An emotionally engaging thrill-ride from start to finish, Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain is a superbly crafted interactive experience, told expertly through it's stunning visuals and believable characters.

A spectacular experience from beginning to end, and with an enormous amount of choices to make, cities to visit, dungeons to crawl, NPCs to interact with, treasure to find, quests to complete and crafts to master, I feel pretty confident in saying that Dragon Age: Origins is, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable and immersive RPG experiences I've had since my Infinity Engine days. [Jan 2010, p.66]

A spectacular experience from beginning to end, and with an enormous amount of choices to make, cities to visit, dungeons to crawl, NPCs to interact with, treasure to find, quests to complete and crafts to master, I feel pretty confident in saying that Dragon Age: Origins is, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable and immersive RPG experiences I've had since my Infinity Engine days. [Jan 2010, p.66]

There are so many courses, cars and race types in DiRT 2 that it's almost overwhelming to look at your world map. At one point I had almost 30 unlocked, un-played events just waiting to be tackled. It's a dense game with a lot to do, and you'll want to do it all.

There are so many courses, cars and race types in DiRT 2 that it's almost overwhelming to look at your world map. At one point I had almost 30 unlocked, un-played events just waiting to be tackled. It's a dense game with a lot to do, and you'll want to do it all.

Scribblenauts is the video game equivalent of your first kiss: it's awkward, it's sweet and it's utterly memorable.

The fact that we get access to two classic games in one package is also a win for us, but again, the ability to take a long look back at Kratos' journey is the true reward of this amazing collection.

And that's what makes Undisputed 2010 such a success: it addresses the problems of the past while making subtle improvements that make the product better. The graphics are crisper, the animations are better, and several new tweaks make the actual fighting more enjoyable. Even the menu system and user interface is cleaner and easier to navigate.

The overall attention in the Secret Armory is impressive, and the quirks that made the main game so memorable are definitely present here.

Although this is said of almost every single new Rockstar product, Red Dead Redemption is arguably their best effort to date, if only because it distills all of the lessons they've learned from their previous titles into an engaging, expansive, and enthralling world. But the best part of Rockstar's open-world oater is its honest and open appreciation for the iconic Western genre. [Aug 2010, p.82]

Despite being familiar with the game, Persona 3 Portable still managed to utterly consume me. When a game has such a profound effect on me, I believe it deserves nothing less than the highest praise I can lavish upon it.

The only thing missing from this impressive entry is a number "4" in the title, because for all intents and purposes, Reach feels like the next big thing in the Halo franchise.

The bar for music games has been irrefutably raised. Like magic, gamers can now be transformed into musicians... provided they don't run screaming for the hills at the first sight of a barre chord.

But the best of all may be Advanced Wanted mode, which ditches many of the indicators and forces you to rely almost entirely on your observation skills to detect your targets. It's super tough, but incredibly rewarding.

The good news is that the game is absolutely worth the investment, and even if you find yourself disagreeing with some of the changes Treyarch instituted or you run into a bunch of morons who are hell bent on ruining a particular mode for you, you have plenty of other options to keep you engaged for a good long time.

Whether you're looking for a solo diversion or online camaraderie, personal expression, or community inclusion, there's just no good reason whatsoever not to dive in and explore the many wild worlds of LittleBigPlanet 2.

The fact that Visceral boldly ignored the fan fervor and pulled the franchise forward in a logical and thrilling direction is commendable, and even though they'll get their fair share of close-minded bitching that the game fails to live up to the gory heights of the original, it's still a worthy follow-up to the tense opening chapter.

Regardless of whether or not you like roguelikes, or even RPGs in general, this is a game that you're going to want to try out.

Dead Space is the most pleasantly surprising iOS release in a long time, and it's a game-changer as far as 3D action games go on iOS platforms.

With an impressive variety of modes, cars, and customization options, this realistic and stunningly rendered racer is one of the best driving games on the App Store.

A stellar recreation of the PC version. I've encountered absolutely no slowdown (or any other issues) during my time with the iPad edition.

The lighting is gorgeous, the textures are detailed, and the way your vehicle interacts with the environment is all too realistic.

