After three years, a major hardware shift and a hungry audience, Animal Crossing: Wild World doesn't add anything new to the great original formula.

Nintendo didn't include enough extra fuel to give this otherwise fun endeavor the appeal of a "Mario Kart."

We're glad to see Ubisoft spare their Prince from becoming a pauper by ditching the dreary aesthetic, but the minor improvements along with too many familiar gripes keep this game from being king.

We're glad to see Ubisoft spare their Prince from becoming a pauper by ditching the dreary aesthetic, but the minor improvements along with too many familiar gripes keep this game from being king.

We're glad to see Ubisoft spare their Prince from becoming a pauper by ditching the dreary aesthetic, but the minor improvements along with too many familiar gripes keep this game from being king.

Pitting 2K's college game against EA's is a close call, but ultimately I suppose that this game's better price and A.I. give it the edge. Someone needs to fire the coach before it's guaranteed a tourney berth, though.

An exceptional blend of gaming styles filled with enough irreverent humor to please old and young alike. It could stand to be harder and less linear, but in the end this marks another winner for the mustachioed mascot.

The pickiness of the lens attachment doesn't help, either, so you'll have to be seriously committed to your body to get the most from this program.

Coming it at around seven or eight hours, Peter Jackson's King Kong really does feel like a roller-coaster ride through the film, but once you get off, there's not much of a reason to ride it again other than to unlock some extra art and whatnot.

We expect more for thirty dollars. We want loads of maps, more meaningful lighting, more classes, more new vehicles and maybe a play mode other than Conquest. It's probably worth another tour of duty, but we wouldn't rush to enlist.

A riveting if flawed run through Skull Island, one that immerses you smack in the middle of a horrific world teeming with life and, of course, love.

Coming it at around seven or eight hours, Peter Jackson's King Kong really does feel like a roller-coaster ride through the film, but once you get off, there's not much of a reason to ride it again other than to unlock some extra art and whatnot.

Pitting 2K's college game against EA's is a close call, but ultimately I suppose that this game's better price and A.I. give it the edge. Someone needs to fire the coach before it's guaranteed a tourney berth, though.

Assuming you just spent a mountain of money to own the newest of the new in video gaming, you'll probably want to leave this marine lost in space.

I'm indeed a fan of Ridge Racer, which is precisely why I'd like to see it do better than this cookie-cutter offering. It's well past time for Namco to start tinkering under the hood of this old jalopy, especially considering the impressive new engines powering games these days.

It may not shatter the mold of first-person fragging, but it's got tons of good content, providing enough lasting gameplay to get you through the inevitable post-launch drought.

It delivers unbelievable graphics and more cathartic chaos than you can shoot a luger at, but has something of a dumb head on its shoulders, an overly simple control scheme and busies itself providing greater densities of the same old content without doing anything new.

Some shallow gameplay mechanics and weird environmental limits keep this corpse from the most elite graveyards, but that shouldn't scare you away from grabbing this awesome, and awful, thriller.

American Wasteland is greased lightning on the 360, but is otherwise totally unchanged from its earlier release. I suppose it’s a fine purchase if you skipped out on the other versions, but keep in mind that you're just getting new wheels for the same old board.

It's nice to spend a few minutes getting some goals knocked out while waiting for the bus, and while the world may be tiring of Hawk style, now you can have a respectable version in your pocket.

Respected gameplay in nice new wrapping and ties it up with amazing online integration, which hints at things to come.

A solid game that, on all platforms, performs admirably, draws you into the story, takes itself (and you) seriously, and does the genre proud. It's too thin around the waist to really tangle with the big boys.

Don’t expect any sort of deep managerial options, because all you get is the bare bones trade/sign/release functionality. No team practice, no hiring and firing of coaches, and no scouting at all. It’s like playing through the ‘98-99 lockout season, and it’s simply not deep enough for a next-gen game.

The fact is, if you already own a Tiger game for a current-gen machine, you own a better one than this. Numbers don’t lie, and neither do we.

FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup lets the goalie out of the box by telling us the name of the game's only mode right there in the title. What it fails to mention is that there's nothing else here for FIFA, Winning Eleven, or soccer fans in general.

