Stiff controls and sloppy collision detection certainly don't help matters, nor do the truly atrocious production values. [July 2007, p.94]

The game moves painfully slow as a result, with the vast majority of your time spent watching opponents take their turns. [July 2007, p.97]

For an espionage title, the movement and sniping control is surprisingly sluggish. [Feb 2003, p.154]

Sadly, X-Men Destiny's lone mutant power is the causing of anguish. [Nov 2011, p.79]

If the game was made harder by having a time requirement or more difficult enemies to negotiate, it could be very solid. [Sept 2005, p.84]

Unfortunately, there's no cure for nonresponsive control and poorly rendered graphics. [Mar 2004, p.120]

Challenge Mode presents five objectives in each of six locations. [Jan 2003 p.173]

There's no platforming, no puzzle solving, no backtracking, no nothing: you just work your way across the stage until it abruptly ends. [Dec 2009, p.89]

Essentially a poorly executed flat-ground version off "Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam", BMX Challenge provides very little payoff for our excitement. [Oct 2007, p.89]

The play control is unpredictable at best. [May 2002, p.131]

A fist-flying, flame-belching 2-D romp in a twisted fairy-tale world. [Dec 2002, p.218]

If you stay with the game long enough to collect bonus coins, you can unlock minigames and send them to friends via a local wireless connection: a good bonus, but probably not enough incentive to endure the rigors of the main game. [Oct 2007, p.89]

An exercise in difficult play control and low visibility. [May 2004, p.122]

Only hard-core fans of the Bad Boys movies will find redeeming value in the game. [Nov 2004, p.130]

If you need a comic-book, movie-license game fix look elsewhere. I beg you. [Aug 2007, p.83]

Once you're in the boat, the action gets unavoidably repetitive, however--see a fish, catch a fish, repeat. [Jun 2006, p.87]

I haven't read the book, and the movie isn't out as of this writing, but based on what I've played, maybe the Golden Compass just isn't very well suited to being a video game. [Jan 2008, p.90]

You'll have a difficult time mounting an effective defense since opposing teams drive the ball with lightning speed. [Nov 2003, p.156]

Though the game shines in strategy play, it lacks luster when the focus is on individual events. [Dec 2005, p.124]

It's a shame that Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga has such a slow pace, clunky interface, ugly graphics, sluggish combat, dumb AI, and lackluster overall presentation - there are actually some neat ideas in this action RPG. [Oct 2009, p.89]

There's a tiny touch-screen control stick, as well, but the miniscule gestures required to maneuver your plane make it nearly impossible to fly. [May 2007, p.88]

Game play isnot quite up to speed with EA's "FIFA Soccer 2003." [Feb 2003, p.159]

To quote Galvatron, "This is bad comedy. [Aug 2011, p.90]

Quotation forthcoming. [Dec 2005]

Considering that "Sonic Mega Collection" for GCN already boasts a perfect version of the original Sonic, this game is a bit of a tough sell, but at least the inclusion of the 'hogs trademark Spin Dash adds some appeal. [Jan. 2007, p.112]

Midbattle controls are limited to steering your bey and summoning beasts. [Dec 2003, p.144]

Guiding a new mutant's journey seems futile when the game is boring and half-baked. [Nov 2011, p.79]

A compass points to your current objective, but it's still easy to get lost in the game's complex levels. [Mar 2004, p.121]

Responsive play control and detailed graphics will make you want to venture deep into the story, but difficult battles against incidental enemies may keep you from your goal. [Aug 2004, p.123]

If so much of the game weren't based solely on the touch screen, Konami might have had a winner. [Feb 2006, p.100]

Whether you compete with your friends or play by yourself, you must watch all five of your rivals take turns, which accounts for a lot of downtime. [Jan 2005, p.139]

Even the biggest Transformers buff will want to steer clear. [Aug 2011, p.90]

The story, cinema scenes and rendered graphics are in keeping with the Batman franchise, but the game suffers greatly from its difficult control scheme. [Apr 2003, p.134]

The touch-screen keyboard is very small, almost ensuring that you'll make a few spelling mistakes as you peck for letters. [Feb 2005, p.115]

The slow decent in "Godzilla" games has finally hit rock bottom. [Jan 2008, p.89]

Unfortunately, the ThunderCats game we finally got is an incredibly simple side-scrolling romp through boring levels populated by similar looking enemies.

Though you can unearth 100 true-to-life dinosaurs in 35 fossil fields, the lack of a campaign mode or fighting-tournament structure makes prospects for long-term play grim. [July 2006, p.95]

It's visually murky at best - sometimes it's difficult to make out what's happening or to find key items. [Feb 2006, p.97]

I give the creators props for mapping the camera controls to the remote's Control Pad(other developers take note!), but I'd be more impressed if the game were fun. [Nov 2007, p.102]

It's basic kart racing that's gigantic fun if you're a Shrek fan. [May 2002, p.140]

The battles are well-executed, if a little slow, but the overall experience is one-dimensional. [Oct 2003, p.140]

Re-creates the show's fun art style but offers little in the way of engaging gameplay. [Feb 2004, p.154]

The overall play control is simple and fun, but getting hits to connect is a little rough. [Mar 2003, p.137]

Although the graphics issues add unintentional difficulty, most players will find the game very easy to beat. [Oct 2004, p.125]

Far more cornball than cool kitsch like the films. [Oct 2003, p.140]

Although the game's rolling-ball-in-a-halfpipe transport system sections make brilliant use of the DS's 3-D graphics capabilities and touch-screen steering, the rest of the game is a basic platformer with few DS touches. [Apr 2005, p.100]

