You can have a good time with Trackmania DS, but just don't be looking for anything close to the Gran Turismo experience.

Nintendogs captures the essence of puppydom in its adorable stars and genuine charm, but focuses so much on being a cutie that it forgets to be a game. DS owners thirsting for companionship will certainly find some here, although it’s really just a virtual pet without enough interesting gameplay enhancements.

All in all, this game has many glaring flaws, but it does a great job at when comes to the main task of "maim and destroy".

Another major annoyance is the save system. You can only save at designated statues, and there are only two or three per level.

Despite its flaws, it certainly puts up a good fight...though I'm sure you'll find it to be just another mission among the many you've completed before.

I spend so much time criticizing this game only because the core mechanics are so good.

There are much better shooters on the market. It's time to hang up the cummerbund and bow tie and enjoy your martini with another game.

A lot of learning material.

Though Earthworm Jim HD has wonderful graphics and is fairly inexpensive, it suffers from a lot of control problems that will make you want it to borrow back into the ground it came from.

I said it last year, "Every console launch will have a Tony Hawk game," and while Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam isn’t the biggest or best, it’s still a decent ride.

Its track list is slightly shorter, its difficulty is slightly easier, and its unlockable goodies are slightly less thrilling, but if you loved everything about Guitar Hero III despite its flaws, then there’s little reason not to grab this one as well. Just don’t expect your finger train to be rolling over the guitar as all-night-long as it did before.

Feel free to take Lara out for the weekend, but don’t go looking for a long-term relationship.

Despite its addictive quality and nice replay value, this warrior’s creative shortcomings, excessive button-mashing and total lack of A.I. keep it from truly ruling the battlefield.

Scurge doesn’t stand out, but it’s comfortable if you need a bite-sized action game to pass the time.

MX vs. ATV: Reflex would benefit greatly from a diet of raw motocross action. Without the added weight of the Rider Reflex controls, the other vehicles, or its half-baked race types, this could be one lean, dirt-shredding machine. As it is, it’s a misshapen lump of flabby features and excess ideas.

As much as I pick on Crash, I was secretly hoping that Crash of the Titans would put him back in the spotlight. It had an excitingly original concept but failed to take full advantage of its possibilities.

It’s a shame that with such outstanding production values and such a beautifully realized story and world, Dreamfall doesn’t do more as a video game. It adheres quite strictly to its adventure roots but fails to provide a satisfying challenge.

Though a graphical marvel, Black is too brief, too straight and too lacking to be considered much more than a cool tech-demo, and the absence of multiplayer hurts it immeasurably.

There's nothing really functionally wrong with the game (besides the crack-induced plot), but it simply isn't nearly as addictive or fun as other puzzle games.

The painting is cool and the characters are likeable, but this is more about your own imagination than your own fun.

If you can overlook the fact that the developers don't love Godzilla as much as you do, then you can easily spend several enjoyable hours with Godzilla:DAMM.

Unfortunately, this new DF cuisine turns out a flavor that is bland and ubiquitous to a fault. I guess someone forgot to throw in the spice.

However, as with the single-player game, there’s little personal investment in the persistent world.

And despite its groovy style, XIII isn’t much more than a run-of-the-mill game. Its presentation is definitely worthy of a look (particularly if you own an Xbox) but its gameplay is about as straightforward - and in some cases boring - as it gets for an FPS.

It's a great racing game and fits in well with the Gran Turismo family in terms of audio-video presentation. But the lack of an actual career mode and the broken storefront only act as a counter-weight to how much you'll actually want to play, other than building up a car nut's dream collection like a Pokémon master does his own. It won't hold your attention for long, though, if you are after an increasingly challenging game to slowly plow through, and that's its biggest flaw.

If the the old school Puzzle Quest is mega-addicting black tar heroin, then the new one is some brown weed that barely gets you high and leaves you with little more than a headache and a bad taste in your mouth.

The game looks hot and puts out, so if you just want a fling, it’s not a bad choice. But for a long term relationship, I need much more depth. She ain’t getting a ring, that’s for sure.

If you loved Front Mission in the past, or are just a big fan of the tactical RPG genre, or can’t get enough of stomping badguys with your giant titanium feet, then this is the right game for you. Otherwise, you might want to give this one a pass, and leave your Wanzer alone.