Curious George may be squarely aimed at a younger audience, but even they will likely tire of its overly repetitive minigames and extremely simplistic platforming.

Visually, however, this is completely new, with crisp 3D graphics to modernize the experience and some new anime vignettes to help tell the story. Toss in some cool bonus content and the same great gameplay as the original, and you've got a remake well worth playing.

Max'd gets the basic mechanics right, but it's marred by game-stopping bugs and a generally sloppy execution.

Corner Shop is silly and fun in the beginning, but the gameplay quickly wears thin.

Terrible controls and paper-thin gameplay make Greg Hastings' Tournament Paintball Max'd a bad deal, even for a budget game.

It's not as if the Olympics, be it summer or winter, has had anything special to call its own when it comes to video game adaptations over the years, but Torino 2006 is especially egregious in that it pares down the number of included events to a fairly measly number, manages to make every single one of them completely uninteresting, and skimps entirely on the presentation.

It's not as if the Olympics, be it summer or winter, has had anything special to call its own when it comes to video game adaptations over the years, but Torino 2006 is especially egregious in that it pares down the number of included events to a fairly measly number, manages to make every single one of them completely uninteresting, and skimps entirely on the presentation.

Though seemingly identical to 2005's frenetic heavy metal action adventure, this budget-priced Special Edition adds some notable new features, and for better or worse, it defangs the original's notorious difficulty.

If America's participation in World War II was as frustratingly terrible as this game, all of Europe would be speaking German today.

It's not as if the Olympics, be it summer or winter, has had anything special to call its own when it comes to video game adaptations over the years, but Torino 2006 is especially egregious in that it pares down the number of included events to a fairly measly number, manages to make every single one of them completely uninteresting, and skimps entirely on the presentation.

A joy to play and a real showpiece for the vintage cars it replicates, GT Legends is a great achievement and a must-have for simulation addicts.

Even if the touch-screen controls hadn't stripped away much of the subtlety of the sport, True Swing Golf would still be a lean and flavorless game of golf.

Offers a decent challenge, but boring multiplayer a lack of variety drag it down a bit.

Its overly plain presentation will probably turn off the casual set, but MVP 06 NCAA Baseball's top-notch gameplay is exactly what baseball purists are looking for.

This 2D fighting game is a real blast from the past, but its big cast of fairly interesting characters and its online play can make it worthwhile for NeoGeo fans.

Its overly plain presentation will probably turn off the casual set, but MVP 06 NCAA Baseball's top-notch gameplay is exactly what baseball purists are looking for.

A lifelessly generic shooter that, at times, feels like "Max Payne" without the fun.

25 to Life is a lifelessly generic shooter that, at times, feels like "Max Payne" without the fun.

Slapping some of the dizzy Ape Escape energy over an easily anticipated collection of minigames makes for a mildly entertaining experience, but not a very long one.

It simply tightens up the whole package, adding a boon of new content, new abilities, new minigames, and lots and lots of those loveable monkeys. It's no giant step forward for monkeykind, but it's pretty much exactly what you would want from an Ape Escape game.

25 to Life is a lifelessly generic shooter that, at times, feels like "Max Payne" without the fun.

MX vs. ATV Unleashed is a fast-paced and fun-filled arcade racing game, loaded with enough variety of modes and unlockable content to keep you engaged for quite a while.

Mega Man X Collection follows the same basic formula as Capcom's excellent first Mega Man compilation, but it just doesn't have quite as much to offer.

It's highly dubious as a measurable test of your logical mind, but PQ can still be a fun, challenging puzzle game.

Combining Nickelodeon's most popular characters in one game seems like a great idea, but Nicktoons Unite! is too content to be another generic platformer that leans exclusively on its license.

Mega Man X Collection follows the same basic formula as Capcom's excellent first Mega Man compilation, but it just doesn't have quite as much to offer.

Electroplankton is an interesting experiment in both music and game design, but its reliance on the novelty of something different limits its lasting value.

An impressive feat of a fighting game that boasts some excellent, fast-paced action in addition to terrific good looks. Best of all, you can play it online over Xbox Live, virtually guaranteeing you'll find tough, unpredictable competition at any hour.

Cuban Missile Crisis is a unique strategy game with a very cool premise and setting, though the combat itself can be a difficult mess.

It is most definitely King Kong in the palm of your hand, but the sacrifices and compromises made to get it there ultimately suck away much of its appeal.

