Sure, you could spend the weekend going to Halloween parties. Or, you could just play the slew of new video games released this week.
There's plenty of good stuff to choose from as the holidays approach, whether it be for PC, console or handheld. In addition to highly anticipated big-budget releases, there are also great indies made by small teams. This week in particular saw the debut of exciting new superhero games, including a new Batman release and Lego Marvel Super Heroes.
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What do you plan to play this weekend? Share your picks in the comments, below.
The Dark Knight is coming back to gaming this week for the third installment of the Arkham series of games.
This time, we meet a much younger and angrier Batman, as he deals with his first real challenges. The Black Mask has put a bounty on Batman's head; meanwhile, our hero must stop eight assassins and keep Gotham safe all at once.
Not only do players go head-to-head against some of the most interesting Batman villains, they must also use Batman's detective skills to solve mysteries.
Batman: Arkham Origins came out Friday for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U and PC. There is also a companion 3DS and Vita game entitled Arkham Origins: Blackgate.
Nicoll Hunt was a man with a mission: He wanted to create the best brawler ever. When Hunt approached Kickstarter with his idea, the community happily embraced his wacky, 8-bit Fist of Awesome, in which players fight angry deer and bears that are trying to destroy humanity. Did we mention there's also time travel involved? The game is just as epic as you'd expect.
Fist of Awesome is out on iOS, Android, OUYA and GameStick, with PC and Mac versions in the works. It costs $3.99.
Cooperative games are rare, wonderful finds, especially ones that mix action and puzzles well. The team behind Forced was so committed to good co-op, they spent years living in closed quarters to get their game made. Forced is a top-down, twin-stick action game for PC, Mac, Linux and Wii U that forces up to four players to cooperate to survive levels of punishing gladiator training. Each player has their own unique powers and weapons. The game is fast-paced, and each stage adds a new challenge. It fills a huge gap in the co-op world. Forced is out this week for $15.
Lego games have their own special kind of appeal, uniting kids and adults with their whimsical and fun gameplay.
Lego Marvel Super Heroes continues that unique tradition by allowing players to inhabit all of their favorite Marvel characters in minifig form. Users can inhabit the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Spider Man, members of the X-Men and even famous comic creator Stan Lee, as they battle through a Lego version of New York City.
Lego Marvel Super Heroes is out this week for Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, 3DS and PS Vita. It will also come to next-generation consoles when they launch.
If you've missed yelling "Objection!" at every turn, gaming's favorite attorney is back with his fifth game to hit North American shores.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Duel Destinies is the series' first entry onto the more powerful 3DS handheld.
Players go through five cases with Phoenix and his protégés, Apollo and Athena. Fun for fans of the series as well as new players, it's a game with a quirky story and lots of detective work.
Duel Destinies debuted Thursday for 3DS. It costs $39.99.
Image: Warner Bros. Interactive