This is far and away the best Pokemon DS game out there. It's just not the full-fledged sequel that I'm still anticipating.

Lego Star Wars graphics, sound, and gameplay all bring a classic trilogy to life with utter detail, and the added sense of humor and countless list of secrets and Achievements will keep you playing, even after the Empire's fallen at your feet.

Some will enjoy this new method of play, while others will struggle as they go from offensive to defensive moves in frustrating transition.

The franchise and online modes have been touched up, remaining the best in the business; the new Cinemotion gives a major boost to the above average presentation; and while the gameplay isn't significantly new, it still works like a charm, both for arcade players and hockey nuts.

The game's fun for the most part, especially when it comes to unlocking and customizing characters from the epic trilogy, but I'm really turned off by some of the confusing puzzles as well as the cheap AI.

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

It gives you an opportunity to Fight To the Top of the NASCAR tier, but focuses more on driving mechanics, real-time damage and wear, handling, and momentum than ever before, all of which work in its favor.

If Test Drive Unlimited were a car, it would probably be a nice, leisurely ride without too many fancy gimmicks- maybe a Scion without the oddly-shaped frame.

Killing bad guys is very boring thanks to the lackluster mechanics, which never evolve past mindless button mashing, and the cheap AI doesn't help matters. I still appreciate Yakuza for what it is, but I can't justify spending $50 for it.

What we have here is elementary yet cutting-edge game design, coupled with some of the cutest visuals and music you will ever experience. The game has longevity to spare as well, with numerous secrets, mini-games, and hidden paths to seek out.

I gave Spy Hunter: Nowhere To Run plenty of chances to impress me, but it came up short, with its glitched-out graphics and a control scheme that's too wonky for its own good, whether you're on foot or in the car.

While I would've liked to have seen a better realized multiplayer mode and more difficult achievements to unlock, the game remains a joy to play. The graphic and sound touch-ups are welcome as well, instead of just bothersome cosmetic additions.

This game is about as hard as petrified wood. Capcom eased things up a bit by tossing three difficulty levels into the mix, but even the added confidence booster couldn't save me from dying hundreds of times.

The graphics are bland, the gameplay stunted, and the multiplayer limited to online only. Throw in a useless first-person bombing mode that isn't even first-person and you've got a game that's simply a bomb. No, not the bomb, just a bomb.

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

A viciously intense and wickedly gruesome gang simulator that offers up plenty of thrills.

Star Fox Command could have benefited from a few difficulty levels, but it's still a cool shooter that shouldn't be missed.

It's a bit tedious at times, and single player isn't really that exciting, but it's still a fun poker game.

While I would've liked to have gotten more emotional commentary from Madden and Michaels and less graphic freezes, it's still nice to have the highlight stick and lead blocking features give the running game just as much emphasis as passing has gotten. Madden once again scores a touchdown.

It's vicious, nutritious, and undeniably delicious, and you absolutely have to buy it immediately. Not only does it look gorgeous splayed across an HDTV, but it plays better than its predecessors.

From the innovative highlight stick to the "run-to-daylight" feature, the PSP version of Madden has it all. Add in the ability to take your PS2 franchise on the go and you have the best handheld football game not only in years, but perhaps of all-time.

Its revamped Superstar: Hall of Fame mode is phenomenal and the enhancements to the running game make busting through holes in the defensive line simply a joy. But unlike last year's fiasco with next-gen Madden on the Xbox 360, this year Madden 07 on 360 is clearly the superior version to own.

Moderately enjoyable, mainly because the character selection is so diverse. When's the last time you saw Pooka from "Dig-Dug" show the Prince of All Cosmos who's boss?

This may be the weakest console edition of the game on the market, but it's still recommended for those who still have it hooked up and ready to go.

The latest entry in the once respectable ninja series is downright awful, what with its lack of blood, horrendous top down perspective, and abominable story.

The problem here lies with the little things that don't add up. No checkpoints, a complete lack of Xbox Live support, the weakest soldier AI I've seen in ages, and voice acting so bad that even infomercial actors show more emotion keep this title from being a must buy.

While the gameplay isn't really anything new, it's all backed by a terrific story, a mounting challenge, and some impressive graphics.

The game has no significant changes, and the only things adding to its replay value are a few Achievements and an updated leaderboard. But if you loved the arcade classic, spend $5 and dig in.

Mowing over bodies with a lawnmower, decapitating them with hedge clippers, and knocking them over with bowling balls is immensely entertaining and worth the price of admission...But be warned! While Dead Rising isn't a difficult game to complete, its boring escort missions/fetch quests (as well as the single player game's strict adherence to the schedule) make it less than stellar.

While the expansion improves gameplay in a number of important ways, including the inclusion of two new cross-classes, the actual campaign and story leave much to be desired.

It's an old game, but it's still fun, and as long as you're not a tournament level player, you'll enjoy the game despite the slight hiccups during online play.

