There's no fairytale ending for this beat 'em-up, with its striking art and terrible control scheme.

It might be a clone but none have copied Diablo more expertly than this bargain-priced tribute.

Funnier, more imaginative and with 100% more Murray the talking skull, Monkey Island is back on course.

Sony's own take Project Natal proves a convincing proof of concept but even as a virtual pet it's limited.

It might be okay on a mobile phone but you'll want to reverse the charges for this on Xbox Live Arcade.

Borderline brilliant at times and even a heavy weight of minor flaws can't spoil the superb co-op play.

One of the few successful attempts to mix politics and gaming is far more entertaining than you'd think.

By-the-book cartoon tie-in, which ticks every box on the list of obvious mistakes. Some of them twice.

Everything but the gameplay is great - but as fun as creating your own stories may be, it's not enough.

A host of new refinements makes this the best FIFA yet and probably the best football game ever.

At last, Mama gets out of the kitchen and... into a perversely unenjoyable shopping simulator.

The DS is the definitive version but this still does some things better than the home consoles GTAs.

Omega Factor is a classic 2D game that everyone should play. This is a shameful, artless knock-off.

The granddaddy of all shoot 'em-ups returns in one of the most accomplished retro updates ever seen.

Another perfectly crafted adventure that puts to shame most other retail games at five times its price.

Old school graphic adventure that doesn't pull its punches with either the puzzles or the gorgeous art.

Enjoyably surreal graphic adventure that is still fun despite no real challenge or lastability.

It may not be a great game but even card-carrying metal haters will get drawn into this gutsy homage.

The best exclusive on the PS3 is also one of this gen's greatest (and most attractive) action adventures.

This punch-pulling retro update is charming and beautiful but doesn't quite have the mind to match.

What should be the most epic crossover of all time is reduced to Daley Thompson's Decathlon in the snow.

The corpse of survival horror gets another beating with gameplay as intangible as its ghostly antagonists.

A loving and genuinely funny homage to old school role-playing-games and the people that play them.

An unusual open world samurai adventure, with plenty of authenticity but little spit and polish.

Even if you enjoy Roguelikes this must be the worst special edition ever, with almost no new features.

It looks great but LucasArts' arthouse styled platform puzzler simply isn't much fun to play.

It's not the visual jaw-dropper that was promised but a virtual safari is better than none.

An intriguing antidote to Modern Warfare that's realistic to a fault, but never dull or predictable.

Spore hits an evolutionary dead end, as the "everything sim" becomes just another dull platformer.

LucasArts may have turned a page lately, but it's still got its cheap and nasty tie-in days bookmarked.

There's no gain without pain in this unusual and atmospheric, but incredibly punishing, action RPG.

Not the worst tie-in of the year but one that runs out of ideas even more quickly than the films.

It's an ungenerous expansion, but if you've not tried the original this is a slightly healthier option.

Hugely disappointing portable debut that replicates the basic look of Gran Tursimo but rips out its heart.

The old Advance Wars clone gets a remake, but somehow avoids getting a proper 21st-century makeover.

It may lack the scares of its big brother, but this proves an impressively progressive lightgun game.

It looks and plays just like the PS3 games, but alas this is just as pedestrian in terms of innovation.

Some may see it as dumbing down but for most this will be the most accessible and fun Ninja Gaiden yet.

Another perfectly crafted adventure that puts to shame most other retail games at five times its price.

Micro Machines remains to be beaten, but this top-down racer is still fun if you have enough friends.

It's not a game for the ages but it is a reasonable introduction to real-time strategy for action fans.

Another obnoxious sequel that seems to have forgotten that the whole point of the game was its originality.

Bungie plays it safe with a side story that seems designed to expand little but Microsoft's wallet.

Capcom's latest attempt to please a hardcore audience tries, and fails, to be God Of War on the Wii.

The Turtle edition of Super Smash Bros. has the same ingredients but plays like week-old pizza.

A fantasy real-time strategy that ignores conventions as readily as its heroes ignore your commands.

One of the best console real-time strategies in a smaller, easily digested (or at least afforded) form.

It wants to be an interactive grindhouse movie and it is: derivative, repetitive but mindless fun anyway.