This vertical-scrolling shoot-'em-up tries to follow in the footsteps of genre classics like Ikaruga and Raiden, putting its own interesting-but-flawed spin on some aspects of the you-against-the-universe formula.

Robotron is one of the games that have fared pretty well in these collections, but with the scoreboards and online competition that the Xbox 360 version of the game provides, this Xbox Live Arcade download is at least as good as the original arcade hit.

Simulation fans will enjoy Formula Front's extremely in-depth mech-customization system, but the steep learning curve and lack of any real action will probably turn off everyone else.

The strengths of Fritz 9 will likely only appeal to the most advanced chess players.

The main character of this cleverly designed game gets to swing around using his tongue and inhale grubs and other bugs, but it's a whole lot more pleasant than that.

The gameplay holds up tremendously well on the PSP platform, as does the presentation. But the lack of compelling, differing content makes it a tough sell to those who previously invested $50 in this year's game.

Ultimate Block Party is easy to pick up and play, and once you do, the quick, chaotic puzzle battles will have you hooked.

Whether you play it alone or with friends, this uninspired update to the '80s swords-and-sorcery arcade dungeon crawl misses the mark with its boring, mindless action and short, forgettable quest.

There's a lot of potential here, but many of the games have issues with their graphics, sound, or control that make the entire package a real disappointment.

It may sport a literary pedigree, but 80 Days is little more than a clunky adventure game with a bad sense of humor and lots of bugs.

Final Fantasy IV, arguably the breakthrough entry in the influential series, is a perfect fit for the Game Boy Advance and is a must-play experience for fans of role-playing games.

Whether you play it alone or with friends, this uninspired update to the '80s swords-and-sorcery arcade dungeon crawl misses the mark with its boring, mindless action and short, forgettable quest.

World Championship Poker 2's offline play is the best you'll find amid this year's competition, and the online play is still pretty engaging.

It's functional backgammon on your 360, and not much else. But if you're into the game, that's probably good enough.

Hardwood Hearts is a Hearts game for Hearts fans. If you don't already play Hearts, you aren't likely to get much out of this one.

Hardwood Spades is a Spades game for Spades fans, but even fans of the card game will probably be a little put off by the dull graphics and sound.

Dragon Booster is a halfhearted and practically unplayable racing game with no redeeming qualities.

The worst and most obvious problem with the game is the constant loading. Performing just about any action--going indoors or outdoors, playing a minigame, beginning a conversation with someone, ending a conversation with someone--causes the game to load for a good second or two.

A dull and clumsy racing game that will disappoint even the most forgiving Ford enthusiasts.

Underneath its modest looks and intimidating, complex battle system is a turn-based strategy game that is surprisingly fun and satisfying.

Sound bugs and loading times mar an otherwise great translation of Warrior Within to a portable platform.

Pinball Hall of Fame delivers some accurate re-creations of some of Gottlieb's classic pinball tables, but the graphics get a little muddy in spots.

The addition of touch screen support could have ruined Bust-A-Move DS, but its solid execution, along with a great number of puzzles and economical multiplayer support, keeps things fun.

The KGB wasn't as hard on political dissidents as Hammer & Sickle is on those who play it.

Tokobot is a charming and entertaining platformer, and its only major setback is that there isn't more of it to go around.

Wild World doesn't toy with the original Animal Crossing formula, but simply being able to take your town with you on the go makes it an easy recommendation.

A rousing tennis game for the Game Boy Advance that's thick with bells and whistles in every regard.

It's soccer starring Mario and friends, but the problem is, there just isn't enough "Mario" in Super Mario Strikers.

Crime Life is just plain awful. Do yourself a favor and stay away from it.

The Two Thrones provides a satisfying conclusion to the Sands of Time trilogy, with a lot of the same puzzle solving and gorgeous environments you remembered from the previous two games.

The Two Thrones provides a satisfying conclusion to the Sands of Time trilogy, with a lot of the same puzzle-solving and gorgeous environments you remembered from the previous two games.

Both games are completely devoid of gameplay, fun, and flair. Worse, they are available free for the PC.

The Two Thrones provides a satisfying conclusion to the Sands of Time trilogy, with a lot of the same puzzle solving and gorgeous environments you remembered from the previous two games.

The Two Thrones provides a satisfying conclusion to the Sands of Time trilogy, with a lot of the same puzzle solving and gorgeous environments you remembered from the previous two games.

