The mini-games and quirks to the traditional gameplay will keep you playing for a while. It's just too bad the difficulty forces the ride to end earlier than expected.

The touch screen controls aren't incredibly responsive and the mini games are about as interesting as the Utah Jazz.

It has a great storyline, mesmerizing graphics, and unique game elements - all the same ingredients that the two "big" FPS'ers are supposed to have.

Yes, it's a little on the easy side, but it's the perfect game for those of us who need a break from incredibly hard games that make us sweat. If you couldn't get enough of the film, Shark Tale for the Gamecube is a necessary purchase.

Multiplayer's worth a go, and the game still has a mostly killer presentation, but, really, it's an acquired taste, just like the first game. If you loved that, have a field day.

The gameplay remains addictively fun thanks to a few cool techniques and the use of metallic balls, and the design isn't half bad. However, the game could've used just a little more work to keep up with the bigger female guns out there.

A great simple game for anyone who has ever watched and loved the Cinderella movie.

Unlike any other puzzle game on the market, and it's that level of ingenuity and creativity that makes it a must-own, even though its longevity leaves something to be desired.

Taking place in two entirely different eras, the 1970s and 2006, Parallel Lines bleeds style, but the most important aspect, the gameplay, is actually fun.

A solid expansion to the massively multiplayer online game. However, the expansion is limited to high level players, which makes it a bit less accessible than most would have liked.

It annoys me that Nintendo didn't really do anything catchy to appeal to non believers. Because of this, the game feels very sub-standard, and the song list is atrocious. For hardcore fans only, I'm afraid.

The online play extends its life ever so slightly, but after dealing with the nails-on-a chalkboard voices, the cheap AI, and stiff as a board character animations, I had no choice but to eject this drivel from my Xbox and apologize to "Dead or Alive Ultimate" for neglecting it.

While complete in packaging, still feels like a shallow product, as the energy of the arcade game still isn't accurately captured.

It's not exactly a memorable quest, but Madagascar is still a good time, especially to fans of the movie who can't get enough of its main characters.

The game more than stands on its own because of its unique visual style and cool light cycle races, but it's plagued by a sloppy interface that makes switching weapons a chore, too many platform jumping elements, and so much loading I wasn't sure if the game was running correctly or if it locked up.

But between the game's turtle-speed pacing, AI quirks, useless motivation, and bland online play, its game isn't as solidly backed-up as it should have been.

The sequel plays exactly like its predecessor, in every way that I can think of.

While the fighting engine is unique, and the city large and interesting, there isn't much to keep players glued to the game.

The game is way too easy to blow through, and some additions come at a cost of some of the more crucial elements in the film.

There's no denying that First to Fight is a competent shooter, though some moronic AI decisions, clipping, and the simple fact that games such as this have been done to death make it less than impressive.

Nothing memorable, but at least it blows "Nitro Kart" out of the water.

While it attempts to be a strong contender against the Total War series, it doesn't make it, even with the unique addition of naval combat.

The game has a tendency to drag on, and it doesn't take long to realize that all four teams are almost identical.

It's got the kind of gameplay to get you going in a hurry, and its challenge lasts quite a while. It wouldn't hurt to get Serious.

Falls too often into the trap where it just feels like an add-on to the series, instead of a brave new sequel.

It's the equivalent of gaming junk food, a fast-moving blast-a-thon that doesn't let up throughout its 20-plus levels. While the frame rate stutters from time to time and some levels appear to be missing, what remains is still quite the ride.

It just really fails to excite you in the long run, despite the production team's efforts to keep you hooked.

Easily the funniest game this generation, and is good platforming fun...Unfortunately, the game comes up a bit short in its design and lack of parity. The jokes become repetitive, as do the levels.

Not every game is a winner, as some selection and control issues get in the way. Still, this is a tremendous value with hours upon hours of replay, and it's a great history lesson for those who think everything began with Nintendo.

Releasing the likes of The Rise of Kasai after the testosterone-pumping brilliance that was "God of War" is like trying to reintroduce yourself to a McDonald's burger after you've tasted the glory of In n' Out Burger...why bother?

The game doesn't have as many options as its console counterparts, and while it's cool that it's in 3D Madden's graphics look atrocious, but it's still an enjoyable football game.

Red Sun isn't as polished as the rest of the series. The game requires a few too many needless quests to get the meat and potatoes : the Net Battles.

The constant shift between action and stealth gameplay keeps things fresh and exciting, and the constant chatter between your character and the operator means that you'll rarely get lost.

