The gameplay could have been enhanced a bit more, but the same great football game you have come to enjoy over the years is still the best any fan can hope for.

While there are quite a few parts in the game that bring down the game in value, Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword should remain as the prime example of what a third party can do with the Nintendo DS.

Be that as it may, it's great to see Contra go back to its roots for this very impressive entry into long-running series. If you enjoy challenging titles that require every bit of skill you can muster, Contra 4 is just the perfect purchase.

Aesthetic complaints aside, Puzzle Fighter is still one of the greatest puzzle games ever developed, and the addition of X` mode and online play makes this the definitive version of Capcom's cult classic.

There are two good reasons why you might need to ignore our “rent it” recommendation and go buy Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock right now. One, you’re absolutely sure you’ll have a blast playing with and against people online and moving up the leaderboards for a very, very long time to come (again, this isn’t an option on the PS2 version). Two, you can’t wait another minute to have your fingers tied in knots by the three-note chord and wiggly solo onslaughts this maniacally challenging game throws your way.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance is certainly worth picking up. With an adequate campaign and more playable comic book characters than you can shake a stick at, plus bonus side missions for all of them, you're definitely getting more than what you paid for.

So the verdict is simple: If you’ve never played it, buy it; just don’t expect an engrossing experience. Simply expect to be entertained with a few genuine laughs.

When all's said and done, NCAA 09 may have some rough spots and bugs, there are ways around it that keep them from hampering the immense amount of enjoyment that the game offers.

The game feels, sounds, and largely looks like a really solid baseball game. From the wealth of deep single player modes to the enticing online package, there’s really no reason to not pick up MLB 07: The Show if you’re looking for the best baseball experience around.

Pokemon Platinum is a great experience that anybody with a remote interest in RPG’s should try out.

Odin Sphere does a lot to show you that with the proper attention to detail, 2D can still provide for great-looking games that can stand out amongst the myriad of 3D games that occupy the shelves today.

Defense Grid: The Awakening offers what is easily the best tower defense game on the Xbox 360 and is a game that anyone interested in that genre should check out.

To be blunt, Sega Genesis Collection is the definition of essential gaming, and it has a rightful place on the shelves of any PSP owner looking for an inexpensive and high-quality addition to their library.

If anything, Legend succeeds in assuaging frustration. Puzzles never encroach on the aggravation of yester incarnations due to a RAD (â??Remote Analysis Deviceâ?) that identifies objects of note. Itâ??s reminiscent of "Grim Fandango" in the sense that youâ??re not left to hunt around wildly for the key elements in a conundrum.

The game relies too heavily on the events and effects of the previous title, and although there are plenty of neat new features to whet your appetite, the game hardly feels like a sequel and more of a downloadable add-on.

If you loved the original, or require the online play, feel free to pick up X-Men legends II; just don’t expect more than a continuation of the title you finished a year ago.

Despite not much in the way of new, groundbreaking stuff in Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2, it certainly leans more towards the good side of the more of the same sequel fence.

SingStar provides a compelling window to the living rooms of people around the world with its My SingStar online mode that sets it far apart than any other music game in terms of its community aspects.

If you liked "City of Heroes" but grew bored with its lack of complexity, you might enjoy the romp, thanks to the new setting and superior story arc. Just don’t expect anything remarkably different than you’ve already experienced, nor should you expect to feel particularly evil.

The story shines as leading the way to the events of the original Dead Space and the visuals all look remarkable as you venture through the game’s ten gloomy and dark levels. But with a hideous looking shooting reticule, some hard-to-handle weapons and scary segments that are never remotely frightening, Dead Space: Extraction is a good weekend rental for fans to tie up loose ends with the story and nothing much else.

Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise doesn't change much from the first title in terms of originality, but the new additions definitely make it feel more refined.

A wondrous game. There is little to be upset about except its short length and no extra content, but the rest of the game is fantastic.

