IGN

• WII
• 7.4 / 10
• États-Unis

Compared to some of your other launch options, Need for Speed Carbon just doesn’t cut it as an upgraded GameCube “Wii-make”. While the control is actually pretty solid - using the Wii controller as a virtual steering wheel - the technical limitations are just too numerous to ignore. On one hand you have a game that simulates arcade driving amazingly well using a tiny tilt-enabled remote instead of a bulky (and extremely expensive) racing wheel peripheral. On the other hand, however, you’ve got a game that not only feels a bit under par visually when compared to other Wii titles thus far, but also takes a huge hit in frame rate. The game manages to play well, display in 16:9 and 480p, but simply dies when it’s expected to put anything more than 20-30 frames per second, and that really hurts the experience. Team that with some lazy choices in interface control (Using a d-pad to control on-screen cursors instead of the Wii IR sensor? You’ve got to be kidding us.), and you have a game that shows off a generally tight racing feel but misses the boat in nearly every other category. A lower poly count or more conservatively detailed textures is one thing, but not being able to pull off slightly upgraded GameCube visuals on a next-gen system without a noticeable lag is unforgivable at this point. If you’re dying for some solid racing and can get past the flaws, Need for Speed Carbon may still be a valid choice for you. For the mainstream gamer out there though, we just can’t recommend it. The control works, it’s just too lazy of a port for its own good.

• PSP
• 8.4 / 10
• États-Unis

• PS2
• XBOX
• PC
• 4.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Synetic has a basic grounding in good car physics and better-than-average artificial intelligence, which gives World Racing 2 an underlying level of quality. Unfortunately, its poor presentation, rough course design and horrific car designs add to the game's poor sense of balance and fairness. And in the end, World Racing 2 is not a game you'll end up wanting to spend money on, whether it's as a new or a used game.

• WII
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Bomberman '93 is a great little game. It supports the multiplayer, party-gaming focus that the series has always been known for, and the single player mode is still fun and challenging. In short, it's an excellent representation of Bomberman's early days that's certainly worth a look.

• GBA
• 4.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Spider-Man: Battle for New York is a pretty forgettable game. What hurts it more than anything is that there are much better handheld Spider-Man games already available (including one from the same developer). Torus Games didn't completely drop the ball on this project, but they didn't capture that pure joy of being Spider-Man that made the webslinger's previous handheld games so fun. More swinging without restriction and less mediocre combat would have taken this game a lot further.

• NGC
• 8 / 10
• États-Unis

• X360
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

If you've played The Sims or Animal Crossing and enjoyed them, Viva Pinata is a safe bet. The gameplay is more interactive and hectic, and facing the consequences of your actions, be they good or bad, is enjoyable gaming. Viva Piñata may have been designed with children in mind, but Rare has created a game that anybody with an open mind can get into and have fun with. The characters are endearing and the abounding sense of discovery can't be denied. Despite the slim interpersonal Xbox Live interaction we would hope for in a game like this, Viva Piñata has enough to explore and keep you busy that it makes for a solid purchase.

• X360
• 6.5 / 10
• États-Unis

If someone decided to port, say, Barbie's Horse Adventures from the Xbox to the Xbox 360, a year after the initial release, and charge $49.99 for it, you would think it the worst marketing decision since the Maurice Clarett Broncos jersey. Instead, you would hope that game was backward compatible. In Barbie's case, it is. Not so with Blitz. Still, The League is worth a look if you haven't played the current-generation version, if only for the over-the-top Playmakers story mode and the unlockable FHM cheerleaders. Visually, the game is ho-hum, although the bone-breaking cutscenes are fantastic, and beating opponents with their own helmets just never gets old. The trash-talking is intact with plenty of delicious profanity. The gameplay is hilarious, but frustrating and poorly balanced. If you love arcade football, 'roids and hookers, give this game a look -- it still may be the best Blitz yet.

• DS
• 5 / 10
• États-Unis

Xiaolin Showdown is not a very good game. It looks and sounds great, but that's not enough to recommend it. Maybe with an original story for the game, fans of the show could overlook the mediocre at best gameplay and just button mash their way through it. The minigames are actually more fun than the game itself, and that's sad, since half of the minigames suck pretty bad. If kids want a DS anime style game based on a kid's show, then go check out Avatar: The Last Airbender instead.

• WII
• 4.8 / 10
• États-Unis

Monster 4X4 World Circuit follows the same route as GT Pro Series, proving that there are a few titles during Wii’s launch that are out to make a quick buck rather than actually pioneering their genre on the system. While Monster 4X4 adds more entertainment around the included wheel peripheral and an overall stronger game than GT Pro Series, it still suffers from downgraded graphics and an overall lack of style when compared to its Xbox predecessor that released just a few months ago. The game’s overall control and trick system has been improved because of the Wii controller though, and even makes for a few entertaining moments during otherwise monotonous play, but the game lacks a polished feel in almost every area. The presentation is very weak, having menu interfaces that often look more like DS art than Wii, and course design leaves little to enjoy after only a few times around the track. Ultimately Monster 4X4 World Circuit will leave players with a generally cheap and unsatisfied feeling, as the entire production could have used more effort in virtually every facet of its execution.

