Groove Coaster isn't as ambitious a project as Space Invaders Infinity Gene, but it's certainly more fun while it lasts. Whether it's flying along at juddering right angles, or gently cruising around a relaxing curve, Groove Coaster is a consistently enjoyable audiovisual experience.

Cordy is simple enough for beginners yet also packs in a decent challenge for more experienced players.

A brief but striking title, one that doesn't outstay its welcome, perfectly pitched at the digital market.

Annihilation is more than a simple map pack, of course.

Annihilation is more than a simple map pack, of course.

It's easy to appreciate From Dust, but harder to enjoy it.

Despite these signs of a slight rush job and the mixed presentation, I couldn't help but have a good time with Captain America.

Despite these signs of a slight rush job and the mixed presentation, I couldn't help but have a good time with Captain America.

If you want a genuinely ambitious video game based on a movie license, check out Toy Story 3. If, however, you or a family member really loves Lightning McQueen and the movie's cast of characters, this simple but fun arcade racer won't disappoint.

If you want a genuinely ambitious video game based on a movie license, check out Toy Story 3. If, however, you or a family member really loves Lightning McQueen and the movie's cast of characters, this simple but fun arcade racer won't disappoint.

One of the most generic, bland and uninspired shooters I've played in a long time, and in turn has potentially sullied the work done on the series in the past.

One of the most generic, bland and uninspired shooters I've played in a long time, and in turn has potentially sullied the work done on the series in the past.

Bastion is the perfect game to kick off Microsoft's Summer of Arcade, capturing that certain something that Limbo and Braid had in previous years.

Dull combat.

Ms. Splosion Man might not have the same immediacy and freshness of her orange-hued male counterpart, but with more variety and intelligence in the level design she's definitely more fun to play with.

Tiny Tower's real question is about the scale of its economy, then, and whether you can stomach playing a game that becomes increasingly desperate in its desires to part you with chunks of your own money.

Deathsmiles is Cave's most successful iOS port yet, however, and while hardened bullet hell veterans will find the difficulty level far too low for their personal liking, this is the perfect game to sit around on an iDevice for occasional high-score runs.

This isn't a game that demands your undivided attention, though; it can be played sporadically, either on your own or with a few friends and some beers. It can become monotonous – mindless even, if you let it – but with the right frame of mind, there's a remarkable amount of fun to be had here.

This isn't a game that demands your undivided attention, though; it can be played sporadically, either on your own or with a few friends and some beers. It can become monotonous – mindless even, if you let it – but with the right frame of mind, there's a remarkable amount of fun to be had here.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing has all the best qualities that Mario Kart initiated years ago and features controls tailored to the portable iOS devices. As such, this is certainly one of the best iDevice racers you'll play this year.

1-bit Ninja's appeal is immediate, and its visual style will easily curry favour with anybody that remembers growing up in the '80s and early '90s. Even two decades later, however, Super Mario Land vastly outshines this simple imitation.

If you're not entirely sure whether you're going to enjoy The Mercenaries 3D or not, ask yourself this: is £35 too much to spend on a mini-game ripped out of Resident Evil 4?

These are another batch of consistently entertaining maps built on the solid bedrock of sprawling architectural foundations.

Maybe if it inspired loss of bladder control in the same way the original did - or, better still, how Monolith's Condemned did - it might have been slightly more memorable. FEAR 3 is sadly lacking in the fear department, and has subsequently lost its defining characteristic.

Maybe if it inspired loss of bladder control in the same way the original did - or, better still, how Monolith's Condemned did - it might have been slightly more memorable. FEAR 3 is sadly lacking in the fear department, and has subsequently lost its defining characteristic.

Maybe if it inspired loss of bladder control in the same way the original did - or, better still, how Monolith's Condemned did - it might have been slightly more memorable. FEAR 3 is sadly lacking in the fear department, and has subsequently lost its defining characteristic.

It's a shame that Transformers: Dark of the Moon exhibits so many fundamental flaws in its design, as from time to time you get a fleeting vision of what High Moon Studios is trying to create.

It's a shame that Transformers: Dark of the Moon exhibits so many fundamental flaws in its design, as from time to time you get a fleeting vision of what High Moon Studios is trying to create.

