There’s nothing particularly wrong with the Wii version, but the controls don’t make a huge difference in this year-old game, either.

If you haven't already picked up Virtua Tennis 3, Virtua Tennis 2009 is worth a look since it offers more content, including the online world tour option. For everyone else, though, it's too much of a rehash to warrant a purchase, even at its discounted 50 dollar price tag.

It's not a terrible deal at around five hours for 10 bucks, but you'll certainly come away hoping that the next New Vegas expansion tries a little harder to temper its idiosyncrasies.

Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror was a great PSP game, but the chop job done to the title on its way to the PlayStation 2 really hurts the product's overall quality.

The long and the short of it is that it feels good to be bad. The thrill of abusing and degrading these virtual people and the little twinges of guilt you might feel for enjoying it serve as a wonderful complement to the mental exercise of building a better deathtrap.

Code Name S.T.E.A.M. represents an exciting new direction for Intelligent Systems. More than once, we found ourselves intending to complete just a mission or two, and wound up playing for five or six hours straight. It may not have the long legacy of other strategy titles, but the game proves that in many ways it’s just as capable.

Batman: Arkham City Lockdown tries to capture the spirit of its triple-A counterpart, but it only succeeds on a superficial level. At six dollars, the game's short length and repetitive gameplay will be palatable only to the most obsessed members of the cape and cowl cult.

Mario Hoops’ single player mode is very fun and very short. But this setup has worked in the past because it was countered by an addicting multiplayer experience. But 3 on 3 for the DS has no online play, or decent downloadable content, which means you’ll probably be shooting solo.

This mania is manic. It’s a bipolar challenge swinging wildly towards the mundane, with only the occasional blip of opposition and aggravation that would be welcomed as liberators.

Mario Tennis Open's single player mode is fun for a few hours, but it will ultimately leave you wanting more. Thankfully, the multiplayer mode with its online functionality will keep you coming back well after you've plowed through the main course.

The game’s technical performance feels like a struggle at times on both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, and after a strong buildup that takes you through cleverly designed missions and well-considered spaces, the game departs from its strengths in an attempt to build dramatic confrontations at the end of the game. It’s not exactly a perfect run for Garrett, but players will still find many things worth taking.

Badman is one of those smaller titles that can be rewarding for dedicated players, but the ingredients for success are not so easy to divine.

Abyss Odyssey is the kind of game that initially seems fantastic, but its many issues become increasingly apparent the more time you spend with it. The thought that went into combat prevents the game from falling into mediocrity, but it also never lives up to the potential that’s so obviously there.

It's a decent time-killer, but serious shooter fans are best advised to set their sights on bigger fish down the horizon.

The colorful adventure is generic in every way except for the graphics, but it should sill be a fun experience for hardcore RPG fans. The world that you explore in real time looks as good as some cut scenes on PS2 RPG’s.

Who would’ve thought there would ever be day when a new Guitar Hero release would be met with such a tepid response? Maybe it’s the price, maybe it’s the looming threat of Rock Band, but at the end of the day, Rocks the 80’s fails to excite.

A bit similar to "Crackdown." The sum of its parts doesn’t really equal anything outstanding. In fact, it’s downright crap in some ways. But when you actually play it, you’ll find yourself coming back for more…even if you’re not totally sure why.

There’s enough new in here to warrant a look at the game even if you played the last one to death. It won’t blow your socks off, but it will any aspiring collegiate hours upon hours of enjoyment.

Wet has some good ideas, but it falls just short of being a good game. Like its aesthetic, the game feels slightly dated and rough around the edges.

The Conduit deserves credit for getting the most important stuff right. In spite of the disappointing single-player campaign, it delivers as a shooter on the strength of its multiplayer component. The Wii finally has a competitive FPS worthy of spending time with.

For a series that is long in the tooth, NHL 2K9 is a disappointment. Its presentation, play modes, and feature set lag behind the competition, making it a questionable purchase at best.

