IGN

• WII
• 7 / 10
• États-Unis

It may be a bit flawed, but Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam still shaped up to be a pretty entertaining racer on Wii. In no way does the spin-off game stand up to Project 8 on the other next generation consoles, but as a “popcorn flick” equivalent to Hawk games, Downhill Jam is a decently entertaining and innovative game nonetheless. A somewhat dated graphical look hurts, though the game runs in 480p and 16:9 to counteract it. And while in-game music is a hassle to work with, there are some killer songs in the 40 track list. The stylistic look of the game is going to be hit or miss for gamers, and whether you love it or hate it, your opinion is justified. Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam is an odd game, but it still can be a blast to play, and the replay value goes up a ton when you throw a few more Wii-motes into the mix. A redesign for a franchise is always risky business, and while there are definitely things to change in a potential sequel, Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam is a solid first step in a new direction for Wii players. More control customization and higher production value is definitely needed, though the game is conceptually sound and still pretty fun in short bursts.

• PS2
• 8.6 / 10
• États-Unis

Sega Genesis Collection is easily the best assemblage of Sega games you can find on PS2. Though the presentation isn't quite as strong as I'd like, the sheer number of quality games makes any missteps forgivable. The graphics, while 16-bit, are as crisp and attractive as possible. If you are a fan of the Genesis, this is one collection that can't be missed. There's no doubt that at least 10 of the 32 games included will suck away a few dozen hours of your time. At $20, this a bargain almost impossible to pass up.

• X360
• 9.3 / 10
• États-Unis

Rainbow Six: Vegas returns to form as an excellent tactical shooter, but is much more accessible for the average shooter fan with streamlined controls and a simple health system. The sprawling levels like the glowing Fremont Street or the Hoover Dam open up Rainbow like it's never been before, and the result is a balanced shooter that is as much close-quarter combat as long-range head shots. The new gameplay mechanics, notably the intuitive cover system and inverted rappelling, are simply outstanding. While the visuals are solid, the textures and colors are muted and appear washed out. The sound, on the other hand, fuses a pulsing anti-terrorist soundtrack with gritty dialogue -- "I will f***ing shoot you!" -- and even some humor -- "Hey man, you play videogames?" The multiplayer options feature huge, well-designed maps, a variety of modes and four-player co-op. In total, Rainbow Six: Vegas is the best first-person shooter on the Xbox 360. Viva Las Vegas indeed.

• GBA
• 6.5 / 10
• États-Unis

The Sims 2 Pets on the Game Boy Advance is a polished, enjoyable game that fans of the console and PC games will probably enjoy...but not because of the pets. While the game succeeds in capturing much of what's great about the PC games, the addition of pets does little to enhance the series here. The idea of having a pet might be enough to sell diehard Sims fans, but for most gamers it'll be a distraction from an otherwise solid game.

• DS
• 7.8 / 10
• États-Unis

Even though we personally had a blast with Final Fantasy III, this one is going to be a serious judgment call on a gamer-by-gamers basis. For any unassuming casual gamer out there, be warned, as Final Fantasy III hits hard and plays like the demanding days of old. We’re talking tons of random battles (every five or so steps in some cases), inns that don’t revive dead characters, and instant death battles that don’t hesitate to kill unsuspecting explorers that feel the need to wander too far from the… “strongly recommended” path the game delivers. The job system is solid (though definitely trumped from other Final Fantasy games), but the overall experience is very traditional and pretty straightforward. Things like the moogle mail, which allows users to send messages to each other in an Animal Crossing-like manor via the Nitnendo WiFi Connection is pretty cool, but it’s also more of a side activity than a needed addition to the game. If you’re looking for more of an innovative take on a DS RPG, you may want to check out Magical Starsign instead, or just bite the bullet and grab the recently released Final Fantasy V for GBA. If you think you can hack it with Final Fantasy III, by all means press forward. Just know that the game definitely has its flaws, lacks a ton of DS presentation, and can be incredibly difficult despite its downright entertaining core. For the hardest of the hardcore gamers though, the decision to pick up Final Fantasy III was made well before you read this review. Either you need this game or you don’t. Plain and simple.

• PS3
• 8.6 / 10
• États-Unis

NHL 2K7 on the PlayStation 3 is a great hockey game through and through. Its feeling of motion and controls are top-notch, and its franchise mode is the one to beat. The SIXAXIS control features are fantastic, though the visuals and menus should be touched up a bit to make for a complete next-gen experience. If you're into hockey, don't pass this up.

