Best new games this week: 8/18

After last week's Madden mania, this week's release calendar dies down to what could charitably be called a more manageable level. Franker individuals might describe it as "sparse", "meager", or "slim pickings." But hey, you've got to work with what you've got. In case you're already bored of football, the week boasts a top tennis sim, a long-awaited action title with a cool mythological theme, and a sequel to one of the best casual games around. Check out the Force Unleashed demo too, which should drop onto Xbox Live and the PlayStation network on Thursday.

Top Three:

Smash Court Tennis 3

WATCH TRAILER NOW

Did watching that superb Nadal-Federer match this summer (re)awaken your tennis passion? Check out Smash Court Tennis 3, latest in a long-running Namco-Bandai series. Although it started its life on the PSP, it's greatly enhanced for its Xbox 360 debut, including (as you'd expect) superb high-def visuals, slick controls, and multiplayer modes both cooperative and competitive.

Jojo's Fashion Show 2

SEE GAME PAGE

More clothes, more glamour, more style - casual classic Jojo's Fashion Show is back. This eagerly anticipated sequel lets you get behind the camera to conduct your own photoshoots, design thousands of haute-couture outfits, and - for the first time - tackle menswear too. In fashion, you're either in or you're out - which are you?

Too Human

WATCH TRAILER NOW

Controversy has dogged the development of this Canadian-made third-person action adventure, which was originally demonstrated on the PlayStation (yes, not the 2 or 3) in 1999 -- but that's all in the past now. It's here, it's on the Xbox 360, and if you liked the demo, you could certainly do a lot worse this week.

Best of the Rest

• Fashion Dash:
  How will you fare at running this high-class fashion empire?
• Go-Go Gourmet: Chef of the Year:
  what it takes to be a chef of the year? Go-Go Gourmet will take you on a tour of seven countries to find out.
• Secret of Margrave Manor:
  Discover the mysterious past of your family, and find the secret of this strange estate.