Games Released in January 2008

113 new games debuted in January 2008, with PC being the most active platform. January 31 was the busiest day, with 27 releases. Super Smash Bros. Brawl was the most popular release of the month.

Which days had the most releases?

January 31 saw the most activity with 27 releases.

27 releases

January 31

19 releases

January 1

16 releases

January 8

14 releases

January 29

How did each week compare?

The fifth week of January was the busiest with 50 releases.

Week 1 (January 1–7)

50 releases

Most popular release in Week 1

Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon

Rune Factory 2 is set several years after the first game. The evil Sechs Empire has been defeated, and the Kingdom of Norad is once again at peace. Things may not stay that way for long, however, as dark premonitions foretell of dangers to come. It's up to player to uncover the source of these premonitions and bring peace to the kingdom once more. In a first for the Rune Factory series, the story of Rune Factory 2 is multigenerational. Players begin the game as Kyle, a strange man who comes to Alvarna Village. Eventually, players will take on the role of Kyle's child, opening up a whole new adventure.

Week 2 (January 8–14)

38 releases

Most popular release in Week 2

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity is a hoverboard racing video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the PlayStation 2 and Wii. It is the fifth racing game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, and the second entry the Sonic Riders trilogy. A port for the Xbox 360 was cancelled during development, while a sequel, Sonic Free Riders, was released exclusively for that system in 2010. Gameplay in Zero Gravity is largely similar to its predecessor, with characters racing on different types of hovercraft called "Extreme Gear". In addition to the mechanics from the previous game, Zero Gravity adds a new gameplay system based around gravity that replaces the predecessor's "fuel" system. During the race, performing tricks and other actions will increase a character's Gravity Points, or GP. If players have accrued enough GP by the time they enter certain areas of the track, they will enter a Zero-Gravity Zone, where they can perform one of two maneuvers. A Gravity Dive will create a small black hole that points gravity forward down the track, giving the player a powerful free-fall boost that is further augmented by striking objects in the vicinity that the hole displaces, such as cars or signs. Alternatively, Gravity Control will alter the gravity of the course, allowing players to reach otherwise-inaccessible areas and shortcuts. Players can also use Gravity Drift to more easily maneuver around sharp corners.

Week 3 (January 15–21)

40 releases

Most popular release in Week 3

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin

Days of Ruin takes place in an entirely new world where a large-scale meteor shower triggered massive global destruction that eradicated 90 percent of the population. After the catastrophe, the survivors have formed together into militaristic bands that are warring over the last remaining scraps of civilization. You'll take control of Will, a young military cadet (whose hair is admittedly just a little spiky) who quickly becomes embroiled in the conflict at the outset of the game.

Week 4 (January 22–28)

43 releases

Most popular release in Week 4

Burnout Paradise

Evolve or die. For Paradise, we knew we had to change everything. Burnout was a killer arcade driving game, but for a new generation of hardware and connected player Burnout had to become something more ambitious. Closed tracks made way for an expansive, open city, and we seamlessly synced your friends into the action and let you loose on a heap of cool challenges that unsurprisingly rewarded you for driving like a lunatic. Hey, it’s us after all.

Week 5 (January 29–31)

50 releases

Most popular release in Week 5

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series and the follow-up to Super Smash Bros. Melee. This edition introduces super attacks referred to as final smashes, as well as a brand-new adventure mode in The Subspace Emissary which is a side-scrolling adventure in the style of a platformer. It retains all basic mechanics of the Super Smash Bros. series, such as a damage meter, stocks, and Smash-style attacks.

Which platforms saw the most releases?

PC received 61 new titles in January 2008. The runner up was Wii with 42 new titles.

PC61 releases

Wii42 releases

PlayStation 328 releases

PlayStation Portable28 releases

Nintendo DS21 releases

Web browser20 releases

PlayStation 217 releases

Xbox 36010 releases

Mac8 releases

Legacy Mobile Device4 releases

What genres were most popular?

Adventure was the dominant genre in January 2008 with 42 titles. Strategy followed closely with 32.

Adventure42

Strategy32

Puzzle28

Shooter28

Simulator27

Arcade25

Role-playing25

Racing22

Sport18

Platform17

2008 Review

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