Baddest of the Bands is a much better episode than the previous was. The plot is humorous, the writing is spot on, and the puzzles are fun when the game is cohesive, and it is more than it's not.

WarioWare Snapped! might have set the bar for DSiWare, but it didn’t set it incredibly high. The amount of time it takes to set up the camera usually outlives the amount of time that can be spent with the game, and the limited number of microgames included is regrettable.

Even though NASCAR Kart Racing may not be the most innovative racer on the market, that shouldn’t turn you away. The game is an unabashed "Mario Kart" clone that, while not looking nearly as good, plays almost exactly the same.

The main problem with Need for Speed Undercover is that even though it is a lot of fun, it’s just not compelling or interesting enough to keep you coming back for more. While playing, I kept thinking, “Man, this would be a perfect weekend rental or budget title”, but I never thought about dropping $60 to get it new.

While it's not a bad episode by any means it definitely doesn't feel like the ending Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures needed to end a success. A grand adventure this was not.

NCAA Basketball 10 is a satisfactory college basketball game, but its AI and gameplay issues keep it from being a standout, the lack of game modes keep it from being a great value for the money, and the absence of any “hook” to catch fans’ attention may make it a financial failure.

It’s a fairly run of the mill third-person shooter, with some less than enthralling multiplayer, and an impressive visual package.

A decent attempt at a sports title.

While the concept holds strong, the game can become repetitive fast and doesn't always end with a logical finale. Hopefully with some modification to the formula they can make a sequel that solves some of these problems, but as of now this is likely a niche game at best.

Savage Moon isn’t a bad game, but a good one with a number of technical and focus issues.

It might be a jack of all trades and master of none, but that’s better than sucking.

Serious fans of motorcycle racing will no doubt appreciate the realism found in MotoGP 08’s Simulation mode. That said, most gamers, who wouldn’t know Hiroshi Aoyama from Thomas Lüthi, will find everything but Arcade mode too difficult to bother with.

The sum of all the parts is much greater than the individual pieces, and I hope that strong word of mouth gets this title into more homes.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is maddeningly frustrating. In fact, I've never been happier that I didn't have to play a game anymore than when I finished playing Donkey Kong Country Returns.

It’s close to being amazing, and there are times when it is, but there are too many times where it just simply isn’t up to par with the current generation’s standards. The camera is too jumpy, the bosses are too frustrating, and the platforming just isn’t any fun.

It simply isn't as fun as Super Smash Bros., and it's too similar to pull in anyone who isn't already a fan of Nintendo's fighting game. All in all, it should be reserved for only those who still sleep in Michelangelo pajamas and play with their the Ninja Turtle Pizza Shooter.

I’m still willing to give the other games in the series a try, but my patience for this franchise as a whole is wearing thin.

Like I have mentioned before, the title isn’t without its many flaws and problems, but the good aspects of the title heavily outweigh the bad, and the amount of hate for the game seems disingenuous. That said; it feels like the game could have benefited from another year of development time, which might sound crazy given the game’s delays.

Need for Speed: Nitro does a good job of washing the taste of the last few entries of the franchise out of your mouth, but it doesn’t really do anything to establish a new status quo. The racing is fun, and the customization is cool, but outside of that, there’s not a whole lot going on here.

For anyone who considers themselves a fan of the series I would recommend a purchase, there is definite replay value in repeating earlier levels with newly gained abilities, and many of the game’s flaws fade into the background when your character is powerful enough to dominate a level.

While it is nice to finally see a graphically upgraded, SIXAXIS enabled version of Sony’s tactical shooter, you feel a little cheated by the fact that there is no single player campaign. Oh, and there are server issues, many, many server issues. Users have had difficuly connecting to games while some haven't been able to connect to a single one.

The minigames, although plentiful, are archaic and reminiscent of early games on the Wii, and the lack of online multiplayer drops the replay value a bit.

A fun, if shallow and mindless shooter. For those looking for quick-hit action without worrying about things like story or a sense of purpose, it’s exactly what you’re looking for.

Being closer to the action gives each game a more intimate feel, and having Power Meters for each and every pass gives a more complete feeling of control.

It's kid friendly, but has enough witty gameplay to make any fan of the genre giddy.

