NFL Blitz 2012 isn't going to re-invent the way you look at football, or, in fact, the way you look at Blitz. There's not a whole lot there, and it really doesn't make any sense that they took out the fun extracurricular violence, but, in the end, it's a game you'll play every now and again and smile while you're doing it.

While the brevity of games would seem to cater to those on Ritalin, the truth of the matter is you can never relax, which is a big part of the appeal. WarioWare's challenge doesn't necessarily lie in the task itself, but in doing it while under duress.

Despite a few minor complaints, SNK Arcade Classics is a safe purchase for retro game fans looking for a challenging, action-packed trip down memory lane.

Even though the game is well thought out and relatively well executed, it's not the most exciting subject matter.

Gamers who aren't familiar with the show won't find much to like here, but fans will appreciate the chance to control and interact with the characters they know and love.

The jalopy of the group. Gamers who go gaga for drifting will still show up in droves, but the majority of you will be much better off with "Project Gotham 3's" melding of replay and realism or "Need For Speed: Most Wanted's" frantic cop chases and customization.

Strictly fans-only.

Freedom's slower pace, lack of story, and frustrating camera do little to warm the cockles of an action fan's heart, but those brave enough to slog through its rough spots will find the game improves with time.

The inclusion of some rather uninspired telekinetic abilities does nothing to distance this game from the hundreds of other, more original and more entertaining games out there.

It's a meaty release that doesn't bog the player down with complicating control configurations, drawn out cut scenes, and plot development that gamers will likely be familiar with already.

What could have been a revolutionary and potentially genre-busting game is just a novelty for those who can manage to be titillated by polygons.

Though the visual glitches hurt the game somewhat, the terrifically violent and expansive combat makes this game worth playing.

This one’s an easy case of “if you liked the original you’ll love the expansion”, but it won’t be wooing over any newcomers.

If you are an "Everquest" regular, you'll have a hard time not buying the latest and greatest.

Like a miniature fashion model: short, quite pretty, and as insubstantial as it is fun.

While the game is fairly short, the individual reports are quite long and you can only save between them. Since there's no sleep or suspend mode, it's not a good game to play in short bursts.

A tremendous improvement over its predecessor. It's just too bad that the original "Real War" needed way more improvement than this to make it a great game.

If you’re just a casual viewer or not a fan at all, then there’s nothing in the game to warrant your cash. On the other hand, if you are a Simpsons devotee, then the pitch-perfect humor, writing, and look of this game will more than make it worth putting up with the standard gameplay mechanics.

If you love the show and have loved the other CSI titles there’s no reason you won’t love this one. However, there’s absolutely nothing here that will woo non-fans, and so most should choose to avoid it.

The new modes and wireless multiplayer are as sexy as Chun-Li's squatty, super-deformed legs, but deciding whether to drop $30 for an old-ass puzzle game and a few rejects may be a losing fight.

Honestly, the gameplay in Stubbs isn't bad. It's just not close to as cool as it ought to be.

With an impressive variety of creative and offbeat game modes, great multiplayer, numerous tracks and minigames, a horde of vehicles, and endearingly charming characters and gameplay elements, Kirby Air Ride is surprisingly enjoyable if you give it some time.

It’s safe to say that we’re all getting a little sick of mini-games on the Wii, but Mario Party 8 delivers a pretty good batch wrapped up in some interesting board designs. Perhaps they’ll work out the rest of the kinks in time for Mario Party 9.

Its best assets -- the branching courses and the grumpy girlfriend -- are almost 20 years old. Even drifting is now ancient. Perhaps a quirky story mode or a more detailed skill-progression system would have elevated OutRun 2 to higher status.

It does demand a fairly hefty system to run smoothly, especially if you want to pull the camera back and take in a broader view. Once you get a chance to take in that view, it’s undeniably satisfying.

Though certainly not perfect, especially given the rather extreme slowdown and bland landscapes, this is a deep action game with plenty to grab you.

A pleasant change from "The Sims" that is tailored to those who would find the constant reinventing of personal style an appealing diversion.

The glitches and lag, however, are quite annoying, and the individual aspects of the title – FPS and RTS – just don’t compare to other standalone games.

Despite issues with the feel of the ship controls and combat, there’s enough depth and gameplay modes to make it worth a look. The game looks fantastic, and with so many ships, battles, and options to play with, there’s more good than bad here.

This isn’t the first time an RPG has had trouble with the challenge of team combat in real time, and to its credit, Spectrobes comes up with an unusual way of attacking the problem.

As a game it's nowhere near as good as Rockstar's GTA franchise, but its excellent storytelling and slick production values make it an experience worth having.

A solid entry in the world of motocross games, but it's not much of a step up from "Excitebike 64," a game the same developer finished four years ago.

All of the games included here are fun--some more than others--but none of them will hold your interest for very long.

The player models look more plastic-like than the cast of Desperate Housewives, and there are no new game modes or significant features to warrant the price increase.

