While some hardcore dungeon-crawler fans might get some enjoyment out of Valhalla Knights 2, I'd rather skip the grinding and play a game where the combat accentuates my exploration of a rich, engaging world.

After having a chance to check out all three versions, we recommend picking up the Wii version and playing with the Classic Controller -- it's got a much more natural feel than the other two consoles' controllers, especially the wonky Xbox 360 D-pad.

Double Helix has stayed true to the series' foundation while also taking steps in a brave new direction; they've crafted a tale that stands well within franchise lore, and they've produced horrifically beautiful environments, occasional framerate drops aside. If Double Helix learns from their mistakes here -- combat balance being the most glaring issue -- their future work could rival the series' best.

We Cheer's so unresponsive, in fact, that I spent four hours in championship mode, trying to beat the easiest song -- Hoku's "Perfect Day" -- to no avail. It's a fate I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

The most depressing issue, however, is the four- to 10-second load time you'll suffer each time you enter a new environment, but methodically engaging gameplay helps make up for this.

Sonic Chronicles' light action elements provide plenty of fun puzzle-solving and exploration opportunities without cramping the fairly traditional RPG style.

That it's available to anyone with a broadband connection for an extremely reasonable price point instantly places Wipeout HD in the must-buy/must-have category for anyone who considers themselves a fan of high-quality, high-speed, white-knuckle racing.

MM9 is an unapologetic nod to one of gaming's greatest eras. It might've been made especially for nostalgia-crazed dorks like me, but it's something that any challenge-seeking gamer can dig.

It's not for the kiddies, but if you've got 800 Marketplace points lying around, you oughta come get some.

The problem is that Hell's Highway doesn't make me care about the characters as much as the other installments did.

The problem is that Hell's Highway doesn't make me care about the characters as much as the other installments did.

Remarkably shallow and underwhelming.

Axing every bit of multiplayer content -- not just the online modes -- from the original games is a baffling move on the part of the developers, considering that other Wii shooters have included both local and online multiplayer options.

Thrilling on the ground, downright heart-stopping in the air, and beautiful throughout, Pure's a blast from start to finish. A career mode would've gone further than the game's "World Tour" in fully eliminating repetitiveness, but Black Rock has otherwise built a real winner here.

Thrilling on the ground, downright heart-stopping in the air, and beautiful throughout, Pure's a blast from start to finish. A career mode would've gone further than the game's "World Tour" in fully eliminating repetitiveness, but Black Rock has otherwise built a real winner here.

While the colorful visuals are even sharper on Wii, the included minigames are some of the laziest I've seen.

My advice: If you ever want this series to evolve into something better, stop buying every iteration that comes out -- you're just encouraging Koei to crap out another.

As a creative tool Unbound is great, but as a game it feels a little sparse. Despite its seemingly casual nature, the technical side of Unbound shouldn't be underestimated -- it quickly frustrates players looking for a light challenge while rewarding the more dedicated who are willing to invest the time.

Unfortunately, such a light-hearted plot doesn't seem like a suitable reward for the grueling strategic depth of the combat.

Outside of the charming (and yes, very girlie) story and genuinely humorous dialogue, all that's left is a short, extremely easy, and sometimes confusing RPG.

Though Batman's got a well-developed mythos, he lacks enough specific, widely remembered scenes ripe for parody.

Adults still captivated by the Lego formula will probably find more to like in the shinier console versions, but if you know a young Dark Knight-in-training, Lego Batman for DS offers enough competent (but largely unexciting) action and unlockables to keep 'em busy for some time.

Time Hollow may be light on gameplay, but the story's competent enough for fans of point-and-tap adventures.

All the extra content and intriguing exploration aspects are rendered null and void by the fact that you'll spend the majority of your time babysitting health bars, though. The developers at Hudson nailed the survival aspect a little too well -- now they just need to work on making it fun.

The best news, though, is that for all its departures from "conventional" racing titles, Baja gives you just as many customization and tweaking options as those games do.

Yeah, it's not for everybody (Gran Turismo fans may find themselves frustrated), but Baja gives you something a little off the beaten track -- and that's more than most racing games can say.