The presentation is better, there are options enough to allow basic customization of your chosen game and the 'undo' feature alone puts this game ahead of Touch Solitaire.

Even more so than the other Hasbro Family Game Night titles, this is really for fans, and should please anyone who considers Yahtzee to be fun.

But no matter how enjoyable it might be, the fact remains that Animal Crossing: City Folk is a sloppy, lazy port of a Nintendo DS title to the Wii.

If there had been a stronger plot, more character customization options, a reasonable difficulty curve, or more unique fighting elements, this would have been one of the best dungeon-crawlers in recent memory. Class of Heroes isn’t a bad game, but doesn’t do enough to make you want to stay with it for the many, many hours it will take to complete it.

Success or failure, expect to see APB replicated, ripped off, and copied completely in the coming years. It's revolutionary in many ways, even if it isn't actually all that great.

A decidedly capable arcade-style flyer that’s a bit short on content, but big on tight gameplay and challenge. If you can find someone to play the multiplayer modes with, you’ll be better served by this title, but the singe-player campaign is well worth playing as well.

Completionists will love the amount of things to find and collect, and with the unlockable Free Play mode and extra characters, the game has a fairly decent replay value. This game is a lot of fun, especially if you have someone nearby to play with.

However, it appears that they weren't able to perfectly hit their stride in terms of puzzle creation, and this episode definitely has some of the early-season jitters that the first few episodes of Sam & Max had.

The biggest problem I had with Army of Two as a whole was the game’s seeming inability to ever raise the stakes...Even in the middle of an intenese firefight, you never feel any more in jeopardy than in those first training models.

The combat is great... in theory, it just struggles due to a poor camera and uninteresting battles.

In the end, NPPL Championship Paintball 2009 is exactly what it advertises itself as – a paintball game made for paintball fans.

In addition to the questionable controls, the main problem with this game is that there really aren’t any significant improvements over its predecessor, and definitely not any to make this game worth fifty bucks.

While Guitar Hero: Smash Hits is a solid option for fans of music games, the short and inconsistent tracklist alone makes it not worth the price.

If you’re a fan of turn-based strategy, don’t let my little multiplayer rant deter you from picking up this game; it’s definitely a fun and interesting title, especially if you’re actually going to utilize the multiplayer modes.

Flaws in the presentation keep it from being eye candy, and there are issues with the gameplay and controls that prevent the game from being anything special. Instead, it's an average package, and there's little to draw in old or new fans who aren't willing to spend a good deal of time learning how to ride a bike again.

It's always great to see someone present their passion for comics in a new way, and Twisted Pixel has shown their love in spades. Were the gameplay a little tighter, and more forgiving, I think Comic Jumper could have been a great title. Instead, thanks in large to its unevenness, it's simply a good game with the occasional fault.

Overall, Sega Superstars Tennis is not a great tennis game, but it's certainly not a bad one, either. It looks pretty, plays well (if simply) and runs great.

If you’re a fan of rail shooters or of the Resident Evil franchise, Umbrella Chronicles is a solid, if not deep title that offers about 4-5 hours of mindless fun.

The price point is simply too high for what feels like a substandard product, and there are too games out there that are simply more feature-complete to justify spending more than the price of the board game on this version.

Aligning yourself with special interest groups, hiring different political aides, and participating in television interviews add even more depth to the already somewhat convoluted experience, but without these options it wouldn’t really feel like politics.

It’s close to being amazing, and there are times when it is, but there are too many times where it just simply isn’t up to par with the current generation’s standards. The camera is too jumpy, the bosses are too frustrating, and the platforming just isn’t any fun.

Something about The Wheelman doesn't feel entirely finished. It could be the graphics, which look sloppy and fall victim to all of the downfalls of the Unreal 3 engine. Texture pop-ins are almost constant, and they don't even look that good once they are fully displayed.

While there’s no doubt that Inferno is, indeed, the definitive version of the game, it’s still not good enough. It’s short of its own potential, it’s frustrating to play, and while the fixes make it a better game, it doesn’t enhance the flawed experience.

The most upsetting thing is the fact that it feels like there really is a good game in Underworld—it’s just masked by all of the game’s technical difficulties.

