If you're willing to look past the game's numerous flaws and use it as a nostalgia engine for a good time with a pack of friends, it's absolutely worth the money. But if you want a skillful, fun beat-em-up to play seriously for high scores and brag-worthy single credit completion, then you'll want to look elsewhere.

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

If you're looking for casual puzzling that gives you plenty of game time for your buck, Mini-Land Mayhem is decent for fans and great for newcomers. Let's just hope that next time, Nintendo does a major overhaul instead of a tiny tune-up.

Everything about it is horrible: the writing, the illustration, the voice-acting -- everything.

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.

Still, Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom has enough uniqueness in its execution that it's not forgettable. At a good 10 to 15 hours, there's plenty of gameplay for the budget price that the game is offered at ($39.99). It's definitely better for younger gamers, but still a solid choice for anyone looking for a good adventure.

Ultimately, DJ Hero 2 is a solid and polished sequel, and hopefully an omen of even greater turntable-based games to come.

Tron newcomers probably needn't apply, but those who count the original film among their favorites may want to enter Evolution's grid.

Spending ten dollars (or 40 quarters) on Marvel Pinball is an easy decision for comic book fans and pinball junkies alike.

Hardcore Super Mario fans no doubt know that the collection could have had more value, but they've likely already picked up the game based on the nostalgia factor alone. The other crowd that will probably purchase this collection is the Wii owners that have enjoyed the plumber's other Wii adventures, but aren't internet-savvy enough to plumb the depth of the Wii Shop Channel. The middle ground -- gamers who respect the franchise, but aren't exactly fanboys for it (Genesis owners, I'm looking at you) -- should be aware that the collection is a few bucks too high (or a few games too short) of being a worthwhile purchase.

Sure, it has some control foibles, and it can tire out your gamer's cardiovascular system in a New York minute, but Kung Fu Live is a surprisingly successful motion-controlled beat-em-up that will entertain you (and anyone who happens to be watching you) for quite a few hours.

Are you willing to put up with a particularly long opening that's nearly devoid of tactics, challenging puzzles, or meaningful plot developments? Because if you are, a pretty fantastic fantasy role-playing game awaits. If not, well, there are plenty of other RPG alternatives on the DS.

The odds were stacked against GoldenEye 007 from the outset -- and it's unlikely to ever bear the same level of importance as the original -- but Eurocom and Activision have emerged with a Bond shooter that is not only a great Wii game, but one that does both the franchise and genre as a whole justice.

That I still loved the majority of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit despite those notable qualms should speak highly of Criterion's vision for this reboot, and coupled with last year's very sharp Need for Speed: Shift, EA's once-fading franchise has returned to a position of power.

The good news is that the game is absolutely worth the investment, and even if you find yourself disagreeing with some of the changes Treyarch instituted or you run into a bunch of morons who are hell bent on ruining a particular mode for you, you have plenty of other options to keep you engaged for a good long time.

Where the original sold itself at least partially on the "wow" factor of its then-impressive pre-rendered visuals, Donkey Kong Country Returns is all about what matters most in a high-quality platformer: Inspired, challenging, and inventive level design, backed up by a delightful, cartoon-like atmosphere.

Will only get better. And while it might not be the best WoW expansion, what it has done is helped make World of Warcraft a much better experience for beginners, while providing more than enough to keep its hardcore fans happy.

Sadly, the execution simply falls well short in this case.

Bejeweled 3 takes a few risks, and the result is essentially Bejeweled 2 plus a handful of both worthwhile and throwaway modes. If that's enough to warrant a purchase, however, is up to you.

There's no denying that GT5 is absolutely incredible, but due to its immense size and complexity, not all its facets are of the same standard, and as a result it's brilliant, but imperfect. For the most part it delivers a 5-star experience. But I do feel compelled to ding it half a star, simply because of the parts of the game that don't. That makes me feel horribly nitpicky and churlish, because despite my criticism I know I love GT5, and I'll be playing it for months, and maybe even years.

It takes time before it breaks out of its shell to show its true colors (which you can dive into immediately if you hop online), but Nail'd is rarely dull and has a lot to offer.

It's not that the idea of pushing Ghost Recon into on-rails territory to make good use of the Wii's control setup is without merit -- other franchises have gone a similar route with great success. The problem is that it's executed so poorly that it feels like a cheap cash-in on the Ghost Recon name rather than an innovative twist that brings something new and exciting to the series.

Thanks to the added dimension brought by the new powers and the slimmed down presentation, Sonic Colors is a fine example of a modern platforming title as well as the best 3D Sonic to come out in many years. It is the less-heralded of the two Sonic games to be released this year, but it is the one most deserving of a purchase.

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.

But the best of all may be Advanced Wanted mode, which ditches many of the indicators and forces you to rely almost entirely on your observation skills to detect your targets. It's super tough, but incredibly rewarding.

It doesn't matter if you're a hardcore or casual fan: there's no magic to be seen here.

Z.H.P. is a great introduction to the roguelike genre for those unfamiliar with it, as well as a solid title overall. It still won't appeal to those with a severe dearth of patience -- or those who hate the idea of any sort of permanent penalty for failure -- but if you're looking for a fun (and funny) trip into one of gaming's more underappreciated genres, Z.H.P. is a great time.

Again, this is why I find Bloodstone so confusing: Trying to release an original Bond title that isn't tied into a big budget motion picture is risky on its own, but releasing it the same day as the remake of one of the most beloved Bond games of all time, with what will no doubt be the biggest selling game of the year in Black Ops waiting in the wings, seems like an odd business decision.