By coupling one of the memorable SNES games ever released with an incredibly novel and addictive multiplayer mode, this version of A Link to the Past is an extraordinary game with awesome replay value.

The gameplay, graphics, sound, and replayability combine to offer an exquisite mélange that fans of strategy and role-playing games must experience.

A fantastically designed and fun game that’s one of the most absorbing, entertaining titles released in a while. It gets better and better with every single day, as you continue discovering new little features here and there.

A little rushed at the end, with too few worlds to explore. Other than that, SMS is an absolute classic...This is pure, "Video Game Crack."

The brilliance of NBA Street Vol. 2... is that it retains the elements of the sport that translate well into the video game world, ditches the ones that don't, and makes the entire experience into a great game instead of a mere simulation.

The best platformer currently available for the GBA; Ubisoft beat Mario at his own game... for now.

A nearly flawless conversion that adds more than it takes away... The transposition to Nintendo's controller is welcome, because the game now feels much more fluid and responsive.

A truly groundbreaking RTS with no major flaws. The visuals and music are top-notch and the gameplay is on a grand scale. This is the first game I have played where I was truly inspired by the vastness of space.

Its depth and addictiveness is second to none. If the GameCube is your only console, then I wholeheartedly recommend this game.

If "Gran Turismo 3" is Dom Perignon, Burnout 2 is Jack Daniels. While Dom may be a great guy, personally I'd rather hang out with Jack.

Many of today's action games compel gamers to race through them as quickly as possible, rarely stopping to enjoy the scenery, but Vice City is the total opposite. It's a game you want to soak in; a game you want to take in slowly and enjoy every moment.

Shines as one of the most addictive and compelling strategy titles of 2001.

But the manner in which all the little pieces were brought together to create a whole that is truly greater than its parts is a tribute to the design skills of the team at Shiny.

The graphics on the PC version are by far the best.

Never gets complicated, it never gets boring, and it will probably remain the best sports game of the year -- especially in the eyes of those gamers not necessary obsessed with stats and realism.

The addition of weapons to the fighting game mix has put the Soul Calibur series in its own arena; the intensity of clashing blades and the strategies afforded by their behaviors makes the game feel more visceral than any of the other fighters on the market.

Visually and conceptually, Alice is unparalleled among this year's games, and succeeds in eclipsing its own weaknesses with intoxicating style. A defiantly original example of game-development as a fine art.

Smuggler's Run 2 makes Smuggler's Run look like a tech demo. It's Angel Studios' best game so far.

The graphics are so beautiful that some scenes are sure to make you weep; the gameplay is intricate and well explained; the story is simple, yet powerful; and the characters are memorable and endearing.

Groundbreaking and triumphant. Lesser words just don't do justice to the superior graphics and general aesthetics of Guilty Gear X2.

Subtle and clever...The game, like its predecessors, is about addiction. Unfortunately, it does a great job of it.

The best portable Castlevania game yet created.

A battery save would have been the icing on this otherwise delicious six-layer cake. However, even without it, Arcade Advanced is an excellent example of how a retro compilation should be done.

A picture perfect port of what should be the most tired game in the business, somehow having it portable again, especially this well done, is a joy to fans everywhere.

The best snowboarding game on the market.

It's as fun and exhilarating as a classic three-chord punk tune at a folk rock festival.

The fastest, sexiest, loudest, and, like all things spawned from the bowels of hell, intensely addictive assault on your senses to hit the PS2 thus far.

I've been sucked in by the splendor that is Dark Age Of Camelot. I've had nothing but good times since I started playing. Servers have been stable and the NetImmerse engine has withstood the steadily increasing flow of new players without a hitch.

Epic in scope and delivery and should not be avoided by anyone, novice or veteran. This is most certainly my pick for RPG game of the year.

The best home version of DDR ever made.

What's most important, though, is that the classic, exciting Tony Hawk gameplay is still very much in evidence. Taken in its own right as a GBA game, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 soars high.

With three diverse factions, an immersive 3D battlefield and nearly unlimited replay value, The Moon Project is leading the way for the next generation of real-time strategy games. An early candidate for the best RTS of 2001.

From beginning to end, the involving storyline and varying mission types will keep you wanting more, which is provided by the sufficient multiplayer capabilities, and the interesting SquadWar ladder system.

