As entertaining a gaming experience that The Two Thrones delivers, it’s nothing new- more of a refinement on an already solid formula and premise than anything else.

TrackMania is a great addition to the DS’s racing library and should hopefully set the tone for games to come.

Unfortunately, if you have already played Brain Challenge on another system, you may want to skip over this WiiWare version because it really isn’t anything you have not seen before.

Most players will be happy to know that all the games' control schemes are mapped out pretty well on the Xbox's controller.

OutRun fan boys rejoice—everyone else proceed with caution.

It's a well done RTS game, but it's still an RTS game at it's core. You build a base, you defeat the enemy, and you move on to the next. You fight on land, you fight on sea.

Because of the rather boring combat system, it's a sad fact that Silent Hill 4 really isn't all that scary.

The chills and suspense that is a trademark of Silent Hill is still there, but the new aspects can provide an interesting twist to people bored with the old Silent Hill format.

With the introduction of polygons in Mega Man X2 in 1995, I never thought their use would result in a good X game. But this is the game I imagined the future would bring.

The Undergarden doesn't ever really turn into a bad experience, just one that most people will never go out their way to play.

Be warned that the control scheme is quite frustrating and the levels are reused more often than they should.

Path of the Ninja 2 is basically D3 making the best with what they had, and doing something impressive with it.

For 800 MS Points ($10), you are going to get yourself a decent old-school shooter with a new coat of paint shooter. If you are a fan of the series, or a youngun looking for a history lesson, at least check out the demo version.

This game is capable of sucking away hours of your life without you noticing, which is always a great sign of addictive and highly entertaining gameplay.

After all is said and done this is the best Budokai to date however there are still two or three major flaws preventing Budokai 3 from being a truly great game.

This is one you can feel confident about showing your family and friends who are normally saying things like "pish-tosh" when you bring up video games.

Although there are annoyances that will deter some, Kingdom of Paradise is still fun enough that it's worth playing past the rough spots to get to the good stuff.

It’s a highly recommended compilation for old timers (myself included), but maybe newbies will not appreciate the games as much.

In the end, you must head the advice which our dear bounty hunter has taken to heart, literally: BE THE BALL.

Bookworm is exactly what it says that it is, a game where a worm goes around beating up creatures using only the power of his words. If that sounds like a good time, and have fun with the daily word jumble, Bookworm Adventures is probably the right game for you.

If you are looking for an adventure game to play, you could do a lot worse than Muzzled. It’s defiantly fun for at least one play through.

If you are a fan of platformers, and want to experience it with a drilling machine, this unique game will please 2D fans. Just expect to be let down in the replay value and sound department.

A solid title that truly is "fun for the whole family."

With simple graphics and musical soundtrack, Rush’s $6 price point is justified. The controls are quite solid too, but being able to zoom in and out could have been nice but isn’t totally necessary.

With it short gameplay and high action, Wet will make the perfect weekend rental, especially if jacked up on Code Red Mountain Dew.

But the whole point is bringing the guitar playing ideal to a portable system. This has definitely been accomplished with the fret board and guitar pick stylus, but the absence of crucial game options really bring the overall package of this game down.

Most likely, the developers adding in all these gameplay elements to make it easier on the player, something that the target audience -- younger kids, would appreciate. But to the fans of the first title, it is like a slap in the face.

Even though Pipe Mania is not a bold departure for a game that’s existed for years now, it’s still a pretty good game.

If you or your kid is a fan of Clone Wars, Star Wars in general, or even just wants to play some fun mini-games, this is definitely worth checking out, especially considering it's free to try.

Another area where Pandora Tomorrow is somewhat of a let down is in the absolute necessity of having to find humans to play with.

One need not be a huge fan of John Constantine, nor even know anything about him or the Hellblazer series to appreciate the experience (though it might make you cool).

The replay value isn’t very high for casual fans of the sport, and I suspect not even hardcore fans will spend copious amounts of time with the title.

There is no doubt that if you like old style RPGs, you will like The 4 Heroes of Light.

While not spectacular by today's standards, Tales of Phantasia still has charm and an uncommon style of gameplay.

King of Swing is like getting a new puppy; it is addictive and fun at first, but then the full reality of taking care of it finally sets in. Initially the game will be fun, but then frustration and (even) anger may eventually become the norm.

Geist is intriguing enough as the sum of its parts to elicit forgiveness for its shooting gameplay.

Despite having an annoying audio side, Puzzle Guzzle is one of the best $20 games I have played in a long time.