The bad news is that long way it took to get here may have been too long for its own good, as it's easily overshadowed by the competition from Rockstar and EA.

Its old school style brings back lots of fond memories, and the huge amount of missions means that you'll be playing this game for a long time. While it's not as feature-packed as its big brothers, GTA Advance is a great stocking stuffer.

A slow, repetitive game released way past its prime. It's a shame really, because it had the potential to be so much more.

While it may not be that fully complete in terms of history chronicling and emulating, it does manage to provide hours of fun on end- and at a $20 bargain price, no less.

The game scores better than expected because it carries over the personality of its material, and also mixes in a little variety during the game to keep things a bit lively.

Challenging opponents, extended "tate" combos, and difficulty settings for any skill level make for extensive replay value and plenty to like in Nightshade.

Unfortunately, due to the difficult controls, it's not a game you can pick up and play without some level of practice.

At first I thought it was going to put me to sleep because I had played games like it before, but its nuances, however subtle, make it a slick budget title.

Magnetica isn't the best puzzle game on the DS ("Tetris"...FTW), but it's still pretty damn sweet. I went into it not expecting anything special and was pleasantly surprised.

The vehicle portions are pretty cool and I'm always down with collecting stuff.

It's got plenty of big ideas and executes most of them brilliantly, but the game's shortcomings - namely the frame rate and questionable dialogue - leave us wondering what really could have been with another year of development time.

The graphics are noticably lacking in quality, and some of the gameplay elements don't quite mesh together like they should. However, if you're looking for cheap thrills and have the eagerness to utterly destroy something, you won't mind this little Overdose.

The most frustrating parts will come from the non-existent camera control that will interfere with almost every aspect of the game, even the easy hand-to-hand combat system.

The only problem, though, is that this isn't the best edition to find a release, as the displays are above average at best, and the music selection is wayyy lacking.

The presentation isn't perfect, but it fits the bill, and the fighting system has more longevity than I expected. Anime fans shouldn't hesitate getting into this Grand Battle.

A disappointment. The controls are more sticky than they need to be, and the general presentation feels like a step back rather than a step forward.

I couldn't help but notice it struggled in parts, namely with the game's basic nature or its lackluster sound features.

The new races are cool, but it seems strange that one of them is only available to those who pre-order or complete a very high-level quest. While it includes a great amount of content, Legions lacks a bit of polish and lot of shine.

The game has its flaws, especially in the design and in some parts of the Career Mode, but it also serves up some mighty fine aspects that could serve the series better in its obviously-coming third incarnation.

A charming music game that's fun to play, has loads of features and songs, and sells at a budget price.

Galleon may not have the sharpest visuals around (it harkens back to a first generation visual fest), but the rest of the production values appear on par and the gameplay is excellent, especially as your quest gets deeper in scope and adventure.

What is surprising is the lack of creativity, integrity, or even quality regarding practically every aspect of the game. The only saving grace is the authenticity of Rome.

While Terminal Reality attempts to break up the monotony of this fighting game by including some jumping and leaping "puzzles," turning Rayne into a wannabe Olympic gymnast, it's simply not enough to give this any real depth. It's a good game... for what it is.

While nowhere near as pretty and interactive, Blood Will Tell is the closest PS2 owners will get to having "Otogi" on their machines. It's a slick hack-and-slash adventure with a great story, beautiful art work, and intense combat.

If EA Sports had worked harder to include most of the stuff from the console game, they could've had a winner with MVP Baseball. But it's not to be.

The constant need to micromanage my character was a huge turn off, and EA's horrible use of the touch screen doesn't help this title achieve greatness.

While many will still enjoy its timeless shooting gameplay, it's a little disappointing to find that it offers no frills. This is, pure and simple, the arcade game, with the addition of online leaderboards and unlockable achievements.

Providing enough levels to grind through and enemies to blast, along with a good challenge level and the kind of presentation that does James Cameron's franchise proud.

It's by no means a fantastic game, but it satisfied my urge to blow stuff up, and even though it didn't necessarily last long, I was entertained for most of the time.

A fun arcade port with very few new additions and a ridiculously high price tag, which means it's better experienced as a weekend rental.

The game controls well with the Xbox 360 controller (aside from the d-pad issues), so if you can get over the lackluster graphics you should be able to enjoy yourself.

You can't help but feel that the whole Outlaw theme has run its course, like the old, fat biker who insists he can't be beat at shot drinking and then collapses after two drinks.

