Far more than just a quirky and adept multiplayer romp, then, Swords & Soldiers has found a deeply satisfying sweet-spot where chaos and control are almost perfectly balanced, and the result is a game that towers above everything else WiiWare currently has to offer.

By departing from established videogame norms and offering an experience that is unfettered by restrictive goals and objectives, Tecmo has succeeded in evoking a supremely relaxing vacation atmosphere and producing a quite unique, and singularly satisfying game. [March 2003, p.86]

Between the taut design and violent screenshake, Roto Force feels like the kind of game Vlambeer would still be making were it still around. [Issue#387, p.121]

In a growing field of downloadable shooters, it stands out as one of the best. [Aug 2007, p.94]

It’s debatable whether Oblivion is a great adventure, but it’s certainly one of the broadest around and one that’s a willing canvas for a variety of approaches from its players. [May 2006, p.84]

Mario 64 DS is a magnificent execution of entirely the wrong content. Happily, despite its age, that content is so robust and remarkable that the result is still surprising, spectacular and, yes, downright Super. [Jan 2005, p.78]

In giving fans what they want, and delivering what a modern audience needs, the studio has created a game that, while not quite a classic, sometimes reminds you of one. [Christmas 2010, p.89]

Absorbing. [Issue#361, p.112]

While the mechanics are well worn by subsequent Quest dabbling, the narrative structure remains an interesting premise to this day. [Oct 2008, p.100]

It's a real treat to examine the craftsmanship of the models in close-up, while the soundtrack is one of Kirby's best to date. [May 2015, p.120]

This may not be the best choice for a player without an existing co-op team, but if you do have three friends who are willing to learn, and die, together, it's a work of unmissable claustrophobia. GTFO indeed. [Issue#368, p.110]

That Insomniac has so confidently found its feet makes the prospect of Ratchet’s annual return an exciting, rather than obligatory, one. [Dec 2007, p.86]

It may be formulaic, but that formula is still one of invention, surprise and excellence. [Jan 2005, p.87; JPN Import]

You need a decent stick (or a god among pads) to facilitate the split-second Just Impacts, Ukemis and sidesteps that consistent victory demands. This, more than the abundant content is the game's defining improvement - one to snap you out of the sleepwalk by which most Namco fighters are conquered in singleplayer. [Christmas 2005, p.103]

Neo may not have the game-changing novelty of the original, but what a thrill it is to discover that, 14 years on, TWEWY continues to march to its own beat. [Issue#362, p.98]

In terms of reaching its clearly defined goals, it is a triumph. [May 2015, p.122]

While born from the stuff of Little Nightmares, Reanimal transcends the confines of another sequel, leaving a uniquely devilish stain behind. [Issue#421, p.106]

What it takes from Resident Evil 4 – and it takes covetously – is the clever stuff, the enemies built entirely around your weapon-set, the combat full of upset rhythms and immoral thrills, the unrepentant game-isms, and the vital ability to wrong-foot players at all the right moments. [Dec 2008, p.82]

Ninja Gaiden II is a fascinating and hugely replayable game that shows Team Ninja has a gift beyond the vast majority of developers in that genre. [Aug 2008, p.92]

Its multiplayer component is far better suited to the game’s design potential than a singleplayer campaign that’s more the frontline rookie, dazzled and dazed by blast upon blast upon blast. [May 2006, p.88]

The controls are excellent and the visuals might be a touch more rakish, but what really matters is that Radiangames has found a hectic pace that lends the blasting a kind of cumulative drama. In doing so, this until now polite series has picked up a bit of an attitude.

While the specificities of lead developer Abhi's lived experience give Venba its distinctive flavour, they serve a story with which anyone can identify. [Issue#387, p.123]

This is a game with great characters, and of great character. [Issue#362, p.106]

Ultros remains a fully formed Metroidvania. [Issue#395, p.112]

If Spellsword's enemies are disappointingly generic, there's a tactile joy in dispatching them: slimes and bats explode messily as blasts of wind launch them into walls, and it's possible to enjoy a brief game of swingball with the laser-shooting eyes that dangle elastically from the ceiling.

If there is a criticism, it's the essentially unvarying mission objectives. In the hands of a lesser developer, it might have resulted in a monotony over the game's long life span. That it never does is a testament to Drag-on Dragoon's excellence. [Dec 2003, p.98; JPN Import]

Feeling the buzz of Genji’s countering system is the key to enjoying it, making the eastern promise of demanding play feel attainable, if less exotic for those already well-versed in mastering such endeavours. [Sept 2005, p.92]

An accomplished effort that is every inch the Soul Calibur of the home consoles, just squeezed on to a smaller screen. [Oct 2009, p.98]