Instead of a linear adventure, the game mixes different styles of gameplay into unrelated missions and while strange on paper, the gameplay works surprisingly well.

As it stands, the game is still a lot of fun but largely unchanged from last year’s version. As such, it’s only really commended if you skipped 08 or are a diehard soccer fan (and don’t have access to current-generation platforms).

A no-brainer for ATV fans and even more generally for racing game fans. The PSP has quite a number of racing games, but this is one of the most entertaining.

The actual gameplay is pretty solid throughout, the visuals are excellent and the rest of the presentation isn’t too shabby. That said, it doesn’t do anything principally different.

It takes a fun and lighthearted approach to the game. If you plan on playing multiplayer or for some reason really enjoy the Mario brand of sports, Mario Hoops will not disappoint.

Medal of Honor Airborne delivers the most compelling MOH experience in recent years. If you’re looking for a fun, chaotic WWII game this Holiday season, Medal of Honor Airbone is a great choice.

The drum is big, (sort-of) bulky and very loud, but it is pretty enjoyable and does register your strokes well.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is a fun platformer, definitely aimed at younger gamers and fans of the series.

Cars is not the most complex racing game around, but it manages to capture the Pixar spirit very well. Aside from this, it’s an enjoyable game with solid gameplay and a great presentation.

One of those amazingly fun, carefree games and doesn’t take itself too seriously. The action is hectic and breaks every law of physic and though the gameplay isn’t that varied, it’s still quite fun.

The quick gameplay, stellar animation, improved graphics, better AI and addition of more minigames make it a very compelling package.

Cars is not the most complex racing game around, but it manages to capture the Pixar spirit very well. Aside from this, it’s an enjoyable game with solid gameplay and a great presentation.

Like the movie it’s based on, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen isn’t trying to radically change the genre or introduce innovative new features. It’s giving you great-looking robots that go off and fight other great-looking robots as you watch the resulting explosions.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is a fun platformer, definitely aimed at younger gamers and fans of the series.

NHL 07, despite its faults, manages to be the best NHL game on the PSP and a good rookie attempt by the folks at EA Sports. If you were just waiting for the NHL series to make its portable debut, NHL 07 won’t disappoint.

If there is one thing that Singles does absolutely right is the visuals, which are excellent.

It’s certainly the best golf game on Wii, but whether the upgrades are worth $50 if you own Tiger 07 will depend on how much you like the series.

The atmosphere whether it is the environments or the dialogue or the music is simply top-notch. The game mirrors its source material with amazing fidelity and keeps you laughing all the way through. That elevates it from a simply okay game to one that is certainly recommended.

While the gameplay in Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams isn't that original, Avalanche succeeds at making you care for the characters because of their distinctive personality, which shines through the story.

A pretty standard platform game but its fidelity to the console version is excellent so bravo to Krome Studios and Halfbrick Studios.

The biggest knock against the game is the length. The single-player game is only seven hours long. You’re able to unlock movies and outfits, which are fun, but may not be worth a play through.

The minute plus load times, for a portable game, are more unacceptable. Rockstar Leeds was able to accomplish a lot with the game and this is almost enough to make up for the shortcomings.

While the gameplay in Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams isn’t that original, Avalanche succeeds at making you care for the characters because of their distinctive personality, which shines through the story.

If you loved Wii Sports Golf and were looking for more, this game will be exactly what you’re looking for as the game is undoubtedly the most in-depth and fun golf game on the Wii.

Liberty City Stories has a number of mishaps and annoyances, some of them which are borderline frustration. On the PlayStation Portable this was forgiven because GTA: LCS brought a console-like Grand Theft Auto experience to the handheld. These problems are less excusable on the PS2.

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is a solid heist game and a solid co-op game. The premise is very interesting but some of the core gameplay isn’t as polished as some of the other shooters you’ll find this holiday season.

While the game does many things well, it doesn’t do anything particularly remarkable.

The level design is solid in Pandora Tomorrow, although the PS2’s levels are hampered by simpler, less-detailed designs than its Xbox counterpart.

Conceptually, The Godfather II has the potential to be an amazing game. However, the somewhat dated visuals, coupled with the occasional mission-ending glitches, and the relatively ease of the strategy component mean that The Godfather II is a good game but one that doesn’t fully live up to its potential.

The production values are outstanding.

A cheap but solid rhythm title. The rather hectic action isn’t for everyone, and the game will have time with the mainstream audience, but fans of the genre will not be disappointed.

Unfortunately, the Gamecube version of the game does not include any online multiplayer support. Spark Unlimited did not balance this exclusion with any multiplayer split-screen modes or even a multiplayer co-op campaign.

