While not the deepest racer, the game has speedy thrills and frantic multiplayer action that help bring Sonic's usual racing antics and signature speed to the sky.

While not the deepest racer, the game has speedy thrills and frantic multiplayer action that help bring Sonic's usual racing antics and signature speed to the sky.

Sure, Arena Football may look and play almost as good as the pros (featuring all of the teams, players, and fast-paced fury of alternative smash-mouth), but time out here: who cares about the AFL? Oh, that's right—no one.

Sure, Arena Football may look and play almost as good as the pros (featuring all of the teams, players, and fast-paced fury of alternative smash-mouth), but time out here: who cares about the AFL? Oh, that's right-no one.

Though it adds a new playable character, tougher skill levels, and the option to speed everything up 20%, it still has the same annoying and unavoidable music, occasionally stiff controls, and that frustratingly limiting “chose your style of fighting” system that made the original Cry 3 a lot less fun than the first two incarnations.

But after nine innings, it's basically the same game, including easy to master controls that'll finally allow you to be big man on campus.

A game for those who think they don't make 'em like they used to, but should, Shodown is an exact replica of the classic arcade fighter.

But after nine innings, it's basically the same game, including easy to master controls that'll finally allow you to be big man on campus.

While these side-scrolling action games are still addictive and challenging, it's hard to get nostalgic over games with release dates from 2002 and 2003, respectively.

And while it's more of a tech demo than a test of reflexes, after a long day of crime and combat, it's just what your overworked thumbs need.

Nothing beats running around cramped dungeons seeking treasure and revenge while hacking, arrow-ing, and spell-casting your way through hordes of Lord of the Rings rejects.

Nothing beats running around cramped dungeons seeking treasure and revenge while hacking, arrow-ing, and spell-casting your way through hordes of Lord of the Rings rejects.

With matches of five-on-five taking place on small fields with really basic controls, Strikers is classic arcade-style soccer, but the game gets an extra kick from power-ups, random Bowser attacks, and a Telemundo-style announcer.

Play is especially intriguing online, where our hero's acrobatic skills, ability to find cover, and state-of-the-art weaponry deliver death matches to die for.

Though challenging, it's also sometimes pedestrian, with a host of uninspired levels and dim bad guys ruining what could have been the triumphant return of 007.

Though challenging, it's also sometimes pedestrian, with a host of uninspired levels and dim bad guys ruining what could have been the triumphant return of 007.

Though challenging, it's also sometimes pedestrian, with a host of uninspired levels and dim bad guys ruining what could have been the triumphant return of 007.

Unfortunately, none of the additions will distinguish this one for vets of the PC version, but tight controls, abundant targets, and beautiful scenery still deliver the most disturbing vacation package since Kathie Lee Gifford stalked Carnival cruise ships.

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

Improvements in puck physics means that hard shots can bruise your opponents, while last year's overly aggressive defense has been scaled back to realistic levels.

Unfortunately, you spend more time scaring the crap out of people than blowing the crap out of people, which slows down the action.

What’s really shocking, though, is that it plays as well as a regulation tennis game. It has the same responsive controls, and even lets you play online doubles with your friends—assuming they're more likely to chug a Country Club than apply to one.

What's really shocking, though, is that it plays as well as a regulation tennis game. It has the same responsive controls, and even lets you play online doubles with your friends-assuming they're more likely to chug a Country Club than apply to one.

Yeah, it’s still just a video game version of pinball, but at least it won't steal all of your quarters like the arcade version of "My Little Pony."

It all adds up to a decent shooter with 30 weapons to keep you trigger-happy while alternating between single- and four-player "Deathmatch" and "Last Man Standing" modes.

The multiplayer is engaging and the storyline suitably absurd, but in the world of PC games the first-person shooter bar is set high, and with Half-Life 2 out there, it's hard to imagine choosing this shorter, less clever game instead.

And while fans of such modern shootouts as Halo 2 will scoff at its Super Nintendo–ish look and gameplay, anyone who can remember the last decade without the aid of I Love the ’90s should come away smiling.

But the game's focus on cooperative gameplay with an AI fighting partner feels more forced than fun. If we wanted to be this bored with another person, we’d have gotten married.

The unique fighting system keeps things lively—martial arts and gun battles play out by aligning "moves" on an action bar—but whether or not there are enough Matrix fans out there to populate this huge, lush world remains to be seen.

Despite its replay value, this is little more than a restructured stroll down memory lane. Next time, let's hope Nintendo enters the 21st century and puts this puppy online.

