In short doses and with a good team, War in the North is not without its compulsive charms.

The presentation in WWE 12 isn't exactly brilliant. Facially, the superstars look pretty close to their real-life counterparts, but their skin has the texture of store mannequins.

With its ever-louder demands for precise jumps and absolute control fluidity, Rayman Origins won't be for everyone. It is tough – have we mentioned that? – and it will frustrate some gamers more than it compels them to continue.

For actual fun and a bit of instruction – all the things you'd get at a real life Zumba class – you want Dance Central. But for adding one more piece to the Zumba branding behemoth, it has to be this, whether it's any good or not.

And bravo to Nintendo for keeping this franchise on the standard DS rather than – for the time being, at least – adding that third dimension.

The meticulous craft that has gone into its ingenious design is enough to warrant admiration from even those players who have no time for the portly plumber. As for the rest of you – and we're assuming you're Mario fans – you're in for a real treat.

If you've played a GTA game before, you'll know precisely what to expect gameplay-wise from Saints Row The Third, and that in itself is a major recommendation in a GTA-free year.

All told, there's weeks of fun in this package. As you'd expect. It's fun and funny. As you'd expect. I'm utterly hooked. As you'd expect. Can we have Lego Matrix next? Please?

The visuals are great – as vibrant and colourful as you'd want from a game featuring comic characters – and overall it's tremendous fun to play. Perhaps not an essential upgrade if you already own Fate of Two Worlds, but nevertheless highly recommended.

You can throw all the technology you like at a game, but that will never be enough to gloss over fundamental design flaws.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games may not do either universe justice when it comes to their distinctive gameplay or graphic styles. However, the use of London landmarks and actual event venues makes for a colourful diversion with more than enough variety to keep the kids happy.

Given that each four-song session probably burns less than 100 calories, this isn't going to see anyone shimmying their way into svelteness, but it's OK if you're after some cheery cardio. And that's the best you can say for Get Up and Dance: it's OK. Not broken, not bad, and not doing anything you can't find better elsewhere.

It's a mighty fine game – for my money, the best in the Halo franchise – that deserves to accumulate a cult following. Microsoft should be applauded for having the balls (and the money) to exhume it in such a magnificent manner.

Ezio Auditore is, simply put, the only reason one needs to pick up a copy of Assassin's Creed: Revelations. While it doesn't feel like the step forward for the franchise that its two predecessors did in their day, Revelations can confidently stand shoulder to shoulder with the better titles of 2011.

Whether or not it's the best ever Zelda game is open to debate, but it's certainly up there. However, nobody could argue that it's anything less than a masterclass in the art of crafting video games.

Skyrim is one of the most gargantuan undertakings gamers will experience all year. The sheer size of the adventure, both in terms of its environment and in the amount of activities available to the player, is mind-blowing.

The Infinity Ward engine is far from cutting edge – the overall look of the game has not moved on enormously since MW2. But the vision, the choreography, the sense of scale and detail – they are awe-inspiring at times.

Visually, Sonic Generations is impeccable: bright, colourful and universally appealing. At last, after well over a decade, Sonic has been given a starring vehicle that doesn't make a mockery of his glorious heritage, but instead celebrates it.

Battlefield 3 was supposed to bring down CoD, and without a campaign – which seems to be DICE's approximation of a CoD experience – this wouldn't have been possible. This is unfortunate, because the instances in which DICE seem to have tried to beat their rivals at their own game have resulted in Battlefield 3's weakest content.

Certainly Disney's best video game in a long time – especially for the youngsters, who will enjoy the simple, trial-and-error gameplay and diverse styles, looks and challenges.

Uncharted 3, perhaps for the first time, represents what we all hoped games would eventually evolve into. Its production values are sky-high, and it puts you at the centre of a gloriously rich and irresistible world, controlling a character who is heroic, but also convincingly human. It's also mildly didactic, and feels less dumbed-down than any mainstream movie we've come across in years.

At its core, Rugby Challenge is what rugby fans have been waiting for; this is a game made by rugby fans for rugby fans. RWC 2011 is a decent, knockaround sports game but genuine rugby fans will find Rugby Challenge a far more worthwhile investment.

Stands head and shoulders over its previous efforts. Despite facing stiffer competition than its predecessor, Batman: Arkham City is easily the best Batman video game of all time.

The frantic and occasional flawed action on the pitch harks back to older PES games. Fifa 12 is the more complete football experience but PES 2012 can still deliver in short hectic doses.

A decidedly mixed affair. It isn't perfect, some of it feels quite antiquated, and it is by no means the high-water moment in the FPS genre that Doom and Quake were in their day. But it is still a very eye-catching and incredibly fun shooter, and in its best moments, it can't be matched for pure entertainment value.

Fancy yourself as a hairy-chested gamer, hardest of the hardcore, with extensive knowledge of the arcane conventions of RPGs? If not, look away now, as trying to play Dark Souls may well turn out to be the most frustrating experience of your life.

Absolutely reeks of effort, of care, of love for the sport. Blast EA and its peers for the way they run their businesses if you want to, but recognise this: with friends, with practice, with a will to re-think your approach to defence, Fifa is an absolute joy to play.

It's a rare game that can make you love the thing you're supposed to be killing, but then there really isn't anything else like Ico and Colossus.