An excellent way to chew up some time with a rewarding feel each time a puzzle is solved.

The bongo kit which ships with the game is extremely sturdy and takes a severe beating without even giving a hint of breaking.

While Metal Slug 3 does not offer the most gaming around, it does offer some fantastic gameplay. The additional extras extend the games longevity a little bit but really this is a game you buy to play over and over again every so often.

But if you are looking to regain a genre that has been mostly lost to the PS2 until now you need to grab this game (and a joystick), take the phone off the hook and get yourself reacquainted.

The unique gameplay mechanics paired with a tried and tested style of play makes it one of the sleeper titles of the year and while its not a smash hit best selling AAA game, it's something that thinks otuside the square of normal gameplay and offers great fun.

Forces of Corruption, like most expansion packs, is not going to redefine what was already there, but it does put a reasonably interesting twist on what was an already interesting RTS.

It is true Port Royale 2 isn't exactly groundbreaking, but it is a very solid and enjoyable strategy/simulation with loads and loads of gameplay presuming you have the patience and passion to keep playing it.

Ace Combat: Skies of Deception is an ok PSP game, it’s just a shame it also happens to be one of the few flight games found on the PSP, so while it is only moderately impressive, you’re probably not going to do much better if you want airborne action on the go Sony style.

The control system is as good as it is mainly due to the well designed interface. As mentioned, the game is reasonably involved so you will have to spend some time learning what does what, but everything, and I mean everything in this game is so easily accessible.

If there was a criticism of Bomberman to be made, it's that aside from little tweaks -- a few new powerups here, or a multi-screen layout there -- nothing much has changed in the Bomber world since he made his NES debut many, many years ago.

The game features an addictive quality and in some levels will really grab you until they are completed.

A stepping stone to a better game and if EA continue to build on this engine and title they could possibly have the definitive Rugby game.

The development team has done an excellent job in combining fast paced racing gameplay with a unique game mechanic and a bit of action thrown in as well.

Challenging gameplay is enough as far as I'm concerned but when you accompany this with a checkpoint save system which you can't directly dictate, forcing you to reload action up to 20 minutes ago and beyond, the annoyance level simply rises.

Melbourne House have still done a fantastic job and the problems the game does have are very much overshadowed by the authenticity and fantastic gameplay contained within the game.

Just why multiplayer was left out really will be never known, but it is a mistake that Brian Fargo, a reknowned game developer, should not have made.

Quite possibly the most under rated DS game so far.

Super Monkey Ball is one of, if not the best value for money games for the Wii launch.

With one eye on GT for PS3 its easy to see why Tourist Trophy is not as good as GT4 but considering this is the game that bike fans would have been hanging out for, its a shame that it doesn't live up to its older brother.

If you're looking for your next stealth fix and can stomach the games storyline and content, then Manhunt offers an adult experience with a tough challenge for even the most seasoned gamer.

The game offers something for every gamer, from those who remember the games on the disc at the arcade, to those who just want to see what their parents may have played.

Just as playable on PS2 as it was the Xbox.

EA have successfully created a big match atmosphere with the game.

Your eyes won't hurt looking at TrackMania, but you're not going to drool either, it is just a simple graphical setup here.

The sheer amount of content alone and the general high quality feel of the game is enough to make this a must have for most RPG fans. If it wasn't for the bugs and the glitches, this is an easy 90+ game.

At the casual level you're more likely to be wowed by the visuals and less likely to notice the omissions and gaffes; still, it's hard to overlook the fact that the older Madden games for the Xbox/PS2 actually offer more than this supposedly "next generation" title.

Everything they have put in the game melds together fantastically well to create the best spaghetti western game for this generation of console systems.

A decent game but like the first one is too firmly focused away from party games and more on being a golf game.

It’s also a title that allows you to pick up the PSP, play two minutes, and turn it off without losing too much progress.

One of the best western style games ever.

A great advertisement for the DS, and a solid way to spend short bursts of hyperactive gaming time.

If you're after a game where the rules are almost as basic as shoot anything that moves then Kill.Switch will appeal to you, but for a more in depth storyline and military experience, its best to look elsewhere.

Those new to the franchise will find a truly superb game in GUN, but for anyone coming back for a second helping, chances are you will be disappointed.

There is no doubting Cossacks II is a great RTS, however its overwhelming difficulty and, at times, overwhelming complexity, make it one for the "hardcore fans" only - whether that be the hardcore fans of this war era, or hardcore fans of RTS games who are looking for a serious challenge.