• DS
• 5.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Sensory Sweep had the right idea with Tom and Jerry Tales Create a game that plays like the cartoon, and utilizes the DS touch screen. Unfortunately, that game was only 20 minutes long, so it got padded with boring, repetitive levels that almost make it a full game. The few minutes of fun aren't worth trudging through the boring levels that precede it. This is one cat that is better left in the bag.

• GBA
• 4.5 / 10
• États-Unis

It shouldn¿t be too hard to make minigames a fun experience, but Sensory Sweep has managed to do just that. Tom and Jerry Tales is a minigame collection gone wrong. By making players do poor excuses for platforming levels between the games, and not offering the ability to save, any fun in the game is destroyed. It's best to just skip this title, Tom and Jerry Tales is a pesky vermin in the GBA library.

• WII
• 7.7 / 10
• États-Unis

Call of Duty 3 for Wii is a bit of a mixed bag. For starters, the game’s control is pretty solid, and while there are a few issues with the battle actions, the pin-point aiming and Call of Duty driving feels great, adding a ton of immersion in to the game. If the gameplay isn’t your primary focus for FPS games though, Call of Duty 3 may be a bit of a downer, as there’s no multiplayer, and the visuals are pretty weak. If you’re expecting anything more than a solid single player adventure and GCN/Xbox graphics, you may be disappointed. Still, Call of Duty 3’s control is definitely something to experience, and seems to be second only to Metroid. If you’re looking to try the FPS genre on Wii during launch, Call of Duty 3 is the game to show the system off.

• PS3
• 6.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom is probably one of those games that will appeal some players because of its content and replayability. However, if people are looking for a true next gen action RPG experience, they're not going to find it here. Plagued with current gen issues and repetitive combat, Dark Kingdom feels like it was ported over to the PS3 from a pre-existing console. While some of these issues might be changed with further downloadable content, the original game will probably only satisfy the diehard action RPGer.

• WII
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

• PSP
• 4.2 / 10
• États-Unis

There are up to 40 different skins to collect in Gunpey, but the game itself simply isn't strong or fun enough to merit collecting more than six, if even that many. It would be fantastic if Gunpey could stand next to either of the Lumines games or Meteos and keep the puzzle genre going strong, but it isn't up to the task. It's not even close.

• PS3
• 7.8 / 10
• États-Unis

NBA 07 could've remained a simple port of the current gen version, but instead, it chose to improve on a number of game features. Game AI is stronger, the shooting mechanic is tighter, and the NBA Replay feature is one of the best modes included in a sports game in some time. Unfortunately, the game is held back from greatness with some SIXAXIS control issues, bugs and a lack of unlockable content and modes. Sony's first party basketball title made a huge leap forward in making the jump to the PS3, which bodes well for future games in the series.

• X360
• 6.4 / 10
• États-Unis

• WII
• 8.4 / 10
• États-Unis

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz is a great Wii launch title and I highly recommend picking it up if you at all liked the previous games (discounting Adventure, which was an unfortunate departure). This is also an ideal choice for casuals looking to play Wii with friends or family. The title's easy-to-learn controls make it immediately accessible to newcomers or the uncoordinated among us. However, like with all solid Monkey Ball games, the puzzle arenas grow increasingly more difficult and later stages are downright insane – hence, although everybody can enjoy the experience on some level, only the skilled and dedicated will beat the title. If you've been on the fence about the Wii controls, put those fears to rest. True, there is a different technique involved, but once you get the hang of it you will be flying through levels with precision and speed. Now that I've played through Banana Blitz, I would not want to go back to the older control configurations. The single-player affair is engaging and rewarding, but although 100 levels seem like a lot, some of the previous outings actually included more. Given that some of Banana Blitz's 50 mini-games are throwaways, I'd have preferred that the developer spent more time making the single-player mode bigger and better and less time upping the mini-game count. All of that noted, there are still quite a few minis that are worth playing, such as Monkey Target, and they are also four-player-compatible.

• WII
• 7.5 / 10
• États-Unis

• DS
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS2
• PC
• 6.9 / 10
• États-Unis

Cricket 07 is a fun enough game for hardcore cricket fans, but it¿s still not the addictive, compelling, exciting game that it has the potential to be. The new Century Stick batting system is a huge improvement, so you and a couple of cricket loving buddies will have some real fun smashing the ball about in the limited overs games, but the bowling side to Cricket 07 is still too weak to make test matches worth ploughing through. If you¿ve hated these games for the last few years ¿ and you certainly wouldn¿t be alone in that opinion ¿ then it¿s worth coming back to take another look now that some effort has gone back into the game¿s development. There¿s still a lot of work to do to make this a truly engaging sports simulation, but at least you can still enjoy smashing the Poms out of the park with Adam Gilchrist and the Century Stick. Take that you Ashes stealing charlatans!