All in all, skate is just too different and will have a rough time converting even the most rabid fan of skating games.

A good family game for rainy days. It is especially good for families with younger kids who wouldn't do well with family games like Scene It.

Rainbow Six: Vegas is an obvious port from the 360 and regrettably, a broken one. It has a solid and compelling single-player mode that will keep most gamers engaged for a week or two, but once they try to go online and play all those modes they can see in the menus and find they are all broke and full of glitches, most will walk away in disgust and regret.

And while the genre may feel comparable to games like "SOCOM" and "Ghost Recon," this is truly a unique gameplay experience, both on and offline and the voice-command system is second to none.

Despite the mere average visuals and sound presentation (music not withstanding), The Golden Compass was a fun adventure and a fantastic gameplay experience that took me the better part of two days to complete.

I have a feeling that some of the younger set won’t have such an easy time with the shallow, repetitive nature of the racing – especially compared to the similarly priced likes of Burnout 3, Burnout Revenge or Need For Speed Most Wanted.

A well-made turn-based strategy game with some interesting twists to give a different gameplay style to a sometimes overworked genre.

Overall I enjoyed the game along with the other people I played it with. The song list is good for the most part and it's easy to pop the game in, get to the song wheel, and start singing.

Overall I definitely recommend giving Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag Team a go.

A very simple and enjoyable fighting game, that would be every bit as cool with or without the television show license tie-in. We need more games like this.

Astropop is a charming and colorful puzzle game that mixes things up with some anime-style storytelling and even some space shooter action elements to create an original and engaging gameplay experience that will delight young and old alike for months to come.

While I appreciated the Cliff’s Notes abbreviated style of gameplay, I still wish there had been more use of the school locations and more periods of interaction between the characters.

The combat and diplomacy features work well and are involved enough to be interesting but does not dominate over other areas of the game. Overall 1701 A.D. is a very good city building simulation game and very fun to play.

QuickSpot was a fantastic surprise. I hadn’t even heard of the game until the day it showed up for review, and it only took me ten minutes before I was hopefully hooked.

This score is for the Metallica fans who will be buying this game regardless of what I have to say, and hopefully the next Guitar Hero installment will continue to improve the technical side of things why offering some music more appealing to the masses and not just a niche group of hard rockers.

The best part of X3: Reunion is ultimately doing your own thing in space.

A deep and rich strategy experience, and for a mere handful of Microsoft points, it can be a welcome addition to any player’s arcade who is willing to spend some time learning the few simple rules of this timed release gaming experience.

It might not play as nice as the console version but this is the best skateboard app that can currently fit in your pocket.

With a strong community, excellent developer support and MP support, Pacific Fighters looks to be soaring high for years to come.

There is something undeniably fun about miniature golf, even on the Xbox 360 and even when it's so crazy it no longer seems like golf.

It’s easy to learn and difficult to master, but the experience you have from beginning to end will be challenging and rewarding.

I really enjoyed the innovative rules and challenges in the Medal mode, and the World Tour offered just as much excitement (for me) as any official World Cup game.

While I still wish I was playing this game on a true next-gen system I have to admit that A2M and LucasArts has spun this adventure onto the Wii with some awesome interactive controls that have me feeling more like Indy than any other game in the franchise.

For a lot of younger gamers it might be too simple a premise, but if you give the trial version a shot you should find enough challenging gameplay here to warrant a purchase.

The game as a whole is average. The graphics are superb, but the lack of a tutorial mode hurts the game, but once you figure things out it can become quite addictive and even a bit challenging.

Bottom line, it might not have all the bells and whistles that the blockbuster FPS games that are being released, but it doesn't have the same price tag, either. And you'll definitely get a lot of bang for your buck with this game.

The multiplayer portion of the game is where Swat 4 shines and it is no different with the expansion pack.

As the movies and books mature with their audiences this game seems to have been left behind a grade in an attempt to attract a new generation of gamers that might be too young for the material the game is based upon.

Add to this the solid graphics, the intense sound of warfare, and the electrifying strategy of squad command, and you have another great title from Gearbox. However, our patience for ingenuity is waning, and I only hope we can see some fresh features in the next installment.

I would recommend Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs to just about anyone looking for a totally fun and moderately challenging gameplay experience with all of the flavor and style of the Ice Age movies.

Really, this is just more of the same from Agetec – they found a formula that works and they stuck with it. It’s still fun, and there are a few minor improvements here and there, but it’s tough to shake a sense of having seen and done it all before.

If I hadn’t found the voices so annoying and the music so lacking, or if I was able to have the sound off when I was playing it, I might be more inclined towards a more favorable score.

With its constantly improving game mechanics, light-hearted yet creepy atmosphere, and creative selection of puzzles, Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy is one of the more enjoyable Nancy Drew titles that I’ve played to date, and I’d recommend it to any of you who collect the series or enjoy a good mystery.

