EA has made significant strides in creating a more realistic flow to digital hoops... I have to give the nod to ESPN, but I eagerly look toward next year's Live. [Nov 2003, p.147]

No Treasure game would be complete if it wasn't replete with awesome boss battles. Wario World has them in droves. [July 2003, p.108]

Offers a ton of bloody entertainment, even when going online isn't an option. [Apr 2005, p.131]

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds offers some exciting twists on the tried-and-true kart-racing formula, making for a streamlined experience that wastes no time getting you into the action. Though there’s substantially less content and replayability than its primary contemporary, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is concise and effective in its mission, offering the most well-rounded kart racer of the year.

Despite its shortcomings, SMT IV is a handheld adventure that RPG fans are sure to embrace for hours on end. While it doesn’t go in too many new directions, it makes some bold story moves that kept me reflecting long after I stopped playing.

If you can accept the fact that the playtime is shorter than the running time of a Kevin Costner film, The 2nd Runner offers an explosive and highly fevered gameplay experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat. [May 2003, p.85]

The gamplay, however, is devilishly clever in its use of politics, economics, and social standing to keep your butt planted, and your attention riveted. [Feb 2003, p.107]

If you don’t mind periodically revisiting game design from 1999, Alan Wake is an engaging horror mystery that brings the heart of Stephen King’s style of storytelling to the interactive medium.

The PSX version of Tony Hawk 3 has only proven to me that part 2 was such a monstrous release, not even its masters could defeat it. [Dec 2001, p.110]

This is one of the funniest games ever made, and a fantastic way to teach yourself the controls of the Wii while simultaneously charming friends into understanding why you just spent a few hundred dollars on this new game system.

An extremely solid game that maintains the great tradition of the franchise. While I doubt it will be remembered as a classic, it will definitely provide fans with many great moments of fun. [Jan 2005, p.127]

Though it's almost expected that MLB The Show will have another solid outing, I still can't help but smile when, after my first few games, I realize that baseball is back and we once again have a terrific representation of that in video game form. Whether I was leading my team to the World Series in March to October, charting my player's career in Road to the Show, or learning about the game's history in Storylines, I continually needed to pull myself away from playing "just one more." MLB The Show 25 delivers perhaps the most well-rounded package of any of the mainstream sports video games, making for a title I first fired up during Spring Training and could very well still be playing when the World Series rolls around.

There are so many things to like about DAoC that it's hard not to find the game charming. [Jan 2002, p.93]

Xbox's NASCAR Thunder is better. [Dec 2001, p.93]

The Matrix vibe is in full effect, and I can give you my personal guarantee that you won't be able to put it down until you've seen all the new footage. [June 2003, p.100]

I've played through all of the Angry Birds games, and had the most fun with this Star Wars-themed version. And that's not just because it's Star Wars. This game shows Rovio is at the top of its game, using a beloved license to deliver the series' most creative levels to date.

A genuine treat, and even its short length doesn't hold me back from granting it my solid seal of approval. [Jan 2005, p.145]

Color Splash’s RPG elements might be paper thin, but fans of the series won’t be disappointed with this latest adventure. While the game’s combat isn’t much deeper than Mario’s paper-thin body, this plumber’s antics and colorful world are worth the price of admission.

In terms of gameplay quality, this may be another middle-of-the-road shooter, but the unique premise sets it aside from everything else out there. [Sept 2005, p.94]

By combining a completely new gameplay style with nicely designed traditional 2D platforming levels, Kirby: Canvas Curse manages to fulfill the true potential of Nintendo's highly touted touch-screen gameplay. [Aug 2005, p.108]

Stacking is a bit rough around the edges, but the puzzles are clever, the humor hits the mark more than it misses, and the characters and story are delightful, leaving adventure fans with little more to ask for.

It took me a little over six hours to get my first victory screen, but that wasn’t the end of the game. Unlocking everything, uncovering secrets, and piecing together the lore are all a part of the almost inexhaustible experience. It can be acutely irritating to fall victim to a first-level foe after nearly making it to the last boss in the previous run, but the game is hard to put down. Loot River reimagines some of its inspirations' best elements, offering players a chance to sail cleverly through each environment, grow powerful enough to slice up once-impossible threats, and unravel a story that smartly weaves into its gameplay.

Much of the world's luster, from the textures to the character models, is sadly diminished in this version. [Aug 2005, p.85]

Wii MotionPlus is a great boon to the Wii version of Tiger - the game is merely a [70] without it. [July 2009, p.82]

GRAW games are all about multiplayer, and this version doesn’t disappoint. PS3 owners will receive 14 additional maps, most of which are just variations on the Xbox 360 maps and a few classic ones from Ghost Recon past, and two new co-op modes that task you with locating POWs and evading enemy forces.

Even though the classic Pokémon formula still works as evidenced by HeartGold, I can’t help but hope for a new Pokémon title that breaks some new ground.

Tetris 99 is a pleasant surprise, and is my favorite content offered by the Nintendo Switch Online service to date. The idea of playing Tetris against 98 other players at once seems ludicrous but is fun in practice and delivers intense moments just like when you’re among the final few in a battle royale game.

While those looking for the pure historical war experience may find themselves wanting a bit more, with such a critical emphasis on the commanders and their supreme battlefield presence, those willing to indulge in a more prodigious past have lots to enjoy. With strict historical adherence out the window and a bit of a streamlined tactical combat experience, Three Kingdoms still has a lot to offer the strategy enthusiast.