Genre: Platformer
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release: Q4 2009

Nintendo came out of E3 2009 much stronger than they did in 2008. They started off our booth tour with their big announcement of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and I got to squeeze in some play time with the game.

If you've played the DS version of New Super Mario Bros., most everything is going to be familiar, including major elements of Super Mario Bros. 3 from the NES era, new and entertaining power-ups, and a fair supply of secrets to keep things interesting for a good, long

Genre: Action/Adventure
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Traveller's Tales
Release Date: September 23, 2008

It's been a pretty awesome last few years for Batman.

The mythos and universe of the Caped Crusader have undergone a resurgence of sorts in the game community, thanks in part to the outstanding movies that have helped reinforce the spirit of the character. It hasn't been a terrible past few years for Lego, either, whose brand has been reinvigorated by Traveller's Tales' past efforts with the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises.

Now we have Lego Batman, which looks poised to be

Genre: Sports
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release: July 26, 2009

Before you read any further about Wii Sports Resort, go do a bit of bowling in Wii Sports. Notice the subtleties that are there in the simulation, and those that aren't. The Wii Remote, ultimately, is limited, and many of those limits have been removed with the recent introduction of the Wii MotionPlus, which links to Wiimotes to let you do more with them. While it is launching with two EA Sports titles for Wii, the MotionPlus clearly seems custom designed for the upcoming Wii Sports

Do you want to quit smoking but worry that you lack the willpower?

Discover a game that brings the successful Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking method to an exciting interactive platform: Nintendo DS.

Now smokers striving to break their nicotine addiction have instant access to an expert they can put in their pocket.

Developed in conjunction with Allen Carr's experts, My Stop Smoking Coach with Allen Carr uses eye-opening lessons alongside fun and interactive games to uncover the many illusions preventing smokers from quitting.

Play as a young vet, who has just opened his/her first animal clinic. Take care of your neighbors' domesticated pets, as well as the local exotic baby animals.

Diagnose, cure, observe and heal the animals to gain your clients' confidence and respect.

Uncover the mystery behind the animals' illnesses. Investigate to find out if the local factory could be polluting the rivers and thus be causing the animals' diseases.

Face real challenges on the journey to becoming a great veterinarian, and possibly join one of the world's most prestigious NGOs.

Key Features:

• Treat more than 12 animals, both

Players take on the role of Greg or Mila, and help their uncle save endangered marine species.

Cruise around an undiscovered island and rescue hurt or sick sea animals. Explore the island to develop open space pools, while respecting the environment. With the help of specialists, take care of and heal the many different animals before releasing them into the ocean.

Save the endangered marine species and try to help the rarest of them all: the giant Blue Whale.

Key Features:

• Interact with new animals and endangered marine species such as sea lions,

Genre: Rhythm/Music
Publisher: MTV Games
Developer: Harmonix
Release: September 9, 2009

How can a game be both so much more than its predecessors, and yet so much less at the same time? This conundrum defined what I saw of the upcoming Rock Band release, The Beatles: Rock Band. The game floored me as a Beatles release, but its heritage as a Rock Band game seems a bit tenuous.

The basics are all there; this is Rock Band, with one significant evolution and some major interface modifications that I'll get to in a bit. The big new idea

As a member of the Earth Rescue Team (ERT), your mission is to save the wildlife on a beautiful island that has been threatened by pollution.

Key Features:

• Save a beautiful island:
• • Heal wild animals.
  • Clean wild areas of pollution and recycle the waste you find.
  • Prepare the environment and reintroduce vegetative plants for the animals to eat.
• Protect and rescue 12 wild animals: The island is a natural haven with four different environments (forest, taiga, savanna, desert) from a cold forest with bears to a dry savannah with lions.
• Help the local inhabitants develop a

As a young wedding designer, create the perfect wedding that satisfies the bride's taste and meets her expectations.

Key Features:

• Manage the weddings of six different brides, each with their own personality and specific tastes.
• Design the wedding invitation, choose the dress, veil, bouquet and more! You can also choose the bride's hair and makeup, the location of the ceremony and the music!
• Choose who will be in the ceremony and select the outfits that will please the bride.
• Live the big day! Ensure everything goes smoothly and your bride is happy! If not, you may face some unexpected events during the ceremony!
• Unlock

Genre: Puzzle
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive
Developer: 5TH Cell
Release Date: September 15, 2009

5TH Cell is perhaps the best DS game developer that no one has heard of. They've only developed a few games, but those games have been fun and innovative, making excellent use of the DS' various features to create games that would not be the same anywhere else. Drawn to Life was a platformer designed around creating your own character, while Lock's Quest was a combination tower defense and hack-and-slash game. Their upcoming game, Scribblenauts, is easily their most ambitious to date, and