It's got all the qualities that made people love the genre in the days before the PlayStation, plus a nifty battle program and some impressive anime videos to boot.

While CB 2001 isn't exactly up to the standards of some other titles on the market, for anyone interested in extreme sports titles, it's well worth a try.

The graphics are excellent (minus the very noticeable anti-aliasing issues) but the gameplay is analogous to driving a tank with broken treads.

If you're expecting Madden 2002 on the N64 to compare in any way, shape or form with the PlayStation 2 version, you're going to be sorely disappointed.

A grim reminder of how lackluster sequels and apathy can kill even a promising franchise.

Fast, fun and furious in small doses, but it wasn't made for prolonged exposure.

When you’re talking about a Miyamoto launch title, "pretty good" just won’t cut it.

Old school sadists will love the ongoing screen-filling barrage of enemy fire, but most mortals won't have the persistence needed to finish the game.

The slammin' soundtrack and an engaging trick system overcome a somewhat inconsistent framerate to make Kinetica more interesting than most its competitors.

Graphically the game is unequaled on the PSone, but things like poor scripting, painful voice acting and tired puzzle elements reduce the overall appeal significantly.

Excellent presentation and a well-implemented concept make the frequent frustration bearable, but a healthy dose of persistence is required to get the most out of this unique title.

The game could be handy to a dedicated user, but the complexity of the design is going to drive those with only a casual interest away.

Murky, poorly defined graphics, an atrocious frame rate and terrible level design culminate to produce a title almost completely lacking in entertainment value whatsoever. Avoid like the black death.

Fans of the original will enjoy the game, but there is the danger that this Hostile Territory will seem more like Familiar Territory.

Whether you're new to the series, thoroughly sick of it, or can't wait to get back to raising monsters, this game has the capability to surprise, amaze and enthrall you.

Obviously dated, lacking the elaborate stories and special modes of many current fighting games. Still, the gameplay covers up the inadequacies in most respects.

With bugs galore, shoddy fielding, and poor base running AI, ASB 2002 takes a step down from the series' legacy of excellence.

MX 2002 is on the good side of average, but it still doesn't stand out from the crowd.

Sega has basically taken their arcade property, which by itself was very limited in depth, and has notably enhanced it for the home market.

Lodoss War offers a good time, but you'd better like the inherent inanity of dungeon-romps to get anything out of it.

In spite of a few omissions, Another Age is near exactly the expansion that gamers were looking for.

The handling is drastically better than it was on the PSone, but horrendous anti-aliasing issues, draw-in, and loading times are still present.

It's as close to a non-EA Sports "must-have" game as any of the PS2 launch titles.

What's the point of having 3D graphics if the gameplay doesn't even make an attempt to break into the Z-axis?

What set out to be "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater" with bikes has turned into a pretty dull aping of the Pro Skater experience with numerous graphic and gameplay issues.

Features the same ingredients that made the original delightful, but with new villains and a well thought out story.

Some of the mini-games are pretty bad and the single player mode is still not worth trying, but on the whole this is a very enjoyable game.

At times the game is a confusing mix between the real and the surreal, but the saddest truth is that this unique experience is over much too soon.

A fine squad-level strategy RPG and one of the last excuses you'll have to spend 30 or 40 hours with your PSone.

Full of eye-candy and finger-blistering, non-stop action, Silpheed will please any shooting fan.

The actual gameplay has changed imperceptibly in Mutant Academy 2, but six new characters and six new stages make it feel like a much more complete fighting game.

A leaden interface almost completely nullifies any enjoyment one might derive from this otherwise unique blend of action, adventure and puzzle elements.

If you are looking for a historical strategy sim you will be disappointed with Kessen's superficial treatment of military planning. But if you are seeking eye candy and a trite but entertaining story you'll likely be thrilled with this title.

Offers precious little new to the series, and is sorely lacking in inspiration. Namco has released a derivative knock-off of its own series.

Unless you've got a thing for mediocre fighting games with half-animal women dressing in shamelessly whorish outfits, there's not much to see here.

Just another kart racer. It's really not interesting or fun enough to set itself apart from the million other kart racers on the market.