This game should stand as a shining example to all other developers as to how a board game should be properly structured for the iPhone. Intuitive controls, numerous AI opponents for varying difficulty, online multiplayer, local network play, pass-and-play multiplayer, a comprehensive tutorial, and a top-notch presentation make this a mandatory purchase if you own an iPhone.

Infinity Blade is a turning point for iOS gaming. Epic has proven that Apple's popular mobile devices are capable of much more than what we've previously seen, and since they're now licensing their engine out for other developers to use, we're going to start seeing a lot of other games with with Infinity Blade's level of polish.

It's incredible how much this feels like an actual Castlevania game. Everything from the weapon/armor customization and spells to the 32-bit art style makes this essentially a complete Castlevania game that just happens to have have a surprisingly fun puzzle-based battle system.

This isn't the sort of MMO that asks you to park for hours on end several nights in a row. It's more of a co-operative or competitive multiplayer action game, perfect for short intense visits. And because your character doesn't sport rows of tiny icons for a thousand different skills, DC Universe is also perfect for less frequent visits.

Monster Dash is easily one of the best iPhone games released this year, and if Halfbrick is as generous with updates to it as it has been with Fruit Ninja, this game can only keep getting better.

In Cut the Rope the rating system is implemented in such a way that I was really motivated to think through puzzles to figure out the best way to earn all three stars. This, combined with gorgeous art and a wonderfully realistic gravity-driven engine, makes Cut the Rope a fine iPhone/iPad release, and one that I wouldn't be surprised in the least bit if it does in fact become the next Angry Birds.

An absolutely massive game with all of the features you've come to expect from a Lego title, whether that be an impressive selection of playable characters, collectible goodies galore, or the trademark silent Lego-ized cinema scenes that provide summarized version of a franchise's plot.

Yesterday I drained my iPod's battery completely while playing online deathmatch games, and the only thing I wanted to do was stick it on the charger so I could hop back in. I just hope you readers are willing to take the $6.99 hit to your wallets and join me.

If there's a game on this week's list that I'm going to put the most time into revisiting and replaying, it's this one.

The writing is hilarious, the variety from level to level is impressive, and the game's chunky 3D art style looks great in action, especially when the game switches to slow motion to show off the destruction you've wrought with your meteors.

The game is clearly made by a professional, and I can't recommend it enough.

This is a full-scale RPG adventure, and at the moment there isn't anything on the App Store that can compare to it. Zelda is what they aimed for, and Zelda is what they did.

The Puzzle modes are also fun, and a great way to learn how to minimize the number of moves it takes for you to create lengthy combinations, which lead to exponentially higher scores.

Silverfish is an expertly crafted arcade-style "shooter," and I expect to find myself playing it regularly for a long time to come.

The art is fantastic and the actual light mechanics of the torch are impressive, making for an all around high-quality feel.

Sparkle might be a copycat, but it's also a fantastic game.

Whether it's the exhaustively full-featured leaderboards, gorgeous graphics, or community features, every element of Super QuickHook goes above and beyond what's expected of an indie game release on the App Store.

Developers have been consistently improving upon touch-based platformer controls on the iPhone and Pizza Boy offers a wonderful continuation of that trend with a large, yet unobtrusive control panel forming the bottom of the screen.

This impressive "one-button" App Store entry is simple by design, but deep and engaging enough to make it more than worth its $0.99 price point.

MLB 11: The Show is so full of the heart and soul of baseball that even jaded baseball video gamers have to admit how close it is to the real thing.

Beneath Land-a Panda's adorable exterior is a surprisingly solid physics-based puzzler that's an absolute steal at it's bottom-shelf price of $0.99.

BF IV's fantastic voyage and cool play techniques will keep fans of the series and newbies alike riveted for days.

A mandatory addition to any Castlevania fan's game library.

The kind of high-quality game that's worth buying the day it's released.

A very strong contender for PlayStation game of the year. Its "rowdy rowdy" gameplay will keep your head spinning for days.

Control is also nearly-perfect... The transparent controls allow you to concentrate on racing and blasting your opponents, and so the races are faster, more fluid and more fun.

It does, at times, go beyond expectations to give gamers a true masterpiece.

