The Dreamcast's analog controller just can't mimick the subtle nuances and control of original trackball games such as Centipede and Crystal Castle, or the simple twist knob in Tempest and Super Breakout.

Mathphobes will still probably view Buku Soduku like a homework assignment, but if you're looking for a fun way to exercise your brain this game is for you.

It's too bad that Guilty Gear: Dust Strikers had to sacrifice some of its progenitors strongest features to enact new and engaging gameplay changes because the new enhancements for Dust Strikers really do add something new to the franchise, however; judging the entire game as a whole leaves it wanting.

Create is far from a bad game, as the score I've awarded it should attest. But it consistently relies too much on sheer quantity over true freedom and intellectual quality to be a top-drawer puzzler, and doesn't live up to the implied promises of its own title enough to join the top ranks of the burgeoning build-your-own gaming revolution.

The gameplay stays varied throughout, but Master of Disguise ends up feeling a little gimmicky due to uninteresting characters, plot, environments and graphics.

With a better laid-out world, more cleverly hidden treasures, and a great sense of nonlinearity, The Ancient City is a nice bit of evolution for the series.

While Bandai's record with anime licenses is spotty at best, they always seem to devote ample time to the graphics—something fairly obvious when you see BattleSpirit in action.

I love Sonic because his speedy style of platforming is fun, and Sega should have just developed a game around that and left everything else out.

A competent PC wargame with some neat features, but it's just not enjoyable enough to justify the $40 price tag.

Droid Army's one-note gameplay includes fierce button tapping broken up by stretches of aimless wandering; the vague missions ("make your way to X") don't help.

Steal Princess is a game that has decent, challenging puzzles, but may leave you falling flat into a bottomless pit as a 3D platformer. [Apr 2009, p.80]

It hopelessly mires itself in technical problems: frame rates drop and stutter precipitously and unpredictably; characters move through, and get stuck in, solid objects; there's often tangible lag between moving the joystick and seeing the result; collision detection and vehicle physics are spotty at best; and heck, the game even freezes entirely on occasion.

The fact is that there are games on both the PS2 and GameCube that easily outclass this one in everything it sets out to do.

If incredibly sore hands and a serious feeling of relief after busting caps in countless Shogun hoodlums constitutes a solid console light-gun shooter, then Ninja Assault screams for your attention.

Fighting is a blast, especially when you link up with a friend, but the cramped controls and tiny GBA screen occasionally make you feel like the computer is unfairly trouncing you in battle.

To its credit, Chase is nowhere near as hair-pullingly difficult as Stuntman, while at the same time it doesn't have the level of intensity that will keep you coming back for more.

Despite a terrible port job, Golden Axe III's old school barbaric aesthetic still allows you to crush your enemies, see them driven before you; and hear the lamentation of their women.

Might be smartest to buy while the price is still cheap, and then hold off on playing until it's patched for steady play sessions.

Worst of all is the repetitive and completely linear feel of every mission.

For those looking for a nostalgic adventure game experience, you'll be pleasantly surprised, at least in function. For anyone else, Touch Detective offers a quirky and off-kilter, albeit short and at times frustrating, adventure.

Unfortunately, Gas Powered Games forget all the elements that make the games in this genre so damn fun and addictive. It's really a shame because had they done it right, it would have made the wait for Diablo III that much more bearable. But as it stands, this is without a doubt the worst addition to the Siege series yet.

I am giving FoF the benefit of the doubt because it's obvious that it's geared towards a younger audience: the difficulty is low, the action is mind-numbingly simplistic and the overall vibe of the game, from the art style to the character dialogue, is juvenile--as in youthful, not immature.

Turtles in Time Re-Shelled is a great example of how much games have evolved. Even though we may have thought we wanted this classic "remake" this release shows that it is no longer enough to slap on a coat of paint to outdated gameplay.

The game hasn’t strayed far from the original at all, except that you don’t die after one hit like the original, unless you fall in fire.

Rather than melding together the best aspects of the games which obviously influenced it, Urban Reign instead only manages a watered down stew of fighting elements that taste more like an appetizer than a main course.

Is Cube fun? Not...really, but its clever torture.

In the end, the game isn't a horrible experience. It is kind of fun and features some decent gameplay, but is it worth $50? I don't think so.

The advances in gameplay, graphics, and features are quite noticeable as GameDay is a solid, enjoyable football experience; however, it’s still not yet ready to take the starter position.

The too-twitchy controls (which aren’t laid out logically or comfortably) and easy crash deaths belie an inappropriate commitment to realism in a patently arcadey setting, while other elements simply need more polish (spotty collision detection; some tricks that aren’t “seen”).

While none of the games in Dimensions are outright bad, and six is always better than two, they're not entirely thrilling. You can get some good fun out of Pac-Man Tilt, but Galaga 3D Impact wears thin, and there are roughly a bajillion other ways to play Pac-Man and Galaga on the go.

