New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a wonderful video game, but its designers drew upon 24 years of familiarity to produce an experience that makes us smile one moment and shrug the next.

The Americanized version has lost something in translation, but for those who don't know any better; Elite Beat Agents delivers a fresh portable gaming experience with far-reaching appeal.

DJ Hero is without question Activision's coolest rhythm game. The turntable has its drawbacks (it's a bit small for larger folks), but that soundtrack will give you a new appreciation for music and perhaps satisfy your DJ fantasy. Just don't pass this off as another game with a useless peripheral. It's one of the sweetest, most original games we've played in a long time.

Dated technology aside, Bully's a fresh breath of air in a stagnating game market -- complete with cool art direction, a great soundtrack, a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and a gameplay mechanic that's new, yet familiar to anyone who's played any of the 'Grand Theft Auto' games.

The PSP's inability to match the functionality of the PlayStation 2's Dual Shock controller causes some problems and the degree of control accomplished by developer Kojima Productions under the circumstances speaks volumes of their expertise, but the results aren't perfect.

The puzzle design is fantastic, though it leans a bit on trial-and-error. The graphics are vibrant, even if the heroes don't have a memorable spark. The game has long-term replayability too, with a neat little co-op game and hidden treasures to uncover. No Wii owner should miss this.

We also have mixed feelings about the Spirit Flute, a musical instrument that, when played, reveals secrets. To do this, you'll blow into the DS microphone. While a novel idea, you look ridiculous doing it, on par with playing a game on Wii. We get what Nintendo wanted to do, but there was probably a better way to accomplish that, instead of having players spit all over their systems.

All of this combines to form a wonderful racing experience that Colin McRae would be proud of, so pick up Dirt 2, rev some engines and enjoy one of 2009's best.

Dragon Age: Origins is a fulfilling, involving adventure that is worth picking up. The choices you make for your character, along with the twists and turns that follow, will keep you engaged. Furthermore, the controls are well done, even without the standard PC and mouse combination. This is one adventure you'll keep coming back to for months to come.

Everything you know and love from the classic NES Bionic game is back, including challenging level design, tons of shoot-em-up action and a bionic arm that requires some strategy to utilize.

While not a true sequel (Sony pulled its eight tracks, modes and vehicles from its WipEout Pure and Pulse PSP games), it feels fresh and exciting because of the gorgeous high-definition graphics, which run in 1080p and at a blazing 60 frames per second.

All of this combines to form a wonderful racing experience that Colin McRae would be proud of, so pick up Dirt 2, rev some engines and enjoy one of 2009's best.

With upgraded graphics, exclusive campaign chapters and a handful of new multiplayer features (handled through Games for Windows Live), Gears of War is a very desirable shooter.

Nathan Hale's lack of personality makes him impossible to like, while trial by death game design forces you to learn the hard way. Enemies have a bad habit of zeroing in on you and ignoring your computer controlled teammates, and the inability to play the single player campaign alongside a friend makes no sense. Despite these flaws and omissions, however, Resistance 2 is still a fun ride.

The tilting gameplay is both surprisingly simple yet elegant, letting you achieve goals at your own pace without frustration.

A fast-paced game that will keep you glued to your screen as you purge the planet of alien invaders.

The driving is an excellent blend of high-speed antics and risk, as one crash can quickly end your run.

While the Xbox 360's Bayonetta runs smoothly at (mostly) 60 frames per second, Sony's version constantly chugs with slowdown and load times. Even if you're in the middle of a fight, the game will pause for a couple of seconds playing catch-up. For those of you who own Sony's machine, this isn't the end of the world, but it's a shame Sega couldn't get the game to perform the same on both platforms. The Xbox 360 is the obvious choice.

It's a monumental space adventure you shouldn't miss, whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer. Insomniac wraps up the duo's space saga in style. We just hope to see more of them in the future. We can't get enough of these guys.

Even though the PC version runs faster, Unreal Tournament III for the PlayStation 3 is an outstanding first-person shooter. All of Tournament's frenetic action stays intact, both in the jam-packed single player campaign and numerous multiplayer modes. The graphics explode onto the screen with little loss in detail.

With expansive lands and quests, the Shivering Isles brings forth a landscape that adds further dimension to the already impressive world of Oblivion. Players can find much sadistic joy in going mad.

Supreme Commander makes everything as big as possible, from base-ending nuclear weapons, to larger-than-life experimental units destroying everything in their path.

A beautiful and bloodthirsty representation of boxing, as well as a superb visual showpiece for either console.

Whether you enjoy role-playing games or simply crave a more mature experience, this patched up $39.99 version of the Witcher is bound to please.

It looks great, it sounds great and it plays great, and it won't feel like something you've played before. Try it.

Full of creative weapons, the uneasy chaos of battle and some scary moments, this part-military, part-sci-fi shooter's single player campaign will keep discerning gamers busy with multiple difficulty levels and unlockable weaponry.

The word hardcore works for and against the game. On the positive side, BlazBlue features complex stories for each of its 12 fighters, magnificent art, special moves mapped to the right analog stick and lag free online play with detailed stat tracking. If you love anime, this is an essential purchase. On the negative side, however, BlazBlue's narratives make little sense, characters talk over one another before fights, others have long-winded dialogue and a steep learning curve will frustrate a lot of casual fighting fans hoping to button mash their way to victory; you just can't walk into this game expecting to unleash insane combos ala Marvel Vs. Capcom 2.

Thanks to a scorching set list (over 45 songs to choose from), the inclusion of a new Expert Plus mode and a bass drum track that's so difficult that two drum pedals are nearly required, players can skip their Wii Fit regime for a real rock workout that will mak 'em sweat.