It's an average package, and there's little to draw in old or new fans who aren't willing to spend a good deal of time learning how to ride a bike again.

For fans of the series or the genre the purchase shouldn’t even be a question.

Overall, Little Red Riding Hood’s Zombie BBQ is a very enjoyable game, with quirky characters, interesting level settings, and a great sense of humor. However, it doesn’t take long for the gameplay to get a little stale, especially when the game slows down when a large amount of creatures are onscreen at once.

Supporting up to 16 players, online versus battles tend to be extremely chaotic and fun, while still requiring a decent amount of strategy for success.

The craziness and inanity of the game definitely makes it a great party title, but the lack of descriptions on how some of the abilities you gain throughout the game work are counterintuitive towards the playability and arcade feel.

You might have seen that I’ve been using words like adequate and fine often in this review, and that’s really because it’s the best way to describe the game: good. Not great, not bad, but there are plenty of worse ways to spend $20. With over fifty missions and 26 ship types there’s enough to keep an eager pirate playing, but without an online audience the game’s potential is hindered.

A good amount of fun for a short amount of time. It’s too complex for casual gamers, but too shallow for anyone looking to really dive into a dodgeball game. The core mechanics are tight, but sadly, there just isn’t that much to do with them.

Sadly, the lack of replay value, and plethora of better games makes this nothing more than a rental for a weekend when your local football franchise is on a bye week. There’s potential to capitalize on, but I’m not so sure even with improved gameplay if this game could ever be a day one purchase.

Assassin’s Creed: Altaïrs’s Chronicles is one of the best Nintendo 64 games I have ever played. No, that is not a typo, it is just the feeling I had while playing the game. The game is about as suited for the Nintendo DS as a pair of boots is for a slug, and nearly every feature of the game that takes advantage of its “unique” abilities comes off as insanely heavy handed.

The Wheelman promises high-octane action and it usually delivers; but the thrills are somewhat cheap and hollow.

Yggdra Union is by no means the definitive tactical RPG experience, nor is it a perfect game. However, for all of my qualms, I found myself continually going back for more—and not just because I had to in order to review the game, but because I felt myself drawn to the strategy and enjoyed the satisfaction of victory.

There may be plenty of better options for anyone looking for an online shooter, but for the price Combat Arms is among the best around. It's fast, fun, brutal and addicting - what more could you ask for from a free FPS.

I generally like games to focus as much on story as they do on the fighting, but the fact that this is so mission-heavy is one of the things that distinguishes it from its predecessor.

EA touted that you would be able to download the names and positions of the actual players in the NCAA, but this hasn’t worked since day one.

TrackMania DS is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best racing games on the DS.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games isn’t going to surprise anyone with its gameplay, graphics, controls, or concept, but it’s a perfectly serviceable party game for the Wii.

An above-average handheld movie tie-in. Half of the game plays well, and keeps you coming back for more with missions that don’t take too long, and offer a nice level of challenge. The other half, however, is a tremendous chore that seriously hurts the experience as a whole.

There’s no questioning Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny’s technical acumen; it’s a brilliant fighting engine that looks amazing, sounds great, and plays just about perfectly. It’s just a shame that there’s really no good way to play it.

The best thing Beat Hazard has going for it is the price. At $9.99 it's easy to recommend the title to anyone with the means to play it, as it provides a new way to experience music.

The Half-Blood Prince isn’t worth buying at full price for any system; five hours is far too short, especially for a game this repetitive.

Were this a non-licensed product, it would be a below-average action title with little to recommend. The fact that it stars a popular super hero definitely helps, as does the passable plot and enjoyable script, making Iron Man 2 a title that’s just barely worth playing.

Fret Nice isn’t a bad game by any means, and it’s actually pretty entertaining in small doses. The unique presentation and pleasant soundtrack enhance the experience, even though the gameplay itself doesn’t do much to distinguish itself.

Roogoo: Twisted Towers isn’t a terrible puzzle game; in small doses, it can be entertaining, especially if you have friends nearby to play with. However, it never feels especially challenging, nor did I feel any desire to go back and improve my scores.

There is stat tracking, but it’s not very in-depth, and with a game so basic that it’s commonly played with blocks of wood I have to think it could have been fleshed out into a different, though similar experience.

