Holiday 2008- 5 games not to overlook

November 8, 3:29 PMLA Video Game ExaminerKenneth Wesley

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This is the time of the year when nearly every publishers showcases their biggest franchises and surefire blockbusters. It seems to be no end for big launch parties, tv ads, and viral marketing to get gamers excited. And for most games, it enough to lead to some stellar sales for some deserving franchises.

A huge problem with big marketing pushes is that some games get huge sales even if the quality is severly lacking (Assassin's Creed, how are ya?). And a bigger problem: some really good games get lost in the shuffle.

So, this holiday season, there are five games that doesn't have the luxury of huge marketing pushes, clever online ads, or recurring previews.

Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars-Wii, Developer: Red Fly Group, Publisher: Gamecock Media Group, Release: 12/02/08

It seems suicidal to even consider a platformer that's named Mario on any Nintendo console. Especially a platformer that's not based on any license. But seeing as there's no Super Mario this year, it wouldn't hurt to give this charming platformer a shot. Especially one that's not going to be on any other platform and has won some early praise.

Lips-Xbox 360, Developer: Iris Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios Release Date: 11/18/08

The music genre is seemingly only two games: Rock Band and Guitar Hero. What about karaoke fans? Well, you've got no shortage of karoake games but a game that allows people to upload their favorite songs? Being able to sing (and butcher) the songs you actually want to sing can be a big draw.

Rise of the Argonauts-360/PS3, Developer: Liquid Entertainment Publisher: Codemasters Release Date: 12/16/08

A Mature rating, a meaty quest set in ancient Greece...and it's not God of War. This should be a winner if more people have heard more about it, but maybe this could become a sleep hit for the next-gen platforms.

Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff- Nintendo DS, Publisher: Tecmo Developer: Tecmo Release Date: 11/13/08

Tecmo Bowl was the best football game for years before Madden was king and the arcade gameplay still holds up, as evidenced by Tecmo Bowl's release on the Virtual Console last year. So, if you need a sports fix on the go, then Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff might be your ticket.

Star Ocean: Second Evolution-PSP, Developer: tri-Ace Publisher: Square Enix Release Date: 01/06/09

The portable market is becoming a hotbed of great RPGs and the PSP has had no shortage of theses and the Star Ocean series has been one of the best RPGs series that hardcore fans know about. This is one game, with its addictive battle system, that will steal time away from you if you let it.