KoF XIII is probably the best game of 2011 for die-hard fans of traditional 2D fighters. From the incredible graphics, to the deeply detailed and difficult-to-master drive cancel combos, to the invigorating options for rushdown and retreat that come with every KoF title, the game feels like the most traditional, yet most skill-rewarding modern fighter on the market.

The world of Trine is breathtaking and a joy to explore, and the developers have a solid, enjoyable game in the second story of the Trine heroes. For $14.99, you are more than getting your money's worth.

Sonic CD is a great game. I paid $300 for an attachment and $50 for the game back in the early '90s to see Sonic at his best. Now all you need is $5 and a few minutes for a file download. Sega could have easily charged twice as much for this much-loved classic.

The two final skirmishes in particular feel internally consistent and well-realized and are great examples of the dynamism possible within Gears' ostensibly rigid and heavy framework.

This utterly delightful game is one everyone owes it to themselves to play.

Anthill: Tactical Trail Defense provides strategic challenges through a variety of different levels. Looking past minor problems in the difficulty -- the levels don't provide as much of a challenge as they probably could -- it's impressive how addictive this game can become. The additional Infinity mode pushes the limits of challenge, and it's here where this game shines.

To say that Voltron: Defender of the Universe is a disappointment is an understatement. What should be blistering action is yawn-inducing and seems more like a chore used to get to the mech sequences, which only serve to disappoint MORE by the sheer mediocrity of them. I'd rather watch the series on Netflix.

Deceptively cute, because behind its adorable facade is a complex game. It's well designed, which you know because you can't see the seams, yet, given all the working parts, you know that every piece of the game is part of an intricate, balanced relationship. What's more, the experience that the gameplay creates subtly, inexplicitly facilitates the sparse, minimalistic narrative bits.

The one thing that it so desperately needs -- entertainment value -- is sorely lacking in areas where it shouldn't, ultimately dragging the title down to the pit of forgotten titles.

Bejeweled is a good way to kill a little bit of time, and PopCap has done a good job with adding variety to the game types, but it is still a shallow title that doesn't require a lot of time, energy or commitment, and something that could get tired very quickly.

Scene It? Movie Night and the Mega Movies pack provide a fun movie trivia party experience that keeps the Scene It? gameplay intact in a downloadable slice. It might just be that cheap little game to keep the family occupied over the holidays, but you had better have some local friends to play it with.

If Infinity Blade was proof that mobile games could be taken seriously, then Infinity Blade II is that very same proof biting any and all detractors on the genitals.

Fusion: Genesis is like a house made of different colored and shaped bricks, but no mortar. It's fun to play with the individual elements yet it all feels a bit unstable as a whole. Still, if you are a big fan of twin-stick shooters and space sims, and if you can overlook its faults while playing it casually, you can still get plenty of hours worth of enjoyment out of it.

As derivative as a game can get, and while we pour scorn on so many other games for rehashing themselves, something tells me this will get a free pass from many critics and gamers. That strikes me as ironic since Mario Kart 7 is the one game I'd hold up as the least deserving of any kind of leniency. It being an unadventurous and predictable retread, however, is only half of Mario Kart 7's problem. The other half is the fact that it's a lethargic and mundane game, easily outpaced by games that could be considered knock-offs of the formula Nintendo itself perfected.

It's a lot of fun indeed. A lot of backbreaking, grueling, soul-destroying fun.

Ultimately, the rising popularity of DLC exposes what a shoddy business model Koei has with these expansions, and while there's still a lot of fun to be had for hack 'n slash fans, it's getting beyond the point where products like this have a place in the industry.

While it may bewilder players new to the genre with the sheer complexity of it all, Anno 2070 succeeds at giving the decade-old series a fantastic makeover.

Anybody who has played any other motion-based carnival adventure, however, will find nothing remarkable at play with this one -- not unless they really want to see animated raccoons screaming incomprehensible drivel at them.

Sadly, while remaining quite fun, the end product is a severely problematic and ultimately shallow exercise that covers familiar territory. While it would make a fairly worthwhile holiday game for the kids, the true potential of the game is tragically unrealized, and those looking for that elusively meaty PS Move title will come away disappointed.

While a good game, the slow response time and ridiculously low FPS almost make Cities XL 2012 unplayable at times.

Not a good game, as I have attempted to stress. It is, however, perversely amusing and would actually make for a fun party distraction. It's one of those rare games that, no matter how poorly I may score it, still comes as a recommended purchase. It's a cheap little kart racer that will, at the very least, entertain via irony and still manages to be a competent -- if broken in several ways -- racer.

I admit that I'm new to using a Xbox 360 controller, but damn if these ladies aren't as slippery and wet as a walrus' throat.

Capturing the breadth of the Dragon Ball Z franchise is no small feat, and Ultimate Tenkaichi does an admirable job. While combat can be a bit on the repetitive side, there's still that hint of satisfaction when you decimate your foe with an canyon-creating power move. There's a lot here for fans to enjoy, and while the story may be streamlined for new fans of the franchise, I can't really recommend it to anyone but the hardcore.

With this extended cast of highly viable characters, the only thing holding you back from picking a group of characters you enjoy is your imagination. While this hastily released upgrade definitely has some room for improvement, there is absolutely enough new content to warrant the purchase.

One must take note of a very simple fact -- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is so damn good that it single-handedly justifies the $49.99 asking price. I would happily pay that for the game on its own, so the fact that it comes with the still-engrossing Sons of Liberty and an extraneous Peace Walker is pure gravy.

Yes, you have to put up with missing Spec Ops missions, a lack of refinement in the online modes for now (add a point onto the final score should the lag issues be properly fixed), and some textures that look like they might have been drawn in Paint. On the other hand, you gain the thrilling speed and fluidity of pointer-based aiming (PlayStation owners ought to start petitioning Activision ASAP for Move integration in the next patch) and a slightly different, possibly better balanced, version of the acclaimed online multiplayer modes.

Technically, it should get a higher score than its Wii counterpart since its graphics are better, it has more content, and its online is more robust. However, I can't say that any of this actually makes the game any better, it just makes for more of it. More of an 8.5 is still an 8.5.

A lot of my driving fantasies were realized in this game. I found myself grinning the whole time, gripping the hell out of the controller, leaning into turns with my body, gritting my teeth as I mashed on the nitro button to boost past rivals. If you've ever found yourself daydreaming about whipping past slow cars on the highway, passing on the sidewalk, or bashing police cars off the road, you're going to love this game.