Samba de Amigo was originally released for the Dreamcast and has now made it's way to the Wii. With a maracas in each hand your challenge is to shake to the beat as best you can. The motion sensing abilities of the Wiimote does unfortunately present itself as an obstacle to the experience. On higher difficulty levels it makes the game almost unplayable. As is, this a decent party game at best.

Take one platforming game released for the previous generation of consoles, add one pinch of Wii controls and mix it all together. What do you get? An old titles with a lackluster control scheme that hasn't evolved one bit. This is a sad example of a developer more interested in quick money than actually creating a good game. Sloppy productions like this simply doesn't deserve your hard earned money.

If you're in for an easygoing pick up and play type of game you can't go wrong with Lego Batman. Like the other games in the Lego franchise this is pure fun entertainment perfectly suited for game time for parents and their children. On the downside there are few news to be found here when compared to previous titles and some puzzles are illogical and flat out poorly designed which dampens the overall experience.

This latest entry in the Buzz-series brings us fun quiz-based entertainment, wrapped in a simple and intuitive interface. A nice feature is the ability to enjoy a game of multiplayer even if you only have one PSP to pass around. The one major flaw here is the content, or lack of it to be specific. You'll easily blast through all of the questions in one evening, drastically reducing the lasting appeal of this title.

Baja: Edge of Control does have some things going for it. Great handling, great courses and tight racing brings a lot to the table. Unfortunately it lacks the edge it needs to stand out from it's competitors. The attitude is pale, the career mode is way to shallow and somewhere down the road it gets lost in the dust from it's competitors.

De Blob is just one of those games that brings a smile to your face. You wouldn't think that rolling around in a ball coloring the environment would be this fun but it is. It's well adjusted to the Wii control and despite the hardware limitations the game looks great. There are flaws, but the overall experience is just pure fun.

This latest game featuring the Nintendo anti hero Wario is a refreshing experience offering us beautiful two dimensional graphics and thoroughly enjoyable gameplay. It's a shame the game is a bit on the short side because the content offered is just pure fun and a definite recommendation for Wii owners.

This is in many ways a very classic 2D adventure. Jumping, consuming objects and waving umbrellas is fun but the somewhat uneven level design keeps this from reaching the true heights of 2D adventures on the DS. The game is also way too easy, but the second part is so good that you're sure to enjoy the experience despite this.

After it's initial months on the market it has become clear that WAR is an MMO to be reckoned with. It's focus on player versus player action is what sets this game apart from other MMOs and that very focus is what makes it a great experience. Developer Mythic has worked hard on improving the experience and weeding out the issues that initially plagued the experience, something that motivates players to revisit the experience again and again. If you're a bit fed up with the run of the mill MMO-experiences out there this is a great title to bet your money on.

The Force Unleashed does so many things right that you'll almost be able to overlook all the flaws that unfortunately plague this production. The unfinished state of this thing is a direct reflection of the scattered state the developers were in when this game was sent to the presses. Even though there are a lot to complain about here this is still a must have for die hard Star Wars fans.

In Crysis Warhead developer Crytek answers a lot of the criticism aimed at the original Crysis. There is more action to be found in Warhead, the pacing is faster and more intense than in it's predecessor. A tighter and more intense storyline also means fever hours of gameplay, but the ones accounted for are great enough to earn this game a high score.

This prequel to the original Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl adds great graphics, great sense of exploration and lots of content. It's definitely a better game than it's predecessor, trouble is though that it lacks polish. There are tons of bugs to be found here and mission objectives are often unclear and repetitive. It's a great game though and could be improved with future patches.

The second installment in the hard rocking franchise may seem familiar at first, but the fact is that there are several minor and major additions here that do a lot to improve the overall experience. You can now play the campaign online and there is a new training mode for all of us that are struggling with learning the drums. There are 84 new songs to rock out to and an additional 20 to download for free. This is in fact a buy even for those who bough the first Rock Band, and for those who own neither it's a must have.

There are a lot of things to be annoyed by in NHL 09, but then again this is one fantastic hockey experience. The on- and offline Be A Pro mode takes the experience to a new level and adds an addictive formula to an otherwise great list of improvements in this title. Flaky AI, odd bug-generated goals and other flaws are unfortunate blemishes to an otherwise great hockey experience. Nevertheless, this is a must buy for hockey fans.

