With a couple of great handheld games out this week you've got the perfect game for a holiday, or perhaps your Kinect has gotten a little dusty, give it a clean and try Fantastic Pets or Michael Jackson - The Experience. Here's our pick of the releases this week.
Fantastic Pets
Xbox 360 (Kinect compatible)
Think Kinectimals with less cats and fur, Fantastic Pets is a new virtual pet game, full of mini games, animal creating and simultaneous on-screen multiplayer. Great for small children this new Kinect title needs a far smaller space than Kinectimals and gives far more room for sloppy gestures for maximum enjoyment, oh and you can make a rainbow unicorn.
Men of War: Assault Squad
Windows
If you’ve never heard of the series before, and are a fan of real time strategy then Men of War Assault Squad is one game that you should definitely check out. Assault Squad features a completely new cooperative skirmish mode with access to five different nations, and improves on the series with increased realism and accessibility with direct control on units and improved dynamic AI.
Bookworm
Nintendo DS
The fantastically addictive Popcap title Bookworm comes to the DS for the best pairing to ever hit a handheld screen. If you’ve yet to play Bookworm, then you’ve missed out, think of it like scrabble crossed with bejewelled, if you love puzzle games you’ll be bowled over at just how quickly the time will pass when you turn this amazing game on.
Armada 2526: Supernova
Windows
An expansion to the huge 4x strategy title from one of the designers of the Total War series, adding new races, technologies and the addition of multiplayer LAN and PBEM. Armada 2526 was a shining example of an engaging strategy game and the new multiplayer capabilities will take it to new heights.
Patapon 3
PSP
Patapon 3 sees the return of the innovative rhythm-based 2D action game on the PSP, with multiplayer campaigns players can quest together co-operatively or battle head-to-head with 4v4 against other Patapon clans supporting network play of up to eight players. Patapon 3 also introduces a new character; Super Hero Patapon who you can customise for your own unique Patapon. Patapon is one of the only real good series' on the PSP besides Monster Hunter, and its good to see that they are still releasing them in the UK.
I don't know about you, but Armada 2526: Supernova adds a great bit of replay value to an addictively rich game, however Men of War Assualt Squad marks the third expansion to the critically acclaimed original, so this week it's a hard choice. Will you be buying anything this week?