Switched

We've done the roundup treatment for the big three (Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft) at this year's E3 video game show. Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony have each had their turn to toot their own horns, and now it's time for the publishers to have their say. Yes, these are the third-party developers that are responsible for much of the flood of actual games that will be hitting the various consoles over the next few months. Here's what we liked best:

Guitar Hero World Tour - For many, the battle-of-the-band-games is the highlight of the show. While a certain other game (see the next entry) has been getting a lot of attention lately, many gamers still feel that the 'Guitar Hero' franchise reigns supreme, and Activision's upcoming 'Guitar Hero World Tour' ups the ante considerably. It takes a cue from that other rock title by adding a drum kit and microphone to the gameplay, but goes way beyond the competition by letting you plug a real electronic drum kit into it and by including a detailed-looking song maker. Add in exclusive tracks from Metallica and 85 other songs, all from the original bands, and you have a heck of a package.

Rock Band 2 - Not to be left behind, 'Rock Band' is back, also with a slew of updates, including new, self-syncing guitars, a newer, fancier drum kit, and 84 new tunes -- one less than the competition. But, 'Rock Band 2' will let you import nearly all the tracks from the first game, and it remains to be seen whether that'll be the case for the new 'Guitar Hero.'

iPhone Games - The 3G iPhone is out, and so is the App Store. While there are already boatloads of games on the store to download, none were really on display at E3. Still, we saw fairly tame ones like 'Tetris' and 'Spore,' which we already knew about. What gives?

Raving Rabbids - One of the most popular third-party games on the Nintendo Wii is 'Rayman: Raving Rabbids.' It's simple, stupid, and tons of fun, and that's exactly how its latest follow-up is looking, 'Rayman: Raving Rabbids TV Party,' which is another collection of simple and fun mini-games, including what is apparently the first game to let you play with your posterior.

Star Wars: Force Unleashed - There have been absolutely no shortage of 'Star Wars' games cluttering up arcades and gaming systems since the very beginning. So, it's hard to get too excited about a new one, but 'Star Wars: Force Unleashed' is looking genuinely fun. In it, you play the secret apprentice of a certain Mr. Darth Vader, who is overwhelmed with ridiculously powerful force powers, which you can use to pick up and throw everything from Storm Troopers to whole TIE Fighters. Add in some remote-waving action on the Wii that almost makes you feel like an evil Sith, and you have a hot looking game due this September.

Shaun White Snowboarding - It's hard to get too excited about another snowboarding game, even when it's being fronted by the incredibly talented Shaun White. But mix in compatibility with the Wii Fit Balance Board, and suddenly you get our attention. The ability to lean into the turns and shift your weight to land tricks sounds awesome, but having to keep your feet planted could be a drag.

Games for Girls - Female gamers are the largest growing demographic in games right now, making up a large portion of Nintendo's sales, and buying half of all DS handhelds sold. For this reason Ubisoft is singling out girls with a slew of new tween-specific titles, while Natsume is showing off a new 'Harvest Moon' on Wii title, a franchise that has proven to be hugely popular among girls.

With great games like these coming soon (most near the holidays) it's going to be a busy winter of gaming. Better start saving your pennies! For gaming news from E3, be sure to check out thorough, up-to-the-minute coverage from both GameDaily and Joystiq.