Despite its many imperfections, Sacred 2: Fallen Angel is a surprisingly addictive action RPG.

Mindless, shallow, and temporary entertainment, deserving of a rental and not much more. The way the story is presented as an afterthought is inexcusable, and the repetitive fetch quests and contrived missions can only keep one occupied for so long. It’s not a failure, and it is far from being the worst movie tie-in of the year, but Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince once again falls short of being a worthwhile game to add to your collection.

With a little more work, this could have been a stand-out casual title for the DS, but sadly this megamix is not as explosively fun as I would prefer.

After Prince of Persia got a fresh start in 2008, The Forgotten Sands feels like a giant step backwards for the series.

It's not bad, per se, there just isn't enough of it.

Though scaled back from the depth of a typical Final Fantasy adventure, there’s still a fair amount of value in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, but you need to really want it.

Zombie Studios has done a fine job with the property, and has succeeded more than most thought possible with the series. Saw, as a tie-in to the series, is wonderful. As a survival horror game, however, it's a much smaller success. A success, mind you, but a small success, and one that doesn't rely on any knowledge of the Saw series to enjoy.

In making White Knight Chronicles, Level-5 created a vast, sprawling world, and then failed to fill it with anything original.

What was once the be-all-end-all of baseball video games on the PSP is quickly becoming a shadow of its former self. Like so many storied professionals, age is finally catching up to the series.

Mevo & the Grooveriders isn't a great idea executed poorly, but a good idea executed passably.

Saw, as a tie-in to the series, is wonderful. As a survival horror game, however, it's a much smaller success. A success, mind you, but a small success, and one that doesn't rely on any knowledge of the Saw series to enjoy.

The biggest disappointment with Wanted: Weapons of Fate was how close they came to almost getting it right. The few shining gameplay features like the cover system and bullet curving just can’t overcome the numerous flaws the game has in just about every other department.

Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines isn’t a great game. There are better platformers on the handheld, like Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters, and there are better action games to choose from, like God of War: Chains of Olympus. Bloodlines combines aspects of both of those games into something a little less impressive and coherent, but somehow still entertaining.

Turtles in Time Re-Shelled was fun while it lasted, but that time was far too short.

I had to strain my eyes playing on a 42-inch television, so I can’t imagine what it would be like to play on a smaller set. Despite some problems, Cate West is still worth a try if you’re a fan of the genre, but if you’re not, this isn’t the game that will draw you in.

I truly feel bad for all the non-PS3 owners who are also baseball fans who have no choice but to play this game if they want to play video game baseball.

Accidentally walking into enemies as they’re shooting at you grows very tiring, and nothing about the game’s characters or plot stuck with me other than the fact that each member has a special ability.

There's about as little to legitimately rave about as there is to complain about. Metal Slug XX is a formulaic romp that should remind people who have ever played any other game in the series of every other Metal Slug game they've ever played. No risks were taken, no innovative ideas were uttered, and no minds were blown,. That said, it's still a fun time.

It's cute, but it's just not the best kart racer on the console. Hell, it might not even be the second best one. For die-hard fans of the MySims series, if any exist, the game is likely worth checking out, but for everyone else it doesn't have enough replayability to justify a purchase.

It's truly a shame this game falls so flatly on its face, as there was so much potential in the title early on. Disappointingly, that potential is never realized, and Medal of Honor is just another average shooter.

Maybe by the next installment, EA will see that there’s an older audience looking for a solid party title, and give us a little more challenge. As of right now, I’m getting to old for this stuff.

Unlike Symphony of the Night and the DS games, which I would recommend to anyone, it's hard to imagine that non-Castlevania fans will get any enjoyment out of Harmony of Despair.

Beyond being needlessly repetitive, there are some issues with the presentation that make Zombie Driver feel a bit unfinished or, at least, untested.

It's not bad, per say, there just isn't enough of it. The inclusion of new characters for Mercenaries mode is good, but hardly worth picking up the pack for, unless, again, you happen to be a complete loyalist to the series.

At its core, My World, My Way is a very basic, repetitive RPG with a gimmicky twist that loses its novelty pretty quickly.