We knew then that Miyamoto and co had made a classic, but it's only now that we can see just how revolutionary Ocarina of Time actually was.

The game coaxes out hearty chuckles and swear-laden outbursts in equal quantities, but there's no denying that the resulting blend of emotions make for a memorable experience.

The game coaxes out hearty chuckles and swear-laden outbursts in equal quantities, but there's no denying that the resulting blend of emotions make for a memorable experience.

While Sucker Punch should be applauded for its efforts (and successes) in adding user-generated content to an open world game, there's a real sense that the developer should have sorted out the foundations of its own house before inviting others to come over and redecorate.

The game is designed to simply let you get on with it. The lack of loading screens means you can continuously chug through a 10-12 hour game without the usual stop-and-start pausing at static screens, like you're being bullied by a traffic warden.

It's a modernised take on dungeon crawling that brings a few new ideas to the series.

It's a modernised take on dungeon crawling that brings a few new ideas to the series.

Close your eyes after playing, and a carnival of neon sea-creatures and fluorescent shapes will pulsate under your eye-lids. Child of Eden will linger in your conscious long after playing. While it's a fleeting and - on rare occasions - frustrating experience, it'll leave its mark on 2011 in just the same way.

I'd have liked the adventure to have been trimmed of fat, the combat is at times extremely irritating, and the art design far exceeds the technical prowess on show, but at its core Alice: Madness Returns is an imaginative romp through a world that's clearly been designed by some incredibly creative minds.

I'd have liked the adventure to have been trimmed of fat, the combat is at times extremely irritating, and the art design far exceeds the technical prowess on show, but at its core Alice: Madness Returns is an imaginative romp through a world that's clearly been designed by some incredibly creative minds.

I'd have liked the adventure to have been trimmed of fat, the combat is at times extremely irritating, and the art design far exceeds the technical prowess on show, but at its core Alice: Madness Returns is an imaginative romp through a world that's clearly been designed by some incredibly creative minds.

As a bizarre curio of video game history, Duke Nukem Forever's appeal cannot be denied, and there is some entertainment derived from overlooking the end product of one of history's most troubled productions. The main thing we can learn looking backwards, however, is that no game should be like this going forward.

As a bizarre curio of video game history, Duke Nukem Forever's appeal cannot be denied, and there is some entertainment derived from overlooking the end product of one of history's most troubled productions. The main thing we can learn looking backwards, however, is that no game should be like this going forward.

As a bizarre curio of video game history, Duke Nukem Forever's appeal cannot be denied, and there is some entertainment derived from overlooking the end product of one of history's most troubled productions. The main thing we can learn looking backwards, however, is that no game should be like this going forward.

While Blades of Fury is not the real deal, it's as close as we can get to at the moment, and that is not a bad thing, not a bad thing at all.

Technically accomplished and mechanically sound. But unfortunately that's not enough in a world of Dead Spaces and Gears of Wars. Aside from marvelling at the odd collapsing building, there's little here to hold your attention for more than a few hours. It's not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination; it's just an entirely forgettable one.

Technically accomplished and mechanically sound. But unfortunately that's not enough in a world of Dead Spaces and Gears of Wars. Aside from marvelling at the odd collapsing building, there's little here to hold your attention for more than a few hours. It's not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination; it's just an entirely forgettable one.

Technically accomplished and mechanically sound. But unfortunately that's not enough in a world of Dead Spaces and Gears of Wars. Aside from marvelling at the odd collapsing building, there's little here to hold your attention for more than a few hours. It's not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination; it's just an entirely forgettable one.

Taking the game around the Desert track delivers a massive nostalgic kick that will go straight to the core of anybody who remembers feeding arcade machines an entire tube of fifty pence pieces back in the day.

Taking the game around the Desert track delivers a massive nostalgic kick that will go straight to the core of anybody who remembers feeding arcade machines an entire tube of fifty pence pieces back in the day.

One of the most ambitious, darkest, and legitimately smart additions to the genre you'll have the luck of playing. Just get yourself a bloody decent PC.

It's got the looks, the style, the superb sense of speed, and spot-on handling model that blurs the line between sim and arcade. It also introduces Gymkhana and with it excellent potential for players becoming addicted to going for new high scores. What it doesn't do is innovate in the racing game genre, generally making refinements where needed rather than redefining what's expected in a modern racer.

