KendylKlownfish

Though it won't win the series as many Pokefans as the originals did in the '90s, Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver are handy additions to the franchise. Pros: Variety of Pokemon to catch and places to explore; wireless battling and trading; Pokewalker. Cons: Formulaic; some of the rewritten gameplay or dialogue is ridiculous.

FF VIII isn't the best of the series -- especially when it's compared to VII. However, it still offers up some impressive visuals and great new features. Pros: An unbelievable amount of depth in its graphics, story, setting, characters, and gameplay that's ahead of its time. Cons: Battles occur too frequently; the Battle system itself truly blows.

It is far from perfect, but it is essentially one of the most original and appealing games on the PS1. Pros: It is one of the funniest games I've ever played -- and heard; the 2-D sprites and art style are cool; the story and characters are unforgettable. Cons: Too short and too shallow; no replay value; frequent mechanical bugs.

An unnecessary and cheesy, but nonetheless solid effort to relive a cult classic. Pros: The high res 2-D sprites are refreshingly old school; hilarious story and characters; additional Practice and Battle mode are handy. Cons: Too little, too short, too pricey; no replay value; some of the lyrical content is a bit too bizarre.

Legend of the Gobbos is generic, but also ridiculously charming and fun for children of all ages. Pros: Though the graphics are so-and-so, the visuals are rich and colorful; retro 3-D platforming the way it should be. Cons: Peculiar controls and camera halt it from being perfect.

Though it's gimmicky, Sonic Unleashed resurrects some color into the series. It's also a perfect game for children of all ages. Pros: Refined graphics, control, camera, and audio its predecessors lacked; the daytime Sonic levels are fast and fun. Cons: The too gimmicky "Werehog" stages happen too frequently and are slow and dull; boring town sequences.

Even more gimmicky than Sonic Unleashed, but even more unoriginal. Pros: Excellent production value, including beautiful graphics, cutscenes, and level designs. Cons: Boring and repetitious gameplay that lacks any kind of speed or originality; often quirky control and camera; imbalanced battle arena mode.

It has some good ideas, but unfortunately, Sonic the Hedgehog is just too overly flawed. In stead of giving fans of the 15-year-old Sonic series the best, SEGA gave them the worst. Pros: The best visuals in a Sonic game to date; fantastic cutscenes; some of the Sonic stages are fast and impressive, while Shadow's and Silver's offer some unique adventure elements as well. Cons: Far too many glitches and bugs; terrible and often unresponsive controls; peculiar camera; dreadfully long loading screens; and overall, the graphics are disappointing and lackluster.

Pac-Man Championship Edition DX is the best downloadable game of the year, as well as the best Pac-Man to date. Pros: 'Addictive' doesn't even do it justice; gorgeous visuals; lots of modes, boards, and more importantly, ghosts. Cons: You'll never be the best.

It certainly doesn't beat the next-gen's visually stellar graphics, however, Guitar Hero World Tour is still a moderately fun experience for gamers who are still stuck in the past. Pros: Arguably the best setlist in a Guitar Hero game, including classic and modern tracks; excellent multiplayer with up to 4 instruments. Cons: Visually unimpressive; some bugs and slowdowns; an underwhelming single-player experience if you bought the complete version.

Legends of Rock is the best Guitar Hero to hit the PS2, and is still worth a buy if you find it at a bargain bin. Pros: Excellent setlist, including classic and modern rock; lots of unlockables; boss battles have improved since Guitar Hero II. Cons: The graphics just look average compared to the PS3 version; it's not exactly a cons against the games, but regardless of whether you like a track or not, you WILL have to play through it in story mode.

As corny as it may sound, you actually feel like Spider-Man in this game. Pros: A wide-open map of New York City with breathtaking depth; fantastic graphics, control, and audio; variety of challenging missions and boss battles; the web-slinging is slick and smooth; some funny dialog. Cons: A lot of slowdowns and poor enemy A.I., as well as camera issues.

Arguably one of the best superhero games to hit the PS2 -- alongside Spider-Man 2. Pros: Fantastic visuals, control, and audio; excellent story that perfectly follows along the comic book series; spectacular cutscenes; funny dialog. Cons: Lacks a lot of the variety in Spider-Man 2; some missions involve lots of web-slinging, which will feel tedious at some point.

A playable, but overall, visually unimpressive licensed GBA game. Pros: The backgrounds are pure TNBC; some Castlevania influence that surprisingly works; lots of extras/secrets. Cons: Too easy, too short; visually uninspiring; lacks any kind of innovation the film held.

Though it sounds more adult than any N64 game I've ever played, the biggest aspect of the game is how beautiful it looks. Pros: Amazing graphics for the N64; fantastic audio; stellar single-player adventure and multi-player mode; the adult humor is far from charming, but you'll certainly laugh your ass off at it; unforgettable boss battle and soundtrack. Cons: The M rating says it all. Do not buy it for kids.