Despite not taking particular advantage of the Wii platform, it makes for one of the most relaxing, enjoyable titles on the system.

What really makes Colonization a classic turn-based game is the amount of distinct character. This isn't just a Civ 4 mod; it's its own beast, with its own rules and its own sense of charm and history, carved out of a New World brimming with native settlements, tobacco, and furs, waiting for your people -- people, mind you! -- to conquer it, plunder it, and/or cultivate it.

A worthy entry in the series that manages to one-up its DS predecessor.

A pretty face only goes so far when there's no soul beneath the surface, and Shake It! is as hollow as they come.

Kirby and company are just too damn cute and cheerful. If Smash Bros. piqued your interest, Ultra's your next step.

MM9 is an unapologetic nod to one of gaming's greatest eras. It might've been made especially for nostalgia-crazed dorks like me, but it's something that any challenge-seeking gamer can dig.

And speaking of multiplayer, that's about all you'll want Multiwinia for. Repetitive maps, exploitable A.I., and a lack of any backstory or plot whatsoever hamper the single-player mode. That said, the game does have "multi" in its title, and for the price (about $20), you could do worse for an online time-waster.

Domino Master's a bit like going to Baskin-Robbins and noticing the employees refilling the containers with generic grocery-store-brand ice cream.

Battles in WAR are not only highly entertaining but also enriching; PVP nets you more experience, money, and gear than any other activity in the game. And that's a good thing: The other methods of acquisition are nowhere near as fun.

Even the most hardcore Star Wars fans will be disappointed in what could've been an opportunity to highlight the true power of the Force.

A more appropriate name would've been "Star Wars: The Force Mildly Contained" -- rarely does the Force truly feel like the ultimate weapon, something that separates you (Darth Vader's not-so-secret apprentice) from the rabble of stormtroopers, Rodians, and Felucians.

Instead of providing a streamlined alternative to the more ambitious console iterations, the PSP version of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is an abridged disappointment.

An enjoyable Star Wars experience that any fan can appreciate on the go. Not only will you get the same story found on the console versions, but you'll also get it packaged with some creative combat and fun minigames.

The days of Jedi Knight, Rogue Squadron, and TIE Fighter are quickly becoming distant memories of what it was like to sit down and feel like we really were in a galaxy far, far away -- The Force Unleashed on the Wii can't hold a candle to those classics.

Warhead's a clear demonstration that Crytek learned its lessons from Crysis. Sure, it's still got some troubling flaws, but they're not as big as Crysis' "this awesome sandbox game became a corridor shooter."

You can take a game of tic-tac-toe and throw a whole bunch of spicy house rules on it, but let's face it: You're drawing friggin' circles and Xs. Yggdra is a competent example of the tactics genre, but there are others (Fire Emblem, for one) that do everything Yggdra does more simply and are just a lot more fun.

As a creative tool Unbound is great, but as a game it feels a little sparse.

A more than worthy remake of a gaming great, and RPG fans should consider it a mandatory play. Remakes aren't a science -- they're an art...and Dragon Quest IV has been re-created with deft strokes.

The game does provide a few improvements, bringing revised flight controls and new cooperative mission modes, but For Answer lacks what a great series needs in order to stay relevant: progress.

The game does provide a few improvements, bringing revised flight controls and new cooperative mission modes, but For Answer lacks what a great series needs in order to stay relevant: progress.

It's an enjoyable fighter even with its flaws, and it's a pleasing sidestep from Arc's edgy world of "Guilty Gear."

Like other recent favorites Lumines and N+, Peggle hides a thoroughly entertaining and enduring payload behind its deceptively simplistic approach, taking over your platform of choice with its charming mix of wit and lucky bounces.

The main adventure still has serious pacing problems, combat's still too easy for the most part, and load times -- though reduced -- continue to get in the way of the action.

What Clear Sky doesn't deliver is the abject, adjust-your-gamma terror of its predecessor.

The main quest is entertaining enough to justify the $9 or $10 investment (based on your platform of choice), but the new and revised bonus elements really make Strong Badia the Free a comprehensive experience.

