It's not that the Emperor has no clothes, but in Master of Disguise, Wario's garb looks distinctly threadbare, despite some cute ideas.

300 the video game could have been a lot worse for sure, but it's a shame that it couldn't have aped the film and comic's more contemporary, slick and glossy finish.

For existing fans of trading card games, this is an addictive package offering potentially hours of exciting play. Everyone else may strongly disagree.

Like biting into a jalapeno, this is fresh, frantic and explosive fun while it lasts.

While some of the seven games here suffer from irritating loading issues, much of Metal Slug Anthology emerges unscathed and victorious to offer amongst the finest shooting on PSP.

Good graphical presentation and easier core gameplay makes Meteos: Disney Magic a kid-friendly puzzle game, but the spiky learning curve proves frustrating.

She's got a cute smile and there are some nice touches, but Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja doesn't help the inexperienced, and doesn't reward the skilled. Don't hire this dungeon-crawler.

A very short-term diversion, Trioncube is for rare puzzle game fans who don't crave a challenge.

Many will find M.A.C.H.'s fuselage a little thin and the solo flight briefer than it deserves to be. But if they get together, they'll also discover it offers some of the finest multiplayer gaming on PSP.

Boasting charming touches, rammed full of content and even trailing a Wi-Fi infrastructure multiplayer mode, it's an easy recommendation for anyone with an itchy trigger finger.

An inexcusably repetitive, soulless experience.

A hugely enjoyable brawler with an engrossing story and an atmosphere you can cut with a machete – one of the greatest movie tie-ins ever.

Quirky and bold, Gurumin proves that a simple dungeon-crawler can be as compulsive as even the most heavily-scripted affair.

Small isn't always beautiful, unfortunately.

Dazzingly deep, Lunar Knights is a complex and satisfying game with some nice tricks up its sleeve, although it is short by role-playing standards.

A solid – often brilliant – simulation, which for some may prove a little too realistic for its own good.

Avoid the poor multiplayer modes and occasional single-player slowdown, and Pro Evolution Soccer 6 offers a solid enough footy experience.

A decent multiplayer mode and loads of extras, but let down by poor control and often flawed design.

The best of the three GBA re-issues, Final Fantasy VI Advance is a timeless dollop of role-playing adventure gaming.

A stylish, noir-inspired adventure with a sophisticated plot and deep characters, Hotel Dusk is the place to stay for smart DS gamers.

Timeless gameplay, expertly ported, Pirates! is a game to savour throughout.

A compelling mix of dark plots, kooky stories and lawyer talk, Justice for All adds more evidence to the DS's case as the thinking person's console.

A capable game destroyed by inexcusable loading. Heavy petting has rarely been less appealing.

Not the best Star Wars game in the canon – weak mission design and targeting issues hold it back – but it's still a fun distraction for series aficionados and PSP action adventure fans alike.

Mazes of Fate is a classic example of a lovingly crafted yet off-beat GBA title – it might smell a bit iffy but the gameplay can be truly intoxicating.

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin is a deep, enthralling game but the presence of some flawed elements mean it's not as good as the previous "Dawn of Sorrows."

A supreme stealth action game that isn't just true to the MGS canon but offers exciting new elements for both singleplayer sneakers and multiplayer junkies.

D-Day's strategic undertones are welcome, but overall the game is too drawn out and generally lacking in tension to truly captivate, other than in short sporadic bursts.

A decent gaming snack, but Kirby Squeak Squad is unlikely to satisfy those hungry for a challenge.

The absence of a two-player co-op mode mars what is otherwise an enjoyable – if rather simplistic and short-lived – journey.

With oceanic depth, honed controls and absorbing missions, this is the epitome of bad, meaning good.

Intensely frustrating strategic military shooter, which could do with being massively simplified.

Despite biting off far more than it can chew, Thrillville provides an enjoyable – if somewhat limited – ride.

It's less to do with being the Man of Steel, more a rusty version of the tin man – because this is a game without a heart.

Fun for a while, Gunpey just doesn't possess the deep gameplay required to be a classic puzzle game.

A simple and straightforward package, light on extras but boasting an excellent core that will particularly please puzzle fans with a penchant for order and neatness.

Uncommonly strong retro compilation heartily recommended to those with fond memories of their days of Mega Drive ownership or, indeed, any fans of solid gaming experiences.

Final Fantasy III offers a solid role-playing experience, but despite the 3D refresh, it remains a bit part in the Final Fantasy canon.

Indeed, so much of what was an otherwise quality adventure has been lost in the transition, this is more like a book of the film where half of the pages have been torn out. Avoid.

Excellent for younger gamers, Bionicle Heroes is a well-designed and enjoyable shooter, although more experienced players might consider it lacking in challenges.

The natty storyline will make you grin, while the perfectly pitched gameplay and glorious multiplayer mode will make you sing: a near-perfect light-hearted and innovative music title for the PSP.

Playing it doesn't make you feel like a superhero or a supervillian, and the game makes unsatisfying use of the DS' technology. Lack of variety and an insistence on turgid fetch-and-carry missions seals this as one to avoid.

Shoddy conversions of shoddy conversions – some of these weren't worth playing in the first place, let alone again.

Despite its dodgy film licence pedigree, Eragon is a surprisingly enjoyable addition to the ranks of DS action games.

By parts jolly, vibrant, and intensely frustrating, Rayman Raving Rabbids GBA lacks attention to detail, thwarting some neat ideas.

Fast, furious and typically fierce, MK: Unchained is an accomplished fighter made all the more interesting by the addition of unusual play modes.

Not only is Yoshi's Island DS huge, cute, innovative and beautifully presented, its layering of light platforming skills and hardcore item collection mean it's ideal for all abilities.

