This game should prove fairly easy to those of us who have grown up with previous Mario titles; the levels are incredibly short, the difficulty is fair at best, and the whole thing seems to need a bit more fleshing out.

Joe Danger 2 feels more coherent and varied than its predecessor. Where the first seemed like a loosely connected set of tracks, this one found the identity the previous game lacked. It’s as immediately fun too.

God Hand is one of those games that will either leave you shaking your head in disappointment or practically drooling for more. It functions superbly as a beat’em up game, and it possesses the some of the charm that games like "Final Fight" and "River City Ransom" used to enjoy.

Without equal in how effectively it exploits the senses.

Hearthfire will appeal to the player that has made enough headway to justify buying the add-on but for those constantly on the road or haven’t been burdened yet with too much stuff to carry around, it might seem too superfluous to justify the purchase.

Whether navigating the labyrinthine hallways of Curien’s Mansion or dodging the reptilian occupants of Death Adder’s Lair, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is the right kind of trip down memory lane.

Building zoos is a piece cake and there are enough options to satisfy most players. Serviceable graphics detract from the experience, as do technical limitations, but those can be forgiven.

If you are new to the genre and looking for a good entry level game then Sacred Plus is definitely a great game to start with and its available at budget price.

Mega Man X Collection features the triumphs and failures of Capcom's most dynamic duo. It faithfully renders all of the aspects of the games, be it the quality platforming, the tough bosses, or the less savory things like bad level design and ridiculously challenging obstacles.

For those of you looking for that one great RPG for your DS collection, this game might be your answer. While the game slows down at certain points and has a fair amount of difficulty, it’s still a force to be reckoned with.

Painkiller is like a cold drink on a hot day; refreshing.

It doesn’t just copy a certain plumber’s early adventures verbatim like so many before it – some of them excellent in their own right – did, but seeks to plant the seeds of growth that the genre has lacked for so many years in showing that, by imprinting its own identity on a well weathered template, incredible things can happen.

Everything feels crafted with care, and it's a fun and stylish strategy game.

It's telling that Earthworm Jim HD is most fun when it's playing with ideas that go beyond its core gameplay mechanics. But it's also telling that this wide range of inventive ideas manage to elevate the game far above its obvious flaws.

A multi-player crowd-pleaser. Mind you, even that is outshone by the benchmark title of the DC's "Virtua Tennis 2" (yes, even though I know they're practically the same game).

The gameplay may not be completely new, then, but this kind of chemistry certainly is. There's no denying it - Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is the best escort 'game' ever made; a spritely little cracker with a lot of heart.

I'm pleased during this rather dull year to be surprised by Telltale's take on not only a monster that has been diluted by pop culture and monopolised for quick cash grabs (irony alert), but also on a decision making system that is constructed with functionality and maturity. As long as they don't botch the ending - I'm sticking by my guess of the final choice that came to me twenty minutes into the first episode, though I hope I'm wrong - this as one complete story will be the best of the year. Matt Sawrey was right, keep horror to the independents.

Honestly within minutes of jumping into Plain Sight I was wearing a stupid grin on my face. The aesthetic is charming, the action is chaotic and the level of depth is quite surprising.

Crysis 3 is a mishmash of Crysis and Crysis 2, which is probably the best thing we could hope for now that the series has to work on aged consoles

While I did not personally find “The Bogey Man” to be as enthralling as “Muzzled”, it is certainly one of the best games of the series and will no doubt appeal to fans and newcomers alike.

It's a safe house for the trigger happy but also an engaging tale, told with the sort of introspection missing in other games: Max is letting you in on his darkest secrets, and these are secrets to cherish.

Surprisingly, it has a lot of life to it. For a game built largely around the “blow sh.t up” gimmick, you’d expect it to lose steam after a few hours, but Guerrilla stays entertaining through most of the game, only tapering slightly toward the conclusion.

It’s an eight hour thrill ride with only a few poor missions and GTAIV’s dated gameplay holding it back. For the relatively cheap price it should be a must buy for any GTA fans, particularly those with a fondness for either Vice City or San Andreas.

