For those looking to sidestep the Madden rush

This week, the end-of-year-release onslaught kicks off with EA Sports' Madden  OSRS gold NFL 08 blitz of retail shelves on Tuesday. This year's improvements to the franchise of franchise's gameplay include a newly redesigned branching animation system and a heavier emphasis on the "weapons," or outstanding players, on each team.

Having apparently slimmed down during the off-season, Madden 08 will only be appearing on 10 platforms this year. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions lead the price pack at $59.99, with the PlayStation 2 and Wii versions running for $49.99; the PC, Mac, PlayStation Portable, GameCube, and Xbox versions for $39.99; and the Nintendo DS version for $29.99. For the play-by-play on this year's game, be sure to tune in to 's Madden NFL 08 Launch Center for this week's gameplay marathon, as well as reviews, previews, trailers, and more.

For those looking to sidestep the Madden rush, this week also sees a number of new handheld and console games coming to market. On the handheld front, Kuju Entertainment plays dungeon master in Dungeons & Dragons Tactics on the PSP, while Coyote Console attempts to find a happy middle between modern-day warfare and WWII shooters with Operation: Vietnam for the DS. Also on the DS, Image  cheap OSRS GP Epoch's tactical turn-based strategy Luminous Arc hits retail shelves. With its school supplies now properly in tow, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 on the PS2 also reemerges this week.