One of the must-have PSP games of the year, LocoRoco 2 delivers everything we could have wanted - more stuff to unlock and plenty of joyful, secret-packed levels full of weirdness and wonder.

A fleeting love letter to the 8-bit generation, Retro Game Challenge deserves to be experienced by everyone with a heart for gaming culture.

A slow-paced but satisfying forest simulation that's good for kids, SimAnimals is a bit too simple for adult players. And while it doesn't quite fulfil its potential, but growing things is still a lot of fun.

Big Bang Mini is beautifully presented and innovative in terms of its design and gameplay but the further you progress through the 90 stages, the more the flourishes get in the way.

Star Ocean: Second Evolution is a solid RPG remake with some nice new tweaks. It's just a shame it's not better tailored to the PSP.

Maths Training looks good on paper and has a few good ideas, but forgets the importance of making learning fun.

The license promises much but Lord of the Rings: Conquest is a cheap cash-in that should be avoided. Even Grima Wormtongue would have to agree

Moon isn't revolutionary by any means but the overall quality of the graphics and action means this is a satisfying game that affirms the viability of the shooter genre, even on a portable.

Stiff controls and limited options keep this beautiful shooter from firing off perfectly.

Despite high production values, Prince of Persia: The Fallen King's awkward stylus controls means this is one Arabian night worth sleeping through.

An uninteresting matching puzzler that's slotted into a structure big on monotony, Cradle of Rome demonstrates game concepts shouldn't be built in a day.

Few games stand the test of time like Chrono Trigger. A role-playing classic, it's one of the very best the genre has to offer.

While not totally divine, Age of Empires: Mythologies offers solid turn-based strategy with a wealth of options and online multiplayer.

Absolutely not a video game in any shape or form – but something that's more immediately useful than Brain Training and its ilk.

Although it has a few rough edges, Skate It nevertheless ollies over the competition and triumphantly kick-flips its way to the top of the DS skateboarding pile.

Nice face, shame about the legs. Despite some great locations and visuals Underworld's gameplay will feel a bit on the bland side for regular pocket gamers - the more casual crowd should love it, though.

Metal Slug 7 provides great action, but unless you're a total completist, it's far too short an experience.

Saddled with poor visuals, ineffective controls and a complete lack of engaging content, Tony Hawk's Motion is a crushing disappointment .

The worst PSP version of Need for Speed to date, Need for Speed Undercover feels like a muddled attempt to revive the spirit of past glories.

Need for Speed Undercover should be a thrilling no-holds-barred ride but the wheels fall off early on.

On Tour Decades brings better songs and a slightly more comprehensive Guitar Hero experience to Guitar Hero on DS. There are still issues with the comfort and practicalities of its guitar fret peripheral, but the most rousing songs are still a lot of fun to play.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance provides everything required for highly polished Star Wars experience, but there's not quite enough depth for a real Jedi adventure.

One the series' die-hards only. Everyone else should bite the bullet and accept that for this season at least, FIFA's leagues ahead.

Seamless first-person shooting action with a healthy sprinkling of innovative touchscreen side missions - this is one of the best war-mongering affairs on DS.

Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia is the Pokémon series at its most professional and polished, but non-fans will find it as linear and repetitive as ever.

Much like its predecessors, WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2009 possesses plenty of breadth but precious little depth. A fun but dated take on the sports-entertainment franchise.

A step in the right direction after the previous entry, but THQ really needs to shelve the touchscreen control for the inevitable 2010 version.

What's there is fine, but Princess on Ice's rhythm-action is far too repetitive and the dressing-up elements and difficulty-tweaking surrounding it too superficial to provide much in the way of longevity.