Rises above the game's original roots to bring a game that's both refreshingly humorous as well as downright enjoyable.

The lack of continual play is a drawback...This smacks too much of recent games to earn a truly high score.

This is a nice enough game for adventure enthusiasts who are looking for an inexpensive game with lots of puzzles. The Egyptian setting is nicely done, too. A longer game time, plus more Egyptian history, would have been a good addition.

At 1,000 Wii Points ($10), Jett Rocket's price seems a little steep, but it's a worthwhile adventure for anyone who can appreciate a solid platformer.

Though the options and settings seem endless, it can be a little daunting at first. There are a lot of helpful hints on what you should do, but not a whole lot on how to execute them.

While the Wii-mote controls are pretty gimmicky and not very practical, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon offers a robust amount of features and game modes, plus plenty of fighters and unlockables to keep you busy.

Murder in the Abbey is almost exactly the type of game I most like, with great atmosphere and storytelling. I really enjoyed the cartoon animation, too. However, the conversations can get a bit lengthy and even I got tired of the endless talking sometimes.

The Nintendo Wii has yet to see a competent first-person shooter worthy of the technology but at least Medal of Honor Vanguard is a single step in the right direction.

The problem is, the overall presentation feels immediately obsolete. The "flashy new HD graphics" are only new if you haven't already played Blitz, and the lack of Facebook connectivity feels like a step backward.

Whereas the console versions faltered with a repetitive experience, the DS version fares much better with competent online gameplay.

What is presented in MLB2K9 is more than sufficient in terms of an enjoyable baseball game. The level of detail and depth in the title is impressive, as is the overall presentation and quality. Certain aspects may be somewhat disappointing, but overall, this one is a winner.

I would recommend that everyone experience the brilliant design of this game and the witty dialogue, especially if you're a fan of the cartoon; however, the mini-games (the meat of the game) do not hold up for very long. There is about 2 hours of gameplay in Duck Amuck, and whether that warrants a $30 purchase is up to you.

A decent action game that could've been much better given more polish and some focus on the controls and balancing the AI.

With its wit and charm, there’s nothing else like Shiren the Wanderer. It’s one-of-a-kind and praiseworthy.

While the 2009 edition feels much a bit like last year’s offering, SmackDown! Vs. Raw 2009 for the PSP does bring some refreshing changes to the ring. There are still a few elements that still need a bit tweaking but, overall, wrestling fans will find a good reason to lay the smack down once again.

With the headphones, it was an enveloping experience with plenty of challenge, and good replay value.

While the experience is short and simple, the game has a diverse collection of minigames that should keep younger fans interested for a while.

Playing around with SpongeBob is a hoot, and there’s a lot to do in Bikini Bottom . However, some mini-games or other content is needed to flesh the experience out and add to the replayability.

The Guild 2 is an open-ended game that has a great concept and carries it almost to full fruition. Unfortunately, some frustrating bugs mar the package.

Fans of Wallace & Gromit will enjoy this game, even if they are new to adventure games. Conversely, adventure game enthusiasts will enjoy the adventure, even if they are new to the world of Wallace & Gromit. And, it’s a good game for the entire family to play together and enjoy, which is always a plus.

This is a case of the good versus the bad: great graphics against poor commentary, great shooting mechanics squaring off against AI miscues (stepping out of bounds or backcourt violations), solid downloadable challenges versus lack of trade restrictions.

While the game needed its rough spots smoothed out, it offers enough gameplay variety to keep things interesting.

While the great multiplayer battles falls a bit flat thanks to a poor framerate, the single-player mode will have you deeply engrossed in its more than 100 addictive levels.

Sure, both expansions don’t really do anything uniquely different but they are still fun campaigns chock full of bullets and frights.

The weakest portion of Road Trip is the sound. Aside from the screeching of tires on the road and the bubble-gum pop on the car’s radio, there really is little else to listen to.

A delightfully engaging and likeable Nintendo DS game that might not be perfect but is still a game worth a look if you like decent platform games with good puzzles.

Manipulating the camera indoors seemed impossible which really hampered gameplay as some missions require you to search for items.

This game is a good game for young girls. There is a nice variety of gameplay features, and the overall design is solid. The longevity is a plus.

If you want access to every switch, instrument, indicator, and of course, every weapon, on this plane then this IS your type of game. To say the least, it is very involved, but rewarding once you get through the training.

Plagued with bad camera issues as well as the repetitive action of the original, this remix to DW3 isn’t much of an improvement but its added content is just too good to pass up if you already own the original.

This is an unusually accessible strategy game in that even novice players can sit down and begin the game easily.

