One of the best fighting titles to grace the PlayStation.

Those older than six will breeze through the game within a few hours, while younger players may have difficulty trying to figure out how to make Mickey do what they want him to do.

A huge play selection, terrific graphics, extensive gameplay modes (including the online options), and a new first-person view make Madden NFL 2003 one of the best football games available.

While Madden NFL 2003 is far from perfect, it is a solid all-around effort that runs circles around the competition.

Those who have already experienced earlier versions of Duke Nukem will grow weary of this diluted version rather quickly.

It’s too simplistic and oftentimes annoying due to a hyperactive camera.

An all-around disappointment for anyone expecting substantial improvements to the core engine.

Tries to tie together "The X-Files" with something along the lines of "Red Dawn" but ends up being yet another boring 3D beat-'em-up that offers nothing new to the genre and everything wrong with it.

A beautiful looking game, with animation as smooth as a Disney cartoon and a distinct style of artwork that could easily lend itself to a movie.

There's not nearly enough depth to this title, so replay value is completely dependant on how players enjoy the demolition derby action. If that's really all you want, then Totaled! should be viewed as a smashing success.

One of the more pleasant surprises on the Xbox, but players must be prepared to steel themselves against some trying play mechanics.

Those looking only to buy this title for the Glitter Oasis course will find the game little more than standard fare.

What makes the title so special is the constant rewards players receive from just participating in a single game.

Though it lacks extreme excitement, Stuart Little 2 is a cute game. And children who do not require an extensive challenge for a game to be fun will enjoy the adventure -- at least for a Little while.

Riddled with decent attempts at notability, and whether successful or not, overall the game provides plenty of furry rodent fun with no messy cleanup.

As much as in the original WarCraft and all the Blizzard games that followed, the player is placed in the story with a perfect perspective on each different race’s dreads and hopes.

One of the most irritating aspects, other than the stiff animation, boring levels, and ridiculous system for buying moves, is the sound during the action sequences.

With solid statistics tracking, a superb replay feature from various camera angles after each leg, and a diverse selection of race modes, cars, and tracks, GT Advance 2: Rally Racing offers heavy horsepower in the GBA racing garage.

Some will be able to excuse the lack of depth and absence of anything new in return for pure shooting action reminiscent of earlier arcade games. Of course, others will find MiB II’s repetitiveness and short length appropriately forgettable.

Yet the action isn’t complex, and most enemies can be defeated within your first attempt by simply relying on rapid button tapping.

What begins as an interesting premise quickly deteriorates into a largely annoying trip due to restrictions placed on a player's freedom and the developers artificially ramping up the difficulty by refusing to let players know what they are supposed to be doing before the film starts rolling.

One of the silliest baseball games ever and is one of few to have such a balanced combination of style, humor, and gameplay.

The enemies are repetitive, the puzzles are simple, and players aren't given much freedom to explore, but what is here is fun to play -- thanks to an interesting story, excellent sound effects, and well-animated visuals.

It offers great tracks, real-world bikers, encouraging music, and a huge satisfaction factor.

While Wipeout Fusion does not stray too far from the formula created by the original, the small pieces it does alter often detract from what made the previous titles so great.

Unfortunately FireBlade's visuals are a notch below most offerings for 2002, but the control is what ultimately keeps this title grounded.

It's a pity the single-player story mode isn't a little more engaging, because it's the only thing keeping Neverwinter from getting the maximum rating.

While Downforce does not run very deep, it does run fast, furious, and most importantly, fun.

Rather than featuring play-by-play and color commentary, the folks at Tecmo decided that Bon Jovi-inspired rock music would be the way to go. This touch of bad medicine to an otherwise decent soccer game, gives Super Shot Soccer a bad name.

Kids of nearly all age levels will become quickly enthralled with the adventure.

The game's depth allows many different strategies and styles of play, the multiplayer modes offer extended options, and the graphics make exploring each map a pleasure.

Gameplay is addictive, but only to those who enjoy the specific genre.

A trifle of a game made more appealing by its suggested price.

