New Game Releases: December 13th-19th, 2013

The ghost of gaming past seems to be haunting this week’s itinerary of new releases. From classic titles like Double Dragon, Ecco the Dolphin, and Galaxy Force II to the return of more recent fare with versions of Toki Tori, flOw, Zen Pinball 2, and Mutant Muds Deluxe, both re-releases and ports dominate the upcoming schedule. Fortunately, at least a few new options await PC players.  Offering a range of recreations which reach from an adult visual novel to a game about mopping up after Santa’s murderous crime spree, there are a number of notable titles.

PlayStation 3
AABS Animals (PSN, $4.99)
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Freedom Cry DLC ($9.99)
Battlefield 4: China Rising DLC ($14.99, Free for Battlefield Premium)
Just Dance 2014 DLC
Minecraft (PSN, $19.99)
Mutant Mudds Deluxe ($9.99, Cross-Buy with Vita version)
Toki Tori (PSN, $4.99)
Zen Pinball 2: Doctor Strange Table (PSN, $2.99)

PlayStation 4
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Freedom Cry DLC ($9.99)
Battlefield 4: China Rising DLC ($14.99, Free for Battlefield Premium)
flOw (PSN, $5.99)Cross-buy with PlayStation 3, PS Vita Versions)
Just Dance 2014 DLC
Pinball Arcade (Free)
The Walking Dead Season 2: Episode 1 (PSN, $4.99)

Wii U
Double Dragon (eShop, $4.99)
Rush (eShop, $1.99)

Xbox 360
Just Dance 2014 DLC

Xbox One
Just Dance 2014 DLC

3DS
3D Ecco the Dolphin (eShop, $5.99)
3D Galaxy Force II (eShop, $5.99)
Double Dragon (eShop, $4.99)
Jump Trials Supreme (eShop, $3.99)
Life with Horses 3D (eShop, $29.99)
My Style Studio: Hair Salon (eShop, $4.99)

DS
Orion’s Odyssey (eShop, $4.99)

PS Vita
BIT.TRIP Presents: Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien (PSN, $9.99)
Eufloria HD (PSN, 14.99, $7.99 PS+)
Furmins (PSN, $5.99)
Indoor Sports World
Mutant Mudds Deluxe ($9.99, Cross-Buy with PS3 version)
Sparkle (PSN, $5.99)
Terraria (PSN, $14.99, $13.49 PS+)

PC
Ef: The Latter Tale
Marc Eckō’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure (Steam, $14.99)
RPG Maker XP (Steam, $24.99)
Spaceforce Constellations (Steam, $9.99)
Stick it to the Man! (Steam, $8.99)
Teslagrad (Steam, $7.99)
Violett (Steam, $6.99)
Viscera Cleanup Detail: Santa’s Rampage (Steam, $2.49)
Zigfrak (Steam, $2.49)

Robert’s Pick: While I’m happy that bishōjo games like Ef: The Latter Tale are attracting a stateside audience, the more imperative release might be Zen Pinball 2’s publishing on PSN. With many PlayStation 4 players blowing through the new console’s launch library, it’s comforting to know that Zen Studio’s score-chasing pastime is imminent. Considerately, the developer has made nineteen previous PlayStation 3/PS Vita table purchases cross-buys; so if you already own a few machines, Zen Pin 2 is definitely worthy of the free download. For newcomers, grabbing the pinball platform earns them the classic Sorcerer’s Lair table for free.

Say’s Pick: I always review the list as soon as it’s published and while it usually takes me a moment to decide, this week’s choice was very clear to me – Stick it to the Man! This is an indie platformer which evokes pleasing memories of Psychonauts- with a fantastic visual style that places players in a world made of paper and stickers. The story centers around Ray, whose life changes after a car accident which leaves him with the ability to hear people’s minds as well as the capacity to tear, pull, fold and stick  elements around him. As you refine your new abilities you’ll realize that you are being framed for a crime you did not commit. With so much imagination, the title promises great art and a lot of fun, in addition to a very unique storyline.

Jeremy’s Pick: In a post-Minecraft world, the proliferation of emergent build-your-own-fun games has produced some great experiences, and helped to popularize community gameplay sharing and other such pursuits. I’m a believer that a remix can sometimes turn out better than the original, and, to me, Terraria is one of those cases. While it definitely riffs on the digging-exploring-crafting formula, I always appreciated its more adventurous, directed nature, and 2D Ghosts ‘n Goblins aesthetic. Terraria, however, was too addictive to be “healthy” for me, and I swore off the PC version after a few worrisome binge sessions. I later enjoyed the game’s return on console (which has recently been updated to near-PC parity, and seen performance bumps on PS3), taking advantage of the 4-player local splitscreen mode. Familial schedules tended to protect me from myself then, but now the game is coming to the PS Vita, and I’m afraid I may be doomed to relapse. Since the Vita version of the game supports Cross-Play, however, at least I won’t have to cut ties with PS3 Terraria players. Help me.