With summer here there is going to be more gaming on the go as handhelds get taken on road trips. And just in time, Nintendo has given us a blast from the past to take along and relive the fun of our wasted youths. The game mechanics show a bit of their age, but it is still a lot of great, simple fun.

Things like reducing the on-screen fog, the chance to pick up a chainsaw as a weapon and multiple endings really make it a lot of fun to go through a few times.

As a story and a game, Peace Walker is wonderfully open-ended, encouraging you to replay missions, level up weapons, improve your staff, unlock gadgets, and even go online for head-to-head action or special recruitment missions.

A must buy for fans of the series and a serious look for those that have always wondered why the series is regarded by many as the best fighting game out there.

The graphics, the sound, and the street games... Sega knows how to make a winner.

There are other modes like the new My Player which allows you to live the life of an NBA player, giving press conferences and rising thorough the ranks from D-League to NBA Superstar and the aforementioned Jordan Moments but really it's the gameplay that sells NBA 2K11. It's a huge step for basketball fans and every other game that comes out is going to be inevitably compared to it.

The City is enormous and beautiful, the cars are amazingly detailed, and the control is divine.

Once again the developers at Harmonix have shown the gaming industry how it’s done.

The control isn't the easiest to get the hang of, there were times I thought about snapping that little analog stick right off the controller!

Saying that Shadow Complex is a triumph of Live Arcade almost sounds insulting. It’s one of the best games in the 360 library. The gameplay is tuned tighter than a Maserati, and Jason’s flowing movements nearly make the Prince of Persia seem crippled.

The biggest problem with Modern Warfare 3 is that it doesn't surprise, aside from the fact that there's more for the solo player to do than you might expect. It feels very safe, which is understandable given the budget and its sales expectations-as well as the rabid fan base that doesn't necessarily want innovation.

The game's netcode is incredibly finicky, and on more than one occasion I ran into situations where I shot a guy several times in the face with no obvious effect, or died from incoming fire that seemingly came from nowhere.

Dead Space is most frightening when you’re backed into a corner and fighting for your life in the darkness, and absolutely awe-inspiring during the quiet moments of solitude. From major elements like the HUD-less display and the believably intricate machinery to the simplicity of a forgotten magazine, the attention to detail is absolutely staggering.

With a rock-solid and responsive fighting system, along with great audio/visual presentation to match and lots of modes to play with, Tekken 5 is the early contender for fighting game of the year.

With an 8-9 hour single player campaign and its hefty multiplayer portion, F.E.A.R. is an absolute must have for any First Person Shooter fan out there that takes pleasure in having the holy hell scared out of them, all while playing an intriguing game with an impressive storyline.

The best platform game ever to grace the Xbox. The combination of solid gameplay and a clever and intelligently written story make this a game that must be experienced to be fully appreciated.

All told it’s a compelling package that makes NHL 10 an outstanding upgrade over NHL 09 and it’s hard to ask for much more than that from a yearly sports release.

If BioShock 1 is ultimately about what it is to be a slave, the sequel shows – with a sophistication rarely seen in gaming – what it is to be a parent, with the power to love or to harm.

The only thing that really kept StarFox 64 from taking off was its lack of difficulty. The game was insanely easy, almost to the point of amazement.

NHL 09 is not a simulation of professional hockey. It’s a game. A fun game, no doubt, but it’s more like an entertaining movie based on a good book which was based on actual events.

It uses the touch screen to great affect and is a terrific demonstration of what Nintendo’s new handheld is all about.

NHL 09 is not a simulation of professional hockey. It’s a game. A fun game, no doubt, but it’s more like an entertaining movie based on a good book which was based on actual events.

All told it’s a compelling package that makes NHL 10 an outstanding upgrade over NHL 09 and it’s hard to ask for much more than that from a yearly sports release.

There are very few games that are this nerve-wracking and playing this game is akin to watching your favorite action-suspense-thriller TV show or movie and I say that as a compliment.

