On the technical side of things, Ninja Gaiden Black has a problem that wasn't present in the original release. The game is prone to bouts of slowdown at impromptu moments and these aren't particularly hectic instances either.

With everything ultimately both bigger and better, with more destruction, and much more depth, Bugbear Entertainment are coming ever close to a winner. If the handling is tightened, and the rest of the game makes another healthy step forward, another sequel on the next generation of consoles could be the first certain winner.

Like "Wario World" before it, Banjo Kazooie on the GBA burns ever so brightly during the entire game because it has the class and quality about it in design, gameplay and aesthetics. It is just a pity that it burns ever so shortly as a result.

While the graphics may not stand up to today's best on Xbox, and the level design may suffer from quite a few flaws, the sheer thrill of seeing the end-of-level kill total push its way into the hundreds after a hectic half-an-hour's blast can't be beat.

This is by no means the definitive Tony Hawk, but if you’re yet to play THUG 2, it’s certainly a solid enough arena to start.

Most importantly, ExciteTruck is massive fun to play, which is still the most vital of aspects in any game.

The mix of strategy and shooting works quite well, and although there isn’t enough strategy here for Advance Wars veterans, shooting enthusiasts are well catered for.

Patapon is one of the PSP's more original and interesting titles of late.

The calmer style of platforming in Super Princess Peach will not appeal to everyone, but for those that found Sonic too intense to play all the way through, this has a lot to offer.

It’s already been established that Legends is a ‘Best of’ rather than a fully-fledged sequel. Therein lies its greatest failing – in fundamental terms it offers nothing more than ‘Burnout on the go’.

Gimmick? Perhaps, but Boktai does enough, and achieves enough, to argue the point otherwise. Besides, sometimes it can just be enjoyable to give into that inner child, or imbecile, and embrace the novelty.

Battalion Wars 2 is a good game with some minor issues that do not detract from its overall quality or enjoyment.

However, the game ultimately stands or falls on its ability to remain fun and dynamic. For a two year old game, that to all intents and purposes feels like a poor man’s God Of war in places, it does still hold-up pretty well.

Another excellent and approachable leaderboard-chasing romp through colourfully lit cityscapes with an upbeat tempo soundtrack. Though it's perhaps a little short-lived due to the limited tracks currently available, it's a lot of fun while it lasts.

The game can be finished in a handful of hours if beating the lairs is all that is attempted, but there are a huge amount of subsidiary side tasks and gold treasure acquisition to complete otherwise. All in all, a polished game that deserves a delve to see if it appeals to you or not.

Hakuna Matata is a unique title and as such will no doubt attract a cult following. There is a lot to offer those who can find the required time and patience required to gain the best from it.

Sadly, it will not take you long to make your way through the stages on offer. Collecting the Calabash presents something of a challenge, and you are given a ranking after each stage which gives a touch of replay value to proceedings.

It is a good pool simulation, for extra realism you could add stale beer stains and fag burns to your carpet. It will take you a long time to unlock everything, but it’s not without its flaws. The length of time it takes the AI to make a shot grates, and the lack of solo practice annoys.

If you get your head round the fact that Avalanche is trying to do its own thing whilst still keeping to the spirit of N64 1080, it gives constant thrills and a slightly new slant on the snowboarding genre that will be returned to time and again until each course is rinsed.

A fantastically fun title, and is a credit to SNKP, who have managed (with considerable skill) to bring the distinctive tang of Slug to the masses. Although easier by far than its arcade brethren, at least this means the game has a chance of finding a (mass?) market ' a shrewd move by the IP's new masters.

A fun, exciting and action-packed game. Beneath its cute exterior beats a heart of granite and any negative aspects are outweighed by points of excellence that allow it to move self-assuredly through the mountain of faceless Gameboy titles. [JPN Import]

It is ideal fun for both the serious and casual games player, and entertaining for those not taking part to watch the participants flinging their hands over the place.

As with the first episode, The Great Cow race is still an immensely difficult title to rate. Though the same engine-based problems remain, the much more intriguing dialogue, and better flow of story and puzzles help culminate in making this second episode an even brighter prospect than the first.