Amped 3 provides all kinds of groovy style and content but wraps it in somewhat bland gameplay. Hopefully the next edition will try and hit the slopes a little harder, maybe even with friends.

I’m loving Need For Speed: Most Wanted. It’s a great combination of "Underground" and "Hot Pursuit," and it’s just one hell of a lot of fun.

As much as we love those menus, though, it bothers us that Madden 06 for the PSP, I mean Xbox 360, is missing so much content.

The core of Dragon Quest VIII is the epitome of elegant design while the aesthetics are nearly unmatched. What it lacks in innovation it makes up for in refinement and delivery, leading to the new king of the old school.

Oddly, Need for Speed: Most Wanted 5-1-0 would have been a better game if they had just left the police back at the donut shop. The combination of badly integrated cops, too few cars, and trammeled car physics keep this game off our most wanted list.

True Crime: New York City replicates the over-the-top violence and goofy sexuality of GTA, but trashes that series' friendly interface, gorgeous environment, and dependable physics. If there's a lesson to be learned here, it's that what made GTA so enjoyable weren't the mature themes, but the execution.

It’s really a shame that a game with so much depth in its combat system turns up so thin everywhere else. It’s the exact opposite of Untold Legends, but that doesn't make it a great deal better.

True Crime: New York City replicates the over-the-top violence and goofy sexuality of GTA, but trashes that series' friendly interface, gorgeous environment, and dependable physics. If there's a lesson to be learned here, it's that what made GTA so enjoyable weren't the mature themes, but the execution.

True Crime: New York City replicates the over-the-top violence and goofy sexuality of GTA, but trashes that series' friendly interface, gorgeous environment, and dependable physics. If there's a lesson to be learned here, it's that what made GTA so enjoyable weren't the mature themes, but the execution.

It goes the distance with its plentiful single-player content, provides intelligent, affordable local multiplayer and actually lets you race online.

Let's hope they take the lessons they learned from this steroid-fueled installment and carry the tradition of tight content additions and smart gameplay tweaks into the next generation.

A pretty solid, compelling take on the inner and outer workings of the deliciously corrupt film business and should satisfy most who audition - until they invariably freak out and seek rehab, that is.

A shocker of a shooter, providing PSP players with access to an experience unlike any they’ve ever held in their hands – tactical online fragging.

A solid game that, on all platforms, performs admirably, draws you into the story, takes itself (and you) seriously, and does the genre proud. It's too thin around the waist to really tangle with the big boys.

Most adventure gamers will enjoy the frequent scares and pretty scenes of Fatal Frame III. However, the slow pacing and general lack of innovation to gameplay, scenery, or story keeps this picture just slightly out of focus.

Despite its solid delivery and the admittedly groovy prospect of controlling Sauron and Saruman in Moria, the notable gameplay and pacing problems bring the whole adventure down in a hail of arrows.

Operation Flashpoint: Elite is simply an old, crippled vet that should have been left to its episodes of Judge Judy and servings of lime Jell-O in the gaming retirement home.

A solid game that, on all platforms, performs admirably, draws you into the story, takes itself (and you) seriously, and does the genre proud. It's too thin around the waist to really tangle with the big boys.

If you really have to get down with some four-player bashing on the Gamecube, grab a used copy of "Super Smash." (Or go new; Nintendo could use the cash.) Even diehard Viewtiful Joe fans should think twice before spending the money on this madness.

Frankly, the Gamecube version of Gun holds up just fine, although it's arguably the most strained in terms of control scheme.

Kameo isn’t the deepest or most challenging game in the Xbox 360 launch window, but it looks awesome and offers solid, if fleeting, fun.

I've already spent more time with Guitar Hero than just about anything this season, and it's as entertaining as it was the first day. Harmonix has created a game that’s addictive, tougher than John Wayne's sinew and, to be frank, simply rocks.

For the determined vampire hunter, Castlevania: Curse of Darkness can be engaging, but only in the manner of any item-heavy level grind.

Armed with a healthy Internet connection, this game will hold at bay the forces of boredom for months. Switch off that connection, though, and witness the biggest turn to the lame side since the new Star Wars movies.