Where the PS2 version really shines is in the control department. The controls become almost second nature after only a few minutes of running around.

Arguably the best golf simulation on the market.

With its incredible graphics, breathtaking action and painstaking authenticity, Frontline is the best WWII console game ever released.

The powerful story affects you as it unfolds and by the end you will be drained--your life will never be the same again. This game could do to adventure games, what Doom did for the FPS. A must buy for anyone and everyone.

The biggest difference between 2K3 and its competition, though, is the game's physics. Players move like they're actually on ice.

What's great about this level of detailed realism is that it usually doesn't make the game overwhelming, but rather makes it thrilling.

It takes everything that is good about the Tony Hawk games and expands on it rather significantly.

The attention to detail is unmatched.

What makes a good sim? Three words--Suspension of Disbelief. The same words of advice you'll hear in an entry-level writing course. Make the participant in your dream believe in your vision more than reality itself. Enemy Engaged achieves that lofty goal in so many ways and so much more powerfully than any other simulator I have every played.

With a strong storyline, fantastic graphics, interesting presentation, wonderful voice acting, and engrossing gameplay, Blair Witch is another in a long line of excellent TRI releases.

This is what your hands should be doing in their spare time.

The real coup for diehard Warcraft players is a true map and mission editor that can be used to create scripted maps, custom heroes, voice and sound files, unit variations, as well as a completely new story.

While obviously inspired by other games, Warrior Kings is an amazing experience all its own.

The presentation of WE6 rivals any sports title out there. The graphics and sound mesh to deliver an ultra-realistic gaming experience.

It's hard to remember many games as cinematic and immersive as MoH: Allied Assault. Simply put, it's the best first-person shooter we've played in years.

Though the Pikmin really don't have the individuality that Pokemon developed, you really do start to care for your little guys as the game progresses.

The graphics are jaw dropping and simply the best ever in a golf simulation.

Upgraded visuals, spot-on handling, and Xbox Live support make MotoGP 2 a must have racer.

A prettier, tighter game on Xbox, making it the number one racer on the system -- at least in my eyes.

Nintendo's most original game in years, WarioWare is a weird, fun little masterpiece.

The deepest pro football game available this season, rivaled only in replay value by it’s younger brother, "NCAA 2003."...The only thing we could hope for is online play, exclusive to the PS2 version this season.

Where MechWarrior 4 really shines is in combat. The fluid movements and the greater detail in the battles are almost as much fun to watch as they are to engage in.

Great graphics that remain true to the series' roots, wonderful animation, the classic Monkey Island humor is present in full force.

In a league by itself.

A masterpiece of macabre mayhem, encased in a graphical shell so realistic you'll be wincing at every arterial spray and brutal decapitation.

With added depth to the on-field action and expanded management options, Madden 2004 is a game worth picking up regardless of whether you're a rookie to the series or a diehard veteran.

For the most part, the look of the game is very clean. Unlike "DOOM," which could be occasionally muddy and hard on the eyeballs, the levels in Advance tend to be bright and easy to maneuver.

The game draws the player into a highly entertaining storyline with fun characters, beautiful graphics, and an addictive interactive experience.

Not only is RalliSport Challenge one of the best rally racing games ever, it may be the most fun ever to rumble on a console.

Time and time again when the AI is down late in the game and needs a touchdown to win or tie, it refuses to call for a deep pass play...Complaints aside, Madden 2002 delivers the best arcade football experience to date.

One of the best single-player campaigns ever makes this a great expansion to the Homeworld series. A "must-buy" game.

Platforming at its best.

The best arcade-style action / party game to come around in ages.

One of the most unique -- and enjoyable -- strategy games we've seen this year.

The second best fighting game ever made, losing only to Namco's own "Soul Calibur," but still should be bought.

As polished a platformer as you'll find this year...Its sterling production values accentuate its smooth, sublime gameplay. Heck, even the mini-games are polished.

The overall depth and lasting appeal to be had in NCAA Football 2003 is unmatched by any game, on any platform, including its big NFL brother.

Its single-player game will rank among the best PC RPGs of all time and is sure to earn it fame. Power, however, is something it gives, rather than gets. More than any other game, Neverwinter Nights truly gives players power.