At its core the game is fiendishly clever. Like the game's baroque visuals, the mechanics are equally ornate – nearly diabolically so. It's a shame to discover such a meticulously crafted game cobbled together with duct-tape.

Novelty is a little harder to come by. Dynasty Warriors Gundam doesn't aim to revolutionize either series, but it does represent a single, rocket-fueled step in the right direction.

Proving Ground is far from a bad game, but it's a disappointment nonetheless. That's what happens when creativity gives way to complacency.

The game isn't particularly original, creative, or inspired, but for fans of the movie and parents looking for an entertaining, if harmless division for their kids, this is a good choice.

Although gamers who never got into other dance games won’t find much incentive to get jiggy with Flow, there’s enough variation here to make it worth a look for fans looking for new dancing frontiers.

With spot-on controls, solid graphics, and a highly accessible structure, Seek and Destroy is perfect for players craving a quick action fix.

Fans of anime-style action and stories will especially dig this game, with its heaping dose of Asian mysticism, fatalism, and drama. Beyond that, the strange, magical action and hordes of levels are sure to give action fans plenty of challenge.

Those of you who are patient enough to learn its intricacies, and open-minded enough to put up with its modest production values will find a rich experience.

Unfortunately, the biggest flaw in the game is easily the loading time.

Metal Saga won’t go down in history as one of the greatest RPGs ever made, but it’s a decent time-waster while you wait for something like, say, Final Fantasy XII.

The game isn’t particularly original, creative, or inspired, but for fans of the movie and parents looking for an entertaining, if harmless division for their kids, this is a good choice.

How badly do you want to play another GTA rip-off? Driver: Parallel Lines is better than most, but it still can't hold a candle to Rockstar's flagship series.

To put it bluntly, anyone who values things like tight control and a fair challenge over button-mashing anarchy is going to have second thoughts about getting their hands dirty in Red Hot Rumble.

It's a short run-through -- especially if you don't seek out the secrets -- and probably won't test the skills of experienced gamers.

If the core battle system was more robust and there was more to do than just fight and draw, Magic Pengel: The Quest for Color could have been a landmark title.

Players are going to love the slew of new interpersonal interactions available to their Sims as much as they love the new objects.

Delivers much of what fans might want from an RPG. And the graphics and music are sweet. But there's a lot here to make players sleepy as well.

An average title, with just enough charm to make it worth recommending.

Considering the game's budget price tag of $20 is less than the green fees for most public golf courses, the repetitive nature of the sound and animations is hardly an issue if you don't mind some spanking, slapping, grinding, stroking, and gyrating in your golf.

It's tough to keep calling FIFA on issues of accuracy, especially when Konami seems to have soccer realism cornered.

There are better first-person shooters on the GBA, but there's mystique here, and that will count for something among fans.

The controls handle adequately, although KITT's steering feels far too responsive. All in all, the controls aren't as good as the controls in most recent driving games, and the physics lack accuracy. The game also lacks a sense of speed.

Icon is serviceable, but it’s not something you’ll be spinning in your disc tray for very long.

Fans of the series will be quick to pick this one up and will likely get much enjoyment. New players might find more to love in the newer games in the series. Either way, Shadow Dragon is a good move for tactical strategy gamers.

Technically this is Guitar Hero, but a huge piece of the puzzle is missing. Clutching your teeny tiny DS, squinting at a teeny tiny screen, and listen to tinny audio does nothing to enhance the illusion that you're a rock god.

If you never leave the garage, or enter a race, this game will satiate you just fine. But if you absolutely need an updated street racing game, try holding out for the latest "Midnight Club (the DUB Edition)."

As a history lesson it scores high. But as a game, it's a slow starter with graphics that can't hold a candle to "The Sims."

Whether it's the charming, funny dialogue (which, apart from the clumsy song lyrics, is translated well), the pretty landscapes, the fact that even if you lose most of the Trotmobile fights the game keeps going... there's always a reason to pick it back up and push on.

Those without pixies and muggles dancing in their heads beforehand are going to find the game a lot less enchanting, but fans of the Potter series will want to consider a brief stay in a reasonable facsimile of the hallowed halls of Hogwart’s.

It will also leave a vague air of dissatisfaction with Ninja Gaiden vets. It’s short, parts of it are sweet, but it never really gets firing on all cylinders, even though the hint of a promise for that level of intensity is present the whole time.

Sure, the graphics are lacking and my arms were incredibly tired after Podracing, but these in no way detract from how fun the game is. If you like Star Wars and are looking for a reason to dust off your lonely Kinect, you should buy this game. But be warned, your inner-Comic Book Guy will never shut up.

All the timed events, amusing physics-based puzzles, likeable characters, and strange contraptions will be a treat for fans of the books and movie.

Watchmen: The End is Nigh offers a solid foundation with high production values and surprisingly good combat as the first of perhaps many episodes to come, but is it worth sacrificing your Jackson for a chance to slip into Rorschach’s trench coat? The answer is… up to you really.

