The depth of this game is staggering. [Feb 2003, p.93]

Not only the best 3D fighter of all time, it will make you a better fighting-game player. [Sept 2003, p.66]

The rare occasion when the sequel to a classic goes above and beyond its predecessor. Can't wait for III. [Feb 2003, p.94]

The battle system rocks. Not quite real-time, not quite turn-based, but somewhere in-between, KOTOR's battle engine offers tremendous depth while being intimately adjustable. [Sept 2003, p.78]

A cinematic classic. [Feb 2003, p.97]

It wasn't quite the "Chrono Trigger" sequel most people expected, but it's a magnificent game by its own right. [Feb 2003, p.97]

The crystals return to the series, along with a four-member party, blue magic, and black mages. [Feb 2003, p.97]

Open-ended and uproariously funny. [Sept 2003, p.67]

GTA's go-anywhere, do-anything gameplay design is something that truly shouldn't be missed by any gamer. The GTA Double Pack is a must-have for any console gamer.

There's something indescribably cool about cruising Vice City's beach strip while rocking to "Billie Jean." [Feb 2003, p.92]

The digital surround sound is phenomenal (and the voice-acting peerless), and players with a good A/V system will enjoy hearing enemies approach from all sides due to the sharp positional sound.

The controls are flawless, the weapons are diverse, and the production values are some of the highest in the industry. [Dec 2004, p.106]

A modern-day masterpiece that will be talked about for years to come.

Never before has a console game offered the flexibility of a PC-strength level editor with the ability to swap and trade freely with a natino of virtual skaters. [Dec 2003, p.65]

Magnificent. It's a terrific, if tardy, showcase for the GameCube, and it's every bit as worthy as the Halos, the GTAs, and the MGSes of this generation. This is a stunning return to form. (Happy Trails, GMR staff!) [Feb 2005]

The definitive reason to own an Xbox. [Feb 2003, p.95]

Core gameplay is unchanged, but the graphics get a complete overhaul - which makes GT3 the best-playing/looking sim on the market. [Feb 2003, p.92]

Highly conceptual "god-game" that has you ruling over mortals with a little help from a giant cow-monster. [Feb 2003, p.94]

An amazing conversion, given the difference between the arcade and PlayStation hardware at the time. Set the standard for bonuses. [Feb 2003, p.97]

So much more involving, more expansive, and just plain more, more that that you might need to buy a new PC so you can play it alongside Mommy. [Dec 2004, p.120]

Yeah, we'll say it: Mario Kart: Double Dash is the most fun you'll have with a game this year. And probably next year. And maybe even the year after that.

The second lap was even better than the first. [Feb 2003, p.97]

It's a game that somehow manages to simultaneously fulfill all expectations yet finish with the player unsatisfied and craving for more. [Feb 2005, p.92]

As if they dissected "Super Metroid", added a dimension, and put it back together again with slick graphics. [Feb 2003, p.96]

It's impossible to categorize EA's addictive superblockbuster life simulator, just like it's impossible to stop playing it. [Feb 2003, p.94]

Culminates in one of the greatest ending sequences in gaming and what's probably the most impressive display of the PlayStation 2's untapped graphical abilities.

One of the best reasons to own a Game Boy Advance. [Feb 2003, p.97]

McRae games were and are the best. [Feb 2003, p.97]

Outside of a slightly boring midgame stretch in which you're tracking down overdue library books (no, really) and an overly tough final boss, this is a flawless portable adventure. [Feb 2005, p.91]

The invention-building feature, which lets you create new weapons by combining photos of different found objects is nothing short of genius. [Mar 2003, p.68]

The acrobatics alone make Warrior Within a must-buy. Rounded out with superb character design and vast Myst-like landscapes, this Prince is another winner.

A collection of over 200 totally unexpected, random, frighteningly creative "microgames." [Aug 2003, p.79]

It's somehow mind-numbingly mundane and brilliantly addictive at the same time. [Jan 2004, p.92]

For those who have the Dual Shock firmly hardwired into their psyche, switching over to the oddly-shpaed GameCube can prove difficult. [Feb 2003, p.96]

Where Zero Mission really adds to the legend is in the game's challenging surprise ending...this isn't your daddy's Metroid. [Mar 2004, p.92]

The control in the GameCube version is suprisingly good, with buttons intuitively arranged and response time razor sharp. The Cube SCII is nearly as sharp is the Xbox version, and GameCube owners get the coolest exclusive character in Link. [Sept 2003, p.63]

A beautifuly and highly enjoyable game... Yet it's disappointing in other ways, including the small number of dungeons; overdependence on sailing; easy boss battles; a meaningless, pace-killing treasure hunt; and a less-than-satisfying finale. [Apr 2003, p.58]

Whether it's speed or stunts, manic or mellow, big air or backcountry, SSX 3 does it all, and it does it all with style.