Super Mario Strikers is an evolutionary step beyond Soccer Slam, and gives the small-team football game a new breath of life, trumping its predecessor and stamping other similar games such as FIFA Street into the ground.

It won't be heralded a classic but it is certainly a welcome return to form for a franchise that was beginning to appear languid and certainly promises a lot for Crystal Dynamics' next game which is a reinvention of the original Tomb Raider.

Despite what others may have claimed, this is not "Star Fox Adventures" for the new generation, this is something so much more exciting - Rare back on form.

Definitely the type of game to park your brain in neutral, play and enjoy without expecting too much from it.

It remains a thoroughly enjoyable, good all-round handheld shooter that's accessible to all ages and playing skills, with lots of replay value that demonstrates that, thanks to technology, good portable shooters are now possible once more.

A great exploration-based real time strategy and puzzle game, but a fractured one.

Beautifully created albeit slightly flawed, filled with some truly stunning gameplay moments and set pieces, it is a game shamefully overlooked by many, and is certainly worthy of greater recognition.

There are moments of such genius that it is almost impossible not to become entirely immersed within the game’s haunted world. Yet all its terrifying beauty, with a better-judged difficulty and the problems with the second character ironed out, FF2 could have been the finest game in the horror genre.

The narrative of Xenosaga dwarfs all of its other elements, which are under-developed in comparison.

There is no doubt that Silicon Knights have failed to live up to their early promises regarding Too Human.

After a few hours' play, the game infects your consciousness, as solutions to previously impossible levels suddenly present themselves on the toilet, or ideas for stage designs pop into your head walking down the street.

Warriors Orochi 2 is a divisive game and one that many will over-look due to the largely negative reviews circulating for it.

The main game, even in it`s short life, will provide enough entertainment for those who love this quirky, unique series for what it is: unabashed fun. [JPN Import]

The final half of Wild Arms 5 is incredible. The story, dungeons and battles all come together to create a game that is as good as traditional RPGs will ever get. If only the same could be said about the initial slog, it’d be a classic.

Overall, this can be a frustration, especially once gamers realise this fact by seeing just how inaccessible some of the later courses can be. [JPN Import]

Episode 2 is comparatively short not only in terms of Episode 1 but in comparison to RPGs in general. Whilst its length seems well paced in terms of the combat and exploration aspects of the title, its narrative just doesn't quite do enough.

There are no major improvements over any of the previous iterations and very little reason to pick this up for those who already own the superior "Mr Driller G" or "Mr Driller: Drill Land." Having said that, this is easily the best handheld version of the young classic. [JPN Import]

With the fast and furious gameplay of old once again rediscovered, it’s only the odd moments of glaring level-design error that cause the kind of dismay that a selection of the 3D titles offered up.

Fahrenheit is a bold step in the right direction, and though not perfect, it has enough charm, polish and excitement to make it one of the most interesting titles of the year.

The game ultimately feels anchored in a very traditional Capcom style, with its fixed viewpoints and the stalwart, somewhat clunky control system, though admittedly it is one of their better efforts.

Unless you can afford to have your own backing band or cough up for a proper karaoke machine and CD-G discs, SingStar Rocks represents the best you can do if you like (mainstream) rock music and want to sing along to it, it is that simple.

Capcom have succeeded in taking the series to a natural end without making any significant changes...A crowd pleasing adventure, but not an essential one. [JPN Import]

There is a superbly realised first third of a game there, but the combat and linear mission structure, coupled with the awful storyline help to undermine the quality apparent elsewhere.

So we have a game that’s initially too easy, but compels extended play anyway – probably something to do with the ridiculously infectious music.

The most interesting feature though, has to be the inclusion of the "Double Play" mode where it's possible to play a 2P game whilst controlling both ships - a technique made famous by a skillful Japanese Ikaruga player, and now here it is entering the mainstream as a proper play mode. [JPN Import]

Entertaining, fun and well worth playing, but is over far too quickly to consider a definite purchase.