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 certainly gives the series a boost, but that excitement is shut down by far too many bugs. Pros: A lot of new features, such as sandbox mode; excellent graphics; ride your rides; funny characters; still addictive as ever. Cons: Too many bugs and epically long loading screens.

RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 is less "brand new", and more of an improvement. Pros: Addictive; less bugs, more amusement rides, shops, and sceneries; real park scenarios. Cons: Doesn't add any new innovation to the series; no sandbox mode.

It's not the best collection pack, but it is certainly worth picking up if you are a fan of the series. Pros: Excellent ports of 10 retro Mega Man games with an additional audio reproduction, remixed soundtrack, and mid-game saving system. Cons: At least half of the games can be a bit too repetitious or frustrating.

It has a variety of retro Sonic games, good and bad. Pros: A wide selection of additional games, artwork, and extras; it's a nice introduction to the series for unfamiliar gamers. Cons: No Sonic CD; some of the Sonic games range from bad to awful.

Like the Sonic series itself in the mid 2000's, Shadow the Hedgehog flails under its amount of flaws. Pros: Fantastic visuals; excellent level design; great FMVs; lots of extras/secrets to unlock. Cons: Terrible control and camera; disappointing graphics; lacks any kind of speed; horrendous multiplayer.

Though Sonic Riders "looks" great, it feels wonky. Pros: Fantastic visuals; glossy soundtrack; overall, it is a stylish racer that has some good ideas. Cons: The turbulence sequences can eliminate your chances of winning the race; quirky controls; track designs range between peculiar and frustrating.

Easily one of the best looking titles on the PS2 ever, Okami is as beautifully artistic as it is innovative. Pros: An astounding amount of depth within the gameplay and storyline; stunning graphics; solid controls; epic soundtrack; funny characters; the Celestial Brush is easy to use. Cons: Easy combat leads to repetitive button mashing; some occasional camera issues.

DX Director's Cut is a bit of a disappointing port of a fantastic DC game, but aside from some flaws, it's still the Sonic Adventure we played years ago. Pros: Fast, fun gameplay; excellent level design; additional features such as the Game Gear games are handy. Cons: A lot of camera issues, framerate issues, and glitches ruin an "almost solid" port.

It's port to the NGC is certainly not flawless, but it's worth picking up if you don't have a DC. Pros: Multiplayer is as stellar is ever, having a variety of characters, stages, and power-ups to last all night; Chao Garden is addictive and has a lot of new features. Cons: The camera is worse on the NGC's controller; frequent framerate issues; some of the additional features feel worthless.

The variety in Sonic Adventure 2 exceeds any game on the DC -- including Sonic Adventure. Pros: The Sonic and Shadow stages are fast and fun; variety of characters to play with different goals to play for; fantastic visuals; excellent level design; multi-player is stellar. Cons: Frustrating camera; frequent framerate issues; Tails' and Eggman's stages are the weakest points in the game.

The fastest Sonic Advance of the trio. Pros: Excellent graphics and control; new moves; witty level design; variety of characters to play. Cons: Additional features such as mini-games would've been fun; bad boss battles; secondary multi-player mode.

It lacks the innovation of Mario 64, truth be told -- especially when it's compared to NGC masterpieces like Resident Evil 4 and Super Smash Bros. Melee. However, it's packed with enough flourishing colors and wacky gameplay to enthrall children and Mario fans of all ages. Pros: Rich, colorful visuals; beautifully structured environments; the gameplay is solid Mario platforming with a few new kicks. Cons: The worst controls and camera in a Mario game; lack of stages and some repetitious level design; the final boss battle is a bit too easy.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team is an awfully strange, but mildly effective game for Pokemaniacs and puzzle solvers. Pros: A variety of Pokemon to add to your team and dungeons to explore. Cons: Dull visuals; odd controls; the RPG elements aren't exactly necessary, regardless of the Pokemon series being built on that.

It's not the variety the PS2 version is -- and the graphics are a bit dated, even for the PS1. However, the variety in skateboarding combos, missions, and level design are far from missing.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 is even better than the first two games, including twice as much variety in visuals, control, and freedom. Pros: Excellent single-player and multi-player modes; great graphics; solid control with extra combos; some of the best level design on a Tony Hawk game; wacky missions. Cons: A hit-or-miss soundtrack; though it's certainly a step-up from the first two games, Pro Skater 3 doesn't innovate as much as it should've.

A disappointingly ugly rip-off of Mario Party. However, it'll keep the kiddies entertained with its wacky mini-games. Pros: A variety of mini-games; good board designs; lots of comic mischief. Cons: Average graphics; dull visuals; limited characters and unlockable content; it's a sad attempt at ripping off the Mario Party series.