The cool platforming elements make this one worth at least a rental--if only so one can revisit the days when "Cowabunga" was a socially acceptable thing to say.

Asphalt's downfall is its off-balance racing. The addition of turbo boosts just doesn't make sense in this particular race.

If you played Shiren, however, you may find Pokemon to be too forgiving for your dungeon-hacking skills.

Just don't expect to get too much fulfillment from the single-player game unless you've recently been lobotomized.

If you like character-based races, you will like this game. [July 2002, p.80]

The game is still a blast, even if you eventually get tired of it. If you're a PS3 owner who loves light-gun games then Time Crisis 4 is the only game you need; it's also the only game you can have.

The best thing about playing Spider-Man 3? Without a doubt, the web slinging. Thanks to a tight control scheme and great level design, slinging around the virtual city is one of the game's great thrills.

The adrenaline meter, however, hovers at medium until you reach the boss battles, and there's little replay value unless you're someone who can never get his fill of Naruto ninjutsu.

While the tapping for some reason can occasionally be imprecise, leaving the gameplay feeling a little less tight than it could've been, Mister Slime is definitely solid enough (despite being...yeah, slimy) to warrant a look for the puzzle adventure set.

It's clear that the Need For Speed series is in need of a GPS unit so it can get back on track.

At the low price of $10, I have no qualms about recommending it. Bumps and all, it's still a hell of a fun ride.

A nostalgic experience with the Resident Evil franchise should always include number two.

The 4-player multiplayer and the inclusion of the use of the balance board certainly add to the life of the game. Unfortunately, it just isn’t enough to keep everyone entertained for a long period of time.

Overall, Okabu just doesn't feel like a finished game.

This sickly 3D adventure is plagued by endless repetition, frustrating controls, bland graphics, and just plain boring level design.

The controls are the same-they're as touchy yet unresponsive as always, so be prepared for swan-diving off high ledges to your death when you were merely trying to scoot up a bit.

If the foes were cunning enough to make every encounter unique, or the game made better use of the verticality inherent in the premise, Dark Void would have fared a whole lot better, but ultimately, it's a disappointing title that never manages to leave the tarmac. [Feb 2010, p.78]

Worms: Ultimate Mayhem has a lot of content and gameplay mileage to offer those with the patience to look beyond its faults, but despite its obvious charm, it still remains one of the weaker offerings in the Worms arsenal.

Lethal Skies attempts to compete with the big fly boys, but with mediocre graphics and sounds, this aerial mishap crashes and burns straight to the bottom of the rental barrel.

Your enemies look and sound like people, but the environments seem grainy and uninspired, and “atmospheric” music pipes through like an orchestra with a head cold.

It's a mere...er, shadow of the cartoon, but it's also a lively workout...While this is far from "Onimusha," "Shinobi," or "Ninja Gaiden," initiates fresh to the genre should find it a worthy first challenge. [May 2004, p.70]

Despite these flaws, gamers should embrace being given a WiiWare title of such substance. An enjoyable, hectic, and fast-paced title, Kyotokei should give gamers hope that Nintendo hasn't thrown in the towel on their digital download service just yet.

The best thing you can say about The Godfather is at least the developers didn't just slap the console version into a handheld and call it day.

Overall, this game is fun for a short period of time. The replay value and addiction factor simply aren't present. More game modes, multiplayer options and "stuff" could be added to give Lucidity a little more bang for your bucks, especially in this economy.

Bad controls, horrible voice-over (it's just as cliche as it was last time), and the trademark and annoyingly pervasive EA Radio will tax not only your brain, but also your ears. Soccer may be a beautiful game, but it's about time to kick FIFA Street 2 to the gutter.

While two buddies playing each other can certainly appreciate FIFA Street, competitions against the computer can quickly turn into a repetitious chore.

Watching these heroes pirouette amidst the violence is surprisingly entertaining, and while Seven Sorrows doesn't deliver fully on the promise and longevity of its progenitor, it does provide a fleeting good time.

In short, Shot-Online isn't just a good game, it is a game that is good for the industry.

A decent addition to the survival-horror/psycho-horror genre and at its best, is an intense thrill-ride experience. However, to get to these moments, you have to endure a flawed presentation and design elements.

The clear-a-room combat can get a bit repetitive, but the diverse cast of crazies -- and the equally varied ways to silence them -- should keep horror fans hacking, slashing, beheading, and eviscerating through the ten-plus hour campaign.

A fun mixture of addictive action, tough obstacle course maneuvering, and actual wit.

Probably best appreciated by newcomers to the Yu-Gi-Oh game who want to learn how to play.

If you're still interested in seeing what Hydrophobia has to offer, the Challenge Room and unique story definitely stand out as bright spots amid the otherwise murky gameplay. Otherwise, you're probably better off saving your Microsoft Points for something with a little more polish and replay value.

