Simulation junkies might be turned off by the exaggerated goal scoring, comical commentary and cute gimmick cameras, but a bevy of gameplay options can remove all such tom-foolery from the game.

The awe inspiring graphics, excellent music, intuitive gameplay, and replay value round out an excellent game that will rival "Metal Gear Solid 2" as game of the year.

A continuation of a landmark series that has so far highlighted some of the best gameplay to be found on the PSX.

Easily one of the best games available for the N64, Paper Mario is a fantastic experience that shouldn't be missed.

"Chrono Cross'" music is breathtakingly beautiful, and its sheer power makes the story even more profound and moving.

Now hold on to your colons and prepare to experience one of the craziest, dirtiest, most offensive 3-D platformers you've ever seen - and be ready to laugh your a** off every step of the way.

Gorgeous graphics, pleasant music, and an engaging (although somewhat cliché) story combine in a fitting conclusion to the PlayStation series of Final Fantasy titles.

From player ratings, to defensive-back AI, to ball physics, they've made a lot of smart adjustments to the game that may go unnoticed by many gamers, but are a joy to discover for savvy football gamers.

A must-buy for anyone who enjoyed last year's game -- and also anyone looking for an all-around fun game with the power to turn friends into enemies.

The levels are masterfully designed, the learning curve is smooth and gradual, and the variety in gameplay makes this game appropriate for both novice and expert gamers alike.

MGS2 includes all kinds of incentive to play the game again and again, including the new collectable "Dog Tag" feature, but to be honest the real replay value lies with the beauty of the game.

A fantastic game with an at-times atrocious camera system. Nevertheless, an incredible amount of extra features are more than enough to keep Sega's latest in the 'A' range.

In short, this game looks, sounds, and plays like a dream.

Though it is not without its flaws, "Perfect Dark" is the best game yet for the N64 and among the most fun console games ever produced.

An outstanding game, with excellent gameplay and a deep set of features. Finally, the PS2 has a genuine A+ sports title.

Sit this collection on the shelf beside Final Fantasy Anthology and you'll happily own some of the best RPGs ever made.

But for all its other qualities, the one element that elevates Gran Turismo 3 to instant classic status is the incredibly addictive career mode.

From its addictive ProQuest mode and dynamic skeletal animation system to its engaging licensed tunes, it's the proverbial "Tony Hawk" for freestyle BMX fans.

Oh sweet mother of mercy, this is why I picked up a joystick in the first place. Klonoa 2 is as close to a flawless game as I've ever seen.

The control is perfect. Deathmatch standards like circle-strafing are a snap, and pretty much every common FPS convention from crouching to secondary fire functions is supported here.

So damned good I don't know how EA will top this performance next year.

The combination of tight control, classic characters, and an endlessly competitive gameplay balance makes Mario Tennis one of the best multiplayer sports games ever.

When taken as a whole, Ico provides one of the most compelling and emotionally resonant experiences to be had on the PS2.

The incredible versatility of the gameplay, coupled with stellar sound and visuals, make this game nothing less than sheer bliss on a DVD.

It is wonderfully eclectic, irresistibly irreverent, and visually delectable.

Solid controls and complex-but rarely complicated-character interactions combine to produce another classic adventure.

The relative ease of the game means that seasoned platform gamers should blow through this one without much difficulty at all.

If one can get past the rough exterior of this title, they will find a diamond inside that rivals any of the modern role playing games.

If you're a recluse, you must get online access, as the online play is amazingly enjoyable.

Bangai-O takes established, classic gameplay elements and combines them with its own innovations, with the end result being one of the most enjoyable games in recent memory.

Combining breathtaking graphics and phenomenal gameplay Ferrari is one of the most convincing driving simulators available for any system and will thrill fans who love a true racing challenge.

While many had doubts if something as complex and demanding as the Quake 3 engine could be ported to a hardware-limited console, those fears can be swept aside as Quake 3 Arena features sharp and detailed graphics that run at a solid speed even when the fragging heats up.

A decidedly arcade-type title, "Virtua Tennis" doesn't sport full tournaments or rankings but offers fairly long matches, several difficulty settings, basic but effective controls, and excellent sound and visuals.

Undoubtedly, Unreal Tournament gives you a much more complete package and is overall a better game (than "Quake Arena III").

Behind the striking visual façade lies a deep strategy game, enhanced by the interesting addition of ground troops and solid interfaces for both the real-time and turn-based components.

Once you grow accustomed to the style of play you will be treated to a racer with depth and a remarkable presentation.

It's the best-looking, best-playing football sim on the market, but it's a fine upgrade to an excellent game, not the revolutionary title many might have hoped for on the PS2.