Involving and exciting characters, storylines, and battles keep you glued to your seat - and keep you from noticing the many hours you spend playing this amazing game.

Turismo rockets to the top with unbelievable depth, raucous arcade action, challenging sim gameplay, and more cars than a mall parking lot. It’s worth every penny.

Its powerful story, great cast of characters, gorgeous graphics, and one of the most inventive battle systems in a long time all work together to create an instant classic.

It does create an eerie sense of tension and excitement. This is probably as close as you want to get to real battle.

The rarest of things: a video game with looks, brains, and heart.

Between the hot cars and tracks, in-depth Tournament mode, and thrilling cop chases, this excellent racer's got depth and style to spare. It's worth every cent.

The kind of inexplicable game that you have to own.

Long the lord of Street Fighter, Capcom's clearly taking a new tack with this killer game, and the results are outstanding. Resident Evil stands tall as a topnotch second-generation PlayStation game that's well worth the green.

Savage moves enable you to beat, stab, slice, and dice opponents with vicious violence that is sure to excite fight fans to unbelievable heights.

Alpha 3 truly excels with its plethora of extra play-modes.

An action-packed espionage thriller, Syphon Filter’s intense gameplay combines with tight control and a slick style to deliver the PlayStation’s best third-person action game.

In order to outshine Tekken 3, a game will need to have a ton of moves (T3 has over 100 per character), multi-hit combos (all T3 fighters can pull off 10-hitters), outstanding graphics (T3 has no breakup on the fighters, no "blind spots" where clipping occurs, and no slowdown), and seamless gameplay that includes juggles, counters, and linking moves.

Fun, addictive, and exciting -- you couldn't ask for more in a game. Tony Hawk may not have the graphic flair of the Dreamcast, but it goes to prove that looks aren't everything.

If you have something you need to get done right now, a paper, a report, just hold off on buying this game until you're finished because other tasks don't stand a chance when playing THPS2 is an option.

Practice makes perfect, and Wipeout makes you scream. [The control] takes some time, but you'll be able to corner hairpins faster than a debutante on prom night.

Its unique modern-day setting along with terrific characters and a dark story make Persona 2 an engaging game from start to finish. It's truly a must for serious RPG fans.

It's classic side-scrolling action like it was originally designed to be played. The two selectable characters and brain-spraining puzzles mean you'll get more than your money's worth in replay value.

NHL 2001 takes this year's PlayStation Championship (against Sony's "FaceOff"), but it was a tight seven game showdown.

If you want a game that's more tailored to individual play rather than team cooperation, then NBA Live is a great choice.

With sharp new features, graphics, and controls, Knockout Kings 2001 owns the PlayStation boxing ring.

Excellent control scheme with key tweaks makes the gameplay versatile and very fun.

Lives up to EA Sports' tagline by re-creating soccer completely.

"Final Fantasy IV" is an outstanding and epic work that impresses despite its advanced age...Although the visual and audio aspects have aged poorly, "Chrono Trigger" is nevertheless an invaluable offering to its genre.

Even restrained by the PlayStation’s limited horsepower, the player models look reasonably good, and they move incredibly smoothly and with lifelike realism.

Graphically, Dino Crisis 2 boasts some of the best work the old PS will ever have to offer, with great CG flowing near seamlessly into the action the player controls.

It's one of the best games to come out for the PlayStation in 2000.

It's large, it's intense, it's huge, and it looks and sounds great. Vagrant Story is a true classic action/RPG in every sense that will hook you in from the start and never let go.

Another masterpiece from DreamWorks and EA. Captivating graphics and sound combine with relentless, addictive action to deliver one of the year's best games.

Overall, Super Circuit handles like a front-runner, but sometimes the windshield needs cleaning.

Set against a myriad of beautifully rendered 2D environments, the detailed visuals convey a feeling of dread.

A huge, fantastic, creative, and wickedly fun RPG that doesn't seem to care that it's "just" on a GBA. It's easily the best RPG available for the GBA-and may just be the best RPG for any console system this year.

Blazing fast speeds with sharp graphics, pulsating sounds and good controls.

Innovative, groundbreaking, stylish, and enjoyable.

