Add to that the clunky combat mechanics, and the only pleasure you get from beating a level is the relief that it's over. [Aug 2011, p.89]

The graphics are big and bold, but the play control is slow to respond, making some situations difficult, bordering on frustrating. [June 2004, p.122]

Still, Freedom Wings has its fun moments, and it's just quirky enough to keep you wondering what lies around the next bend. [Sep 2006, p.84]

For older gamers, E.T. offers little to phone home about. [May 2002, p.142]

With a big-budget movie comes a subpar video game adaptation--that seems to be the rule. So it should be no surprise that The Incredible Hulk on Wii is...not so great. [Aug 2008, p.90]

Bigger doesn't necessarily mean better. [jan. 2007, p.106]

All ages will get a lot of fun out of [it]. [June 2010, p.88]

The frame rate suffers in the downsized version. [Aug 2002, p.146]

The variety of features and solid game play add up to a satisfying experience. [Mar 2003, p.136]

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

None of these activities are particularly intriguing, and after playing each one once, you'll have seen pretty much everything the game has to offer. [Jan. 2007, p.116]

A creative weapons system and great control make old-school space shooter R-Type III an action gamer's dream. [Apr 2004, p.122]

It's immersive gaming that develops at a slow gallop. [July 2002, p.151]

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]

It's a decent enough RPG with dull turn-based combat, story integration and item-management conventions that were state-of-the-art in 1992. [Mar. 2007, p.88]

Rock Revolutiion is one Rock Band copycat you can afford to skip. [Dec 2008, p.96]

It's disappointing, especially given the depth of the other iterations, but this Ghost Recon has its charms. [Holiday 2010, p.89]

Given that it's a little more than a lazy arcade port, Tank! Tank! Tank! has no business as a $50 retail release. [Dec 2012, p.82]

Tournament of Legends won't immediately appeal to Soulcalibur crowd--the controls won't come naturally, but once you learn the ropes(or lack thereof, given that matches don't take place in a ring)you'll find a challenging, well-balanced game that can be a whole lot of fun with friends. [Aug 2010, p.90]

Despite being packed with good ideas, the platformer stumbles constantly in its execution. [Holiday 2008, p.86]

Solid, but it could have been so much more. [Jan 2006, p.115]

It's also unfortunate that there's no multiplayer of any sort, which definitely hurts the game's longevity. [Dec 2008, p.98]

It's no fun facing monsters that are suddenly too tough to kill. [Dec 2009, p.89]

A loony bin full of variety, and it's a platformer that's worth going grazy over. [July 2002, p.150]

Faithfully reproduces the ZT experience, from building exhibits and guest facilities to managing cash flow. [Nov 2005, p.112]

Controls are slightly sluggish. [June 2005, p.97]

The gimmick of tilting the Wii Remote like handlebars is as engaging as this game gets. [Apr 2009, p.87]

Suffers from one of the worst cameras in recent memory, killer slowdown and bland levels rife with invisible barriers. [Feb 2006, p.97]

Though Godzilla Unleashed is fairly accessible, even casual gamers may wonder why their creatures don't always do what they want. [Holiday 22007, p.82]

Does bring something new to the genre - boss battles that test your trick skills like no other skateboarding game. [Jan 2003, p.172]

For those who know and enjoy poker, this game will be a total disappointment. [Dec 2005, p.111]

An impressive feat, yet still a genre better represented elsewhere. [June 2009, p.90]

Poor hit detection and sluggish controls make the game's challenges more frustrating than fun. [Dec 2003, p.150]

Mike Tyson isn't complex, but it's more than just a button-masher. [Mar 2002, p.137]

The artwork and special effects are well-executed, but the game's pacing is slow. [Dec 2003, p.146]

If you're expecting this to be more than the average licensed game, though, you'll be a bit let down. [June 2008, p.88]

A strict time limit also detracts from what's otherwise a fun game. [Nov 2008, p.104]

Her actions are stiff and the play control is often slow to respond, making tense situations frustrating. [Sept 2003, p.137]

It's unfortunate that Midway's first foray in the squared circle isn't what you could call a success. [Dec 2008, p.94]

To make matters worse, the game's 50 or so activities are seldom satisfying, and the stylus controls can be frustrating. [Nov 2011, p.85]

Pitching and hitting play control are intuitive, but fielding control is sorely lacking. [Apr 2003, p.135]

Myst DS isn't a terrible game, but don't expect to relive the sense of awe you got from the original. [Apr 2008, p.87]

This dull, clunky mess of a 3D beat-'em-up suffers from sloppy hit detection, brutal sllowdown, and yawn-inducing levels that throw the same basic grunts at you over and over. [Dec. 2006, p.106]

Despite appropriating elements from the popular Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and Burnout franchises, Asphalt 3D is an unexceptional arcade-racing title. [April 2011, p.86]

The characters are big and bold and the pace is quick, but the characters' actions are limited to running, jumping and punching, even though they should be capable of much more. [Jan 2004, p.161]

Slow goal keepers ensure high scores and an exciting enough experience. [May 2006, p.94]

Local wireless matches add a solid perk, but otherwise Dark of the Moon is a step down from previous entries, and a waste of the beloved license. [Aug 2011, p.90]

Local wireless matches add a solid perk, but otherwise Dark of the Moon is a step down from previous entries, and a waste of the beloved license. [Aug 2011, p.90]

For all the flair and weirdness of Furu Furu Park, the real meat of the product -- the minigames -- ends up being a thin and unimpressive experience.

