Release This: Bully: Double Agent: Pets

Gamasutra's regular round-up of worldwide video game releases, "Release This!", takes a look at every game title we know to be shipping to stores this week, in an exclusively compiled list. It's an exciting week for new releases in the United States, with long-awaited titles like Bully, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent, and The Sims 2: Pets set to debut alongside acclaimed niche efforts like Contact and WTF: Work Time Fun. Europe will see many of these same titles this week, and will additionally have Capcom's Power Stone Collection to call its own. Japan, meanwhile, has both Gekitou! Custom Robo and Oto o Tsunagou! Gunpey Reverse promising to impress Japanese gamers and curious importers. The following list covers all of the game software we know to be available -- across all platforms and regions -- for the week ending October 21, 2006. Games Released in the United States:

The United States sees the best release lineup of all regions this week, with numerous big names and anticipated sequels making their American debut in the coming days. Among the most prominent of these titles include the expansion pack The Sims 2: Pets, along with Rockstar's infamous Bully, which has seemingly been the subject of controversy ever since its development was first announced. Gamers in the United States have a lot to look forward to on the portable front as well. The Nintendo DS will receive both Grasshopper Manufacture's Contact and a new edition of Nintendogs, while the PSP will get WTF: Work Time Fun, an unusual minigame collection that has been labeled by some as a part time job simulator. Games Released in Europe:

Europe shares many of the United States' bigger releases this week, with titles like The Sims 2: Pets, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent, and Destroy All Humans! 2 scheduled to see almost simultaneous release in both regions. In addition, Europe will soon get an early look at the PSP's Power Stone Collection, several days before it's set to debut in the United States. The compilation includes the 3D brawlers Power Stone and Power Stone 2, both of which were formerly exclusive to arcades and Sega's Dreamcast. Games Released in Japan:

Though Japan's release list may be somewhat limited in terms of size this week, a few notable titles are to be found within. Gekitou! Custom Robo is one of the bigger standouts; developed by Nintendo, the title allows for users to build and customize their own robots and battle them in online matches. Previous releases in the Custom Robo series have been popular in Japan, and this newest entry could become a hit in the United States as well when it's released there in November as Custom Robo Arena. The DS will also soon host Oto o Tsunagou! Gunpey Reverse, a new puzzle title from the creators of Lumines and Meteos. Originally released for the Wonderswan -- Bandai's Japan-only portable console -- Gunpey was created by famed video game innovator Gunpei Yokoi. Two different versions of Gunpey will make their way to the United States in November; one is an original title for the PSP, while the other is a localization of the DS's Oto o Tsunagou! Gunpey Reverse.