Though similar to many other titles in the rhythm genre, Helix is a unique experience and feels more like real dancing than DDR ever has. The soundtrack is enjoyable and fun, and will keep you grooving until the end.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is filled with a lot of unnecessary elements - like touch screen mini-games - that attempt to extend the life of a short game. It is perfectly suited to children who enjoyed the movies and can overlook the game's more glaring flaws.

But for those who are intrigued by what Bangai-O Spirits has to offer, there is a deep and rich well of truly unique gaming enjoyment to be tapped here.

If you don’t want to invest the time to learn the complex controls of football video games or aren’t concerned with learning the rules and nuances of the game, then this is the version for you.

The game tries to be a tamer Outlaw Golf, but its attempts at humor are utter failures. If a game is trying to sell itself as being crazy, wacky, or some other adjective in the vein of kooky, at the very least I should crack a smile at some point after playing it for ten plus hours.

I’m not a fan of the presentation or the ridiculous grinding required for success.

As a whole, Order Up! provides a wonderful blend of both managing and cooking.

It was an unparalleled experience in the early 90s and holds up remarkably well today.

With gameplay as shoddy and boring as this, we’d likely quit before the round ended. Bypass Major League Eating: The Game, and save your money for a better meal.

A missed opportunity. Its gameplay is quite solid and forces the player to use tact and thought to complete all of the dungeons in the game; however, the randomly-generated dungeons really detract from its otherwise engaging gameplay.

Even a modest step forward, such as adding more frames of animation to the character portraits, would have made the game feel fresher and more vibrant. As it is, Under the Knife 2 comes across as a cynical cash-in, a mission pack so lazy that it doesn't even have new missions.

The relatively small selection of tracks, lack of track variety, and laughable amount of bonus content are potential negatives for those on the fence, but the bottom line for this Guitar Hero game is that you either like Aerosmith or you don't.

A quite uncommon (if not flawless) coupling of remarkable depth with relative accessibility, although it will not take players by the hand through all of its intricacies.

The story is awful, and the gameplay isn't solid enough to carry the weight of an entire RPG.

The story is awful, and the gameplay isn't solid enough to carry the weight of an entire RPG.

Gyrostarr is a high score game at heart, so the lack of online leader boards to compete with distant friends is a shame. Still, fans of arcade-style twitch shooters should get plenty of entertainment out of the game, and it's reasonably priced.

This game is ultimately an interesting experiment that can be a lot of fun in short bursts, so in that respect, it actually works on the DS. I would recommend it for casual fans of the series and younger players who may be less demanding.

An outstanding package complete with everything you could possibly want from a Space Invaders title. The core game experience simply bombards your senses with awesomeness and could not be a greater joy to experience.

While the background tunes are enjoyable and obscure, they don’t match similar title like Lumines(which seems to have been an influence). If you want to experience old-school gaming with a new-school twist, Space Invaders Extreme is EXACTLY how you do it.

Ultimately, Etrian Odyssey II lives up to its predecessor while including several incremental improvements that make the gameplay smoother.

A competent shooter that gains most of its value from its outstanding creation tools.

Only fellow Pokémon fanatics will get a similar level of enjoyment.

Kung Fu Panda does little to elevate itself above the typical movie tie-in game, and manages to lower itself in a few instances (e.g. graphics and sound). You’d be better off seeing the movie instead.

Like the skill trees, the combat system is surprisingly Diablo-esque.

Regardless of length, the game provides for a satisfying experience while it lasts, with puzzles neither seeming too hard or too easy. Fans of puzzle games in general, and particularly those in the vein of Capcom's Zack & Wiki, won't regret picking this one up.

Emergency Heroes feels very rushed since there's just not much to it. The entire game took me approximately four hours from start to finish, and that’s four hours too many for something as generic and repetitive as this.

Super Dodgeball Brawlers rekindles some wonderful memories of my time spent with the original game, but it doesn't offer enough new features to make it a must-have or even give it a decent degree of replayability.

The online mode works great but adds nothing to the experience, and the demo-sharing feature is a wonderful idea crushed by Nintendo's online architecture.

Wii Fit is a great supplement to your existing exercise routine, but I don’t think it will ever replace a gym membership and proper eating. However, it does provide at least one very unique experience: the improvement and awareness of your center of balance.

The WiiWare game is a different experience, and a rewarding one at that, provided you understand what it is you're getting into beforehand. You'll find R to be a pretty fun game if you do.

Deca Sports offers an efficient interface and a couple of high points during gameplay… but only that.

The card subsystem in Drone Tactics is interesting and unique, and it helps set the title apart from other similar games.

Overall, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles My Life as a King is a deep and engrossing title.

It's a marvelous little game which everyone should play, but with the caveat that it ends abruptly and will have you passionately craving more when it’s done.

Speed Racer at its core is an amazing game, with great depth, control, and nice difficulty progression. Perhaps Sidhe Interactive will use this great engine (and maybe even the Speed Racer license) for another title with more inspired track design, better graphics, and a more fully-featured package overall.

