Weekly video game releases: 'Monster Hunter Tri', 'NIER', 'Dementium II'

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Among upcoming video game releases: Monster Hunter Tri is the series' debut on Nintendo Wii, role-playing game giants Square Enix publish their new game NIER on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and the Nintendo DS receives a rare slice of survival horror with Dementium II.

Monster Hunter Tri (Wii)
Release date: North America, April 20. Europe, April 23.

This is actually the fourth in the Monster Hunter series for a home console whose predecessors appeared on PlayStation 2, or the fifth including the Asian PC game Monster Hunter Frontier which is due on Xbox 360 this Summer. All the usual trappings are present: heroes and heroines with over-sized weaponry and upgrades available via conquering monstrous foes, and teaming up via co-operative play, this time enhanced by the game's compatibility with the Wii Speak microphone device which is included in the Special Edition. The Classic Controller bundle is also a bit of a bargain at just €/$10 more than the solo game, considering that the control pad usually sells for about €/$20 brand new.
Price: €49.99 / $49.99
Classic Controller bundle: €59.99 / $59.99
Special Edition: €69.99

Dementium II (DS)
Release date: North America, April 20. Europe, expected May 28.

It's that rarest of things on the Nintendo DS: a mature, survival horror game with a restrictive age rating. Not only that, but developer Renegade Kid is a relatively small company whose previous Dementium title, subtitled The Ward, was received well enough for them to follow up with The Moon, a sci-fi shooter that took Dementium's basic game engine in a different direction. Dementium II already won the dubious honor of being named Kotaku's Most Frightening Box Art Of 2009, and previews from various outlets for this unsettling action puzzler bode well indeed.
Price: $29.99 / €29.99

NIER / NieR Gestalt / NieR RepliCant (360, PS3)
Release date: Europe, April 23. Japan, April 24. North America, April 27.

Don't be confused, here's the science: This is a Japanese role-playing game of fantastical proportions, with two versions released in Japan instead of Europe and North America's standard NIER titling - Japan's RepliCant version has a slightly different relationship dynamic between the game's two main characters. Either way, it's an epic tale and has been generating considerable interest among fans of the genre - especially those who felt that Final Fantasy XIII didn't quite do justice to Square Enix's publishing pedigree.
Price: €59.99 / $59.99

Super Street Fighter IV (360, PS3)
Release date: North America, April 27. Japan, April 28. Europe, April 30.

Street Fighter IV continues the legacy left behind by Street Fighter II with a 'Super' update, boosting the character roster by ten. Eight of those come from previous Street Fighter games (such as Cody, Guy, Adon from Street Fighter I & Alpha), and the new faces are the female Taekwondo fighter Juri and the comic Turkish oil wrestler Hakan. There are a couple of new moves all round, extra character costumes, and an improved online multiplayer. To sweeten the deal for those that bought Street Fighter IV back in February 2009, Super Street Fighter IV is shipping with a lower base price. Those with cash to burn may be tempted by the Dojo Edition, which is an SSFIV-branded gym bag containing a headband, aluminium water bottle, t-shirt, and USB drive along with the game itself - now sold out but bound to be re-sold online for collectors. There are also arcade-style and modified console controllers for those determined to squeeze every last ounce of play from the new game.
Price: €39.99 / $39.99
Dojo Edition: $79.99
Official SSFIV Arcade Stick: $149.99 / €149.99

FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa (360 PS3 PSP Wii)
Release date: North America, April 27. Europe, April 30. Japan, May 13.

EA Sports' yearly football series has had its regularly scheduled programming interrupted with this World Cup Finals-focused edition. FIFA 10 was a fantastic game, picking up good reviews, numerous end of year awards, and great sales. This special World Cup version includes a number of tweaks including a simple two-button control method for newcomers, and an import manager so Pro players trained up in FIFA 10 can be carried across for World Cup glory within South Africa's ten official stadiums. There is a demo already available from the 360 and PS3's respective online stores.
Price: €69.95 / $59.99 (360 PS3), €49.95 / $49.99 (Wii), €39.95 / $39.99 (PSP)

WarioWare: Do It Yourself / WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase (DS/Wii)
Release: Europe, April 30. North America, already released.

The latest WarioWare game, as always hosted by Mario's nemesis and greedy buffoon Wario, is faithful to its lineage by placing greater emphasis on presenting a collection of mini-games rather than telling tales of heroism and bravery. Despite containing 90 ready-made mini-games to play, what sets this apart from previous WarioWare titles is the focus on allowing users to make their own mini-games. Since the Japanese release at least, Nintendo has been releasing two new mini-games each week, and running regular competitions to find the best creations after announcing a certain theme. There is also a similar Wii game, WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase, to be made available via the Wii's online Shop channel.
Price: €29.99 (DS) / 800 Nintendo Points, ~€8 (Wii)