Intensively addictive. The battles are lightning-fast, the controls are completely stress-free, and there’s still something primordially fun about filling up those Pokédex pages.

It's a must-have for the Game Boy Advance, and proof positive that great game design transcends technology and time.

So good that it will easily make diehard pocket fighters forget all about the great genre titles on the short-lived Neo Geo Pocket Color.

Portable and pure, Namco Museum is an old-school must-own.

An inexplicably rewarding, utterly bizarre, and impossible-to-put-down battery-sucking gem that feels like it was born to live on the Game Boy Advance.

In the realm of today’s high-powered next-gen role-players, BOFII is an excellent time-killer—not to mention one of the better entries in the series.

A thoughtful, huge, rewarding classic.

The graphics are among the best to ever grace the Game Boy screen, a vibrant canvas decorated in brilliant crayon and eye-popping pastels-Yoshi's Island is a veritable work of art.

Boktai couldn't have been done on any other system; it is uniquely Game Boy Advance, yet not at all like any of its other titles. A paradox, a conundrum, and creativity incarnate.

Rarely does a game (much less a GBA one) keep the player so constantly surprised. [Mar 2004, p.75]

The gameplay area is huge.

Pokémon LeafGreen and Pokémon FireRed draw you into the mesmerizing world of strange little creatures no matter how many times you've been there before.

Must-own material.

This immersive sci-fi epic delivers both an expansive story and electrifying first-person combat, making it one of 2001's best games.

A no-holds-barred chariot racer full of originality and pee-in-your-pants combat.

Minor audio issues aside, DoA3 nails its Xbox debut and firmly establishes itself as the best home console fighting game of 2001.

A breathtaking experience. From the inimitable graphics to the hypnotically addictive gameplay, it’s captivating on every level.

With cinematic camera angles, a grime-infested aesthetic, and gruesomely glistening monsters, Silent Hill 2 improves on the original in every way.

It's the same brilliant game all over again with some new bits. Buy it and be happy.

An ungodly huge, ambitious, daunting, free time–consuming vortex of RPG goodness.

Turns in a superstar performance with its addictive gameplay, authentic hockey feel, and exhaustive features.

Payne’s finest feature on the Xbox, however, may be its controls...Every function in the game is perfectly placed for intuitive control.

If anything, character visuals look slightly sharper with brighter colors than the PS2 game's, and the post-play highlights are still cool.

It’s basically a port of the PS2 version, but on the Xbox, its graphics are so much sharper and—despite the beating the Xbox controller seems to be taking—the joystick-dependent interface feels just right.

EA's "NBA Live" has better character models and Microsoft's "Inside Drive" has the best-looking arenas, but Segas NBA 2K2 is the complete package for basketball on the Xbox.

The gameplay is on-the-money with great baseball that ought to attract Xbox sports gamers and just plain baseball fans alike.

The swelling chase music, idealized world, larger-than-life story, and easy-to-master controls combine to cut through the clutter of some more pretentious games and deliver a sense of majesty and bravery straight to your heart.

TS2 is no "Halo," but it’s really, really close. For fast-paced and light-hearted FPS action, it takes a "Halo" to beat TimeSplitters 2.

Realistic scenarios in realistic environments add to Splinter Cell’s tantalizing world of covert operations. With a strong overall package of incredible features, the stealth/action genre has a new hero.

The graphics are the main differentiator with the Xbox version looking sharpest, the PS2 version sprouting typical jaggies, and the GameCube version appearing slightly soft.

If you’re looking to play hockey of the NHL variety, to tackle pro challenges and use real-life strategies, NHL 2K3 will thrill you as much as watching your team heroically survive a five-on-three penalty kill.

A deeply rewarding simulation experience... Once again, the Xbox version has the best overall effects and looks the sexiest.

Offers a smooth ramp of power, fast-but-strategic combat, and a real variety of gameplay. Alone, it's cool. With friends, it's a blast.

It’s still vastly better than 99.9% of the other games out there today, and with properly calibrated expectations, you’ll find that Invisible War is a brilliant game that will captivate you like few others can.