A menu that asks you to select a tell (to show your opponents) before every move gets tiring quickly. [Dec 2005, p.120]

But the majority of Ice Age 2 is tedious and lifeless. [May 2006, p.88]

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

Few players will be patient enough to wait for the big payoff. [Sept 2007, p.89]

In the vein of games like "Endless Ocean", Minicopter: Adventure Flight is a title that won't appeal to everyone. [May 2008, p.89]

With Gauntlet on the DS, I think they've finally hit the sweet spot--a nice balance of old-school mentality and modern game-design sensibilities. [Holiday 2008, p.82]

The DS version of Rock Revolution packs a lot in a tiny package. [Dec 2008, p.102]

Fishing quests, tournaments, seven worldwide regions, fish boss battles, and a Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection-enabled leaderboard keep this fish fresh for a while, but ultimately the game is more of a deep lake than a vast ocean. [Feb 2009, p.90]

A boring, lifeless, bug-filled title. [July 2009, p.90]

I suggest you spend your Essence Seeds elsewhere. [Jan 2010, p.87]

FFF starts simple and later becomes boring and monotonous. [Nov 2009, p.89]

On the gameplay front, NBA 2K has a lot of work to do before its sophomore season. [Nov 2009, p.84]

Think of this as Baby's First RTS. [Sept 2009, p.90]

Ultimately, how big of a pinball fan you are will determine how much enjoyment you get out of this title. [Feb 2010, p.91]

A charming personality and numerous play modes make Squishy Tank a real treat. [Apr 2010, p.88]

From their porch at the River City retirement home, we're sure Crash and the boys would approve. [Sept 2010, p.89]

Considering how basic Swords is, it would have been better suited to WiiWare; as a full retail release, it's disappointing. [Nov 2010, p.91]

Frustrating controls. [Dec 2010, p.86]

Mostly feels like material found in the bargain bin. [Dec 2010, p.86]

A reasonably good time. [Dec 2010, p.86]

ATV Wild Ride starts with an undeniably solid feature set: eight riders and eight ATVs(most of which must be unlocked), single and multiplayer modes, four race styles(World Tour, Quick Race, Freestyle, and Time Trial), 24 tracks styled after locations worldwide, and leaderboards that track your accolades. [Feb 2011, p.87]

Sure, it's not innovative, but that doesn't mean that it can't be fun. [March 2011, p.85]

While the stylized visuals are AWOL, Army Men's classic objective-based missions return for duty. [Jan 2002, p.132]

A side-scroller that should be fun and challenging for young players. [Apr 2003, p.137]

You can always play the great game in Classic Mode. [June 2002, p.154]

It's simple fun for young fans of Arnold. [July 2002, p.151]

The fun on the fairway is a bit easy and the timing of the swing meter is a cinch to master. [June 2002, p.152]

Fans of straight-ahead pinball without video game frills will give hardcore Pinball a high score. [Apr 2003, p.137]

A basic pinball game with a choice of four tables. [Apr 2003, p.138]

Unlike some racing sims, F11 2002 does not allow you to refit your vehicles or upgrade them as the season advances. [Apr 2003, p.137]

Focuses on exploration and puzzle-solving instead of fighting, and its minimal difficulty makes it appropriate for young Finding Nemo fans. [July 2003, p.146]

The graphics have a soft storybook look, and the great music and sound effects add to the game's high production values. [June 2003, p.139]

A fun game with a variety of simple engaging activities and bonus games. [Jan 2004, p.160]

The action is intense but, ultimately, not very informative. [Dec 2003, p.150]

The overhead view lets you see clearly and control the action easily, but it doesn't give you a great look at the characters. [Nov 2003, p.152]

The games are simple and suitable for very young players. [Dec 2003, p.148]

Playing like a new spin on classic "Marble Madness." [Feb 2004, p.152]

Also on the menu are some PDA functions that amount to a class scheduler, an address book and a horoscope. [Feb 2004, p.153]

The battle action is simple and initially fun, but becomes less exciting as you advance. [Dec 2003, p.150]

The story is not as epic as those of many RPGs, but it does give the game some depth. [Nov 2004, p.133]

Control is sometimes cumbersome, depending on the bot design. [Nov 2003, p.152]

It's a challenging and entertaining play. [Feb 2004, p.152]

Rough hit detection, nonintuitive puzzles and small characters make the game difficult to play at times, but the payoff is a fun story and beautiful film stills that make up the cut scenes. [Mar 2004, p.120]

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]

It's a good play for fans of the film. [Jan 2005, p.140]

The paths branch, giving you the freedom to explore, but some areas are more difficult to reach than they should be, making the platforming tricky at times. [Dec 2004, p.154]

The overall game is less inspired and more repetitive than previous outings with Timmy and his fairy godparents. [Dec 2004, p.150]

The graphics, while smooth for a 3-D GBA game, are boring and repetitious - the three different cities are virtually identical, and the course designs are unremarkable. [July 2005, p.101]

In the crowded field of high-quality GBA racers, XS Moto runs toward the back of the pack. [Sept 2004, p.117]

May not be on the top tier of the GBA's racing-game selection, but it offers a uniquely manic driving experience. [Feb 2005, p.116]

Overly simplistic and requir[es] very little in the way of actual tactics as you guide your characters into battle. [Jan 2005, p.141]

The L-and-R-Button turning scheme takes some getting used to, but the other controls are spot-on. [Nov 2004, p.132]