Tight control and realistic physics. [Dec 2002, p.216]

Using the same isometric view as the previous titles, Attack of the Rhynocs takes a sizeable leap in gameplay quality and variety. [Jan 2004, p.162]

With solid soccer action and tons of features, Disney Sports Soccer is a real winner. [Jan 2003, p.175]

The excellent graphics and music reflect the offbeat Muppet spirit. [June 2002, p.152]

Some tasks may be a little too tricky for young players. [Dec 2003, p.146]

The need to select actions from a list of commands makes the game move at a slower pace than most platformers, but the variety gives the adventure depth. [Dec 2004, p.150]

As in other Hot Wheels titles, the stunts are fun but limited to spinning or flipping your car in the air. [Feb 2005, p.116]

Feels unlike any other stunt game, but it's fun all the same. [Sept 2002, p.168]

The rules are dense and battles require very little player participation but the process of accumulating chips and designing decks is tons of fun. [Apr 2004, p.122]

Straightforward sci-fi action with comic book style and lots of cool gadgets. [Feb 2003, p.155]

Your ride seems faster than Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX for GBA, and it's easier to bust out long chains of tricks. [Jan 2002, p.132]

The graphics are sparse, but the courses are well-designed, with lots of curves and hills. [Sept 2003, p.138]

It's not as elaborate as "NBA Street V3's" Street Challenge mode, but it does the job. [May 2005, p.91]

The controls are sometimes sluggish, but the overall game play is loads of fun. [Nov 2003, p.156]

Excellent fun. [Apr 2002, p.152]

It's a downsized version of the Rayman experience transformed into a multiplayer party game. [Sept 2002, p.165]

The game is like a stark, futuristic "Advance Wars" without the happy combatants and vehicle variety. [Dec 2007, p.82]

"Quotation Forthcoming"

Unfortunately, for all of its cool options and play modes, Power Pros fails to hit it out of the park because the on-field gameplay is disappointly simplistic and suffers from lackluster controls. [Dec 2007, p.82]

Rather than shoehorn the current Monkey Ball experience onto the DS, it would have been nice if the developers had tried to reinvent it in a way that truly took advantage of the handheld's capabilities. [Mar 2006, p.88]

The question is, would you rather simulate real life or just live it? [Jan. 2007, p.110]

There's some good content here(especially where the Light Cycles are concerned), but the game is undeniably limited. [Jan 2011, p.85]

Unfortunately, a heavy reliance on arbitrary dialogue triggers to advance the story detracts from the game; it's at its best when you're solving item-based puzzles. [Nov 2007, p.105]

It's disappointing to see such a promising title held back by problems that could have been easily fixed. [April 2012, p.83]

There are enough neat ideas here that I'd like to see Clover try a sequel, but they need to work out somoe of the kinks. [Jan 2006, p.114]

The total diversion makes for a fun but frivolous diversion. [Mar 2006, p.85]

As it is, it's a passable diversion that should please TRON fans for a few hours. [Jan 2011, p.85]

Despite being a part of a product-tie-in-machine, Battle B Daman does offer an above-average gameplay experience that makes it a worthy stand-alone game. [Sep 2006, p.85]

On the one hand, it's new; on the other, it feels like a fairly standard filler episode in the anime series. [Nov 2008, p.104]

Spidey fans will revel in a brand-new story. Adventure fans will wish for more refined and even play. [Holiday 2008, p.82]

It's a shame, because if it weren't for that one infuriating aspect of the game, Shipwrecked would be a real winner. [Dec 2008, p.102]

The scenes are a good incentive for getting through the more-frustrating and less-rewarding parts of the game. [Dec. 2006, p.113]

WWE '13 comes across as too ambitious for its own good. [Nov 2012, p.84]

Despite its shortcomings, Master of Disguise managers to deliver a moderately enjoyable platforming romp. [Apr 2007, p.86]

It's a shame that Revenge of King Piccolo becomes essentially a mediocre fighting game in the latter part of the adventure. [Dec 2009, p.88]

Portability and touch-screen functionality give the DS game the edge. [Apr 2009, p.84]

As funny and clever as the festivities can be, they don't always equate to fun gameplay. [Holiday 2007, p.80]

