Just when racing sims got too deep and repetitive, Monster Games has given us an arcade game that makes being white trash fun. Demolition derby has never been so entertaining and certainly never this addictive.

Whether you are a kid, have a kid, or just a kid at heart, LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game is a definite most-own title.

One of the most innovative and fun Wii games to come out this year.

A completely overhauled and redesigned reiteration of the classic PC game. It’s a turn based strategy game that is similar to Nintendo’s Advanced Wars. This is different because the original was a real-time strategy game.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined me becoming totally addicted to Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders.

One of the most original Xbox games I've played in a long time, not only because of the visionary graphics, but the clever intertwining of FPS action and RPG elements and more online modes than any two other games combined.

A quality racing experience with blazing visuals, realistic physics, and an excellent trick system.

Despite having no real online or real-time multiplayer, Burnout Crash is totally addicting and lends itself perfectly to that "just one more time" mentality that is perfect for mobile gaming. And for only $5, this is a far better value than the XBLA version.

Island Thunder isn’t your typical FPS. It is more much calculating and often more about team management than blazing gunfire. You setup and execute elaborate tactical assaults working as a leader of a team.

Wolfenstein is an awesome blend of old-school memories and next-gen ideas assembled into a rewarding game experience you can’t afford to miss.

It's full of satisfying melee combat, signature Bond moments, great cover combat, pretty visuals and awesome driving sequences. It does feature that classic Bond mood to a point and is definitely worth a play through for single player experience.

One of the finest sports titles on the Xbox platform.

I had a great time with Fatal Frame III despite the aging controls and unoriginal gameplay.

This game has so much detail at every level of production. It’s much more than a track pack (like AC-DC) and it blows away specific band-themed games like Metallica.

In many ways this could be the most robust Madden ever made. Despite it's graphical shortcomings, if you liked previous year's Madden game, this might be the year to take a break from the whole concert scene.

Truth is, beyond the crassness of its Story mode, THUG 2 is not radically different from last year’s game. There’s not a whole lot new here aside from a few gimmicks and some off-the-wall elements.

If you want a preview of what’s coming in FIFA 09, UEFA Euro 2008 is as close as you can get. It is one of the best soccer games to date, but it’s so limited that its shelf life is almost zero.

So if you love a fun and challenging shooter with a clever mix of styles and a killer assortment of boss battles then Nano Assault is definitely worth checking out. While 32 levels might sound like a lot, they are surprisingly short and fast, and competent gamers can blast their way through the Story Mode in 3-4 hours, but with the endless appeal of Arcade and Boss Rush modes there is enough addictive old-school arcade goodness to keep coming back for more microscopic carnage time and time again.

From the obtuse system of management, to the lack of total control with the movie making, this game will disappoint somewhat. However, on balance, The Movies contains some remarkable features, that could only be spawned from the likes of Molyneux.

The best thing about Sunrise is that it doesn’t take a huge time commitment. The load times are fast and you can keep this game on your hard drive for months and years to come and just pick up and play whenever you have some spare time.

Whether you are looking for an action-focused single-player war game or a fantastic multiplayer experience that rivals those Tom Clancy titles, Battlefield 2: Modern Combat is a masterful bit of game design. They managed to put just enough single-player elements in to keep the game fun for the solo players while keeping everything intact for the online warriors.

I feel a bit letdown over the game as a whole.

In addition to the main Discovery mode you can also compete for times in Ghost mode or tackle the levels in the Challenge and Bonus modes where you are often required to complete the level with 100% of your mercury. There is plenty of content that easily makes this worth the $5 initial purchase and with the promise of more DLC and some that is already available; Mercury Hg is one of the better XBLA purchases this holiday season

This version of L.A. is a living, breathing city where your actions have a direct bearing on immediate events and could even impact the story much further than you can possibly imagine.

Thankfully, NBA Street Showdown makes it easy to enjoy this sport. I had a lot more fun playing this than I did the official NBA titles, but then again, Showdown forgoes the rules in favor of fun.

With all of the available options, team stats, player management, and coaching decisions, you will be hard pressed to find a better basketball simulation than this.