The game looks a lot better since Rockstar has made use of the Xbox’s visual processor for higher resolutions, better textures and a much better framerate.

The production values are outstanding.

While the gameplay in Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams isn't that original, Avalanche succeeds at making you care for the characters because of their distinctive personality, which shines through the story.

The production values are outstanding.

Like "Shrek 2" before it, your overall enjoyment of the game will have much to do with your willingness to accept its target audience but at the very least you will find that Shark Tale simply isn’t a rushed, sure-money title.

Battling is only a fraction of what makes the Game Boy games special, and although Colosseum expands on this, it doesn’t do the Game Boy games justice.

A decent entry in the franchise but it doesn’t really do anything to propel it forward.

As mentioned above, Turok isn't perfect (decent but not great human opponents, too few checkpoints, sometimes repetitive waves of enemies) but if the prospect of man-versus-dinosaur appealed to you, then Turok doesn't disappoint.

Probably the finest DBZ fighting title in terms of pure gameplay. The game takes obvious inspiration from new and classic fighters and successfully plugs it into the DBZ formula. However, with the increased focus on technical gameplay, some of the flash found in the Budokai titles is missing.

A solid wrestling game, built on top of a good game engine. The graphics are great, as well.

As its core, NBA 09: The Inside is a solid basketball game.

The game has very solid gameplay, just the right length and best of all it is worth a mere $15. If you're even slightly interested in either the franchise or shooters; you should pick this up.

Despite its flaws, Afro Samurai is a well done hack-and-slash adventure.

You should only be considering the Godfather on PS3 if you haven’t played the game before since the new additions don’t drastically change the game. As another caveat, if you’re intrigued by the tilt functionality, you’ll find that motion sensitive controls are better implemented in the Wii version.

Despite its flaws, Afro Samurai is a well done hack-and-slash adventure.

Cloning Clyde packs about eight or nine hours of gameplay, which is quite a steal since the game only costs the equivalent of $10. It’s lighthearted and quite easy to pick up, making it perfect if you’re looking to fit 30 minutes of a game or a few hours.

Isn't the best compilation that money can buy. For $20 though, you'll be getting a lot of games which more or less function very well. If you are even remotely interested (particularly in "MKII" and "MK3") be sure to pick it up.

As an arcade version of hockey, it doesn’t really succeed in going all out. Nonetheless, despite a longing for more responsive gameplay, I enjoyed Gretzky NHL 06. If you’ve been a Gretzky NHL fan in the past, this version is the one to get.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is very sharp, lighthearted and fun game that will please younger fans of the movie with its varied gameplay, good looks and clever writing. A recommended purchase for fans of the movie.

It plays nearly identically to the first game, although the new weapons and co-op mode are fun distractions.

EA has created a great world and a solid launching pad for the franchise, but ultimately the dance portion—which is heavily emphasized—is far too easy even if people get really into it.

Outlaw Golf 2's golf gameplay isn't stellar but the game more than makes up for this by the sheer variety of modes available, the unique and ultimately loveable (if a bit scary) character lineup, Xbox Live support and of course, the $20 price tag.

Life Stories is aimed at people who grew tired of The Sims but don’t have the necessary computer hardware to upgrade to the full version of The Sims 2. If you’re in this group, The Sims: Life Stories serves as a nice middle-step, but you’ll be better off upgrading to the full-on Sims 2.

Fantastic 4 offers four characters, a repertoire of moves, and compelling level design that culminate in an engaging game. The production values are good, thanks in no small part to the authentic voice acting. The bonuses are a cool addition to the game as well.

Ninja Reflex is definitely worth playing but unless you’re planning on making extensive use of the game’s multiplayer mode, there isn’t enough content here to warrant the $40 price tag.

Rainbow Six Vegas is a fine portable shooter.

If you are even remotely interested (particularly in "MKII" and "MK3") be sure to pick it up.

The gameplay is pretty undemanding but fundamentally sound; the different characters manage the spice the game up a bit, as well. The game would be rated higher if the length was a touch longer; it clocks in at just over 5 hours.

The sound effects definitely help the audio package since they are in tact and quite forceful.

You can spend hours simply customizing your car, which will please the real tuners out there. The actual gameplay is solid, although the sense of speed and sometimes too realistic handling hurt the game a bit.

Ultimately, Transformers Animated: The Game works by delivering classic platforming gameplay and getting the feel of the series down.

The actual combat is very quick, very exciting and thoroughly enjoyed. It’s unfortunate that the unlockable movies, comic books and online play were removed, but the core game is still stronger on PSP.

Fantastic 4 offers four characters, a repertoire of moves, and compelling level design that culminate in an engaging game. The production values are good, thanks in no small part to the authentic voice acting.