Once you get past the fact you are playing as a bull with an udder, there's quite a bit to enjoy in Barnyard. [Sep 2006, p.84]

Battle B-Daman players who have exhausted the first game and crave more B-Dabattling will be satiated by the follow up. [Dec. 2006, p.114]

Starting from scratch every time you have bad luck will be frustrating, but if you can get past the setbacks, you'll enjoy a solid DS adventure. [Mar 2008, p.86]

Just don't expect the next great epic. [Aug 2005, p.83]

Just as good as, if not a tad better than, their predecessors. They're just not any different. [Aug 2005, p.81]

Ever since the "Mana" series made its North American debut on the SNES in 1993, players have been waiting for a sequel that recaptures the same magic. Children of mana doesn't fit that bill, but if you're looking for an action-oriented RPG--and you've got buddies looking for the same--it's worth checking out. [Dec. 2006, p.114]

Strip away The Pumpkin King's look and feel and you're left with a "Castlevania"-influenced platformer with only a handful of weapons and run-of-the-mill boss battles. [Dec 2005, p.116]

To Barrel Blast's credit, it looks like there was a concerted effort to make the game look better--a smooth frame rate and some nice effects spruce up an otherwise mundane racer. [Nov 2007, p.99]

You'll be thrown into the deep end right at the start, and will probably have to play each dungeon over and over again to master it. [Mar. 2007, p.88]

Just as good as, if not a tad better than, their predecessors. They're just not any different. [Aug 2005, p.81]

Though not as glossy as "Space Invaders Extreme"(another Taito update from Square Enix), brick-breaker Arkanoid DS takes advantage of the DS hardware more than its classic-reborn cousin by offering a vertical playing field and a touch-control option. [July 2008, p.89]

Two-thirds of X-Men: The Official Game is pretty good. Two out of three ain't bad. [July 2006, p.91]

Mystery Case Files: MilionHeir isn't going to take the place of the latest platformer or RPG in your DS library, but for what it is--a visual puzzle that tests of your power of perception--it fills the niche well. [Nov 2008, p.101]

Rough around the edges as it is, the game is still a satisfying battle-intensive adventure. [Aug 2005, p.83]

This is a solid game that simply doesn't do enough to separate itself from its predecessor. [Jan 2008, p.88]

A mixed bag that owes as much to "Elite Beat Agents" as it does to Bach, Wagner, and Beethoven. [July 2008, p.90]

The graphics aren't at the quality of those for current GCN racers, but the play control and physics are expertly tuned. [Nov 2005, p.109]

Unfortunately, the gap between the DS's two screens can be a hindrance, and the frustrating camera controls will often have you blindly shooting offscreen. [Holiday 2009, p.89]

If you've played one "Bust-A-Move" game, you've pretty much played them all. [July 2007, p.95]

Shimomura, and a lengthy story campaign make Heroes seem like a home run, and it would be if not for one flaw: Shoddy AI. [Sep 2007, p.87]

But while the lighthearted mass destruction is reasonably fun, particularly in multiplayer mode, the game suffers from a lack of technical polish. [Jun 2006, p.87]

The game is structured very well; each game section has its own massive hub world that ties everything together, and exploring every nook and cranny to find all the goodies can be pretty addictive. Too bad the actual gameplay isn't as compelling. [Holiday 2009, p.87]

It's just too darn short--you'll probably make it through the entire single-player mode in just over an hour (add another hour to get platinum medals on every stage). [Holiday 2007, p.84]

While the game won't be mistaken for something on a scale with Final Fantasy, it does push old-school dungeon-crawler buttons that will trigger fond memories in veteran players. [Mar 2008, p.85]

There's not much depth, and it gets old pretty fast. Still, the gameplay is solid, especially for the casual crowd. [July 2008, p.89]

It looks nice, it plays nice, and it has plenty of unlockables, quality cut-scenes, and a decent multiplayer mode. Still, frustrations lie around every corner. [Aug 2006, p.84]

Ultimately, your take on this game will depend on whether you see constant setbacks due to horrible flaming death as an irresistible challenge or as a frustrating waste of time. [Mar 2010, p.91]

Iron Man 2 still has its tedious moments (and a bland storyline), but it unquestionable tops the weak Wii version. [July 2010, p.88]

