In addition to a series of unlockable tournaments, Trials packs a bike and avatar editor, a compelling compilation of minigames (see sidebar), and that track editor. It’s an incredibly robust feature — perhaps even similar to the actual development tools — but it’s also highly intimidating.

Resident Evil 6 is solid, challenging, and at moments outright amazing, but razzle-dazzle Hollywood production never quite masks a subtle, intangible lack of focus and pacing that pervades its formidable spread of content.

A surprisingly fun arcade romp with a bit of story thrown in. [June 2003, p.85]

On Xbox Live, Top Spin 2 shines just as brightly as its predecessor. There are leaderboards and tiered matchmaking--all of it lag-free. [May 2006, p.81]

You're constantly on the brink of both success and failure. [June 2009, p.76]

Hitz is fast. You can barely keep up, making it so arcadey you'll want to shove a quarter in your controller port after each period. [Nov 2003, p.126]

Serious golf fans will want to spring for this game, even though it’s a lightweight but quality upgrade on Tiger 09. But if you’re more casual and you only fire up Tiger every now and again, you’ll be fine waiting for next year’s game and what will hopefully be a beefier step toward golfing nirvana.

Aside from the strangely bland textures, the most glaring problems are some awkward technical hiccups like objects popping in, slowdown in busy areas, and polygon clipping... unacceptable on the Xbox. [Sept 2002, p.91]

Perhaps the biggest change is the addition of a BMX bike, which gives you a new way to attack courses. Sadly, you can't ride it in the main game, but it's still a welcome addition, as it controls drastically different than the other bikes and looks totally ridiculous with the rider constantly pedaling.

In spite of few frustrating stretches, Revelations' enjoyably button-mashy combat and clever puzzles are worth diving back in. [June 2014, p.74]

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]

Shadows has a dark side of its own, with a few glitches like foes and objectives occasionally disappearing or freezing, but they’re not enough to mar this otherwise spectacular adventure.

Every anime-riffic charcter - from Ragna, the slightly effeminate swordsman, to Taokaka, the obligatory catgirl - is beautifully drawn and totally bizarre. [Aug 2009, p.71]

May have some flaws, but the controls feel so good it's hard to put the game down. [Jan 2003, p.92]

While the action is good, it's also incredibly short. There are only a dozen missions, plus an unlockable thirteenth, but you're looking at six to eight hours tops on this one. [Feb 2003, p.66]

This game isn’t one you stick with for its story. A bully’s quest to end bullying among cliques by relentlessly bullying everyone does not make a good yarn. But it does make an impressively wide-open world full of tons of gameplay types and nuggets of surprise. Your inner game explorer won’t be able to resist.

It may not live up to the series' impossibly high standards, but it's still a gem in its own right. [Apr 2012, p.56]

Why are some levels so awesome, and others feel like they were bought off a guy on a street corner? [Jan 2006, p.78]

Unlike 2011’s installment, though, multiplayer excellence can't completely compensate for a misguided and rote single-player campaign, which makes BF4 an unsatisfying choice for those looking for the total package.

Okay, so most of it isn't that fresh, and none of it is revolutionary. But if you're looking for the most robust and entertaining dance package currently available, this is it. [Holiday 2006, p.80]

The series' best effort yet. Though many little issues remain, its fundamentals are strong throughout, forming the foundation for a largely stellar baseball experience. [Apr 2012, p.84]

Satisfying, challenging, and more importantly, fun. [Jan 2004, p.80]

It's great fun to build your own good or evil hero, and with the Lost Chapters content, there are easily 20-plus hours of fun to be mined out of it. [Jan 2006, p.58]

It’s immediately tangible, even from the title screen, that Prince of Persia is a labor of love, meant to bridge luxurious aesthetic and spitshine polish with emotional investment. And despite its overly repetitive structure, we found ourselves compelled to fight our way through to see how it all ends — donkey or not.

The 2010 version's numbskull partner A.I., for instance? Fixed. And the even more frustrating opponent A.I. that still makes us angry just thinking about it? Also rectified, although all their old dirty tricks emerge during the masochistic Jambot matches you must complete to earn Platinum medals.

If you're looking to change up your workout, Zumba Fitness Core will noticeably kick things into high gear: with a broader selection of dance types and music genres, and an extremely focused approach in its routines, it'll help you tone your body without having to do a single drill or lifting any kind of weight.

Even if you don’t harbor the slightest hint of nostalgia for the original, Castle of Illusion offers up a great experience. It’s a fun update to yesteryear’s classic, but also a solid platformer in its own right.

Don't get us wrong: Orcs Must Die! is lots of hyperactive fun. Just don't expect lavish long-term depth that'll keep you slaughtering for weeks.