There is plenty to do in the management of the park and great rewards for success. However, all this is undermined because it is much more fun to play one of the driving, mini-golf, shooting or football games than do all the menial things.

There is plenty to do in the management of the park and great rewards for success. However, all this is undermined because it is much more fun to play one of the driving, mini-golf, shooting or football games than do all the menial things.

The pressure of following in the footsteps of one of the console’s greatest successes seems to have removed any sense of humour from the game.

Though voiced and scripted by the people behind the TV show, the game is lightweight, and its quirky navigation and control issues make it one for serious fans only.

Though voiced and scripted by the people behind the TV show, the game is lightweight, and its quirky navigation and control issues make it one for serious fans only.

Though voiced and scripted by the people behind the TV show, the game is lightweight, and its quirky navigation and control issues make it one for serious fans only.

The graphics are solid and fighting is actually quite impressive, with the special moves giving variety to the hack’n’slash action. Yet all the time a feeling of déjà vu takes away from the action on the screen.

The graphics are solid and fighting is actually quite impressive, with the special moves giving variety to the hack’n’slash action. Yet all the time a feeling of déjà vu takes away from the action on the screen.

There is nothing to get particularly excited about, not even the innovative dual-stick control system that supposedly helps you to groove your swing as a professional would.

The wild combinations of touch-pad and direction keys required to play make this a game you might not wish to use on public transport, and it somehow lacks the charm of previous Mario-themed games. Good, but not great.

Unfortunately, with the Rock on board as the “talent” playing the spy hunter Alex Decker, Midway has got carried away with the cinematic feel of the venture at the expense of gameplay.

There is nothing to get particularly excited about, not even the innovative dual-stick control system that supposedly helps you to groove your swing as a professional would.

There is nothing to get particularly excited about, not even the innovative dual-stick control system that supposedly helps you to groove your swing as a professional would.

While the graphics impress and the inhabitants all go about their business with a smooth efficiency, the game makes too many demands to maintain interest. Worse, there are few moments in the game that don’t awaken a feeling of déjà vu.

This must be one of the first instances in which a video game actually seems like the natural format. But even here, as you acquire weapons, ride wasps and beat up tiny-huge creatures, it seems never to aspire to much beyond adequacy.

This must be one of the first instances in which a video game actually seems like the natural format. But even here, as you acquire weapons, ride wasps and beat up tiny-huge creatures, it seems never to aspire to much beyond adequacy.

It’s violent, it’s breathlessly easy to play, and it’s ever so slightly repetitive.

The cars on the circuit, from the Dodge Viper to the Mazda RX-8, are all impressively rendered, but slide off the track at the first push of the turn right button at one of the many hairpin bends.

Nice graphics and smooth gameplay are no substitute for imagination.

Nice graphics and smooth gameplay are no substitute for imagination.

Nice graphics and smooth gameplay are no substitute for imagination.

Nice graphics and smooth gameplay are no substitute for imagination.

Nice graphics and smooth gameplay are no substitute for imagination.

The biggest problem with Total Destruction is the lack of things to do, besides building-bashing and car- tossing.

Although Ten Hammers has some nice touches, it is nowhere near the gameit could and should have been. This is a case of great original, poor sequel syndrome, I’m afraid.

Although Ten Hammers has some nice touches, it is nowhere near the gameit could and should have been. This is a case of great original, poor sequel syndrome, I’m afraid.

As for the combat sequences, they rely too much on repetitive button- mashing, and leaderless soldiers stand around like sheep awaiting the slaughter.

Although Ten Hammers has some nice touches, it is nowhere near the gameit could and should have been. This is a case of great original, poor sequel syndrome, I'm afraid.

Though The Godfather is competent, it is also bland, despite the voices of James Caan and Robert Duvall, and you rarely feel a sense of power.

Though The Godfather is competent, it is also bland, despite the voices of James Caan and Robert Duvall, and you rarely feel a sense of power.

Though The Godfather is competent, it is also bland, despite the voices of James Caan and Robert Duvall, and you rarely feel a sense of power.