A noble experiment that fails to achieve its full potential. [Dec 2005, p.121]

Maybe a must-own for Tim Burton fans, but definitely a rental for everyone else. [Holiday 2008, p.88]

Despite - or maybe because of - the ridiculous premise, Onechanbara can be quite fun. [Apr 2009, p.65]

When the game sticks to this classic(yet variety-filled)formula of quick action and quick reflexes, it's pretty fun. [Sept 2011, p.73]

Although Ron has a supercharged attack, fighting is the weakest part of the game, consisting of single-move bouts against predictable enemies. [Sept 2005, p.85]

Cooking Mama World Kitchen isn't bad, but it could have been better. [Holiday 2008, p.80]

Insecticide tries to be a lot of things at once--platformer, shooter, and investigative adventure--which is a trcik that seldom works well. [Mar 2008, p.89]

The level design is mostly bland, the controls aren't as tight as they should be. [Dec 2005, p.120]

A cinch to pick up and play, but will be just as easily forgotten. [Oct 2009, p.90]

Fans of the show and newbies alike have much to enjoy here. [Dec. 2006, p.109]

Soul Bubbles is on the right track toward greatness, but we'll have to hope for a fully realized sequel before it gets there. [July 2008, p.90]

The turn-based battle system--in which you pit your collection of possessed treasures against enemy spirits--is sort of interesting, but not enough to make up for the title's shortcomings. [Oct 2011, p.84]

There is a terrific adventure game here, but you'll have to tolerate multiple irritating quirks to get to it. [Nov 2011, p.79]

Fun, mainly because of its emphasis on cooperation. [June 2009, p.89]

Given the blandness of the single-player experience, you'll be better off enjoying the scenery during wireless LAN multicard dogfights. [June 2007, p.103]

There's fun to be had in WWE '12, but with each iteration of the franchise, it feels like bigger changes are needed for the series to stay relevant. [Dec 2011, p.81]

If you crave innovation and have the patience to deal with Cookie & Cream's shortcomings, the title offers a creative, charming, and mostly satisfying adventure. [July 2007, p.93]

"Quotation Forthcoming"

Fans wil enjoy the customized in-fight dialogue between the characters. [Nov 2005, p.108]

That it does what it does with such colorful flair and tight pacing is the pleasant surprise that makes htis entertaining piece of fluff rise above the licensed-character hop-and-battle scrap heap. [Jan 2006, p.111]

It's easy to achieve proficiency in the game, and so difficult to fail, you may find that your skill and your interest in the game plateau quickly. [Dec. 2006, p.106]

Pokemon Battle Revolution has its ups and downs, but it makes for a decent way to get more out of Diamond and Pearl. [Aug 2007, p.85]

The racing itself is arcadey fun--though it can get annoyingly repetitive, especially when you spend a long time trying to evade the cops. [Holiday 2008, p.87]

Though it's not quite "Resident Evil" for the E10+ set, THQ's movie-based Monster House does provide a few good scares in the man-eating manor of its title. [Sep 2006, p.85]

It does mark a departure, adding light RPG elements to the isometric-adventure style seen on the GBA. [Dec 2005, p.112]

The premise is obnoxious, but COA is surprisingly addictive. [Dec 2005, p.118]

Even if you make no mistakes and keep all your customers happy, you're still likely to fail. [July 2007, p.94]

As promising as this Lost-meets-Animal Crossing premise sounds, however, the game as a whole becomes a bit tedious. [Feb 2008, p.87]

The problem is that the game feels phoned in, from the tacked-on motion controls to the scan tutorial system that assumed you've already played every other Harvest Moon game. [Oct 2008, p.90]

Cars is a decent racer, but ultimately, it is too fast and too rigid for its own good. {Aug 2006, p.86]

Obviously, Academy of Champions: Soccer is not a game for hardcore footie fans, but those looking for a pick-up-and-play soccer game should give it a try. [Dec 2009, p.86]

It's too bad, though, that the game feels like it would have worked better as a side mode than as a full game (think Devil Within from Tekken 5). [Holiday 2007, p.86]

Contact is, in a word, frustrating. [Nov. 2006, p.92]