Puzzle gaming has had a number of complex entries recently, and this isn’t one of them. It is, however, a fun diversion for about an hour.

The overall high level of polish and deep macro-level scheming are enough to cement its place in the upper echelons of strategy gaming, regardless of personal taste.

Between the receivers’ lack of ball awareness and the game’s horrendous slowdown – which interferes with just about every play – this title is anything but high octane.

The sense of speed is fantastic and the visuals are divine, but the openness of the tracks, cautionary AI opponents, and fact that you really have to go out of your way to wreck serve to suck all of the excitement out of the experience.

The characters, dialogue, and plot are all about as engrossing as run-of-the-mill fanfic, and the battle system is as boring a turn-based snoozefest as I’ve seen in years.

This is a quirky Japanese kissing game. I say kiss it goodbye, because it’s not worth your time. Some games are just made broken. I don’t mean broken in the bug-riddled sense, but Chulip is probably one of the most poorly designed games I have ever played.

The trademark humor, outrageous weapon designs, and unforgettable cast of characters appear to be stripped straight from Insomniac’s portfolio. Which is not to say, however, that High Impact is simply connecting the dots that Insomniac has laid out.

It’s a decent brawler that doesn’t do anything new or interesting, and it stars a skeleton on fire. I’ll gladly take it over yet another collect-a-thon platformer.

If you missed out on this, or are looking for a reason to pull your PSP out of mothballs, The Warriors is a great purchase.

While you can play any of the games solo, Wii Play is clearly designed as a pastime for friends; every one of the nine is best played with two remotes. It’s also a little odd that the entire game seems oriented towards teaching players how to use the Wii remote.

Some of the characters are very memorable and the game has a few scenes that are so bizarre they’re laughable, but the plot as a whole is pretty lame.

Puzzle Fighter alone might make this worth the $30 for a lot of folks.

Sure, leveling up and collecting new items requires nothing more than going through the motions for seasoned gamers. But any title that can throw in as many new systems and nail the core gameplay as well as Lunar Knights does has a spot waiting for it in my library.

As solid as the 360 version is, as a longtime player I still prefer the PS2 version. Even on a rain-soaked pitch, it feels faster, and the d-pad controls feel tighter. [Mar 2007, p.99]

The majority of the game remains largely unchanged. It’s a solid game, but unlike EA’s successful college football game, it doesn’t deliver content that draws you into the experience. It’s great for multiplayer games, but the barebones season does little to keep players glued.

Those who have fond memories of the PSone cult classic "Thousand Arms" will definitely enjoy Ar Tonelico's strange blend of action, dialog, and courtship. [Feb. 2007, p.101]

None of it has the magic supplied by the much better "Mario Kart," and the game starts feeling less like a drive to the finish and more like a time waster.

Final Fantasy VI is one of the best RPGs ever made, and this version doesn't sacrifice any of its inherent awesomeness. From the huge cast of characters and their special moves to the memorable scenes like the opera house event, it is all intact and as good as you remember.

If a slower-paced, more complex title in the vein of EverQuest is what you’re looking for, Vanguard will serve you well. A lack of polish in several areas and strong competition keep this game from being particularly special, though.

It’s a mix of exciting and overwhelming as you try to maintain what feels like 50 pots boiling over at different times. [Mar 2007, p.104]

The game offers a wealth of RPG riches and shows a developer exceeding its previous efforts and working at the height of its powers. [Jan 2007, p.100]

It’s a mix of exciting and overwhelming as you try to maintain what feels like 50 pots boiling over at different times.

In the end, Sonic nuts will love it. Everyone else should stay away.

The only good that this game serves is that it keeps Fuzion Frenzy’s legacy of being synonymous with “bad game” alive for another generation. Even if Microsoft offers it as a five dollar download on Xbox Live Arcade, pass on it – unless, of course, you collect Worst Games of the Year.

The story may be new, but the boring battle system and frustrating quests are all too familiar. Its simplicity is charming at points (especially in the dialogue), but ultimately isn’t enough to salvage the whole game.

This game has a hotel full of strangers with secrets, which might just be enough to get you to stick around to hear them all. But perhaps you’ll want to skip the ambiance and go somewhere with fresher towels.

Pirates offers the same great mix of addictive minigames to which we sea dogs have grown accustomed.

The impressive Dynasty mode and new Team Intensity Mode (which lets you track and alter the individual momentum of your players) offer some interesting strategic aspects to the game, but in the end March Madness still ends up a few baskets short of its competition.