This is virtual reality without the goggles and the gloves, and if you own a Kinect you should at least experience it once.

If you played and liked most or all of the previous seven expansions for The Sims 2, you’ll probably like Apartment Life just fine.

The unreliable framerate, quirky controls and “rigged” A.I. certainly detract from what this game could have been, but I have to admit I did have a lot of fun.

Banana Blitz is not only a great way to show off the funky new controls of the Nintendo Wii, it’s just a fun game for the entire family, and one you won’t be finishing anytime soon.

And even though the controls and camera provide ongoing problems through the entire game, you’ll eventually learn to adapt, or at least deal with them.

This was definitely a labor of love and it shows in the quality of the presentation and the attention to detail in every subtle nuance of the characters, their powers, and the way it all comes together in the gameplay.

It’s not a bad expansion but it could have been better. I found the park to be too small and compact. It was way too easy to explore the entire park in just a few hours leaving me with nothing to do but exploit the marvelous physics engine and try to find the unexpected.

Xotic offers up fresh and original FPS experience that is well worth the $10 asking price.

The secrets, however, are well worth collecting. You can unlock stills from the movie set to music, production photos, and even "story time with Count Olaf".

Episode III, while flawed, does provide a nice conclusion to the story, and provides enough decent gameplay to make the overall experience rewarding.

Everything is here for great hockey; it just lacks the flair or polish of the competition, but in all fairness, this is a debut effort as opposed to the other games that have been around for years.

Taking the story into the past was a nice direction on the part of the writers, and the story and missions are inventive and flow nicely, but the poor performance of Adama tarnishes the overall presentation.

I am very excited to finally see a quality racing game for the GameCube console.

It's a shame so many critics are casually dismissing this game as “just another budget title”. When somebody can make a game this fun and addicting and sell it for under $20 I have to tip my hat and say “well done”.

I would highly recommend that anyone that enjoys singing try out the series and if you love ABBA then this latest addition to the series is worth a look.

Fans of the series will certainly not want to miss out on this title that offers a great action-puzzle experience that will keep you on your robotic toes.

Despite the shallow gameplay, playing the Hulk is a guilty pleasure and with all of his trademark moves intact there are dozens of ways to dispatch your enemy and destroy your surroundings.

If you’re a hardcore shooter who enjoys a game with bleeding edge graphics and ruthless AI, then Space Trader is not for you. However, this game will appeal to Sci Fi fans, indie game lovers, and wannabe business tycoons.

The only problem is Act of War follows too closely in the footsteps of prior best-selling titles.

If Earth Defense Force 2017 were a movie, Ed Wood would have directed it. It would star Bruce Campbell. The folly artists would be hard at work with the pots and pans of your average kitchen. The special effects would come courtesy of the cheap toys and props of your garden-variety dollar store. This is a “B” movie from start to finish, it’s about as cheesy, hokey and ridiculous as they come and it’s totally awesome!

This is definitely an experience that is best shared, but even if you are forced to play alone, you won’t find a more challenging or visually stunning Batman experience than Rise of Sin Tzu.

Sonic Color's is a short game, but it is a fun one, and it feels close enough to classic Sonic to merit a recommendation for those looking to relive the Genesis classic.

It also gets bogged down in it’s own self-induced complexity. The clumsy inventory and totally outrageous enemy AI will scare off all but the most diligent of gamers.

There are enough new changes, small and refined as they are, to recommend this game to the yearly throng of loyal fans who are likely going to buy Madden NFL 12 regardless of what I say. For everyone else, I'd wait until next year and see what happens.

Some of his levels are filled with ridiculous amounts of enemies, and even though the levels appear to have multiple stages or sections, there isn't a checkpoint in sight. I love a challenge, but I hate mindless repetition.

Battleship is a game of luck more than strategy.

While not pushing the presentation limits of the Wii, Wing Island is the perfect match for the motion control ability of that system and a great time for kids and adults.

An innovative title that will entertain, educate and possibly inspire. While a bit of music background will enhance your enjoyment, Clubworld is designed so anyone who can operate a Dual Shock can stumble their way into some impressive results.

The steep cost of admission is the only real downside to this entire package.

Fun while it lasts but probably best played in short doses.

I know that Neo Contra has built up my confidence enough that I am starting to toy with the idea of trying Shattered Ego…err…Soldier again if I can remember where I buried it in the backyard.

With solid graphics and voice acting identical to the television program, this title should satisfy any fan of the motion picture, especially the little ones.

Those who are interested in multiplayer gaming might want to stick with Nintendo’s first-party offering, but those gamers who simply want a solid single-player experience are bound to have a ton of fun.

Spyro fans and gamers in the target age group are going to love Dawn of the Dragon and don’t be surprised if the older siblings in the house and even the parents get caught up in the magic that is Spyro. It really is fun from start to finish.