Endless variations on battles and the ability to customize characters make this game a good value for serious fans. People looking for less involvement and hack-and-slash may want to rent or avoid this title altogether.

Mind-numbingly simplistic. [Oct 2004, p.92]

Captures the beauty and magic of Tolkien’s world...visually. Once you pick up the controller, you’ll find your enthusiasm slipping quickly away.

The game is deeper than "V-Rally 3" (its nearest competition), but the graphics barely even hold a candle to those in Infogrames' title.

A decent fight that has one arm tied behind its back. [Sept 2005, p.81]

It’s both fun and immensely frustrating, and it’s so old-school you’d swear you’d have to blow on a cartridge to get it to work, but it’s a very good example of an ancient, long-missing genre.

BR4 takes the franchise’s wild fighting to the extreme with a massive sensory assault. Every strike rattles the speakers, and lengthy combos are common, all accompanied by spellcasting-like bursts.

Last Raven is the seventh and last Armmored Core title for the PS2, and it's definitely the best of the bunch. [July 2006, p.78]

For the $7 price tag you’re getting plenty of bang for your buck. Decent gameplay and addicting multiplayer make “Cocoto Platform Jumper” something to check into despite its very few flaws.

Branching the Lego brand off into RTS territory is a good idea, and one that, at times, can be seen bearing some fruit. Unfortunately, there are just too many problems to make this game worth recommending. With a graphical overhaul and a few tweaks, this game might be able to briefly make the kids forget about their desires to catch all those Pokemon. However, like that space jet you attempted to construct when you were five, this game is probably better off forgotten.

If you're a pro wrestling fan, spending two dollars on this game isn't the worst use of your money. It's got the presentation and basic gameplay, but sadly, very little raw ingenuity.

Despite the signature twitch controls, fans of previous Rush racers will be disappointed if they expect more of the same, so it's hard to understand why the name is used at all beyond mercenary marketing.

The flaccid sounds are joined by dreadful physics—it’s like driving a balloon. The fighting game-style combo system is unwieldy, and a sense of speed would have been a good idea, too.

Fails to delivery compelling gameplay.

anything, Colorz serves a purpose reminding players that people suck at multitasking, all while testing their knowledge of the color wheel.

The way of the samurai is a lengthy road that rewards those who show patience and persistence. [Aug 2004, p.66]

Despite the cute retro-styled characters, cheery music, and narrated post-work-out relaxation exercises (which I actually skipped after the first time because they felt like more strain than comfort), I can confidently say this is not the next must-have brain game.

As a Fist of the North Star game, Ken's Rage is disappointingly generic in its execution.

While The Chase certainly shines in its addictive and innovative gameplay, it has the misfortune of just becoming too much and too hard too fast.

The graphics are clean and bright, but clearly representative of a first generation game, and the music, aside from a few levels, is uninspired.

Unfortunately, the enjoyment can't keep up, likely resulting in a premature ejection of the game from your console... but remember: It happens to nearly every gamer at some point.

It probably would have been best if the PSP version of Untamed were kept in its cage.

Even though I am not their biggest fan, I still felt like the band deserved much better than this half-assed effort.

Not only can you not just doodle to your heart's content, but when you get near the limit they post annoying signage all over the drawing field as a warning to be feared, and the help tips up top get replaced with messages that tell you to watch it, buster.

The main problem with Amazing Island is that in Story mode, there's too much downtime in between courses. Still, it's good to see a game that celebrates creation rather than destruction and puts playful competition above vomitous gore. [Sept 2004, p.85]

The gameplay isn't nearly as deep, the graphics aren't anywhere near as good, and some of the sounds are just plain awful by today's standards, but hey who cares when you're saving the universe once again?

A major leap over last season and brings back all the features we so dearly missed. Although the visuals are some of the best we've seen on the Xbox 360, the controls and overall gameplay could take a lesson from close competitor "NBA 2K" series.

It's an advanced version of a game like Asteroids -- yet has an advanced multiplayer where you and three other friends (or strangers) can get together in a last-man-standing fight to the death, a definite positive for the title.

The game isn't necessarily scary, but it will make you anxious as hell. Time-based puzzles are enough to make your heart explode, as are the variety of reoccurring traps.

It’s a driving sim devoid of personality.

With horrible graphics that look like something an owl regurgitated, broken controls that must be wrestled with at every turn, and level designs that could turn the undead, Robotech: Invasion is an utter waste of money.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer DRIFT could have been a drift racing fans godsend, but the experience is soured by balancing issues and bad AI.

Despite its impressive depth, this game is no masterpiece... But if you find yourself intrigued by its premise, there’s enough quality adventuring here that it can almost become an obsession.

The controls are excellent, and the game never slows down even with hordes of savages attacking you at once.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon is fun in the time that it lasts, but it doesn't have that same thrill factor that the previous movie tie-in had.