Rough hit detection makes some interactions more frustrating than fun, and sifting through a long list of items slows the game's pace. [Mar 2004, p.123]

The game lets you face off with another player (using two controllers), but the single-player optoins don't offer CPU competition. [March 2005, p.107]

Only through sheer force of will have I avoided comparing the enjoyment derived from playing SPRay to that of regurgitating a lung. [Dec 2008, p.93]

Steel Horizons, a WWII naval combat game, attempts to bypass that balancing act by integrating classic turn-based map movement with the urgency of "real-time" battles--and ends up delivering a hollow experience on both counts. [Apr 2007, p.85]

For a 3D game, this really lacks depth. [Aug 2011, p.89]

Success gives you a feeling of accomplishment, but the path is paved with frustration. [Apr 2007, p.87]

Play control is smooth and intuitive, but the variety of tricks is very limited. [Jan 2003, p.175]

Watching the real thing on TV is far more entertaining--and less expensive. [July 2011, p.89]

Sega struggled to deliver a compelling superhero experience with the first Iron Man game, but even now, armed with a new developer and second playable hero, the sequel falls similarly flat. [July 2010, p.88]

It must have been a pretty awful plane, because it lends its moniker to a game in which it's virtually impossible to maneuver or engage in combat. [Oct 2009, p.90]

The execution feels both overly simplistic and loose. [Dec 2010, p.87]

Despite the title, there's no adventuring to be found, and the story is surprisingly weak. [Sept 2010, p.90]

Unfortunately, the game itself isn't very good. [Jan. 2007, p.106]

It's a sad day when the world's most famous wizard has lost all his magic. [Holiday 2010, p.88]

A confusing navigation system makes finding checkpoints difficult. [Jan 2003, p.178]

Yet more proof that slapping motion controls on a lousy game doesn't magically make it worthwhile. [Mar 2008, p.87]

Responsive control helps make the game an enjoyable play. [Oct 2004, p.124]

The game's quick pacing ensures that you'll never be bored. [Jan 2005, p.138]

The difficulty level is a tad high for young players and the gameplay is very repetitive. [Jan 2004, p.160]

The gamplay is simple but well-executed and just as much fun as it was in the eraly '80s. [June 2004, p.121]

The competitions are consistently fun in keeping with the zany sense of humor that made the Shrek movie so memorable. [June 2003, p.138]

Jack Slate's noir-style story is told with cheesy writing that will delight some, but make others cringe. [Jan 2005, p.139]

More of a button-masher than the "Street Fighter II" games, Taiketsu is a simple battler that may bore fighting-game afficionados. [Feb 2004, p.153]

The effect is disastrous. [Sept 2005, p.84]

It's not a game for those who would be offended by jokes about A/V club members or for action gamers looking for a hardcore challenge. [Dec 2004, p.156]

Unfortunately, the ambitious attempt to bring the full-fledged experience to the DS results in something of a mess. [July 2007, p.97]

A fusion of board-game and trading-card-game rules that most players will not understand until they read the manual thoroughly. [Feb 2005, p.117]

Although RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D can be fun, its shortcomings prevent it from being the immersive experience the series is famous for. [May 2012, p.86]

A lackluster 3-D light-gun shooter. [June 2010, p.88]

It deserves credit for delivering some of the most genuinely scary gaming moments ever. [Nov 2009, p.79]

Just right for beginner players. [Nov 2001, p.150]

There's absolutely no reason Kung Fu Panda 2 should require you to use THQs uDraw GameTablet. [June 2011, p.88]

It serves up a Solo Mode, three different multiplayer modes and several creative variations of basic dodgeball. [Nov 2002, p.224]

The minigames are fun, but someof them are quite confusing and more challening than most party game minigames. [Apr 2003, p.134]

Someday, somebody is going to make something fun out of this concept, but the folks making this game haven't gotten there yet. [Jan 2009, p.91]

They have such wonderful monsters to draw from, but don’t really use them. [Jan 2002, p.127]

It's a shame--the basic concepts are sound, but the execution should have been much better. [Sept 2008, p.86]

It's a little tricky to target enemy ships at first, and the levels are longer than they have to be, but the game has an unmistakable Star Wars flair. [Feb 2004, p.154]

It doesn't break new ground, but the game is a zany hoot. [Feb 2004, p.152]

The graphics and music are out of this world, but the play control can get as clunky as a malfunctioning droid. [July 2002, p.150]

Hit-and-miss action. [May 2002, p.140]

Nonetheless, nostalgic-minded gamers will get a kick out of Bubble Bobble Revolution. [Oct. 2006, p.91]

The Far Cry series is built largely upon its ability to absorb you in its sun-drenched vistas; subtract that high level of immersion, and you're left with an otherwise unremarkable first-person shooter. [Feb. 2007, p.93]

But it's a really watered-down take on sttealth gameplay, and annother disappointing installment in a once highly regarded franchise. [Oct. 2006, p.91]

A complex passing and player-switching scheme makes play control unnecessarily difficult, but the action flows freely and the excitement level is high. [June 2003, p.138]

Just as the Legend of the Dragon TV series comes off as a faint echo of "Dragon Ball Z", The Game Factory's Wii adaptation serves as a reminder that it takes more than two battlers and an arena to make a memorable fighting game. [Aug 2007, p.84]

Unless you're a die-hard fan of the series, you may want to wait for the bandicoot's next offering. [Nov. 2006, p.88]

Fun but repetitive. [Mar 2003, p.137]

Three versions of the first side-scrolling shooter give Defender for the GBA old-school flair. [Feb 2003, p.160]