Minor gripes aside, Homecourt is a deliciously addictive baller and a commendable next-gen Street effort on EA's part.

A decent enough kid's game that certainly does a fair amount to distinguish itself, but in the end it is just another Pokemon style challenge.

The DJ system is unique and intuitive, the visuals well polished and, even with my rock/punk roots, the soundtrack is a commendable mix of uncensored beats. Nevertheless, the broken fighting mechanics and sluggish pacing are enough to keep this game from reaching true icon status.

The DJ system is unique and intuitive, the visuals well polished and, even with my rock/punk roots, the soundtrack is a commendable mix of uncensored beats. Nevertheless, the broken fighting mechanics and sluggish pacing are enough to keep this game from reaching true icon status.

The lack of Crash mode is a big disappointment and makes the World Tour feel a little samey. If you're after more Burnout on the PSP then this is well worth adding to your collection, but on the PS2 Burnout Revenge is by far the better option.

The lack of Crash mode is a big disappointment and makes the World Tour feel a little samey. If you're after more Burnout on the PSP then this is well worth adding to your collection, but on the PS2 Burnout Revenge is by far the better option.

Unquestionably a huge success. A short campaign aside, it does everything GRAW fans would want from a sequel and once again confirms Ubisoft as one of the leading next-gen publishers.

Vice City Stories is an impressive PSP game but a less impressive PlayStation 2 title. It's not a great port but with another PS2-only GTA being highly unlikely, fans yet to enter the PSP market should find a highly enjoyable game.

Don't expect any big innovations but if you enjoyed Titan Quest then you will love Immortal Throne.

Traditionally one of the more accessible of beat-ups, DR has loads of characters, 34 in total, all available right from the start, and half of which are only there for comic value (Roger Jr anyone?).

While it's by no means a perfect recreation of the sport, it does a lot of things very well. Casual fans might be best advised to stay away though, unless prepared to invest a lot of time into learning circuits and how to drive the incredibly powerful cars.

It is unforgivable that a game should take three or four of your precious hours to get up to speed, but if that is something you can bear, then Alicia and the game she inhabits might be just what you're after.

It's not often that I get excited about handheld games, particularly handheld action games, but Chili Con Carnage has completely blown me away and changed my view on what Sony's handheld is capable of...As an action packed shooter it's far and away the best the PSP has to offer.

I would have liked to have seen a bit more customization, and it's unfortunate that the grab tricks got the shaft this time around, but those minor blemishes hardly prevent SSX Blur from being one of the Wii's first must-have titles of the year.

It may not have any longevity beyond the times you boot it up to show off to friends as a curio of you new PS3, but at a budget price it is an undeniably unique and enchanting piece of software.

If you stick to multiplayer Maelstrom has a lot to offer but an abundance of basic flaws mean it's no challenge for the big boys of the genre.

If the idea of single shot kills causes a sharp pain to run down your spine, stick to modern action offerings, but if you want a challenge look no further.

It's just a massive disappointment that this PS3 port is so bare bones.

For every good moment there's a handful of annoying ones, with everything from the Wii-mote controls to the game structure causing problems at some point or another.

The size and sheer verticality of the environment is key to the experience, and you're simply given the tools to explore and have fun.

Minor gripes aside, Homecourt is a deliciously addictive baller and a commendable next-gen Street effort on EA's part.

Its main innovation, the superb camera, while not without its flaws, offers you many strategic possibilities that simply aren't possible in any other RTS games, and the ability to zoom the camera out as far as possible is indeed revolutionary and one that will be sorely missed in other real-time strategies in the near future.

Other than those minor complaints, and the aforementioned issues with some of the less inspired mini-games, Size Matters is a truly brilliant platform game, and while it does nothing new, it does most things very well.

Sure the game steals ideas from the best of the genre, has bland graphics, and a main character who desperately needs an ice pack and a throat sweet, but it's enjoyable enough while it lasts - which isn't very long.

