If you’re looking for a traditional Pikmin experience this is not the game for you. Hey! Pikmin is a very sedate, gentle walk through the diminutive shoes of Captain Olimar and his Pikmin pals. It’s comparable to the level of challenge found in a Kirby game, which is to say you have to go out of your way to have your skills tested. For what it is, Hey! Pikmin is a cute, whimsical platformer that gets a lot right and a lot wrong, resulting in a middling experience overall.

It's retro in every way that made RPGs of that era fun, and the new additions give it a bit of a modern feel.

Easily the greatest party game on the market today. While that isn’t saying a whole lot since anything that isn’t Mario Party is usually schlock and unworthy of anything but the bargain bin, it still proves that there’s plenty of spunk within the series.

The learning curve is a little steep and not everyone may enjoy losing dozens of battles before they finally get the hang of it. However, it should be noted that with 120 cards from the original card game as well as 60 cards from the expansion pack, Atari is extremely faithful to the source material.

While there might be some relative shortcomings in its single player mode, Dragon Marked for Death more than makes up for them with its exciting and creative co-op multiplayer design. Players can hop in instantaneously and help the Dragonblood Clan level up and take on its enemies. There are multiple different versions of the game to get, but ultimately fans are best off buying either the physical edition or both digital bundles in order to get the full, proper experience. It’s tough playing solo, but the multiplayer is so well done that it compensates for this one area of weakness. Definitely keep Dragon Marked for Death on your radar if you’d like a game to play with friends that’s outside the norm.

Heroes of Ruin is a competent dungeon-crawler, but one that lacks any real challenge. With bland, uninspiring design and mediocre combat, it's hard to imagine that players will keep coming back to Heroes of Ruin, even despite its excellent online capabilities and varied character classes.

It’s a rare thing when a licensed game can give me a greater appreciation for its source material, but Friday the 13th: The Game is a rare exception. After gaming sessions, I would often find myself switching over to the Hulu app to reacquaint myself with the films. It’s a testament to the love and passion developers Illfonic and Black Tower Studios have for the brand. There is an undeniable sense of satisfaction stepping into the shoes of Jason Vorhees, and playing as his would-be victims is also a hoot. Players looking for a substantial single-player experience will find themselves wanting, but for everyone else, Friday the 13th: The Game is a solid “B.” Given the franchise’s roots, that letter grade seems only appropriate.

Liberation Maiden may not be Suda51′s best work, but it is nonetheless a solid, albeit limited, game. The presentation values alone warrant the price tag, and the game has a sort of a "big game" feel to it, which is wonderful considering its small price.

Unfortunately for Acclaim, the Cube has just been hit up with three outstanding racers including "Mario Kart: Double Dash!!," "F-Zero GX," and "Need for Speed Underground." In that company, XGRA looks average.

Worms 3D’s major problem is that it is in 3D. The uninspired camera and technical oversights, such as the inability to use multiple controllers, prevent the game from receiving an especially high score. However, the game does offer loads of fun if you can get past the flaws.

Even if you aren't particularly fond of the genre, you will likely find some enjoyment in its engaging controls and large variety of fish to catch, which is enough to recommend the title to those curious about it. It's not like you have much else to play until Xenoblade comes out.

OTXO is a brutal game. It’s unforgiving, enemies are relentless, and you will likely find yourself frustrated by having to restart entirely from the beginning if (and when) you’re killed. But that’s the point of this game: to be a challenge and to push the player to get better with every run. If you’re invested in the story and trying to figure out the mysteries of the world, just know that it’s likely going to take a long time and many, many tries to unlock some of those secrets (or at least until you get better and can survive longer). And while OTXO is getting compared to other solid games in its genre, it’s a unique experience that shouldn’t be written off as a clone of anything. It’s incredibly fun and addicting despite being so punishing, and is a game I’ll definitely find myself returning to. Give this game a shot.

The signature Arkham combat is back and more precise than ever.

Scribblenauts Unmasked is a fun title. It takes the best elements of the series and combines them with the DC Universe in a way that feels natural and fun. Developer 5th Cell has painstakingly mined the DC Universe and delivered a game that really takes advantage of the license.

A rare gem that only uses the license as a tool to build a very good platform game.

An enjoyable game with some great ideas, unfortunately marred by some unforgivable glitches and gameplay physics that don’t give it that final polish needed to keep up with the big boys.

Ultimately, it feels like the developers at Cyanide knew the strengths of the game, but still wanted to add a bit more variety while still not distracting from the core experience which I found incredibly fun and compelling. One more round of fine tuning in just about every area of the game would have been beneficial, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the game.

This is a game that still remains worthy of your time if you enjoy 2D shooters and classic anime and manga. Its aesthetic is great, the animation segments are a delightful throwback, and the soundtrack is also strong. Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening fans will doubtlessly enjoy this one, but as I said earlier, I was no fan and I still found myself rapidly drawn in. Given how influential a series Space Cobra has been, it’s also a nice glimpse into the inspiration for so many game creators over the years. Definitely consider giving Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening a play.

Heroki is a charmer despite its flaws. There are some genuinely fun moments of puzzle-solving gameplay to revel in. The approachability of Heroki’s gameplay also works in its favor. The game feels like it’s meant to be serene and calming, offering a stolid trip through Heroki’s world for players of all skills to engage in. I’d have loved to see the injection of new ideas more frequently throughout the game, but Heroki still warrants your attention if you’re looking for an adventure game that does things somewhat different from the norm, but feels familiar enough to quickly step into and start playing.

For a new intellectual property, it surprisingly falls back on the basics and brings nothing new to the table.

There are just too many glaring problems that would make this game recommendable to anyone but the most faithful of Madden fanatics.

I think we can all agree that it's better than Tom Clancy's "Sum of All Fears." Yikes.

It's just too bad that Capcom didn't choose to create a new game from scratch for Nintendo's dual-screened handheld. Next time, expectations will (and should) be higher.

Strangely addictive and fun for the amount of time it takes to play through it.

While Mega Man Battle Network 4 shares most, if not all, of its play mechanics with its three predecessors, it still offers some new aspects and, above all else, its still very fun.

It’s an excellent mission to run through over the Christmas holidays and the production quality of EA's Medal of Honor series blows a lot of games on the Cube right out of the water.

With beautiful music and great visuals, this is one sleeper hit no one should miss.

Whatever its shortcomings, though, Dawn of the New World is clearly Wii’s best RPG to date.