A very good game, terrific fun, ideal for the purpose, and just a big winner in multiplayer online or off. It is not going to set the world alight in single player, but we hope that Nintendo can see how favourably it has gone down with the online crowd and plan for the future accordingly.

Both superb and a mess, a console FPS that feels fun, tactical, exciting all at the same time as feeling frustrating, backwards and in places amateurish.

Bionic Commando is a flawed game that suffers at the hands of engine limitations and tacked-on multiplayer. The game is immensely enjoyable for players who put the effort in to master the swinging and combat, but sometimes the frustrating sections threaten to overwhelm the rest of the experience.

Fans will be satisfied with the good, even mix of challenging combat and the platforming which made the original game so successful. Yet those select few who enjoyed the darker tone of Warrior Within will find the Prince’s darker side and black humour a welcome addition to the game.

On its own, Makai Kingdom stands out as a solid and decent example of the SRPG genre managing to bring in the new elements of buildings and vehicles, but it is less strategic than "Phantom Brave," and the story isn’t as enthralling or interesting as "Disgaea."

The level of skill that it's possible to gain in this game is by far its greatest strength. The excellent physics model allows a very fine degree of car control and this gives the player an opportunity to hone their techniques almost to perfection. [JPN Import]

There will undoubtedly be those who, having cut their teeth on onslaughts such as "GigaWing" and "Mars Matrix," will feel somewhat let down by the sparse, reheated level design on offer here. For those with a passion for the series, however, there is a huge amount to enjoy. [Japan Import]

It's more satisfying to play than "Devil May Cry," and allows players to pull off awesome chaining attacks much like "Shinobi"...However, the repetitive levels and tiresome enemies may be enough to put some people off what is essentially an incredibly competent title. [JPN Import]

The reality is that longevity is limited to how much the player enjoys swooshing down the snow in the solo game and for some this isn't going to be enough. A beautiful experience, while it lasts.

Red Faction: Guerrilla knows it is a game about making buildings fall over and it doesn’t purport to be anything else.

It may not be the definition of next gen, but it is solidly old school in its delivery. It’s not often that a title comes along so devoid of hype and once again many gamers may pass this by, but if you have yet to sample the delights of the series, you could benefit from effectively three games worth of development that has honed a rough diamond into something getting closer to perfection.

Being story-driven, the game was also broken up into short chapters, sometimes exceedingly short. With a load required between each one it could mean playing for possibly a few minutes before needing to load the next level.

There is so much fun to be had from torturing the enemy that at times you have to worry about your own mental state. Yet, for all the satisfaction on offer for the majority of the experience, it ultimately ends on a disappointing low.

As immediately effective the game may be, look beyond the surface and the game becomes surprisingly shallow.

Either way it is played, the victory over a huge monster after a forty-minute battle, and then discovering a new series of armour, etc. that can be made from its parts is the sugar that keeps the player coming back. [JPN Import]

It's a very minor masterpiece; a perfect execution that's inherently shallow rather than profound. Give credit, though, to a hype-free summer blockbuster that will doubtlessly leave the senses tingling.

The mixture of splendidly chunky and vibrant visuals with coy hum-along tunes draws you deep within the game’s deceptively complex system, refusing to allow you out to even take a bathroom break.

A great package. A little quirky and rough around the edges, it survives on originality, genuinely funny content and an enormous challenge.

Diddy Kong Racing DS is still a compulsive challenge and for sheer content and variety, it wins outright. But it’s not a fully convincing reinvention, and equally it’s changed too much to feel like a reassuring old friend.

Lumines II shows that the game has lost none of its appeal since its initial release, and the music videos really do feel like the next-step and part of a natural progression.

In its favour, the battle system is easy to pick up and many happy hours can be lost in strategy; it has an addictive quality that makes you want to keep on playing, levelling up, customizing and battling the hours away.

A devilishly addictive and polished little pinball game that delivers in (grave diggers') spades.

Despite the repetitive and fiddly combat - which de-harmonises the experience and impacts on the enjoyment factor somewhat - ardent, die-hard fans of the series will have a fulfilling and fun time with the revisited universe.