With a total of twelve levels, including two bosses, Swarm may not be the longest game in its price range, but you'll be replaying each level at least a few times in order to collect the five DNA strands scattered across each needed to unlock the bosses, as well as to earn those coveted Death Medals.

Without question, Beautiful Katamari is an entertaining game, especially for newcomers to the series.

This blue lizard offers way more than a certain purple dragon at over half the cost. Scaler's high speed may remind some of a certain other blue creature, but since he is only making revivals of his earlier days, why not try a game with a totally next-generation look and feel, but without all those camera glitches?

X-Men Legends II is a gem for comic book fans, or fans of a good action RPG. The game offers a very balanced proportion of depth, control, and action.

The game is 10 dollars, which seems about right for the maximum amount of enjoyable this game is able to deliver.

It offers a less linear approach than many other titles and is fun enough to play through at least once, maybe twice given the various difficulty levels.

Better gameplay, more characters, better story, and a nice budget price tag. I just wish they could improve those visuals a little more.

Despite the graphical shortcomings, NeoGeo Battle Coliseum is still a good fighting game.

The bottom line is simple. If you are a fan of classic Namco games, there is no reason to not buy this disc. If you have not yet bought any of the games available on Xbox Live, this is the way to do it because you are getting more than your money worth.

The game is bogged down by a slew of issues that simply negate any true aspirations to master this game.

It's not as solid as X-Men Legends or Marvel Ultimate Alliance, but if you are a DC fan, you'll dig it.

Even though Metal Slug has not evolved, it is a still a fun game, but game design changes would definitely be welcomed in the inevitable Metal Slug 8.

The central narrative holds up for the most part, the squad-based elements are terrific, and the suspense won’t let you down.

There was much about the game that was good: the lighting, the music, the character models, etc. However, there were also many things that soured the game for me, such as the game's lack of a mid-mission save system, the too-linear gameplay, the awkward controls, and the game's habit of being generally too strict.

Sega Rally Online Arcade has the appeal to attract newcomers thanks to its controllability, but quickly turns into a more hardcore offering due to the highly competitive AI. Grabbing a first place position is rare, which is why the game only has a handful of cars and a couple of tracks to unlock; even Achievement points are difficult to come by. But even though the game's arcadeyness appeals to a broader spectrum of players, this is really a game more for the dedicated gamer.

Despite its flaws, Brick Breaker Deluxe is an entertaining game for the $8 purchase price.

Again, true flight enthusiasts will balk at the lack of takeoff/landing phases and since there is no multiplayer, Ace Combat 5 can't be recommended for anyone but airplane lovers.

An entertaining, easy-going action-oriented RPG that doesn’t reinvent the gaming wheel—but rather cel-shades it beautifully.

Few games hit the shelves with as much panache and style, and as an entertaining romp through an original world it excels.

If there was more variety in the boss battles, a solid transparency effect on the characters, and a single pak link mode, then "Mario Kart" could have faced a run for its money.

The slower pacing of the game is more reminiscent of a traditional RPG. Therefore, if you like your RPGs with the traditional save the girl story while gaining levels and fighting random battles, Legendia will surely please.

While the game doesn't drive you to finish it, and isn't the best platformer to come out in recent months, it still has undeniable quality with generally awesome aesthetics.

Gradius is one of those titles that (for better or worse) has just as much appeal today as it did when it first came out. In fact, it’s even harder to find this kind of action today when 2D games are considered inferior.

Nothing about Superstars V8 Racing is glaringly bad, aside from the tiresome menus that need to read your save whenever you make a selection.

If you’re interested in trying something new, with a great plot and deep rewards, then this is a good pickup. If you’d rather have a more mainstream experience, with more obvious intense moments, then this won’t be a good purchase.

In the very least, it's a fun way to get bragging rights over your friends without actually inflicting pain, and hey, it could be worse - we could be playing "Raw 3."

Seems comfortable to rest squarely in the warm embrace of the genre that id pioneered a decade ago. Certainly, that’s not a bad place to be.

This series is quite possibly the biggest surprise of the PS2’s final years.

The control method is interesting, if not slightly flawed and the audio capabilities of the Wii do more than an adequate job of immersing us into the single player campaign. If you are lucky enough to own both an Wii and an Xbox 360 then we still recommended you opt for the latter as the graphics, tried and tested controls and online capabilities are more adequate for this particular game.

For 800 MS Points ($10), RooGoo is going to give you a new way to enjoy your puzzle games.

Unless you’re locked into buying a bundle when you purchase your Xbox 360 this holiday, it’s probably best to rent Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland.

It's also fun to explore gambling at the casino, shopping at the stores, and giving gifts.