For kids of all ages, sporty or not. Pros: Excellent graphics for the GBA; easy and fun to learn; single-player and multi-player mode are equally time consuming. Cons: The controls are a bit iffy; 3-D courts could've looked better.

It's not bad, but Street Fighter Alpha 3 is far better. Pros: Entertaining single-player and multi-player modes; variety of fighters; slick control. Cons: A lot of bugs; dated soundtrack.

Another excellent port of another masterful SNES classic in the palm of your hands. Pros: Fantastic graphics and audio; legendary single-player mode; the additional Four Swords is one of the funnest multi-player adventures on the GBA. Cons: The control is a bit touchy; finding two to four friends with a GBA, cartridge, and link is a bit uncommon.

An effortless port that could turn off newcomers faster than the hedgehog himself. Pros: Alright for a quick Sonic run or two; the additional Spin Dash and save system are helpful. Cons: A lot of glitches and slowdowns; unresponsive controls; horrendously redone soundtrack and cheap audio; it's lousy next to ports like Mario and Zelda.

An excellent port of one of the funnest 2-D platformers to date -- if Super Mario World is the best, then Yoshi's Island is certainly the most innovative. Pros: Excellent graphics, control, and audio; rich, colorful level design; lots of mini-games; Yoshi and Baby Mario are ridiculously charming. Cons: The difficulty is often frustrating, resulting with a lot of Baby Mario cries; multi-player is secondary.

It's not a new game, but it's an excellent port of a masterpiece in the palm of your hands. Pros: Excellent visuals, control, and audio; overall, it's an unforgettable platforming experience. Cons: Not many additional features.

Mario Party Advance just doesn't compete with the rest of the Mario Party series. Heck, it doesn't compete with any party series. Pros: Lots of mini-games; charming; imaginative fun for kids. Cons: For adults, it'll feel all too elementary; the challenge of some games is unapparent; limited multi-player mode.

Tekken Advance is a surprisingly thorough version of the console games, something you don't see as often as you should. Pros: Excellent graphics, control, and audio; a limited, but handy variety of fighters and arenas. Cons: Very limited, from modes to unlockable content.

Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe is overall, under-achieved, mainly due to its imbalanced censorship and lack of innovation. However, it should still make for a damn good time amongst comic book fan boys. Pros: Fantastic visuals; best controls in a MK game; variety of MK and DC characters and moves. Cons: Imbalanced censorship, resulting with some often comical fatalities and brutalities; lousy story mode; lack of innovation.

Namco Museum doesn't have that much variety a collection pack should -- aside from rebooted versions of Pac-Man, Dig Dug, and Galaga. In fact, you'll probably find more enjoyment out of the PS1 versions.

Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness doesn't exactly have anything to care about -- especially due to some dull graphics and unresponsive controls. However, it emulates the console version fairly well, but in this case, I'd stick to that version.

It's not going to win any fighting game awards, however, kiddies will obsess over the excessive amount of cartoon violence jammed in their GBA. Pros: Fantastic graphics for the GBA; basic control; variety of characters and 3-D action boards. Cons: The repetitive button mashing will turn some gamers off; imbalanced character roster; poor soundtrack.

It's "almost" all the fun of Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64 right on your GBA. Pros: Excellent visuals and control; some of the best graphics on a GBA ever; single-player and multi-player mode are a blast; variety of characters and tracks. Cons: It can feel a bit repetitious, especially if it's the only GBA game you have.

If Mortal Kombat: Deception were at any fault, it would be the addition of "hara kiri". Is there a point in killing yourself in a worse manner than your foe probably would? Aside from looking stylish.

Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls isn't the best looking port on a GBA, however, it is an excellent reboot of the two games that started it all. Pros: The GBA is far more common than the NES; excellent for quick-play value; fantastic remixed visuals and soundtrack; it's a pure, old-school turn based RPG. Cons: A lot of modern gamers will find it to be outdated.

When you're not playing a port of Mario or Zelda, try Kirby & the Amazing Mirror, a subtle, but fantastic looking platformer for the GBA. Pros: Excellent visuals and control; the best 2-D platformer starring the pink puff ball; four Kirby formula actually works. Cons: Repetitious backtracking and mini-games; no support for the Wireless Adapter.

The fastest of the Sonic Advance series. Pros: Excellent graphics, control, and level design; lots of characters to play; new moves; one of the fastest Sonic games to date. Cons: Isn't as innovative as the first game; too many bonus challenges.

Even if it's a bit formulaic, Sonic Advance is one of the funnest Sonic titles since Sonic CD. Pros: Rich, colorful graphics; basic controls; it's fast, but easy to learn; fairly decent multi-player mode. Cons: Regardless of the control's will to run faster and never stop, a lot of the levels were designed to refrain you.

Essential to any NGC or fighting game collection. Pros: Excellent multi-player mode; a stunning variety of characters, levels, and action; lots of unlockables. Cons: The single-player mode just isn't as multi-player.