The changes Crystal Dynamics have affected means it’s easily the most polished, well-rounded package of the seven.

A wondrous game. There is little to be upset about except its short length and no extra content, but the rest of the game is fantastic.

Simply put, it's everything you expect--another year of football with another year of Madden.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance is certainly worth picking up. With an adequate campaign and more playable comic book characters than you can shake a stick at, plus bonus side missions for all of them, you’re definitely getting more than what you paid for.

There are two good reasons why you might need to ignore our “rent it” recommendation and go buy Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock right now. One, you’re absolutely sure you’ll have a blast playing with and against people online and moving up the leaderboards for a very, very long time to come (again, this isn’t an option on the PS2 version). Two, you can’t wait another minute to have your fingers tied in knots by the three-note chord and wiggly solo onslaughts this maniacally challenging game throws your way.

The Darkness isn’t all that long and clocks in at about 10 hours, but it feels fresh the entire way through and doesn’t overstay its welcome.

If you still haven’t gotten into the Disgaea series, now is the time especially with the $30 price tag because you get a lot more than what you’re paying for.

The way it blends single player and multiplayer together into one package is nice, and is something that hasn’t been done in a console racing game to date. The game plays very well; it looks pretty, and sounds alright.

Most Wanted brings the police back in force, and the game benefits greatly from it.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance is certainly worth picking up. With an adequate campaign and more playable comic book characters than you can shake a stick at, plus bonus side missions for all of them, you’re definitely getting more than what you paid for.

The campaign seemed to last a good bit longer than the original did at just over seven hours with a good reason to replay those levels to get all survivors and diamonds that gives it a lot of replay value before the multiplayer factors in. If you enjoyed PixelJunk Shooter, there's no reason to skip out on the sequel.

Every element is represented in a way that keeps the game balanced and familiar, yet extremely fresh.

Call of Duty 3 could have been more than just another copy of previous installments, but with unnecessary gameplay mechanics, dumb AI, and a forgettable storyline, it brings nothing new in terms of enjoyment. Gorgeous visuals and a great multiplayer simply could not save Call of Duty 3 from being just a different battle in the same tired war.

Though Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling adventure kind of ends on a sour note with a particularly steep difficulty curve near the end, the entire adventure is very much worth experiencing for any gamer that would like a challenging and quirky platformer with a load of charm on top.

Trauma Team is a great new avenue for this series with more variety to the action and a story to actually care about. The campaign is a meaty 30 hours long with the option for co-op is most of the missions and additional difficulties to really test your skills.

Solid fun, assuming you loved the first, and the addition of co-op play makes for a lasting value.

Mega Man 9 is an extraordinary accomplishment through and through and has come at the right time.

Space Invaders Extreme 2 is an extremely solid game that will leave players wanting more. But with only eleven short levels and almost nothing making it different from the first entry, you might want to hold off on picking this one up, even at its bargain $20 price tag.

As it is, Condemned II is a scary, clichéd, sometimes engrossing videogame, with good relay value, personality and, darkness permitting, an enjoyable single-player mode.

Newcomers should not be fazed by the fact that Blood Money is the fourth installment in the Hitman series, as it offers enough diversity and charm to keep you hooked until the climatic ending.

From the warring factions you can align with to the companions you can recruit, no adventure will ever be the same the numerous times you play through.

While Castle Crashers may have been the victim of some unfortunate online issues that hurt the game's great co-op potential for now, Behemoth seems committed to making sure these issues are fixed and put to rest as soon as they can get a patch out to the public.

With the economy on the ropes and gamers finding it harder to purchase game, you will not find a better deal than Assault on Dark Athena, which gives you two single player campaigns and a multiplayer component for one price.

If anything, Legend succeeds in assuaging frustration. Puzzles never encroach on the aggravation of yester incarnations due to a RAD (“Remote Analysis Device”) that identifies objects of note. It’s reminiscent of Grim Fandango in the sense that you’re not left to hunt around wildly for the key elements in a conundrum.

