The summer of 2007 was marked by a trio of third-in-a-series movie blockbusters. The film with the all-time biggest box-office opening, "Spider-Man 3," introduced a new black-costumed hero and scored an incredible $151 million weekend at the beginning of the summer.

That's a mind-blowing number — unless you look at projections for the year's biggest video-game release.

Just like the summer movies, this game is a "Part Three" that is already bankable as this year's gaming blockbuster, and it's set to hit stores next Tuesday.

"Halo 3" is predicted to rack up sales in excess of $200 million in its first 24 hours, trashing even Web-Head in financial terms. It is certainly the biggest video-game release of the year and — many claim — of all time.

While "Pac-Man" and "Donkey Kong" may have something to say about that, there is no doubt that next Monday night, as the minutes tick away until it is officially the 25th — when the game can finally be sold — the video-gaming industry will take in popular culture's brightest spotlight, joining the iPhone, those blockbuster films and Harry Potter as a way to define 2007.

GameStop stores around the country, including several local stores, will stay open and begin sales at midnight. Every retailer hopes that buyers will choose to plunk down $60 at their store rather than online or even at Radio Shack — which hasn't carried consoles or games until "Halo 3." (When the new product was announced in financial circles, Radio Shack's stock rose by $1.60, more than 7 percent in one day.)

Nicholas Ray of Sandy is among those who will be getting the game as soon as possible. The 14-year-old is an avid "Halo" player and has already preordered with his own money the most expensive version of the game, the "Legendary Pack." That package retails for $129.99 and includes a replica of Master Chief's helmet, which stores game discs and includes three bonus discs with loads of DVD content, and which is limited and numbered for collectibility.

"I am so excited to get it the first day it comes out," Ray said. "I will try and play it all day and have a huge sleepover (later in the week)."

He plays the game more in the summer months, he said, hitting the Xbox Live (Microsoft's high-speed Internet game access) almost every day to compete against Master Chiefs (or one Covenant species) the world over in player vs. player and team battles.

Most of his friends play the violent shooting game, although many don't own an Xbox or a 360, making the Ray residence a popular place to gather.

He rates his own skill level at "not bad" but his numerical rating of as high as 40 on Xbox Live means he could decimate a good percentage of casual participants.