Yes, there are still some big licensing issues, and the AI still makes the same odd, boneheaded moves, but overall, NASCAR 09 is extremely playable, and should satisfy console gear heads looking to climb the ranks and make the chase.

The attempt to simplify the controls for just a few buttons has resulted in a game that’s far too easy, yet doesn’t have the moxie to hold up when it’s prodded for depth.

Despite its unique combat system and all the alternatives it provides to tired old level grind, there are just too many flaws holding Magnacarta 2 back. Unless you're fine with enduring lots of slow moments, it's hard to recommend without reservation, especially given how many great RPGs there are on the 360.

It's nice to see Nintendo take a chance on a franchise that's untested overseas, but Glory of Heracles doesn't leave a good first impression. It's simply too linear and devoid of the frills we've come to expect from an RPG. With better options on the market, simply being average doesn't come close to the Herculean effort the series needs.

Total fan service. If you fell in love with the original all those years ago and are all right with more of the same then its content makes it worth your cash. If you have no attachment to the series then proceed with caution. The Wii controls are pointless, and the levels are short, but there’s no denying that there’s familiar fun to be had while guiding Nights through the sky.

Ghost Squad is fun while it lasts, whether you’re playing by yourself or with friends. The problem is that it lasts less than an hour. If you’re the type who plays to perfection and see yourself going back again and again for unlockables, it’s worth a look.

Risen 2 has more than a few issues, but there's plenty of buried treasure waiting here for players who are willing to dig for it. Unfortunately, the excavation is demanding, and the slaphappy combat and bland quest structure might prove too overpowering for players who want to sample one of the few examples of a genuine pirate roleplaying game.

Provides a unique and satisfying experience despite its flaws.

You may not be able to argue with its price, but you'll certainly be surprised with how addictive Battlefield Heroes can be.

Frustratingly fun. By that, we mean it’s frustrating how fun the game can be, before it hits a part that’s decidedly the opposite. The sense of urgency the series is known for is definitely in-tact, and the first few runs through each level can be a blast. But you're forced to play this game with precision to move on, and the controls simply aren't there.

Aside from the focus on its namesake license, there's not much to stand out in MotoGP 09/10. It is fairly challenging, but the lack of variety and poor presentation ultimately make for a dull, monotonous experience.

The lack of anything truly innovative or unique combined with sub-par features and a less-than-stellar presentation means that the 2K franchise once again plays second fiddle to NHL 10. Unlike cover athlete Alexander Ovechkin, there's not enough character in NHL 2K10 to make it a truly memorable experience.

You have to be ready to put some effort into liking Order of War. The things you would logically try first are the worst of what it has to offer. It's not really as deep as World in Conflict or Company of Heroes, but it does simple strategy decently well, and looks good doing it.

Need for Speed Nitro's cartoony nature and zoned-off tracks take some of the edge out of street racing, but the fiery boosts and hectic police encounters make for a fast, simple arcade racer.

Despite a few different fighting styles, matches tend to play exactly the same way no matter what environment you’re in or who’s doing the fighting. It’s like an album where every song sounds the same.

Mad Max doesn’t break a new mold for open world games or feel like an epic cinematic experience, but it’s nowhere near being a cheap movie tie-in either.

It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, but working within its accepted elements it does a great job of dumping you in the jungle and making you feel like you’re fighting for your life.

Despite being somewhat derivative and rough around the edges, Conan has an enjoyable combat system and brings in enough variety to keep the action from feeling too repetitive. Players that aren’t turned off by the gore, nudity, or disregard for canon should have plenty of fun dismembering the scum of Hyboria.

Like its scant narrative backbone and starkly drawn world, I Am Alive is just evocative enough to keep you playing for the five or so hours it lasts. You'll come away with the feeling that what good ideas it has are mere specters of a more ambitious past. That said, few games are willing to go to so dark a place as Haventon.