Speed Racer The Videogame is surprisingly good. Very good. It blends fun gameplay with superb graphics. Its biggest problem is that there isn't more to play; the single player can be conquered in a fairly short period of time, and the lack of a story means there isn't a whole lot of pay-off for doing so.

The upshot is one of the best Wii games yet.

It's very fun thanks to its simplicity, it's graphically clean and simple, and there’s plenty of puzzles to keep you busy.

A standby on Nintendo handhelds since Game Boy Color, River King has taken to DS touch control like a fish to water. [Feb 2008, p.90]

Mario Kart Wii is ultimately much the same game as Mario Kart DS, but this is forgivable due to its drastically improved online functionality along with some welcome gameplay additions and tweaks.

It's ironic, then, that the monotony of the new battle system still ends up being redeemed by a great story. And if great stories are your thing, The World Ends With You will warm your heart. If you are all about gameplay, you'll probably get bored fairly quickly.

James, I think I speak for us both when I say that Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Explorers of Darkness will only appeal to Pokemaniacs who enjoy incredibly repetitive gameplay, practically GBA-level graphics and sound, and computer partner A.I. that's so dumb you'll want to stab yourself in the eye.

James, I think I speak for us both when I say that Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Explorers of Darkness will only appeal to Pokemaniacs who enjoy incredibly repetitive gameplay, practically GBA-level graphics and sound, and computer partner A.I. that's so dumb you'll want to stab yourself in the eye.

Fans should love the challenge here, but the RPG crowd will probably be split on this one. The intense difficulty of the new battle system combined with more traditional RPG traits turns out to be great fun, but tricky.

Okami is a stunning game experience through and through. It has depth and longevity, as well as beautiful art direction, graphics, and music.

Octomania is not by any stretch a terrible game. It is a very lightly featured game with absolutely no frills and a decently fun battle mode that can provide a nice experience at times.

Despite its repetitive combat and occasionally cheap save point placement, there’s very little wrong with Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword. It’s stylus control done right, and it’s a beautiful game to boot.

Its mini-games are definitely its highlight but once the novelty of them wears off, you’ll probably want to play the original titles rather than continue playing this one.

Sadly, Square-Enix still hasn't nailed the multiplayer component, and the obvious faults in its single-player gameplay will turn off most everyone else.

This game is targeted at hardcore shooter fans who like a good challenge. Its unforgiving difficulty, even on the easiest setting, makes Nanostray 2 hard to recommend for anyone else. Even so, its production values are apparent and its mechanics are solid (if a bit dated), making it a good selection for fans of the genre.

A great value for the money. It’s a fantastic multiplayer game, and even if you’re just duel-wielding by your lonesome, blowing zombies apart is incredibly fun.

The core gameplay has remained largely unchanged since the N64 days, meaning we've essentially been playing the same game for nine years, and we'll be playing the same game for another five or six years, at least. Get it, appreciate it, and enjoy it.

It takes a significant amount of re-tries to make it out of last place during any given race. And even then, some courses seemingly cannot be won.

Spitfire Heroes’ gameplay can be confusing and annoying all at once.

A good game that features fun gameplay, an entertaining story, an interesting gameplay environment, and plenty of places to explore. You’ll enjoy it if you like exploring a world that feels alive. Its greatest flaw is its sub-par graphics.

It is truly one of the powerhouse titles on the DS, and everybody should give it a try - especially Naruto fans.

Pinball Hall of Fame is unapologetically faithful to its source material, and doesn't offer any olive branches to those who have never found pinball compelling. Nevertheless, FarSight Studios has crafted a wonderfully authentic pinball experience.

While some mini-games are shallow and repetitive, and it doesn't take very long to see all the game has to offer, the effort that went into the game's production is evident.

But as a Wii title in 2008, a few added control gimmicks can't save this from the bargain bin of the slowing trend PS2 and PC ports that just shouldn't be.

The Dragon Quest atmosphere of Dragon Quest Swords only goes so far before you start itching for some gameplay variety (although the visuals never get old).

Since Apollo's adventure builds upon the Phoenix Wright trilogy and the original remains the best, playing the Ace Attorney series in order remains my recommendation.

Far too repetitive to hold interest, and even fans of the hack-and-slash genre will be bored by the lack of originality.

Overall, Professor Layton and the Curious Village is a very interesting game but it definitely caters to a niche audience. If you don't like brain-teasers, it's probably not for you.

Decent but not exceptional.

The Spiderwick Chronicles is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. While its children’s book license and wealth of tutorials clearly mark it as a game intended for younger players, its frustratingly difficult battles, annoying checkpoint system, and lack of level mapping make it a tough nut for even experienced gamers to crack.

A fun platformer that ends up feeling more like Prince of Persia DS than Assassin’s Creed. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the DS could use more action games like this. Sadly, the adventure lasts about a weekend, and there are no real unlockables after beating the game aside from an extra difficulty mode.