The single player campaign is too short and doesn't throw you into the ‘whole navy vs whole navy' action quickly enough - the main appeal of this game is definitely the Live features. To sum up, Midway is innovative, but it ultimately doesn't go far enough.

One for the puzzle fans but unless you absolutely want to just draw lines all day, "Zoo Keeper" offers a much better gaming experience and has a lot more features.

I-Ninja takes the stereotypes typically used around ninja characters, and exploits them into quite a humorous and enjoyable game.

It may not offer the best view of the war in terms of realism, but the action flows thick and fast in this hybrid World War II/Vietnam shooter.

It may be a little cheaper but its worth forking out the extra for "Flatout" unless the modes unique to this game really impress you.

Spark took hold of the project to completion and while the game is fairly decent, it is a shame they didn't have the spark to polish it as much as the PC version.

While the game does have some originality and unique features, ultimately the repetitive nature and button mashing feel to the game kills any thoughts of being a top quality title.

With a pinch of a few extended scenes from the upcoming ROTK Extended Edition, an exorbitant amount of film footage with narration by Sir Ian Mckellen and Sir Christopher Lee, the game is packed with lots to watch and places to explore. It comes highly recommended.

It's worth checking out for the PC gamers looking for a bit of a twist to their third person action gaming, but it isn't the sleeper hit of 2005 that I was hoping, certainly not the "free world" game it was touted to be.

For now European Assault is only for the truly hardcore MOH fan or someone who just hasn't got enough of WWII games already.

Sadly this is another title that suffers from a lack of replay value.

Many games in the past captured the essence of brutal fantasy gridiron nicely, but none could have dreamed up this much depth and detail.

A game that won't appeal to fans of traditional role playing games but is very much suited for those who want to get into the genre without being defeated because they didn't use a particular style of armor or haven't leveled enough.

Not only does the 3D engine add far more versatility to the game, but you get the overall feeling far more attention to detail went into this sequel.

This is the best World Cup licensed game ever produced and EA has made a huge effort to give us a slight glimpse at what FIFA 2007 will look like on the next generation consoles.

It features a great variety of modes and decent gameplay mechanics but when it boils down to it the different modes are built around the same engine just with different attributes such as length of time, tasks at hand etc.

The inclusion of familiar characters is no doubt a bonus to the game and the way the developers have tried to move the gameplay from those games to a new medium was very ambitious and in some cases did not come off, but others like Samba De Amigo and Space Channel 5 can very easily be ported to a new control system.

Sony made a fatal mistake in excluding a tournament style game mode and restricting “proper” soccer to exhibition games, but even so what they have put together still has a lot of fun.

Despite the easy style of the game, it can be enjoyed by both adults and children.

It's not "GTA4" nor is it trying to be but it does borrow some elements from the game to create one of the cheesiest and most playable games of the year so far, its just not as fully realized as it could have been.

The latest and best bike title on the PS2 and probably any console to date.

You may not have heard of Starshatter but if you're a space combat fan you really should have.

The worst strike against Pac-Pix is that the charm and shine wears off very quickly indeed.

There's no doubt that AntiGrav is better than Monkey Mania, and as an indicator of future game ideas, it's quite good - but the number of gamers with the necessary physical skills and patience for AntiGrav itself will probably be very small indeed.

Possibly the best choice for those wanting a Sims game without having to do the house decorations and design, and for those who just want to be able to keep playing and playing without worrying to much about time management and having to deal with mundane tasks in an on going fashion.

It’s action all the way with this one and it will provide at least a few hours of fun gameplay.

The visuals are simply amazing, particularly for a title from this genre, and the depth of the units isn't too shabby either, however it lacks that finishing polish and precise execution that would have made it that much better.

The new additions probably aren't enough for owners of the PS2 version to shell out the full asking price again for the Xbox version but for those new to the franchise it offers a decent experience which should keep fans of ninja games happy for a while, despite its flaws.

Bugbear Entertainment have put together some truly challenging tracks, a great amount of fictional cars and also added a bit humour to the mix with the lack of seat belts and great mini games.

Each game takes twenty seconds if that, but the ‘just one more time’ mentality may have you missing you bus or train stop many times over.

A great game which combines three of the most popular series around today; Civilization, Sim City and Command and Conquer.