If you can suck it up long enough to get to the main menu you will find a very unique shooter with a mix of squad and personal combat that ranges from ground to air to space. Breed is a refreshing diversion from a game like Halo but it’s certainly no substitute.

The game sounds fantastic using just the built-in Vita speakers but when you put on a nice pair of headphones or even jack your Vita into some external speakers prepare to be amazed with some stellar sound quality. Yes, 15 songs is extremely limited, giving you about 100 minutes of original gameplay content, but when you factor in the three difficulty modes – the hardest being very hard – plus the very nature of the game design that encourages you to do better to unlock stuff and climb the leaderboards, this is one game that music fans, especially Michael Jackson fans, need to check out. It might not be a day-one or a full-price purchase, you somewhere down the road this needs to be in your Vita library.

Aside from the opening song and underlying plot there isn’t much to do with the Simpsons.

For me, the game didn’t really take off until the whole Pro-Reg, Anti-Reg debate kicked in, but even then I kept lapsing into these daydreaming ruts of gaming.

The gameplay and puzzles are spoon-fed to you in easily swallowed bites, but much like Chinese food, when it’s over you will be full but not terribly satisfied.

Worms offers almost limitless level designs, great multiplayer action for 4 people online and off and a basic but vital ingredient for any game – fun!

It doesn't really expand on the story but there is a nice diversity of gameplay and specific playing styles based on the characters and their levels.

Packing in all the strategy of chess and infused with the goodness that is Metal Gear, this could be the sleeper hit of the PSP.

The enhancements to the single player game are certainly a huge improvement and the multiplayer modes are reasonably fun although you might have trouble finding other people to play with or against.

Dead Space: Extraction is still my favorite on-rails light gun shooter for the PS Move, but The House of the Dead: Overkill - Extended Cut ranks right up there as one of the best arcade shooting games you can play on the PS3. Even if you don't have a plastic gun to snap your Move motion controller into, the sensation of blasting away the mutant hoards is undeniable and gratuitous fun. And the whole grindhouse presentation only make the game that much more mutha-F'in fun.

Definitely a niche title and in this case its more of an update to last year's game than a full-blown package, and an unpolished update at that.

Legendary is a fantastic thrill ride that you won’t soon forget.

The combination of zombies and alien brains is unbeatable, in theory and in execution in this fun and charming DS puzzle title.

Totally fun and totally addicting. It’s easy to pick-up and impossible to put down. I literally played until my battery died and then I plugged in my DS and played some more.

While it's not a revolutionary game, Death To Spies delivers a compelling stealth experience and is well worth a try for genre fans.

If you enjoy GRAW, Modern Warfare II, or any other quality FPS for that matter, then give this game a shot.

Despite some drawn-out presentation moments, I really enjoyed Monopoly Streets and it will likely replace my board game the next time anyone wants to play.

UEFA Champions League is a good game, but for 99% of the soccer fans in North America, FIFA is a far better choice.

The massive parts list will keep you in the garage for hours on end, and the online racing will be the ultimate test of your skills as a mechanic and driver.

If you love the series on the console then you will certainly want to check out Armored Core: Formula Front - Extreme Battle on the PSP. It sacrifices nothing and gives you all that great robot action in the palm of your hand.

There is a massive amount of content and unparallel gameplay opportunities, especially for those who like to tinker in the cyber-garage of the future.

It's definitely fun for a little mindless fun – and if you're into over the top violent gaming, you won't be disappointed.

As stated numerous times before, The Bourne Conspiracy is extremely repetitive. You have a great length and well worth the price in that category but I really don’t see the average player finishing this game due to doing the same thing over and over again.

Generations goes for the typical expansion suggested retail price of $39.99 and may be hit or miss for you, depending on what you like about The Sims 3 and whether you'd appreciate the more understated improvements of this expansion pack.

Whether you are on land, sea, or the white sands of Davy Jones Locker, there isn’t a more swashbuckling time to be had and Jack Sparrow is the quintessential pirate hero.

There is still no in-car view, the wheel support is pathetic, and the system requirements to make this game look and play as well as the Xbox version are staggering.

I think it had some great additions, but the grading was discouraging because it seemed to be a little harsh.

A bit of a cookie-cutter game that was simply taking an established engine and an established genre and putting a post-apocalyptic facelift on it.

Overall, the production value is top-notch; on screen characters react and interact to the music ' audience members wave fists to the beat and band member appear to actually be performing guitar solos and drumming ' and the whole game has a nice polish to it.

Once you look through the cel-shaded visuals, professional voice acting, and graphic novel presentation and effects, you are left with a pretty standard shooter that doesn’t really innovate or improve upon the genre.

To sum it up, Thrillville is all about the mini-games. Virtually every aspect of park maintenance can be accomplished through beating a mini-game, and it’s probably the mini-games you’ll keep playing after you’ve finished building up all five theme parks.