When all of its gameplay modes and disappointing multiplayer options are handicapped by game-ending obstacles (you can actually become trapped by a fence) and unnecessarily fussy controls (rotating the stick to maintain balance sucks), the once-mighty 1080° is relegated to benchwarmer status in no time at all.

Fails to do anything exciting or revolutionary, nor does it execute anything any better than other basketball offerings do.

A better effort overall, but a few mishaps away from competing with the big leaguers. [Mar 2007, p.92]

More rehash than reinvention. [July 2005, p.118]

Still a user-friendly pigskin experience with lightning-fast over-the-top gameplay. Yet I'm forced to throw a penalty flag at the lack of big passing plays I've come to love from this franchise. [Nov 2003, p.172]

Sadly, match types come in just two flavors: artifact raids or kill sprees, which makes $60 seems extortionate. [Aug 2007, p.78]

It's hardly original (not to mention short and sometimes ugly), but Namco's got both the control and the difficulty level just right. [Dec 2003, p.184]

This baseballer does a good job of simulating the minor-league quality of college ball (read: errors seem more realistic and common), but the overly convoluted functionality of the game kills it for me. [Feb 2006, p.106]

Too bad it doesn't quite execute in the clutch though. [May 2006, p.98]

You'll have to complete a few too many fetch quests, and listening to the in-game tunes is about as pleasant as Sandshrew's nails on a chalkboard. Even so, if you haven't spent quality time with Pikachu for a while, Gale is a good series re-entry point.

This one may mildly entertain those who've never been Twisted before, but series vets should simply drive away. [June 2005, p.109]

Though the fragging may hold your interest for a while, it's far from revolutionary, and the rest of the game feels like a rodent-encrusted relic from 2001.

Still a user-friendly pigskin experience with lightning-fast over-the-top gameplay. Yet I'm forced to throw a penalty flag at the lack of big passing plays I've come to love from this franchise. [Nov 2003, p.172]

Spidey's radioactive powers aren't enough to ward off poor collision detection. [June 2002, p.124]

A must-have in any to-go gamer's pocket. [July 2002, p.126]

The game's "Judgement Ring" is the best solution yet for adding timing to RPG battles. [Feb 2002, p.156]

This game is a beautiful mess. The Dead or Alive series has always been known more for T&A than tech gameplay; for every panty shot, there's a cheap juggle combo that involves less skill than it takes to input a cell-phone text message.

It's unfortunate that the underlying mano a mano action can't match the rest of Deception's ambitious package, but precious little has been done to improve upon the last MK's ("Deadly Alliance") leaden, mash-happy combat. [Dec 2004, p.152]

I enjoyed watching the fireworks as my pyromaniac character exploded another radio tower/tank/U-boat/door, but between history class and explosions, Assault didn't keep my blood pumping.

The finicky grappling hook controls lack the intuitive ease you'd like from such an integral control element (never mind the fact that you can't hook onto buildings or trees...wha--?). Even by the game's end, I'd still stumble when trying to sling from car to passing helo.

As with the previous two 3D Sonic outings, Sonic Heroes is a solid platformer that could've been a lot better if the developers had spent more time balancing the levels and tweaking the unbelievably frustrating camera.

The most calming game I've played...The downside to this pastoral pleasantness is that it requires Zen-like patience. Chances are, you don't have it. [Apr 2004, p.130]

Early on, you fight a boss named Jack of All Trades - add the usual "master of none," and you've got a pretty apt description of this game. [July 2008, p.]

This baseballer does a good job of simulating the minor-league quality of college ball (read: errors seem more realistic and common), but the overly convoluted functionality of the game kills it for me. [Feb 2006, p.106]

It may not be the best party version of Revolution, but this game fills a lot of individual Idol fantasies. [Feb. 2007, p.95]

The game's wide array of races runs the gamut from interesting to bizarre, but one constant factor lessens the overall impact - the racin' be slow. [Nov 2004, p.128]

If anything can bring your romanticized WWII fantasy crashing back to reality, it's inconsistent A.I. [Aug 2003, p.119]

If only it featured more varied game types - instead of a dozen different ways of spinning the clam-collecting battles - I could get behind this one. [July 2008, p.78]