Last year's race between 2K Sports and EA Sports' hockey franchises was almost a dead heat. This year, EA's NHL 09 takes Lord Stanley's Cup, thanks to a combination of what worked well last year and some sweet new features.

It's not groundbreaking, but it is highly entertaining, and for players willing to give it some time, it will suck them in for hours.

There are three excellent control options available for both old-school players and precision shooters. They work most of the time, although realism takes a back seat with the excessive checking and occasionally dumbfounded artificial intelligence.

There are three excellent control options available for both old-school players and precision shooters. They work most of the time, although realism takes a back seat with the excessive checking and occasionally dumbfounded artificial intelligence.

It's a decent puck slapper, but hardly a Stanley Cup contender.

One of the best DS games of 2008. Combining the addictive, strategic fun of Tower Defense with an excellent tale spanning over 20 hours, brilliant animation and easy to learn controls, it should secure its place in the hearts of gamers everywhere.

New creatures added by users will continue to make the universe of Spore interesting but its lack of depth in the single player version of the game, along with linear storyline may be a sign of its eventual extinction.

It's not bad, although the game is plagued by severe balancing issues. Some boxers are more talented than others, and online match-ups are unfair, resulting in a Facebreaker finisher and a quick end to the match. At least the Create-a-Boxer mode is great, enabling you to scan yourself or a picture of someone into the game.

It's not bad, although the game is plagued by severe balancing issues. Some boxers are more talented than others, and online match-ups are unfair, resulting in a Facebreaker finisher and a quick end to the match.

It's a daunting video game, one that lacks a tutorial mode and assumes you know something about coaching, but if you consider yourself the next Bill Belichick (without the spying), NFL Head Coach 09 is an essential purchase and a good companion to the upcoming season.

The graphics are OK for a real-time strategy game and Jeremy Soule's musical score is outstanding, but that's not enough to salvage this mess.

It's not every day that Square Enix releases a game for Xbox 360, so we expected Infinite Undiscovery to be an original and exciting action RPG. What we received is a boring, by-the-numbers adventure that once again casts us as a weak and at times clueless young boy that must destroy evil.

The gameplay is about the same, but fans of micromanagement and virtual pet care will thoroughly enjoy it. Co-op mode is fun as well, in case a frustrated player needs a hand from a parent or a buddy.

The concept is solid on paper: a stealth action romp through the urban jungle as you battle hordes of undead night stalkers. There's also a variety of weapons and interesting features, like being able to see through the enemies' eyes. Unfortunately, none of these elements are fun or well executed.

World In Flames has a satisfying amount of destruction, whether you blow up an oilrig with a well-armed helicopter or bring down a building with C4 and gas tanks. It's engaging and exciting, especially if you play co-op.

A satisfying amount of destruction, whether you blow up an oilrig with a well-armed helicopter or bring down a building with C4 and gas tanks. It's engaging and exciting, especially if you play co-op.

Classic beat-em-up bliss, backed by a wonderful upgrade system, several new characters and weapons (like Alien Hominid bashing people's heads in with a lollipop) and memorable gameplay.

For creative types looking to craft new adventures and share them with fellow players, Galactic Adventures is a must play.

Sporting a robust real-time combat system, the most beautiful cel-shaded graphics we've seen (even topping Eternal Sonata) and a compelling story that will keep you coming back until you finish this lengthy quest, Tales is one of the best games of the year and it'll appeal to RPG fans of all kinds.

Although it lacks the convenient dual-screen set-up of the DS version, N+ is almost A+ caliber stuff, especially considering the $20 bargain basement price.

After a lackluster performance from last year, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 excels in every area imaginable. The addition of Woods' personal coach, Hank Haney, introduces a significant new skill improvement system with a series of practice drills and advice.

After a lackluster performance from last year, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 excels in every area imaginable. The addition of Woods' personal coach, Hank Haney, introduces a significant new skill improvement system with a series of practice drills and advice.

A major improvement on the formula first introduced in 2005 with "Mario Superstar Baseball" on the GameCube.

The visuals and sound are on the same level as Destruction, while the action-oriented gameplay keeps up the pace. There's nothing of long-term value, no Captain Quark minigames or arena missions, but the journey is worth it.

Multiplayer would've been cool, but these Legions will still keep you busy.

Its role-playing elements prove uninteresting, with an unbalanced upgrade system and no major differences between the five available classes. Its fighting is stale, with loose multi-directional melee combat and horribly broken long-range targeting. Finally, the presentation falls short, with unpolished visuals and bothersome glitches.

Smash Court Tennis 3 is infuriating, as you must use ultra-precision timing to hit the tennis ball to the lame-brained computer.

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.