IGN's Games of Spring: What I Want

So IGN has put out its "Games of Spring" articles for all the different consoles. I love seeing what is coming out and planning what I will be buying and features like this are majorly helpful. So, what is getting auto dropped into my shopping cart, and what will I be following with baited breath? Read on to hear my picks and find out why I want them. I will also include links to the various pages so that you can share your own selections. Enjoy!

Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS is getting the special treatment and getting to go first since I am going ahead and getting my Nintendo DSI XL, hopefully this weekend or sometime early in the coming week. What can I look forward to playing on it? Well, lets find out!

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Sky -- For years I have heard nothing but praise for the Dragon Quest series and I am very eager to try out a game from this series. With my new DS in hand playing a turn based RPG is something that I look forward to testing and hopefully not having any more troubles with. As this is not a series I am familiar with or a game I have deeply researched it gets a 3/5 on my interest meter and it is a game I will be watching for now.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey -- Another series that I have been meaning to check out. I am not sure if I will grab this or look for a copy of Shin Megami: Devil Survivor as they both have different gameplay and Devil Survivor is an SRPG which is something that I know that I like already. Either way, this is a watch title, not a buy, and it gets a 3/5 on the interest meter. I will be looking forward to reading reviews.

WarioWare: D.I.Y -- WarioWare: Touched! was my first game for my original DS system so picking up D.I.Y. when I get my DSI XL seems almost a no-brainer, especially with my background designing stuff for RPG Maker. I am very anxious to have tons of fun working with the art, scripting and music tools to make interesting little mini games. Unless something else grabs my attention at the stores, I will likely have this sometime this week. Keep your eyes peeled for my impressions! 5/5 in interest -- if I don't buy it this week, I am sure I will buy it soon.

PC Gaming

I'm normally not a huge PC Gamer, but when a company is going to give me a free game to give a whirl, I'm all over it. (Even moreso when and if Jay gets his darn comp working right again! Gah!) That brings us to Mytheon, a game that seems to have had no trouble catching the attention of those at IGN.com. I checked out a video and have visited their website and my interest is piqued. Will I take it seriously? Probably not, as I am already mega busy as is. But will I check it out? Absolutely, provided it does not crash, a la Mythos. Still mad about that one. This gets a 2/5 if I were following it as a financial game, but 5/5 since trying it out is FREE. Visit: www.mytheongame.com .

Xbox 360

Lego Harry Potter -- I can already hear you, even though you are sitting at the end of another computer screen. "Really, Kat? You can't be serious!" And you are very right. This is likely not a game that I will end up buying, but I am intrigued as I am a huge Harry Potter fan. I will be following this game and paying attention to what is said about it. This gets a 2/5 as I know its just the Harry Potter in the title that is drawing me in.

Lost Planet 2 -- I was paying no attention to this game at all until friends mentioned that this was a very co-op heavy game. Jay and I love anything that we can play as a couple, and adding a friend or two never hurts either. (See: Borderlands! Which ties Dragon Age: Origins for best game last year IMHO) Anyway, this one needs research. While it will likely get purchased by Jay and I since we are dying for something co-op to do together since his PC is currently out of commission, I am only going to give it a 3/5 here because it needs research before I will commit. (*cough*Modern Warfare 2*cough*)

Puzzle Quest 2 -- In all fairness, this could have gone under Nintendo DS, too. But I am more likely to buy this for my 360 as I prefer planning my moves on my 37" TV and that is where I played the first Puzzle Quest. Puzzle Quest, by the way, is more addictive then chocolate, shopping and Jewel Quest (okay wait.. maybe not Jewel Quest...) combined. It is a mix of RPG character building and story with a combat system that tweaks the classic Bejeweled match 3 formula. It was awesome in the first Puzzle Quest. I still need to buy Galatrix even though I loved the demo, and I am sure that Puzzle Quest 2 will be great as well. I can't wait. 5/5 as I know this will be a 100% no brainer.

PlayStation 3

3D Dot Game Heroes -- After the frustration that was Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (not the game's fault, btw. I just did not know I couldn't use a Wiimote & Nunchuck at the time!) 3D Dot Game Heroes is something I am looking very forward to when I eventually get my PS3 (I gave one to my brother last year and have yet to replace it. Yes, I am that nice / pathetic.) This is a game that I will be following and for now I am going to give it a 3/5 since it needs more research and I need a PS3 before I can even consider carting it. I need to tell Jay about this one...

Nintendo Wii

Arc: Rise Fantasia -- I am generally very cautious about what I buy for the Wii, since I am horrid at using the Wiimote and Nunchuk together. But this may be an exception. I mean really... Can they mess up a turn-based RPG? Its definately something I will be watching since I do not know much about it and I am leery of Wii games. It gets 2/5 on the interest meter, as I know I am primarily listing it because I love RPGs.

Trauma Team -- Curse you, Jay. I love you to death, but I have to say it! The fact that I am listing this is 100% your fault. Trauma Team is going to be the thing most likely to break my TV this spring, likely via a flying Wiimote and Nunchuk when I screw something up for the 10 millionth time. But I adore the Trauma Center games for the Nintendo DS, I have watched a ton of videos for Trauma Team (that was my first mistake!) and now I am dying to get my hands on it. This gets 5/5 from me and is a game that is getting the covetted "Carted!" status, as I am literally counting down the days for this one.

*+*+*

At any rate, that is all the games that caught my interest in the lists made. I did not list PSP games as I do not own a PSP anymore and have no interest in getting one again. For those who would like to see the games that they listed fully, feel free to visit: http://wii.ign.com/articles/107/1079595p1.html Thanks for reading, and feel free to share what you are looking forward to this spring!

Katallina