This game’s single-player campaign is a decent diversion and serves up a relatively well-produced version of the PC series. Unfortunately, what it lacks in replay value and online play leads to a solider a bit too thin for his britches. Will this war never end?

Don't be lured in with its evil promises - the shallow gameplay and rough delivery will make everyone who plays it a victim.

Armed with a healthy Internet connection, this game will hold at bay the forces of boredom for months. Switch off that connection, though, and witness the biggest turn to the lame side since the new Star Wars movies.

This game's single-player campaign is a decent diversion and serves up a relatively well-produced version of the PC series. Unfortunately, what it lacks in replay value and online play leads to a solider a bit too thin for his britches. Will this war never end?

This game's single-player campaign is a decent diversion and serves up a relatively well-produced version of the PC series. Unfortunately, what it lacks in replay value and online play leads to a solider a bit too thin for his britches. Will this war never end?

Armed with a healthy Internet connection, this game will hold at bay the forces of boredom for months. Switch off that connection, though, and witness the biggest turn to the lame side since the new Star Wars movies.

The combat gameplay is unrivaled, especially during some of the very creative boss battles. It's also the longest Resident Evil game yet, with 25 - 30 hours of gameplay on two discs along with a ton of unlockables that will make you want to do it all over again.

It's odd new modes and lackluster character creator leave something to be desired and the game still isn’t playable online. Hopefully the next blade will be a bit sharper.

It delivers unbelievable graphics and more cathartic chaos than you can shoot a luger at, but has something of a dumb head on its shoulders, an overly simple control scheme and busies itself providing greater densities of the same old content without doing anything new.

While the game doesn't bring a lot of new to the table, it certainly removes some wind resistance and delivers another admirable volley of cartoonish violence. Plenty of solid action and good humor make up for its lack of adventure.

From start to finish this is a terrific, addictive, deep, rewarding turn-based affair. Its new engine and revamped multiplayer breathe new life into an old standby, leading to another winner for Sid.

It suffers from several obvious shortcomings, but accomplishes what only a week ago seemed impossible by providing console gamers with the full Battlefield experience.

Rockstar deserves props for miraculously cramming this much candy into such a small pouch without ripping a hole in the bottom, and while it doesn’t favorably compare to its older kin, it far outshines other attempts at shrinking GTA.

But the underlying gameplay and A.I. that made the PC version such a cohesive package is lost on this new generation of sexless sims, who care only for new rugs, expensive coffee tables, and balanced meals. They’re perfect yuppies, and perfectly boring.

Next time, hopefully Fuse will go easier on the mini-games. We'd rather have a character-based game that's great at pinball rather than a fence-riding jack of all trades that is master of none.

Call of Cthulhu shows that the first-person perspective doesn't always have to pack an uzi, and can even be the perfect view for players interested in a more cerebral challenge. Its dated look and absurd difficulty will probably consign it to mere cult status, but perhaps that's really where a game based on Lovecraft belongs.

It suffers from several obvious shortcomings, but accomplishes what only a week ago seemed impossible by providing console gamers with the full Battlefield experience.

But the underlying gameplay and A.I. that made the PC version such a cohesive package is lost on this new generation of sexless sims, who care only for new rugs, expensive coffee tables, and balanced meals. They're perfect yuppies, and perfectly boring.

But the underlying gameplay and A.I. that made the PC version such a cohesive package is lost on this new generation of sexless sims, who care only for new rugs, expensive coffee tables, and balanced meals. They're perfect yuppies, and perfectly boring.

The steps it has taken in the gameplay department since Age of Empires II are negligible, but at least the new card-based bonus system adds an element of customization and depth to the genre. This result is as detailed as a history book, and about as much fun.

Shadow of the Colossus puts its money where its mouth is, providing unrivaled boss fights in an uncommonly realized world. You won’t find moments like these anywhere else, and its few mechanical problems do little to bring down this absolute goliath of a game.

After three games packed with at least twenty hours of consistently engaging platforming, action and driving, it's difficult to see Jak X as anything but an odd diversion. Even taken within the context of combat racers (as the title requests) there's little to make it stand out.