The switch to turn-based strategy works perfectly but only fans will tolerate the endless cut scenes.

In their panic EA has made a game which has no place in the current market. Neither arcade racer, nor simulation it also pales next to the well-established rivals which manage to be both.

A clear improvement on Heroes Of The Pacific, but IL-2 Sturmovik is still the superior fighter ace.

Activision somehow finds a way to dumb down what was already an absurdly shallow action role-player.

It's a dazzling technical feat, the only problem is the actual game bits aren't all that much fun.

The best Mario role-player yet is sharply funny, surprisingly deep and endlessly inventive.

A dream come true for Beatles fans, but viewed purely as a game it's not a patch on Rock Band 2.

Arguably the last great Sonic The Hedgehog game, even if it's not necessarily one of the best.

Dazzlingly gorgeous 2D graphics cannot hide Vanillaware's merely competent beat 'em-up gameplay.

You don't have to be a child to enjoy this new game from the makers of Hitman - just very undemanding.

The PC flight sim makes a near-perfect landing on consoles, with some of WWII's most exciting combat.

It may have little in common with the earlier McRae games but this is still a varied and exciting racer.

The best version of the worst Disgaea might be for fans only but it's still a great strategy role-player.

Konami forgets it's already made the ultimate Contra tribute - and it's not this bland rehash.

It's still just another Tower Defence game, but at least this one requires some genuine strategy.

A deceivingly original multiplayer shooter with plenty of unusual ideas for the committed player.

As deep and as beautiful as its legacy demands, but this portable fighter is lacking in solo appeal.

The music game bubble stays intact for another year, with no big new ideas - just lots of little ones.

3D graphics may be the future, but this dull beat 'em-up is unlikely to convince you of the fact.

The final slice of downloadable content is just as shallow in its gameplay and ambition as before.

One of the most original survival horrors of modern times, held back by a leaden pace and controls.

Far more than just the best Batman game, this is a top notch mix of action, stealth and storytelling.

Despite an unhealthy amount of fan service this is an innovative, if inaccessible, one-on-one fighter.

As usual the new play controls add little, but this is still a good deal for such classic games.

Gaming's politest protagonist returns with another generously stocked portable puzzle compendium.

Mr Driller is a great game, but this is not a great Mr Driller game - merely an expensive introduction.

A disappointing second chapter that's short on comedy, game length and decent puzzles.

The greyification of gaming continues, but this new age Super Metroid is more fun than it looks.

The Wolfenstein series has never felt older than in this unambitious and workmanlike sequel.

Another incremental improvement that adds some welcome new features but fails to fix old ones.

All the fun of the original squeezed into an all-action and generally more enjoyable expansion.

You'll either love or loathe the rote learning and rock hard difficultly in this next gen Kikstart.

Better looking than many a retail game and with only a little more variety it could've been a 2D classic.

There's certainly plenty of rock but this climbing sim doesn't prove quite as exciting as it sounds.

More complex and yet also more accessible than ever, with an incredibly in-depth simulation of WWII.

A shamefully poor tie-in, even by normal standards, that totally ignores the potential of the license.

Virtual On on a budget, with a fully functioning online mode but very little depth or longevity.

The last of the Fallout 3 expansions is also one of the worst in this bafflingly dull abduction yarn.

The princess may have bitten off more than she can chew with her clever but confused multiplayer melees.

As a prime slice of pure gaming cheese we only hope a new sequel is imminent.

A game insensitive to both the subject matter and the need to offer any real variety or intrigue.

The DS's second serving of Bust-A-Move has little new to offer but the same old coloured bubble matching.

A fun but shallow mini-game collection, whose hobbled simulations still make good use of the MotionPlus.

A disappointing series reboot, with the new graphics proving more trouble than they're worth.

Arkanoid is finally superseded as the best Breakout clone around in this enjoyable retro update.

Sony's super-stylised future racer may still be download-only but this expansion is worth every penny.

Like any good firework display this fun platformer retains its charm even after the novelty runs out.

The consistently surprising offspring of Harvest Moon and Pikmin will make a royalist out of anyone.

A surprisingly high quality tie-in, which for once acts as a good introduction to gaming for youngsters.

Better than My Life As A King but the bad guys still aren't having that much fun with their tower defence.