Visually dated, but they are arguably two of the deepest 2D fighters that SNK has ever released.

If you are a basketball fan, get this game.

A Dragon Ball Z fan’s dream come true. The game boasts a incredibly large roster of fighters hearkening from every obscure movie and saga in the series.

The PS2 may have thrown out its last classic titles with Okami and God of War II, but for those waiting to make the next gen leap then you could do a lot worse for yourself in the mean time than picking this up.

To those looking for a great portable Shin Megami Tensei experience, this is it, and any fan of tactical turn based games should pick it up as well.

Mutant Blobs Attack has the right amount of charm and variety of gameplay elements especially considering its price.

As far as beat 'em ups go Scott Pilgrim vs. The Word is a dream come true.

The game is accessible while still retaining great depth and with dozens of excellent tracks and a huge fleet of cars spanning five decades of racing, there's a ton of content to keep players interested.

The short, breakneck campaigns create a compelling game you'll likely revisit time and time again. It's the perfect blend of planning and reflexes, requiring you to thoroughly plan every move but remain highly reactive and adaptable.

Sega have succeeded in adding just enough tweaks and extras to convert the unconvinced.

An extremely engrossing, in-depth civilisation and military game with simple yet effective visuals and very smooth gameplay.

Whilst I prefer the simplicity of EA Big's title, ESPN has got me hooked on the professional side of football, if not only to fill up my virtual house full of football clobber.

Dyad walks that fine line between artistic evocation and arcade addiction, emerging in a blinding euphoria of brilliant light at the end of its tunnel.

The game allows you to interact with its rain-drenched world, shaping its development in ways that you’ll never expect until it’s too late. The clunky movements and awkward controls kill some of the immersion, but the gorgeous graphics and emotionally assaultive scenes will keep you mesmerized.

Simply put, the creepy atmosphere is incredible. Forget those survival horror games full of cheap scares and dark alleys. System Shock 2 manages to frighten without succumbing to horror contrivances. Considering this game is six years old, it truly is an achievement. [Aug 2005]

Rhythm Heaven Fever is a late, essential pick-up for the Nintendo's fading console, coming in at an attractive budget price with an exceptional amount of polish.

After experiencing Chinatown Wars, you have to applaud Rockstar. Not only have they presented their iconic city on a fashionably smaller scale, they have woven an intriguing story into the mix as well.

It's a smart, refreshingly dark take on RPGs, complemented by action-oriented and tactical combat with a surprising amount of depth.

Fun as it may be, what makes Battleheart a tremendous success is the uniqueness of its formula.

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is by far the best expansion of the set, and though it stumbles in its speedy progression from 80 to 85 and the Archaeology profession is boring and repetitive, the bulk of the content feels vast and polished.

LSWII crams a whole lot of single and multiplayer fun into a game built- no pun intended- around Lego bricks and lightsabers.

Exactly how a console flight combat game should be. Dogfights are intense and hugely satisfying, the handling is spot on, the graphics are detailed and it all runs very smoothly. The story is surprisingly well crafted.

No Time Left is a wholly satisfying and rewarding conclusion to one of this year's best. It makes a grand statement for episodic content.

While certainly not perfect – the game is short and could have benefited greatly from LAN or online multiplayer support – there really isn't a more versatile arcade-style shooter for the GameCube system.

It’s astonishing just how much content is packed in here.

Beyond Good and Evil is a game like no other, and while many aspects of its design are unoriginal snippets of genre, they all blend into each other to create something truly original.

The overall package might not topple Modern Warfare 2’s throne, but the multiplayer might have just surpassed it. Competition is always healthy.

It's an intelligent game, but also one that acknowledges that action needs to feel satisfying and brutal, just as much as stealth needs to feel tense and crafty.