'Allo, mates! Ol' St. Nicky will be coming around in a few short months, and if you're reading us from Oz, then we here at QJ will be glad to help you with your Chrissie wish lists! We have this courtesy of your fellows over at PAL Gaming Network Australia who've compiled this list. After all, the Pacific should never be a barrier to people who share the passion for gaming.

All dates are subject to change if their respective game publishers decide to change them, though (it's happened before, right?). Stay tuned to QJ for any new updates to this list as we find them.

September 2006:
21: Just Cause, Test Drive Unlimited
22: Xbox 360 Joytech Control Center
28: Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged, Ninety-Nine Nights, Samurai Warriors 2
30: LMA Manager 2007

October 2006:
  5: Xbox 360 Genuine Wireless Entertainment Pack Bundle
  6: NHL 2K7
12: Import Tuner Challenge
13: Pro Evolution Soccer 6 (DVD ROM)
15: Crackdown
19: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent, NBA Live 2007
20: NBA 2K7
26: Xbox 360 Genuine Xbox Live Vision
31: Sonic The Hedgehog, Phantasy Star Universe, Bomberman: Act Zero, Eragon

November 2006:
  2: World Series of Poker, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, FIFA 2007, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007
  9: Tony Hawk's Project 8, Superman Returns
10: Championship Manager 2007, WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2007
16: Need For Speed Carbon (and Collectors Edition), Call Of Duty 3, Rainbow Six: Vegas
22: Xbox 360 Genuine Wireless Headset
24: Viva Pi?, Gears of War
29: Xbox 360 Genuine Wireless Steering Wheel

January 2007:
31: Battlestations Midway

The offline compilation of some of the best Xbox Live Arcade games which we posted about a few months ago is finally hitting the shelves as Microsoft has just announced the launch of Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1 in Europe next week, specifically, on September 15. The package will be available for an estimated retail price of €39.99 / £24.99, and will include the following games:

 

• Geometry Wars Retro Evolved - One of the most popular games on Xbox Live Arcade, Geometry Wars Retro Evolved is a space shooter with a frenetic, high-definition twist
• Wik: Fable of Souls - Wik’s beautifully mysterious world of fairytale charm unfolds as you swing by your tongue through 120+ single player levels and 7 modes of play, including same-console multiplayer!
• Outpost Kaloki X - Solve challenges, entertain visiting aliens, and rake in the money in Outpost Kaloki X, the light-hearted space station tycoon game

• Bejeweled 2 Deluxe - With awe-inspiring planetary backdrops, explosive new gems and dazzling special effects, Bejeweled 2 is more wildly addictive than ever before!

• Hardwood Backgammon - Play a game of classic Backgammon against the computer, against a friend on a single console, or against on online opponent over Xbox Live

• Texas Hold 'Em - This poker title simulates the tournament setting right in your home, and with Xbox Live Vision, you’ll feel like you are in Las Vegas
  

In addition, buyers will receive 1 free month of Xbox Live Gold subscription, as well as 3 downloadable Xbox Live Arcade demos - UNO, Marble Blast Ultra & Feeding Frenzy.

This Unplugged collection won't be the last one to see the light of the day. Does it deliver enough content for the price? Let us know what you think about it.

Heads up! Several new games will be released in North America this week, so here's a short list of titles that will be hitting the shelves within the next few days:

• Guilty Gear Judgment (PSP)
• LocoRoco (PSP)
• Scramble (Xbox 360)
• Test Drive Unlimited (Xbox 360)
• Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged Volume 1 (Xbox 360)
• NASCAR 07 (Xbox, PS2, PSP)

The title that we would like to keep track of, however, would be LocoRoco (you know, those rolling blobs of joy?) which didn't sell quite as well as it was hoped to when it was first released in Japan. Will the North American audience be enthralled with its absolute cuteness? We'll find out soon enough. Guilty Gear, on the other hand, would be a good choice for fans of the series by Sammy. Besides, a good ol' 2D versus game couldn't hurt, especially with such pretty characters such as Testament or Millia, depending on which way you swing.

Well, it's official. An XBox Live Arcade compilation will be headed for the UK, which means that people might just end up paying for that copy of Texas Hold'Em Poker.

As we mentioned earlier, XBLA Unplugged Vol. 1 was definitely headed to the US market, but they weren't sure if the compilation would end up elsewhere. Luckily, Eurogamer got wind of the news. The compilation is expected to come out on September 15 for anywhere between £20-25 (around $38-48).

The six games included in this compilation will be Wik: Fable of Souls, Outpost Kaloki X, the ever-addicting Bejeweled 2 Deluxe, Hardwood Backgammon (funny how there's no actual wood), Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, and Texas Hold 'Em. Some very good casual games right there.

There's only one thing you can really gripe about with the setup. If you got your poker fix for free during the 48-hour free download session for Texas Hold'Em, it's kinda like paying for a copy of the same game. Otherwise, it's a very convenient way to get a lot of casual games without the hassle of having to earn points and download games. Too bad there isn't any Pac-Man though.

A little over a week ago we mentioned that Xbox Live Arcade titles were possibly going to be getting a retail package and it looks as though it is coming out before the end of the year as Gamespot has posted some information along with the cover art for the upcoming compilation disc of sorts.

A tagline proclaims that the package "includes the hit game Geometry Wars and a one-month subscription to Xbox Live Gold." A number of screenshots on the cover indicate that the compilation also includes Bejeweled 2 Deluxe, Wik: Fable of Souls, Hardwood Backgammon, Outpost Kaloki X, and the as-yet unreleased Texas Hold 'Em Poker.

This is great news for people who have a 360 and either don't have the option to connect to Xbox Live or just like having a actual copy of the game that they are playing. Gamespot also notes that the list of games could always change as the cover art isn't the final version. When more news becomes available we'll be sure to keep you informed.