By combining the slick 3D polish of modern-era console Mario with the pure and simple challenge of the classic platform era, Nintendo have created a true gem. The frustration one encounters falling off a slick edge for the 14th time is outweighed by the addictiveness of achievement. It's linear, to the point and perfectly tuned for a portable experience.

While it's by no means perfect, Bond fans and nostalgic gamers alike will be drawn in by this modern recreation of a competitive classic.

Tekken Hybrid is a pretty reasonable bundle for the hardcore Tekken fan.

For anyone looking for the ultimate in expression and aesthetic satisfaction, or merely searching for a game that will virtually limitless exploration and achievement, Minecraft offers it all.

Some teething issues aside, Saints Row: The Third offers up an expertly mixed concoction of hilarity and stupidity that's arrived just in time for the silly season.

Ultimately however, the strength of Origins lies in the whimsical subject matter tied into a surprisingly strong platform foundation that manages to both enthral and entertain. There's real intelligence behind the unfolding action, and the sense that the title has been slaved over by developers who understand not only the franchise, but the very concept of what it takes to make a compelling 2D platformer.

Regardless of the validity of pushing Anno away from a historical setting, Anno 2070 once again proves that the real-time strategy genre is alive and well, and should be considered seriously by any armchair dictator with a lot of spare time.

War in the North, by being a blunt object of a hack-and-slash game with a facile story and an aversion to genuine characterisation, adds itself to the long list of Lord of the Rings games that just aren't Lord of the Rings games.

The problem here is that The Run fails to really come together to form a solid package.

With the holiday calendar chock full of titles, Saints Row: The Third stands out as a holiday retreat, to be sampled again and again whenever a healthy dose of stress relief is required.

It cannot be said enough that underneath all the padding remains that same excellent stealth assassination gameplay. Brotherhood's multiplayer returns largely unharried, and fans enamoured with the series will certainly be able to see through the surplus soft tissue to appreciate the singleplayer's unquestionable inner beauty. The rest will rightly conclude that Assassin's Creed: Revelations is the most disappointing entry in a spectacular series.

All 4 One is a worthy addition to the Ratchet & Clank stable and, judging by the popularity of the drop-in/drop-out style of co-op gameplay that the Lego series has proven so popular, might just be where the future of the franchise lies.

This remake of one of the most memorable campaigns in FPS history is an anniversary worth celebrating, but if you were never a fan of the original it's unlikely to change your mind.

Put that aside and enjoy Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for what it is: a brutal and rewarding game that knows what players expect, and delivers it with well-earned confidence.

Where Oblivion may have caused many to sit on the fence when faced with any new Elder Scrolls release, Skyrim stands tall in redemption. It is, without any shadow of doubt, the best RPG experience available right now.

It would have been nice to have seen Call of Duty evolve with more determination over the last four years. Perhaps a newer engine, a longer campaign, or a change of location outside of those already featured. But it's hard to deny that Call of Duty – the Modern Warfare brand in particular – is a product of its own success, and a product of its consumer appeal. It exists in the way it does because it sells, and it sells because it's predictable.

Uncharted 3 has the ability to elicit high excitement from its players through a tight and polished combination of gameplay styles, and through it's unmatched art direction. It's let down only slightly with a kind of shallowness, and a linear quality unbefitting a game of this quality. But these small niggles aside, Uncharted 3 will have players leaning forward through some of the best action sequences in gaming, and will be a favourite for both long time fans and those new to the series.

The campaign may be pants, and the co-op may struggle to find a niche, but DICE knows multiplayer – that much is evident. In this regard, Battlefield 3 exceeds expectations.

Arkham City does what everyone hoped it would yet feared it couldn't; expand and improve on Arkham Asylum. Indeed, Arkham City is a bigger and better game in all regards, delivering an immaculately presented, rich, compelling play experience and gripping story while simultaneously respecting its source material's legacy and pushing the Batman myth further forward.

It's certainly not a bad game by any measure, but having played Dead Rising 2 there's little to get excited about with this release. That said, those unfamiliar with the series should dive in here, as shorter load times, a smidge of new content and a checkpointing system do offer a marginally more pleasant experience than that offered by prior games in the series.

Rage is a strange beast, at once very deep and very shallow. Though unlikely to win game of the year, there is still much to like about what is on offer. There is heart here, and there is fun to be had, but unlike in the past this most recent release by id Software is not going to change the world.

Initially appearing to be a kid's title, or glorified mobile game ported to the Xbox, Rotastic quickly proves itself to be 70 levels of great action puzzling full of zany humour, lovely backgrounds and nice attention to the smaller details. The physics are perfect, and Tarzan-ing it up is extremely enjoyable, even if you generally prefer games that use more than an eighth of your controller's buttons.

Do yourself and the industry a favour and seek out the original.

For all the minor problems at hand, Forza Motorsport 4 is the most complete car experience available today. Vast in scope, with many new features, it is slickly present and well executed. Other titles will cater to hardcore racing specialities better, but for those looking to race, tweak, tune and participate in a community, this fourth iteration offers more than enough entertainment.

It may lack the open-world versatility of S.T.A.L.K.E.R and Fallout 3, the weapon diversity and sheer madness of Borderlands, yet it manages to provide thrilling corridor action and surprisingly well crafted racing that reasserts id's lofty position in the studio charts.

Just don't expect a lot more than some slick fantasy-style arcade brawling and it'll be money well spent.

Get into the Dark Souls mindset and be prepared for repeated failure in one of the most engrossing gaming experiences available.

Incredibly fun and worthy of a multiple playthroughs, Avalanche's latest will hopefully spur other developers to construct similar love letters to arcade gaming's glory days, whether they have a triple-A engine at their disposal or not.