Sure the game steals ideas from the best of the genre, has bland graphics, and a main character who desperately needs an ice pack and a throat sweet, but it's enjoyable enough while it lasts - which isn't very long.

By ordinary standards there's simply nothing here - bar Billiards - that offers anything worthy of more than a few minutes play. As an introduction to the Wii and its unique control scheme it just about works, but beyond that there's very little here to get excited about.

If you really want to play online though, or the game modes are important to you, the PlayStation 2 game is by far the better choice. This year Konami can just about be forgiven for short-changing Xbox 360 owners, but next year's game better be next-gen.

PES fans disappointed by last year's PSP game should be a lot happier with PES 6. Until a handheld is released with a full complement of buttons it's unlikely that we'll receive a 100% accurate console to handheld port, but PES 6 plays a great game of football in its own right.

Bold, thrilling and immense, and deserves every success. The Action RTS has arrived and let's hope it is here to stay.

Sonic has been on a slippery slope for years and SEGA has done nothing about it, and this has culminated in what can only be described as a complete disaster.

Online play means that even solo players are able to go up against real opponents, but there aren't enough great mini-games in the collection to warrant more than one or two plays through what is on offer.

The incredible scope, combined with the awkward menu system and lack of tutorials just serves to make this game completely inaccessible to the grand strategy novice. [Score originally posted as (50)]

Some would say the puzzles are a touch easy at times, though there certainly are some corkers. If you are looking for action then try elsewhere, but if you fancy the old-fashioned pleasures of a great point 'n' click, then snap this up now, and enjoy one of the sharpest, coolest worlds seen in gaming for a long time.

Heavy Weapon might be distinctly unoriginal in what it does, but it's a fun, action packed experience that is ideal for Microsoft's online service.

It's clear that the TBC really just serves one purpose. That purpose isn't particularly subtle, nor is it a masterstroke from developers Blizzard. But the important thing is that this purpose is achieved with a kind of wonderful self assurance you only really get from a developer confident in the knowledge it is responsible for the most popular MMO in history. If it 'aint broke, don't fix it.

If you crave for more humour in games and are looking for drama and tension without having to dabble in drawn out RPGs or nerve-wracking twitch games, then Justice for All might just be for you.

Nintendo is known and loved because of the fun experiences that it creates, and WarioWare Smooth Moves delivers spades of crazy fun from the moment you pick up the Wii-mote.

Feels like a hardened old-skool title wrapped up in some lavish next-gen visuals. Annoyances with the save system, checkpoints and difficulty spikes are likely to mar the enjoyment for a fair few players, but there's still no question that Lost Planet should be experienced.

It's certainly lacking in the presentation department and features the odd bug and control issue, but snooker fans will still find an awful lot to enjoy. Alone, online or on the same console with a friend, there's months of entertainment to be found here, even if it isn't really a next-gen experience.

The near crippling PSP only feature: an abundance of loading. Players of The Sims 2 Pets on the PSP will have to suffer 3-4 seconds of loading almost every time they open a menu or attempt to interact with something in the game.

A worthy addition to any Wii owner's game collection. It may be unusual, insistent on clinging to a long-gone gaming era, and incredibly hard at times, but by including every major Metal Slug game, is without doubt one of the finest platform shooter titles yet released.

A lacklustre story, the complete focus on dull space combat and a lack of checkpoints makes Legacy a game that simply didn't live up to its potential.

We expect something special from Far Cry and, frankly, Vengeance just isn't up to scratch. Like a Z-list celebrity, leave this one in the jungle.

The number of options you have on how to tackle each situation makes for some great unscripted moments, and the visuals and sound help create an atmosphere that wouldn't be possible on older hardware.

Despite its sequel status it's largely the same game that Xbox 360 gamers have been playing for over a year and the new additions do little to enhance the game as a whole - in some cases they make it a more frustrating game.