With a new team as developers came a fresh start for the series, which in the case of NHL 2K9 is both a good and a negative decision. The gameplay has been greatly simplified, but unfortunately the rest of the experience feels somewhat dumbed down as well. The AI can be somewhat shaky to say the least and the goalies are way to easy to outsmart even at the higher difficulties. A foundation may have been laid with NHL 2K9, but the potential isn't realised in this years game.

If you find joy in snooping around for hidden objects, this might be a game for you. If you like to solve clever puzzles and mysteries, this isn't a game for you. Despite it's name hinting otherwise, this isn't a game that challenges your ability to solve crimes. The fact that you can play with friends does help a bit, but the overall feeling is that this game is too easy and lacking when it comes to variation.

Plan, build, fight and repair. Those are the four fundamental parts of Lock's Quest, an unexpectedly demanding game for the DS. It's surprisingly addictive, but due to some parts of the game not being blessed with the coat of finish they need we can't bless this game with a higher grade.

Spore is easily one of the most ambitious games ever made and it's impossible not to be impressed by the finished product. The possible variations in what you can create feel close to endless and the ability to share these creations with other people adds a lot to the package. The five main phases of the game vary in quality, but the final phase that ties the experience together will impress you. Will Wright adds another triple-A title to his collection.

Due to a repetitive gameplay and uninspiring content the portable DS-version of Spore fails to make itself interesting. A greater selection of mini-games and ways to play the game would have helped this in essence mediocre experience.

As a production this is definitely a slick piece of work. The graphics look good and there is a generally good sense of humour and atmosphere in the game. Unfortunately, the actual boxing mechanics of the game doesn't work well at all. It's not broken per se, it's just simple to the point where you know the game inside and out after only a couple of matches.

A virtual dodgeball tournament with pirates, ninjas, zombies and robots is just as dull as it sounds. Although the production values are high for an Live Arcade title the actual gameplay is several leagues from being fun in any way. The slow and monotonous gameplay even manages to turn the multiplayer mode into a dull experience. Spend your Microsoft points on something else.

Infinite Undiscovery treats us to an unusual title but a familiar concept. The world is bound to the moon which unleashed a torrent of monsters onto the world. You set out to save the world in the usual fashion but the story does get interesting after a while and the real time combat system works really well. Some technical issues mar this experience, and overall it's nothing spectacular, but it's a good adventure none the less.

The formula from the previous game is intact in this overly cute followup to Rare's first Viva Pinata game, so you won't find much news to be exited about. But online co-op, 30 new pinatas and a whole slew of other new features is still enough to make this game worthwhile. This is one of the most harmonious and family friendly games out there for the Xbox 360. A definite recommendation for fans of the genre.

Swedish developer SimBin is definitely the top of the crop when it comes to realistic driving simulators and this is no exception. As the name implies GTR Evolution is a evolutionary add on for last year's RACE 07 and what you're treated to here is a wealth of new cars and a new course, but not just any course. Nürburgring Nordschleife is fully modelled and available in the game which alone makes this a great add on for driving fans everywhere.

With the success of the first game you'd think that Pandemic would easily concoct a winning formula for the sequel to the first Mercenaries. Alas, that's not the case and Mercenaries 2: World in Flames feels surprisingly ancient for a game released on the current generation of consoles. Granted, wreaking havoc with a friend in co-op is a lot of fun, but if you plan to play on your own you're better off playing the PS2/Xbox-original.

Galactic Adventures add a whole new dimension to the Spore experience. Now you can beam your creatures down to other planets where they can go on various missions. You can upgrade your hero with armor, weapons and social abilities. This combined with the ability to create your own adventures makes the Spore experience even more vast than ever before. Unfortunately the overall experience is heavily plagued by some really nasty bugs.

Tales of Vesperia for is certainly an appealing experience and a great addition to the RPG library on the Xbox 360. The world and the characters populating it are both charming and interesting and the plot is well worth the time spent making your way through the game. Battles are fun but can become a bit busy at times. This is but a minor flaw in an otherwise great Japanese RPG.

Even though there are still a lot of things that needs to be addressed in the formula, this iteration of the Tiger Woods franchise is still the best one to date with spot on gameplay mechanics. For those who have been disappointed with the series latest iterations, this is a great year to get back into it.