Unfortunately, figuring out how to work the controller is absolutely infuriating, meaning you go into firefights against stealthy Charlie with no knowledge of your environment, opponent, or weapon.

The whole shooting match feels kinda Xeroxed, but for fans of the genre, it's worth the rental after a long day at the rock pile.

Blowing away targets requires use of annoying lock-on control, but rolling out of harm's way during lead showers and stealthy clinging to walls varies the pace-as do cut scenes dripping with cheezola dialogue.

Unfortunately, figuring out how to work the controller is absolutely infuriating, meaning you go into firefights against stealthy Charlie with no knowledge of your environment, opponent, or weapon.

Unfortunately, figuring out how to work the controller is absolutely infuriating, meaning you go into firefights against stealthy Charlie with no knowledge of your environment, opponent, or weapon.

For the casual player, this is archaic stuff that’ll provide about an hour of nostalgic fun.

But even if you lack broadband, the bizarre characters and 13 arcade-style courses to choose from will keep you giddier than Carl Spackler on a gofer hunt.

Some of the better moves defy gravity and reason—such as the four-man pile driver. The game doesn't reveal who these freaks are or why they're fighting, but extensive research has revealed they're based on a line of rubber toys and a disturbing '80s TV show.

The wacky sensibility will give you a few chuckles, while the insane difficulty level takes you on a masochistic tour of your squandered youth.

Decent graphics and gory (if kinda short) game play will keep most players nailed to the controller, but sometimes wretched camera placement sucks harder than the minions of Dracula at a Red Cross blood drive.

Decent graphics and gory (if kinda short) game play will keep most players nailed to the controller, but sometimes wretched camera placement sucks harder than the minions of Dracula at a Red Cross blood drive.

Difficult navigation and slow play require Zen-like patience, but riches await the persistent. You’ll revel in a bowel-loosening atmosphere, brain-twisting puzzles, and voice acting surpassed in horror only by "My Slutty Wife XIX."

The concept and play consistently deal a royal flush, just ignore the choppy visuals, which can irritate like a pesky infection picked up at Miss Kitty’s Cat House.

The concept and play consistently deal a royal flush, just ignore the choppy visuals, which can irritate like a pesky infection picked up at Miss Kitty’s Cat House.

You'll add valuable mech piloting skills to your résumé in punishing combat situations that are as close as you'll ever get to the real thing...were these machines not totally fictional.

Like the movie, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is quite an ambitious undertaking. Unlike the movie, it doesn’t consistently deliver the goods.

While the tough, stealthy game play won’t grip you in a chokehold of novelty and surprise, it flashes a lethal look and feel.

While the tough, stealthy game play won’t grip you in a chokehold of novelty and surprise, it flashes a lethal look and feel.

And once you learn to handle swapping positions at the tap of a button, you'll realize that beneath the cuddly, kiddie veneer lurks a fiercely competitive game that's all about spanking the baby powder off your opponents.

The drab pacing isn’t helped by clunky controls and muddy graphics.

Like the movie, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is quite an ambitious undertaking. Unlike the movie, it doesn’t consistently deliver the goods.

It’s all so much like the Xbox version, in fact, that you might wonder why the hell you spent money on it a second time.

With Heroes, D&D has severed its dorky roots in favor of fast-paced, arcade-style hackin' 'n' slashin'.

Fanatics will tweak tire pressure, suspension, and build dynasties, alliances, and sponsorships; rookies can learn the nuances of drafting, passing, and holding position on dozens of real-world tracks.

Fanatics will tweak tire pressure, suspension, and build dynasties, alliances, and sponsorships; rookies can learn the nuances of drafting, passing, and holding position on dozens of real-world tracks.

Fanatics will tweak tire pressure, suspension, and build dynasties, alliances, and sponsorships; rookies can learn the nuances of drafting, passing, and holding position on dozens of real-world tracks.

While this muck jam has expansive environments and great graphics, it also boasts as much originality as a Winger sing-along chorus. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.

While this muck jam has expansive environments and great graphics, it also boasts as much originality as a Winger sing-along chorus. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.

But the game's star is really Nevin's cool, morphable costume, which gives new meaning to the phrase "class action suit."

But the game's star is really Nevin's cool, morphable costume, which gives new meaning to the phrase "class action suit."

It's too bad that clunky controls and eh game play stay forever buried in a time lock of dull sloppiness.

It's too bad that clunky controls and eh game play stay forever buried in a time lock of dull sloppiness.

The drab pacing isn’t helped by clunky controls and muddy graphics.

