RF Online has a compelling player-versus-player component, but the rest of the game is tedious and uninspired.

Short and relatively uninspired.

It offers a couple of neat mechanics to spice things up and should be enjoyable to the hardcore stealth fan, but others will probably find that they've seen most of this stuff before.

As the spiritual successor to "Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge," Zapper delivers more challenging action puzzle gameplay in a colorful, upbeat setting.

May have the flashy action and storytelling that you'd expect from a martial arts flick, but unfortunately, the gameplay doesn't hold up its end of the bargain.

Rumble Roses XX introduces a few positives into the original game's formula, but too much of the content feels recycled, and the game's sense of sexuality is still rather unseemly.

The easy puzzles and outstanding graphics make Stupid Invaders seem more like a lengthy exercise in computer animation than a fully realized adventure game.

An almost total lack of innovation makes the game seem pretty dated when compared with other games on the market.

In the end, Rise & Fall attempts a few innovative things with the real-time strategy genre, though it's hurt by the fact that it wants to be both a hardcore real-time strategy game and a fast-paced action game. Unfortunately, it's hard to have it both ways in this genre, as the action mode is bound to frustrate and disappoint strategy fans.

A rental is definitely advised for those who are not already familiar with the series.

The GBA version of Curious George's latest adventure is a more challenging affair than its console counterparts--unfortunately, it isn't a longer one.

Unfortunately, humor is the only thing Whiplash seems to really nail, and chuckles alone aren't enough to carry an entire game.

Artificially lengthening games by making you do the same thing over and over again is my vote for the worst trend in gaming … even though this is a much better game than Kart 64 ever was.

An easy game to pick up and play, but unless you're a big fan of the license there isn't much to keep you playing.

It feels like one of those uninspired also-rans cribbed from "The Fast and the Furious" in the first place. It's not an entirely bad street racer, but it does nothing new, and it makes pretty lousy use of the license.

Has the same great gameplay of the previous two Cossacks games, but is it really enough to justify another expansion?

Despite the license and some interesting gameplay modes, Ford Racing 3 comes off feeling generic and far less distinct than the real-life vehicles the game attempts to capture.

The game does have its moments, but the racing simply isn't very exciting.

A competitive puzzle-strategy game that answers the question, "What if Tetris were a battlefield?"

A less-than-stellar RPG, though it's certainly competent, so undiscriminating fans of the genre who've played most other GBA RPGs already might as well give it a go.

Mazes of Fate has a great premise and some interesting ideas, but it never leaves the trappings of the old-school dungeon crawlers it's based on.

DemiKids doesn't stack up all that well against Nintendo's "Pokémon" games in terms of variety, fun, or overall cohesiveness, but it is decent enough to provide most players with a healthy 10 to 20 hours of play time.

There's nothing especially wrong with it to make it something worth drawing ire over, but at the same time, it never finds a way to actually draw you into its experience, and it just seems to lack the intangible qualities needed to make a truly successful platformer.

Project 8 makes some odd control changes that will stick out to longtime fans of this skateboarding series, but the core game is still fairly good.

Unless you haven't come out of your basement since 1983, you've undoubtedly seen plenty of strategy games that are much more advanced.

Players already familiar with arcade-style tennis games like "Virtua Tennis" will probably find the gameplay in WTA Tour Tennis a bit sluggish, and the lack of variety in the modes doesn't help the game's case, either.

If you're a console pool shark, this one is worth picking up, but it doesn't do anything to distinguish itself from other recent billiards efforts.

The game needs more activities and less preaching before it's truly ready for prime time.

It's just not very distinctive.

This just isn't an especially engaging game, so it's unlikely that anyone past the youngest of audiences will get too much fun from it.

The simplistic nature of Boom Boom Rocket makes it easy to pick up and enjoy in brief chunks, but it's also roughly like playing "Dance Dance Revolution" with the controller instead of a dance mat, which, unsurprisingly, isn't too much fun.

Even though Sanity's multiplayer game is forgettable, the single-player experience is polished and contains enough unique ideas, surprises, and solid gameplay to warrant a recommendation - assuming you can stand dealing with long loading times.

It's definitely unique as far as strategy games go, but Odama's novel mechanics and oddly authentic samurai feel are kneecapped by punishing difficulty and oft frustrating controls.