Behind the glitz and curvaceous bodies is a rock solid wrestling experience that allows you to deliver bone-crushing finishing maneuvers inside as well as outside the ring (and even in the mud).

Like Gundam? Game = Good. Don't Know Gundam? Game = OK. Don't Like Gundam? Game = Makes You Sad.

Grasshopper Manufacture, best known for its work on the underappreciated "Killer 7," has done a great job capturing the essence of the show while incorporating its own signature elements, and the result is an entertaining hack and slash adventure that serves up plenty of action that's been marinated in tasty Samurai Champloo shenanigans.

Not the best looking, and certainly not for the impatient, Glory of the Roman Empire gets the job done in a unique and enjoyable way.

It would've been nice to see more mutliplayer options and maybe a camera that works like it's supposed to, but it's a quality adventure that should keep you hooked for hours. It's not a major comeback, but it's a step up from the monotony the series has fallen into.

If you already own the Game Boy Advance version of "Wario Ware", you may want to pass it by since it's included in that game as Dr. Wario.

Sadly, this Wand of Wishing grants players only an average game.

Fans will absolutely love it, while newcomers will wonder what all the fuss is about.

Its presentation doesn't stand out, its gameplay doesn't deliver like it should, and its fun is limited. The legend deserves a little bit better than this, and, hopefully, next year, he'll get it.

You know, there's a crowd out there that Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII was built for, and it's spelled out in clear letters- ARCADE.

What we basically have here is a glossed-over version of the game with very little addition and a $20 price drop, not to mention some horrible freezing problems that send this game to the showers.

SRS may be as shallow as some twenty-twos, but you may be having too much fun to care.

Its story isn't as cool as it could've been and the lackluster monster design keeps it from matching "Resident Evil" and "Silent Hill's" intensity, but Obscure is a fairly enjoyable game that's worth picking up, especially for the price.

But the game lacks any sort of genuine thrills, and instead takes the easy way out, sticking with average design and a challenge level that's junior-high level at best.

The camera is horrible, the voice acting is well below average, the battle and movement system are extremely tedious, the story takes 10 hours to finally get anywhere... it's just problem after problem.

Those who already own Battle won't be motivated to drive to the store just to drop $40 on a couple of additional features.

The only major problem with Ape Escape is it doesn't really offer a thrilling gameplay experience. Much like the original, it lacks that all important "wow" factor.

All in all, this game is a lot of fun, and young and old gamers alike will have a blast playing as their favorite characters from the movie.

And aside from wanting to achieve better scores, there's little reason to return to Point Blank DS, though to be fair, it's best experienced in short, controlled bursts.

It's mostly for the kids, but Barnyard knows how to raise a little hay.

The game's on the short side, and it's for some reason a little easier than past incarnations, but it's a fun shooter that's great to play in short bursts. Plus, its zany characters and gorgeous FMV cut scenes put it so far over the top it'd be a crime not to pick it up.

The only real problem with Bankshot Billiards 2 is its requirement for multiple players to each have their own controller. With a turn-based game like billiards, I was hoping I'd be able to play with two of my friends by just passing the controller back and forth. Instead, I'm forced to wait for those three player sessions until I can afford another controller.

An acquired taste. There's so many things that make you really want to delve into its world, but then there's so many limitations that you run into that make you wonder what the point really is.

It's a fun title that is sure to fill hours with its entertaining gameplay!

The graphics and Mode 7 effects are stunning, the music is epic and superb, and there are tons of options to choose from, including over 20 fighters to unlock and 160 attacks to master!

The controls from this port are done relatively well, but the overall gameplay prevents this game from standing out as anything more than an average game at best.

While there's nothing here that hasn't been done in other games like "Re-Volt," the graphics and physics make this game worth a look.

The gameplay goes deeper than expected with stealth elements and the ability to build a fearful reputation and then kicks it into high gear with some thrilling racing sequences.

The single player aspects are only entertaining for a short period of time, and even in multiplayer the game can't compare to "Super Smash Brothers." It can be a worthy purchase, but only if you have a group of friends, a multi-tap, and no GameCube.

Original it is not, this is "DDR" clone all the way. And not even a memorable one.

It's actually quite a bit of fun in the few hours that it lasts, and has every bit of the Animaniacs' ridiculous humor poured into it.

The adventure that the programmers originally had in mind is finally at hand, complete with multiplayer options galore, a lengthy adventure, and a presentation that's stellar.

Had the graphics been retouched a bit, the pace been picked up, the sound been reworked, and multiplayer been considered, this could've been the luxury yacht of war games.