With its simple mechanics and unforgiving difficulty, Crashmo is the new standard bearer for Nintendo's legacy of excellent handheld puzzle games.

Easily the best game the franchise has produced. Engaging for pros and newcomers alike, packing tons of content and wrapped in a gorgeous presentation, it's not just a show of love for fans of the series, but a game likely to make many more.

It's rare for a game to forge a connection so strong, and even rarer for you to become the connective tissue.

The gameplay is incredibly responsive -- the addition of locomotion really makes the game feel more authentic and less arcadey like it has in the past.

It's because Capcom had the good sense to leave well enough alone, however, that Online Edition is the best Third Strike there's ever been. And, as we all know, the third strike is what counts.

DMC does action extraordinarily well and manages to make Dante look like the epitome of cool with every move, and it's wonderful to see this feat in motion. Over and over and over again.

A pretty uneven experience. Most casual fans of the franchise might not feel particularly compelled to venture past the game's sagging midpoint -- but the diehards will be rewarded with a satisfying conclusion that finally shows that, yes, the titular pedagogue has (gasp!) feelings.

This team of rhythm game veterans have proven once again that they are, as they always have been, masters of progressive iteration.

Bastion is a quiet explosion in reverse, and there's no mistaking its charms once it all comes together.

The transition from emotionally tinged burial ground to functional battleground is at once touching and tasteless, presented in that kind of awkward, bittersweet combination that video games have gotten down to an art form.

Forza Horizon 2's world isn't the most lively, beset as it is by roaming bands of automotive enthusiasts, but it leaves room for the living – for you. There's space enough to imprint your moods, whether you rocket into hairpins with a Ferrari or simply cruise around in a gaudy, gold Bentley. Forza Horizon 2 is a big, bouncy summer drive.

The enhanced co-op and head-to-head modes offer new incentives to the socially minded, but Dance Central 3 rocks to the same beat as the first two. But then there isn't much room for improvement, as the first game basically nailed the actual dancing part of the equation.

Dark Moon is a bit like Luigi himself: charming, goofy and utterly affable. The core mechanic of catching ghosts is solid and exciting, and the environments are absolutely worth seeing and exploring. It's got heart, but after trudging through all five of its locales, you may wind up feeling a little like a bedraggled, battle-worn ghostbuster yourself.

In a genre where "improvement" is typically defined by how many new elements can be introduced between sequels, DJ Hero 2 relies on building upon the fundamentals of what made the first game so great. That's a pretty risky decision -- after all, it would be easier to sell the game on its newness if it came bundled with a theremin attachment -- but in terms of raw enjoyment, it's a decision that pays big, big dividends.

Maybe all that beauty would be undermined by the low-key narrative if the combat wasn't as deep. It's why this collaboration between Level-5 and Studio Ghibli works. One without the other might have been good, but together they've created a superb role-playing game for this generation to savor.

As good as any portable Street Fighter game can be. The touchscreen implementation, in fact, makes it a little better than that baseline, by adding an exclusive input method that actually works. It's no replacement for a genuine arcade button layout -- and you'll never forget that for a minute -- but it's a unique, and differently effective, way to interact with the game.

If Mass Effect 3 Special Edition is your only shot at dipping into BioWare's universe, you may as well take it. If you've already experienced the previous games, and you don't mind missing out on importing your character, you'll find a competent port with a few novel extras.

In terms of level design, pacing and gorgeous visuals, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light topples last year's XBLA king, Shadow Complex. But while a lot of this content is perfectly suitable for a six-hour single-player session, I'd urge you to discover the game for the first time with a co-op partner.

My major bugbear with Bravely Default is it drags on by the end. Not because of length, but rather because the story forces the game to retrace its steps in a way that's not as clever as it thinks it is, or at least not clever enough.

As a solo game, Battlefield 3 on consoles is even less the sum of its parts than the PC version, due to compromised visuals and a legion of technical issues, some of which might stand in the way of actually finishing the game. When Battlefield 3 does its damnedest to go toe-to-toe with Call of Duty are the times it stumbles the hardest. But when DICE is doing what it's always done best, Battlefield 3 is a uniquely mesmerizing multiplayer game with a seemingly endless number of ways to feel like a success.

For established players, the additional characters will likely be the main draw, but Continuum Shift's greatest strength lies in its ability to teach newcomers the ropes through its wealth of applicable tutorials that go way beyond what I've seen in other fighters.

Runner 2 is absolutely worth playing, so long as you can deal with its unforgiving and occasionally frustrating nature.

Those looking for a challenge in planning, reflexes and dexterity – and those with the intestinal fortitude to witness the scads of gruesome deaths that result – will be well served by Hotline Miami.

While the single-player campaign is something I can see myself returning to a couple more times in a quest for Achievements/Trophies, the multiplayer side of Crysis 2 has me utterly hooked. I came for the pretty graphics, was happy with the solid shooter underneath them and am pretty much beside myself with how unexpectedly good the online play is.

Amnesia's macabre sensibilities and slow pacing may not be for everyone, but horror fans looking for a truly frightening experience should turn off the lights, plug in some headphones and settle in.

When it comes down to it, some automotive enthusiasts just want to jump into the car of their dreams and go for a long drive through the country, and Forza Horizon delivers that simple pleasure on a silver platter. The fact that a solid racing game is included doesn't hurt either.

If you're well-versed in South Park history and can imagine cookies as a "health potion," you're off to a good start. If you can also forgive the repetitive nature of combat and some uninspired quests, it's worth taking up arms – or dildos – for The Stick of Truth's hilarious, disgusting adventure.

The coolest use of the GamePad, however, is in the environmental audio. When Batman receives radio transmissions from Oracle or overhears a conversation with his surveillance equipment, the audio comes in over the GamePad, simulating Batman's earpiece.