Lethal Alliance is not a total dud and, if you can forgive its repetitive nature, there is a fair amount of entertainment to be had when played in short bursts, but fans still deserve much more than that from a Star Wars game.

What is truly disappointing, though, is not the end of nuclear warfare in puzzle games, but the fairly heavy graphical reworking that Lemmings has become victim to. Good graphics don't make good games; so bad graphics shouldn't necessarily make bad games. But what defined the success of the original Lemmings was the enormously irresistible character your tiny sprites projected.

Visually the game is fantastic. In-game the graphics are among the best on the PSP, and alongside the occasional, highly polished traditional cut-scenes, there are a wealth of comic book style semi-animated cut-scenes that are presented with panache, and in some way explain the creatively inspired Metal Gear Solid Digital Graphic Novel, as a kind of precursor to Portable Ops' styling.

Fight Night Round 3 features online play, with the usual set of options such as player stats, leader boards etc. There's minimal lag, mostly appearing at the beginning of each match, but the fights play out smoothly and the frame rate most definitely holds its own.

If you are a rookie to the series then by all means sign up for combat, but everyone else should probably just wait to stroll down "Hell's Highway" if they want a new experience.

The new levels are a nice bonus, but half the fun of the PSP game was feeling like you'd achieved something when completing a level; on the PlayStation 2 that feeling is all but gone.

Given your avatar's snazzy new wardrobe, base of operations, minions and the righteous euphoria associated with being a force for good, The Knights of the Nine is well worth the 800 Microsoft points.

This quest line is the biggest yet and keeps you hooked right to the end. While the dungeons are not as big or as maze-like as the previous expansions, the chance to really explore Cyrodiil really makes this quest much more effective and allows for a greater appreciation of the graphical tweaks and new locations.

A brain numbingly dull title that is only partially saved by its above average presentation.

The number of options you have to tackle each situation makes for some great unscripted moments, and the visuals and sound help create an atmosphere that wouldn't be possible on older hardware.

Sadly, Red Steel is nothing more than a rushed launch title that will inevitably end up in bargain bins across the globe, and that's unfortunate. Why? Because Red Steel has a ton of potential.

A brilliant, near flawless addition to the series and an easy contender for game-of-the-year.

A more involving main mode of play and online support would have made the world of difference, but it's still an entertaining game.

It may not win any awards for the best looking or sounding game but it's great pure fun, and is instantly accessible to pretty much anyone.

One of those games that simply isn't best played on the Wii. Racing games are yet to prove themselves on the system, and Carbon is another that suffers due to the Wii's controllers. Control issues aside, it's another solid racer from EA, and the Auto-Sculpt feature is absolutely fantastic.

If you're a fan of the X-Men Legends games that have appeared over the last few years you'll know what to expect from Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, but you'll probably still be surprised at how polished and lengthy the game is.

It is great to see a well-loved series return to its best, but occasional NPC glitches, the stuttering frame rate and lack of online play are unforgivable on such a powerhouse of a console.

While Brain Training still clearly continues to rule the brain-boosting roost, there is no reason why a few more decent mental agility games shouldn't come along to challenge its title.

United falls just short of brilliance and will always be overshadowed in my mind by its slightly uglier older brother and its free expansion pack. Despite the obvious benefits offered by the new cars and track pieces, two of the best game modes have been removed and that's hard to understand.

When it works, it gathers up your problems and piles them together to await their death. When it goes wrong, it simply washes everything bad your way, trapping and killing you.

Outside of the odd frustrating stage, the only criticism I have of Sonic Rivals is its brevity.

The blurring is the biggest offender, causing the backgrounds to lose all detail, and the wake left by each car looks considerably worse than in the 360 version.

While there are plenty of other retro compilations out there vying for your business, Sega Mega Drive Collection arguably offers the most value for money and could quickly become the ideal travel companion for your PSP, as it's a delight to dip in and out of the mostly top notch games included.

Bionicle Heroes does little to make a name for itself, with repetitive and overly simplistic gameplay, and some rather uninspiring visuals.