With light platforming, simple controls, bright color pallet, basic game design, and ease of use, MySims Agent is probably the best game in the MySims series. Although best suited for younger players, adult gamers can still get some entertainment out of this title.

A faithful compilation that remains true to its roots and won't disappoint videogame archeologists.

Its clear that the franchise is on its way from breaking out from the shadow of its older, more popular sibling, Madden.

The game is a nice summary of the band, but only true fans will get the get the most out of this title.

The learning curve can be an obstacle to enjoying it fully, but give it a little time and play it on easy first as the tutorials gradually teach you everything you need to know.

What's not to love about games where you play as a robotic savior who must navigate his way through an augmented, mechanized, futuristic Earth filled with bottomless pits and ditches of conical metal honed to sharp points that threaten your success, all played to rocking and memorable tunes?

Rubik’s World is probably one of the only games to come out last year with vastly different game types that almost never connect to the greater whole and still managed to be very playable.

Worms is not a bad game, not by a long shot. In fact, it is quite entertaining, especially for new comers to the series. But do I need to spend another $10 or $15 on a Worms game when a previous version is already owned? No, not really.

I was very surprised with Squad Command. The Action Point system is deep, well balanced, and always keeps the game entertaining.

Upgrades, short cuts, environmental driving conditions, and real-life vehicles force this game above the rest.

I'm not going to say that Ultimate Ninja 3 has the best gameplay of any of the Naruto games. But what I will say is that Ultimate Ninja 3 is the best all around Naruto game to date.

For RPG fans craving a more Zelda-like adventure, Oath in Felghana is a really good bet. Just don't be a hero and shoot for Nightmare mode on your first play-through. Save your sanity and start with normal.

Field Commander is nothing more Advance Wars with a fresh coat of paint. But while Nintendo players will hark that Sony stole their coveted stragety game, you can’t ignore the fact Sony’s multiplayer mode one-ups the GBA and DS versions.

You will be hard pressed to find a better pool experience on the Wii, especially with an $8 price tag.

Not only addresses the problems of the previous game, but also makes extra advancements in the gameplay. But even those advancements have their problems, mainly the maps and motorcycle.

In the end, if you are a fan of the characters, the game has enough to keep you entertained for at least one run through.

Cooking Mama is not a bad game. In fact, it is perfectly suited for the DS as the mini games are fun, entertaining, and short.

Ultimately, the game holds only a moderate amount of appeal for those outside the series' existing fans. The game is fairly unique, in its focus on story and interaction over combat. However, at its core Yakuza 4 stands alongside Grand Theft Auto, Mafia II and Red Dead Redemption. It's a game where you can do bad things and watch a story unfold in a unique game world. If what I've described sounds great…then you'll enjoy Yakuza 4. If not…check out any of the other games I've mentioned.

So if you can look past Neverwinter Nights’ monotonous single-player campaign to its much more stimulating multiplayer mode, it is a worthy buy for any fan of D&D.

If you really want to get into the KoF series, but can't deal with the low grade graphics, then pick up "KoF: Maximum Impact," but if you want a solid, fun, high-quality fighting game that delivers masses of playtime, then King of Fighters 2002/2003 is well worth the investment.

But because the developers took the extra time to develop an excellent online mode, this is a game that should be played by all PSP players. And where else can you blow up zombies with a viral chainsaw dressed in a Santa suit?

If you really want to get into the KoF series, but can’t deal with the low grade graphics, then pick up "KoF: Maximum Impact," but if you want a solid, fun, high-quality fighting game that delivers masses of playtime, then King of Fighters 2002/2003 is well worth the investment.

Everyone is scrambling to say that Guitar Hero 5 is the best game in the series. I’m not sure that I’d go that far, but it’s up there. Unfortunately, the Guitar Hero series is now playing backup for Rock Band in terms of both value and quality.

While I really enjoyed the look and feel of the graphics and controls, there is still a nagging feeling that the game is just too much of a clone.

Taking into account that the story doesn't really go anywhere until you're about 4 hours in, it could turn some people away. However, the fun boss battles, wide variety of skills, and the everlasting charm of playing a Vampire Hunter is there, and kept me coming back for more.

Despite the limited appeal of Arc Arena and personal hang-ups with the story and lack of character depth in Arc II, when combined into one package, this series shines as a high-watermark for the RPG genre.

Where it falls down is in originality: for all its polish, in the end it's really just more of the same as I've played countless hours before.

Real Soccer 2009 is a surprisingly good game considering the stiff competition.

The original Need for Speed Underground is still better than its sequel, which speaks for the great quality of the first game or the lack of it in the sequel.