This is it, folks – the busiest week of the year for new releases so far. Both Nintendo and Sony launch their biggest games of the holiday season, and there’s around a dozen noteworthy multiformat titles too, including a bunch of intriguing indies and a couple of retro re-releases.
From Sony and Insomniac comes Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – which sees Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales team up to take down Venom, Kraven the Hunter, Lizard are more. The dynamic duo can be switched between, and both have their own unique abilities during combat. While playing as one, you may even see the other on a random crime stopping spree.
Xbox owners hankering for a comic book caper can get stuck into the multiformat roguelite ‘toe-to-toe’ brawler Hellboy Web of Wyrd, based on the Dark Horse comics. It’s looking like the best use of the license so far, featuring an art direction authentic to its source material.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the Switch’s big winter release, meanwhile, and allegedly it has more in common with Super Mario World than New Super Mario Bros. As you may have heard already, the development team had no deadline – they were free to experiment, adding new ideas and extra sheen. Hands-on previews have been incredibly positive.
Then there’s Sonic Superstars, reviews of which went live last Friday. The reception was generally positive, resulting in a 75% Metacritic. The multiplayer modes reportedly feel tacked on, but otherwise, this seems to be a decent enough 2D Sonic adventure that’ll please long-time fans. SEGA also has another game out this week – ENDLESS Dungeon, a sequel to Dungeon of the Endless. While the name may suggest that it’s an RPG, it is in fact a tower defense twin-stick shooter.
Hot Wheels Unleashed gets a sequel too. Subtitled Turbocharged, it’s due on all formats and throws motorbikes and ATVs into the mix, while featuring tracks set within an arcade, a mini golf course, and a dinosaur museum. 130 vehicles feature in total.
If you’re up for something a little different, Aksys’ Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue is based around a reality TV show where contestants can win big money…if they’re able to survive. It’s due on all formats this Thursday.
For retro enthusiasts, there’s Disney’s Gargoyles Remastered – which gives the cult 16-bit action platformer a new lease of life – Ziggarat’s double game pack A Boy And His Blob: Retro Collection, and a PSVR2 release of early PC CD-Rom classic The 7th Guest VR.
World of Horror falls under this umbrella too, being a pixel art RPG inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft and Junji Ito.
We can also expect monster mashing (and presumably button bashing) Skull Island: Rise of Kong, Devolver Digital’s Wizard with a Gun, the ‘70s set investigative adventure Kona II: Brume, psychological point ‘n clicker Vlad Circus Descend Into Madness, cosy 3D platformer Mail Time, and the nostalgia drenched Kingdoms spin-off Kingdom Eighties. All this, and a new Agatha Christie game too.
New release trailers
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Sonic Superstars
Hellboy Web of Wyrd
HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED 2 – Turbocharged
Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue
Skull Island: Rise of Kong
ENDLESS Dungeon
The 7th Guest VR
Gargoyles Remastered
A Boy And His Blob: Retro Collection
Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express
Kona II: Brume
Kingdom Eighties
Spirit of the Island
Wizard with a Gun
World of Horror
Vlad Circus Descend Into Madness
Mail Time
Bish Bash Bots
Warm Snow
New multiformat releases
- Sonic Superstars
- Hellboy Web of Wyrd
- HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED 2 – Turbocharged
- Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue
- Skull Island: Rise of Kong
- ENDLESS Dungeon
- Gargoyles Remastered
- Harmony’s Odyssey
- The Jackbox Party Pack 10
- Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness
- Wizard with a Gun
- Spirit Of The Island
- Slender: The Arrival
- Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express
- NeonPowerUp!
- Bish Bash Bots
- Warm Snow
- The Gap
- Hidden Cats in London
- Kona II: Brume
- Kingdom Eighties
- Ball laB II
New on PSN
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- The Caligula Effect 2 – PS5
- Mail Time
- TrinityS
- The 7th Guest VR
- A Boy and His Blob: Retro Collection
- World of Horror
- Animal Hospital
- Tennis On-Court
- Overdelivery
- Pinball Frenzy
- IQ Final
- Ape Escape Academy
- Tekken 6
New on Xbox Store
- Cafe Owner Simulator
- Royal Roads 3
- Life of Delta
- Skeljump
- Witchy Life Story
- Mummy Pinball
- Cyber Tank
- Burger Chef Tycoon
- Loco Parentis
- Tricky Tanks
- Jujubos
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED 2 – Turbocharged
- Skull Island: Rise of Kong
- Sonic Superstars
- Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express
- Frank & Drake
- ENDLESS Dungeon
- Skábma – Snowfall
- Disney Dreamlight Valley: Cozy Edition
- Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest
- Forgive Me Father
Next week: Alan Wake II, EA SPORTS UFC 5, Ghostrunner 2, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, Just Dance 2024 Edition, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, POSTAL: Brain Damaged, Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery, Strategic Mind: Spirit of Liberty, Sudama Relation, DreamWorks Trolls Remix Rescue, Hero Survival, Swapshot, The Inheritance of Crimson Manor, Journey to Foundation, VERY BAD DREAMS – DO NOT FALL INTO MADNESS, Archetype Arcadia, Pickleball Smash, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, Vertigo 2, CRYMACHINA, Seed of Life, Stray Souls, Horror Tale 2: Samantha, Shiraha Kirameku Koi Shirabe, Yumeiro Yuram, and DINOSAURS: Mission Dino Camp.