While Madden NFL 2005 is playable in its current form, most will tire of the shaky visuals and slippery controls faster than Mr. Madden slaps ham on a hoagie.

It's too complex for the very young, and there's not much of interest here for older players. As such, the game seems best suited for parents seeking some non-offensive entertainment for their kids.

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

Even with all of the cosmetic and gameplay changes, the improvements from the first game are minimal. They're not enough to bump it up an extra star.

Soon enough, Dawn of a New World settles down to standard fantasy-quest plot starring standard fantasy characters.

Avoid this one; it's a hairball that's not worth coughing up the cash to play.

Its ties to its namesake feel tenuous at best, and despite some interesting play mechanics, it's not nearly as deep as some of the other games on the market right now.

The Wii version is graphically inferior to the 360 and PS3; Ron and Hermione have a nasty way of blocking your path in tight quarters; and there are the aforementioned, seemingly endless fetch-quests. Even with all that, this is easily the best Harry Potter game to date, and it’s simply one of the most entertaining movie tie-ins on the market.

This is more in the line of a free Flash game on the web, or something Namco could have pitched at DS download kiosks.

Any of the game’s flaws are somewhat balanced by the ability to stab someone in the face, or burn them alive in an incinerator. Well, if you’re into that sort of thing, anyway.

The basics are here and they work. But it's still a little bit shallow. Harry Potter fans will naturally eat this title up.

The races behave in unique, meaningful ways and we really appreciate the attempt to minimize the strategic tedium. That’s why it’s so strange to see a game that is clearly trying hard to attract new players to the genre come up with an interface that is at time incredibly hostile.

Despite the repetition that plagues the game’s progression, the satisfying combat and epic army battles help it stand out. Fans of exploration, Viking myths, and limbs separating from torsos will find much to love here.

Juiced can be highly irritating at some times and completely unfair at others. Why, for instance, do you have to help pay to repair other racers' cars yet no one helps you get your car back into racing shape?

In trying to capture the inherently difficult nature of baseball (it has been said that hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in any sport), 2K has failed to grasp the fundamentals of making a video game. Sure it can be hard, but people beyond a hardened fanbase should be able to play it. Otherwise you'll always be just second best.

Other problems include a strange sense of physics where you can push or slide other vehicles away from you, intensely aggressive pedestrians and gang members who swarm like bees, and frustrating timed races that will have you contemplating whether or not you should use your GBA as a Frisbee.

The races are challenging and exciting, plus the management features give the game a considerable amount of depth. The game goes beyond its high concept and delivers a rather enjoyable hybrid of arcade and simulation-styled gameplay.

While there are many characters to unlock and compete with, it takes a long time to see any of them thanks to the incredibly slow rate at which you acquire powerful cards.

We can't stress how much fun we had with Super Off Road. It truly is one of the more timeless arcade racing games.

It’s not innovative or great in any regard, but it does provide plenty of explosions and challenge. It’s also far and away the only decent game to yet come from the franchise.

Problems with the camera and controls hold it back from mass appeal, and unless you have the broadband adapter, you're missing out on a large chunk of the experience. With that said, there's definitely enough here to for serious players to enjoy if they're willing to devote the time necessary to really dive into the game.

More enjoyable the younger you are and the more enamored you are with the cast, Ice Age 2 will nonetheless provide any gamer with a few hours of enjoyment, along with a couple of laughs along the way.

Mana and magic system aside, the game’s primary selling point is the same as so many other RPGs: a couple dozen hours of content. And if merely killing time is the goal, then it could fill the bill.

Justice League Heroes is not perfect, and it's definitely not innovative, but it makes a solid action adventure out of the familiar gameplay and well-loved characters.

More enjoyable the younger you are and the more enamored you are with the cast, Ice Age 2 will nonetheless provide any gamer with a few hours of enjoyment, along with a couple of laughs along the way.

A mostly average button masher that has the good luck of being associated with the hottest kids' property to come along in years.

Nightshade isn't the sharpest depiction of ninjitsu out there. But we can't say it's entirely demanding of seppuku either. Some will enjoy the mindless mayhem, warts aside.

The AI of your opponents seems to be geared for younger gamers, although not to the point where the game feels absurdly easy.