A beautiful example of how Maxis' long-running series can renew itself and even become appealing to console owners. There's plenty to do, a lot to discover and even when everything is done players can decide to stick around the islands and keep tinkering.

Of course, the combination of sim and action game is sometimes a bit jarring, making the game seem like it doesn't really know what it wants to be. Regardless, Thrillville is a fun game, and if you're a fan of sim games on the PC, this would be a good way to introduce the genre to a child or younger sibling.

And for those of us who've had our fill of the Barneys and Elmos and other sickeningly sweet creatures forced onto children today … it's finally payback time!

There are dozens of different match types to explore, functioning online multiplayer, and many different ways to customize your experience. The downside is that if you're looking for that next great leap off the turnbuckle and into your living room, you may instead have to settle for a pretty satisfying leg drop to hold you over until next year.

European Assault represents the high point for the series in terms of graphics (not counting the PC titles, that is), as it features some nice environmental textures and impressive looking character models.

There isn't much replay value, and not much else to make F1CS2000 stand out as a racing game.

If you've enjoyed Zoo Tycoon so far, you should find plenty more to like in Marine Mania.

Outbreak would have been a much, much better game had it had online voice communication. There's simply no excuse for omitting this feature in a game hinges on being able to communicate rapidly between party members.

These games probably should have stayed buried in the time capsule from which they were pulled.

Thanks to a mission-based, narrative design, fine control, and slopes that have a darker atmosphere, Dark Summit really manages to set itself apart.

Like an interesting tech demo with a sometimes tedious and frustrating game built around it.

Offers a lot more to fans of the sport than anyone else, but the overall variety in the game still leaves something to be desired. If you're really into this kind of subject matter, add about 15 points to my score.

What it misses is the nuance, the charm and the challenge that marked both the original games and the best of the Diablo clones (such as Titan Quest). In short, Sacred 2 is a game that's easy to miss without really missing out.

A second-rate adventure title with some good puzzles tacked on to a poor story.

You're much better off getting the Xbox or PS2 version of this one. This one wasn't made for the PC originally, and it shows.

The gameplay leaves a lot to be desired. The singing engine itself is par for the course, but the motion-sensing mic as noise-maker and the implementation of Star Stream are huge annoyances that hurt the experience more than they help, especially if you're a big fan of karaoke games. Although Lips tries to transcend karaoke games by doing something different, it's ultimately hobbled by a foundation of mediocrity.

Sure, Digimon World DS isn't the most original game out there, but it's still a pretty fun title.

It's interesting that in this batch of baseball games, the owners of current-gen systems, specifically Xbox and PS2 owners, end up getting the more stable, and ultimately more enjoyable version of this game.

It's a polished, evolved, and strangely addictive game. Sure, it's looking a bit rough and never gives you the visceral thrill that charging through the battlefield in the "Dynasty Warriors" games offers. Of course, some of us have discovered the more cerebral joys of managing troops from the background.

Though it could be viewed at first glance as a warmed-over port of a middling PSP title, DJ finds new life on the Wii through its tight control scheme and clever writing

There are some minor gameplay issues, and the weak multiplay -- with no online gaming -- hurt the overall game, but the single-player story is strong.

The brevity and ease of its single-player campaign and the lack of substance in its multiplayer combine to make for a relatively unsatisfying experience.

Sure, there are a few problems, but it's worth, say, dealing with the busted camera to see which videogame the writers are going to parody next.

The initial thrill of zipping around high above Wuhu Island's tropical terrain in full 3D fades well before you exhaust the meager amount of activities woven into the two main modes. What you're left with after that point is only a couple hours of flight time to breeze through -- assuming you feel like milking every last drop of fun hidden in these limited depths.

If you like genre-benders, sure. If you like naval combat games, definitely. If you get bored easily or don't care for the setting, save your money.

If you enjoy RTS games, prepare to be stunned with an intuitive interface, rich atmosphere, and great gameplay.

Stylish and sophisticated.

About as challenging, fun, and multi-dimensional as an overhead aerial combat game can get on a handheld system.