Mario Super Sluggers is fun to pick up and play for a short session with friends, but as a game to play by yourself it's shallow. It also doesn't make much use of the system's capabilities with limited motion control and no online play.

The Wii version of Call of Duty 3 probably isn’t the best choice for die-hard shooter fans, yet it’s still a solid game. Realistically, you’re trading online multiplayer and cutting edge visuals for a fun, hands-on method of picking off enemies with the Wii controller.

It keeps you laughing with the sheer absurdity of its lead character, the not-so-subtle references, and fumbling physical comedy that's made all the more potent through your participation. Like a plate of sushi, it might seem a bit pricey for what you get, but it's worth paying a small premium for a fresh catch.

Heroes of Ruin fails to deliver a solid action-RPG experience, and earnest efforts to tailor the experience to the 3DS hardware don't excuse its shortcomings.

Touch My Katamari does little to break the mold, but with its odd humor and addictive simplicity, it's a great game to have on the go. Plus, at $30, it's one of the more reasonably-priced Vita launch games.

It’s a different take on side-scrolling gameplay, but the added depth doesn’t save it from feeling flat.

The story rarely establishes itself as anything more than big budget fan fiction.

Despite being somewhat derivative and rough around the edges, Conan has an enjoyable combat system and brings in enough variety to keep the action from feeling too repetitive. Players that aren’t turned off by the gore, nudity, or disregard for canon should have plenty of fun dismembering the scum of Hyboria.

Xenoverse is worth a recommendation for diehard Dragon Ball Z fans interested in participating in the story. Seeing your own created character interact with legendary moments from the anime is satisfying, and it’s fun to witness characters like Nappa and Goku become allies. However, the shallow and repetitive gameplay lacks the same impact, and the long grind is a heavy burden.

Last year's biggest problems--the graphics and glitches--still plague this year's installment, which is a letdown for a series that seemed to be on the cusp of becoming something more than just an alternative to MLB: The Show.

This Spider-man isn't that amazing, but he saves the day anyway. His adventure goes the distance with enough ingenuity sprinkled into the sustained action to distract more often than he disappoints. Even with the kindergarten controls, you'll want to see the story to its conclusion.

MySims lacks some polish and depth, but the sheer amount of customization will definitely busy any would-be virtual impresario looking for a town to call their own.

Shadowgate is a formidable if sometimes frustrating return to classic adventure gameplay. If you’re a fan of the original or undaunted by Shadowgate’s unforgiving depths, it’s worth grabbing a torch and venturing inside.

It's significantly more playable than previous efforts, and the developers have created a more enjoyable game as a result. It's far from perfect, however. The new play modes are nice but hardly groundbreaking, and the tempo meter doesn't make any sense.

It’s clear that some effort certainly went into this dastardly devil’s creation, but Vergil’s Downfall leaves us wanting more; the inability to play as Vergil in the main campaign, much less the recently released Bloody Palace mode, is a puzzling omission given the precedent set with Devil May Cry 3.

A step in the wrong direction for the series. Tension and atmosphere take a back seat to cheap, impotent scares and tedious combat encounters.

It's not necessarily a bad game, it's just far too difficult to enjoy.

The game offers dozens of moments that you just can't get anywhere else, and there's simply nothing like shooting a bug out of the sky with a giant laser. It's pretty great that in 2014 you can drop $40 and waste an entire weekend killing things straight out of a low-budget sci-fi movie.

Of the three games in the Overlord family, Dark Legend is something of a black sheep. It's smaller in scope and lacks some fundamental parts of the formula, but in its pursuit to be different, it's managed to one-up its cousins in certain key ways. The series' minion-control mechanics are a shoe-in on the Wii, and as an Overlord game, it succeeds at what it aims to deliver: mindless fun with irresistible charm.

If anything, Orcs and Elves will remind you of the old school classic PC RPGs like Lands of Lore and Eye of the Beholder--which is to say that there’s not a lot of originality here. But given the restrictions, id’s first DS game is a success.