PoP is a group of interesting ideas searching for a stronger game to hold them all together.

The biggest attraction to most fans will be the staggering collection of licensed clubs. For fans of unpronounceable teams from Arabic lands, there's no other solution.

Another slap to the song selection is simply that most of these pop tunes have been off the charts for quite a while, making the game feel instantly out of date.

While the production values are pretty good, the gameplay is pretty shallow. If you’re into action games, this is worth playing once.

Fun while it lasts, but like the title character’s insatiable appetite, you will be hungry for more. It needs more levels, more objects to draw, and a few alternate play modes to make this game worth penciling in for most puzzle game fans.

If the connection to the TV show doesn't make it plain, Battle Network is really intended for younger players.

Unexpectedly, the best mode is Wayne on Wayne, in which most of the game's rules go out the window in favor of arcade matchups.

Simply put, if you disliked Empire at War, Forces of Corruption isn’t going to change your mind. However, if you want to get a little more life out of this quirky little strategy game set in the Star Wars universe, Forces of Corruption is a perfectly adequate expansion pack.

If the developers can make playing defense as fun as the offense, tightening up the computer AI in the process, then future installments of the NHL series are sure to turn heads.

A great example of how to translate an existing property into a videogame, as it incorporates the elements and characters of the show in such a way that you don't necessarily have to be familiar with the cartoon to appreciate the wacky production design or gentle humor.

At normal difficulty (which is actually quite easy) the game should take about eight to 10 hours to complete. There is replay value in the different characters, although the dungeons and quests remain identical.

The presentation is gorgeous and the gameplay has enough fun elements to make it worthwhile. Though not as deep or complex as it could have been, this is certainly one of the best movies-turned-games we’ve seen lately.

Co-op also makes the bad camera even worse. It's better included than not, but if you want great multiplayer, play the deeper and more fulfilling X-Men Legends or one of the Baldur's Gate games.

Players on the fringe of the card game, however, will find more frustration than fun in Nightmare Troubadour.

The battle system makes up for the mediocre production values, as does the many incentives to play this title over and over again.

Doesn't fail to impress us with its high-quality, inventive visuals, but the gameplay is no match for its presentation.

It's offbeat, diverse, and boisterous, and the cool graphics and variety of things to do give "Frenzy" a singular distinction in the Xbox library.

Fracture is an aptly titled game, since many of its components don't fit well together. The single-player campaign seems unfinished, boss battles lack ingenuity, an awkward controlling vehicle sequence seems to have been tossed at random, and the automatic augmentation system offers few meaningful enhancements. The game's high production values aren't enough to make you want to revisit the campaign, leaving Fracture's long-term appeal in the hands of the multiplayer community.

As a means of killing 20 minutes here and there, the game has merit. We can't condone fiddling with it for any longer in a single sitting, though.

If you’re just a casual viewer or not a fan at all, then there’s nothing in the game to warrant your cash. On the other hand, if you are a Simpsons devotee, then the pitch-perfect humor, writing, and look of this game will more than make it worth putting up with the standard gameplay mechanics.

The fundamental gameplay is so strong and so well executed. But it's over so fast without enough challenge that you can't help but want more. Never before have I found a game that screams rental so loudly.

Characters look more realistic than ever, but they still act like they did in the last generation. Collision detection is still a joke, penalties come few and far between (seriously, watch am NFL game and count the false start penalties; now play 5 straight games of Madden and see if the AI commits even one.) and overall it just doesn’t feel like real football.

The single-player missions are fairly mediocre, especially in comparison to other shooters. If you really, really need to shoot virtual people in a virtual desert, then this'll do.

Where the first game was shorter than trainer Mickey Goldmill, Rocky Legends towers higher than Ivan Drago in terms of replay value. It’s unfortunate that the gameplay isn’t quite as polished.

While it may sound fun, the play control and physics in the game are rather loose, resulting in unresponsive vehicle controls and collision detection that has you occasionally hitting objects you aren't even touching as you drive.

And this wouldn't be so bad, except for the draconian daily qualification requirements you face during the Olympic Games mode.

The "Star Wars" universe was clearly warped to fit over the AOE II lattice. Air combat loses some of its appeal as you watch tie fighters and X-wings hovering stationary over an enemy building, dropping bombs and shooting grunt soldiers on the ground.

A fun game that train buffs and even non train fans will find very fun to play. However, it just doesn’t have quite the same greatness of many of Sid’s other games, especially when it comes to stability.

With its unique setup and variety of multiplayer modes, Ecks vs. Sever is a title worth checking out.

Your appreciation of Tak 2 largely depends on the number of 3D platform games you've seen over the years. The more you've experienced, the less impressive Tak 2 is to play, which means younger audiences will love it.

I feel bad for Bond game developers the same way I feel bad for Quantum of Solace. Not just because it’s a mediocre shooter that offers some quick thrills and a decent multiplayer experience, but because it has to compete with so many far superior, must-own titles that have either already been released or are going to be released soon.