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.