The three versions of NCAA are virtually identical... The main points involve graphics, and the Xbox version clearly looks the best, sporting the crispest details, richest colors, and best lighting.

Offers an addictively eclectic mix of item collecting, gambling, and relationship building; tantalizing eye candy; and one outstanding game of volleyball.

The epitome of an addictive multiplayer game that has just the right amount of action and team strategy to make it worth every cent to play online.

The majority of folks will clock in for a 20-plus-hour thrill ride. Few games are this good, for so long, and still keep you coming back for more. Ninja Gaiden is truly outstanding.

The multiplayer promises to elevate Halo 2 online gameplay to "Counter-Strike" status with the added attraction of Xbox Live full voice support.

Other baseball games might have a more unique feature or two, and several absolutely have better graphics, but only High Heat delivers such consistently riveting gameplay.

Whether you want to build a major league franchise or just play two with your favorite team, competing in a complete game of Xbox baseball couldn't be easier or more fun.

Totally revamped from the ground up, and it shows. Great graphics and the best gameplay the series has seen in years.

Throughout the action, the controls handle sweetly, combining the depth of a large number of moves with smooth playability.

A masterful effort. It literally redefines itself within the span of one videogame football season and is a worthy preseason Pro Bowl pick.

A basketball technician’s dream. Games against the CPU realistically mimic a real game, while scrimmages against friends received a boost of energy thanks to sped-up gameplay and better shot blocking. ESPN NBA Basketball 2K4 retains the top slot by just a hair.

On the field is where Madden is money. All the player models have received another megadose of polygons. The PS2 looks even better than last year's version, but the Xbox and the GameCube really shine.

Without a doubt, this game shows that originality in gaming is very much alive and kicking, even if it is wrapped inside a sensitive subject. If you want a true military experience without going through boot camp, Full Spectrum Warrior is it.

The story ramps up the difficulty gradually, so you build skills as you go, but there are now four difficulty levels, making THUG totally accessible to newbies.

More than just a solid sequel. Large levels with well-placed save points (a feature lacking in the first Splinter Cell) make the flow of the game seem much smoother.

The updated controls and interfaces enable easy, intuitive access to the game's magic and combat systems. Bethesda has created not just a game but also a benchmark by which future RPGs will be measured.

In this captivating outing, 47 revisits the past while modernizing the nagging flaws of his previous games, making for his best trail of assassinations yet.

Fight Night's Career mode should be the model that other boxing games should follow...Hands down, Fight Night 2004 is the victor in all weight classes this year. [May 2004, p.84]

Never before has a sports game improved so much and added so many new features in a single season. It may not be the league-leader in every category, but excellent performances across the board make it the best baseball game of the year. [May 2004, p.86]

To say that this game is "fast" is an understatement - it absolutely blazes, so much so that blinking becomes a liability. [Nov 2004, p.96]

Enormously high production value adds to the pleasure of playing this game. It's no exaggeration to say that these graphics are the best you've ever seen in a console game...A masterpiece.

Madden remains the best in the business at presenting football plays. The playbook and playcalling interface in this year's game are clean, easy to read, and snap to use. [Sept 2004, p.96]

This year, the design guys as Visual Concepts have turned ESPN NFL 2K5 into the most entertaining show in video-game football. [Sept 2004, p.98]

When playing in a loud stadium, visiting teams face a rowdily vibrating controller, shaking screen, and players whose lack of composure causes bad plays. If you think you can handle it, you're in for a surpise - the overall effect is huge, really adding to the challenge in key moments like kicking a field goal. [Aug 2004, p.90]

Simply put, Underground 2 is an outstanding sequel in all aspects. It offers a lot of new and fun features, yet the game doesn't move away from the core gameplay that made the first Underground so popular, which is pure adrenaline street racing.

No one's going to beat 2K5 on price, and the game's as tough as nails on the court. [Dec 2004, p.142]

Forza is easily the best driving game ever made. Loyal "GT4" fans ought to strap into the seat of this hot rod and take it for a spin--you won't look back.

Quite simply the best arcade racing game ever made. Everything that you loved about the last game is still here and kicking, but with added modes, more action, a faster sense of speed, and some truly addictive multiplayer modes, this game will undoubtedly go down in history as being the epitome of action racing this generation and possibly even the next.

