DSi - Nintendo

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Any month that contains the release of a new piece of is bound to be overshadowed by the clamour and demand for all things Mario. The however poses more of a conundrum in terms of how big a deal it will be at launch. Although it's blasted through some two million units in Japan, in the and it is less clear how quickly the new form factor will sell.

Games will of course be key. In addition to the packed in photo manipulation and messaging software, the new DSiWare download games offer a host of opportunities.

WarioWare Snapped!, Art Style: AQUITE and PYORO (taken from previous WarioWare games) look to top the bill at launch. There has even been rumoured the possibility of a handheld version of the Wii's Virtual Console, sporting 90's Gameboy and Gameboy Colour games.

New Play Control! Pikmin 2 - - Nintendo

Pikmin was originally described as a strategic gardening game. After the success of the first title, this follow up added a comprehensive two player mode as well as new kinds of aliens to do your bidding. The game progresses roughly along resource management lines, where you need to acquire enough of certain types of Pikmin to progress.

The Wii version (which follows the release of the original New Play Control! Pikmin) the same Wiimote pointing controls that nudge the game towards the friendly mouse and keyboard scheme. If nothing else the opportunity to get our hands on Pikmin 2 without paying the exorbitant second hand price for the limited availability GameCube game (which reached 100 GBP at its peak) is cause enough to celebrate on its own.

Godfather 2 - PS3/360 - EA

The first Godfather games had the unenviable job of being released at the changing of the console guard. It first appeared on the old before making a re-appearance as the Blackhand edition on the Wii and the Dons Edition on the PS3.

While Godfather 2 certainly has its work cut out - since the first game we have seen Crackdown, two games and the mammoth - there was enough in the previous outing to keep our interest high.

Not only is that authentic Godfather world now recreated in full high-definition, but a full mode is also promised. This, along with the increased depth of role play aspects make us more than excited about revisiting the drive-bys, heists and racketeering of downtown New York.

Blastworks: Build, Trade, Destroy - Wii - Majesco

Blastworks is just the sort of game the Wii needs if it is to attract an ongoing hardcore following. But rather than upping the or swearwords like House of the Dead: Overkill and Madworld, Blastworks: Build, Trade, Destroy takes us back to the classic coin-operated days of sideway scrolling shoot ‘em ups. The emphasis is on ingenuity rather than hard hitting bullet grazing, though. A playful toy theme persists throughout, with enemies adopting the shape of polygonal toy blocks and propellers. Most novel though are the extensive editing tools for customising everything from ships to entire levels. As its name suggests Blastworks: Build, Trade, Destroy has more going on than just shooting and we're keen to see how it feels first hand.

Ninja Blade - 360 - Microsoft

Not many will remember Otogi from the original Xbox, but it was a none-too-shabby hack and slash game that we always had a soft spot for. April sees return with a new exclusive for the 360, Ninja Blade.

This time around, although staying true to those combat roots, the takes a more cinematic turn. Players progress through a mixture of standard brawling combos and button mashing interspersed with action sequences - think Dragon's Lair style reflex button presses here. The game is something of a collaboration - Capcom's Keiji Nakaoka's steady hand on the character design, audio from GEM Impact studio and animation from Production I.G. All this is wrapped up and served by later this month.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena - 360, - Atari

The world may not be short of science fiction first-person action games but hey, there's always room for one more if it's a quality experience, right? Assault on Dark Athena not only follows up The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, but it also includes a remade version of the previous game for the single entry price.

Assault on Dark Athena brings the series up to date with much touted new visuals and artificial intelligence plus the now mandatory multiplayer mode. Film fans might also be attracted by the involvement of Vin Diesel as the voice and likeness of the titular character as well as getting his hands dirty with the general production of the game.

Rock Revolution - 360, PS3, Wii, - Konami

Rock Revolution joins the heavyweights of and in bringing its creative musical experience to the masses. The game sports its own set of fake plastic instruments including (you guessed it) drum kit, guitar and mic. While you may wonder where on earth you are going to put it all, the hook here is that the developers have a prestigious history (in at least) with the Bemani games - Guitar Freaks and Drum Mania. It's a tall order for but the stakes are obviously high enough to make it worth their time. While we'll reserve judgement on this one, here's hoping for the day when a standard format for these fake instruments means that one "Guitar" will fit (and work with) all games.

By Paul Govan