According to the NPD Group's latest numbers, U.S. video game sales reached $699 million in April, a hike of 16 percent, ending a seven-month decline. The increase was fueled by an increased availability of Xbox 360 units and the popularity of Kingdom Hearts II and Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter.

Check out the following new screens from Majesco's E3 2006 lineup:

• Jaws Unleashed (PS2/Xbox/PC) - Screens
• MechAssault: Phantom War (NDS) - Features, Screens & Trailer
• Monster Bomber (NDS) - Features, Screens & Trailer
• Guilty Gear Judgment (PSP) - Features, Screens & Trailer
• Cooking Mama (NDS) - Features, Screens & Trailer

Champion Sheep Rally is a toon-like sheep racing game, set in various strange locations all over the world... and beyond! Players drive sheep, chosen amongst ten different challengers, in order to compete in obstacle races where the "champion sheep's" jump and run abilities will be exploited at their maximum (thanks 3DGamers)!

Pandemic has constructed a whole new ‘playground of destruction’ from the ground up, fully stocked with the hottest vehicles and weapons. Set in a new and exotic hotspot, you can be your own boss in a wide-open world where there’s only one rule: everybody pays.

Rogue Trooper is a mix of intense 3rd person action and next generation stealth elements, with complex line-of-sight AI, multiple game paths, full tactical use of your bio-chip operated equipment and both single- and multiplayer online gameplay.

Check out the following new screens from Techland's E3 2006 lineup:

• Xpand Rally Xtreme - Screens & Trailer
• Dead Island - Screens
• Crazy Soccer Mundial - Screens
• Call of Juarez - Features & Screens
• Chrome 2 - Features & Screens

Majesco today announced its inaugural Wii product, Bust-A-Move Revolution, is scheduled for early 2007.

Another day, another batch of games shipped to stores. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are announcements for:

• X-Men: The Official Game (ALL)
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  We will update this throughout the day when new announcements become available. Read more for details...

eGames today announced that it has partnered with Sandlot Games to release Cake Mania in retail outlets worldwide. The game is a colorful title that has players creating a bakery from scratch, earning money to buy new equipment, and, best of all, designing customized cakes.

Power Of Destruction is an amusing 'old style' FPS, like 'Operation Wolf', made with an advanced 3D technology and a well-groomed gameplay.

According to ABI Research, Sony's console pricing strategy is fraught with risk, and may ultimately jeopardize its market leadership position. Sony is placing a serious bet that its inclusion of a Blu-ray drive in the PlayStation 3 will entice consumers to pay a premium price for the new console, despite lower cost alternatives from both Nintendo and Microsoft.

BioWare is bringing an enhanced version, high-resolution graphics and new visual effects, of Jade Empire to the PC. The original, story of Jade Empire is injected with new monsters, weapons, combat styles, new challenges, and special items to discover, all exclusively designed for the PC.

Paradox Interactive and Deep Silver announced today that Rush for Berlin has gone gold. Rush for Berlin is a tactical RTS game, set on the European battlefields of World War II, during 1944-45. The player's goal; to capture the German capital, as either the British/US/French alliance or the Red army of the Soviet Union.

Check out the following new screens from Bethesda's E3 2006 lineup:

• Star Trek: Tactical Assault (NDS/PSP) - Features & Screens
• Star Trek: Legacy (X360/PC) - Features & Screens
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow (PS2/PC) - Features & Screens

At last week's E3 Ubisoft introduced its newest, PS3-exclusive, action game, Assassin's Creed. Oddly enough, during the demo we noticed the game was being shown using an X360 controller, which would indicated the existence of either an Xbox 360 edition, or PC version, or both. This also seems to get extra credibility by a slip of the tongue from a Ubisoft employee, who inadvertently said it is currently also being developed for Microsoft's next-gen console.

Check out the following new screens from Atari's E3 2006 lineup:

• Alone in the Dark: Near Death Investigation (X360/PC) - Screens & Trailer
• Earthworm Jim (PSP) - Screens
• BattleZone (PSP) - Screens
• Test Drive Unlimited (X360/PC) - Screens & Trailer
• Super DBZ (PS2) - Screens
• Neverwinter Nights 2 - Screens & Trailer
• Hot PXL (PSP) - Screens & Trailer
• Dungeons & Dragons: Tactics (PSP) - Screens & Trailer
• Arthur and the Minimoys (GBA/NDS/PSP/PS2/PC) - Screens & Trailer
• Dragon Ball Z Budokai: Tenkaichi 2 (PS2) - Screens

Tortuga: Two Treasures will have players setting sail as pirate captains in search of action, adventure and of course, treasure. You play Thomas ‘Hawk’ Blythe and after you get betrayed and captured, a dramatic battle for power, romance, treasure and truth commences aboard the Jolly Roger.

The Ship is a first person maritime gaming experience set aboard a fleet of 1930s steam liners. Originally a Half Life Mod, The Ship is now being crafted as a full single and multiplayer game in its own right by Edinburgh-based Outerlight.

Another day, another batch of game trailers was released. Instead of giving them all their own posts, we grouped them, and so far there are trailers for:

• Evolution GT [PS2/PC] - Making of Trailer #2
• Sam & Max - E3 2006 Trailer
• UFO: Afterlight - E3 2006 Trailer
• Sacred 2 - E3 2006 Trailer
• El Matador - E3 2006 Trailer
• Sudden Strike: Arms for Victory - E3 2006 Trailer
• Stranger - E3 2006 Trailer
• The Ant Bully [GBA/NGC/PS2/PC] - E3 2006 Trailer
• The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy [GBA/PS2/PC] - E3 2006 Trailer
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  We will update this throughout the day when new trailers become available. Read more for download links ...

Matrix Games and Shaun Sullivan are pleased to announce that PureSim Baseball 2007 is now available through the Matrix Games Online Store. PureSim Baseball 2007 allows you to simulate any Major League season from 1900 to 2005, the unique aging system, completely customizable parks and leagues, and the ability to edit any aspect of any detail found within the game.