Cleverly designed, overwhelmingly cute, and devoted to fun, Kirby Mass Attack is a game that should become part of your handheld library without question.

A great game indeed, one that fans will most assuredly adore. It does lack that unique, intangible spark that the past two games had, but that does not mean it's a poor game in any way. I have my disappointments, but I cannot claim I had a bad time. That Gears of War 3 doesn't quite live up to expectations is only a testament to how high Epic raised the bar in past efforts.

The planes feel right, and the combat, while not exactly in-depth, provides for some fun moments. This game may not be the best of its class, or put forth any noteworthy new concepts, but it shouldn't be allowed to slip into obscurity, either.

Given that all of the Bit.Trip games are almost perfect as-is, and that this collection has so much new content -- all of it top-notch -- and that this is a $40 budget release at retail... well, I think I have to go whole hog on this one. It feels weird to finally go ahead and commit to this sacred, borderline magical number, but it's the truest form of expression I have at my disposal to show you just how much enjoyment I've gotten from this compilation.

Bit.Trip SAGA stands alone as a visually enhanced, portable repackaging of some of the best games of this generation of consoles. Just like Paris, Bit.Trip SAGA is for lovers.

A great example of what talented developers can do with Microsoft's Kinect technology when they think creatively...Twisted Pixel's original characters and oddball sense of humor -- married with enjoyable gameplay -- add up to a special gameplay experience worth of your time if you own Kinect.

I had a ball playing it, and seven hours passed without me noticing. I recommend Blocks That Matter to fans of blocks, and just about anyone who loves indie games.

Hard Reset is truly a great experience, especially for fans of titles such as Painkiller and Serious Sam. Its devotion to distilled, pure, videogame violence is something that deserves respect, and the fact it's performed so sleekly and satisfyingly is a fantastic surprise. With Hard Reset, an excellent sense of level design and game balance has been married to a ruthless difficulty and voraciously furious combat to create something that tests the nerves and addicts the mind.

It's Terry Cavanagh's best game to date, and one of the best platformers I've ever played. If you have any interest in challenging platformers whatsoever, you'd be doing yourself a disservice not to pick up VVVVVV.

Double D isn't the most tightly produced of shooters, but it's a laugh. With genuinely amusing, self-deprecating humor peppered throughout, and increasingly ridiculous opponents to tackle, Mommy's Best Games has produced something that is sure to entertain, even if it doesn't inspire.

he games really just have not aged well at all, and the terrible up-and-down of the matches to get you to pump tokens into the game still remain, making it an incredibly frustrating fight.

There's a lot to like here, and I think the game could be great in a year or two, but the quality level simply varies too much. If you're a Franchise nut who's been aching for a broadcast look and better visuals, you're in luck this year. Those seeking a significantly improved on-the-field experience, well, hey... be thankful that you can watch the NFL on Sundays.

If you're looking for something more complex or serious, you need to look elsewhere. There is no score, no leaderboards, no achievements to be found here. Just music-making fun.

Awful design, a counter-intuitive art style, and an obscenely cheap approach to difficulty makes BloodRayne: Betrayal a game that should be avoided by all but the most masochistic and deranged of gamers. The deep revulsion that this game inspires within me cannot accurately be described, but it is measured only by the intense, burning disappointment I feel as a fan of the series.

It lacks the scale and scope of Nintendo's other big N64 remake, but it's arguably a more compelling experience for shmup junkies like myself. The game is constant action with no filler; just constant dog fighting and high-flying arial maneuvers, with a bit of jaw-flapping, Muppet-y fun layered on top.

A wonderfully tight production that brings an authenticity and intensity befitting Games Workshop's beloved universe. While there are some vexing design decisions and the campaign is disappointingly brief, there's nevertheless plenty of content to get stuck into and exquisitely savage combat on offer.

I really can't think of any other games that I'd recommend more. The originals are both so lovingly crafted and inspiring that I think gamers 50 years for now will still be talking about them. No, they're not perfect, but they're both fine examples of brilliant game design, and they both put forth an experience you won't soon forget. Please, play these games.

Bodycount might have gotten more attention five years ago, but even compared to Black, it's unexceptional. The word "generic" has become quite overused in recent years, but if ever a game truly deserved it, Bodycount would definitely be a top contender.

While it could definitely have used more meat on its bones, Crimson Alliance is a fine little game that does just enough to provide a few hours of solid fun. It's got a bright and fun visual style, an encouraging level of challenge, and should be the perfect way to keep one's sword sharp while waiting for Diablo III to turn up.

Regardless of whether or not you desire innovation in Tropico 4, it remains one of the most enjoyable and charming city building games of current times.

It's inspired, but turgid. Brilliant, but flawed. Fun, but infuriating. Like the living dead itself, Dead Island is a contradiction from beginning to end. However, I feel you need to play it, because despite copying so much from infinitely smoother games, there's nothing quite like it on the market. That, itself, is yet another contradiction in the confused, conflicted, often completely beautiful mess that is Dead Island.

Rock of Ages is good for a few deep laughs, has tremendous art design, and is worth experiencing by most everyone given the price and ridiculous premise.

In its current state, No Time To Explain is in serious need of polish. One day, this might be a solid platformer, because the concept is fun and worth iterating upon. For now, though, the annoyances aren't worth putting up with.

Between responsive controls, colorful sprites that are easy on the eyes, and a clever rewards system that will keep players coming back for more, Jetpack Joyride is comfortably the best in its class.

As the Wii version is pretty easy to find for around $10, it's hard to recommend this mixed bag of an update, knowing that the less buggy original is $30 cheaper.

This is a game that feels like it was developed in a bubble, oblivious to elements that have shaped the best RTS games of the past 15 years or to how an outsider will adjust to the game's rules.

With its flowing, open approach to mission structure, thoroughly engrossing story and gorgeous visuals, this is the kind of game that all others should strive to be. While there are some elements that don't feel quite as developed as they should have been, and augmentation is more Hobson's choice than true choice, Human Revolution provides a level of quality that only the most adamant cynic could fail to be impressed by. More importantly, it is everything a fan of Deus Ex could want in a game.

If I weren't such a 2D sprite-based graphics whore, I might give my experience with the game a 10/10, but that pixel distortion hurt me bad, so I have to go with a 9.