My 2007 video game sneak preview

Sure, 2006 was a big year for video games, what with the new console debuts and all.

But 2007 is the year that really matters.

It's the next 365 days that will start to tell us which console will come out on top and which will be dubbed vaporware

In the meantime, there will be plenty of games to play. Here's a look at some of the more notable titles to arrive in the coming months. Keep in mind that release dates are never set in stone and can change with alarming frequency.

January

"World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade," for PC. The most popular online video game ever gets an upgrade on Jan. 16. Fans will see the arrival of two new races, a new continent to explore and much more.

"Wario Ware: Smooth Mooves," for Wii. The fast-paced, zany "Wario Ware" series seems tailor-made for Nintendo's new Wii console.

"Lost Planet," for Xbox 360. This third-person shooter promises to make good use of the 360's online capabilities.

"Forza Motorsport 2," for Xbox 360. One of the best racing games for the Xbox gets another lap around the track in this sequel.

February

"Crackdown" for Xbox 360. What will be the most controversial game of '07? Perhaps this title, in which you play a futuristic cop who keeps the peace "by any means necessary."

"Virtua Fighter 5," for PlayStation 3. Get all kicky-punchy in this latest sequel to the popular martial arts franchise.

"MotorStorm" for PlayStation 3. Race a variety of rugged all-terrain vehicles across a number of treacherous terrains.

March

"God of War II" for PlayStation 2. The aging PS2 gets its swan song with this sequel to one of the most popular and critically acclaimed games of 2005.

"Lair," for PlayStation 3. Ride atop fire-breathing dragons in acrobatic aerial combat in this action game, designed to make full use of the PS3's motion-sensitive controller.

"Def Jam Icon" for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Big-name rappers such as The Game, Ludacris and T.I. go mano-a-mano in this hip-hop flavored fighting game.

"Mercenaries 2: World in Flames" for PlayStation 3. Blow up stuff in a variety of countries in this sequel to the popular open-ended, military-themed LucasArts franchise.

April

"Assassin's Creed," for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Set during the Third Crusade, you play -- you guessed it -- an assassin set on ending the conflict. This is shaping up to be one of the must-have titles of the year.

"Mass Effect," for Xbox 360. From the people who brought you "Jade Empire" comes this sci-fi flavored role-playing game.

"Too Human: Part 1," for Xbox 360. As the "cybernetic god Baldur," you are entrusted with the task of defending humanity from a bunch of nasty war machines. As the title suggests, this will be the first part of a trilogy.

"Super Mario Galaxy," for Wii. Definitely one of the most anticipated titles of '07, "Galaxy" has the little plumber exploring a variety of no-doubt cutely themed planets.

Copyright The Patriot-News, 2007