The main quest is entertaining enough to justify the $9 or $10 investment (based on your platform of choice), but the new and revised bonus elements really make Strong Badia the Free a comprehensive experience.

The game's run-and-bop antics unfold in the charming SpongeBob universe, but the portrayal of the characters falls flat and feels like a joke that never reaches the punch line.

The real attraction here is the game's "Sticky Fingers"-like bulge of music. With 84 tunes on the disc (all are original recordings) and 20 free downloads form the online store, Rock Band 2 is simply the cheapest way to beef up your library.

With a long-running series like DDR, it's a risk to mix up the core gameplay that made the franchise a success. But with this year's tweaks and music refresh, DDR Hottest Party 2 is definitely stepping in the right direction.

Dance Dance Revolution X broadly sidesteps innovation and serves up another entry where enjoyment's purely a function of how much you like the set list. If you own any other DDR games, particularly last year's SuperNOVA 2, it's hard to recommend shelling out cash for this one -- aside from the new tunes, I've seen it all before.

Rocket Bowl can be a brief and pleasant diversion for minigolf fans or those who enjoy the idea of fantasy bowling with a new set of rules, but others may want to ball outta control elsewhere.

This version of Samurai Shodown II doesn't bring much new to the mix, but that won't matter for fans of the original. The classic's here in all its glory and occasional goofiness -- if you're outfitted for the experience, slice away.

That failure to compete isn't just in the options, either -- even the grapple system failed to hook me. It's a shame, too, because the developers boasted that they based their controls off of the Nintendo 64 wrestling classic "WWF No Mercy." Nice try, guys!

Even for a veteran strategy otaku like yours truly, the learning curve is intimidating -- but if you're willing to unwrap its numerous layers, R3KXI has a lot of USDA Select packed into it.

A stiff, by-the-numbers experience that mixes a few good ideas with generally middling execution.

2K Sports' "NHL 2K9" is not a bad game, especially if you'd rather get out there and play than spend time learning button combos. But even with its few warts, NHL 09 is simply too big, too adventurous, too pretty, and too danged consuming to be considered anything other than the best hockey videogame ever produced.

2K Sports' "NHL 2K9" is not a bad game, especially if you'd rather get out there and play than spend time learning button combos. But even with its few warts, NHL 09 is simply too big, too adventurous, too pretty, and too danged consuming to be considered anything other than the best hockey videogame ever produced.

Still, it's a damn good crime game that delivers satisfying combat, an entertaining glimpse into the Japanese criminal underworld, decent fan service for players who dug the first game, and a pretty awesome tiger-fight scene.

Beneath the whimsical packaging -- punctuated by the overenthusiastic (possibly underage) air-traffic controller on the front cover -- lies a fearsome beast ready to sink its teeth into your challenge-seeking jugular.

The team at Rare did an awesome job of retaining a surprising amount of features in this DS iteration. Even the colorful art style makes the transition, though it's understandably nowhere near as gorgeous as Pocket Paradise's console counterparts.

When compared to EA's monster, 2K9 feels a bit like pond hockey. And while that isn't necessarily a bad thing for newcomers, who'll eat up the wild excitement of the game, those who know better may recoil in their chairs when they realize just how crazy it can be.

The meat (and, hell, the bones, too) of this game is comprised of one thing: searching for a series of hidden objects. At first, this is fun in a Highlights for Children sort of way, but once you realize that it's practically all you do, it starts to get as exciting as finding your lost remote in your messy apartment.

Lock's Quest succeeds as both a love letter to, and an evolution of, the tower-defense genre.

Strictly as a game, Spore's a flawed effort in five different genres, smushed together in a casual-player-friendly manner. But as a tangible representation of intelligent design, with an emphasis on creation and sharing, it falls perfectly in line with the rest of Will Wright's work. It's not a perfect game, but it's definitely one that any serious gamer should try.

FaceBreaker is fine if you want to mindlessly mash buttons and beat the hell out of friends, but if you want a deep, balanced boxing game, look elsewhere.

FaceBreaker is fine if you want to mindlessly mash buttons and beat the hell out of friends, but if you want a deep, balanced boxing game, look elsewhere.

