Overall, gameplay is great - passing is tight, running moves are fluid, and the playbook is decent-sized, although officials occasionally miss big calls while throwing seemingly random flags. [Sept 2007, p.81]

It's enjoyable enough for a few go-rounds, especially in co-op mode, and that makes it one of the more endearing retro ports to hit Live Arcade. [Oct 2007, p.78]

Though this re-release lacks any of the nifty extras you might be hoping for, you're paying a mere five bucks for a perfect port of an undeniably classic. [Oct 2007, p.78]

You might grab it if you're new to space shooters, but don't expect to remember it in the morning. [Oct 2007, p.78]

Twenty-seven years later, the game's Live Arcade version is still stressing us out, but in good ways. [Aug 2007, p.79]

Watching a B-movie can be cheesy good fun. Playing and paying money for one...that's a nightmare. [Sept 2007, p.79]

Carcassonne is Live Arcade at its best--a fair price for a great game you otherwise wouldn't find on the 360. More please! [Aug 2007, p.80]

Admittedly, the game is gorgeous. But because the narrative is as linear and rigid as a steel pipe, it's a shallow sort of beauty. [Sept 2007, p.83]

Amid shelves crammed with me-too mediocrity, we'll take Overlord's wicked humor and creativity, warts and all. [Sept 2007, p.80]

A slick yet largely routine exercise in jumping, balancing, and fast-twitch hand-eye coordination. [Sept 2007, p.76]

Oodles of action that feels like "Riddick" in all the right ways. [Sept 2007, p.72]

But the compelling big-play action, an addicting career mode, and an amusing Home Run Pinball mini-game make The Bigs worth plenty more than the Cracker Jack-toy letdown you might have expected. [Aug 2007, p.78]

A sea of generic combat - you face an endless meat train of brain-dead A.I. schmucks that can't shoot straight and leave behind guns and ammo that mysteriously disappear at random. [Sept 2007, p.77]

Mild targeting problems aside, Phoenix is the most engaging Potter game to date, with the 3D richness that adults expect but straightforward hidey-seeky gameplay that won't overtax a tween audience. [Aug 2007, p.74]

These standalone levels may not compare to a proper game of chess, but they have the same sort of vibe, and that makes Band of Bugs challenging and addictive enough in its own right. [May 2007, p.80]

So don't let Dirt's pointed non--"PGR"-ness stop you in the slightest--if all you care about is great gameplay, it's easily one of the best 360 racing games yet. [July 2007, p.74]

Feels totally manufactured and formulaic. [Sept 2007, p.76]

In fact, developer Gameloft has managed to give the game a beautiful 3D overhaul and a few minor gameplay updates while mostly maintaining its timeless brilliance. [Aug 2007, p.79]

The frantic overhead ghoul-slaying of "Gauntlet" worked thanks to simple controls and cunning level design. Monster Madness fumbles the first part of that formula by saddling you with a control scheme that's counterintuitive and overcomplicated. [June 2007, p.74]

Unless you're plagued with a kimono fetish, you're just better off creeping around elsewhere. [Aug 2007, p.82]

Call of Juarez could've been a uniquely hard-boiled journey through the late 1800s, but it kicks up too much distracting dust to be worth the trip. [July 2007, p.78]

If you still have Pac-Man Fever, this game is a must-own. Otherwise, just sample the remix with the free demo. [Sept 2007, p.76]

It's a wise parent that rents, as those tiny gamers will make short work of this fun but brief experience. [Aug 2007, p.81]

Multiplayer is a blast, even if it's a hassle to re-invite everybody after each game. For 800 Microsoft Points, the goofy racing variety of Mad Tracks gives you excellent milage. [June 2007, p.72]

Yes, Forza 2 is a crazy mix of genius and B.S. [Aug 2007, p.70]

Shadowrun is definitely good--"Counter-Strike with magic" works very well--but it should be great. [Aug 2007, p.76]

It's the ultimate game for, like, 10 people out there, and they'll love it like monkeys love bananas. [Aug 2007, p.74]

All you're really left with is accumulating points...but since the game has no multiplayer to spice up that trivial pursuit, why even bother. [Aug 2007, p.81]

It's not a classic coin-op; it's a jurassic coin-op, and not much fun for 360 gamers. [Aug 2007, p.83]

Unfortunately, the majority of the game is spent hacking completely brainless enemies who literally turn their backs and wait for you to deliver the coup de grace once you've hit the A button enough times. [July 2007, p.81]

But with wonky, counterintuitive controls and nothing really new or compelling to add, Soltrio Solitaire doesn't give you a good reason to spend your solitaire time or money in the Arcade. [July 2007, p.79]

Fifty bucks. That's a lot to pay for what's basically a movie-licensed action-platformer aimed at a younger audience, but color us surprised that this ogre-cat-donkey sim earnestly plays to the rafters with a multi-tiered carnival of goofy fun. [Aug 2007, p.73]

So what's missing? Replayability. Using unlimited continues (an option we do appreciate), both one- and two-player games top out at just under 30 minutes. [June 2007, p.73]

