It seems that the majority believes that strategy guides are great for games other than puzzle games. While I see some relevance to this argument, I have to say that I would have never gotten through half of the first Scribblenauts‘ action puzzles without the guide. Well, that’s a huge exaggeration because I didn’t make it through two worlds of action puzzles. After Maxwell went running off the edge into a pool of lava one too many times, I had to call it quits.

While last week’s game releases with Medal of Honor and  Super Scribblenauts was big, this week’s knocks it out of the park and is quite reminiscent of the stacked releases from January and February of this year. So of all the big name releases–I ignored all the Wii and DS shovelware–which has you the most excited?

For me, it’s Vanquish. I had an absolute blast with the demo, so I’m eager to get my hands on it. I’m also eager to get my hands of the guide, as it’s from Future Press, the same company who brought us the greatness that is the Bayonetta Strategy Guide. Since this game is also about beating levels quickly and stylishly, I expect the same bar that was raised with Bayonetta.

No pressure, guys!

Despite the request for a write-in vote for Call of Duty: Black Ops, it seems that Fallout 3: New Vegas is the highest on the want lists. This should honestly come as no surprise to me as Fallout has a ginormous following, but I’m in shock that there aren’t any votes for Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. Maybe that comes in as a close second for you? Or maybe I’m just clueless as to what everyone wants.

The insane Fall line-up continues this week with Super Scribblenauts, and once again, Prima Games is supplying the guide. Their first guide was very well done, so I anticipate that their second one will be just as up to snuff. Since I liked both very much, I’m going to be picking up their sequels hopefully this week.

While planning this, it made me wonder: don’t strategy guides for puzzle games defeat the purpose of the games? For instance, Professor Layton has not had any guides, and I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking that this is a good thing. Part of the reward for solving those insane riddles was the sense of accomplishment (and the picarats…always the picarats), but for some reason, I don’t see a problem with Scribblenauts. Is it because I found Maxwell to be so darn frustrating? Or maybe I just eat up every strategy guide imaginable.

The answer is most likely the latter, but now I want to know what you think. Do strategy guides for puzzle games defeat their purpose?