Jade @Xbox 360 Spring Showcase

It was practically a given that the Xbox 360 Spring Showcase in San Fran wouldn’t disappoint, but this event was especially extrasuperfresh (is that a word?). The Spring affair featured all the latest games coming to your 360 in the near future.

You want highlights? I’ve got highlights! The new games that really caught my pretty green eyes include:

Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise: The sequel to the breakout virtual life game actually manages to expand upon the original’s incredibly unique gameplay, while also adding two player co-op, new environments and 30 all-newPiñatas into the mix. Coolest thing? Using your Vision Cam to introduce Piñatas into your garden ... Horticultural fun for all!

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts: This quirky cult platformer has been long overdue for the next-gen makeover. And what a makeover it is. It’s classic Rare – colourful, vibrant and featuring extremely inventive gameplay. Talking with the game’s lead programmer, Sal Fileccia, his excitement and enthusiasm about Banjo was contagious ... especially once you get on to the topic of the endlessly creative vehicles you can build out of bits and pieces you collect throughout the game. Definitely one of this year’s sleeper hits.

Ninja Gaiden II: The Ninja Gaiden series is well-known for its über-difficult gameplay, but from the time I’ve had with it, it looks like Ninja Gaiden II will be a little more accessible. Team Ninja have truly outdone themselves this time out; Ninja Gaiden II is action incarnate, jam-packed with all-new ninja weaponry and is exceedingly bloody and gory. Limb slicing has never looked this good! And don’t forget that this game lands on June 3, so at least this is one game we don’t have to wait too long to play.

Too Human: This made-in-Canada treasure now has a launch date! Plan for some late-Summer action –Too Human is now slated for an August 19 release. This highly-anticipated part role-playing, part action game is shaping up to be well worth the wait. And, at the Spring Showcase, Denis Dyack told us that Too Human will feature two player Xbox LIVE co-op support for some frantic goblin horde killing action!

Fable 2: One thing I hate is that, even after years of doing this, I still get star-struck when I meet “game gods.” You know the ones – Hironobu Sakaguchi, Bruce Shelley, PETER MOLYNEUX. Once I picked myself up off the floor, I got a good look at Fable 2. Set 500 years after the events of the original (and one of my all-time favourite) Xbox game, Fable 2 builds upon the concept of good and evil while setting you on an all new RPG quest. Deep is the best word to describe the combat and character progression – if you fancy some intense role-playing action, you’ll definitely want to get your hands on Fable 2.

Gears of War 2: Marcus Fenix and his squad of COGs are back! Yes! It was the game everyone was hoping to see ... and Cliff Bleszinski gave us more than anyone could have hoped or expected, running through “Assault,” the second level in Gears of War 2. This follow up to the blockbuster sci-fi third person shooter continues the battle against the terrifying Locust Horde and I got goosebumps watching the unbelievable action.The visuals are insane, the game features a deeper storyline and dramatically ramped up cover and weapons system. One of the biggest games of 2008 for sure.