A complex card system governs your special abilities. [Feb 2003, p.97]

F-Zero is finally running on hardware that can do it proper justice, and Sega makes GameCube sing. [Oct 2003, p.63]

A brutally lifelike affair that firmly drives home the fact that 21st-century videogaming is rapidly approaching an era of photorealism. [Apr 2004, p.81]

The game that never ends... So why is it so much fun to play? [Feb 2003, p.96]

We're not exactly sure how two games out of a series of nine constitutes an "anthology," but they're good games nonetheless. [Feb 2003, p.97]

There is also a distinct lack of overall polish, mostly noticeable in the smallest ways: ugly character models, cluttered maps (the custom waypoint is a welcomed and downright necessary addition), unnecessarily complex wardrobe management, odd misspellings ("Cobra Marital Arts"), and even repeated references to Los Angeles instead of Los Santos.

The third volume includes features that rocket its entertainment value to an entirely unparalleled level. [Dec 2004, p.115]

As frivolous as it seems, FFX-2 is most effective later in the game, when the light stuff gives way to more serious tones. A bizarre, feisty triumph. [Dec 2003, p.90]

To get the most out of this game, start the expansion pack with a brand-new character. We imported a high-level cleric - Beaverskull Bablicious - from NWN and found Undrentide to be too easy. [Sept 2003, p.76]

Impressive when you consider it took only nine months to make. [Feb 2003, p.96]

Every stage looks utterly fantastic, with detailed architecture filling every corner of the screen... [and] the controls are simple enough to keep the action intense. [Feb 2003, p.62]

The A.I. of the genome soldiers has been drastically improved—they're able to hear and see you much better, even from above and below. If Snake is detected, they'll coordinate their searches and look in every room—and when it comes to looking under nondescript orange boxes, they're total jerks.

A fine RPG - it's just not the earth-shattering sequel that people might expect. [Feb 2005, p.100]

This is Pandora's downfall: For a game that requires stealth and discreet action, the mechanics aren't very forgiving-or for that matter, consistent.

This remake could almost be described as a new game. But is it really Resident Evil without the laughably bad voice acting? [Feb 2003, p.96]

A certifiable classic. [Feb 2003, p.97]

The mix of 2D characters on a 3D plane not only looks appealing, the gameplay that's designed around the concept (Mario's transformation skills in particular) is a creative fusion of art and design. [Nov 2004, p.105]

Combining the reckless, breakneck speed and high-impact collisions of "Burnout" with the neon-tipped street culture of Fast and the Furious (and, more specifically, "Midnight Club II"), Underground is the new definition of white-knuckle.

A one-time sleeper hit [has] evolved into a bona fide classic. Quite possibly the finest next-gen RPG thus far. [Feb 2003, p.70]

Practically begs to be played with other people. [Oct 2003, p.75]

It's refreshing to look back on the genesis of the world's most popular RPG.

Football fans will have a great time with this one (especially with multiplayer), and there's plenty there for nonsports folk. But in the end, this one falls just short of greatness. [Feb 2005, p.88]

Possibly the best reason to own a PS2 network adapter. The team-based miliary tactics work better online than off. [Feb 2003, p.93]

Various artificially induced frustrations hold the game back from its true potential. Still, it's nearly there, and for those with strong jaws, it's an otherwise exceptional experience. The next game should be unstoppable, but it better well feature Eric B. and Rakim. [Nov 2004, p.122]

The acrobatics alone make Warrior Within a must-buy. Rounded out with superb character design and vast Myst-like landscapes, this Prince is another winner.