It may be a little too chaotic for its own good. The difficulty is all over the road, and the car handling leaves much to be desired. The lack of a custom soundtrack feature hurts as well, leaving you with the option to listen to the game's repetitive rock selections.

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

The Story Mode is a joke, and the Challenge Mode and mini-games are mere shells of what's been included in previous adventures. This Monkey Ball got dropped. Hard.

The AI presents a formidable challenge and the conflicts are both historic and monumental. However, the presentation could use a lot of work.

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.

The most comfortable fighting game for the handheld yet. Despite some slight issues with the control scheme, the game still delights with its arcade-faithful presentation and its various modes.

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.

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.

Cloning Clyde does lack some of the visual and audio spark that other platformers possess, but it has a style all its own that make it a worthwhile addition to your Xbox Live Arcade library. It's worth the $10.

The Xbox 360 version is supposed to be the higher-end version on the market, but instead, you wonder where the extra $10 investment has gone. The game is sorely lacking in modes and extras that exist in the other versions, and its graphics and gameplay have some hitches that could've been remedied in production.

The custom card building and use of the Dragon Balls are excellent additions, making up for the lack of modes in the game.

The presentation isn't spectacular but is faithful to the movie, and the inclusion of the arcade-like Thou Art Dead is a nice touch.

Digital Eclipse is a master of emulation and could've just made the game it was originally intended, instead of trying to spruce it up. However, the best aspects are still intact, and I suppose that's good enough to drop 400 points ($5) on a purchase.

Plot holes aside, the gameplay in Prey is nothing short of amazing. Whether you're wandering up walls, shifting gravity, shrunk down to the size of a mouse, going into spirit form, fighting in the afterlife, or floating around in a service vehicle... Prey has got everything anyone could want from a sci-fi shooter and more.

The potential behind the game is unmatched, but an extremely poor online interface coupled with lackluster servers and a relatively boring single player experience makes Chromehounds a chrome donkey.

Prey has been a long time coming, and if the game just had a bit more to offer in terms of challenge and a more calculated death/revival system, it could've been a classic to unseat Halo 2. On its own, however, it was definitely worth the wait, with marvelous design ideas, fun gameplay twists, and a presentation that shows some effort.

With the new control system there is a bit of a learning curve, especially if you're not familiar with other RTS titles. However, if you give the game a few missions and a chance to learn the controls properly, BFME2 should appeal to most RPG and Strategy fans out there, and even a few of the action-oriented gamers.

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.

The game has most of the necessary ingredients for success, but Bethesda and 7 Studios managed to produce a lackluster hack-and-slash adventure title that features woefully linear level design, mediocre voice acting, and tired swashbuckling.

Over G Fighters manages to get into the sky, but fails to put on a memorable show.

Through the variety of single player challenges, multiplayer action, and sheer number of Micro Machines to unlock, there's a lot to do here, but the game may frustrate many with its slightly unhelpful camera and constant need to get the handling nailed down in several areas.

One of the best portable football games because its developers elected to avoid the sport's complexities.

The game has poor touch screen recognition (as in when I write 2 the game thinks it's 8) and the presentation is drier than Death Valley.

One of those rare, fabled games that appeal far beyond the fanbase of its license. The controls are easy to learn, but thanks to the fast-paced action, the gameplay is difficult to master.

An amazing game. It has an extremely fun adventure, filled with insane beasts and exciting battles. The gear, the classes, and the many combinations of each bring hours of joy.

With lackluster and restrictive gameplay, almost no class diversity, and drab graphics, this is probably a game that should step into the Gloom and stay there for a long while.

The definitive motorcycle racing game, this is not. The problem with MotoGP 4 is that it does little to signify itself from previous MotoGP releases by the Namco team, nor does it have the extra oomph to really push it beyond what Sony did with their own Tourist Trophy project.

If only these instances of charm were more frequent, and weren't interspersed by such tired gameplay, Legend of Heroes II could have been much more enjoyable.

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.

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.

MtB:RS is a rather short, uncomplicated "budget" strategy game that certainly helps teach the fundamentals of "how to" play an RTS to gamers just breaking into the genre, but will offer virtually nothing to the experienced strategist.

Despite little quirks here and there, it's still one of the definitive fighting collections out there, and the inclusion of the insane Super Gem Fighter MiniMix alone should warrant a purchase, just to see fighters do some wild stuff to get the victory.

Seeing as how it's $20, MGS:DGN is one of those "what the hell" purchases. Even if you're not a Metal Gear fan it's worth checking out, if for nothing else than to admire the slick art work and check out a confusing story that you might have missed.

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.

Had more emphasis been on the actual bowling, its physics, and the fun of multiplayer, we would be getting somewhere. As is, the game's just a flash-in-the-pan cheapier title that even bowling zealots should avoid.

An excellent first-person shooter, using a moving storyline as a backbone for its fast-paced gameplay, awesome presentation, and packed online experience.

