But it's the seamless transitioning of the single-player to the multiplayer (you can hop in and out from one to the other at any save point) that really seals the deal.

Where's Knuckles Chaotix, one of the few decent games to see the light of day on Sega's abortive 32X system? Or how about Sonic Pocket Adventure for the forgotten Neo Geo Pocket Color? And what about the surprisingly competent Master System ports of Sonic and Sonic 2?

The combat is engaging, the controls can be mapped however you like, and the load times could be worse. But the minigame additions to this version aren't nearly enough to justify a PSP port.

When I'm in the market for an RPG, it's for a select few reasons: I'm looking for an epic story, rad loot, combat that stimulates the tactical chunks of my brain, and beautiful environments. White Knight Chronicles does none of these things well. To top it all off, the game inexplicably ends after less than 30 hours with most of the major plot points left wholly unresolved.

It's perfect for players who love kill-everything-that-moves games like "Dynasty Warriors" and movies like "300." It's not so perfect for those who fancy themselves "true" Shining Force aficionados, though.

After a few hours, it feels like you're going through the motions instead of getting caught up in the story and characters.

The Sims 2: Castaway differs just enough from previous iterations that fans of the series and newcomers alike can find plenty to enjoy. However, how long the entertainment lasts will boil down to how long it takes the player to grow tired of the repetitive tasks of Sim survival.

Sylpheed gets one thing perfectly right: the intensity of the dogfight. The sheer volume of things on your viewscreen during each sortie is almost overwhelming, but it adds that white-knuckle feeling that's so important to a game like this.

If the team behind The Fallen King had just made it a lot shorter and perhaps added some additional challenges, like time trials, it might have helped with the diminishing returns I felt from each successive level.

The game has positives, they're just away from the 5-on-5 parquet.

There's nothing at all safe about this game, and as a result the finished product is raw, unpolished and lacking depth -- but it's also one of the most "next-gen" and exciting games you can play right now on 360.

By and large it reeks of wasted potential and a general sense of trying too hard. If you're really hard up for a pinball fix, it's certainly a lot more budget-friendly than tracking down an actual machine.

NFL Head Coach is a game you really want to like, but ultimately it's a poorly executed great idea.

Even with the issues, 3 on 3 NHL Arcade's a must-play for fans of arcade sports, and I want to commend the makers for mercifully extracting the pointless bloat of pre-game intros and a circling zamboni between periods.

With improvements to the A.I. and presentation, Bethesda could be onto something with this simplified "squad-based" style to starship combat.

This expansion pack is not for every fan of the series, and therein is Uprising's biggest flaw.

Despite the faults the individual events have, winning the Star Cup in all four sports unlocks a bonus cameo that almost makes all of the earlier tedium worth it.

It's a shame that the <I>really</I> original firearms (including a cannon that shoots evil spiderlings) don't get introduced until the game's almost over, leaving you little time to enjoy them.

What I'm really saying is, Fred Willard is in this game. He's the best thing about this game. That isn't a huge knock, actually -- Fred Willard is pretty much the greatest ever. But this game really relies, knowingly, on Fred Willard. The experience is Fred Willard. Without Fred Willard, this is a slightly subpar game.

Play Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 -- The Phantom Fortress for its entertaining battles, not for the tiring story. But if you do play for the story, remember this awesome tip: Change the voice option from English to Japanese so you won't have to hear Naruto scream his ineffable catchphrase. Believe it!

The game has some ambition, and I admire that. But in the end, a score is based on how much fun I have (that's why we play, right?), and I had very little fun playing Wild Arms XF. This says it all: I can't wait to whip out strategy gems like Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea on my commute...but I had to force myself to drag out XF.

Long stretches of each stage can be severely frustrating and annoying, but when they're not, it's still pretty fun -- and getting "in the zone" to complete an especially hard part in one try is always satisfying.

The gameplay isn't as rich as it could have been, and it generally doesn't live up to the stature of the classic PSone title, which is disappointing, but the smooth action, appealing graphics, and funny dialogue warrant this game a passing grade.

At 800 Wii Points, some may not want to jump in, especially since Super Star Soldier on Virtual Console is 600 Points -- a "real" full-length shooter -- and the layout of its 2-Minute Mode level more or less provided the basis for Star Soldier R's first stage

The game is a fun time-eater that can be finished in one cross-country flight -- although some battles feel artificially lengthened by seemingly never-ending waves of soldiers that have as much tactical sense as headless chickens. But with the great voice acting, graphics, and audio, first-person shooter fans on the go should definitely give this a look.

If you're looking for just having some dumb fun driving in a big sprawling city, smashing and shooting every last thing in your way, then Wheelman is a great pick. However, it never even attempts to reinvent the wheel from any other free-roaming action-adventure.

If you did frequent arcades in the early '90s and remember just how fun X-men Arcade was, though, this is a must-purchase.

Micro Machines V4 is a worthy part of a traditionally sublime racing series, but its appeal mostly lies with the party gamer set. And sometimes that's enough.