Games Released in April 2006

131 new games debuted in April 2006, with PlayStation 2 being the most active platform. April 13 was the busiest day, with 23 releases. Ōkami was the most popular release of the month.

Which days had the most releases?

April 27 saw the most activity with 23 releases.

23 releases

April 27

23 releases

April 13

15 releases

April 21

15 releases

April 6

How did each week compare?

The fourth week of April was the busiest with 67 releases.

Week 1 (April 1–7)

53 releases

Most popular release in Week 1

Tomb Raider: Legend

Tomb Raider: Legend is the seventh major game in the Tomb Raider series, now for the first time developed by Crystal Dynamics, along with the original character designer of the game's protagonist, Lara Croft. It serves as a reboot of the franchise, with a new incarnation of Lara Croft. The typical third-person action-adventure exploring is still present, and Lara can move more freely because specific jumps no longer limit her. As players travel through rough environments, they will need to run, dive, swim, climb on poles, ladders, and roofs, use zip lines, shimmy, and vault, with acrobatic actions such as somersaults and flips. Players need to cross difficult terrain, solve puzzles to advance or open up new areas, and engage in combat.

Week 2 (April 8–14)

50 releases

Most popular release in Week 2

flOw

flOw is a game about piloting an aquatic organism through a surreal biosphere where players consume other organisms, evolve, and dive into the abyss. With an embedded design of DDA (dynamic difficulty adjustment), players with differing skill levels can intuitively customize their game experience and enjoy the game at their own pace. You can play as one of 5 creatures, each in a unique environment. Lose yourself in the crisp “deep blue” in full HD at 1080p and 5.1 Surround Sound. Use the SIXAXIS motion sensors on the DUALSHOCK wireless controllers for an organic experience that will allow you to glide, flit, and flOw through the universe.

Week 3 (April 15–21)

44 releases

Most popular release in Week 3

Ōkami

Set sometime in classical Japanese history, Ōkami combines several Japanese mythology and folklore to tell the story of how the land was saved from darkness by the Shinto sun goddess named Amaterasu, who took the form of a white wolf with celestial markings covering its fur. It features a distinct sumi-e-inspired cel-shaded visual style and the Celestial Brush, a gesture-system used to perform miracles.

Week 4 (April 22–28)

67 releases

Most popular release in Week 4

Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007

Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 is a soccer simulation game developed and published by Konami. The game offers various modes, including exhibition matches, cup competitions, and an enhanced Master League. It features licensed international teams such as Argentina, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Sweden, along with several licensed club teams. The gameplay emphasizes realistic soccer mechanics with improved artificial intelligence and more responsive controls.

Week 5 (April 29–30)

10 releases

Most popular release in Week 5

Juka and the Monophonic Menace

Taking place in the world of Obla, Juka and the Monophonic Menace follows the journey of young alchemist Juka as he sets out to save his village from the evil Monophonic Menace. Gamers will help guide Juka and his assistant Bufo through six different environments while searching for items, solving puzzles, and defeating the Monophonic Menace's minions. Juka can shimmy, swim, jump, and climb through the highly detailed environments. Plus, players can enhance and upgrade Juka's many abilities by completing quests and collecting the various items. Another feature of the game is the alchemy ability. By collecting the six different elemental ingredients, players can mix and create their own items and potions for use during the game. This is the only way to get many of the more powerful potions. Combat is also unique in JUKA. Instead of battling or using magic, players have to quickly match a series of patterns. The quicker and more accurately the patterns are matched, the more damage an enemy takes. Juka and the Monophonic Menace takes many concepts that RPG and action/adventure gamers have come to love and combines them with an innovative combat system and an unique storyline to create a game full of fun, challenge, and excitement.

Which platforms saw the most releases?

PlayStation 2 received 52 new titles in April 2006. The runner up was PC with 51 new titles.

PlayStation 252 releases

PC51 releases

PlayStation Portable25 releases

Nintendo DS20 releases

Xbox15 releases

Web browser11 releases

Xbox 36010 releases

Legacy Mobile Device9 releases

Game Boy Advance8 releases

Mac7 releases

What genres were most popular?

Adventure was the dominant genre in April 2006 with 44 titles. Shooter followed closely with 33.

Adventure44

Shooter33

Sport29

Simulator25

Strategy23

Puzzle22

Role-playing17

Arcade16

Platform14

Fighting10

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