All in all, don’t let the rather generic and short single player campaign deter you from picking up Bad Company 2. The multiplayer is a fantastic gaming experience and without a doubt it gives Modern Warfare 2 a run for its money.

With everything there is to do in this game, I don't know why you'd need another golf game next year, or hell, ever.

The lack of gameplay innovation in the series keeps it from soaring into the stratosphere, but for shear driving fun, Project Gotham Racing delivers.

All in all, don’t let the rather generic and short single player campaign deter you from picking up Bad Company 2. The multiplayer is a fantastic gaming experience and without a doubt it gives Modern Warfare 2 a run for its money.

The game hits the mark on virtually every point and its unique blend of fashion savvy, fast paced combat, OCD inspiring item management and audiovisual presentation should not be missed.

The biggest change to the formula is a number of graphical updates to the entire system.

This is the best hockey game ever made, and is a real feather in the cap for EA Sports in a year where the company literally doesn't have any competition on the Xbox 360 or PS3.

Both Tribunal and Bloodmoon offer new lands to explore, new people to interact with, new items to acquire, new enemies to fight and new quests to undertake.

It is a terrific game with an innovative control scheme that really has to be tried. My only concern is how silly I look while playing it in public.

Despite any grandiose new features, NCAA 07 is a smashing success. Yes, it's a glorified patch for last year's game – but it plays such a better game of football that the lack of new snazzy features should not stop fans from grabbing a copy.

The game graphically is not much of a leap from the previous year but is somewhat easier on the eyes, with smoother character rendering and slightly sharper stadium backgrounds.

The GameCube has some serious power, and this game showcases it well with fluid movements of on-screen characters and lush backgrounds that are detailed down to little bits of trash that blow across the court from time to time.

Despite the constant worry of carrying too much loot around, and even with some small interface issues, The Witcher 2 Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition is a marvelous game. It's more focused and has a vastly superior combat model than Skyrim, is more realized and contains better writing than Dragon Age, and treats sex like a mature theme and not a juvenile goal. It's not to be missed.

Single player gameplay is excellent. The missions are fun and the difficulty level ramps up over time so you’re usually given a pretty good challenge without being frustrated.

A success despite a few frustrations that pop up along the way and is a must buy for both fans of the Creative Assembly’s previous efforts as well as strategy fans in general.

Sly 2 has set the bar almost impossibly high for any platformer that comes after it.

As much an experience as it is a game and is as close as you're likely to get to being in an Alien movie anytime soon.

The complete package for the PSP. It is easily one of the best fighting games I’ve played all year.

If BioShock 1 is ultimately about what it is to be a slave, the sequel shows – with a sophistication rarely seen in gaming – what it is to be a parent, with the power to love or to harm.

If BioShock 1 is ultimately about what it is to be a slave, the sequel shows – with a sophistication rarely seen in gaming – what it is to be a parent, with the power to love or to harm.

The game is incredibly accessible, but it's also incredibly deep. It's the warm shore of the Pacific Ocean, with a teeming coral reef 30 feet below the surface. A reef made up of hideous demons and, when PVP is released, ruthless, hardcore players, of course. But they will find it beautiful, while casual fans and curious semi-gamers will be perfectly content splashing around in the shallows.

Stranger's Wrath is insidious. Few games have so thoroughly hooked me and absolutely compelled me to play for way too many hours while neglecting all other responsibilities. It offers such a mix of modern game genres that pretty much everybody will find something to love and many, like myself, will find a lot to love.

Sure the expansion could have been used to fix a few minor bugs, but Big Huge Games obviously focused on new features and campaigns, rather than building a "patch you have to pay for."

An absolutely fabulous game that is nothing but fun from start to finish. And as an extra bonus it is family friendly. No blood, not wound and no death.

In all, FIFA 11 accomplishes exactly what it set out to do in that it's a much better game than FIFA 10.