It's got the looks, the style, the superb sense of speed, and spot-on handling model that blurs the line between sim and arcade. It also introduces Gymkhana and with it excellent potential for players becoming addicted to going for new high scores. What it doesn't do is innovate in the racing game genre, generally making refinements where needed rather than redefining what's expected in a modern racer.

Even if you find yourself irked by the tone, it is impossible to ignore the passion and creativity that went into creating Sworcery.

There's something entrancing about the way this game plunges you into the violence, the corruption, and the sadness of post-war Los Angeles. Each of the four major desks has a remarkably different tone, and while the slow reveal of Phelps himself is the major narrative thread, it's equally true to say the dark heart of the city itself is an equally important protagonist.

There's something entrancing about the way this game plunges you into the violence, the corruption, and the sadness of post-war Los Angeles. Each of the four major desks has a remarkably different tone, and while the slow reveal of Phelps himself is the major narrative thread, it's equally true to say the dark heart of the city itself is an equally important protagonist.

It's not quite as whiz-bang as LEGO Star Wars III and feels quite formulaic at times, but there's no denying it has charm and widespread appeal.

It's not quite as whiz-bang as LEGO Star Wars III and feels quite formulaic at times, but there's no denying it has charm and widespread appeal.

The only thing really letting it down is the bewildering omission of multiplayer, which a game of this nature relies on to give it legs. Sure, it's great fun for a few hours, but without real players to compete against, it quickly runs out of gas.

It's not without its faults, some of which are more serious than others, but Splash Damage achieves the impossible: a game that feels fresh in the stalest of genres.

It's not without its faults, some of which are more serious than others, but Splash Damage achieves the impossible: a game that feels fresh in the stalest of genres.

It's not without its faults, some of which are more serious than others, but Splash Damage achieves the impossible: a game that feels fresh in the stalest of genres.

Incredibly, this is an in-house attempt and a £40 launch window title. If Steel Diver is an example of how the Big N is planning to treat first-party 3DS games in the months to come, the future is bleak indeed.

Graphically - both in terms of character design and use of 3D - Street Fighter is the better game. It also proves itself far more competent online, which is a huge deal for fighting aficionados. DOA fans with an itch to satisfy should pick it up regardless, if only for the rather interesting tease at the end.

There are still a few too many gimmicks in Escalation for my tastes - Stockpile's garage doors are very much Escalation's useless ziplines - but there's plenty of variety on offer, and the quintet of new competitive maps will slot extremely nicely into the broader rotation.

If you're after a tilt-based racing game that mimics the big titles on home consoles, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is a more complete and accomplished iOS title.

It's a real shame that Codemasters hasn't created a more involving set of missions with Red River, its campaign sagging at both ends of its entertaining middle, and while their attempt at streamlining the experience lessens the series' frustrations, the core game will still prove too delicate for many players.

It's a real shame that Codemasters hasn't created a more involving set of missions with Red River, its campaign sagging at both ends of its entertaining middle, and while their attempt at streamlining the experience lessens the series' frustrations, the core game will still prove too delicate for many players.

Operation Flashpoint: Red River does a good job of capturing the spirit of war, but it sadly fails to capitalise on its lofty ambitious.

It's a shame the difficulty ramp is essentially non-existent, but Sky Burger is still surprisingly challenging even in its vanilla state. If only the reality of being a career burger stacker was that fun.

While it lives in danger of being filed away in that section of your brain that stores vague memories of forgotten train timetables, it's a surprisingly clever game that deserves to be played.

Feels like such a thorough piece of fan service, it's difficult to see how NetherRealm Studios will ever be able to follow it up, as it feels like there's little left to do. Still, for now that doesn't matter. Mortal Kombat feels like the return of an old friend - a thoroughly unhinged friend, but one we're delighted to have back.

Feels like such a thorough piece of fan service, it's difficult to see how NetherRealm Studios will ever be able to follow it up, as it feels like there's little left to do. Still, for now that doesn't matter. Mortal Kombat feels like the return of an old friend - a thoroughly unhinged friend, but one we're delighted to have back.