A little too retro to be anything other than a game to play in short bursts, this new-look Tetris would be just the thing for a short journey.

The control system suffers somewhat from the PSP’s limitations, and the less said about the awful soundtrack the better, but these failings do not detract too much from a fun addition to an ever- increasing series. Just keep the sound turned down.

Fifa Street 2 falls down in one vital aspect — namely the art of defending.

Fifa Street 2 falls down in one vital aspect - namely the art of defending.

With more than 45 mini-games in the mix, it is not surprising that the quality of them is fairly mixed — it is Ape Academy’s major weakness that while many are rather too easy (the one- metre dash, for instance), others seem impossible (catching the contents of a kebab on a sword).

This gentle time-waster is a relaxing antidote to intense shoot ’em ups.

It may sound mundane, but there are enough winning touches to make the game very playable in short bursts.

The variety of moves keeps the game engrossing. You may be unlikely to return to it once you have played it, but reuniting Captain Blue with his movie seems reward enough.

This is a sterile affair which, although adequate in every department, excels in none.

Despite the different endings, the game does not have enormous replay values, but the original Christie novel is included for good measure.

Admittedly, the assorted firepower offers little excitement, but the experience is convincingly upbeat thanks to the game’s droll sense of humour.

Shadow of the Colossus has more style than real substance and it is slightly baffling why Fumito Ueda, the game's creator, didn't develop this into something a little more Zelda-esque in order to make best use of the world he has created. He might have had a classic on his hands.

The action is fluid, and the voiceover occasionally knowing, in an archly self-referential, Pixar kind of way.

The action is fluid, and the voiceover occasionally knowing, in an archly self-referential, Pixar kind of way.

The action is fluid, and the voiceover occasionally knowing, in an archly self-referential, Pixar kind of way.

The action is fluid, and the voiceover occasionally knowing, in an archly self-referential, Pixar kind of way.

Admittedly, the assorted firepower offers little excitement, but the experience is convincingly upbeat thanks to the game's droll sense of humour.

Now that the game is established in a 3-D world, it has, for me at least, lost a little of its gripping intensity — an option to switch action between 2-D and 3-D would have been a nice touch.

Now that the game is established in a 3-D world, it has, for me at least, lost a little of its gripping intensity - an option to switch action between 2-D and 3-D would have been a nice touch.

Aimed at kids, this is a guilty treat for adults as well.

But this compilation serves up all their gaming hits and, apart from proving just how far, thankfully, gaming has come in the last 25 years, it also manages to deliver nostalgia by the bucketload.

But this compilation serves up all their gaming hits and, apart from proving just how far, thankfully, gaming has come in the last 25 years, it also manages to deliver nostalgia by the bucketload.

But this compilation serves up all their gaming hits and, apart from proving just how far, thankfully, gaming has come in the last 25 years, it also manages to deliver nostalgia by the bucketload.

Ultimately, though, it’s all about how well you wield a crowbar.

Ultimately, though, it's all about how well you wield a crowbar.

Nice idea, chaps, but for now I’ll stick to Galaxian on my PSP.

For all the nice touches, however, the shockingly poor artificial intelligence lets down Cold Winter badly, and the game is unlikely to offer serious players any real challenge.

The FPS game definitely needs revitalising by something new and original. This isn’t it.

The FPS game definitely needs revitalising by something new and original. This isn't it.

TMOS has an impressively complex storyline, backed up by superbly detailed background graphics.

Well-meaning if not masterful, this is clearly a game for children rather than older players.

Well-meaning if not masterful, this is clearly a game for children rather than older players.

Well-meaning if not masterful, this is clearly a game for children rather than older players.

Well-meaning if not masterful, this is clearly a game for children rather than older players.

Yes, there are tweaks, better graphics and further development on the cars’ physics, but nothing groundbreaking. For the most part it seems that the past four years have been spent improving the playback of your car whizzing around the track once you’ve finished the race.

While serving up some more cerebral fare with the violent action is laudable, and the graphics are very good, by extending its sights, Shadow of Rome just fails to conquer.