Chrome SpecForce manages to avoid going terribly awry, but it also avoids any sort of fun or excitement.

It's not the prettiest looking game, but College Hoops 2K6 still delivers where it counts, as a deep and accurate simulation of NCAA basketball.

Popolocrois is a charming adventure for casual fans of role-playing games, but its simplicity negates any lasting appeal it may have had.

The racing is pathetically underwhelming, the crashes are so painfully halfhearted that they might as well not even exist, and a wide variety of graphical glitches and collision problems turn the whole thing into a serious mess.

Partners in Time might not have as strong of a script as the previous Mario & Luigi, but it's still another charming, high quality RPG worth any DS owner's while.

Despite the bare presentation, this cartridge is a must-have for fans of puzzle games.

Both games are completely devoid of gameplay, fun, and flair. Worse, they are available free for the PC.

As with the other arcade classics currently available on Xbox Live Arcade, the addition of scoreboards, achievements, and online play breathe new life into Smash TV, an already-classic game.

While UFO: Aftershock improves on its predecessor in some ways, there's just far too much wrong with this copy of the classic X-COM alien-hunting strategy series to recommend it.

This tactical combat game features battles, battles, and more battles, and it's fun, though very light on content or depth.

Offers a surprisingly good personal training program but does make hearty demands of your lighting and space requirements.

A few rough spots aside, the main problem with Atlus' snow-themed racing game is that the single-player content is exhausted so quickly.

Bankshot Billiards 2 doesn't play a great game of pool, and as the most expensive Xbox Live Arcade game available, it represents lousy value for the money.

Bejeweled 2 Deluxe brings the classic puzzle game to the Xbox 360 but doesn't make enough significant changes to make it stand out from the pack.

Four-player online support makes the Xbox Live Arcade version of this fantasy arcade classic a worthwhile, inexpensive indulgence for nostalgic fans of the good old days of gaming.

A refreshingly simple, addictive experience that combines appealing graphics and frantic gameplay.

Reminiscent of the influential puzzle gaming sensation Bejeweled, Hexic HD is a solid, attractive puzzle game that comes freely preloaded onto the Xbox 360's hard drive.

Joust is a bona fide arcade classic, and this Xbox Live Arcade edition is a fine tribute to the 1982 original.

It's not the most immediately compelling arcade-style shooter in the world, but this top-down shooter has enough additional difficulty settings to make it entertaining, especially if you're into online score tracking.

Decent 3D graphics and a breezy soundtrack accentuate the game's tone, and there are plenty of different scenarios to keep you coming back, though the underlying gameplay gets to be pretty predictable after a while.

The stages get progressively more challenging as more-complex layouts and additional ball colors are introduced, and while the underlying gameplay really doesn't change much, it's still an engaging way to pass the time.

Beneath the sharp sprite-based graphics and Manga-style cutaways, which admittedly do look very nice, this is just a poorly designed fighting game that even the show's youngest fans are likely to laugh at.

From top to bottom, there's absolutely nothing to like about Crime Life: Gang Wars. It isn't even bad in an interesting or funny way. It's just garbage.

Unfortunately, the game ends up feeling pretty shallow, with an odd control mechanism and camera angle, as well as a light RPG system that doesn't seem all that balanced.

It won't take you long to blow through King Kong, but its sometimes thrilling, often tense, and always entertaining adventure is absolutely worth checking out.

It isn't quite as impressive looking as its console counterparts, and it's a short ride, but there's still a great time to be had with King Kong on the PC.

Eating the brains of the living to form a massive army of the undead is extremely satisfying, often hilarious, and, unfortunately, almost painfully brief.

You would think that a real-time strategy game would be a great fit for the Nintendo DS, but stay away from this one, with its busted artificial intelligence and half-baked minigames.

With its focus on infantry and urban combat, Special Forces delivers more of the intense and insanely fun Battlefield 2 gameplay; at least, it does if you can get it running.

It won't take you long to blow through King Kong, but its sometimes thrilling, often tense, and always entertaining adventure is absolutely worth checking out.

This poor excuse of a first-person shooter is so bad that other developers should study it and use it as a guide for what to avoid when putting together similar games in the future.

A competent action role-playing game and a decent movie tie-in.

The game ends up feeling pretty shallow, with an odd control mechanism and camera angle, as well as a light RPG system that doesn't seem all that balanced.

It won't take you long to blow through King Kong, but its sometimes thrilling, often tense, and always entertaining adventure is absolutely worth checking out.