Despite its quality it won't set the world on fire like it did back in the Eighties, but it's a poignant and subtle reminder of how games used to be written and how wonderfully brilliant games back then could be.

Although PBP sports no new additives or flavourings, it rehashes the old ingredients successfully enough, for the most part. [JPN Import]

In the end, Eternal Sonata is let down by its failure to take advantage of the story it sets up for itself.

There will obviously be another in the series, by which time Gearbox Software will have hopefully managed to tame both their engine and the irksome controls, and ultimately provide the game experience that this title should have been.

From the wreckage of its weak structure and thinly spread action, the auspicious concept of Full Spectrum Warrior emerges a damaged, substantially broken vessel. Its strengths, however, are such that only a fool would dismiss it at this juncture.

Ultimately, The Room comes across as a game afraid of its own potential; not only afraid, in fact, but petrified. For what it achieves the game pays a heavy cost in bad calls, misjudgements and, above all, an uncharacteristically blunt edge.

There is a steep learning curve. Initially it might appear that avoiding a locked-on missile is an impossibility, but these are realistic representations of modern arms so it was never going to be easy. The solution is to learn what real pilots do.

The idea that More Brain Training will elevate anyone to Einstein intelligence is perhaps a bit far fetched, but it’s clear that working your brain regularly is as essential as getting enough exercise; more neurons, less flab.

The presentation and love put into the character designs and attention to detail carries the simplistic and overly easy gameplay further than it should. If you want a gentle introduction to the genre, this is absolutely perfect.

An undoubtedly flawed, but fun experience - Agrippa’s combat is enjoyable, engaging, and exhilarating, whereas Octavianus’ stealth sections offer nothing new and are fairly limited.

Double Trouble, like previous games in the series, is a good 12-15 hours long on the first play through. However, this time repetition sets in far quicker than before with quite a few of the later levels becoming quite laborious for all but the most determined of gamers.

The controls are heavenly but the game isn’t.

The action is great when it gets going and the bosses will bring a smile to anyone's face. Whilst disappointing in some areas, it does match its budget price point and in some respects even exceeds it.

Charming, that certainly covers it. One damned charming game from start to finish. It's not perfect, it's not flashy, but it is a real adventure of discovery, and there are plenty of extras to keep everyone happy.

The game is by no means great but is also certainly not bad.

Despite the limited number of tracks, the combination of different game modes and difficulty ratings make PocketBike Racer entertaining when it's taken for what it is - an unashamed Mario Kart clone intended to advertise Burger King.

Obvious flaws and blatant plagiarism aside Conan isn’t a bad game by any stretch, offering a lot of throwaway entertainment and a real challenge on anything above the normal difficulty setting.

Children will manage it, and Super Easy mode (where hitting any note counts) makes Rock Band accessible to the youngest generation yet.

Other than the graphics, Fight Night Round 3 does very little to progress the boxing game series over its predecessors. It isn’t a total K.O. but does show that the series will have to work a little bit harder on newer features and glitches the next time around if it’s to avoid becoming stale.

A competent, enjoyable game with lots of depth and strategy options, sadly spoiled by the aforementioned niggles.

Underneath there is a decent racer trying to get out, however, the missed opportunities to tweak the game, the awful screen tearing and framerate problems and the crash bug mar the experience to some degree.

It is a shame that what is a very solid launch title was marred by a few technical niggles. The control method and loading times must have deterred a number of gamers at the time, and thankfully Capcom and other developers such as Namco and Sammy are now able to work wonders with the hardware, even providing their own sticky D-pad thingies with releases.

Sheer enthusiasm is what carries this product though and, when played in the right environment, it’s absolutely hilarious.

Even putting the d-pad issues aside, the console’s button layout does not lend itself to Capcom’s ever-present ‘six button’ system. Fighting games are all about split-second timing and fluid control, and any sacrifice in these areas is going to impact on the player’s enjoyment of the game.

Sneak King is undeniably fun for a while and certainly a guilty pleasure, but its main failing is that it quickly becomes repetitive.

Daxter’s failing, despite it being a solid and entertaining platformer, is that it does feel a bit short and a bit lacking.