It has solid if a bit frustrating gameplay and the number of stages is limited. Nonetheless, it proves to be one of the better puzzle games available for the PSP.

The game’s soundtrack is good, fitting the happy nature of the game. The sound effects are plentiful, especially the ambient effects like birds chipping in the background and Harry weeping when he enters dark places.

One of the best things about Shrek 2 is the multiplayer. Up to four players can play, each controlling a party member. Anyone can join in at any time, so if someone leaves, the AI will continue playing for them.

Combined Assault takes the already great multiplayer and adds a solid single-player component to the game. It’s a no-brainer.

The game changes a few of the things Harry fans have come to expect from the games, and though aimed at a younger audience, Harry fans will find a lot to like in the game.

The coolest gadget is the 3DA camera which allows you to take a picture of someone and then emulate them perfectly.

It doesn't do anything too different and although the cycles are nice, I felt that the Veritechs of the previous game were much more fun to mess around with.

Isn’t the best compilation that money can buy. For $20 though, you’ll be getting a lot of games which more or less function very well. If you are even remotely interested (particularly in "MKII" and "MK3") be sure to pick it up.

It won’t keep mature gamers’ attention for very long, but kids will love it.

The Bee Movie Game is obviously aimed at younger players and those who are interested in the movie. But even older gamers will find plenty of humor and solid gameplay to enjoy in the game.

A good dungeon crawler. The game does have some annoyances and you can argue that the gameplay isn’t deep but fans of the genre will be satisfied. The stylish presentation and multiplayer mode really help round out the package.

The sound effects are, once again, nothing spectacular.

Fight Night round 3 works as well as could be expected on the PSP. EA Chicago tried its best to work around the lack of the second analog stick.

One of the best things about Shrek 2 is the multiplayer. Up to four players can play, each controlling a party member. Anyone can join in at any time, so if someone leaves, the AI will continue playing for them.

Transformers doesn't make any radical changes to the classic action game genre, but it does have likeable characters and top-notch production values, coupled with enjoyable gameplay.

The game’s visual style is excellent. Red Dead Revolver very accurately represents the West...Technically, the game doesn’t fare as well. The frame-rate drops a bit too often on PS2 and there are a number of collision detection problems.

Entertaining and easy to pick up if you only have a few minutes to spare. The multi-tiered puzzles are a nice touch and will keep younger gamers busy.

Fantastic 4 offers four characters, a repertoire of moves, and compelling level design that culminate in an engaging game. Though a bit simplistic, the game does make for good portable gameplay.

NFL Street 3 plays a fine game of street football. It’s the kind of game that you can get a casual gamer into in a few minutes, compared even to other casual games like the Madden series.

The game could use a bit more variety, but the included race types, different cars and weapons, and decent replay value somewhat balance it out.

The game’s audio perfectly complements the visuals. The background music flows naturally with the game without become an annoyance.

Succeeds at pleasing its intended audience (the older teenage male, which I very happily fall in). As a trivia game, the questions are varied enough to keep things interesting and the breast parade never feels pushed or clearly added for marketing reasons.

The Bee Movie Game is obviously aimed at younger players and those who are interested in the movie. But even older gamers will find plenty of humor and solid gameplay to enjoy in the game.

Fantastic 4 offers four characters, a repertoire of moves, and compelling level design that culminate in an engaging game. The production values are good, thanks in no small part to the authentic voice acting.

If you’re a racing game fan in general and can get accustomed to the typical IndyCar Racing League races, you’ll find a depth of gameplay modes to last you well into the summer.

It would have scored higher if the game didn’t suffer from an inexplicably poor framerate. It almost ruins the entire game.

The Bee Movie Game is obviously aimed at younger players and those who are interested in the movie. But even older gamers will find plenty of humor and solid gameplay to enjoy in the game.

NFL Street 3 plays a fine game of street football. It’s the kind of game that you can get a casual gamer into in a few minutes, compared even to other casual games like the Madden series.

The motion-sensitive controls work very well and the graphical upgrade is appreciated.

The game changes a few of the things Harry fans have come to expect from the games, and though aimed at a younger audience, Harry fans will find a lot to like in the game.

Bomberman is a great rendition of the classic franchise. It’s a rare, truly portable game on the PSP. It’s fun in short bursts, but thanks to the 150 stages, you’ll be playing for hours.

Although it probably won't bring in many new fans, Naruto loyal will find a lot to like in the game.

Magical Starsign’s presentation is cheerful, the battle mechanics have a few wrinkles and the story is passable. Although it’s not the deepest RPG, the game is a solid offering on the Nintendo DS.