Features some of the best graphics ever seen on the GameCube and an over-the-top orchestrated score that gives new meaning to the word "epic." The only thing restraining Assault from being a blockbuster title is the lack of online play and extremely short story mode.

Expect 15-20 hours of gameplay just to get through the game and that's not including any replays for secrets, alternate paths, or checking out any of the secrets or unlocks. The 3rd Birthday rivals a lot of console action-RPG's these days, and while it probably would have played better and received a wider audience on the PS3, I have to commend Square Enix for publishing a fantastic sequel and an exceptional gameplay experience on the PSP that any fan of the genre or the series should definitely check out.

This game rocks from the opening tutorial to the final credits. Visually, it’s more stunning than nearly anything that released last year and the spooky sounds and kickin’ soundtrack are second to none.

Heroes of the Pacific is an extremely Arcady, historical WWII fighter with enough planes and amazing explosions than Pearl Harbor alone. If you like flying combat and extremely diverse gameplay, then become a hero to yourself and buy this game.

I am certain that Empire Earth II will someday make it to the RTS Hall of Fame. It has surpassed the original in almost every way possible. It has become a new force to be reckoned with in the RTS genre.

The game is not perfect but it’s a very good start. I recommend X-Men Origins: Wolverine – Uncaged Edition for the PC to anyone wanting to take a walk on the wild side.

A blast to play, especially in a group setting, and is almost worth picking up just to hear the polygonal version of Simon Cowell hurl insults at you (and your friends) after your performances.

It’s a perfectly blend of extreme sports action with an intuitive trick system that allows you to grow with the game, and big city free-roaming adventure much like a GTA game without all the violence.

The clunky inventory and save system that forces you to return to your room is annoying at first but you eventually learn to live with it.

College Hoops 2K6 combines solid graphics/controls, with a deep Legacy mode, that should keep your attention far past this NCCA season.

If you are looking for an outstanding visual and visceral action experience then you haven’t seen or played anything this cool since that old "Incoming" game from a few years ago.

There is good bit of game to get through here for $10. It has a great style, good music and fun combat. It's violent, it's dark and it gives you quite a few reasons to keep returning. There aren't any reasons not to recommend it -- unless of course you're squeamish.

The Warriors could have easily become just another repetitious street brawling title, but with a strong and original storyline that merges with the film plot, great combat action, and authentic 70's style and flavor, this is one game that will keep you knocking heads for months to come.

This game ties together many of the great aspects of earlier titles (national borders, heroes, mega-units) seamlessly. The new fantasy setting, with its grand theme of magic versus technology, is a welcome change from orcs versus elves.

Dance Central 2 is a solid game and perhaps an even better dance instructor.

Project Gotham Racing 3 isn’t as next-gen as the hardware you are playing it on, but it is nonetheless a solid and serious racing game and a definite improvement over "PGR2."

Neversoft did an admirable job, especially considering they had to take a legendary franchise and rebuild it from scratch. But for a series that I have traditionally given perfect scores and continuous editorial awards, I can’t help but feel a bit let down by some personally distasteful music and poor note designs.

The squad-based gameplay is here but its execution has been greatly simplified making the game much more accessible to the casual gamer and probably a bit insulting to Clancy veterans.

I loved the new control scheme that literally allows you to draw your moves, zip to buildings, and engage in exciting combat. There is a great story, colorful graphics, and just a fun time to be had with this latest Spidey title.

Proves Bungie's dedication to making Halo 2 an ongoing success. You can really see the love and attention to detail that went into the creation of each and every level.

Definitely an advancement over the original release – not so much an improvement, mind you, just a bit more quantity at the same quality.

The power of the 360 brings the world of Shrek right into my living room with lush graphics, rich sound, and challenging, entertaining gameplay that makes this title a perfect complement to what will easily be the blockbuster box-office event of the year.

Men of Valor tells the best story and delivers the best action of any of the Vietnam games currently available.