Because of its masterful pacing, detail, and variety, Advance Tour ranks up there with the champions of GBA games. Recommended even if you have zero interest in golf. [July 2004, p.87]

All the hardware that makes modern warfare hell is here, and from the moment you see the enemy hightail it at th efirst sound of your F-4 Phantom's engines, you'll know why every FPS - be it set in the future or that fabled galaxy far, far away - is out to imitate the Battlefield formula. [May 2004, p.89]

Action/strategy hybrid defies the conventions of all the genres it touches, while making for a fantastically original multiplayer experience. [Feb 2003, p.94]

THUG2 may not match THUG's charm and novelty, but it's still one of the most addictive and satisfying experiences out there.

The most thorough and competent rehash packages in recent memory, offering a slew of great games in top form, along with a few cool bonuses.

It's also an enjoyable game with a huge collection element (there are hundreds of different clothes, shoes, and other accessories that will actually have an effect on your stats), unconventional game modes, and fantasy courses and golfers.

Arguably the best version of Street Fighter to grace the system. [Feb 2003, p.97]

No better and no worse a game than its predecessor, and there's absolutely no shame in that. And it's no airport novel, as it requires some serious time investment.

Takes everything The Two Towers did well and improves upon it in every way.

This Greek mythology-based action game is an update of the arcade and NES classic in name only. Fun combat and great music. [Feb 2003, p.93]

While it may intimidate casual gamers, the hardcore will eat this up. Ninja Gaiden is the work of developers at the peak of their powers and is, pound for pound, light years beyond anything else in the category. [Jan 2004, p.47]

While the gameplay is faster, and more responsive than ever before, MF manages to feel even more claustophobic than in the past. That's a good thing. [Feb 2003, p.75]

A stellar third-person shooter that pulses with feverish invention, A&D welds together top-notch controls, a truly mental plot, and some of the most strategic gunplay to hit consoles in ages.

The only missteps are a super class of cars that are almost too fast for the courses, an abundance of loading screens, and a mostly terrible soundtrack--the latter two problems solved by the Xbox version. [Oct 2004, p.111]

Despite some corny writing, this uberhip noir videogame feels like a movie but plays like a great action game. [Feb 2003, p.94]

With the underlying mechanics perfected, Commando gets down to the business at hand and provides a Godzilla-sized block of fun. [Dec 2003, p.72]

The addition of legendary club swingers such as Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer to the roster adds credibility to balance out the fantasy golfers. It's also refreshing to see so many new courses. [Nov 2004, p.116]

Simply put, you need to play this to understand. [Oct 2004, p.94]

Combining the reckless, breakneck speed and high-impact collisions of Burnout with the neon-tipped street culture of "Fast and the Furious" (and, more specifically, "Midnight Club II"), Underground is the new definition of white-knuckle.

NCAA stands as (at least) "Madden's" equal and easily justifies a $50 expenditure... Improvements galore and online play (with chat) make NCAA second to none. [Sept 2003, p.72]

Brought RPGs into the Western spotlight and contained the most debated plot twist of an era. [Feb 2003, p.97]

Does both fun and realistic very well with below par results (in golfese, that's good). [Nov 2003, p.74]

Best re-creation of dogfighting ever seen in a WWII flight sim, which is saying something considering how many there are. [Feb 2003, p.94]

It's somehow mind-numbingly mundane and brilliantly addictive at the same time. [Jan 2004, p.92]

Squad-based, tactical strategy game set in the same universe as the classic Fallout rpg sets a new standard. [Feb 2003, p.94]

Unhealthily addictive. [Feb 2003, p.96]

Takes everything The Two Towers did well and improves upon it in every way.

This highly anticipated sequel throws a real curveball early on in the game. It was probably the least confusing part of the story. [Feb 2003, p.92]

A hardcore simmer's delight, with superb flight physics and enough detail to please the most finicky realism fanatics, including minutiae such as adjustable fuel mixtures and radiator controls. [June 2003, p.70]

Things were more "real" this time around. [Feb 2003, p.97]

On the downside, you're going to have to bite your lip and accept the fact that the Xbox version does look a bit better. [Sept 2004, p.84]

Incredible at the time, DOA2 did things the "big boys" hadn't even dreamed of. [Oct 2004, p.122]

The multiplayer could use a few more game options, like allowing players to actually play the campaign rather than only skirmishes. Still, for anyone who wants strategic depth with their RTS game, there's no better title out there. [Dec 2004, p.131]

The superior writing of The Urbz makes it far better than its predecessor "Bustin' Out." There aren't many handheld titles this solid. [Feb 2005, p.113]

It's very clever; the political overtones are great for that last-minute term paper. [Feb 2003, p.97]