Tiny Diggers – An iPad Construction Truck Game for Kids Age 2-5

As with the PC market this month, the Xbox 360 is a barren wasteland when it comes to August 2010 releases.  Sure, we are in the full swing of the “Summer of Arcade”, but when you look to retail shelves, there is a complete lack of new releases.  Sure, August is the month before the holiday season starts in earnest, but the fact that we have three new releases worth mentioning is a sad fact.  I mean, why didn’t Alan Wake look at now to release vs. going up against Red Dead Redemption?  Seems like it would have been a far smarter marketing plan.

As for our case mod this month, we have a special Xbox 360 mod that was available in Germany only, featuring the lady of gaming herself, Lara Croft.  Apparently, this case mod was rather expensive, and extremely limited, but for those that could afford it, it was an Xbox 360 mod that would make your machine unique.  Head over to XboxFreedom for more info on this, and other case mods for the Xbox 360.

With that, lets move on to the top releases for August 2010 on Xbox 360.

Madden 11 (EA Sports) – With August here on our calendars, that can only mean one thing in the gaming world – its time for the annual release of the next Madden title.  Madden 11 features an updated football engine with new dual stick controls.  Now you can use the right stick in new ways to move your ball carrier.  Also new to the series is the new gameflow system that will take over play calling for you based on the playbook being used, as well as the down and yardage in the situation.  The play is then explained to you by the coach via the headset, similar to the way that it might happen in a real game of football.  About the only thing that will hold up a player from buying the latest Madden is the samething that happens every year.  Do you feel that Madden 10 is no longer doing it for you.  If yes, then wait, but if not, you should probably head to the store to pick this one up.  Look for Madden 11 at retail on August 10th, 2010.

Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days (Square-Enix) – How do you create a sequel to a game that continues to be draped in controversy?  In Kane and Lynch’s case, you go back to the drawing board and completely redesign the game from the ground up.  Dog Days has a new look and feel to do the focus on creating a gritty, You Tube feel, right down to the now popular shaky-cam theatrics.  But it is this new visual style that seems to capture me, to the point that I have moved from concerned with the sequel to highly intrigued.  The multiplayer has also been completely revamped as well, with new net code, and a lot more modes and maps.  If people can get past the acrid taste that the first Kane and Lynch left in their mouth, they may find a vastly improved game experience in Kane and Lynch 2.  Look for Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days at retail on August 17th, 2010.

Mafia II (2K Games) – The first Mafia title was a great representation of mafia life, but it hit a few pitfalls on the consoles, most notably, the fact that the driving was very off, and the controls never felt totally right.  However, with seven years to work with console controls, Mafia II looks to move the franchise forward.  Mafia II will transport you to the 1950′s, complete with cars, music and outfits that completely ooze with style.  Also coming into the mix is a compelling story that will take you from a simple soldier coming back from the war, into the dark underbelly of the mob.  Our hands on preview at E3 had the game looking very polished, and all the game mechanics felt very smooth.  Let’s hope that with a light month of releasses, Mafia II has the ability to shine.  Mafia II hits retail on August 24th, 2010.

And with that, we have come to the end of the top releases on the Xbox 360.  If you are an arcade fan, you will find more Summer of Arcade releases, like Monday Night Combat, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and Hydro Thunder, so maybe that will help fill in the gaps in the release schedule.  Make sure to come back next month for more Ones to Watch.