Does this game come through for the hype behind it? Does a Wookie tear your arm off if you don't let him win? So if you have any interest in a compelling well-told story with good characters, dialogue, all rolled up into something that's fun to play then pick this game up. Could it have been better? Yes.

Combines dazzling graphics, rambunctious gameplay, and an intriguing story that does justice for this Marvel icon Did I mention it’s $30? Yeah, that ain’t so bad either.

If you love quirky humor and challenging gameplay then this is a title you'll want to be adding to your game collection. And you can't beat the $20 price – just don't let it fool you into thinking this is less of a game than it really is.

Most of the new stuff seemed tacked on for the sake of having something new, and for a skateboarding game I found myself doing a whole lot of stuff "off the board". It kind of reminded me of all the on-foot missions in "Driver 3."

Stuntman: Ignition is a total blast. It has great physics and handling and stunts that are totally insane but also typical of the current Hollywood blockbuster.

This is just one of those games you can pick up and play on a whim for two minutes or two hours. The game can get quite addicting as you try to shave seconds off your delivery time while sneaking in an extra jump or a few more yards of crazy drift.

If you enjoy slow, strategic, stealth gameplay, if you've hacked your way through the most violent games available and still want more blood and sick, twisted, violence then look no further. You won’t find a more stylish or disturbing game than this.

While Titan Quest definitely scores points for presentation, stunning visuals, and powerful sound and music, there is just too many gameplay oddities lurking below the surface to make this a solid recommendation.

I enjoyed Men of War: Vietnam a lot more than I initially thought I would. The game design favors action and strategy over resource management, and the level of difficulty, while daunting for most, was a refreshing change from the more casual military offerings out there these days.

Enemy Territory is the very definition of tactical warfare and its objective-base design and multiple classes will keep you playing longer than any other game in the genre.

The Last Guy is a fun and quirky title that took me by total surprise. It has the look of a next-gen title with all of the gameplay and audio elements of something you might have played on your Atari 2600.

The team at Funcom can tell one helluva story, but they still need to work on putting gameplay into the game.

The staggering difficulty and blazing visuals may overwhelm the casual gamer, but anyone who takes the time to master the binary gameplay model will find a deep strategic shooter.

There’s nothing too innovative here; just a great solid platform title with loads of content and fun.

A simple premise that is saved by its charming visual design and campy gameplay attitude. There is something just a bit twisted about playing the "alien" and making the humans the "bad guys".

In summary, The Sims Medieval provides an unexpected jumpstart to a series that, while still well loved, was probably due for a refresher. The condensed, more directed gameplay might be hit or miss with Sims veterans and might be different enough from previous Sims games to attract a different demographic. While it's not perfect, however, The Sims Medieval plays well and introduces many new features and exploration options alongside the familiar, all delivered in an attractive package.

Seems to have been designed itself by an evil genius. A person with above average abilities in the graphics department but a sadistic, or evil, urge to make gameplay very irritating and proceed at a snail‘s pace.

For novice “simmers” you may be taken aback by the sheer amount of details and realistic gameplay, but veterans should be hungry for more sooner than later.

Offers a quality presentation of a sometimes-awkward game, but for the most part you can overcome the quirky camera and really get into the melee and ranged combat. And the collection of mini-games rivals a handheld version of "Mario Party."

Even with its online flaws Sega GT Online is a steal at $20, especially if the 2002 game isn’t already part of your game library... This is easily the deepest racer available on the Xbox. It’s a shame that it’s not the best.

A fairly enjoyable title that is full of humor and memorable characters.

There were a handful of drawbacks – most notably the lack of some teams and absence of a team or player creation mode – but overall this is great fun.

From a gamer perspective, this game is a blast covering numerous genres like basketball, adventure, educational, and even rhythm games. There is so much to see and do and you'll have a great time doing it all.

Giving the characters stories within the game not only lends them more life than most racing game characters, it gives players a good reason to keep going until you've seen them all.

The sheer scope of the expansion is impressive as the development team desired to not only add new areas and items, but to change and update the way DAoC itself can be played.

Given the relatively short game length (even for an XBLA title) and little incentive for replay, I think 800 points would have been a much fairer asking price. Regardless, this is one XBLA title you don't want to miss.