A great game, but telling you this is a must have title is just silly. While the game is extremely well done, there is just not enough here to warrant adding another Tiger game to your collection.

With a solid new campaign, an improved level cap, dozens of new perks and tons of powerful weapons at your disposal, Broken Steel is hands down some of the best content Fallout 3 has to offer.

Call of Duty 3 could have been more than just another copy of previous installments, but with unnecessary gameplay mechanics, dumb AI, and a forgettable storyline, it brings nothing new in terms of enjoyment. Gorgeous visuals and a great multiplayer simply could not save Call of Duty 3 from being just a different battle in the same tired war.

With Mario Kart being the epitome of racing franchises for many years, it is sad to see how little the game changes its dry formula and actually takes several leisurely steps at addressing failing issues.

To be blunt, Sega Genesis Collection is the definition of essential gaming, and it has a very rightful place on the shelves of any PS2 owner looking for an inexpensive and high-quality addition to their library.

The gameplay is simple and easy to master, but it is also challenging enough to keep gamers pounding themselves in disgust because of whatever mistake they're bound to make in the game's 200+ levels.

Birth By Sleep is a solid entry into the Kingdom Hearts franchise and rivals only Kingdom Hearts 2 as the best title in the series.

Tiberium Wars is just an excellent example of how a strategy game off of its native platform should be.

It’s also worth noting that there’s a huge difference in visuals when playing this game on the Xbox 360. The game seems to have been made for Blu-Ray, and it’s only on one disc, making the PS3 version the more appealing one to buy.

Rockstar San Diego has created something good here, so if they release a patch that eases things up a bit, they’ll have something even better. If you are looking for something more beginner-friendly, you may just want to give it a rental first.

On average, the thirty five new singleplayer missions have a play time of thirty minutes apiece, which when combined with the multiplayer missions, and the free flight mode, makes for an expansion pack of tremendous value.

Overall, what you have a very well done effort by Ensemble Studios. They have taken a franchise that must be handled carefully, if only because of the fans, and successfully blended it with a completely different type of game.

For the $6 that PixelJunk Monsters Encore will cost to buy, you get a bunch of new levels, some gameplay improvements, some new music, and the satisfaction that your PixelJunk Monsters fun can stay alive for a while longer.

As a sequel to the original, MotorStorm: Pacific Rift does a great job of addressing the major issues that MotorStorm had to give racing fans a much more complete experience for their money.

The $30 price tag, combined with the huge pile of content added, makes this a must-own for racing fans, Sega fans, or people just looking for a great arcade racer to add to their gaming library. OutRun2006 perfectly fits the definition of a sleeper hit.

As a PC title, de Blob was a charming game, but as a Wii title the game stands out as among the best on the system.

While you won’t find anything totally new in this new entry to the Bleach DS fighting series, you’ll definitely find a greatly polished piece of work that has basically improved upon every aspect that made the game both great and somewhat flawed.

Most Wanted brings the police back in force, and the game benefits greatly from it.

Saint's Row 2 is as every bit as good as the first game despite its glaring technical faults.

Sony Bend has done another great job in bringing good, solid shooter action to the PSP once again with Resistance: Retribution.

While Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds doesn’t really do anything that will change anyone’s opinions about the series, it does feature enough improvements in gameplay and online play that hardcore and casual fans of the series will find a lot to like about the game.

If fast-paced twitch-styled shooters are your thing, you won't currently find a better game in the genre; however, this Quake 4 lacks that certain depth that you'll find in inherently better FPS games like "Half-Life 2" and "Far Cry."

A solid game, and honestly one of the few launch titles that bring something new in terms of gameplay.

While a few purists may want to grumble over the new nail the trick feature, once you’ve tried and mastered it, you’ll never want to go back to the way things were.

It plays well, has a fantastic create a golfer mode, and has a host of different ways to play.