The standard tilting-world stages are fun, although they'd arguably work better with a standard GameCube controller, but the mini-games only really serve as something else to put on the back of the box.

The new gesture controls simply don't work well enough, and in a game that promotes button bashing the constant use of the Wii-mote is more than a little tedious.

Sonic has been on a slippery slope for years and SEGA has done nothing about it, and this has culminated in what can only be described as a complete disaster.

Having been playing the series since its early heydays in the 90s, I can honestly say I haven't had this much fun with a football game in decades.

When the atmosphere and level of action on offer is this great, the fact that I can't wander off to see what's behind a tree half a mile to the East really doesn't bother me.

There's no multiplayer functionality at all, so an impressive single-player campaign was vital, but numerous control issues make the experience far less enjoyable than it is on other platforms.

Downhill Jam isn't an awful game; it's just a game that uses the Wii's new controller in completely the wrong way. Games that would work better on a standard controller have no reason to exist on the Wii, and when they're released with awkward controls and unimpressive presentation you have to wonder what the publisher and developer involved were thinking.

It looks great, features an action packed campaign, includes some splendid online support and generally points towards a great future for action games on the system.

A solid hack 'n' slash adventure let down by poor level design and a bad camera system.

The gameplay is fundamentally broken, the presentation is average at best and there is never a challenge; in fact, I don't think I've ever played an easier game.

It's also a much more entertaining single-player experience than the other party games available for the Wii, although clearly doesn't offer the depth that a Rayman platformer would have.

It's a rather chaotic mix of excellent gameplay and flawed finishing, but as the beginning of what should be a continuing series of RTS games, it's by no means a bad start.

Bionicle Heroes does little to make a name for itself, with repetitive and overly simplistic gameplay, and some rather uninspiring visuals.

Hugely addictive, it works really well on the PSP (apart from the lengthy load times), and is great fun. There's not a whole lot to it though, so if you're expecting hours upon hours of gameplay, you're likely to be disappointed.

The game engine is certainly in need of a makeover, and this might be the last year THQ can offer what is more or less a slight update, but it's a fun game and something that will get more than a few hours play with some mates.

The game engine is certainly in need of a makeover, and this might be the last year THQ can offer what is more or less a slight update, but it's a fun game and something that will get more than a few hours play with some mates.

It just plays a really nice round of golf and for the first time in ages poses a real challenge.

Even nine months into the system's life, this 'should have been launch title' is right up there with the best the Wii has to offer, delivering solid controls and a thoroughly entertaining single-player storyline.

And as fun as the game can be from time-to-time, after a few hours with Street 3, it's impossible to shake that feeling that you've played this one before.

Everything on offer was a great game at the time, and many still hold some historical status today, but for the same money and with a bit of luck, you could probably pick up one original cartridge and the console to play it on for the same price as this well meant compilation.

A pretty awful attempt to successfully cross the media-divide, so hopes will have to be pinned elsewhere.

Ultimately, Gothic 3 is like getting into a cold bath on a hot day - it's refreshing, but somehow painful, and no matter how much you love it, you have to admit that it isn't much fun to do.

Without any online modes though, and a lack of visual polish, it's a game that will struggle to appeal to players wanting more than a basic racing sim.

Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom could have got away with some of its shortcomings had it not been on a next-gen console that arrived over a year after its main rival.

Artoon has suffered from trying to be a bit too clever with the dual screen system.

There is nothing revolutionary about Ridge Racer 7, but it is one of the best driving games on a console already busy with automotive titles.

Essentially a niche game, and for the huge army of mech fans, with a little persistence and a great deal of patience there is a playable game here. Better avoided if you are not a die-hard fan.

Just another half-hearted port, albeit one that's been released at a relatively low price point.

Non-games are definitely the 'in' thing at the moment, but Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 has gone so far into obscure territory that very few people will find much to enjoy, and that includes the bounciness.