Despite the occasional frustration of visual pollution, all the aspects of TxK come together to make it a wonderful merger of what made an arcade classic fun and what makes modern twitch-based games enthralling.

Refined controls and additional modes of play make Pro Evo's second Wii outing an improvement over last year's debut.

The career mode, with its lengthy list of races and deep customization mode, would by itself make the game worthwhile. However, the addition of entertaining online play, arcade races, and a race editor really makes this one of the best street racers currently on the market.

High Heat 2003 may not be the best looking or sounding baseball game, but its realistic gameplay laps the competition.

There is no other contemporary jet sim as complete, polished, and faithful to its subject matter as Flanker 2.5, which is arguably the best contemporary jet sim.

The ultimate version of the classic one-on-one fighting game.

The Journey is engaging enough that it'll be interesting to see how it's developed next year, but right now, it's not the reason to buy FIFA 17. That remains a combination of still-excellent fundamental gameplay (on a par, at least, with Pro Evolution Soccer 2017's much-improved showing) and Ultimate Team, the game-above-the-game to which PES still has no serious answer. Put together with an improved Career mode and best-in-class presentation, and FIFA 17 is still out in front--even if its lead has been cut this year.

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.

There's no denying that Rakuen has some incredibly strong components. At the same time, it's hard to shake its more basic shortcomings, be it the technical limits of its engine or the plodding exploration. Its most brilliant and glowing scenes stand out and stick with you, but Rakuen remains just a dose or two short of healthy.

F1 2010 is a good first attempt at bringing the wonder of Formula One to current-generation consoles.

Players who have just jumped on the video game bandwagon with the PlayStation may become frustrated with Maximo's detail-oriented gameplay and repetitive nature.

There's a constant sense of wonder in visiting these glorious cities and meeting interesting characters, and I'm eager to jump back in and see what kind of trouble I can get Passepartout into. Phileas Fogg is just going to have to damn well like it.

Artistic pleasures combine with death-defying platforming in the excellent Sound Shapes.

Gears 5 is very much a return of those best elements of Gears of War, but with a focus on making the game feel somewhat more adaptive to your particular ways of playing. Whether you want campaign or co-op, Competitive or Quickplay, there's an option for you in Gears 5, and plenty of stuff to reward you for time spent and skill gained. Gears 5 might suffer from some of the same storytelling missteps as its predecessors, and it might not venture far out of the past, but the new ideas it brings to the series are all good reasons for fans to return.

This fast-paced boxing game improves upon its predecessor in just about every way, and adds an entertaining story mode to boot.

What the Golf was already excellent on PC and mobile, but the Switch version is the definitive one, especially if you have another player handy. It's still wildly funny, weird, and lots of fun, and if it was just the campaign again, it would still be the best version of the game thanks to the ability to switch between touch and stick controls--but the addition of Party Mode really elevates the whole package. In my original review I said, "Like all great jokes, you'll want to share it," and now that's easier than ever.

Though the slow, deliberate movement and shooting may not appeal to everyone, this new sequel’s frequent large-scale battles and co-op play still offer a fun and exciting adventure.

Salt and Sanctuary is wholly engrossing from every angle, from its happy marriage of combat and exploration to its ominously gripping art direction.

Xenogears' reliance on story, subtlety, and mood make it Square's most anime-like RPG thus far, in many ways making the game one of its best.

It has its flaws, but Space Rangers 2 remains a crazy, inspired, over-the-top, and addictive blend of gameplay.

It's a much better version of Tetris than other recent incarnations, but it's still saddled with some unfortunate compromises.

This fantastic hybrid role-playing game will pull you in with its thrilling story and keep you coming back for more.

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.

With a wealth of content to explore, tight controls, and great visuals, Top Spin 4 is a fantastic tennis simulation that caters to pros and novices alike.

As you might expect, the PC version of Battlefield 3 still boasts better visuals and larger matches than its console counterparts, but competitive multiplayer on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is incredibly addictive, immersive, and exciting.

Much like last year's game, this mixed martial arts fighter impresses inside the octagon but doesn't do nearly as well outside of it.

Exciting online play and beautiful visuals help Monster Hunter Tri finally make good on the series' enormous potential.

For the average player, this expansion has a much longer tail than previous iterations of Destiny 2. The variety and flexibility of activities established in the base game still work to make grinding a good time, and Gambit adds a consistently entertaining mode to the roster. The endgame, while difficult to reach, is also where the most satisfaction can be found.