With new gameplay modes and new challenges, Dr. Mario 64 is a fresh and entertaining experience even to gamers who have spent countless hours playing its forerunners. It may be short on innovation, but it's a pleasing remake of a masterfully crafted formula.

While some subtle improvements have been made, many of the game's original flaws remain, including lackluster gameplay and a dull story.

Slightly above average graphics, bland and repetitive gameplay and little to no innovation combine to make this arcade racer quite forgettable.

With its frantic pace and gorgeous visuals, it’ll have everyone in the room clamoring for a shot at the action.

Though it has plenty of rough edges, the wacky cartoonish graphics and the bizarre sense of humor compensate nicely. Excessive loading is obnoxious.

A few scattered mini-games and some creative segments help to break up the been-there, done-that monotony, but still don't manage to extend the game's lifespan more than a couple of hours.

While it lacks multiplayer and there isn't a whole lot to do once the game has been completed, Deep Fighter's 36 missions will keep the gamer interested for long enough to justify its cost.

Gameplay is pretty shallow stuff, but it's also somehow more intense, and much more challenging, than recent games in the series.

The pitcher-batter interface works well but an enormous list of bugs and flaws probably related to a shrinking development budget are just too much to bear.

If you're looking for a deliciously shallow, unquestionably mindless action platformer (the kind they don't make like they did back in the proverbial day), "Strider 2" is a perfect shelter from the storm of "Tomb Raider" clones diluting the market.

Despite expectations, many gamers will find themselves disappointed by Oni's frustrating gameplay and lack-luster presentation. However, Oni is not a total loss, and succeeds at moving us one step closer to a true three-dimensional representation of classics like "Streets of Rage."

The game succeeds on so many levels that the flawed gameplay borders on tragedy. The only reason I felt compelled to play the game was to enjoy the graphics and sound, but unfortunately that isn't enough.

Raw isn’t a bad game, it just needs more. More wrestlers, more moves, more options, more gameplay modes...

Gadget Racers makes itself infinitely more accessible than the intimidating Gran Turismo games, and therefore a wonderful racer for the rest of us.

It plays a decent game of pigskin and isn't exactly harsh on the eyes, but with such clearly superior titles on shelves and on the way, it seems silly to lay your money down for anything but the best.

Without the fromping huge arcade cabinet, the steering wheel as big as your head and a few friends fighting over who gets to play next, it just isn't the same.

If you have the time, patience, and inclination to build your own RPGs but don't know how to program yourself, then RPG Maker is the perfect solution.

The graphics and sound are excellent, but the most constricting drawback is the extremely long gameplay-disrupting load times.

Likely to elicit plenty of "Oooohs!" and "Ahhhhs!" from your friends, The Bouncer simply doesn't have enough substance to satisfy diehard gamers.

An above average effort on the PS2. Basically an enhanced port of the N64 sleeper.

Featuring a well-developed storyline and numerous exclusive modes for this home version, Silent Scope 2 falters primarily when it comes to accurately targeting your enemies.

An inferior adventure game compared to just about any of the Sierra or LucasArts efforts of the last decade. Unless you're one of the cartoon series' handful of fans, steer clear.

All Sports Jam delivers are loose interpretations of one or two facets of all your favorite sports in one smallish game that grows tiresome after only a couple hours.

The absence of the sniper rifle peripheral, which made the arcade game exceptional, sucks the life out of this title.

City Crisis won't rekindle interest in the genre, but it will eat up a few days of your time.

A spiritual descendant of the Bushido Blade series, Kengo is a pretty bad game that doesn't live up to its fine heritage.

Just as "Devil Dice" and "Intelligent Qube" showed that originality can still flourish in the puzzle genre, One Piece Mansion provides a welcome respite from the newest "been there, done that" version of Tetris or Bust-a-Move.

B-Movie fans will enjoy the extreme gore and hilariously overwrought dialog, but those looking for genuine shocks will be sorely disappointed.

Oozing with a creepy atmosphere and scary ambiance, this title is best described as a survival horror game played in first person, unfortunately the comparison also holds true for the control scheme, which is frustrating enough at first without the mouse to turn off most casual gamers.

