gamers can take their personalized car onto Xbox LIVE for some intense online wheel-to-wheel racing. They have the option to compete in private online sessions with friends or in large public tournaments on Xbox LIVE in the seamlessly integrated Forza Motorsport 2 Career Mode.* They can earn in-game credits and even complete single-player career objectives while racing over Xbox LIVE. Or they can sit back and watch the best racers from around the world compete on Forza Motorsport 2 TV.

From the creative minds at Turn 10 Studios, Forza Motorsport 2 is the game that offers something for every type of racing and car enthusiast, such as optional driving assists for the novice and gameplay options for the serious car aficionado that include the ability to tune, trade, paint and collect players favorite cars. With Xbox LIVE, players can share and sell their custom creations on the Forza Motorsport 2 online Auction House and experience an impressively accurate simulation, putting their performance-tuned rides to the test against the best the online world has to offer. Forza Motorsport 2 will be widely available at retailers nationwide May 29 for an ERP of $59.99.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Platinum Edition (PC)

The collection contains all three of the franchise's award-winning titles, plus a content-packed bonus DVD featuring playable demos of three highly-lauded THQ Windows PC titles - Company of Heroes, Supreme Commander, and Titan Quest. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Platinum Edition is now available for the suggested retail price of $39.99.

"THQ's Relic Entertainment has created three blockbuster titles set in the Warhammer 40,000 Universe, establishing the series as one of the most popular RTS franchises worldwide," said Bob Aniello, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, THQ. "Bringing the titles together into one collector's platinum edition is a must-have for any RTS enthusiast."

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Platinum Edition is set in Games Workshop's world of Warhammer 40,000 - a dark, futuristic, fantasy universe where armies of technologically advanced warriors, fighting machines and hordes of implacable aliens wage constant war - and is traveled by millions worldwide. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Platinum Edition contains all three titles in Relic Entertainment's award-winning RTS franchise - the original Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Winter Assault, and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Dark Crusade - and gamers will be able to play as all seven epic races in single-player and multiplayer. The bonus DVD will contain three playable demos and trailers for THQ's critically-acclaimed Windows PC titles - Company of Heroes, Supreme Commander, and Titan Quest - along with two additional trailers for Titan Quest: Immortal Throne and Frontlines: Fuel of War.