The characters are still charming but they're fronting a dull, lazy game. [June 2009, p.60]

Digging fanatics will dig exploring every last square of earth, but Namco haven't dug deep enough to create a truly compelling and fresh experience. [Oct 2006, p.68]

We found it tough to love. [Dec 2011, p.74]

Not what we were hoping for from such a great developer of music games. [July 2009, p.66]

Turn the sound down and you may get a few hours' fun out of this one. [Apr 2011, p.75]

Running is done clumsily with the D-pad, while the stylus is only used in minigames. [Sept 2007, p.70]

A clean, logical layout and superb handwriting recognition - we're sure crossword aficionados stateside are having themselves a grand old time. [Aug 2007, p.70]

25 quid for four minigames. [Christmas 2009, p.70]

The platforming's stupidly fiddly, the driving is very dull, and the obstacle dodging is the worst sort of touch-screen bodging nonsense. [Dec 2006, p.54]

The innovation of the new Wii gameplay modes is dulled by the fact you're playing a game you probably already own in its 'real' form. [Feb 2009, p.65]

Funny and frustrating in equal measures. [January 2007, p.77]

It soon gets highly repetitive. [Mar 2011, p.72]

The soul-sappingly slow racing lets this down. [Aug 2011, p.68]

Certainly not dreadful, and better than the first Family Trainer, but if feels like a budget release with a full-price tag. [Nov 2009, p.69]

Doesn't make great use of the Wii controls and EVE can be a sod to fly around. [Oct 2008, p.70]

Frustrating in a hurl-the-cartridge-into-the-North-Sea way. Easily the worst of the three versions. Unacceptable! [Dec 2006, p.40]

Hardly epic and in no way legendary, but this contains mild thrills - if you can come to terms with how outdated it all is. [Aug 2009, p.71]

As undemanding as this kind of thing gets. [Sept 2009, p.54]

We know the subject matter is huge robots thumping other huge robots, but it doesn't have to be as mindless as this. [Sept 2009, p.67]

We know the subject matter is huge robots thumping other huge robots, but it doesn't have to be as mindless as this. [Sept 2009, p.67]

The sad effects of aging in all their glory. Populous used to crack top ten games lists in 1990. Populous DS isn't even one of the top ten games this issue.

There's very little actual game. [Feb 2009, p.77]

We can't deny the initial thrill of creating your own dungeon and looting it for meat, but it wont' take long before its charm turns into sheer annoyance. [Dec 2008, p.64]

It's not that it's badly made or anything. It's just a bit dull, and there's only so many polygon peppers we want to chop. [Dec 2006, p.43]

Courses are angular and riddled with pop-up, and the impression of speed is created by what looks like dandruff flying off your car's roof. [Feb 2009, p.76]

Far too expensive for what it is. [Dec 2011, p.73]

More a party game than a sports sim, but not a particularly good one. [May 2010, p.64]

The feeling that it's all a bit slapdash never really goes away. [March 2012, p.107]