As well as being unresponsive and technically broken, it's simply not as much fun as its non-HD sibling.

A mere ten minutes here will yield more memorable moments than you're likely to squeeze out of the entirety of most other games this year. In all aspects of its design, Portal 2 is genius.

A mere ten minutes here will yield more memorable moments than you're likely to squeeze out of the entirety of most other games this year. In all aspects of its design, Portal 2 is genius.

A mere ten minutes here will yield more memorable moments than you're likely to squeeze out of the entirety of most other games this year. In all aspects of its design, Portal 2 is genius.

Spazcon is a very simple game that caters to the palate of anyone with the slightest soft spot for 8-bit visuals and basic office humour. And while it doesn't feel like an entirely finished product the combination of retro feel and in-game job promotions is enough to keep you climbing that corporate ladder.

It's a tidy little package, all in all - probably the closest thing the App Store has to Super Meat Boy, which is high praise indeed.

Unfortunately Islands of Wakfu only currently supports two difficulty settings, Initiate and Goddess Mode – the latter of which removes the threat of death altogether.

This is a standard Facebook game in iOS' clothing that ambitiously tries to make use of the iPhone without ever really doing anything at all.

This simple but addictive little game might not have the star power of Angry Birds or the score-based draw of Tiny Wings, but it's a brilliant physics-based puzzler that can be enjoyed alone or with friends.

Top Spin 4 isn't flashy and doesn't come with any gimmicks, but it's an incredibly competent and in-depth tennis sim that the sport's fans would be foolish to pass up.

Top Spin 4 isn't flashy and doesn't come with any gimmicks, but it's an incredibly competent and in-depth tennis sim that the sport's fans would be foolish to pass up.

With its dodgy narrative, interchangeable characters and distressing lack of variation, PlayStation Move Heroes does little more than sully the name of otherwise respectable characters.

A listless take on a game that should be – and has previously been – anything but.

A more inclusive and competent game than its already accomplished predecessor, and anyone with a taste for intricate combat and a combo meter will find themselves right at home.

It's one of the best games released this year.

The game's simplicity ends up working against it - both in the sense that it's somewhat lacking in content, and that there's really not that much to learn; after half a day's play you'll have more or less mastered everything the combat has to offer, with the exception of the elusive mechanics for reversing attacks. But despite these shortcomings, this is still the most fun WWE title that THQ has produced in quite some time.

The game's simplicity ends up working against it - both in the sense that it's somewhat lacking in content, and that there's really not that much to learn; after half a day's play you'll have more or less mastered everything the combat has to offer, with the exception of the elusive mechanics for reversing attacks. But despite these shortcomings, this is still the most fun WWE title that THQ has produced in quite some time.

I'm convinced the team at Hothead have a great downloadable game within them, but they're still not quite there yet.

I'm convinced the team at Hothead have a great downloadable game within them, but they're still not quite there yet.

Rabbids 3D is an enjoyable 2D platformer, but like much of the 3DS' launch line-up it doesn't offer anything wholly original or outstanding. As the only 2D platforming title available for the handheld Ubisoft might find Rabbids 3D achieves strong sales, but surely Nintendo will deliver something considerably better in the future.

But outside of the dogfights Clone Wars maintains a plodding, mechanical rhythm that doesn't feel fitting for a game that inherited LEGO's typically fun features.

There are some choice moments across Arrival's duration, but it's just a shame that Mass Effect 2's final piece of DLC is undoubtedly its weakest.

There are some choice moments across Arrival's duration, but it's just a shame that Mass Effect 2's final piece of DLC is undoubtedly its weakest.

There are some choice moments across Arrival's duration, but it's just a shame that Mass Effect 2's final piece of DLC is undoubtedly its weakest.

Overall it's a missed opportunity to provide an already working formula with new ideas.

Shift 2 is technically very impressive, but like Hot Pursuit, it's the social features surrounding the game that define it as an experience. If you're a serious fan of the genre, know that Shift 2 does several things better than anything else on the market right now, which makes it an essential purchase.

Shift 2 is technically very impressive, but like Hot Pursuit, it's the social features surrounding the game that define it as an experience. If you're a serious fan of the genre, know that Shift 2 does several things better than anything else on the market right now, which makes it an essential purchase.