My Horse & Me is shovel-ware, pure and simple. It looks ugly, its gameplay is limited, and its primary features—show jumping and item-collecting—bear little resemblance to its target audience.

The simplistic design and superficial gameplay are sure to turn off everyone, including the young girl target group, and especially horse owners.

But the singular failure to execute multiplayer effectively means that the game's merits are not capitalised upon, and therefore it struggles to provide any lasting impact.

No More Heroes is the weird result of a Japanese man obsessed with American culture who has created an American hero obsessed with Japanese culture. It's a reflection of a reflection, and both mirrors are distorted and covered with graffiti.

As far as effectiveness in training goes ... I don't know. I wish it had a Brain Age kind of graph in order to see how far I've progressed. I hate to say it, but there is a strong possibility that I might be a little rustier after Mega Brain Boost than before.

It’s a no-brainer for open-minded gamers looking to diversify their collection. Dive in.

The gameplay elevates the player past the sorrowful storyline and provides massive warring online fun.

Course designs are limiting and don’t really take advantage of the "Nitro" in Nitrobike. But worst of all, the game’s generic characters and setting rob it of any personality. Nitrobike is not extreme - it’s just boring.

If you want a good point‘n’click adventure, play Myst or Shivers.

Miami Nights simply isn't fun. It's highly repetitive, as the entire game is "get money, spend money." Character interactions don't feel realistic in any regard.

Indianapolis 500 is still fun, but only if you can overlook the very limited scope of the game.

It is probably designed for children more than anyone else, and they will get the most out of it and be less distracted by the poor acting and storytelling.

Graded on the "it's only a DS game" scale, it's not a bad effort. But where is the track editor? Where is the online play? Why is the main single-player game so repetitive and soulless?

It's got bad graphics, boring, repetitive missions, and not enough variety to justify toiling through race after race. The game is really nothing more than a photo and video collection of the race's history with some interactive parts to tie it together.

The game won me over when I started picturing one of my 10-year old cousins playing Strawberry Shortcake on her DS. In my daydream she looked like she was having fun.

Ultimately, Godzilla: Unleashed is just awful. Even the biggest Godzilla fans among us should not have to suffer through this piece of trash.

Draglade is a brilliant marriage of music and fighting.

Cranium Kabookii is fun for a time, but only if you've got a large group of people or big family to play it with. That makes it a good rental game, but not much else.

Puzzle Quest isn't a bad game, but the Wii version tries very hard to make it so. It's playable as long as you don't mind squinting at the text, don't find the control scheme too uncomfortable, and don't pay much attention to music.

The rush you get from tearing through endless enemies and escaping impossible situations is what ultimately matters, and you will get it in the DS version.

Siegfried, the game's first playable character, ends battles by stating: "Damn, you're wasting my time!" Most players will feel the same way about this one.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies will appeal to fans of arcade-style gameplay. It keeps its action simple, but intense.

New Blood is a wonderful game that combines a compelling story, challenging gameplay with fully adjustable difficulty, and plenty of variety and longevity. It’s perfect for fans of Second Opinion, while the cooperative mode and optional tutorials make it easier for new players to learn.

John Deere: Harvest in the Heartland remains an addictive game because of its creative graphics, intuitive controls, and gameplay variety. However, the load times really drag things down, which is a shame.

It’s a good game overall, especially for people who like strategy games but aren’t very fond of the frantic pace that something like Starcraft brings to the table. Conquest also lacks the complexity of a tabletop trading card game or series-based board game, which is fine by me.

Mario Party DS's strong line-up of mini-games with varied controls, interesting boards, and portable nature make it one of the best Mario Party games. The lack of online multiplayer two years after Mario Kart DS is disappointing, but Mario can still party on the DS.

It's nice to revisit some of those wonderful Twilight Princess environments, but don't expect the disc to live in your Wii for very long.

Usually, it's a pretty safe bet that a DS version of a Flash game isn't a good deal. However, WordJong has some new features and comes in at a great budget price.

The effective control scheme and funky art style are enough to float the game above mundane, and fans of the series will be mostly content with the game's presentation. However, players will find the repetitive mission-oriented gameplay, with little payoff or progression, to be problematic and uninspiring.

RRR2 has taken all the charm and thoughtful originality of the first game and reduced it to a catatonically simple formula that even the most ardent fan will find hard to enjoy for longer than a few hours.

Smackdown! Vs Raw 2008 is a good game with no frills. It follows the Wii’s motto of everyone can play, and multiplayer is just too much fun. But with this many features missing from the Wii version while all the other versions have so many different match types and wrestling styles, what were THQ thinking?

A real treat, and I can’t recommend it more. Unless you have an aversion to rail shooters, you’d be silly not to at least give this game a rental. It also makes for a wonderful summary of the major points in the complex RE storyline, so players new to the franchise can warm up to the current situation.