It's fast, it's addicting, and it's got Live support. You simply cannot go wrong with this title, and this one is truly the best version.

It's enough to make a fellow pine for the innocent days of yore, when Activision's Blur may have been a vehicle for Facebook nags, but at least it had the courtesy to include an actual game.

But what really makes SSX Tricky a great reissue is the trick system. Before, where squatting in preparation to jump locked you into a straight line, now you can turn when using the analog stick.

Quibbles aside, The Witcher 2 is an incredible achievement in graphical fidelity, branching storytelling, and just flat out smart gameplay. It's not as long as the first game, and the final chapter's story arc does feel rushed, but any issues are massively outweighed by the brilliance of this design.

Plants vs. Zombies is an immensely fun and wonderfully imaginative strategy game that makes for one of the most enjoyable experiences of the year.

The City is enormous and beautiful, the cars are amazingly detailed, and the control is divine.

The game is definitely not perfect, but with production values this high and a scare / immersion factor that goes through the roof, even after the 50,000th imp leaps out of a closet to claw at your face, Doom 3 is a game that any player would be stupid not to own in his collection.

Both “x-treme” racing fans and racing aficionados alike will find something to enjoy, making it the possible Great Uniter of racing videogames.

BlazBlue is a new franchise that calls back to the cabinet. It's what you'd expect out of, and it's what you want in, a new 2D fighting game.

A quality title pitched to something of a niche audience, and a very successful sequel.

It's easy to sit back and view the game through the lens of what hasn't changed, but to do so would cause you to miss out on all of the wonderful tweaks and additions to a series built on an already strong foundation.

Whatever you decide to do, and however deep you decide to make your journey into Dragon Quest IX you'll be treated to one of the most accessibly complicated and cheerily good hearted role playing experiences to come along in some time and one of the absolute best role playing games of the year.

FIFA 09 has two interesting features, and while they don’t always live up to their full potential, are exciting and intriguing enough to warrant giving the game a shot.

Jeanne D'Arc manages to deliver on all fronts, from the presentation to the fast paced and streamlined open-ended battles and skill binding mechanics. Everything in this game is polished, pretty, highly functional and fun. At the end of the day it's hard for me to complain about anything in this game.

All in all, don’t let the rather generic and short single player campaign deter you from picking up Bad Company 2. The multiplayer is a fantastic gaming experience and without a doubt it gives Modern Warfare 2 a run for its money.

FIFA 09 has two interesting features, and while they don’t always live up to their full potential, are exciting and intriguing enough to warrant giving the game a shot.

Both “x-treme” racing fans and racing aficionados alike will find something to enjoy, making it the possible Great Uniter of racing videogames.

Blending deep, intricate 4X design into the world of real-time gaming was a daunting task to say the least, but Ironclad and Stardock have pulled it off and in the end have created one of the best strategy games of the past few years.

So, in what can also be described as a truly "parental" set of feelings, I love this game, but I'm also disappointed that it was not able to be all that it could have been.

Tactics Ogre will rekindle the love of long-time Ogre Battle fans, just as it will draw in new gamers now discovering this classic. It's a perfect balance of faithful nostalgia and evolved gaming.

Half-Life 2: Episode One might not introduce any major new weapons or stunning plot twists, but the further insight it gives into the universe and characters who dwell within is unquestionably worth the experience – if only to see the enigmatic "G-Man" get well and truly pissed.

Still, there's more to life than money and the interesting firefights, further fleshing out of the Mass Effect universe and satisfying emotional resolution to Liara's story is reward enough and acts as a fitting epilogue to Mass Effect 2.

Dirt 3 is a fine game and worth playing. But if you take your sequels or your driving games seriously, you're going to be disappointed to discover that it's no Dirt 2.

As Pokemon games go, it's definitely the most polished version yet and the new additions all add up to make the overall experience even more enjoyable.