Despite a few different fighting styles, matches tend to play exactly the same way no matter what environment you’re in or who’s doing the fighting. It’s like an album where every song sounds the same.

MySims Racing is a perfectly adequate kart racer that plays it far too safe in a genre that is associated with thrills and spills. While the car customization is a positive step forward, the courses, power-ups, and play modes don't do anything substantially new or exciting.

Despite failing to live up to some of its bold promises, Brink lands on its feet with an enjoyable class-based shooter that most anyone with a true taste for teamwork will take to. You may find a few hurdles to jump over, but if you're looking for a solid and fun team experience that isn't Team Fortress 2 on the consoles, you could do worse than Brink.

Lost Planet 2 has many missions, modes, and battles to experience, but it's not accessible without some effort. You'll definitely need to enlist a few allies in order to properly take advantage of the game's co-op-focused structure. It's a poor choice for anyone without the means to party up.

Though the battle system is improved, an erratic difficulty, budget production values, and a poorly-paced story keep Dawn of the New World from royalty status. In some ways, it’s a worthy successor to the original, but it’s ultimately just another passable action RPG.

G-Force isn't likely to attract many fans over age 13, but parents shouldn't regret picking this one up for their kids. It can get a little repetitive, but it's fun to blow apart household appliances, or watch a guinea pig rocket across the floor.

The mission objectives are mundane, but all the little secrets littered throughout give it a sense of discover that Harry Potter games have failed to deliver in the past. If you’re a diehard Potter fan then don’t think twice about picking it up, and action gamers will find a lot to like as well.

An accessible co-op dungeon crawler that's at its best with a group of friends. It may be on the shorter side, but while it lasts it's an unpredictable and memorable experience.

What stand out the most H.A.W.X. 2 are the annoyances and spin-cycles of flight combat. The dogfighting neither feels particularly realistic nor particularly fun, and as a result, the most enjoyable missions are the ones that avoid air to air conflict.

The vicious combat is a lot of fun, and building your army and laying siege to the enemy is a compelling experience in an action game setting. If it didn’t run out of ideas so quickly and had a smoother presentation, Viking could have struck an even mightier blow.

Another year, another NASCAR. The sparse updates and thin lacquer are well done, but like their preceding adjectives: meager.

Director George Lucas famously said that a "special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing." A special effect without strong gameplay is also a boring thing, which is Lost in Shadow's greatest fault.

Test Drive Unlimited 2's flaws aren't bad enough to keep you from being sucked into the vast amount of single-player content. The problem is that it isn't designed to be a single player game, and the online features meant to be its biggest draw have been broken for far too long.

Major League Baseball 2K12 could desperately use a new engine and some more polish to smooth out the rough edges, as the batter-pitcher interface, commentary, and MLB Today mode are all solid. There are simply not enough changes or fixes to make it worth paying full price this year, though. It seems that each time this series appears to be heading towards home, it trips on third base and stumbles to the ground.

Wii Party excels when it comes to variety and accessibility. With a large number of engaging mini-games, and several stand out modes to choose from, you'll have plenty of fun with it, especially with a group of friends.

You can wrap up the story in about 6 hours. There are 12 costumes to try on and 27 cards to collect. Whether you can handle the grind or not Costume Quest 2 is a shallow game. It’s also a celebration of this sacred holiday that you may find yourself replaying next year. If there’s still time before the sun rises on November 1st, you may not regret buying this game.

It’s easy to like the simple-yet-challenging games, but as the days wear on, it starts to show its faults. It was a darling on the DS, but this sort of thinker’s gymnastics doesn’t work as well for burst play on the couch.

If you don’t have any friends to play with steer clear, but if you live with a group of buddies or have a lot of siblings it can become incredibly addictive.

