Varied play modes such as tag and survival, plus countless unlockable items, add further appeal. But the lack of new moves or characters is disappointing.

That rock is the rocking arcade rally game "Rallisport Challenge 2," which offers better visuals, a more tangible driving sensation and arguably the best online support ever seen in a racing game. That hard place is "Richard Burns Rally," which has established itself as easily the most realistic (not to mention difficult) rally game. In the wake of these two triple-A titles, Colin McRae 2005 comes off feeling a little too tired to remain the pinnacle of rally gaming.

This is classic Crash, warts and all, updated for 2020. It looks and sounds phenomenal, is a touch more lenient, injects some new mechanics and takes much more care with the delivery of its story and characters. Given how poorly previous attempts to update Crash have turned out, this is a marvellous effort that should please old fans, their kids, and those just looking for a brilliant if potentially gruelling retro platforming adventure.

Exploring the labyrinthine citadel is rewarding, although backtracking and frequent deaths can be frustrating.

Splatoon 2 has a lot of substance, and every bit of it is literally oozing with style. Keeping everything that made the original game great while expanding on modes, fashion, weapons and features, this is a powerfully addictive family-friendly shooter.

And whether you are tooling around with a giant bowling ball or bringing a mob boss to justice in record time, Xbox Live support lets two friends run riot side by side.

An immensely deep role-player.

Far from just a V8 simulation, this is a celebration of all motor sport, featuring an amazing 15 racing styles, 32 championships and 49 tracks from around the globe. It has something for everyone.

A value-packed collection of infinitely replayable and hugely enjoyable classic card and board games.

Delivering yet another fresh twist on Shovel Knight's peerlessly smooth faux-retro brilliance, King of Cards is a challenging, funny, beautiful game that serves not only as the final chapter in the saga but also as proof of how far its creators have come.

With an amazingly addictive battle system, interesting stories and a beautiful world that I wanted to (and was encouraged to) explore inch of, this is a special adventure that feels like playing a classic Final Fantasy for the first time, but with the gameplay and presentation benefits of an extra 20 years or so of progress.

Despite a flimsy storyline that's riddled with cavernous gaps in logic, Prey's rollercoaster ride of gun-toting action delivers the punch of a blockbuster movie.

It's about halfway through Fahrenheit that the wheels start to wobble. The game begins to veer away from its complex murder-mystery beginnings into the realm of pure fantasy, with a final chapter that can be hard to stomach.

Exploring the labyrinthine citadel is rewarding, although backtracking and frequent deaths can be frustrating.

A glorified Tamagotchi, but infinitely cuter and more appealing.

Like a playable painting of ink and pigment, GRIS is a powerful and significant game, even if the visual art often overshadows the actual play.

Bonus mini-games have the most long-term appeal, particularly a sublime version of darts.

The changes to gameplay, addition of house rules to kick-off mode and refinements to Ultimate Team make this an improvement on last year, and the third chapter of The Journey is the deepest yet. But fans of the old-fashioned career mode will continue to be disappointed.

A glorified Tamagotchi, but infinitely cuter and more appealing.

With a story of boundless optimism, dozens of huge, living worlds to investigate and one of the most satisfying battle systems seen in a Japanese roleplaying games in years, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a charming and engrossing long-form adventure.

The addition of smart and relentless police pursuers has reinvigorated this popular driving series.

That rock is the rocking arcade rally game "Rallisport Challenge 2," which offers better visuals, a more tangible driving sensation and arguably the best online support ever seen in a racing game. That hard place is "Richard Burns Rally," which has established itself as easily the most realistic (not to mention difficult) rally game. In the wake of these two triple-A titles, Colin McRae 2005 comes off feeling a little too tired to remain the pinnacle of rally gaming.

A shining example of why the Tribes universe is so popular, although fans aren't happy with many of the refinements.

The fact that it's got the deepest story ever seen in a fighter simply adds to the realistic feel of the brutal combat within.

Space conflict complements ground-based action beautifully and jumping into the cockpit of an X-wing or TIE fighter is thrilling.

A glorified Tamagotchi, but infinitely cuter and more appealing.

Exploring the labyrinthine citadel is rewarding, although backtracking and frequent deaths can be frustrating.

Navigating the menus and many options can be seriously intimidating for the uninitiated, thanks to some complicated design features.