Ubisoft's become the go-to publisher for quirky, portable puzzle games, it seems. [Mar 2006, p.115]

A bargain-bin throwaway dressed up like a million bucks. [Apr 2006, p.93]

I felt the magic before, but Rabbits! left me feeling a little heartbroken. [Apr 2006, p.105]

It doesn't take an old-school purist to realize that this game just hasn't translated well to 3D. [Mar 2006, p.105]

If I only owned this game, I'd watch more television. [Mar 2006, p.102]

As anyone who's played "Darkstalkers" on the handheld can attest to, the PSP's stock D-pad simply isn't up to the task of a 2D fighting game with all its traditional "fireball" and "dragon punch" motions. [Mar 2006, p.113]

Just bring a magazine to read while the game loads. [Mar 2006, p.113]

Not essential, but worthwhile for anyone who hasn't played the original Evil in ages. [Apr 2006, p.104]

You know a soccer title is doing it right when a match can end in a scoreless tie and you've had as much fun as when you've lit up the scoreboard. And this is in large part due to WE9's A.I., which plays such a smart brand of footy that it continually keeps you on your toes.

If I only owned this game, I'd watch more television. [Mar 2006, p.102]

The puzzles provide an awesome balance of manual dexterity and mental prowess, and the game's pacing is spot on. [Mar 2006, p.116]

I have to hand it to developer Skip and Nintendo--they tried their best to get me to hate their new domestic adventure game, Chibi Robo. [Mar 2006, p.108]

If you never tried the original, the prospect of replaying entire levels over and over after dying at the boss is probably more than you'll put up with, but fans will appreciate the elegance of Hunter's simplicity. [Mar 2006, p.114]

When the most exciting thing you can buy (aside from slicker clubs) is a new pair of slacks, you know you're playing no-frills golf. [Mar 2006, p.112]

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]

But this classic weapons-based fighting series has lost much of its soul. While the original cast moves as fluidly as ever, the newer faces are the epitome of mediocre design and animation. Luckily, Xbox Live saves the day.

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]

Where Ape Escape Academy should feel like a festive minigame extravaganza, it comes off as more of a collection of half-assed prototypes due to the overly complex challenges, unresponsive controls, and complete lack of coherency. [Feb 2006, p.111]

The "GO-GO-TURBO Japanese cheerleaders on speed" mood and shallow, stupid puzzles are the sort of thing shut-in "Naruto" fans thrive on, but I found them irritating. Thankfully, it was short. [Feb 2006, p.108]

This new installment will totally baffle fans of the series. With its gloomy postindustrial setting, moderately complex platforming bits, and surprisingly different battle system, WA4 bears little resemblance to its charming, Wild West-themed predecessors. Once you get beyond that initial shock, though, you'll actually have a decent time.

PQ is meant to put your problem-solving skills to the test, and in that respect, it delivers. [Mar 2006, p.114]

Electro-plankton might have been more engaging if it gave you goals, such as coming up with a certain number of notes in a given amount of time or having to replicate songs and riff on them. It should, at the very least, have allowed you to save your work; instead, your musical creations are fleeting and forgettable.

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.

Seven Sorrows baits you with a role-playing-game-style character development system, but the game's short length (easily clocking in under six hours) makes leveling up unrewarding.

The addition of a dash to the GBA version makes exploring snappy, and the redone graphics look great. [Feb 2006, p.112]

Seven Sorrows baits you with a role-playing-game-style character development system, but the game's short length (easily clocking in under six hours) makes leveling up unrewarding.

The problem is, the control is so sluggish that combat is a chore while exploring is a bore. [Feb 2006, p.110]

I guarantee nine out of 10 fans of the original "AC" will be disappointed with this one. Oh, we'll still spend hours with it, sucked into its insanity, but this certainly isn't the sequel we were hoping for. [Jan 2005, p.132]