A platform game with lots of adventure, humorous elements and a ton of gameplay.

Unfortunately though, some key design decisions mixed with gameplay that, whilst solid, is very repetitive produces an experience that the casual gamer will probably struggle to fall in love with.

The developers have done a fantastic job porting the game except for a few graphics problems although the online play was surprisingly tolerable even with the servers in Europe.

Reasonably basic improvements.

It does become repetitive but the level design, mission structure and small variety of missions makes it easier to swallow, creating an overall decent third person action game for the fans.

If you simply need a game to continue the style of titles such as "Grabbed by the Ghoulies" then The Haunted Mansion will definitely suffice, but don't expect the same level of graphics quality or gameplay.

One of the Wii's better launch games and the control system is unmatched at this stage.

The game for the most part works quite well, but the repetitive nature, boring levels and lack of variety in mission objectives keeps this from being as impressive as a "Rainbow Six" game.

It works well as a team based action game, with quick gameplay online and the single player experience is probably the most in depth you will find from a game of this style, with its only competitor being games such as Counter-Strike from Microsoft.

Wet floors shine, cupboards seem to have depth rather than the badly rendered facade that perhaps you are used to and the lighting is rich and really adds to the uneasiness of this game.

The Chronicles of Narnia does have its problems but it also succeeds bringing the movie across to a fairly decent and playable game.

While the gameplay is well supplemented with the ability to control time and space in certain aspects, the problem is these aspects are too scripted, and even when the game isn't telling you exactly what to do and how to do it, it is still too obvious what works where, basically creating predictable and unimaginative gameplay.

The Punisher may not have turned out as well as some may have hoped, but the PS2 version is definitely the one to pick up.

It's no "NFS Underground 2" or "Midnight Club 3" but it is a worthwhile addition to any racing game fan's library with its unique features, strong career mode and easy pick up and play engine.

If you go in with a mindset of finding a 2D version of GTA3 with a few small problems you will probably enjoy the game.

One area which is great about the game however is the ability to play co-operative multiplayer on the same console.

Visually speaking True Crime is not what I would call an example of PC graphic splendor, it is clear that this title was not specifically designed for high end PC's but rather its console counterpart.

A niche title that some people may enjoy but the target market being fans of Naval warfare games may see the alternate universe storyline a bit much and the fact the ships handle unrealistically well as well.

While it’s not going to revolutionize the genre nor is it even a AAA title, it’s by no means a poor game and the ongoing action will really be music to the ears of FPS fans.

A decent game that perhaps relies on the license it is built on a bit to much. When you take that away you have quite an average boxing game and really only boxing fans or those who love the Rocky series of movies are likely to enjoy this title.

The gameplay is good at times, but buggy, tedious and repetitive at other times.

On the minus side, they seem to think that Mary Jane Watson is extremely chubby, and that Peter Parker doesn't in fact look like Tobey Maguire - instead, he looks like the bizarre love child of Maguire and Jerry Seinfeld. It's a striking image, and one that may just haunt your nightmares for some time to come.

Once you complete the game you will feel as if it had been slapped together with quickset glue and the storyline, whilst adding to the game, is the biggest disappointment of all, primarily because of the way it ends.

Top Spin PS2 has come across quite well but really, if you have both consoles, then the Xbox version is the better bet.

While it is no Sim City, the simplified interface and game mechanics will appeal to some, but it also remains the game’s biggest downfall. A little more variety could have had this one a real winner.

Rather than having to find a save point or complete a level to save the game, Crash will update the save every time after a mini game which makes it perfect for a quick game while on the go.

The action is fast and furious but repetitive and really it adds up to only an average game. Sega can definitely do better.

The game is so unique and original that DS owners have to play it, but the fact it’s so short makes it not worth coughing up the cash for.

A funny, challenging and very creative adventure title that should have any fan of this classic genre enthralled. The storyline is odd but filled with great characters and twists, the voice acting is second to none, and the design and makeup of the game itself leaves little to be desired.

An almost direct arcade port that will last a maximum of two or three hours first time through.

Collision detection is extremely sloppy, and there's some inexcusable stuff, like ranged weapons that fail to register solid hits because they're still busy registering the previous shot, and a camera that's very mercurial in its performance.

It's a shame because under the skin of absolutely stupid game modes, there is a fairly accomplished wrestling game.

Everything about the game oozes both style and the replication of a 1930s era is second to none.