It’s a punishing game but rewarding in equal measures, and will draw you in like no other racing game quite has managed so far this generation - bring on BAJA 2: World Tour.

Like a good summer blockbuster, the action is entertaining, the thinking is kept to a minimum and most of the experience is forgotten when it stops.

Despite the occasionally high frustration levels of Braid, the game is cleverly designed and often very rewarding.

Borderlands is the bastard child of Mad Max, Halo and Phantasy Star Online; and yes, I’m aware that’s three participants.

It gives you immediate fun; the 6-minute challenge is perfect for when you are waiting for someone. The return of old school scoreboard gives it replay value. It's just pure and simple, unadulterated fun.

A good game, and executed well in terms of in graphics technology, system implementation, and gameplay. If only the main quest was a bit longer and the difficulty balanced throughout, this game would be a classic.

A fun Shmup that remembers to keep things simple. The appeal here is in the core action – never becoming confused with any half-baked mechanics or over-used ideas.

For all its annoying faults, inconsistencies and peculiar glitches, the game manages to provide a solid ten hours of thrilling, kick-em-where-it-counts, shoot-em-up action.

Even if your shoot-'em-up experience is limited to Contra or Metal Slug, I still highly recommend giving this game a shot (again, gratuitous pun intended). Let's hope that SideQuest Studios's Final Prototype isn't actually… well… final.

Even with Scenario Mode taking up far too much time and effort, Tekken 6 is a pleasurable gaming experience and the fighting mechanics are as polished as you could hope.

It packs enough scares to warrant having an extra set of underpants on standby; and the mixture of stealth and action keeps things interesting throughout.

It's shockingly pretty, and has the gameplay to back it up - especially when gaming with friends.

ilomilo is a complete joy from start to finish; exactly what XBLA needed; and exactly what's needed after fighting some non-cuddly alien maggots with a size 13 boot.

A game that vastly improves upon its predecessor. The King of Fighters 2006 features a huge roster of playable characters and a fairly detailed storyline to back it up.

Pikmin 3 would be something of a rare gem in any console’s library, never mind the fledgling Wii U’s.

The Finnish developers have built a believable universe surrounded by a strong narrative, impressive storytelling techniques and enjoyable combat with a unique twist. It has its flaws with repetition, linearity and some poor presentational issues, but this is a world ripe for a sequel to improve upon every single aspect.

While not containing an extensive range of content, Mighty Fin does provide a consistently enjoyable experience on the move, one devoid of frustration or a 'buy in-game credits' system.

As long as Lexis Numerique continues down its exemplary path, the trouble with point-and-clicks might as well be considered an open and shut case.

Offers the best FPS experience on the PlayStation 2 with a fluid experience that immerses gamers into a world of conspiracy, intrigue and action.

Cute, charming, and an utterly magical joy to play from start to finish, LocoRoco 2 is your new best friend.

It’s not nearly as methodical, subtle or intelligent as their other IPs, but Left 4 Dead dives head first into the abyss covered in blood, guts, bile – every horrible bodily fluid you can possibly think of, and comes out of the other end smelling like roses.

Let’s be clear – Fossil Fighters isn’t for the self-proclaimed “hardcore gamer.” No, it’s for kids – no doubt about it. That being said, it’s a quality title that, though somewhat shallow and straightforward, is a great fit for budding gamers.

It might be a little stiff, but the game is just plain fun to play thanks to some outstanding writing that’s just plain lacking in many other games.

It might not be as substantial of an add-on as The Secret Armory of General Knoxx was for the first Borderlands, but vault hunters hungry for more will find this DLC satisfies their lust for loot quite nicely.

The New Super Mario Bros series was never one to defy expectations, but rather build upon years of refined nostalgia. New Super Mario Bros. U is formulaic Mario and is a delightfully fun time for it.

Fans of Telltale’s knack for coming up with impactful character interaction will find Faith to be up to snuff and find plenty of excuses to replay while choosing a different approach.

