King-size fun

HERE are a few of the big holiday titles you’ll be hearing about in the next few weeks, coming out for Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance.

At the movies

Star Wars Battlefront II (PSP, PS2 and Xbox, $49.99): Reenact more of the classic battles from the sextet of films, this time using Jedi Masters. This title now includes space combat with the wide variety of Star Wars spacecraft.

James Bond From Russia With Love (PS2 and Xbox, $49.99): Sean Connery supplies the voice for this oozing-with-cool, retro-themed title, the first James Bond game not to star Pierce Brosnan. Take that, Daniel Craig.

Peter Jackson’s King Kong (All platforms, $39-$59.99): Play as either puny human or giant ape in this holiday film tie-in. Watch as the mighty Kong takes on two T. rex with a jaw- snapping conclusion.

Aeon Flux (PS2 and Xbox, $49.99): A segue between the MTV cartoon and the upcoming film starring Charlize Theron. Think more Lara Croft, rather than the stylized cartoon.

The Warriors (PS2 and Xbox, $49.99): The quintessential ‘70s New York gang-war film rumbles to life as you fight your way out of a rival gang’s turf. Can you dig it?

The Matrix: Path of Neo (PS2 and Xbox, $49.99): Play your way through the Matrix trilogy as Keanu’s character. Perhaps in game form the sequels will make more sense.

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New kids on the block

Infected (PSP, $39.99): Zombie-slaying in New York, hand-held style. Just like a common cold, you can infect your opponents’ PSP systems after you beat them.

Shadow of the Colossus (PS2, $39.99): Defeat all 16 of the giant monsters and bring your fallen love back to health in this David-meets-Goliath actioner.

Condemned: Criminal Origins (Xbox 360, $59.99): The search for serial killers has never looked creepier. Investigate, corner, and bring to justice with your handy melee attacks.

Gun (All platforms, $49-$59.99): The Old West was never so mean, kind of like HBO’s “Deadwood” without all the cussing.

50 Cent Bulletproof (PS2 and Xbox, $49.99): The platinum-selling rapper takes it back to the hard-knock streets, before he was famous.

Shadow the Hedgehog (PS2, Xbox and Gamecube, $49.99): Sonic’s arch-nemesis gets his own title. Expect the same Sonic-brand fun, this time with new good guy/bad guy choices.

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The adventure continues

GTA Liberty City Stories (PSP, $49.99): The land of the blockbuster Grand Theft Auto series comes to your PSP. Liberty City is fully portable, and there are some great multiplayer modes.

Ratchet: Deadlocked (PS2, $39.99): A fully customizable polish is added to an already amazing series. Offering something for everyone, Ratchet is perfect for preteens up through adults.

Perfect Dark Zero (Xbox 360, $49.99): Futuristic agent Joanna Dark is the hero in this “prequel” to the hit game, now all spruced up for the 360.

The Sims 2 (All platforms, $29-$39.99): Creating and maintaining a life in cyberspace is so much more exciting than reality. Even if it means spending less time outdoors.

Kameo: Elements of Power (Xbox 360, $49.99): The animal-morphing heroine returns. Expect to see all the bright colors the 360 can offer with this one.

Half Life 2 (Xbox, $49.99): One of the last year’s best selling PC titles makes the jump to the consoles. The future is coming, and it ain’t pretty.

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (PS2 and Xbox, $49.99): Dracula’s intern, Hector, seeks revenge in this update of the longtime favorite. The series has come a long way since the days of side-scrolling fun.

True Crime: New York City (All platforms, $49.99): Action on real city streets, this time set in the Big Apple. We’re eager to see if it includes all of New York’s numerous potholes in the realistic maps.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Xbox 360, $59.99): Look for the lost prince and close the gates of hell in this star-studded RPG (with the voices of Patrick Stewart, Sean Bean and Terence Stamp).

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (All platforms, $49.99): Battle with the prince’s split personalities in the third installment of the series.

Dragon Quest VIII (PS2, $49.99): Cartoonish graphics and plenty of RPG fun. One of the most enjoyable titles we previewed at E3.

Quake 4 (Xbox 360, $59.99): Futuristic first-person shooting a la “Halo.”

X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse (All platforms, $49.99): Cyclops, Wolverine and the boys battle more evil in this action-RPG hybrid.

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Sporting life

Madden NFL 06 (Xbox 360, $59.99): Exactly how great will the graphics look? At E3, we saw the Eagles’ Donovan NcNabb play in a blizzard that sent shivers through our spines. Count on the gameplay being as smooth as we’ve come to expect from the only officially licensed NFL game.

Blitz: The League (PS2 and Xbox, $39.99): More “Playmakers” than NFL, this title is surely trying to generate controversy. I guess that’s what you have to do to get people to buy a pro football game created without the NFL’s approval.

Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland (All platforms, $49-$59.99): The latest installment on the pro skateboarder’s thrash fest. This time, cruise around Beverly Hills and Hollywood, with tiny load times.

Amped 3 (Xbox 360, $59.99): Snowboarding with sass over real-life mountains. Plenty of attitude and quirky sensibilities make this a fun outing.

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Race car drivers

Mario Kart DS (Nintendo DS, $34.99): Wireless racing from the great Mario Kart series comes to your DS. Play online with the DS’s wi-fi connectivity.

Project Gotham Racing 3 (Xbox 360, $49.99): This racer looked almost photorealistic at E3; it will surely be a must-have for any new 360 owners.

Need for Speed Most Wanted (All platforms, $29-$59.99): Tuned-up import racing at its finest, fast and furious style. Starring supermodel Josie Maran in the role of “eye candy.”

Ridge Racer 6 (Xbox 360, $59.99): The speedy classic gets a shiny new update on the next-gen 360.

LA Rush (PS2 and Xbox, $49.99): “Pimp My Ride” meets the streets of L.A.

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Wanna fight?

Dead or Alive 4 (Xbox 360, $59.99): The classic fighter gets all spruced up for the next generation. Expect lots of tough chicks here, a DOA series tradition.

Soul Calibur III (PS2, $49.99): The third outing of the popular fighting franchise, this time with creatable characters.

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Go to war

SOCOM 3 (PS2, $49.99): More squad-based combat, this time tying in with an optional game for your PSP.

Call of Duty 2: Big Red One (All platforms, $49-$59.99): The exceptional World War II simulator returns, this time for the Xbox 360.

Battlefield 2: Modern Combat (PS2 and Xbox, $49.99): Modern-era warfare enlivens the next version of the multiplayer fragfest.

Spartan Total Warrior (All platforms, $49.99): Fight your way through epic battles like in “Gladiator.” But try to avoid the rolling heads.

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Work it!

Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix (GameCube, $49.99): The Mario characters take it to the (dance) mat. Jump around on the map to the pulsating beat as Mario follows along.

EyeToy: Kinetic (PS2, $49.99): Work out more than your thumbs in this title created with Nike. Complete with sports as varied as yoga and kickboxing, this title might make your gym membership obsolete.