Ninja Blade's action can be fun for a while, but it doesn't really satisfy. The story and presentation can get ridiculous, and the repetition, easy combat, and lengthy quick time sequences all wear down its edge. Worst of all, it's a complete rip-off of the Ninja Gaiden series, and we wonder how there could be laws to protect such a blatant theft of creativity.

There's a lot of strategy to explore in Fortune Street, but it can drag on with games averaging two hours long, and it's a bit dull even if you like this sort of thing. In the right circumstances, it can be rewarding, but you really need a group of like-minded friends to make it worth your while.

You feel more as if you're performing a repetitive series of tasks rather than surviving by your wits, but there's still a certain satisfaction in overcoming the game's challenge.

The Bureau is trying hard to pass as a shooter and a strategy game, but seems to accidentally squash its clever ideas with brute force. Though combat might slosh around and threaten to spill, it’s functional. The presentation can only be called cheap, but there’s a dab of polish.

Insect Armageddon can be enjoyed in short intervals with friends, but don't expect anything more than a B-list multiplayer rental. It's a generic shooter that brings nothing new to the table, and there are far better options in the backlog to cure your summer boredom.

The Run falters with its high-profile but underdeveloped plot as well as some awkward design choices. However, it overcomes these potholes with courses that are a blast to drive and simple multiplayer that keeps you hooked in.

Infinite Undiscovery is a capable console action-RPG with an interesting story and some unique ideas, but other than its excellent battle system, the game just isn’t on the same level as the best games in the genre.

Almost all of the major control issues have been fixed, the graphics are much cleaner, and the wireless co-op feature is fantastic. But all of the good still doesn’t outweigh the bad--the horribly generic gameplay just doesn’t cut it.

MechWarrior Online is a smart game burdened by free-to-play annoyances and unfortunately lacking in things to do outside straightforward combat. The grind of match after match eventually erodes your enthusiasm as you start to wonder what it’s all for. Considering MechWarrior has a rich history to draw from, it’s hard not to feel like something’s missing when you find yourself in an endless arena.

Its biggest problem is that its core conceits fail to contribute to what the series is best at. If you're a newcomer, Mount & Blade: Warband is easily the better bet. Veterans will get a brief kick out of this powder keg, but we suspect they'll be reaching for the familiar steel soon enough.

Small actions like switching menus can cause disproportionately long load times, and the game suffers frequent mission-killing bugs. Moody music, mixing in piano with synth, while the voice actors do their best with the script, trying their best to self-distinguish.

Too bad the game doesn't offer much variety outside of its weirdo flea market.

There’s enough new in here to warrant a look at the game even if you played the last one to death. It won’t blow your socks off, but it will any aspiring collegiate hours upon hours of enjoyment.

While the story can be convoluted and the controls make navigation harder than it should be, it's dark take on death and atmosphere make it a ghost hunt worth taking.

Overall, it lacks the polish and simplicity to compete with so many other mini-game collections on the Wii, leaving the unlikely pairing of mascots as its biggest draw.

There are some great ideas in Sniper Elite V2--they're just buried under a few too many bad ones. Asking you to stomach the poor game that exists between the solid sniping sequences is frankly a tall order.

Rise of the Triad has its heart in the right place. How often does a game give you six different rocket launchers? But goofiness doesn't remedy the multitude of bugs. Hopefully Interceptor will address these issues, but right now, Rise of the Triad is less of a triumphant comeback and more of a fun diversion.

The game makes several middling attempts to align itself more closely with other successful designs while keeping its identity mostly intact. Despite a few stumbles in engineering its single-player experience and some irregularities with its controls, this is still a unique and solid experience provided you plan to enlist in online multiplayer.

Nier is definitely an ambitious game that tries to break away from Square Enix's traditional style, but it ultimately isn't up to the task. It's an acquired taste that doesn't go down easy.

It's rare that such a great concept is sabotaged so savagely by poor execution, but Web of Shadows is a stark reminder that it takes more than a solid idea to make a great game.