These games may be about as homely as anything on the market right now, but NeoGeo fans kept buying them, and others like them, for hundreds of dollars a pop year after year for very good reason.

Nuclear Dawn is an intense first-person shooter/real-time strategy hybrid that has a lot to offer when it comes to teamwork.

Phenom has also added a two-on-two mode and a free-roaming story mode to its repertoire, but underneath those additions is a game design that hasn't changed much and a graphics engine that is beginning to show its age.

The old-timers out there may find that though the transition to 3D is novel, it doesn't really have much impact on the overall experience.

With its cheerful style and accessible gameplay, MySims Kingdom steps out of The Sims' shadow to stand on its own as a fun adventure.

Beer and blood spray punctuate the fun punk rock brawler Charlie Murder.

With numerous traps, weapons, and an endless supply of one-liners, Orcs Must Die! dispenses death with satisfying variety.

Mario's soccer sequel is a markedly more enjoyable game than its predecessor, especially for those who prefer the multiplayer arena.

New features aren't much more than reverb on this familiar riff, but Guitar Hero still rocks.

Serious Sam returns with another great HD remake of a gonzo shooter classic, this time on XBLA.

The DK Bongos are nice and responsive, the action can be genuinely fun, and though some of the music choices are extremely weird, there is, in fact, a little something here for everyone.

Small problems hold Infamous 2 back from greatness, but there's still a lot of electrifying fun to be had in Cole's latest adventure.

This mild-mannered adventure neatly captures the whimsical charm of Wallace & Gromit.

A respectable platformer that is held back somewhat by some annoying technical issues.

It doesn't give a good first impression, but Harmony of Despair delivers new and exciting gameplay opportunities for an old series.

You won't find much trailblazing action here, and the challenge is a light one for most of the way until you unlock the tougher game mode by completing the story. Still, there's enough charm on tap to satisfy diehard Kirby fans and younger players.

A realistic war-zone atmosphere and rewarding stealth action make this an intense look at World War II, despite some problems.

This intriguing real-time strategy game overcomes its feeble campaign by encouraging a different approach to battlefield tactics.

Poor pacing almost derails this imaginative platformer, but a variety of clever puzzles in the second half of the game make it worth sticking with to the end.

A good hack-and-slash RPG that will keep you occupied for hours just building up a character that's useful in all three of the game's separate play modes.

Vibrant visuals and agile action help Shattered Dimensions capture the excitement and appeal of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

This intriguing real-time strategy game overcomes its feeble campaign by encouraging a different approach to battlefield tactics.

A bit short on content, but Forge is nevertheless a frenetic rush of competitive multiplayer action.

It's short on scares, but satisfying shooting and exciting cooperative play make F.E.A.R. 3 a thoroughly enjoyable shooter.

Creepy masks and intense bank-robbing action make Payday: The Heist a thoroughly entertaining shooter.

By splitting the difference between action and puzzle with its unconventional gameplay, Jungle Climber makes for a compelling experience.

Big strikeouts and even bigger homers make The BIGS a very good arcade baseball game.

Ty's difficulty is tuned for younger or casual gamers, but it also attempts to appeal to older players, who should still be able to appreciate the quality of the game even if it's a little on the easy side.

Intuitive and fun motion controls make Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip a healthy alternative to the real sport.

This shallow but rambunctious arcade racer may have only one trick up its sleeve, but it's a really good trick.

As a single-player shooter with a traditional progressive mission structure set in realistic and memorable environments, Project IGI is a fun, if flawed, action game.

When taking it out of its native arcade environment and bringing it to a home console, SNK has made some specific choices that make this already challenging game difficult to a fault.

What Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 3 lacks in variety, it makes up for in hilarity.

At its core, EndWar is a bit too simple, but it does offer a unique voice command system and terrific production values.

A flashy presentation and satisfying chaining mechanics make Fractal an addictive puzzler.

The title sums up Shoot Many Robots, a kill-crazed co-op shooting spree that offers a lot of action for just $10.

Almost as much an RPG as it is a racer, Midnight Club: LA Remix would be a great addition to any patient car nut's portable library.

The PSP version of FIFA 08 is packed with features and game modes, although the football itself could use a bit more work.

It's not without its problems, but Soul Sacrifice's strong identity and rewarding commitment to the decision-making process are reason enough to try your hand at ridding the land of foul archfiends.

A very good rendition of two-on-two basketball.

This is instantly one of the better party games on the system and, because there are so many questions, it's likely that you'll be coming back again and again.

The Legend of Kage 2 is a good sequel with great boss battles and plenty of action.

The game's puzzles provide plenty of challenge for amateur coaster designers, and the rating system gives you an incentive to continue working on tracks even after the basic requirements have been satisfied.

This arcade racer doesn't do anything new, but its tried-and-tested formula continues to defy its age.

Thanks to some key improvements, Alone in the Dark: Inferno is a more playable, more satisfying version of this unique adventure.

Blacklight: Tango Down is a good, cheap multiplayer shooter for the budget-minded gamer looking for a change of pace.

User-created routines and plenty of new activities make Wii Fit Plus a vast improvement on the original, although some important omissions stop it from being a standout.

The game's unspectacular presentation and its dated design do interfere with its success, though.

Fresh puzzle platforming mechanics and great visuals make Mighty Switch Force a fun, though short, crime-fighting adventure.

It's a little pricey for what you get, but this is still one of the craziest, most entertaining side-scrolling shooters you'll play.

While the core content itself is still plenty good, this port of an Xbox 360 game is weighed down by stability and performance issues.

This game has a short offline fuse, but is a blast to play online or with friends.