Definitely one of the best FPS to come out this year, and certainly is one of the best Star Trek games ever.

NFL 2K3 has not only narrowed the gap between it and Madden -- it might have surpassed it.

One of the most tension-packed, visually stunning games you're likely to play this year.

Shrinks the field, boosts the action and scoring, and its multiplay makes for a party that's even more fun than passing around pitchers in a sports bar at seven in the morning.

A game hasn't oozed this much style since the release of "Max Payne." The gameplay, the story, the graphics -- the entire presentation is topnotch.

While FIFA 2001 is hardly perfect, its still the best soccer (excuse me: football) game to date for any of the "next generation" systems.

The best RPG on the market. Its exceptional graphics and gameplay will keep you coming back.

This game is a riot, start to finish, and multiplayer is especially entertaining. The game's few flaws can ideally be corrected with the aforementioned patch.

As good as a platformer as we'll ever see. However, it's time that the Nintendo brain trust hits us with something new with the same level of quality.

With Guitar Hero 5 Neversoft has finally found its "confidence." An assured nature to the game's new visual direction contrasts with the see-what-sticks "extreme" visual stylings of its predecessors, and with several new game modes Guitar Hero finally bests its direct competitor in ease of use and friendliness, in many respects.

Almost a full-fledged sequel in its own right. Not only do you get the full original game, but you also get a new campaign with a more than respectable amount of game time, new spells, treasures, monsters, and improved interface options.

With solid action, great graphics and lots of replay value, SoF2 is easily one of the best action games of the year.

If you've never experienced Ghost Recon before, this is a perfect place to jump into the action. Summit Strike is better than most games that are twice its price, and it should appease most gamers until "Ghost Recon 3" hits the Xbox 360 later this year.

It manages to exhaustively deliver everything that made "Burnout 3" so fantastic while adding small tweaks that make its predecessor an immediate item for trade-in at your local game store.

I had a great time with Wario Ware: Smooth Moves, and you'll get a lot of value out of the game if you're the type that hosts parties or if you have a group of friends or family already that are enjoying games like "Wii Sports" or "Rayman: Raving Rabbids" together.

Even with the flaws in Scribblenauts' controls and the level editor -- which only allows you to make levels for use on your own card, and not share them with others -- it holds a special place in my heart for being the most fun I've ever had improving my vocabulary. It is, dare I say, the best piece of edutainment since Math Blaster.

If AirMech were just a straightforward, updated clone of Herzog Zwei, I'd have been pleased. That it actually builds considerably on its template while incorporating some of the best elements of its descendants has me nothing short of ecstatic. It probably won't pull away, say, hardcore League of Legends players, but that's not really a shortcoming.

It's hardly the dramatic revamp that RE4 was for the series, but it marks the first time that co-op play has been implemented. As a result, the overhaul makes it a good single-player game, but a great multiplayer one. Thanks to its persistent approach to weapon upgrades, it's well-suited to replay. It's a visually splendid game with gorgeous cinematics that evoke the same awe as previous games did in their time.

One of Bully's most incredible achievements is in the realm of sound.

If you love, like, or are even lukewarm on the band, grab it. Playing through the songs you've likely heard for your entire life gives you a new appreciation for the level of musicianship and songwriting on display. Somehow, Harmonix found a way to make the greatest band of all time even better.

As a real-time strategy game, EndWar is an intimate and deeply nuanced experience.

While the EA game is solid, it just doesn't stack up with 2K6.

Another fantastic LEGO game. LEGO Batman is simple enough for kids to mash their way through, but addicting and deep enough to hold the interest of their parents, and the rare game perfect for them to play together.

Issues with spaceships aside, this is a terrific title. If you loved the Boktai games this is the best you're going to get for a sequel.

Since just about every trail is unlocked from the beginning, you won't get to feel the satisfaction of making your way to a new mountain (one of the best parts of "SSX 3") and exploring it for the first time. Still, there's no denying that this is yet another stellar entry one of the most consistently excellent series around today.

Chains of Olympus is more than another console game grafted to PSP; it's a pint-sized triumph for the platform.

The intense gameplay makes it one of the best strategy games we've played this year.