Blazing Angels' very straightforward campaign and barren online play don't add up to make a particularly engaging air combat game.

Maintains the status quo and fails to deliver a fresh, compelling experience.

A solid, if somewhat simplistic, tennis game that uses a real-world license in an original and refreshing manner.

Serious Sam II has a lot of levels and a few good laughs, but its simple shooting action is less likely to get your adrenaline pumping as it is to make you go numb.

It's competent without being very imaginative or thrilling, and as such it's the type of thoroughly generic action game that's best played in small doses, if at all.

Goblet of Fire is a decent game, but exploring the large levels becomes repetitive after a while.

Having to jump around from plane to plane gives Eurofighter Typhoon a scattered feel in which you're fighting timing rather than flying missions.

Sonic Riders can occasionally be quite entertaining, but too many of those moments are overridden by bouts of frustration and weak mechanics.

Cavedog's second game suffers from a long list of problems that collectively prevent it either from exceeding its ancestor or from rejuvenating a tired genre.

Dead Man's Hand isn't a bad use of your $20, and for what it's worth, this PC version of the game is substantially better than the previously released Xbox version.

Teen Titans the game makes good use of the license to spice up what is otherwise a very average beat-'em-up.

Sure, it throws in a few new wrinkles to the combat system and adds some crazy God of War-esque contextual actions into the mix, but the core game is functionally the same as previous Spider-Man games, and the changes are a mixture of positive and problematic.

Ultimately, Psycho Circus is one game you and the boys won't be playing all night.

As is typical of movie tie-ins, it's a by-the-book side-scroller with all of the requisite combat and exploration that you'd expect from that sort of thing.

Teen Titans the game makes good use of the license to spice up what is otherwise a very average beat-'em-up.

It's fun to play and should appeal strongly to anyone who adores the Spy Kids 3-D movie, but it doesn't compare to some of the deeper, more full-featured action games that are available for the GBA.

Doesn't do anything to broaden the reach of the franchise, but it gives fans exactly what they want--and plenty of it.

This is a quality version of Defender that will definitely please fans of the original, but the game doesn't hold up especially well today.

The lack of longevity in the single-player mode and the simplistic multiplayer options make Postal a moderately fun ride, at best.

The game does have its moments, but the racing simply isn't very exciting.

It attempts to deliver some simulation-styled thrills, but the driving physics and options simply aren't up to snuff when compared to other, better games. On the other side, the addition of brake assist turns the game into an overly simplified affair that reduces the gameplay to holding down the gas pedal and steering.

There's a good game in Quake 4, but it's buried under several layers of highly disappointing graphical performance issues.

Can provide an entertaining experience, not necessarily because of its gameplay mechanics, but rather because it offers a wide variety of different modes that will keep you interested in this strategic fighter that successfully captures some of the nuances of the sport.

Makes good use of the material and provides some thrills when battles play out explosively, but as good as the game looks, some flawed mechanics and a general lack of polish keep it from being as fun as it should be.

Fans of puzzle games will find a passable but somewhat shallow game in Drill Spirits, but fans of this specific series will find that it really hasn't changed much over the years.

Blast Factor has some exciting moments and offers a unique twist on a familiar formula, but it still ends up feeling generic and forgettable.

As you may expect from this genre developed by From Software, there is a good story integrated into the game, but somehow your character, Cain, lacks personality and the ability to interact with the rest of the characters in the game.

If you've been waiting for a game that lets you race watercraft online, Carve definitely delivers. So if you can forgive the generally unremarkable production, it can be worth at least a rental for this feature alone.

A better game than a Skittles-licensed game has any business being.

Had the feel of the weapons been a little better, and had the campaign been more consistently intense, Finest Hour could have been a much better game.

Has some enjoyable moments, but the course design and weapon selection are pretty standard.

This is an accurate emulation of the arcade version of Contra. Unfortunately, you're probably not looking for the arcade version of Contra.

The single-player and multiplayer options are solid yet predictable, and the game's got all the personality of a screensaver. If 22 years of Tetris have left you tired of the formula, Tetris Evolution will do very little to reignite your passion for this classic Russian mind-bender.

Sonic Riders can occasionally be quite entertaining, but too many of those entertaining moments are overridden by bouts of frustration and weak mechanics.

Generation of Chaos is a unique and interesting strategy game that manages to be somewhat enjoyable despite its technical shortcomings and exceedingly steep learning curve.

