There's no denying Tintin's engaging personality. From slick effects and slapstick animations (you can actually trip enemies with banana peels) to solid voice-acting, it immerses you in its world, even with the lackluster gameplay.

You might have some fun if all you care about is channeling your grade-school hacky-sack sessions, but if you're looking to actually play street soccer, you'll wonder why your soccer pitch turned into a circus act. [Apr 2006, p.77]

The Strike is simply too shallow to hold even the most ardent fisher's attention for long. [Dec 2009, p.69]

Fortunately you can also go online and play against humans in what is definitely one of the Xbox's better poker offerings. [Holiday 2005, p.73]

It's simultaneously better and worse than the original. [Holiday 2004, p.68]

The FIFA Street series has enough interesting ideas to sustain a fully realized, sports remix, but after three lackluster entries, it desperately needs to work on its finishing technique. [Mar 2008, p.92]

FN's only rewarding attributes are the high quality character models and the perfect license. Everything else needs work. [Nov 2003, p.130]

We just had to dig a little deeper than we'd like to get to the good stuff. [Aug 2010, p.74]

Only dedicated privateers will make it to the unsatisfying conclusion. [Oct 2010, p.75]

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]

A fun, if slightly flawed, space shooter that expands on the mythos with a decent story. It's not going to win any awards, but should satisfy fans of the show. [Jan 2004, p.82]

Nickelodeon may typically shoot for the young 'uns, but this cel-shaded RPG-ish action/adventure is loads of beat-'em-up fun for adults as well. [Holiday 2006, p.86]

Despite clocking in at around 2.5 hours, The Redemption rushes you through the final paces of the three-part Tyranny of King Washington saga so doggedly — and with such gaping holes throughout the narrative — that we were left with a sense of nagging unfulfillment, not closure.

Texas Hold 'em has plenty of flaws that will justifiably tick off poker junkies, and hardcore players are better off with "Stacked" or one of the original xbox's other poker games. [Nov. 2006, p.77]

Triggerheart Exelica is the kind of brutally difficult bullet orgy that shooter otaku love. [May 2008, p.76]

A collection like this should be extremely quick, easy fun, and Museum's quirks detract too much from that. [Holiday 2008, p.74]

But it’s still a letdown. If only this had been packaged with more goodies or delivered digitally for a more reasonable price.

The visuals and consciously retro soundtrack show a sense of style, but Sacred Citadel lacks the heart that defines the greatest brawlers. Use it to scratch an itch if you must, but if you’re new to action-RPGs, XBLA games like Castle Crashers and Guardian Heroes will prove far more rewarding.

The simple rules and appealing storybook presentation are wonderfully captivating for the two hours it takes to play through all 27 main levels. [Holiday 2009, p.81]

What it lacks in style or personality, Gun Metal more than makes up in gameplay and action.[Sept 2002, p.90]

While Rogue Ops isn't quite up to the level of "Splinter Cell," it's pretty close. And Nikki's hot. Mark this one down as a big surprise, and pick it up. [Dec 2003, p.132]

As it is, the game plays it safe with a by-the-numbers kill-fest that's fast and fun while it lasts, but ultimately, like the movie, feels more like a matinee. [Aug 2004, p.78]

Relies on its demanding difficulty to disguise its creative bankruptcy. [Mar 2010, p.83]

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]

It's a limited, simplistic experience, but still an enjoyable one for old-school shooter fans. [Jan 2013, p.83]

Fatal's look hasn't exactly aged well, and SNK has done little to update the graphics. [Dec 2007, p.78]

High-concept and high-action from beginning to end, Jericho is far closer to "Gears of War" and "Painkiller" than to "Condemned", but it's darker and gorier than all three combined. [Holiday 2007, p.66]

With 20-plus cars to unlock (and upgrade) and modes ranging from straight-up, no-weapons racing to missions where you protect a VIP--all of which are seriously more fun when up to four buddies join in--Scrap Metal is more than worth the $10 download. [Jun 2010, p.81]