Gamasutra's regular round-up of worldwide video game releases, "Release This!", takes a look at every game title we know to be shipping to stores this week, in a custom compiled list.
This week brings Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Lego The Lord of the Rings, and Paper Mario: Sticker Star to retailers in North America, while Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is set to debut in Europe.
The following list covers all of the game software we know to be available -- across all platforms and regions -- for the week ending November 17th, 2012.
Games Released in the United States:
Treyarch's multiplatform first-person shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops II arrives in North America and Europe this week, boasting a branching single-player storyline in which future weapons technology plays a prominent role. Black Ops II additionally offers a new multiplayer matchmaking system, along with a feature that allows players to livestream matches to YouTube.
Other titles premiering this week include TT Games' family-friendly action-adventure game Lego The Lord of the Rings, Sony's PlayStation Move-powered educational title Wonderbook: Book of Spells, and a new 3DS entry in Nintendo's long-running Paper Mario series.
This week will also mark the retail release of the first titles for Nintendo's Wii U, though the console itself will not hit store shelves until November 18th.
Nintendo Wii:
- Ben 10: Omniverse
- Big Time Rush: Dance Party
- The Hip Hop Dance Experience
- Lego The Lord of the Rings
- Monster High Skultimate Roller Maze
- Victorious: Taking the Lead
Xbox 360:
- Ben 10: Omniverse
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- F1 Race Stars
- The Hip Hop Dance Experience
- Lego The Lord of the Rings
- Power Rangers Samurai
- Power Rangers Super Samurai
- Tropico 4: Gold Edition
- UFC Double Pack
PlayStation 3:
- Assassin's Creed Ezio Trilogy
- Ben 10: Omniverse
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- F1 Race Stars
- Lego The Lord of the Rings
- Wonderbook: Book of Spells
Nintendo 3DS:
- Ben 10: Omniverse
- Monster Shooter (Nintendo eShop)
- Paper Mario: Sticker Star
- Rabbids Rumble
Nintendo DS:
- Ben 10: Omniverse
- Big Time Rush: Backstage Pass
- Monster High Skultimate Roller Maze
- Victorious: Taking the Lead
PlayStation Vita:
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified
PC:
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- Crusader Kings II: Sunset Invasion
- EverQuest II: Chains of Eternity
- LEGO The Lord of the Rings
- Magical Drop V
- Perfect World International: Sirens of War
- Rift: Storm Legion
- Scribblenauts Unlimited
- The Sims 3 Seasons
- Tropico 4: Gold Edition
Games Released in Europe:
Sega's kart racer sequel Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed debuts in Europe this week for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, featuring a cast of new playable characters and tracks in which vehicles must transform mid-race to traverse land, air, and sea-based segments. A U.S. release will follow on November 18th.
Nintendo Wii:
- The Cube
- Monster High Skultimate Roller Maze
Xbox 360:
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- F1 Race Stars
- Midway Arcade Origins
- Saints Row The Third: The Full Package
- Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
PlayStation 3:
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- The Cube
- F1 Race Stars
- Midway Arcade Origins
- Saints Row The Third: The Full Package
- Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
- Wonderbook: Book of Spells
Nintendo 3DS:
- Jewel Quest IV
Nintendo DS:
- Monster High Skultimate Roller Maze
PlayStation Vita:
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified
- Gem Smashers
PC:
- Angry Birds Star Wars
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- F1 Race Stars
- Rift: Storm Legion
- Saints Row The Third: The Full Package
- The Sims 3 Seasons
Games Released in Japan:
Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed III makes its Japanese debut alongside console releases like Need for Speed Most Wanted and D3 Publisher's PlayStation 3 hostess club sim Dream Club Complete Edipyon!
The PS Vita-exclusive Assassin's Creed III: Liberation also hits Japan this week (as Assassin's Creed III: Lady Liberty), while PSP owners can expect to see a port of Flight-Plan's 2006 PlayStation 2 RPG Summon Night 4.
Xbox 360:
- Assassin's Creed III
- Kinect Sports: Ultimate Collection
- Need for Speed Most Wanted
- Nike+ Kinect Training
PlayStation 3:
- Assassin's Creed III
- Dream Club Complete Edipyon!
- Need for Speed Most Wanted