Marvel vs. Capcom Origins is the definition of what every HD fighting game re-release should be and as long as Capcom continues down this path, high anticipation for Darkstalkers Resurrection is foreseeable.

But what it lacks in style and depth it makes up for in sheer replayability and nostalgia. It takes you back to a time before there were meaningful stories, fancy leveling systems or any of that other stuff you might take for granted.

It certainly won’t grab your eye like the aesthetic found in echochrome, but it’s far more content to play things safe and be a ton more fun.

Planets Under Attack is a surprising little strategy game, filled with a lot more depth that what can be seen on the surface.

After Burner Climax is as good as arcade conversions come.

The chronic lack of depth in the middle stages is an injustice to a brilliant start and finish which should have been the crowning moments but instead serve only to hold the game up above water.

I would have really liked a level editor, but the game is still just as addictive as the original. It is difficult to understand why it's so fun and engrossing, but I suggest that you don't worry about the "whys" and just start playing. That's what I'm going to do.

Sceptics will have their own reasons for shaking their heads and walking away, but those who make the investment will find a rewarding experience, with oodles of depth, hours of playtime and, yes, an abundance of menus.

Unlike the last episode, there are no half-assed puzzles to deal with or keys to be fetched and out of the two Desperate Escape provides the most entertainment value for your virtual dollars. It’s a fun little send-off for Resident Evil 5—nothing more, nothing less.

After the final battle has been fought, the fact remains that this is one excellently polished and solid fighting experience.

What's most surprising about Battlefield 3 is that even the things that are assumed to be poor are at least tolerable, if not conflicting with the scope of the multiplayer.

The Simpsons Game for the DS may not be innovative nor appealing to worldwide mainstream audiences - you really do need to be a fan of the show to appreciate what’s been done here – but it’s a highly creative production nonetheless.

All jokes aside, RF Online is a stable and an entertaining game once you progress through the earlier portions of the game.

Resurrection of Evil ultimately fails on innovation but perhaps just as importantly succeeds with expansion. It’s more of the same, for better or for worse.

Red Alert 3 doesn’t do anything particularly innovative in the RTS genre, but its familiar and addictive gameplay shines through, aided with a ridiculous plot and colourful cast.

It adds a wealth of new content to the game, not just around the water theme but in other areas as well. RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 feels more complete and polished with the expansion.

I encourage you to pick this up, even with the load time issue. Really, it’s because they tried to fit too much game in this one. It’s simply too big for the tiny PSP to handle.

Throne of Agony is arguably the best Action-RPG available on the PSP at the moment, and if you're a fan of the genre it'd be a criminal to skip this in favour of some of the more derivative fair that clutters the Sony release schedule from time to time.

It’s got the first five titles of SNK’s best series. It showcases the best and worst of them all; two of the games aren’t even worth playing because the other three trump them in every conceivable way.

A well-crafted game. It has plenty of polish, an absolute ton of things to see and do, and plenty of spot-on references to past games in the series (the combat text is still the best in the business).

This game is as good as it gets for most RPG fans on the PC, and The Witcher is sure to give you an enjoyable experience despite the pacing issue.

While I would prefer to do my shooting in a well-written comedy or a dark drama, the opinion that Bulletstorm fails at both doesn't invalidate the fact that its creative gameplay is new, refreshing, and a total blast to play.

It’s a punishing game but rewarding in equal measures, and will draw you in like no other racing game quite has managed so far this generation - bring on BAJA 2: World Tour.

If you’re looking for a new FPS to play through, there’s not much that can compete with Half-Life 2: Episode One, even if it is essentially an incomplete experience.

The absurd number of things to do after the main quest has been completed almost makes the adventure feel like a side-mission to a much grander story that unfolds as you dig deeper into the goodies that lie buried after the first 8 badges.

Halo 4 is another Halo game in every sense. It's a technically spectacular achievement that in isolation is a product to make the industry proud. Series fatigue is inevitable after six full-length titles and this prevents it from being genuinely essential. For many that decision will have already been made.