• DS
• 5 / 10
• États-Unis

At the very least, I'm very impressed with the quality level of this game; Happy Feet on the Nintendo DS looks and sounds really, really good. Unfortunately, there just isn't a lot of game there. The two types of gameplay are fun, but they're not enough to carry a game, so it becomes boring when that is all players can do. Happy Feet could have been a great game if more was added to it, but as it stands, it's barely any game at all.

• X360
• 8.5 / 10
• États-Unis

EA’s hit is stiff and nails it. Although the course list pales in comparison to the Xbox and PS2 versions of the game, you'll never need more to do thanks to an addictive and robust career mode. The courses and golfers all look amazing, while Tiger stands out as picture-perfect thanks to the new UCAP technology. But, most importantly, the gameplay keeps what we love about Tiger and adds True Aiming, which calls for course management and a bit of strategy. Finally, there is a bit of challenge built into the game and you'll have to earn every victory on tour and in the Tiger Challenge. But eventually you'll max out your stats and start plugging hole-in-ones. Hey, this is still a Tiger Woods game.

• PC
• 4.5 / 10
• États-Unis

Happy Feet as a videogame very much mimics the movie in that it falls well short of expectations. While the title does feature the same story and characters as its silver screen counterpart, it lacks the charm. The basic gameplay mechanics are incredibly simple and they repeat so often that the action is doomed for monotony. The end result is an experience that teeters on the mediocre. Yes, your four-year-old might find something to like here, but there are far better kids' games on the market. Unless you or your child is a Happy Feet fanatic, and I can't imagine that someone like this even exists, keep moving because there's very little to see here.

• X360
• 7.9 / 10
• États-Unis

When LEGO Star Wars hit our consoles last year, most of us were pretty amazed that a tiny licensed game could hold so much replay value. When we got a second dose of it just a few months ago with the sequel, we were again amazed at how much fun the series could be. Now we’ve got Bionicle Heroes, a game that takes what was good about LEGO Star Wars and tries to transition it to a more robust single player experience, and despite a few quirks it manages to work out. The game has a few gameplay quirks worth mentioning, such as a troublesome camera, some targeting issues during combat and an overall A.D.D. over-stimulated feel, but it’s still a ton of fun. We can tell that that series takes inspiration from titles like Resident Evil 4, Unreal Tournament, and a dash of Halo, and for the most part the game does a decent job of simplifying its inspiration, converting down to a younger level, and keeping some of the magic and core gameplay that comes with those designs. In the end the game is a solid holiday buy for younger gamers, but it isn’t going to be captivating gamers of all ages like LEGO Star Wars has dome time and time again. Bionicle Heroes is a very entertaining licensed game, it has a ton of replay value, and it’s a no-brainer for younger action/adventure fans. In that way, it’s a success.

• PS2
• XBOX
• 5 / 10
• États-Unis

Although this could be called the best Superman game yet, Superman Returns is among the most disappointing. EA did very well with Superman’s powers, and flying and freezing and blowing and heating are each fun in their own way. But Superman is more than the sum of his powers; he is defined too by his alter ego Clark Kent, by his romance with Lois Lane, and by his archenemy Lex Luthor. All of these are absent in the gameplay of Superman Returns. That, coupled with mindless and monotonous action, as well as average graphics and sound are more damning blows to the world’s favorite superhero than ten tons of kryptonite. While the open world is supposed to let you do whatever you like, there just isn’t anything to do in Metropolis. Punching out bad guys becomes about as fun as taking out the garbage, and the “epic” battle between Superman and the forces of evil is as simple and dull as a day of chores. It could be argued that this game should be recommended to hardcore Superman fans, but it’s clear to me that those are the ones that will least enjoy this lackluster effort. EA was on to something in Superman Returns, but barely tapped the surface. The current-gen effort is an afterthought compared to the 360. Rent, if you must.

• PSP
• 6.4 / 10
• États-Unis

The PSP version of Sims 2 Pets improves upon its console predecessors in many ways. The formula is definitely getting old, though, so long time fans will have limited interest. As far as newcomers go, there's plenty to see and do. The addition of pets, not to mention enhancements to the interface, makes the Sims 2 Pets enjoyable. However, the rampant load times can detonate a lot of the fun.

• DS
• 5.3 / 10
• États-Unis

Superman Returns on the Nintendo DS didn't turn out as bad as the big screen console versions released at the same time, and isn't nearly as bad as many of the other superhero games on the Nintendo DS. But that doesn't mean the Nintendo DS version's a good game. There are some solid gaming moments here, but the glitches and flaws in the design are too large here to ignore.

• PSP
• 2 / 10
• États-Unis

Dave Mirra BMX Challenge a terrible racing game, and it's an even worse competition game. You might as well save yourself some cash and just stab yourself in the eye.