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November Is A Very Special Time of Year for Video Games!
Yesterday I went to my local GameStop and reserved five games that are going to be released in November. I would have reserved more but they can only process five reserves at a time in their system and I didn't want to go stand in line again.
I reserved
Gears of War for Xbox 360
Tony Hawk’s Project 8 for Xbox 360
Elite Beat Agents for DS
Guitar Hero II for PS2
Need for Speed : Carbon for Xbox 360
This is in addition to my Wii, Red Steel and Zelda.
and have been thinking of reserving
Sonic the Hedgehog for Xbox 360
Call of Duty 3 for Xbox 360 or Wii
Gitaroo Man Lives! For PSP
Genesis Collection for PSP
Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 for Xbox 360
Most of these are going to be paid for by my the money I got from writing reviews for The Stranger, in-store credit for my Gamecube and used games that I traded in, and birthday money that I have been meticulously saving.
There has been a real drought of games for the last couple months since developers and publishers have been planning on shipping their big games in November just in time for the pre-holiday buying consumer frenzy extravaganza. The best games for the next couple months are going to be released in this special time and the games released now will sustain us through the long cold winter. A lot of game systems tend to be released in November. Last year we saw the Xbox 360 and this year the Nintendo Wii and the PlayStation 3.
So November has turned into quite a special time for gamers. It is sort of a holiday of sorts... but what holiday is it?
Christmas is one single big day with all the presents and assorted goodness on one single day. Sure there is a build up and Christmas Eve before and Boxing Day afterwards ( Except in the US of A.. USA! USA! USA! ). So it is not Christmas.
Hanukkah is closer. Sure the Festival of Lights lasts a little over a week and has multiple gifts, feasts and celebrations spread out over time but that is closer but is not quite it.
Ramadan! Yeah that's it! Ramadan is a month long event of fasting, feasting and reflection. Leading up to November gamers have to save up before and then feast after the launch of your games. ( To any of my Muslim reader this I make this sarcastic comparison in the best light possible. ) Game On!
Just stay out of the store on Buy Nothing Day.
Jake at October 25, 2006 
Raves
Comments
If I were to reserve something right now it'd be...Viva Pinata. Of course the only good game Rare recently released was PD0. XD
Posted by: Llydis at October 25, 2006 10:37 PM
The last game like Viva Pinata I got was Animal Crossing on the DS and I have not played it in a while so my town is probably over run by weeds. I don't like it when games freak out when you have not played them in a while.
Posted by: Jacob Metcalf ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.8bitjoystick.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 26, 2006 9:29 AM
Viva seems pretty cool, Splinter Cell 4 is awesome, GoW doesn't look thaaat great, and I think that the next guitar hero if it does actually make it to the 360 is going to be awesome. For now I really just want this [http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=802511]
or some of thoes freakin sweet Bit Generations Games.
Posted by: Brando at October 26, 2006 5:26 PM
Hopefully Viva Pinata won't be totally like AC... I like the garden building aspect mostly, and the ability to invite friends into it.
This game is probably oner of the reasons MS is doing it's marketting push for parental controls in both the 360 and Vista now. Considering they are trying to find a mass-appeal game that doesn't just target teens and college students.
Posted by: Llydis at October 26, 2006 11:40 PM
November is indeed the Holiday of Videogames, anymore-- at least from the consumerism perspective of making us buy more crap because of other holidays!
Jake! I see you have reserved your Wii, and even DONE TRADED IN your GameCube. I still haven't even attempted. I don't think there's anywhere left in this town that'll hold one-- and that's sad; this town isn't exactly much of... a town.
We spoke a few times before, back when I worked for Quarter Up, and if I seem like a crazy madman posting here, then I am.
On a side-note, my own website has become WIIFORMED, even though my planned Ninja Coverage of the Wii Launch may not even happen, let alone plant one in my rockstar hands.
We should do some sort of joint coverage. Or something.
THE WORLD WILL IN FACT BLOW UP, I hear.
Posted by: GMD at October 27, 2006 9:10 PM
