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

Here we are in September, a parent’s favorite time of year.  Yes, it is the time when the rugrats go back to school, a joyous time indeed!  However, September also signifies the beginning of the holiday gaming season, and this year is no different, as we have five new titles in September that all look worthy of your Xbox 360 gaming dollar.  We have sports, zombies, another RTS console attempt and a little tile that has to do with a circle in space.

For our case mod this month, we look at Halloween a bit early with the spooky skeleton case mod.  The case has been airbrushed with skeleton art across one side and the front.  The opposite side away from the camera has a see through window and of course a cold cathode light tube to illuminate the interior.  If you want to see more, head over to XboxFreedom.com to look at more screens of this case.

Look for our other Ones to Watch articles for the PS3/PSP, Wii/DS and PC on Aeropause.com.

NHL 11 (EA Sports) – For some, they look at the annual sports update as nothing more than a glorified roster update.  In the case of NHL, people thought it might be even worse, as there was no competition from the 2K Sports brand this year on the Xbox 360.  However, the NHL 11 development team put in a ton of work on this year’s hockey title, updating the physics engine, the looks of the characters and even the animations that are used by the players on the ice.  It should be noted that those that do not buy the game new will not have access to online features without buying an Online Pass, which is available for $10.  Ending on a plus, it looks as the fighting engine has also been polished up from the previous year, making for some more interesting duels on the ice.  Look for NHL 11 on shelves September 7th, 2010.

RUSE (Ubisoft) – RUSE is one of those games that could either be a solid success on the Xbox 360, or it will fall down the long cliff also known as failed RTS console titles.  Many have tried to conquer this hill, with none really making a solid impact at the register.  However RUSE looks to have been run through a lot of tests regarding controls on the console.  It also helps that RUSE has gone through a very long, and well tested beta phase, which should help with the final product being finished and well designed.  Again, the problem here is trying to get over the stigma of gamers pre-conceived notions that a console is not the place for an RTS title.  What would help RUSE is a demo that shows off the the control scheme they have devised for the game.  Look for RUSE on September 7th, 2010.

Halo: Reach (Microsoft) – This is probably the big daddy of the fall season if you own an Xbox 360.  There is not much I have to say in order to convince people that this game needs to be bought if you own the console.  What may make this title extra special for Xbox 360 owners is that Halo: Reach is the swan song for Bungie, and their involvement with the Halo franchise.  But with a solid campaign storyline that works off the “Fall of Reach” novel, updated multiplayer modes and a redesigned Forge mode, Bungie is definitely going out with a bang.  The only thing that I really have a beef with when it comes to Reach is that it is hard to keep an open mind to the story when I have read the Fall of Reach novel already.  That said, it will be nice to be in the thick of all the action that happens in the book.  Look for Halo: Reach to hit shelves on September 12th, 2010.

Dead Rising 2 (Capcom) – The first Dead Rising did not take off at first on the Xbox 360, but slowly gained a cult following and over a period of time, became a huge hit for both Capcom and Microsoft.  This time around, the title is not exclusive to the Xbox 360, but will be out on both consoles and the PC.  Changing up the scenario this time around, you are no longer Frank West, reporter, but Chuck Greene, a man that is looking to earn a fortune to help buy zombie inhibiting medicine for his daughter.  You will run through Fortune City, fighting all kinds of zombies, and you can now have a friend join you for some co-op action.  Multiplayer is also in the bundle, but from early reports, that component might be a bit of a disappointment.  A bonus selling point for the Xbox 360 version is the Case Zero XBLA title which allows for level and experience to transfer over to your main Dead Rising 2 game.  Look for Dead Rising 2 on shelves September 28th, 2010.

FIFA Soccer 11 (EA Sports) – Earlier this year, we received a World Cup edition of soccer/football from EA Sports, and it showed some improvements in the passing and gameflow, but it lacked the teams and support that you get in a FIFA title.  Well, we now have that FIFA title arriving, and not only are those passing and gameflow elements in place, but the new intellegent passing system has been redesigned from the ground up for far more intellegent and intuitive passing between you and your CPU team members.  Also new this year is the ability to play as the goalie on the field for the first time ever in an EA Sports title.  As with NHL 11, FIFA Soccer 11 is a tough sell for those that need an explaination to buy sports game on a regular basis, and harder still when you already got a FIFA title earlier this year.  But I think enough has changed and has been updated to justify the purchase this year.  Look for FIFA Soccer 11 on September 28th, 2010.

And with that, you have all the new titles that look to be worthy of your dollars on the Xbox 360 come September.  Sure there are some others, like F1 2010 and Spider Man: Shattered Dimensions, but either the buzz has been less than stellar, or we just do not know enough to make an opinion.  As always, if you agree or disagree, let us know in the comments or the forums.  Until then, enjoy and see you back here next month for more Ones to Watch on the Xbox 360.