A Murder of Crows offers some nice new features for vets, but is still pretty complex and unwieldy for newcomers.

Fast, spot-on controls for sprinting and jumping, combined with amazingly detailed levels, make Lead and Gold an incredibly intense experience with bullets flying around every corner.

A good start that quickly falls off into a discombobulated mess of the story’s true purpose but is successful in constantly delivering hordes of baddies to tear apart.

Need for Speed Carbon for the Wii falls a bit flat in certain areas but it’s a good attempt at bringing us a fresh new twist to this underground racing series.

Even though the action does get a little repetitive, DK King of Swing is a worthy play if you're looking for something a little different.

While the game does feature some nice improvements over its predecessor, it can’t really compete with the much better action titles out there.

As a port to Apple's i-devices, Geometry Wars: Touch is a great addition to anyone's portable game library. The only hardship is the controls take a long time to get used to, but as we've found in our testing and just by looking at the leaderboards, it can be done.

Worthy of a look from nostalgic gamers from the 16-bit era as well as people who didn’t play these games the first time around.

An immensely detailed if not immensely exciting game.

The counter/reversal/combination system is definitely a heavyweight champion.

Like the grindhouse action flicks of the ’70s, Wet is a wild ride packed with enough blood, bullets, and ridiculous over-the-top action to make it worth your while.

Fast, exciting and much different from the futuristic racing crowd.

SHRED is a considerable improvement over RIDE, and the addition of snowboarding adds substantial value to the package.

Whereas the console versions faltered with a repetitive experience, the DS version fares much better with competent online gameplay.

The daunting interface and lack of user-friendly graphics makes this more of a challenge than you might expect. It requires a lot of studying and research to fully maximize what this game can do.

The challenging puzzles and great graphics will entice old-school fans, although the poor controls and somewhat simplistic gameplay will likely turn anyone else away.

Frantic arcade style that’s both fun to play, yet frustrating to control at times.

One of the interesting things that sets this apart from other racers is the AI's ability to "learn" from how you behave on the track.

There’s not much else out on the Xbox Live Arcade like Scrap Metal, so it’s definitely an unique experience.

Having a longer game-time, plus some fun mini-games, would have been better, but this is still a nicely designed game.

This is a well-designed crawl through lots of rooms filled with items to pick up and enemies to blast. Sometimes the action can get a little tedious, but there is enough variety and things to do to keep interest until the end.

DeathSpank is a true love-it-or-hate-it game through and through. If you appreciated the jokes in Ron Gilbert's earlier games (such as Monkey Island), and share an equal appreciation for Diablo-style games, it is worth a look.

It's frantic, it has moments of hilarity, and it's just plain fun. And although variety isn't one of chick chick BOOM's strong points, it's still one heck of a download, and an easy recommendation.

A generally fun experience that I encourage you to rent. You will finish it quickly and will no doubt notice its faults, but you just might like the features Just Cause has to offer.

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth gets props for changing up the setting and providing a new protagonist for the franchise. However, the gameplay is pretty standard for the Ace Attorney series, and brings with it the same flaws from other entries.

Now all that Midway needs to do is to improve the AI and to focus more on the unique nature of 1 on 1 basketball. If they can do that, then they’ll have no problem rising to the level of "NBA Street" and maybe even beyond.

This is a fun, challenging and entertaining game that offers just the right type of gameplay that Bubble Bobble/Bust-A-Move fans expect. For the rest of you that have never played a game in the series feel free to get your space suits on because Space Bust-A-Move is a blast!

There’s tension and frustration, but a good balance of each. Brain busting obstacles are easier to handle - when the journey is laid out in a good format. That objective is mostly achieved.

Though the sound effects like gunfire, explosions, and footsteps were pretty elementary, the environmental effects like thunder and rain, together with the graphics had me wanting to pop up an umbrella or find a big leaf to hide under to get out of the rain.

I found it to be rewarding and full of replay interest. I was often frustrated to point of walking away from movement "errors," but I soon returned to the glowing world to try again.

With its responsive controls and the inclusion of the rewind button, Domination is easy to pick up and play. The problem with enemies building units and immediately destroying your forces is a serious drawback.

If you are a serious strategy nut, then try and beat this AI. It seems that they spent most of their energies on that, and it paid off.

A great way to introduce young children to the fun of simulation games! Parents will be pleased by the quality and ease of play, but may not want to pay the steep price.

Had the controls been tightened and the camera more precise, we would have been looking at portable platform gaming at its finest, but this is still fun enough to keep fans of the series happy.

The setting is definitely terrific, and multiplayer is handled quite well, but the game just does not go that extra mile and offer something outside the graphics that sets it apart. It is a good game; it just does not go that extra step to becoming a great game.