I haven’t had this much FUN playing a game in a long time. The twitch nature of the gameplay is great for short spurts of addictive action between those other more serious titles. Check your brain at the door and let the Force flow through you.

An excellent hybrid of systematic dungeon crawls and traditional RPG gameplay that will reward most any RPG fan with quality hack-n-slash gameplay, strategic inventory management, and thoughtful character advancement.

Despite a few nagging gameplay issues, Pinball FX2 is certainly the best pinball game this generation of console is likely to see, and with the unending challenge of the leaderboards and all of the exciting DLC that is sure to follow, there is no reason that any aspiring pinball wizard with an Xbox 360 should pass on this title.

Scrat is one of the most endearing characters in animated films and it's high time he got to showcase his talents in his own adventure.

SEGA Rally Revo is a great game, infinitely more fun than its console cousin. The PSP version has incredible graphics, intuitive controls, and a fun casual design that will keep you playing for months to come.

Blur makes great use of the unique controls of Nintendo’s new system without seeming like they were trying.

It doesn't look nearly as good as it's next generation brothers, but other than the visuals, very little has been lost in the translation to the Wii.

Arguably, there isn't that much of a Bond feel to the game other than Craig's accent and a few familiar bars of the Bond theme music, but as action-shooters that mix stealth and melee, and a few car chases tossed in to spice things up, you won't find much better this holiday season.

The combat engine has been refined to the point where veterans of the series might have a tougher time than newcomers, but there are plenty of rewards waiting for those who can master this next-gen fighter.

I can’t recommend Kung Fu Panda for the DS highly enough, especially for the younger kids, perhaps those that wanted to play Ninja Gaiden and weren't allowed.

A fantastic shooter that FPS and western fans are going to love.

Just the shot in the arm that EverQuest needed at this juncture. A graphical update would be nice, but the new mission based gameplay and the augmentation system, have really brought my opinion of EverQuest and SOE to a new, higher level.

And while some of the more unique aspects of Beyond Good and Evil might not seem so unique by today's measure – there is no denying that this game is a masterpiece that should not be missed. Get this game, it may be the best eight bucks you spend this week.

Their simplistic yet challenging gameplay make them enjoyable even today as they did over 20 years ago. If you’re a fan of old-school gaming or have never played either of these titles then I highly recommend picking up Final Fight: Double Impact as soon as you can.

And while the whole demolition derby thing may have been done before, it has never been done this well – with this much care.

PixelJunk SideScroller is a title that I could sit and play it for hours if wasn't for the need to sleep and other necessities. The simplicity of the game's design and the ease of use controls make it an easy game for anyone to pick up and play. Though it's totally up to the player if they have the determination to make it through 13 levels of enemy filled levels and creative bosses. If that's not enough then there are Leaderboards to top and trophies to earn for those looking for more of a challenge. IF you haven't already started downloading PixelJunk SideScroller you should be. Fun starts with the drop of a few coins.

With extremely solid graphics, sound and non-linear, fleshed out gameplay with some nasty A.I., this game is definitely one of the best titles for the PS2 so far in 2005, and should remain that way for months to come.

The amalgamation of the open-city concept of the Underground games with the police chases of Hot Pursuit make for a sort of "best of" of the NFS history.

I received the game via PSN download, so I cannot vouch for loading times on UMD purchases. However, I will say that on the Sony forums, series veterans are complaining that the PSP’s MLB 10: The Show actually offers fewer features than MLB 09 The Show – but as a first time visitor, I came with no expectations and I absolutely love the game.

EndWar is definitely a game that Ubisoft’s military simulation fans need to look at, as it is a natural extension of the gameplay that you (we) hold so dear. But EndWar is not for the faint of heart, and will ultimately only appeal to select console gamers.

The game is an excellent third-person action adventure.

The character morphing was way cool and I think that more games should have this feature.

SOCOM 3 is a very impressive shooter for the PSP, and fans of tactical military shooters would be remiss in passing this one up. I’ll see you online, Tango.