It's passably fun and offers cool ideas for the future, but in a world packed with incredibly addictive fighters, that's damning with faint praise.

Kudos to Neversoft and Activision for creating an amazing game, the sole competitor in its self-created genre, and curses upon them for distilling it to the point of absurdity.

Comparing World Poker Tour to "World Series of Poker" is like asking if you’d rather be short & fat or ugly & stupid. The generally competent A.I. and career mode make this one the better choice, but your best bet is to leave both flops on the table and find a new game altogether.

Great style and shambling zombie hordes make for some terrific undead moments, but it's a shame there are only a few of them in the game.

Kudos to Neversoft and Activision for creating an amazing game, the sole competitor in its self-created genre, and curses upon them for distilling it to the point of absurdity.

Comparing World Poker Tour to "World Series of Poker" is like asking if you'd rather be short & fat or ugly & stupid. The generally competent A.I. and career mode make this one the better choice, but your best bet is to leave both flops on the table and find a new game altogether.

Kudos to Neversoft and Activision for creating an amazing game, the sole competitor in its self-created genre, and curses upon them for distilling it to the point of absurdity.

A game that equals the movie's cultish charm and, in some ways, surpasses it. If you don't believe us, come out and play.

F.E.A.R. might well be the year’s best single-player PC experience, but it won’t win any awards for its multiplayer. Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag are the only game types, and there aren’t many maps.

The decidedly fragile environments and variety of units give players a sense of having something to fight for in both campaign and multiplayer beyond the unchanging battlefields of the typical turn-based strategy game. More depth and better delivery would have made this war far more civil.

A game that equals the movie's cultish charm and, in some ways, surpasses it. If you don't believe us, come out and play.

Like a goldfish in a bigger bowl, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance makes much of its newfound space without actually evolving into a new beast, and that's mostly a good thing. What it lacks in innovation it makes up for in sheer challenge.

A great presentation and even better writing can’t compensate for the fact that the game practically plays itself. This is a good comic book, but a below average adventure.

L.A. Rush tries to keep up with the street racing scene, but it’s all show and no go. Repeating races over and over isn’t exactly a draw and the lack of customization is unforgivable.

SOCOM 3 has the distinction of being the best online offering the system has ever seen. Those without a PS2 network adapter need not enlist, but for the rest this game is practically a tour of duty.

The gameplay is just as good as you remember it to be and the engine still hauls a great deal of ass, but considering it's had two years to stew, this tour feels a little too much like the last one.

Though it sees a nice addition in the lockdown stick, the game stays stubbornly true to its already paid-for code, repeating the fouls of its past and failing to graduate to the next level.

The result is more sad than monstrous, a beast you’ll put down not with hate, but pity. You’d be far better served dipping into the likes of F.E.A.R. than treading down this overgrown path again.

This could have easily been a great tribute to its SNES predecessor, had it paid any heed to what makes the tedium of an RPG tolerable... and that lies squarely in the saga that this game fails to describe.

L.A. Rush tries to keep up with the street racing scene, but it's all show and no go. Repeating races over and over isn't exactly a draw and the lack of customization is unforgivable.

The gameplay is just as good as you remember it to be and the engine still hauls a great deal of ass, but considering it's had two years to stew, this tour feels a little too much like the last one.

Though it sees a nice addition in the lockdown stick, the game stays stubbornly true to its already paid-for code, repeating the fouls of its past and failing to graduate to the next level.

The gameplay is just as good as you remember it to be and the engine still hauls a great deal of ass, but considering it's had two years to stew, this tour feels a little too much like the last one.

Even with the improvements to the A.I. and enhanced multiplayer experience, the game feels more like an expansion pack than a stand-alone product.

Even with the improvements to the A.I. and enhanced multiplayer experience, the game feels more like an expansion pack than a stand-alone product.

This is another fun, solid entry in what’s quickly becoming the most dependable series in handheld gaming. To truly become an unstoppable power, however, it will also have to become the most daring.

A solid all-around improvement over last year’s game. Still, EA should focus on really nailing the online play missing in "Winning Eleven" and stop embarrassing the franchise with petty control tweaks.