Those who've never understood the appeal of Kirby are unlikely to be convinced by his move into 3D. But otherwise this compact, imaginative adventure is a low-key triumph, a work of great craft and wit that, unlike its lead, doesn't bite off more than it can chew. And it only leaves you hungry for more. [Issue#370, p.110]

Creaks may be a break from point-and-click tradition for Amanita, but we're left with a familiar smile as the credits roll, our eyes still wide with delight. [Issue#348, p.102]

Has enough in that expertly-pitched control system to keep you replaying the same courses over and over, relaxing into a groove before smashing through the score barrier on one perfect run. It's an iPhone game you'll come back to for the controls alone – and that's not something you can't say every day.

MotoGP may only bring a handful of new bikes and tracks, but it’s still a handsome package. [July 2006, p.82]

Without seeking to damn a fine game with faint praise, another succinct design philosophy comes to mind: it just works. [Issue#372, p.100]

Here is the rare deckbuilder that doesn't feel like it's merely aping the giants of the genre. [Issue#424, p.106]

Fraught, oppressive and tense, Thumper has been built to a singular vision - and one we can certainly respect, if not always enjoy. [Christmas 2016, p.117]

This is an incredible achievement, the closest a simulator has come to entertainment; the nearest videogaming has come to the real experience of driving. Forget play. Just drive. [March 2005, p.84]

It's a vehicle that may win over more action fans than true-bloods, but its plagiaristic tendencies represent a shrewd way of ensuring that the series gets a firm footing outside of the 2D realm. [Nov 2010, p.84]

Quarrel DX is the funniest and most stylish word game around, with layers of strategy that go down so deep it sometimes feels you're just scratching the surface. Even without multiplayer this is an essential purchase. With multiplayer, it could take over the world – or, at the very least, be the thinking person's Angry Birds.

The stuff of legend, then? Indeed. Although, perhaps fittingly, one with nothing new to say. [Apr 2010, p.88]

It's telling that, as our getaway car peels away to safety with ten seconds remaining, our first instinct is to try again. [Issue#372, p.110]

Unlike the creature at its centre, Isolation isn't structurally perfect, but it is brilliantly hostile in a way that's likely to shock many players. [Dec 2014, p.102]

Citizen Sleeper doesn't shy away from weighty topics, and excels in managing to explore these while feeling intensely personal. [Issue#372, p.112]

We're ready to see what the future holds for The Creative Assembly after Total War. We're also, however, delighted by the studio's seemingly indefatigable ability to bend its own rules and brew up new playstyles, as it brings one of gaming's greatest licensed adaptations to a thunderous conclusion. [Issue#370, p.114]

What is most amazing of all is that despite its litany of weird little problems, Destiny is fantastic, its combat up there with the very best, the thrilling rhythm of its battles still not fading the 30th time through, and it has no single systemic problem that is not fixable. [Dec 2014, p.106]

Whereas a more comprehensive reimagining of how Okami would work on DS could have resulted in a less ambitious, more polished game, Okamiden succeeds in preserving both the spirit and form of its forebear, and that makes in rather special indeed. [Mar 2011, p.90]

Even if some of the fundamental stuff has been sacrificed to the creation of this huge world, Fuel still makes it across the finish line on a far-from-empty tank. [July 2009, p.97]

Most importantly, the old jokes are still funny. [Issue#372, p.116]

Such steps forward may seem at odds with the time period, but that late-'80s setting is put to brilliant use in the story. [March 2017, p.98]

This is the best entry in its genre since Bayonetta, and might just be the best game Ninja Theory has made to date.

It has all the hooks you'd associate with a streaming service binge-watch...But American Arcadia has something to say, too. [Issue#393, p.116]

Where next for Pokemon? Black and White don't suggest any answers, but they do remind us why we'd care in the first place. [Mar 2011, p.103]

If the thrill of the new is gone, old pleasures remain: the exhilaration of the final-minute countdown as the music increases in tempo, or the ice-cream jingle of the Tower as it advances into enemy territory. Crucially, that infectiously exuberant spirit is undimmed. More of the same? For once, that'll do nicely. [Issue#310, p.104]

If you can push through the lukewarm welcome and remain patient, though, you'll find something vivid and exciting here. [Issue#420, p.94]

Despite these minor imperfections F-Zero GX has it where it counts. The combination of blistering speed, responsive controls and rivals with genuine personality makes this one of the most addictive games of the year. [Oct 2003, p.96]

Where next for Pokemon? Black and White don't suggest any answers, but they do remind us why we'd care in the first place. [Mar 2011, p.103]

Like "GTA" there's more to this than shock and awe. Within its linear structure there is a lot of freedom within which to act, much more so than both "Splinter Cell" and "Metal Gear Solid 2," the titles which Manhunt most closely resembles. [Jan 2004, p.96]