Picks of Coming Video Games

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Bethesda Softworks, PlayStation 3, $59.99.

Hmmm, this, to me, is the biggest release so far for the PS3 for many reasons. First, when this game came out for the Xbox 360 last year, the RPG (role-playing game) was lauded for its gameplay, somewhat open-ended quest system (the 200-plus-hour title still has 360 gamers figuring out all its nooks and crannies), and an awards cup that continues to runneth over. IGN, Gamespy, Spike TV, Golden Joystick, Gamasutra, even the reviewer of the Associated Press bowed down before this game in honor. Now that Bethesda has rejiggered Oblivion for the PS3, everyone is wondering if they can repeat their success on a new platform. The question is, how many PS3 owners will be willing to pick up, at full price, a game that is a year old? My answer is, all of them; at least, they all should. Only those who have played the game before, which seems to have a million ways to find the heir to the throne of Tamriel, will notice things are a little tighter this time around. It is slightly better looking; the load times have decreased, and the Knights of the Nine expansion pack is included, which adds another playable race, bringing the total to 11. It's great that the PS3 owners get to experience this deep game, and it is, by far, the most substantial activity on Sony's new baby. As for 360 and PC owners, they will once again be a step ahead as the Shivering Isles expansion pack will be released a week later.

Virtua Tennis 3

Sega, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, $29.99-49.99.

I haven't played VT since my Dreamcast days (Jim Courier was still on the roster), but this has been such a solid series for Sega over the years, in the arcade and home-console markets, that it is definitely worth checking out next week. Most of the tennis superstars are here, Federer, Roddick, Nadal, even Sharapova. Venus Williams is in it, too, but I couldn't find Serena. The game looks and plays the way we expect, as there are only so many ways one can play a tennis game. The controller's face buttons serve, slice, lob, blah, blah. It's the execution of these tried and true mechanics that makes this game on par with, if not slightly better than, Microsoft's Topspin, the genre's standard-bearer right now. The game looks great on all the systems. The PS3 six-axis controller can be tilted to control your swing, but I don't think anyone will be particularly feeling it (it isn't the Wiimote, by any means). Disappointing that the PS3 also won't have any online capabilities (the Xbox 360 can support four players for doubles insanity and ranked leader boards), as multiplayer is limited to one screen, which for a tennis game these days seems sort of silly. For the record, Sega throws in big robots with the fourth installment of the Armored Core series next week, and the PS3 version will be online, as well, as is the 360 version. No voice chat for the PS3, though, which just seems crazy.

Cooking Mama: Cook Off

Majesco, Nintendo Wii, $49.99.

I'll always love my momma! (Not many times you can get an Intruders' plug into a videogame column, folks, so I took it.) These are the types of games that should flourish on the Wii. North Jersey's Majesco cooked up a big hit with this title on the Nintendo DS, as gamers used the touch screen and the stylus to mix, measure, and cook a bunch of virtual edibles. The game is pretty much the same as the DS version: The quicker you can accurately prepare the recipes, the better your score will be. With more than 300 ingredients and 65 recipes, you should be using the Wii Remote (you really have to stir, chop, and flip with that thing) for longer than it takes to thaw 100 frozen turkeys. Added features are an international cast of chefs who challenge you to prepare things like sushi, paellas, and even pan-fried crab.