It's a perfect game for handhelds, combining the simplicity of puzzles with the addictive nature of RPGs. Even though it sounds like the result of an executive meeting gone horribly awry, Puzzle Quest is actually a great piece of synergy.

Nintendogs is more like one of those squishy stress balls than an actual game. Both are tools to ease some of the strain of everyday life, and both are at peak effectiveness when used in short bursts.

It could have been disastrous, but Metroid Prime Pinball is a fantastic example of a series spin-off executed extremely well.

It's beautifully made with attention paid to every aspect of its visual and musical presentation.

Turok may not be original, or genre-bending, but it is a great deal of fun. It's the classic summer movie syndrome: sure, it won't win the Oscar, but it's still a movie worth seeing.

The Knife of Dunwall can be finished quickly, in a couple of hours, but this isn’t how Dishonored is intended to be experienced. Players who take their time and thoroughly investigate each location will find over six hours of enchanting gameplay to sink their blade into.

Vanquish manages in many ways to be quite literally awesome though; from the bombastic battles you partake in, through its outstanding technical performance, brilliantly ridiculous cutscenes and superb twists on an established genre.

Papa Sangre is survival-horror, where you're cast into the land of the dead, using 360 degree sound to avoid creatures, save lost souls and avoid being torn apart; intense.

Its clever use of environmental destruction creates a faster paced game while its light feature set cuts down the steep learning curve the genre can be known for. Greed Corp. puts strategy first, delivering a game that fits the venerable bill of easy to learn but hard to master.

Its narrative is compelling, its writing thoughtful. The mechanics may be little more that a delivery mechanism for its story but Kentucky Route Zero's mysteries leave you wanting more. Fortunately, there's more to come.

A wonderfully fun and addicting experience, offering tons of characters, modes, and everything else you could want in an anime-based video game. Just as its television forefather, this game has the makings for something great.

Despite the surprising replayability, the amazing brutality of the kills, and the excellent targeting system, Mark of Kri is “only” an above-average game. The blandness of the levels really lessens the worthiness of brave Rau’s quest.

The impressive sounding music studio is a bit of a disappointment - being overly complicated and only producing ringtone-type songs - but a decent set list, enjoyable, and improved, guitar duels and a wealth of celebrity appearances make this a complete package.

It’s an overly tough cookie to initially crack into, but like Tetris, it’s a game with a simple base interaction made compelling through intelligently constructed sub-systems.

Perhaps the series peaked with 2K7, after-all, there can only be so many variations on Pong before someone runs out of ideas, or the waters become over saturated.

Bottom line: If you have a Wii, but lack a PS2, get this game. But if you happen to have both systems and trying to figure out which version to get, stick with the PS2 version.

If anything, Kirby's Epic Yarn definitely lives up to its name.

While the game's not for everyone, players with enough patience to wade through the tutorial, however, will find an enjoyable, lengthy campaign, complimented by a promising Xbox Live mode that just doesn't have the backing of a strong community.

There was never a moment when I was playing this game where I was annoyed or frustrated, even as I crashed back to the desktop. I just wanted more and more.

The combat and level design can become repetitive during long sessions and its difficulty may put some people off. But when it plays so well, looks unique, is filled with zest and the fun doubles in co-op, it's ultimately a rewarding and enjoyable experience.

Swarm can be summed up in one sentence: There's a big red button with a giant sign stating 'DO NOT TOUCH'. Regardless of the mission at hand you can't help but interact with everything along the way and Hothead have embraced this by making death as much fun as success. It's silly, immature, creative and ultimately lots of fun from beginning to end.

Most Wanted succeeds because it is all about the driving and the driving is excellent. It's Burnout with a name that will sell. And that's a pretty good thing.

People may turn their back on this thanks to its 2D visuals and oddball soundtrack, but not sampling this small nugget of gold for yourself, for those reasons alone, would be not be sensible at all.