While there are a few issues here and there, Second Evolution is a solid update of a compelling RPG from the past.

A pretty fun RTS with some interesting units and story elements. However, the game still ends up being a little derivative and runs together with a lot of other titles in the genre.

The fantastic writing in this game really makes it a worthwhile purchase for Pixar fans, but overall the driving aspect of it is only average.

Perfect for younger gamers. Kids will love the cheerful colors, and all the cutesy characters like butterflies, sheep and fairies. Even the baddies look cute.

While it’s not as utterly disturbing as it was meant to be, Manhunt 2 is a gritty sequel that is still shockingly ultra violent but in a surprisingly good way.

Tries to be different and succeeds, but its repetitiveness keeps the fun from being both fresh and stimulating.

If Ascaron patches in fixes for the bugs, to shore up the game, this will be quite entertaining and should provide a lot of fun. The graphical elements are, for the most part, well done, and the game has a very good vibe to it – it does not take itself too seriously, while at the same time telling a decent story.

If fast-paced shooting action and campy storylines (complete with the Resident Evil-styled bad voice acting) is your cup of tea, Silent Scope Complete will not disappoint you in the very least. While the series does show its age, this is still one of the most entertaining shooting games around.

While its dungeon crawler roots make for a slightly repetitive action game, Justice League Heroes is packed with all the right goodies to make this a fun new series with a lot to offer.

The best thing about this one is that for about the price of a round of golf you will get great golfing at some pretty nice courses all year long. Still not a bad deal in my book.

I like the characters though, and Webfoot Technologies has really done a good job of taking DBZ and turning it into a game.

To be perfectly honest I like it more than the PSone Spyro games.

Chaotic Conflicts isn't a perfect game. Realistically, it would be hard to even call it a great game. But those who want some simple tower defense gameplay need look no further. Chaotic Conflicts is a competent title despite its flaws, and there's a lot of fun to be had here.

On single-player, Blur is an average racing game with a powered-up twist. Repeating races and receiving beautiful cars that remain untouched due to the lack of customization gets old fast. The outdated rave-vibe, including the music and menus, don't do the presentation any favors either. As a multiplayer title, Blur is absolutely exhilarating.

It isn't overly long, difficult to learn, or bombarded with frustrating missions that don't have a point.

As a single-player game, Master Quiz just doesn’t cut it but there’s multiplayer fun to be had for those who enjoy a fun game show title fit for the PSP.

Simple in execution, yet there are plenty of things to do to manage your show. Kids will especially appreciate the intuitive interface.

Still Life might not be perfect or innovative but it does justice to the classic crime-solving adventure genre and will keep you hooked to the very end.

Though its release is marred by a number of bugs, Clear Skies is ultimately a worthy addition to your library. Casual gamers will find it harder to enjoy than those who are more hardcore, but there is still fun to be had in the hollowed-out, desolate locales of the Zone for those with the patience and a penchant for challenging gameplay.

Enough to warrant an expansion I suppose, but nothing has really changed from the previous expansion or the original.

The GameCube controller feels like it was made for this game!

De Blob 2 is like a blank canvas ready to have your creativity unleashed upon it. It's an excellent sequel that improves on aspects from the original and includes some new, nifty additions.

SEGA Rally Revo is a fun arcade racer, but those expecting something with the depth of DiRT will be disappointed.

All-Pro 2K8 isn’t all perfection but is a decent alternative for gamers seeking something other than Madden.

What fans of the series have grown to expect, new songs and a few extra modes.

A2M knew their target, and didn't shortchange the kids, as is too often the case. The game is fairly easy, but has some challenging elements, and offers a good variety of game modes.

The unique story line, tried and true gameplay, and good graphics will please. However non-adventure fans will probably have a problem getting into the game.

Shadow Assassins for the PSP is not only a good entry in the Tenchu series but it also does stealthy ninja action well enough on Sony’s handheld. While the hardware limitations make for some slightly awkward gameplay issues, it doesn’t take away from an overall fulfilling experience.

The game is more reflexive than cerebral, but still a lot of fun.

Conflict manages to go the extra mile by bringing us a realistic and enjoyable action game. It has its share of problems that occasionally get in the way but it never gets too bad that you won’t have fun.

Once you understand the game and commands it’s not too terrible, but the learning curve is really steep. You really need a lot of time to fully grasp this title especially if you are not a die-hard military RTS fan.

For the initial thrills, high replay value, and outstanding time-kill factor, M.A.C.H. is a great game to have spinning in your PSP. But if a sequel is to be made, here’s hoping for a lengthier single-player campaign.