The Hustle gets overly cute with its story mode, and the pacing is achingly slow, but the pool itself can be fairly fun.

Unlike "Missile Command," Fantavision is an out and out puzzle game that offers a less aggressive, oddly soothing game experience.

Teen Titans the game makes good use of the license to spice up what is otherwise a very average beat-'em-up.

Unfortunately the game grows stale rather quickly and is hampered by a ridiculous difficulty level and repetitive gameplay.

The controls, while initially weird, can be adjusted to, and it's one of the better-looking games on the system from a technology standpoint. The problems are within the underlying design, which simply doesn't have a lot to offer beyond a bland, unappealing corridor crawl with similarly boring multiplayer.

If you can see beyond a bevy of graphical shortcomings, WarJetz is perfect for those looking for "pick up and play" airborne combat.

In the end, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX can be fun, but the occasional problems with the graphics and collision detection can quickly become a source of unnecessary frustration.

This game is surprisingly enjoyable for a few hours, but after that it goes from good, mindless fun to mind-numbingly repetitive.

EVE offers little in the way of instant gratification, and progress in the game is slow and often unnoticeable.

The game's methodical pacing and occasional assumption that you already know everything about fishing can make it rather inaccessible to the common player.

Despite the game's derivative nature, lack of multiplayer, and slightly dated technology, there's a fairly entertaining experience to be had here.

Sure, it throws in a few new wrinkles to the combat system and adds some crazy God of War-esque contextual actions into the mix, but the core game is functionally the same as previous Spider-Man games, and the changes are a mixture of positive and problematic.

A competent package, but due to the pervasive nature of Sudoku these days, you probably don't need to spend any money to get puzzles like this.

This sequel actually lacks features found in the Xtreme Legends and Empires versions of Dynasty Warriors 4, which ultimately leaves it feeling a bit lackluster overall.

It attempts to deliver some simulation-styled thrills, but the driving physics and options simply aren't up to snuff when compared to other, better games. On the other side, the addition of brake assist turns the game into an overly simplified affair that reduces the gameplay to holding down the gas pedal and steering.

It's unfortunate that "Soulbringer"'s lackluster graphics and poor interface compromise what's otherwise a fairly standard action/role-playing game with an interesting combat system.

Once you get over the whole rewriting-the-end-of-the-movie thing, Scarface: The World Is Yours is a competent but usually uninteresting action game.

Sonic Riders can occasionally be quite entertaining, but too many of those entertaining moments are overridden by bouts of frustration and weak mechanics.

Unfortunately, KoF Evolution is a flawless port of an inherently disappointing game, which is why, through no fault of its own, it's otherwise difficult to recommend it over the previous game in the series.

Players already familiar with arcade-style tennis games like "Virtua Tennis" will probably find the gameplay in WTA Tour Tennis a bit sluggish, and the lack of variety in the modes doesn't help the game's case, either.

Project 8 makes some odd control changes that will stick out to longtime fans of this skateboarding series, but the core game is still fairly good.

American Wasteland on the 360 runs in a high-enough resolution to show off every single ugly little flaw that isn't as apparent in other versions of this otherwise-decent skateboarding game.

This game is surprisingly enjoyable for a few hours, but after that it goes from good, mindless fun to mind-numbingly repetitive.

This game is surprisingly enjoyable for a few hours, but after that it goes from good, mindless fun to mind-numbingly repetitive.

A great way to relive some of the high points of classic gaming. However, poorly implemented customization options and sometimes less-than-perfect emulation tarnish what would otherwise be an incredible trip down memory lane.

CivCity: Rome could have been a classic, but it wound up just another city builder.

Seasoned fans of the freestyle sports genre will whip through Razor Freestyle Scooter in an afternoon, no questions asked. It doesn't offer up any real variety in its challenges.

The spirit of the source material is there in the presentation, and the multiplayer is a pleasant surprise, but the single-player experience is too stiflingly repetitive to ignore.

Many players will quickly fall in love with the line-drawn artwork that's used in the menus and backgrounds, as well as the barnyard sound clips that are the game's sound effects, but, beyond those aspects, It's Mr. Pants is merely an average puzzler with a limited array of features.

While the promise of political intrigue among colorful factions in a futuristic setting will draw you into the game, Neocron's inability to make a significant impact with any of these things will push you away.