Kirby's newest and likely final DS outing is one of his best in years. It might not reach the heights of adorability that Epic Yarn did, but it's definitely a stronger game when it comes to gameplay and longevity. There's a ton of replayability, numerous unlockables, and more than enough content to justify a purchase.

By going real with the songs, next-gen with the graphics and online with the gameplay, it leaves the wishlist relatively barren. At the same time, it's not delivering us much new on the gameplay front, and in fact lags a bit in terms of smart strumming mechanics.

Like slipping in and out of a nightmare, Alan Wake is a mixed experience. You'll adore the game's well-written characters and grow obsessed with the deeply intellectual story, but thanks to repetitive action and uninspired levels, reaching the end and solving the mystery can sometimes prove a bit tedious.

Helldivers 2 is a fiercely challenging and visually breathtaking cooperative shooter where failure is funny and success feels magnificent. However, bugs and server issues hindered the initial experience, while there's a sense the game's full potential is yet to be realized.

Brutal Legend won us over with its complete package: the aspects that are decidedly outside “gaminess” are its strongest and most lovable. The dialogue made us laugh, and not just a little. We cared about the characters enough to feel sad to say goodbye to them. We never got bored of exploring its world and continued to do so after completing the main story.

Mortal Kombat 1 is a superbly presented fighting game with something to offer players of all experience and familiarity with NetherRealm's sprawling MK universe. The Kameo fighter system injects new strategic depth into combat, the rebooted timeline feeds a ridiculous story, and the suite of game modes are both varied and well made.

Bully's still a captivating, cartoonish adventure that packs a ton of activity into its deceptively small world, and it's still a lot of fun to run around dodging prefects and thwacking preppies with a slingshot.

It's the perfect game for Gen X parents (any parents, really) looking to introduce their younger kids to gaming, with heaps of '80s music and movie references to keep them amused while watching their kids play before they're inevitably called upon to tackle a puzzle or two when Minibeard's on break. Of course, it's also great for big kids who just want to bliss out for a while on some creatively validating childhood nostalgia, complete with glow sticks and an epic trance DJ wizard.

Even fans who’ve already played through the original version should consider this re-release, since long marathons and quick bursts of gaming suit Dark Hero Days’ gameplay so much better than on a console.

Inventive, challenging, and deliciously dark, Lies of P retains the core structures of similar action RPGs while adding new surprises to the mix. The potential for richer character builds and depth of choice for the player is bolstered by a haunting narrative that, despite the clunk of certain new mechanics, cements the experience as a powerful contender on the Soulslike scene.

With its supremely satisfying swordplay, enthralling exploration, and a story you'll want to see through to the end, Dust feels like the Xbox homage to Vanillaware's cult classics Odin Sphere and Muramasa. Though its aesthetic may turn some biased gamers away, they'll be missing out on some of the best single-player action that $15 can buy.

Even if NCAA Football 09 doesn’t exactly reinvent college football video games as we know them, it’s the best version yet to grace us this generation.

Marvel's Midnight Suns works wonders to freshen up familiar Marvel characters, producing lively battles from focused turn-based systems, then diving into their personalities and histories to reveal their intimate concerns. The combat missions can feel a little side-lined by the sheer wealth of resource management tasks and relationship building, but all the pieces serve a purpose within the richly detailed whole. Marvellous? Pretty much.

Grounded has always been a solid idea on paper, but Obsidian brings that potential to full fruition for launch, delivering on the thrills and fun of its brilliantly Spielbergian conceit.

If you don't have the nurturing gene or the attention span to keep a virtual animal alive, steer clear - but if you're looking for something that's totally nonviolent and uses all your DS's whistles and bells, Nintendogs is it.

Swap Force's simplistic but addictive gameplay is enjoyable for gamers of any skill level.

Even if it can intermittently be too clever for its own good, it's still a great throwback to the old-school platforming, and expertly builds on the original.

Global Offensive takes no chances and it's hard to tell who it was made for. Source and 1.6 players will feel at home with the tried and true CS mechanics and traditional game modes, but GO gives them few reasons to migrate, other than flashy graphics on a few of the old maps. Conversely, newcomers to the series will find Counter-Strike's steep learning curve rather discouraging.

It’s not quite baseball perfection - why the fielding buttons are different in the Career mode versus every other one is beyond us - yet The Show is a rollicking good time.

While Theatrhythm Final Fantasy was a great tribute to the franchise's music, Curtain Call goes the extra mile with tons of additional content to become the definitive game in the series.

In a vacuum void of Pokemon franchise history, Pokemon Platinum would easily score a 10 – its depth and replayability are completely unrivaled among any other game series. However, after more than 10 years, we really expect more from the series at this point.

Perfects everything Origins did and enhances them in ways you never thought an Assassin's Creed game could. Odyssey has it all.

If you crave a challenge, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will bring out the best of your platforming abilities. Those expecting a cakewalk will feel like they slammed headfirst into a brick wall of difficulty.

The biggest downside to Valkyria Chronicles II is that it doesn't quite have the same charm as the original when it comes to the story and characters.

Beyond its quality, its unexpectedness is what makes Odin Sphere doubly special. It came from absolutely nowhere and reminds us that people are still struggling to make the games of their dreams.

OFF is a cult classic RPG thanks to its surreal world, strange cast of characters, and bizarre enemies. Inspiring Undertale and many other indie genre icons, OFF manages to still feel like a titan, and incredibly digestible thanks to its tight design and bite-size zones. Revised combat is a huge plus, making every scrap pack plenty of impact in this definitive release.

Evolving arcadey mechanics that have already been perfected is a tough challenge that Once Upon a Katamari rises to meet. Time travel and set pieces across Edo Japan, cowboy escapades, and more make this the most inventive evolution of the series yet. Katamari is on a roll.

Despite the lack of polish in the outer shell, the meat of the Sega Genesis Collection is mighty tasty and in the end that's all that matters. The price isn't half bad either.