It may not be the most elegant or thoughtful of strategy games, but C&C 3 can't be beat when it comes to super-slick, visceral mayhem. Pledge you allegiance to Kane if you've been craving sizzling RTS action - he won't disappoint you. [June 2007, p.68]

If it were a meal, Spider-Man 3 would be a very filling sweet-and-sour dish--often too tough, sometimes uneven, but ultimately very tasty for Spidey fans. [July 2007, p.80]

Catan is a slow-paced, cerebral game better played with friends than against the somewhat wonky A.I. Convince a few like-minded "siedlers" to buy and play Catan with you, and a good time is guaranteed. [mar 2007, p.81]

The result is a techno-soundtracked, particle-effects-spewing mess that's no more fun to watch than it is to play. [Aug 2007, p.83]

Eets is fun in small doses, and while it's worth the $10 asking price, few will crown it a new classic. [May 2007, p.79]

Every arcade needs a good pinball game, and Pinball FX fills and obvious hole in Live Arcade. We just wish our 10 bucks got us more variety. [May 2007, p.79]

Rabbids loses some of its originality and innovation in its move to Xbox 360, and bafflingly, it fails to adopt many of the console's strengths. [June 2007, p.73]

The absurdly named 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures takes the "sport" to extremes that should delight the kid in everyone. [Apr 2007, p.87]

Another month, another retro space shooter on Xbox Live. This one, however, isn't as much fun as you remember. [July 2007, p.81]

Taste in music is always a personal thing, but we absolutely love Boom Boom's 10 modern takes on famous classical music, which veer from ska to disco to electronica and good 'ol metal. [June 2007, p.70]

For all its simminess, hooking one of the 20 varieties of fish is a largely random affair. [June 2007, p.71]

Luxor 2 doesn't quite reach "Hexic" levels of serious mass appeal, but diligent students of the genre will want to sign up for its invigorating new lessons. [May 2007, p.80]

Expect your non-gaming friends, family, and spouses to beg for the chance to bring the rock. That power alone makes Guitar Hero II a must-play. [Mar 2007, p.68]

Meet the Robinsons is both uneven and disjointed, hampered by an awkward third-person view and targeting-control scheme. [May 2007, p.77]

It feeds the hunger of Oblivion veterans for more RPG goodness, and new players will eat up the kooky detour it offers as they explore one of 2006's finest games. [May 2007, p.72]

If you've never set foot in the whip-cracking universe of the marvelously long and storied Castlevania series, Symphony is the best possible way to get your meet-and-greet on. [Mayt 2007, p.76]

Virtua Tennis 3 delivers big where it matters most--irresistible, thumb-cramping multiplayer--and boots "Top Spin 2" to the sidelines to rightfully claim the title of best Xbox 360 tennis game. [may 2007, p.82]

Armored Core 4 might be uninspired and forgettable, but beggars can't be choosers. [May 2007, p.74]

Sadly, while mowing through thousands of baddies and flattening entire skylines does hold a certain appeal, your $40 is better put toward other 360 action games. [May 2007, p.78]

With a greater focus on improving teammate intelligence and smoothing control quirks, UEFA could be a great soccer game. Until then, it remains merely good. [Apr 2007, p.90]

TMNT's sold redeeming quality is that it lets young fans cut their teeth on a rudimentary platformer. [June 2007, p.76]

It's the same Tetris you've always loved. Only...busier. [June 2007, p.74]

TMNT 1989 has its share of problems...Nevertheless, the game remains a solid thrill. [June 2007, p.76]

At the very least, the 360's first "Worms" game recalls the series' hearty roots--and for that, we're thankful. [Mar 2007, p.79]

Fight for NY was a critical success, so EA has taken a curious risk by remixing the game's features and flow. [Apr 2007, p.84]

Wrapped around the entire single-and-multiplayer package is, again, some of the best presentation in any Xbox 360 game to date...With single-player delivering another snipe-'em-if-ya-got-'em ride and multiplayer upping the ante with its everything-you-could-imagine delivery, GRAW2 easily achieves must-play status. [Apr 2007, p.54]

It's over too soon, the quickie mini-games aren't worth more than five or 10 minutes, and the inexplicable lack of online co-op play stinks of missed possibilities, but Alien Hominid is still great fun and a joy to watch. [Feb. 2007, p.74]

Yes, Universe offers more and more and even more of the same formula--but for the DDR faithful, it's a winning one. [Apr 2007, p.88]

With its occult themes and flying ammo, Bullet Witch aspires to be a gritty action epic in the "Devil May Cry" vein, but it lacks the design chops to pull off the job. [Apr 2007, p.89]

Until Koei takes the time to enliven the painfully monotonous action, this is one samurai best left an honorless ronin--especially since Empires inexplicably abandoned the two-player Live action of its predecessor. [Mar 2007, p.79]

Xbox owners get the mediocre 2K6 with new rosters, but nothing else new. [Apr 2007, p.86]

The series is back on the right track, and a year ago, that's something we seriously doubted we'd ever say. [Apr 2007, p.86]