Effortlessly stylish, engagingly simple but deep and beguiling, this is handheld twitch gaming concentrate.

Although the novel RPG Story element is less refined than it could be, with over-long cut-scenes and some tedious schlepping, Bomberman Story is a worthwhile RPG and, more importantly, a terrific multiplayer experience.

An enjoyable cliché while it lasts, but ultimately this is an average package that few players will be able or willing to justify shelling out for.

Scintillatingly brilliant puzzling. Again.

Not even dodgy tunes stop Elite Beat Agents being one of the most entertaining and accessible games on DS.

While not for those lacking experience points, Final Fantasy V Advance offers a highly customisable adventure for anyone seeking a role-playing challenge.

An awful, rewardless gaming experience on just about every level.

Children of Mana brings intelligence and charm into the realm of dungeon-based button bashing.

Killzone is precisely average. It's mildly entertaining, sure, but also disappointingly flawed.

First-rate conversion of two excellent games that, individually, lose a little of their spark on PSP, although nothing that significantly dulls the overall experience.

Death, Jr II inches its way closer to being a very good game but, too often, its action fails to match the creative promise of its scenario, character and art design.

Technically solid – if increasingly familiar – racing action but set within a dynamic that often feels unnecessarily controlled.

Need For Speed Carbon: Own The City lacks the spirit and energy we've come to expect from the series.

An improvement over its predecessor in almost every area and as such the new lord of free-roaming gangster simulations – there's nothing to match it on PSP. But the narrative feels a little undercooked.

Great action RPG – one of the best on PSP – cleverly balanced in such a way as to appeal to both veterans and newcomers, but significantly marred by frustrating loading issues.

Despite being loveable and well-made, Pokémon Ranger's combat system is too shallow to grip your attention.

Star Trek Tactical Assault is a limited strategy combat game with a few nice Star Trek touches, but after several encounters, hypersleep may beckon.

Brown and benign, ATV Pro may have a lot of deep mud but its fails to grip over the long term.

Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam is an interesting take on boarding, but variety comes at the expense of true excellence.

Big, brash and beautiful, Ace Combat X is a prime example of the PSP's capabilities and deserves a place in every thrill-seeking PSP owner's collection.

Greater than the sum of its parts, it's eventually hard to feel anything but sheer joy when playing Magical Starsign.

The single-player game is enjoyable but disappointingly short-lived. Thankfully, the impressive multiplayer options improve things considerably.

Something of a disappointment considering our expectations, uncovering Contact's charms demands significant patience.

It's their season: FIFA 07 is the best portable football sim to date bar none.

Ruh-roh! Another "Don't worry, the children will never see past the licence to realise the game is rubbish" attempt unmasked.

If you're prepared to come to terms with the sizeable control issues and accept the occasional technical gremlin, there's gold to be found in them there pixels.

A distinct average and oddly passionless collection of touchscreen mini-games.

The dragon returns to form. The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning is a well-designed, satisfying action game.

Judged on fun, depth and the amount of recharges you'll be forcing into your DS, 42 All-Time Classics is a winning formula. We heart it.

Limited in both scope and ambition, something that even sticking half the movie in at the start of missions doesn't mask.

Whether it's stealth, driving or shooting, the game feels limited and unengaging, is hampered by unresponsive controls and completely lacks the necessary polish of a modern production.

Thanks to plenty of tweaks and additions, Mercury Meltdown boils down to a bit more than more of the same. An excellent pocket puzzler.

A marked improvement earns FIFA 07 a toehold in the DS Premiership, but it'll need to work harder next time to keep moving up.

There are a lot of good ideas in Alex Rider: Stormbreaker, but the main game is too clumsy for us to recommend it.

An addictive puzzle game that proves to be more Energizer bunny than clockwork mouse.

In trying to make a game based on the movie, they've ended up making a movie based on the movie. It's not as good as the real thing.

With its learning curve, Rocket Slime offers charm, weirdness and huge, huge tanks.

Compelling for a while, eventually Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team casts a powerful sleep spell over the toughest of pokéfans.

The gaming equivalent of a brussel sprout – despite being a solid experience, Harvest Moon DS' weak presentation leaves something of a bitter taste.

Beautifully knitting together the Star Wars and Lego worlds in presentation and ambience, this is a game that showcases the PSP's extraordinary capabilities.

As for the DS version, it's a thumbs down and prolonged raspberry from us. When the only thing you can applaud is the competent way the trademark music is used, you know you've a stinker on your hands.

Arguably indispensable for those wanting and able to play with others, but despite some interesting touches the new single-player mode fizzles more than it explodes.

Building on the series' heritage, Mega Man ZX is a refined title that, although not without flaws, brings quality action platforming to the DS.

Too short, but MechAssault Phantom War is an engaging robot combat game.

Fun, frantic, and action-packed, Mario Slam Basketball is a good-looking game that lacks solid opposition.

Pilot Academy offers moments of great enjoyment that are unavoidably affected by both the game and the PSP's shortcomings.

Two different and interesting games for the price of one but whether you'll find the mechanics compelling enough to play all the way through will very much depend on your love of an old, simple and now unfashionable genre.

Rock-and-roll gameplay to a J-pop beat, LocoRoco is a perfectly rounded handheld puzzler.

Devilishly unforgiving and dangerously infuriating. But also delicately updated and delightfully addictive.

Star Fox: Command's strategic elements bog down its exciting flying levels, but it looks great, and multiplayer is thankfully free of turn-based antics.

Madden NFL 2007 is a solid annual update, but it lacks visual panache and touchscreen brilliance.