The whole idea of platformer as scavenger hunt, though, has aged as well as a tuna sandwich left out on a hot California day. Sadly, this bear is starting the smell just as bad.

Sometimes, you just need to blow stuff up. You'll have a hard time finding a better game on the Dreamcast to satisfy those brutal urges than the delightfully cartoony, but fiercely addictive Gunbird 2.

Great stocking stuffers and even (a) cheap gift exchange purchase.

Both games are directly targeted at the budget level, and are steals for gamers that have never owned the PlayStation versions, or just never had the chance to really get into either one.

A twitchfest that relies on lightning reflexes and good ol' ninja skill, not the patience to sit through poorly acted cut scenes. That's a compliment, by the way.

Never mind that the story is fantastic--especially because it's based on real history -- the one thing that will get this gem some serious press is the overload of eye candy.

Not only one of the best racers on the Nintendo 64, but also one of the better kart racers in the last couple years.

By far my favorite RPG of all time thanks to its great story, looks, and battle system. The game has absorbed my days and nights with swashbuckling adventures -- and that's all you can really ask for in the end, isn't it?

Coming in completely under the radar, RC de Go! could be the most enjoyable PlayStation racer of 2000 that you'll never play...

I, for one, will be giving multiple copies of Crash Bash and multi-taps to family and friends this holiday, and that alone should speak miles on just how addictive and fun this game can be in a multiplayer environment.

But if you're looking for more than a distraction for the kids, a learning tool perfectly disguised as a game, then consider Nintendo's Hey You, Pikachu!.

Remodeled player models, higher resolution textures, even better lighting features all top the list of Dreamcast over PlayStation improvements.

TWINE revels in fact that it poaches the concepts pioneered in GoldenEye, and N64 gamers should too, because we haven't had it this good since 1997.

The cream of the crop of online sports games and a must own addition to any Dreamcast owner's library.

A solid racer, which will either be slighting boring, or completely enthralling depending from which side of the crowd you come from (sim vs. arcade).

A gorgeous snowboarder that gets its adrenaline from pulling off gravity-defying tricks, literally.

A knock-you-on-your-ass game that's so good it should be considered a felony not to own it.

Virtually lag-free play, spot-on looks, and a tremendous amount of fun elevate 4x4 to the top of Dreamcast racers with little to no effort.

If you don't believe physical strain should be the end result of a video game session, then, as Bono might sing, walk on.

Such a non-step forward in game play that any visual victory it achieves rings hollow.

Falls victim to the same fate as Namco's "Tekken Tag Tournament," it offers nothing new except a prettier prom dress.

If you can get past the sometimes chugging on-screen action, and are just looking to have some good old fashion video game hockey fun, then NHL 2001 is just the game that will soak up your afternoons.

The change in mood and the incredible new story are enough to rope anybody in for the easy thirty or more hours it will take to complete this worthy sequel.

One of the cleanest of the launch games, despite the fact the game takes on a cartoon-y, B-movie art style than the potential for realism that most other developers choose to trumpet.

Even Sega fanboys like myself have to admit that when it comes to little details, Madden walks all over our beloved "NFL 2K1" like Nancy Sinatra in a pair of high heeled boots.

Quake 3 Arena is so damn good, scratch that, so damn near perfect, that it makes anybody who believes the future of gaming is not online look like a fool.

Fishing gurus will love the idea of big catches, and video game addicts will thoroughly enjoy the strategy behind reeling in each different type of fish.

New characters and updated graphics that only the PS2 could offer, and on the other hand... well, terrible slowdown and sometimes unbalanced gameplay are just a few of the many flaws early adopters found themselves clamoring about.