The ordinary race-and-chaser’s loosely knit compilation of repetitive Mini Cooper showdowns has a recognizable scene or two, but that’s about it.

While this muck jam has expansive environments and great graphics, it also boasts as much originality as a Winger sing-along chorus. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.

The ordinary race-and-chaser’s loosely knit compilation of repetitive Mini Cooper showdowns has a recognizable scene or two, but that’s about it.

The ordinary race-and-chaser’s loosely knit compilation of repetitive Mini Cooper showdowns has a recognizable scene or two, but that’s about it.

Despite the occasionally clunky controls, Emperor’s Tomb does impress with its hand-to-hand brawls (Ms. Croft would be lost without HER weapons) and the free-range exploration allowed within each level.

The game’s pace rarely manages to grind past second gear, making this a much longer haul than it really should be.

Despite the occasionally clunky controls, Emperor’s Tomb does impress with its hand-to-hand brawls (Ms. Croft would be lost without HER weapons) and the free-range exploration allowed within each level.

While the kill-and-kill-again objective may be low in frills, the simple, straightforward action is a welcome break from a sea of complex games that currently take longer to set up than to play.

We forsee you buying this game, enjoying it at first, getting frustrated at certain parts, then putting it on your shelf after you’re done and rarely playing it again.

We forsee you buying this game, enjoying it at first, getting frustrated at certain parts, then putting it on your shelf after you’re done and rarely playing it again.

We forsee you buying this game, enjoying it at first, getting frustrated at certain parts, then putting it on your shelf after you’re done and rarely playing it again.

Yes, it’s half-amusing to see Marge do a 360 with her beehive do for, oh, about 10 seconds, but really, let’s just keep the skateboarding to experts like Bart and Tony Hawk.

The only "improvements" consist of a slew of extra outfits, yawn-inducing training missions, and a handful of bonuses that only the most avid Gear geek could appreciate. If that’s you, fine.

The graphics and sound (enhanced by the actual voices of the movie’s stars) were well-rendered and intricate indeed, but players soon grew bored with repetitive thrusting and parrying against evil Sauron’s monstrous hordes.

It’s hard to diss a game that looks so realistic (Iverson’s still rocking ’rows), but there’s just something wrong when the only way to stop anyone from driving to the bucket is by taking away their keys to the stadium.

It’s hard to diss a game that looks so realistic (Iverson’s still rocking ’rows), but there’s just something wrong when the only way to stop anyone from driving to the bucket is by taking away their keys to the stadium.

It’s hard to diss a game that looks so realistic (Iverson’s still rocking ’rows), but there’s just something wrong when the only way to stop anyone from driving to the bucket is by taking away their keys to the stadium.

Painstaking detail and suspenseful play make this a thinking sofa slug’s delight, though the deliberate pace might frustrate action fans.

Eye-popping.

The problem here is Blitz is a lot like Jerry Springer: if you’ve seen one episode, you’ve seen them all. This year’s edition does little to dispel that theory, since it comes with only a handful of new features, none of which include online play.

The problem here is Blitz is a lot like Jerry Springer: if you’ve seen one episode, you’ve seen them all. This year’s edition does little to dispel that theory, since it comes with only a handful of new features, none of which include online play.

The ho-hum game play won’t wow you.

[Its] shortcomings make it hard to recommend if you’ve bought a previous edition in the past, but it’s just so damn fun to play and watch that it might be worth picking up anyway.

Your all-terrain vehicles come equipped with oil slicks, smoke screens, and acid bombs that are so fun to use that it's hard to tell if it's more fun to use contraband or smuggle it.

Now we don’t mean to be football snobs here, but there’s just something wrong when a downfield bomb takes longer to drop than the Goodyear blimp. Just ask the unconscious wide receiver that got clocked by a safety waiting for it to come down.

While the graphics are different from previous Taxi incarnations, the goal of this romp is the same.

It’s not the deepest game you’ll find, but its oddly satisfying.

It does have...a kung-fu penguin! And what's cooler than that?

Most of the game consists of endless management, such as babysitting your kids, managing your dough, and constantly mailing postcards to your friends so they don’t resent your ignoring them.

Like the comic books that inspired it, Freedom Force features slick animation and plenty of boffo, whiz-bang special effects.

Like most outings with the little lady, this one gets tired, but ample eye candy—and violence—ensure that Eve is one traditional kiss good night that occasionally slips you the tongue.

Though the tired scenarios prevent this from being a gourmet experience, on the action-starved Xbox it makes for a satisfying lunch special.

Such virtual destruction may once have seemed innocent, but these days the whole thing hits a little close to home.