The players to whom that would really be a problem have probably already done something about it, though. To regular humans who don't know about imports and don't care that there might be a better version on another continent, Clash of Ninja 2 is the best Naruto game on the market.

An extremely refreshing puzzler that should find a huge audience on Nintendo DS. It may not have the legacy of Lemmings or the multiplayer gaming of Worms, but its stages are brilliantly crafted and the creator can't be beat.

It's telling that Nintendo stepped up and published this game itself – Namco, which released the original, was unable or uninterested.

Rocket Slime’s charm and variety of gameplay make it one of the absolute best for the DS, even if you’ve never played a Dragon Quest before.

Neither the best looking 3D fighting game on the market nor is it the most innovative, but the characters ooze with personality and the move lists are impressive.

It takes the WWII setting and applies it to the kinds of game-related stuff we want to see and do. It’s a game about superior use of tactics and terrain, not overwhelming firepower. In short, it’s an excellent strategy game.

But it would take a very hardcore Star Wars fan to actually plod on and replay the same levels again and again. As such, LSWII might be best rented.

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.

Though casual fans might initially find the level of control to be more complicated than the average tax code, the best part of NHL 2K7 and the entire NHL 2K series is its depth, from the robust franchise mode to its online play over Xbox Live, fun mini-games, and diverse assortment of bonus content.

It's like one of those pricey meals that foodies order at swank restaurants. Three bites and the plate is clean. It's a good thing that Cooking Mama has an early bird special price tag, because right about now we're ready for the desert menu.

This game will make you want to spend your entire life at sea, watching the flowing waves, dodging water spouts, dueling with enemy ships, and plundering booty. The rest of the game, sadly, feels more like a chore than an adventure.

Completely relying on the stylus to handle the ball is a bold design choice, but tends to feel unnecessary and rather gimmicky.

Bad Day L.A. aims for the biting wit of the "Dave Chapelle Show" but ends up more akin to the jackassery of "Mind of Mencia." Just sort of sad and unfunny.

But mostly, the game is so lacking in charisma and character that the miles sort of tick away, leaving less impact than a skid mark and the smell of burnt rubber.

Test Drive Unlimited is a triumph in packaging. It wraps a familiar suite of racing objectives in a appealing shared space and gives players the tools to socialize in this enormous setting.

Judgment itself may not be anything special, but it's a good enough freebie to go with a legitimately great game.

If you're a sucker for Japanese gangster cinema, you'll likely be able to forgive Yakuza's many flaws long enough to get caught up in the riveting story line and cast of complex characters. But long before the end, you'll be sick of the repetitive combat that takes up far too much of Yakuza's gameplay time.

Those allergic to whimsy may react violently to the saccharine soundtrack and rosy world-view. But they'd be missing out on a rare experience – a game that honors classic game play while forging new ground in style.

The fielding controls are slow and unresponsive, the baserunning interface is a mess, you can’t check your swing, and—for a nice dose of creepy—the wispy-voiced but obviously adult announcer casually mentions that he’s got to run because his mom is coming to pick him up.

The video game equivalent to a straight-to-video B-movie: it can be entertaining in spots, even though you know the whole is painfully lame.

Although the set-up is weak, and the emphasis on commercialism and bling is rather trite, Def Jam Fight for New York: the Takeover is a surprisingly adept fighting game.

The ability to make your own dance patterns is not a dumb idea per se. Dance Factory would be an interesting gimmick if it was attached to an otherwise good DDR clone.

There’s no doubt that fans of 2D action will love this difficult quest, but if you weren’t into side scrollers before, it seems unlikely that anything here will change your mind.

Besides the fine graphics and well-balanced combat, Episode III does a lot of little things right, details in the interface like pop-up balloons for conversations (to make chatting in towns easier) and a thoroughly hyperlinked shop menu for quick and simple equipment updates.

This one is too vacant, tries too hard to be cool, and fails to be compelling in either single- or multiplayer.

Perhaps the most puzzling element of Grand Adventure is the lack of a four-player mode, which is an essential ingredient for the fast-paced, item collecting, button-mashing style of fighting game.

It’s been said that tactical RPGs are similar to recreational drugs. If that’s the case then Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories is definitely not a gateway drug. The gameplay is almost too complex and deep for newcomers. However, if you’re already addicted to this genre or are interested in it then this game will keep you hooked for a long, long time.

Between the dull kill-and-rob action, dopey wanna-be movie plot and the sheer fact that this game is recycled from a game that pretty much everybody hates there's not much to recommend this game – apart from the price tag.