Kudos to EA Sports for not being afraid to juice the complexity factor of an already complex game. Rookies will have to pay their dues, but veterans get treated to a brand-new challenge. [Sept 2005, p.82]

While most of Ninja Gaiden: Black is the same as before, the little additions that have been added make a world of difference, especially for those hardcore gamers looking for more punishment. And if all that content isn't enough, you even get the old school arcade Ninja Gaiden, too.

A truly dazzling, inspired game that mixes a riveting story with a stylish look and absorbing gameplay.

The speed has also been cranked, so that skaters fly through the levels at an insane velocity. [Nov 2002, p.50]

Spawn's struggles with the forces of good and evil in the comic actually make him the best fit, story wise, of the exclusive console characters. His powerful strikes and air-based attacks also make him an extremely tough character to beat.

A brilliant, dazzling wonder, no matter how you feel about Link's new pants... If this game doesn't make you happy, then it's impossible for you to be happy. [Apr 2003, p.94]

It delivers all the clever, addictive gameplay that a THPS game should, and in higher resolution than ever before.

Exciting missions, unbelievable visuals and sound, and, like the first Rogue and Naboo, a replay factor through the roof.

Every minute that you play, you constantly feel as if you’re discovering something new and different, and the game’s puzzles feel very organic, intelligent, and open-ended, forcing you to think and rethink your strategy as you make new realizations about your place in the world.

The gameplay remains fast and furious, and the simple controls do a masterful job of literally keeping you on track. The interplay between the characters in two-player mode is particularly impressive.

Street’s sensational gameplay deftly combines competitive hoops and slick moves and dunks without delving into the realm of Jam’s absurd acrobatics.

A masterpiece of superior game design, infinite gameplay variety, creativity, and life-and it's got a water cannon…and a damn brilliant one at that.

As far as the three main game systems go, the Xbox graphics—as usual—look the sharpest...NFL 2K3 is a straight-ahead, hard-as-knuckles football game.

If you’re looking to play hockey of the NHL variety, to tackle pro challenges and use real-life strategies, NHL 2K3 will thrill you as much as watching your team heroically survive a five-on-three penalty kill.

Even beyond the football gameplay, you have to appreciate the wealth of extras and activities that make Madden NFL 2003 such an entertaining and complete package.

Unmatched in its field thanks to major improvements in every category combined with a deeply rewarding simulation experience.

The three versions of NCAA are virtually identical... The GameCube version doesn’t control quite as comfortably, but that’s mainly because the controller layout isn’t as suitable for sports games.

Compared to D2D, "Thunder's" cars don't handle as smoothly and its Career mode is heavy on complexity and short on fun. [Dec 2002, p.194]

Totally revamped from the ground up, and it shows. Great graphics and the best gameplay the series has seen in years.

Viewtiful Joe is immediate, extremely challenging, and grows progressively deeper as you advance. It is frantic, exhilarating, and addictive. In short, it is a classic and everything a game should be.

While Pikmin 2 may be more of a hybrid remake/expansion pack than a sequel, it's still funny, fun, brilliant, and more daringly weird than what comes out of 95 percent of most major game studios. It's two of a kind. [Oct 2004, p.76]

Visually, MP 2's dazzling, organic-looking environments represent a quantum leap for console-based shooters.

This 2004 edition maintains the traditional love affair with the NFL that football gamers have come to expect from the series while adding some dynamite new features.

Throughout the action, the controls handle sweetly, combining the depth of a large number of moves with smooth playability.

The GameCube controller doesn't quite offer the potential of the Wii remote, so slicing down enemies and firing arrows isn't quite as engaging.

It's easily the Mario Kart of soccer games and that should tell you a lot. Even if you think you're a confirmed soccer hater, Super Mario Strikers just might rock your world.

Of the three console-exclusive characters, Link requires the most finesse to stay competitive but not so much that younger players will get frustrated.

Donkey Kong stands tall over other similar-minded action titles. It's one of those Rare games that makes you remember why you liked video games so much in the first place.

