There’s no question that Aegis Wing is fun and challenging, but it would be a hard sell if it wasn’t a giveaway.

The core of the game is the undoubtedly the combat, and while there are a few wrinkles thrown in here and there, it’s still a perfect example of button-mashing gone wrong.

Double Dragon succeeds in delivering the same action as its NES predecessor, but it’s bogged down by its total lack of difficulty and the pitiful emulation job.

In C&C 3’s world of the future, you expect the units to be faster-moving craft that crackle, zoom and jet from spot to spot—they are and they do. That speed is part of what makes the game look great, but which causes headaches in the gameplay, because the AI foe doesn’t seem to have any problem throwing units at you. Meanwhile, you’ll be pulling triggers, moving sticks and pushing buttons at a much less-efficient rate...and therefore need to scramble more to keep up.

Spidey 3’s camera is horrible. You can’t look up and move at the same time, because, when you start to move, the camera wants to correct itself to show Spidey’s heading, which sometimes conflicts with what you need to see when you’re playing.

One of the best reasons for buying a game like Catan on XBLA—which comes with a cost of 800 Microsoft Points or about $10—is that you don’t have to know the rules and procedures that well.

The fact that there’s no online multiplayer support is a big downer too, with leaderboards representing its only online presence.

The majority of the puzzles occupy that zone between "challenging" and "frustrating," so you shouldn't feel bad if you get fed up with it every once in a while. I noticed that stepping away from the game when I was stuck usually helped me out, since it gave my brain a little time to solve the puzzle or approach it from a new direction.

I really enjoyed the time I spent with Pinball FX, because it does have a similar feel to other real tables.

The mini-games are a lot of fun, especially if you have a few friends around for some party-gaming action. Some of them are a bit frustrating.

The course design is the real highlight within 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures, with gameplay that will frustrate until you figure out every detail of each hole, something that will take longer than most would care to spend with a XBLA game.

It won’t likely suck you back in for repeat plays, like a "Geometry Wars" or even other old-school arcade games like "Joust" - and if you’re getting it for the 200 achievement points, you might be disappointed that you’ll have to really work for some of the milestones.

A visual treat; even more so than its immensely popular "Geometry Wars." The tweaked classic tracks may not be for everyone, but at least they tie into the gameplay, making Boom Boom Rocket a very unique offering in the ever-surprising lineup of Xbox Live Arcade games.

Best of all, it doesn’t look like a cheap throwaway title that you’ll play for a few minutes and never play again.

The Xbox 360 gets what’s probably the best party game ever, because GHII is compelling for anyone who’s into music, not just to hard-core gamers. It’s that rare title that doesn’t become boring with repeat plays. In fact, I played it so much the first day I had the game that the tips of two fret-flicking fingers went numb on me.

The platforming leaves a little to be desired, but the rest of the game is varied and challenging enough to keep you entertained.

While this expansion doesn’t really offer much in the way of new gameplay, it features some memorable quests and characters.

With a mixture of open-ended gameplay elements, more advanced controls, and a gripping story, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the epitome of the side-scrolling genre.

The controls are responsive, but the A.I. needs a serious overhaul.

After the first few missions, you’ll have some strong challenge—and the need to reequip your mech to match the adversaries you’ll face. It just feels shallow, though, like there wasn’t much creativity poured into it.

Part of what is so incredibly endearing about this game is that it’s so technically abhorrent. You’ll feel like you’re playing something from Xbox Live Arcade, but the fun factor is where EDF 2017 makes the leap to a standalone title.

A lovely game engine featuring independent player and ball physics. Card game campaign mode jazzes up offline play.

The platforming action is pretty solid, but the combat quickly becomes mind-numbingly repetitive.

The gameplay is essentially the same as it has ever been, but instead of having only one game mode, there are a bunch of variants for you to meddle with. It’s good if you LOVE Tetris and can’t get enough, but newcomers shouldn’t expect to find a mode that straps certain powers onto different colored blocks.

To Ubisoft’s credit, they did as much as they really could have with the original content, and should be merited for the game’s feature set; especially the online four player co-op.

Ultimately, it’s Worms’ lack of features that is its downfall. There’s a semblance of a map editor, but there’s no real user control. Why can’t I place my own objects or shape my own terrain? Why do I have to let the computer do it? And why don’t I have access to weapons that past Worms installments have had?

In the end, Def Jam Icon is more like a bump-n-grind slow jam instead of the club banger that it should have been, but it still deserves merit.

The single-player campaign features a bunch of new gameplay mechanics, improved A.I., and some spiffed-up visuals, and while the multiplayer is largely the same, it’s still an absolute blast to play. Our only hope is that Ubisoft doesn’t decide to make this a yearly tradition.