The golf engine is solid, the visuals are striking, and the play modes are impressive. A few tweaks to the interface, more courses, and less reliance on scripted cut-scenes would put this title right in the same league as "Tiger Woods PGA Tour" series, which is great company to be in.

For an older, previously exposed group of kids, Disney’s Lilo & Stitch will extract resounding approvals and applause.

A dream come true for those who didn't think it was possible for a console title to approach the level of depth found in a PC role-playing game.

The action is not nearly violent enough to satisfy one's bloodlust, the characters look different but function essentially the same, and matches lack any form of strategy associated with the sport.

While the adventure mode has a short wick, a robust selection of multiplayer options extends the life of this title and certainly makes it worth investigating, particularly for younger fans of the Bomberman franchise.

The story is fairly solid, though sci-fi based, and the background and environments are quite beautiful in places, but the voice-acting, pace, gameplay, and interface conspire to set the entire production only slightly above amateur material.

Once you advance through Arcade Mode, which spans 11 fighters, there’s nothing here to hold your interest. No career, no create-a-boxer, no save feature to improve on top performances or knockout times -- not even a two-player contest, which is inexcusable.

A pile of Dooku... In total, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Mace Windu will slog through eight tedious lightsaber fights and three horribly pixilated driving sequences while trying to save the galaxy from a sinister alliance.

The game feels closest to 1980s arcade titles in terms of structure and fun.

While it's entirely possible that a game based on designing and managing an office could be entertaining, Big Biz Tycoon's bare-bones attempt is disappointing even by the low standards of value-priced tycoon games.

Controls are clunky, aiming is difficult, the world is noticeably less interactive, and the graphics are merely adequate.

A surprisingly solid rendition of pinball that will please adults and children alike, proving games don't have to skimp on features just to appeal to younger audiences.

While the game stops short of extending the pretensions of the film by concentrating on the simplistic tasks of taming and nurturing wild horses in order to return them to Homeland and "safety," the premise and gameplay is about as exciting as watching prairie grass grow.

With a story line based very closely on its movie counterpart, Hey Arnold! The Movie is similar in play and repetitive fun to "Super Mario Bros.," yet boasts the improved graphics of the GBA.

Offers nothing to improve upon past greats in the genre.

A well-conceived concept suffering from a somewhat lackluster execution.

The entire game from start to finish can be completed in under an hour, with level design as generic as the title.

The ability to play with three other skilled hunters adds to the twisted fun, and is what ultimately raises The Reckoning just above an average rating.

Fun with impressive character development, replay, variety, and gore.

The one element that will annoy more players than anything else is the rigid camera system that displays fixed angles when traversing the levels.

It's far from perfect, but Sega's franchise is finally back on track after a prolonged slump.

Feels like some goofy little game you might download for free on the Internet and play for a couple of minutes.

The many changes, both minor and major, will be a welcome addition to those who purchased the original, and for gamers who didn't, now's the time to get both.

It's simple but oddly addictive.

Oddly though, despite the game's limited premise, Britney's Dance Beat holds a curious mixture of addictive gameplay and fascination.

Exactly the same game as older [Genesis] players remember -- no upgrade in graphics, no extra levels or missions, and no multiplayer support.

Players with high-end systems will enjoy the scenery and gameplay more, but the pauses and stuttering framerate will annoy everyone.

For a game priced in the budget range, Baseball Mogul 2003 is one of the best bargains in the annals of sports management simulations.

If you like your trivia game shows dry, humorless, and without flash, The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Trivia Challenge budget title from Gunnar Games is a must for your collection.

Unfortunately, these "real-world" feelings are nothing more than lapses in programming in this action/simulation.

For young dinosaur enthusiasts it would be an appropriate choice as it's based on a peaceful premise and contains no graphic content or gore.

It's a game dripping with atmosphere, literally, and ranks as one of the most impressive GameCube achievements in sound and visuals to date.

The game feels as if it's a throwback to shooters made prior to games like Unreal, and while reliving a few scenes from the movie is enjoyable, it's just not enough.