Though NFL Street 2 does enough to entertain for an hour or two, fans of proper football, played with feet, are likely to find it quite dull.

Though NFL Street 2 does enough to entertain for an hour or two, fans of proper football, played with feet, are likely to find it quite dull.

Though NFL Street 2 does enough to entertain for an hour or two, fans of proper football, played with feet, are likely to find it quite dull.

The controls take some time to master, and there's a surfeit of useless jargon seemingly designed to prevent you getting to grips with the gameplay. Nor is this a game for the short-sighted, since the on-screen captions that supposedly offer guidance are minute and virtually illegible.

The 3-D graphics, though impressive, have changed little, and the fighting characters remain pretty much the same.

It’s a shame, too, that the levels aren’t more exciting and spontaneous. Such predictability stops this game from being any more than an enjoyable flight simulator.

"Ratchet & Clank" fans may turn up their noses at the largely failed attempts at humour in the dialogue, but if your Christmas games are already losing their appeal, you could do a lot worse than this, especially for the price.

"Ratchet & Clank" fans may turn up their noses at the largely failed attempts at humour in the dialogue, but if your Christmas games are already losing their appeal, you could do a lot worse than this, especially for the price.

Shark Tale may feel linear at times, but the experience is not so diluted that it delivers a totally flavourless caper. The game is rated 3+ and younger players should enjoy its mix of chases, stealth, puzzle-solving, simple fighting and musical tap-dancing.

Shark Tale may feel linear at times, but the experience is not so diluted that it delivers a totally flavourless caper. The game is rated 3+ and younger players should enjoy its mix of chases, stealth, puzzle-solving, simple fighting and musical tap-dancing.

Shark Tale may feel linear at times, but the experience is not so diluted that it delivers a totally flavourless caper. The game is rated 3+ and younger players should enjoy its mix of chases, stealth, puzzle-solving, simple fighting and musical tap-dancing.

Disadvantages include not being able to jump the cut scenes — frustrating when the game is hard enough to get you killed often before the end of a level.

It is the clichéd choice of music played on the camp radio that makes you wonder whether it is worth delving deeper into this game: Paint it Black, yes we’ve seen Tour of Duty; Nowhere to Run — yup, we watched Good Morning, Vietnam, too.

Strangely addictive. Your fingers may be hurting and your brain turned off, but the desire to try just once more for a sub-10sec 100 metres will get the better of you.

The graphics are not as exciting as those found in "Command and Conquer: Generals" and the interface, like its predecessor’s, is rather flat. However, the ability to interact with virtually anything on the map makes up for this shortfall.

We can overlook the dingy appearance of the redesigned world, but the new style of play, involving a pair of bonded characters and a sort of extra-dimensional training area known as The Battlefields, adds layers of unnecessary complication.

There is no getting away from the fact that this series is now showing its age. The linking video sequences are bland, while the colours jar badly.

Impressive graphics and sound effects add to the challenging gameplay to make this a fine addition to the Clancy stable, and one that is particularly suited to online gaming.

What really makes this game is the chilling music, which, even though the gameplay might not always be up to standard, builds the tension beautifully and ensures that the shocks that X-Files: Resist or Serve delivers have the maximum impact.

The learning curve is gentle, the controls simple to master, but there’s little new here.

The learning curve is gentle, the controls simple to master, but there's little new here.

Releasing a game without a save mode is a brave move; releasing a game without a save mode because you forgot is just worrying. For those of you hoping to play Gangland and complete it, my advice is to wait until a save patch becomes available, supposedly in the next month or so.

This game looks good and will appeal to fans of the "Zelda" series, although it never touches the heights achieved by some of Link’s escapades.

The more you play the more both the gameplay and Redmond’s catchphrases err on the repetitive side.

Visually, there may not be much to get excited about, but it is efficient and works as an introduction to the intricacies of the game for newcomers.

An efficient training mode allows you to take to the trails with confidence, though you might find the crash course more entertaining.