A more complex, more fluid, and more attractive game than its plumber predecessor ["Super Mario 64"]. It’s sure to have even the staunchest N64 critics raising their eyebrows.

An intensely addictive combo of wild arcade racing and fun platform-style exploration … the joy of exploring all its cool tracks will make you feel like a kid in a candy store.

When it comes to video game destruction for brains and brawn, Blast is definitely the master.

It's a brilliantly bizarre, insanely fun 3D-platformer extraordinaire, and a wonderfully ironic swan song for the N64.

Take Diddy for a test drive and you'll be hooked. It's the smoothest ride you can buy this holiday season.

Play GoldenEye one time and you’ll be jonesin’ for James harder than Grace Jones on a lonely night. It’s one of the best movie-to-game translations ever.

This is Zelda supreme. It's fun. One hitch, however, is that the skill level gets progressively harder - so hard that casual gamers might give up rather quickly.

Enormously fun golfing with a variety of modes to satisfy everyone from the weekend golfer to the maniacal miniature-putthead. You couldn't ask for a better tee time than Mario Golf.

If you’ve experienced Super Mario Kart on the SNES, this game will feel like a grand homecoming. New players of all skill levels will instantly pick up on the fun.

Even the single-player mode is fun, but the Party really starts when the players interact with each other while competing in this hilarious game.

With all the gadgets and alternative goals thrown in, "Perfect Dark" is more than just a straight-up blastfest; It's a futuristic spy-thriller that also happens to be the best multiplayer shooter on the console market.

Regardless of whether Rayman is climbing, swinging, or hovering like a helicopter, the control never once loses its smooth, seamless feel. Rayman 2 brings the same kind of fun that you will find in other great games of the genre, while at the same time creating its own identity and following.

Furious flying, controller-melting action, gorgeous graphics, and weird adversaries launch StarFox 64 into the stratosphere.

Turok has more fire power more control over its environment, and more gruesome graphics than other corridor shooters. The rest are Doomed to failure.

Wipeout 64 has everything a futuristic racer needs: A healthy variety of tracks, slickly designed craft, weapons, numerous game modes, hidden goodies, and speed, speed, SPEED! This is a must-have for every N64 gamer's library!

Don’t get rid of your N64 yet—Mario Party is one of the last and best games you can play on the system with up to three buddies.

With an onslaught of brawlers, multiple play modes, and a solid create-a-wrestler feature, No Mercy will have you grappling for days on end. It's a definite must-have for wrestling fans.

It is rare that a game this difficult can be this entertaining, but Ecco delivers the goods with a huge splash.

There are no branching pathways or mulitiple endings, but if you're looking for a rip-roaring adventure, you can't go wrong.

Without a doubt the best looking fighting game ever, with nuances like muscle rippling, facial expressions of pain, fear, and anger, and caustic lighting effects that dazzle the eyes.

You've never played a fighting game or wrestling title like this. UFC is the best man-to-man combat title ever, on any system.

Gather your friends around and get over yourselves; you are about to have fun playing tennis.

The game is sweet music to all of your senses, combining visual and audio splendor to a degree that few adventures have achieved. This is one classic for the Dreamcast library that no one will forget.

Has it all—Spider-Man not only looks, sounds, and plays remarkably well, but it also places you firmly in the comic-book world of its hero.

The intuitive controls have been retained, but to enhance the original's sim-like feel, a slice button has been added and the serves are a little more difficult to perfect.

Continues to deliver well-balanced pigskin fun with awesome graphics, intuitive controls, numerous options, and lightning-fast onscreen action.

One of the best basketball games ever on any console…period.

With improvements made over the already incredible "NFL 2K," this year's NFL game on the Dreamcast is all a football fan could wish for.

With insane amounts of selectable characters and play options, what can possibly be done to top it?

Street Fighter IV 3D is an excellent fighting game that packs a reasonable challenge in one-player mode, but truly excels in multiplayer mode, where its lag-free fighting is surprisingly effective and fun.

Brotherhood is the best showcase yet for the series' formidable quality and range, with an excellent campaign and an equally intriguing online approach, and while I hope the next one actually answers some questions, I can't begrudge Ubisoft in the slightest for giving us one more memorable voyage with Ezio.