In recent years, the August release of Electronic Arts' annual Madden NFL installment has signaled the end of a slow period on the release schedule. It has also been the beginning of a gradual ramp-up in releases, culminating with a mid-November bounty of holiday launches.

　　However, this year could unfold differently, as Microsoft has already announced a late September arrival for Halo 3 for the Xbox 360, and Take-Two Interactive's Grand Theft Auto IV will follow in October. The gap between Madden and Halo 3 won't exactly be barren of highly anticipated releases, either. Nintendo today detailed its summer release schedule for first-party and third-party games, with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption set to arrive on the Wii August 20, less than a week after Madden NFL 08.

　　Nintendo gave release dates or windows for a dozen other summer Wii games, with a reiteration that Electronic Arts' Boogie will arrive in the fall. Of those, two more are first-party titles: arcade-style soccer game Mario Strikers Charged on July 30 and the action strategy sequel Battalion Wars 2 in September.

　　The Nintendo DS's new-release shelves will be much busier than their Wii counterparts for the summer season, as Nintendo gave release windows for 37 games on its portable. As predicted by retailers, Picross and Brain Age 2 are definitely getting North American releases. GameStop correctly pegged the Picross date as July 30, but only had the month right for Brain Age 2, which is now set for an August 20 release. As for Nintendo's other first-party DS releases, DK Jungle Climber (formerly DK: King of Swing) is set to arrive September 10, followed by Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol September 24.

　　[UPDATE] Gamers who might have been panicked at the omission of Rockstar Games' Manhunt 2 from the list below need not worry. A Rockstar Games representative blamed Manhunt 2's absence on a miscommunication, and has confirmed to GameSpot that the violent action-adventure game will be released in North America on July 10 for the Wii, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable.

　　Wii

　　July 30--Mario Strikers Charged--Nintendo

　　August 20--Metroid Prime 3 Corruption--Nintendo

　　August 14--High School Musical: Sing ItMadden NFL 08--EA

　　August--Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08--EA

　　August--Space Station Tycoon--Namco Bandai

　　August--Brunswick Pro Bowling--Crave

　　August--Dave Mirra BMX Challenge--Crave

　　August--Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection--Crave

　　September--Battalion Wars 2--Nintendo

　　September--Brothers in Arms--Ubisoft

　　September--Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal--Warner Bros.

　　September--George of the Jungle--Crave

　　Fall--Boogie--EA

　　Nintendo DS

　　July 30--Picross DS--Nintendo

　　July--SimCity--EA

　　July--Namco Museum DS--Namco Bandai

　　July--Drake & Josh--THQ

　　July--Glory Days 2--Eidos

　　August 14--Madden NFL 08--EA

　　August 14--High School Musical: Makin' the CutHeroes of Mana--Square Enix

　　August 20--Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day--Nintendo

　　August--I SPY: Fun House--Activision

　　August--Jewel Quest Expedition--Activision

　　August--Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08--EA

　　August--Worms: Open Warfare 2--THQ

　　August--Luminous Arc--Atlus

　　August--Mega Man Star Force: Pegasus--Capcom

　　August--Mega Man Star Force: Leo--Capcom

　　August--Mega Man Star Force: Dragon--Capcom

　　August--Operation: Vietnam--Majesco

　　August--Turn It Around--Majesco

　　August--The Wild West--Majesco

　　August--Fullmetal Alchemist Trading Card Game--Destineer

　　September 10--DK Jungle Climber--Nintendo

　　September 24--Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol--Nintendo

　　September--Drawn to Life--THQ

　　September--Zoey 101--THQ

　　September--Crayola Teasure Adventures--Crave

　　September--Nancy Drew and The Deadly Secret of Olde World Park--Majesco

　　September--Holly Hobbie & Friends--Majesco

　　September--Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations--Capcom

　　September--Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck--Warner Bros.

　　September--Pet Luv Spa & Resort Tycoon--Activision

　　September--Animal Genius--Activision

　　September--George of the Jungle--Crave

　　September--Jam Sessions--Ubisoft

　　September--Professor Brainium--Destineer

　　September--Indy 500 Legends--Destineer