The game's gravest offense is its lack of things to do...None of it is deep or varied enough to make the game much more than a "Halo 3" consolation prize. [Mar 2007, p.72]

Highly honed, it beautifully perfects the elements that the first three games almost nailed without reaching for the next great thing the way a truly classic game does. [Mar 2007, p.76]

It disappoints only in Live multiplayer, where an updating score(gee, thanks...)is all players see of each other, and one person's demise ends both games. [Apr 2007, p.90]

Two-player action(over Live, even)is a nice modern addition, but odds are, you'll feel tapped out after just a few minutes. [Mar 2007, p.81]

Battlestations may not be the deepest or prettiest WWII-themed 360 game on the shelves, but it still hits a solid broadside. [Mar 2007, p.80]

Could the Xbox 360 use a fun and frantic throwback partier? Sure. But this mess isn't it. [Mar 2007, p.82]

Like Live 06, it has some core goodness, but it just needs some TLC. [Feb. 2007, p.79]

If you like twitch games, Heavy Weapon is an explosively explosively good time. [Feb. 2007, p.75]

It's straight out of 1989, and that makes it either archaic or retro-cool comfortable. With Capcom's steady attention to polish and presentation, Lost Planet falls into the latter category more often than not. And even if it's familiar, it's definitely not repetitive. [Jan 2007, p.48]

It won't tax your hardware or your wallet(400 points--cheap!), so if you're bored with "Pac-man's" predictability, his better half will give you more to munch on. [Apr 2007, p.90]

As with other Namco Live Arcade games, the coin-op's alternating-turns two-player mode is gone(update the emulator already, Namco!), so you New Rally-X replay value depends entirely on how much nostalgia you've got in the tank. [Mar 2007, p.81]

Whether you prefer the eight-player Live free-for-all or the strictly linear single player campaign, Novadrome delivers a spartan but reasonably attractive vehicular-combat experience with just enough bells and whistles to justify its $10 download. [Jan. 2007, p.74]

Assault Heroes is a no-nonsense blaster with plenty of co-op chaos and a lust for making hordes of things go boom. [Feb. 2007, p.77]

This game excels at staging space battles on an epic scale. [Jan. 2007, p.70]

Some subjects will just never translate well into videogames--like anything related to proctology, Paris Hilton, or, yes, MTV shows. [Feb. 2007, p.79]

No disrespect to "Frogger" and "Bejeweled", but Xbox Live Arcade needs more games like Roboblitz. Score one for the next-generation, Tin Man. [Jan. 2007, p.73]

A few titles(including Knights of the Round)support offline three-player fun, but even for $20, we say pass. [Holiday 2006, p.76]

All told, Small Arms is straight-up, button-whacking action. [Jan. 2007, p.77]

The game's underpowered scopes and wonky ballistics are often exasperating--long shots are tough, and point blank encounters sometimes are even tougher. [Feb. 2007, p.80]

Aimed at pre-teens--some overly cutesy characters and patronizing narration make it a little too cloying for grown-up gamers--Thrillville hits its marks well on most fronts. [Jan. 2007, p.75]

Yet, with so many fishing holes to unlock on top of the ability to, yes, race your boat, Trophy Bass salutes those of you who enjoy fishing with way more options than $20 normally delivers. [Feb. 2007, p.80]

So-so graphics and straightforward action never tap the 360's potential, but what you get is 10-or-so hours of middling superhero beat-'em-up fun. [Jan. 2007, p.76]

The 360 sure has a wealth of terrific shooters, and while Vegas isn't the very best of the bunch, it's elite enough to deserve your trigger time. [Holiday 2006, 68]

But at $20 for what is basically last year's quality game on original Xbox or $60 for the irresistible package on the 360 title offers, there's a lot to love on either platform. [Jan. 2007, p.76]

But at $20 for what is basically last year's quality game on original Xbox or $60 for the irresistible package on the 360 title offers, there's a lot to love on either platform. [Jan. 2007, p.76]

It may flesh out the recent movie, but on Xbox, it feels like a picked-over meal. [Feb. 2007, p.78]

Even if hunting is about communing with nature, Trophy Hunter reduces it to boredom. [Feb. 2007, p.80]

Big Bumpin' is a no frills, arcade-style gaming at its purest. Bumpin' is identical on Xbox and Xbox 360, but the 360 version looks dramatically better and offers online play. [Holiday 2006, p.78]

The stop-and-go action, the occasional jumps, and the sheer ridiculousness of what you're taking part in lends every race a manic aspect that elicits more giggles than groans. [Holiday 2006, p.78]

The gameplay is one-note repetitive, the environments are stupidly simplistic, and the product placement is overtly in your face. [Holiday 2006, p.78]

It's probably the game Hobbes' buddy Calvin would have designed had he ever grown up, although it's far too repetitious and simply not challenging enough for grown-ups. [Jan. 2007, p.76]

Still, hardcore nostalgia buffs will re-discover a deceptively simple addiction that's worth a five-spot. [Jan. 2007, p.75]

As a community, we must save the children...from mediocre cartoon-based cideogame adaptations like this one! [Holiday 2006, p.76]