It’s just a shame that one of your biggest opponents is the game interface itself.

The camera issues will frustrate more than a few players. The variety of missions is a plus, but the casualty is a lack of cohesiveness.

While the crisp graphics and bonus levels put the Xbox Spider-Man game slightly ahead of the PS2 and GameCube versions, indoor sequences are still problematic with an uncooperative camera that rarely stays behind the web-slinger as he flits across the room.

The game's plot doesn't follow the movie's, and those expecting a realistic, polished look to the visuals will be let down.

Clearly designed for youngsters despite it not being labeled on the packaging, Blender Bros. lacks the depth veteran players expect from a platform game on a Nintendo system.

A great effort, but fans of puzzle games will find it lacking. Its originality and simplicity are its strength, but all the pretty graphics in the world can't make up for the lack of enjoyment.

Definitely a title worth looking into for newcomers to the genre, since the learning curve is fairly small, while veteran RTS gamers will find quality gameplay with an emphasis on strategy.

This "nail-biting thriller" has more plod to the plot than most Agatha Christie novels, and use of the psychic abilities of the protagonist, Joseph Shamley, is sorely needed to make sense of some of the baffling leaps in continuity.

Part patch and part expansion, and players will begrudgingly shell out for the experience.

Presentation is the area in which Dungeon Siege truly shines, surpassing the techniques of its third-person RPG forbearers by a quantum leap and rivaling the best efforts of contemporary 3D releases in other genres.

While it might not be quite as feature intensive on a technical level as the "The Chessmaster" series, it's an enjoyable, well-made chess simulation that provides the essential elements of the game and even manages to break some new ground.

The shallow gameplay elicits more yucks than nyuks and the lack of anything new will have players quickly saying "Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye" to The Three Stooges' chances of earning a spot in their library.

The underlying problem is that despite being the originator of the first-person shooter, Wolfenstein 3D just doesn't hold up nearly ten years after its original release as PC shareware.

With tons of new features and careful attention given to the original formula, the series remains one of the best in the genre.

An average design effort that suffers from rushed production (the "save game" screen is primarily made up of huge blocky text and boxes) and a flawed engine.

The organization of the immense database allows both novices and experts to equally enjoy the challenge.

Multiplayer fans will benefit the most, as the expansion offers new maps and a whole new environment for legalized mayhem.

Chances are the majority of players will try some of the single-player game, become frustrated or bored, and then move on to the outstanding multiplayer modes.

A bland take on the sport that just doesn't have what it takes to match up to the competition.

Any potential excitement is sabotaged by uninspired gameplay.

Gamers looking for big changes in the series, though, won't find the experience much different than earlier King's Field titles.

It's likely that fans of the series will find The Sims: Vacation more of a luxury than a necessity.

Although the game is short-lived, some thought and creativity clearly went into the production, and there are just enough extras to keep Britney fans happy.

Apart from a new trivia quiz, the collection delivers just about what you'd expect from such an anthology.

The meticulous planning may discourage the action fan, and the exorbitant storyline may initially dissuade the die-hard role-player, but both will find familiar elements and enjoyable new challenges in this well-built game.

Veteran RTS gamers may be put off by the simplicity, but novice players should be able to jump right into the plastic wars quickly.

Discordant level design, irritating controls, sub-par graphics and sound, and a general lack of the proper Ripping Friends spirit are the game's most notable features.

There is considerable room for improvement, but Pirates is a hearty choice for those who'd rather focus on attacking than adventuring.

Even with the ordinary combat and rather tedious puzzles, Blood Omen 2 still manages to be compelling enough to keep you playing to the end, which is a testament to the overall presentation and varied locales.

The core gameplay is spoiled by a rare complaint for a racing game: it's just too darn fast.

On a purely technical level, the collection is rock-solid, with graphics, sound, and gameplay that are generally accurate to their arcade counterparts.

Less demanding players will be more tolerant of the game's repetitive nature, while others will yearn for something juicier to sink their teeth into.