Despite the strange inventory, Torchlight is incredibly fun and addicting.

The entire world of Saints Row hinges on gang activity while "GTA" only uses it as a stepping stone to reach the upper echelons of organized crime.

A great game and a great value that's marred – but by no means ruined – by some poor development choices such as licensed music and certain skin designs. It is the biggest Lumines game to date, and the gameplay from the original is still in place, plus the game doesn't end at 999999 points.

Forged Alliance does a good job at being exactly what it is – a stand-alone expansion delivering an entirely new faction to the world of Supreme Commander, a decent single-player campaign playable from any of three human perspectives, and new experimental units for each faction, including four brand-new experimentals for the new faction.

An incredibly solid platformer that'll probably go unnoticed and can quite possibly be a favorite when it comes to mentioning the year's most underrated titles.

A great game that just fails to exceed its predecessors.

Saint's Row 2 is as every bit as good as the first game despite its glaring technical faults.

The game relies too heavily on the events and effects of the previous title, and although there are plenty of neat new features to whet your appetite, the game hardly feels like a sequel and more of a downloadable add-on.

The gameplay could have been enhanced a bit more, but the same great football game you have come to enjoy over the years is still the best any fan can hope for.

The sound ranges from early bleeps and blips to primitive synthesized music. For the most part it all sounds like it should.

All Nintendo fans will take pride in the fact that they can finally experience Marth’s adventure, and it’s a lengthy one that should keep Nintendo's "hardcore" gaming audience busy for quite a while.

It manages to avoid complete failure with the marvelous card decks, but pales compared to modern strategy titles.

Assassin’s Creed is remarkable in every aspect it performs. From the sprawling city life to the dual-vision storyline, everything blends together to offer one of the most complete and satisfying experiences so far this year.

The atmosphere is perfect for anyone who loved Fallout 3 and although the combat takes some getting used to and could be frustrating for some, Metro 2033 is an exciting adventure that will keep you hooked until the end.

The game nails its sound scores. Though the soundtrack of the game is sometimes lacking and old-fashioned, it is reminiscent of old SNES and NES titles and feels mood appropriate at all times.

A wondrous game. There is little to be upset about except its short length and no extra content, but the rest of the game is fantastic.

Overall, echochrome is one of the most unique puzzle games to come out in a while.

A great game, but telling you this is a must have title is just silly. While the game is extremely well done, there is just not enough here to warrant adding another Tiger game to your collection.

The bulk of the gameplay in Power Tour comes from its RPG narrative, and sadly, it's fairly average at best. Most people won't even pay attention to much of the dialog, no matter how good and funny it it--and if you do decide to read it, there really are a lot of sparks of humor to be found in it.

Overall, Overlord is an exciting romp through a twisted fairy-tale land. While it lacks any incredibly difficult challenges, it delivers a laugh-a-minute story that is very well executed.

Though it might be lacking in game modes, what is there is done so well that it will keep you playing despite the lack of a drawn out Career Mode.

Homecourt looks, sounds and plays greatly, but it seems they lost the essence of what made V3 so phenomenal.

Despite the lack of an online mode, this brand new style works out extremely well for the series and should bring the game a lot more fans.

With a solid new campaign, an improved level cap, dozens of new perks and tons of powerful weapons at your disposal, Broken Steel is hands down some of the best content Fallout 3 has to offer.

Patapon 2 did a good job of making the simple gameplay from the original more user-friendly while fleshing out the role that loot plays in the game to make this one of the best loot games in recent memory on console or handheld.

In a time where it seems like Wii owners have been deprived of hardcore, or mature, games, solid titles such as House of the Dead: Overkill and MadWorld get released to somewhat nurture their poor souls.

Assassin’s Creed is remarkable in every aspect it performs. From the sprawling city life to the dual-vision storyline, everything blends together to offer one of the most complete and satisfying experiences so far this year.