Unfortunately, the experience is horribly marred by a complete lack of replay value, which makes Virtua Athlete almost too short to qualify even as a rental.

The inspired concept is wasted by it's dull and monotonous gameplay, resulting in a disappointing game. While the graphics are great and the game is fun, the replay value is nearly nil.

Motor Mayhem has outstanding graphics and an impressive arsenal of weapons. However, the good stuff ends there.

Some questionable AI problems (like weak goalies), horrendous sound, and some minor control issues disqualify this game from the finals.

The thrills are as cheap and quick as the gameplay is shallow and you probably won't be playing it a month after purchase. That all sounds very negative, but above all else, arcade games are good fun, and so is WarJetz.

A mindless shoot 'em up in every sense, and doesn't try to conceal that fact. If this type of gameplay appeals to you, give this circus a chance.

Features fine graphics, a unique backstory, and atrocious controls.

A couple of the game's levels show some interesting design (the deck of a cruise ship and a hellishly unrealistic portrayal of New York as a post-apocalyptic wasteland), but the lack of real innovation in the game severely limits its lifespan.

Presentation, however, cannot makeup for poor gameplay, something that Heavy Metal has in abundance.

If you're a huge fan of the original Gundam series, this is your Game of the Year...On the other hand, if you're just looking for a fun game, Jaburo will likely bore you with snail's pace gameplay and frustrating missions.

The combination of uninspired settings, generic enemy designs, and spotty visuals makes Dragon Valor the very definition of a forgettable game.

Most of the time, it's duller than a bread knife, and even when it's supposed to be exciting, it's just tedious.

The visual effects in the game look amateurish, which compliment the wretched gameplay rather nicely.

While including enough varied modes of gameplay to set it apart from most RPGs on the market, Orphen's inconsistent presentation and oftentimes stale gameplay make it one of the Playstation 2's more forgettable launch titles.

Load times and boring mini-games will have this one appearing in the used game bin faster than you can say "ugh." It's my duty as a human being to warn all against even thinking about buying this game.

The graphics are really chunky and the sound effects are, at best, unobtrusive. Still, you don't necessarily play a game like this for the graphics. You play it for the hyper-cheezy commentary from Retired Sheriff John Bunnell and the modest thrill of keeping the peace.

A mixed bag of game design that's too complex for casual gamers and far too irritating for hard core RPG fans.

The story isn't gripping, and the combat grows wearisome, but the game's strength - its ability to make you feel like you really are a part of Gothos - makes for a worthwhile experience.

In the end it's just a run-of-the-mill action game with few assets and lots of faults.

Think of this game as Tomb Raider Lite-it features a similarly obnoxious control scheme in a much cheerier universe.

989 Sports should be pelted with sweaty towels for releasing a football game with so many glaring gameplay flaws. When the collision detection is so bad that players can literally run through their fellow athletes, you know something's dreadfully wrong.

While the game perfectly captures the mood of the Evil Dead movies both graphically and aurally, poor control in combination with tedious combat makes playing this game a real chore.

Reaching into new depths of crappiness that few developers have dared explore, Konami has tried to hide a poorly-made PSone RPG in PS2 packaging.

I've never read the novels this game is based on, and thanks to the suffering that I called playing Dragon Riders, I never will.

Rampant slowdown exacerbates the already flawed gameplay mechanics, and the game can be played just as well with or without applying any amount of skill.

It's always interesting to have the option of being the bad guy, but truly bland gameplay and a relatively short quest sap the fun and make this a rental at best.

A game that can only generate slight indifference.

Realizing that you have just spent 40 hard earned dollars on a game that is barely more enjoyable than reading a cereal box really takes the cake in terms of excruciating actualization.

Great course diversity and a choice of four vehicle classes should motivate players to ignore the initial frustration and get to the good stuff.

It's just plain awful. Even the most rabid of KISS fans would do well to avoid this piece of junk...Squeeze all you want; there's no possible way you could wring even a drop of enjoyment out of KISS Pinball.