Is it the best fighter ever? No, but hey, it's light years better than "Tekken Tag" and a hell of a lot more fun than "Virtua Fighter 3."

What it does offer is a brand new tactical role-playing experience that blows most of the tactical console RPGs out of the water, save "Disgaea" for the PlayStation 2.

Has some great features on paper, but when played out, it underperforms and seems to be more gimmick than fun. The game excels as a multiplayer football game online or with a friend. As a simulation or for a stat gamer, the game fails miserably.

There are a lot of things this content pack does well, just like in the main game, but there is also an equal number of things the game does maddeningly wrong, just like in the main game, leading to an experience that is worth having, provided you're willing to put up with some frustrations.

Come for the old-school charm, stay for the multiplayer mayhem.

If you enjoy this type of genre of games – music rhythm – there’s no doubt you’ll love Elite Beat Agents.

Fellas think about it, this might be a great way to get those non-gaming girlfriends to share in yet another one of your obsessions.

I cannot recommend this enough to folks who have some platforming chops. It's hard as hell, but incredibly rewarding and genuinely fun.

After watching the characters dance and listening to the game's great music, I now find myself dancing around my house like an idiot.

The key to enjoying the game really is getting the hang of how the game works and then getting those beefier missions rolling. Bully truly is one of the better games to come out of Rockstar in quite awhile.

Treyarch didn't reinvent the wheel with Black Ops. Instead of fixing what wasn't broken, the oft-maligned developer gave it a needed polishing and sent it on its way. With everything that this game has to offer, both on and offline, it will be a resident of console drives for a long time to come.

With all the variety offered in this game including signature MGS stealth action, recruitment elements, decent multiplayer and a decent and well crafted story, MGS fans would be foolish not to buy this game - it is truly the best PSP game of 2006 and the best MGS game since "Snake Eater."

With so many publishers looking to cash in on the Wii’s success, it’s always nice to see a game appear that is nothing but quality from top to bottom—the fact that this game is ten bucks cheaper than other Wii offerings makes it an even sweeter deal.

A great game whether you like football or not. You'll want this game if you liked the Dreamcast version or if you're just looking for an alternative to Madden.

The sights, the sounds, the characters, the environments, they all combine to make a game that may not represent as much of a move forward as its predecessor, but represents a high watermark in both handheld gaming and video games in general.

At its core, this puppy has taken its serious sim roots, mixed in a few casual-friendly options and thrown in a plethora of content (both online and offline) to keep finicky gamers interested.

Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness stands side by side with the likes of Final Fantasy Tactics and Jeanne D'Arc as one of the best PSP games to hit the system in 2007.

As Pokemon games go, it's definitely the most polished version yet and the new additions all add up to make the overall experience even more enjoyable.

What will keep people engrossed in the game are the characters, their humor under fire and their surprisingly poignant moments.

United Offensive would easily be an unquestionably excellent action pack if it weren’t so short in the singleplayer department and didn’t suffer from a few annoying quirks.

When it comes down to it, Opposing Fronts delivers much of what the original did just remixed. The pair of lengthy single player campaigns and full multiplayer options makes it as valuable as the first game. Slight balance issues comes with the addition of the British and Panzer Elite factions, although it comes with the benefit of having access to two inventive new strategic styles.

At its core, this puppy has taken its serious sim roots, mixed in a few casual-friendly options and thrown in a plethora of content (both online and offline) to keep finicky gamers interested.

As in their previous games, specifically Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun, S&P:SS relies on a couple of evasion gimmicks and limited but flexible weapons that give the skilled player a slight edge over the thousands of bullets headed their way.

SMB is unique, fun and, most importantly, as playable every day as it was the day you bought it.

The inventive cooperative play is the reason you should pick up Resistance 2. Running through the single player campaign will net you a good story, even if you have to waddle through some lackluster sections. Competitive multiplayer delivers some good gaming, although the high player counts can be overwhelming.