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

From the first instant that this GD-ROM starts spinning until the final level is finished, Ecco's gorgeous graphics, amazing soundtrack, and unique premise will captivate players.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the game's graphical engine is how seamlessly and tightly it works with the gameplay.

N64-owning racing fans owe it to themselves to pick up Excitebike 64, as do all gamers who appreciate control schemes that reward repeat playing.

Its fresh twist on the traditional racing model and creative gameplay make this one of the few titles in a flooded genre that really stands out.

With new vehicles, new gameplay features, and more impressive graphics, there is very little to complain about here-except for the lack of a multiplayer mode.

While essentially just a more difficult remix of "Metal Slug 2," Metal Slug X is still one of the finest 2D shoot-em-ups since the original "Contra."

Granted, the horrible pseudo-jazz background music is the equivalent of forced aural sodomy, but the rest of the package is so well put together, a little forced aural sodomy sometimes seems a small price to pay.

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.

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

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.

Combining platform, fighting and some limited shooter elements, Spider-Man effectively interweaves the intense gameplay with a story befitting of the webslinger's comic-based heritage.

Nice graphics and pleasant music enhance a fairly addictive multiplayer experience-just don't expect much in the way of a traditional single player RPG.

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

Vanishing Point features excellent graphics, a good control scheme, and loads of unlockable goodies. However, VP has two attributes that will likely drive some people mad: you must unlock almost everything, and the learning curve is incredibly steep.

This is a game that takes no prisoners. Brutal, raw, fast, and furious this is racing at its finest.

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

This game throws physics and realism out the window in favor of fun and excitement. The dated graphics won't thrill anyone, but the solid gameplay and online capabilities more than make up for these shortcomings.

The hardcore will find this game irresistable, once again foregoing sleep and a social life in the never-ending quest for peace, love, and a +99 Red Pistol.

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.

What could've turned out disastrous is instead one of the most addictive and enjoyable dancing games to see release on US shores.

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

It has flash. It has substance. It will astound you. Sadly, if you want to be astounded for very long, you'll probably need someone to come along for the competition.

An unnaturally fun typing tutor, and a pretty good zombie-blasting undead shooter to boot. Highly recommended, even if you already own the game TotD is based on, "House of the Dead 2."

Here’s a lesson in elegant game design...as pure and enjoyable a game as any in the GameCube launch lineup.

Fans of the original Shenmue will be delighted with the sequel while gamers new to the series should be able to get into the game's deep atmosphere with little difficulty.

If you like F1 games than you will cherish every moment spent with this title.

Great scripting, captivating characters, a good battle system, and two long GD-ROMs worth of game give you the bang for the buck.

A puzzle/action game with depth, humor, and charm.

While it has spectacular graphics and a compelling storyline, the game is marred by extremely linear gameplay, and simplified mechanics make it better suited for beginners rather than veterans.

The best soccer game available. Despite the control flaws and graphic blemishes this game is a marvelous presentation of soccer, albeit slightly watered down for the masses.

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

A pleasant surprise: a Star Wars game with great graphics and superior audio that also manages to be fun.

Nothing especially new or groundbreaking has been added

The most serious complaint comes from a lack of options...Despite this, Guilty Gear's aesthetic beauty and rich gameplay are more than enough for fighting fans.

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.

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

Little more than a slightly enhanced port of an already excellent game.

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

Slightly improved graphics, thoughtfully designed new cities, and two new gameplay modes make CT2 feel more like an add-on than a full sequel. Still, it's an add-on to one of the Dreamcast's best games.

It may not be totally original-the blueprint for this game seems to have been lifted directly out of the "Resident Evil" file-but intuitive controls, outstanding graphics and a wonderfully unsettling soundtrack help this title rise to the top of the PS2 heap.

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

With graphics that far surpass almost everything available for the system, Tooie is a sumptuous sensory delight.

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.

One of gaming's most original plots that can captivate the player so greatly that many of its shortcomings may be over looked.

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.

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.

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

A breath of fresh air in a market saturated with generic driving and shooting titles.

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 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.

A bland storyline is the only thing keeping Red Faction from greatness. Nearly every other aspect of the game shows polish: sound, graphics, weapons, even a fun multiplayer mode.

The player interface is not as streamlined as it should be, and the graphics are not as good as they could have been.

The game almost painlessly combined fast-paced action with elements of stealth similar to those found in "Goldeneye."

While NHL 2001 offers little in the way of new features to the series, it nonetheless delivers the most entertaining hockey game for the PSX this year.

An adeptly designed adventure game that effectively combines elements of several other titles into a highly entertaining - if imperfect - package.

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

XG3 features a thrilling sense of speed which more than makes up for a dull soundtrack and unoriginal environments.

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.

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

Although most of No Mercy's improvements over last year's WWF Wrestlemania 2000 are slight at best, it's still a very good game.