Despite the fact some entries are missing, the collection here is still varied and show how much the series has evolved over the years. The number of options and bonus goodies that are available are nice, and the jam-packed action of the games themselves should enthrall fans of the series and gather up a flock of new ones along the way. This is simply a must-have retro collection that should keep you plenty busy until the PS3 Gradius that's been hinted at arrives.

Liberty City Stories is by no means a terrible game, as it still manages to deliver most of the goods we remember from the PSP effort we went through last year in console form. But it could've used a little bit of touching-up to go along with its terrific price, so that the game could've gotten the same kind of respect and recognition that its previous chapters received.

Unfortunately, the biggest problem from the core title still hasn't been addressed, and that's the extremely limited number of available workers.

The mini games are fun but it also feels like the game can get pretty repetitious.

And 1 Streetball ultimately suffers from a lack of effort in every category.

The games are very entertaining and the wireless multiplayer has provided hours of enjoyment, especially since up to eight people can play using a single copy.

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.

At $20, Slugfest 2006 isn't what I'd call a terrible title. It has the same great gameplay as previous entries and does deliver a fast game of arcade baseball. But we've seen this before, and done better, and unless Midway's planning to give it all they've got for a next-generation edition, maybe it's best to let someone else round the bases. This Slugfest has lost a bit of its punch.

Episode 1 puts together a fantastic game not by necessarily introducing anything new, but by forcing players to focus more on using their wits than their firepower. Although, firepower helps a lot too.

It's the bracelet-wearing champ of the current crop, at least as over the counter titles are concerned.

The impatient probably won't like it, and the game has very little improvements on Xbox aside from a graphical sheen and some achievements, but if killing is your business, then business is back to being good.

Harvest Time: Hop and Fly is extremely cute and colorful. The characters are adorable, particularly when they beat a level and celebrate by dancing. Harvest Time: Hop and Fly is an adorable game, and one that younger kids will have a great time playing.

Hmmm, I guess in the catalog of poker games that are on the market, Stacked does manage to be one of the best when it comes to its thinking opponent system and the inclusion of Negreanu himself, putting some personal touches on the product.

It does provide some good action and has plenty of engaging multiplayer to keep you busy throughout the summer. But one can't help but think a little more effort would've been nice to capture some of the manic energy that made the show such a success.

Having grown tired of boring crime simulators, I find playing as a killer shark to be a refreshing change of pace, and the game's various bells and whistles, such as the JAWS theme and the sound of hapless divers screaming underwater are joys to listen to.

Still, regardless of what might be missing, or the overall lack of anything incredibly new and unexpected, Heroes of Might and Magic V is still a very addictive game that easily sucks players in with its strategic gameplay. When you get right down to it, this is still HOMM, and it's still great.

While it's great to build your own hunter and create weapons and armor with creative aspects, and some of the monster hunting is thoroughly enjoyable, the game runs into some slight problems with gameplay and camera control that keep it from being in "freedom" of flaws.

It even goes so far as to improve on the Advance Wars formula, the ability to layer troops adding another strategic twist and the online features adding a significant amount of replay value.

A charming little adventure that deserves to find an audience for its creativity and its endless list of adventures to complete.

With the intuitive controls, the high number of levels, the level editor, and the ability to download even more levels, it's easily the best portable Lemmings thus far.

The presentation is uncanny and takes advantage of the Xbox 360, and the gameplay, complete with spins and smashes galore, captures the nature of ping pong and keeps it simple and fun.

This should have been released as a much cheaper booster pack instead of an expansion. It simply doesn't offer enough to justify the asking price.

It's nice to play as different characters, and the presentation is true to the comic book essence, but the whole thing feels like a condensed action affair that we've seen before, countless times.

While some will simply love this game because it is X-Men, if you're looking for a game that's fast moving and innovative, this is not the game for you.

Combat is dull and repetitive, mostly requiring players to repeat the same button combination over and over again.

The kind of game that makes hardcore Nintendo fans get on their knees and weep in sheer joy over the eighty new levels of new 2D Mario action...The visuals come in scorching hot, with gorgeous 3D bringing the old school into a new school setting. Sprinkle in some minigames and multiplayer modes, and you have a system seller.

There's not much in the way of weapon or enemy variety, and the game is pretty short, but just about every minute of it is action packed. The dynamic difficulty system works very well.

Lastly, the main game isn't all that long, coming in at about five or six hours. In a way, that's a good thing, as I can't imagine the game lasting much longer without things starting to get a bit old, plus the multiplayer and mini-games will probably add a few more hours to the mix for younger gamers. Still, it's something to be aware of, especially if one is considering spending $40 on the title.

It offers multiplayer that's quite addictive, as well as a single player experience that really helps you get better at the game.

The lure of playing Cantha and experiencing this world, plus the challenge of playing as either the Assassin or Ritualist are plenty of incentive by themselves to enter the world of Factions.

Sure, it's a developer's cut, in a way, but that's like an extra scoop of ice cream on an already-great banana split. Gorge yourself in the glory of Outrun.