Apache: Air Assault faithfully captures all the nuance of piloting an attack helicopter while including plenty of extras to keep fanatics coming back for more.

Buckets of whimsy and oodles of puzzles make this a satisfying adventure, despite the sometimes steep difficulty.

If you're a baseball fan and the only game console you own is Nintendo's GameCube, then by all means, go out and grab Major League Baseball 2K6. Its portrayal of the sport may not be exciting, but the underlying gameplay is deep and satisfying.

A number of features make Madden NFL 10 a more realistic and enjoyable portrayal of football, but a few problems--both old and new--continue to trouble the series.

With the addition of four-player multiplayer, "Army Men: Air Combat" is the best game to bear the "Army Men" name - granted, that isn't exactly a tough feat.

Wonderful renditions of "It's a Small World"; "Yo Ho, a Pirate's Life for Me"; and "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" await those who play the game.

An entertaining story and a strong sense of visual style help make this brawling adventure worthwhile.

Thanks to a friendlier interface and tutorials, Victoria II is a lot more playable and enjoyable than its predecessor.

The prince's high-flying adventure is marred by camera issues and weak combat, but the excellent platforming is still loads of fun.

Echoes of Faydwer is EverQuest II's most appealing expansion yet, thanks to a new continent, a new race, and a wealth of new content to round them out.

Although Buzz on the PS3 is more of the same, the addition of user-generated questions, downloadable question packs, and new wireless buzzers makes it a worthwhile upgrade for fans.

Madden NFL 13 trots out the same basic experience one more time, creating an enjoyable game without any major improvements.

The PC version of Viva Piñata is every bit as enjoyable as the Xbox 360 original, assuming your system is one that it chooses to run on.

In the transition to consoles, sharper controls empower you in ways that the stodgy keyboard wasn't able to, removing the slight frustrations entirely. Furthermore, there's downloadable content for those who don't want this journey to end.

Fist Puncher is a welcome and extended return to the heyday of brawlers.

With a little effort, SingStar Queen's riotous rock will make you feel like a star.

Despite a few small issues, Madden NFL 13 is the best version of the same basic game that has existed for years. Nominal improvements in most aspects create a more believable experience, both on the field and off, and the expanded career mode lets you decide how much control you want in creating your team. But these changes never go beyond what you'd expect for a yearly sequel.

Penny Arcade Episode 2 has the same humor and frantic combat of the previous game, but its devotion to the absurd will alienate some people.

This tactical military shooter delivers tense and engaging action, competently completing its objective in the face of AI blunders and occasional bugs.

Zax is simple and repetitive in the same way that simple and repetitive arcade games of the past offered action-packed, addictive entertainment.

Touchmaster is packed with a wide variety of good, casual games.

FIFA returns to the PSP for World Cup 2010, capturing the carnival atmosphere of the tournament but offering few improvements over its predecessor.

Poker Smash is an exciting and fast-paced puzzle game that puts an interesting twist on a fairly standard gameplay formula.

With its longer-than-normal game list and attention to detail, this is one of the better versions of Namco Museum to be released.

Apache: Air Assault faithfully captures all the nuance of piloting an attack helicopter while including plenty of extras to keep fanatics coming back for more.

Despite its short length and easy puzzles, this episodic adventure still captivates with strong storytelling and compelling characters.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary's success is twofold: It does well by the memory of the original and makes a dynamic action adventure game that's fun to play in 2007.

Though it still exhibits many of the camera and control issues that vexed Sonic's previous forays into 3D, it's truer to its 2D roots than any other 3D Sonic game before it.

This unusual music game is as satisfying as it is strange, but the high difficulty limits its appeal.

Not every mission is a success, but charismatic characters and a great final stretch elevate this enjoyable add-on.

This demanding World War II real-time strategy game delivers an epic campaign and a new take on tactical combat.

The excitement of arcade-style supermoves, combined with the deep mechanics of the real sport, makes The Bigs 2 a thrilling baseball game.

Dragon Ball fans should definitely pick this game up, and non-fans should at least consider doing so. Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure is a fun, diverse action game that does the license proud.

The game could've benefited from a greater number of arenas, a more diverse variety of scoobees, and more gameplay modes.

Scene It?'s brand of movie trivia is one that will be enjoyed by both casual and hardcore movie fans.

This GT5 appetizer is a very good driving game in its own right, especially if you have friends to enjoy it with.

Exciting multiplayer battles make Mount & Blade: Warband a strong addition to the open-world role-playing game.

It may be old-school, but Fantasy Wars isn't behind the times when it comes to providing satisfying, albeit spectacularly tough, turn-based strategy gameplay.

Despite some drawbacks, this satisfying adventure is just what you'd want from a Ghostbusters game: it's funny and it's fun.

Since there's no skirmish option available for playing the core strategic game against the computer, the game's appeal is a lot more limited than it might have been.

Apart from actually putting together a completely decent gameplay engine, Shaolin Monks is so ridiculously chock-full of hidden goodies and subtle wink-and-nod-style in-jokes that anybody who professes to have a degree in MK will be hard-pressed not to come away entertained.

This gorgeous world is brimming with humor and personality, but a bevy of technical problems and overly simplified gameplay distract from the fun.

It comes with a few annoyances, but Gods Eater Burst's monster hunting is enjoyable enough to differentiate itself from the crowd.

What it lacks in originality, Pokemon Black more than makes up for with a vast world to explore and an absorbing battle system that's heaps of fun.

What it lacks in originality, Pokemon Black more than makes up for with a vast world to explore and an absorbing battle system that's heaps of fun.

The hard-core Metal Gear Solid fan should get a kick out for the VR missions and other extras, so Substance wouldn't make a bad rental if you went into it knowing what to expect.