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July 18
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD
Following years of fans demanding a classic-style Tony Hawk affair, especially after the ill-received plastic board packages of Ride and Shred, Activision finally ceded and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD is the result. Pulling together select stages from the first two classic entries, Pro Skater HD updates those familiar locales with glorious new visuals while leaving the gameplay and controls pretty well alone. It's not an exact replica of that beloved formula, as Robomodo has made many tweaks to smooth out the feel and flow of the game (while adding new challenges and online play), but from what we've played, it should do an ample job of matching those glowing memories of yore.
July 24
Adidas miCoach
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3
EU: July 13
Jettisoned from THQ amidst ongoing financial difficulties, Adidas miCoach has found a home with 505 Games and will launch this month for Xbox 360 and PS3. Using Kinect and PlayStation Move on their respective platforms, the fitness game aims to stand out in the overstuffed genre by focusing on various sports and the stars that play them. Lessons from the likes of Dwight Howard and Ana Ivanovic are included in the game, with more than 400 total exercises in the set, plus you can link up your progress with the existing miCoach online community to let the game become a part of your wider workout routine.
Prototype 2
Platform: PC
EU: July 27
It's a drag that the PC version of Prototype 2 is launching three months following the original console release, but at least it's coming in at $10 cheaper than those versions ($50) did at first. Also, it happens to be a pretty entertaining open-world action game, as evidenced by our 4-star review. We praised the intense violence and pleasurable freeform navigation of the city, and ultimately remarked, "If you’re looking for an epic, hugely varied adventure, look elsewhere, but if you want a game that lets you run amok in creative, bloody ways, Prototype 2 is pretty incredible."
To-Fu Collection
Platform: Nintendo DS
EU: June 29
Much as it's startling to see a Nintendo DS game on the release schedule that isn't tied into some film or blockbuster property, To-Fu Collection isn't a wholly original release – the latter part of the title should tip that off. It's actually a set of popular iPhone and iPad games, the first of which we covered last year, which let you pull and fling a wad of sticky tofu across hazard-laden stages. It was a pretty amusing concept for a couple of bucks on the App Store, and we can see how it'll work just fine with a stylus, but for $20? That may prove harder to swallow than plain tofu.
July 25
Wreckateer
Platform: Xbox Live Arcade (Kinect)
EU: July 25
Last year's Summer of Arcade promotion brought us the great Fruit Ninja Kinect, heretofore the best cheap Kinect title available on XBLA, so we're hoping the prominent placement of Wreckateer in this year's campaign is a positive omen. Indeed, it's the game that looks like it owes an inspirational debt to Angry Birds, as you'll use your arms to work the catapult and then even command the payload in midair as you aim to smash through targets. The somewhat wonky demo during Microsoft's E3 press conference didn't wholly convince us of its charms, but with luck, this fling-centric affair will prove an amusing Kinect standout later this month.
