Emarian

After nearly a year in the making, Lara Croft's latest makeover is arriving in stores. Three days after Tomb Raider: Anniversary took Europe by storm, Eidos Interactive shipped the PC and PlayStation 2 title in North America. (A PlayStation Portable edition comes out later this month, with a Wii version due later in the year.) The game is a remake of the 1996 original with the new engine from last year's Tomb Raider: Legend. The game is rated T for Teen and retails for $29.99 on all platforms.

The week's other high-profile release is the latest attempt to take 21st century gaming to the 19th century frontier. Developed by Polish shop Techland and published by Paris-based Ubisoft, Call of Juarez rides into retail today with an M for Mature rating. On the Xbox 360, the game will cost $59.99, with the PC edition going for $10 less.

On the Nintendo DS front, Atari is shipping Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu as Destination Software unleashes a double-shot of budget games: Chicken Shoot and ATV / Monster Truck Mayhem. For its part, the PSP got two games: movie tie-in Shrek the Third and Tetris wannabe Puzzle Scape. Down PC way, Electronic Arts' latest add-on to The Sims 2, The Sims 2: H&M Stuff, will take in-game marketing to a whole new level, as it only features items from the titular clothing chain.

Five retro games arrived on consoles this week. Tomorrow, the 360 will get Pac-Man Championship Edition. The revamped version of the classic pill-chomping arcade game will feature new maps codesigned by the original's creator, Toru Iwatani, and new time-trial-centric gameplay. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console catalog topped 100 Monday with the release of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron, Milon's Secret Castle, and Dead Moon.

This week's new releases are listed below (list taken from retailer information--actual dates may vary).

JUNE 4, 2007
Circus Empire (PC)
Codename: Panzers Commander's Edition (PC)
Dead Moon (WII)
Dream Day Wedding (PC)
Hidden Expedition: Everest (PC)
Milon's Secret Castle (WII)
Planet Puzzle League (DS)
ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron (WII)
UFO: Afterlight (PC)
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (WII)

JUNE 5, 2007
Call of Juarez (360, PC)
Chicken Shoot (DS)
Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu (DS)
Gold Miner Vegas with Gold Miner Special Edition (PC)
Hide & Secret: Treasure of the Ages (PC)
Hospital Tycoon (PC)
John Tiller's Campaign Series (PC)
Puzzle Scape (PSP)
Rainbow Mystery (PC)
Shrek the Third (PSP)
The Sims 2: H&M Stuff
Tomb Raider: Anniversary (PC, PS2)

JUNE 6, 2007
Pac-Man Championship Edition (360)

JUNE 7, 2007
Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek (PC)

JUNE 8, 2007
ATV / Monster Truck Mayhem (DS)

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