Nothing says a simulator can't be fun. I love the idea of plotting out my draft board, targeting free agents, cutting dead weight, and juggling the salary cap. But Head Coach 09 just left me frustrated and angry.

I love the idea of plotting out my draft board, targeting free agents, cutting dead weight, and juggling the salary cap. But Head Coach 09 just left me frustrated and angry.

Attractive settings and cute little anime-inspired characters with oversized heads and eyes may distract youngsters for awhile, but Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball is an otherwise messy affair that, like Double D, isn't nearly worth the 800 Microsoft Points it'll cost you.

It's damn near a flight sim, with tons of controls and HUD elements (a bar for your health and your shields, and a bar for the charging time for your special weapon -- which is more special if you shoot it with your main guns).

This sort of do-nothing port is only going to alienate players and further reinforce the stereotype that the genre simply doesn't work on console systems.

My advice: If you want to play multiplayer, buy this game with friends; otherwise, you'll just get bored waiting around in a cold, lonely, empty server -- not exactly the best front in which to wage war.

Despite the badly botched opening segments and frustrating menu and navigational issues, it really won me over with its rewarding combat, kooky charm, and goofy humor.

If you hated the original, Trouble in Paradise isn't going to change your opinion. If, however, you somehow missed out completely on the piñata party the first time around, I implore you to check it out now -- it's certainly much deeper and more addictive than its playful visuals would lead you to believe.

It's like the developers didn't even play the games they were blatantly ripping off.

PictoImage is a game of simple, approachable thrills, and that bodes extremely well for pulling your significant other, siblings, or parents into its addictive grasp.

Evolution evolves the series, and it does so wonderfully. I suspect a future follow-up will involve a complete overhaul, but until then, GTR Evolution -- and Nordschleife in particular -- is where every good driver should be.

It won't light the world on fire, but this next-gen playground of destruction offers you tons to do (well, tons to explode), it's always enjoyable, and I dove right back in after the credits rolled.

It won't light the world on fire, but this next-gen playground of destruction offers you tons to do (well, tons to explode), it's always enjoyable, and I dove right back in after the credits rolled.

Though sure to keep children entertained and engaged for hours, this charming adventure will bring plenty of smiles to their parents as well.

It's weird...very weird. And whatever your expectations are, they're likely wrong. I enjoyed playing it, surely -- I just wish that it were as frustration-free as it is unique.

It can provide a major freshening up for anyone who's already put serious time into the game. That's not a bad deal for eight bucks.

Castle Crashers is at its best when you've got a handful of buddies playing in the same room (four total, in this case). Taking on the campaign without companions is still sharply amusing (and completely recommended if you don't anticipate playing with friends), but the shared joy of taking in the hilarious set pieces and eliminating giant swimming felines dulls the repetition that comes naturally with beat-em-ups.

It's far from perfect, but for players who want to get more out of the Spore universe, Galactic Adventures is a worthy addition.

Traditional elements -- an anime-styled cast, a lush, expansive overworld, and a familiar fantasy setting -- will always be welcome, so long as they're done well. And Vesperia succeeds as well as any Japanese RPG this generation.

As an enjoyable, pick-up-and-play package with a sublimely simple design, N+ succeeds, and it's hard not to recommend for the price. Just be wary of the inevitable eyestrain, and if you're only going to play it at home, make sure you've exhausted the XBLA and PC versions first. It's still the most badass ninja simulator around...just less so.

As an enjoyable, pick-up-and-play package with a sublimely simple design, N+ succeeds, and it's hard not to recommend for the price. Just be wary of the inevitable eyestrain, and if you're only going to play it at home, make sure you've exhausted the XBLA and PC versions first. It's still the most badass ninja simulator around...just less so.

Tiger 09 is remarkably improved across the board.

Tiger 09 is remarkably improved across the board.

The addition of the online play really is a huge deal.

Still, while the setting, strategy, and sprite-based visuals -- this wouldn't have been impressive in 1998, let alone 2008 -- are a tad disappointing, they're also all quite serviceable.

It strikes the perfect balance of adding new material without taking away from the overall game, and it doesn't feel like a completely different path but rather a cool new take on some of the basic mechanics.