Games of 2005 - ranked by preference

Release Date: December 22, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Aspect
Genre: Action

Subsistence is more than a simple re-release of Snake Eater...It includes a new camera system which, in itself, makes it a better game overall than it already was. On top of that, a plethora of extras like new Snake vs. Monkey mode stages, extra camo and face paint for Snake, connectivity with Metal Gear Acid 2 on the PSP, and a multiplayer mode that allows up to eight people to battle for supremacy online. It's also got the MSX versions of the original two Metal Gear games, making this, like I stated in the beginning, so much more than a simple re-release. It made one of my favorite games even better and tossed in a bunch of extras to boot - Konami went above and beyond with this game.

Release Date: March 22, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Sony CEA
Developer: SCE Santa Monica
Genre: Action

I was skeptical of God of War before I first played it. A friend of mine gave it a perfect 10 out of 10 on the website we were working on, but it just sounded like a repetitive hack 'n' slash title to me...Then I played it. Within the first few minutes, you're thrust into an awesome boss fight against a giant hydra...It set the stage for an amazing experience from beginning to end. The game only has one flaw - the Hades columns. But aside from that minor part of the game, God of War is absolutely amazing from your first boss fight to the last.

Release Date: January 11, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Action - Horror

Resident Evil 4 was a drastic change in the Resident Evil series, switching from a slow-paced adventure-style gameplay to a much faster, action-oriented gameplay. The result was what some call the best game to come out in the last decade. I wouldn't quite go that far, but it is easily in the top 5. Running from a man with a sack on his head wielding a chainsaw is the part I remember most from this game...The anxiety I felt was nothing like I felt in previous entries in the franchise's history...And the fact that it played like a dream only helped matters. If you haven't played it yet, do so. Without exaggerating, this is one of the best games not just on the Gamecube, but of all-time.

Release Date: September 15, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Agetec Inc.
Developer: S-Neo
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

Much like how top independent wrestling promotions like CHIKARA and Ring of Honor fly under the radar of most casual wrestling fans, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns flew under the radar of most casual wrestling fan gamers, who flocked to the better-known and better-looking WWE Smackdown vs. Raw games. If you're a fan of independent wrestling or can name the current IWGP champion or think of lucha libre when you hear the term "Octagon" instead of geometry, then Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is the wrestling game for you. The steep learning curve hides a very nice wrestling engine created to simulate a match with a methodical pacing. Taking it even further, the computer AI can be modified to extreme levels, for each individual wrestler (of which you can have over 800 on a single game save), down to how often each move is used, making it a tremendous simulator as well, allowing players to watch dream matches. There really isn't enough space for me to type everything about this game...It looks like it's a couple generations behind graphically...But as far as customization and innovation goes, it's easily a few generations ahead.

Release Date: October 18, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Lionhead Studios
Genre: Adventure

Fable: The Lost Chapters is essentially the Platinum Hits version of Fable...Except rather than simply re-release Fable with a fancy new package, Lionhead opted to add in a bunch of new content...Probably another ten or so hours worth...Including a new, giant final boss. This is still my favorite entry in the Fable franchise to this day. Want to know my thoughts on the regular game?...Well, take a gander at the ol' Xbox games ranked by preference, or check out the year 2004.

Release Date: April 19, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Majesco
Developer: Double Fine Productions
Genre: Platformer

Psychonauts was one of those really good and charming titles that just plain got ignored on store shelves, like Klonoa and Beyond Good & Evil. While it's not without its faults, Psychonauts delivers a fantastic and memorable experience that creates, what could possibly be, my favorite 3D platformer that I've ever played. The characters, art style, and story are all charming and it's a cryin' shame that this game wasn't embraced by the general public in terms of sales. I want a sequel, dang it.

Release Date: October 24, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar Leeds
Genre: Action

I love Grand Theft Auto III. By the time that Liberty City Stories came out, I knew the streets of Liberty City by heart, so I didn't think this game could do much to surprise me. I was wrong. Combining some of the best aspects of other games in the series, like tweaked gameplay from GTA III, the ability to enter your safehouse and change clothes, the inclusion of motorcycles, and various other goodies, Liberty City Stories almost felt too big for a handheld game. It legitimately felt like a port of a console title rather than a handheld game that later got ported to consoles. The end result is a must-play title for the PSP, and a great choice if you're looking for some Grand Theft Auto on the go.

Release Date: April 12, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: BioWare
Genre: Adventure

When I first played Jade Empire, I honestly did not expect much out of it...And the next thing I knew, I had put about nine hours into the game in a single sitting, not wanting to put the controller down. For those not familiar with the style of the game, think about the first Mass Effect's gameplay, but based in China's past. It's not a completely accurate comparison, mind you, but it gives you a mild idea of what to expect here. The game's environments and soundtracks are absolutely beautiful, as well. I would love to see a current-gen sequel to this title if only for the visual aspects. I'd love to just wander around and admire the world around me like I did in this game, except in HD.

Release Date: November 14, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Racing - Kart

I love me some Mario Kart DS. I tend to avoid online gaming just because I don't like folks who cheat...And there are a TON online. Yet, I still played a ton of this game online. Yeah, people would leave the race if they were going to lose because they didn't want their record soiled with a loss, but for the most part, I enjoyed racing folks on there. But anyway, Mario Kart DS had an assortment of tracks from other Mario Kart games making it almost like a best-of Mario Kart game. Since it was portable, it was like a dream come true to play some of these tracks while on the go. In my opinion, this is one of the best Mario Kart games that Nintendo has put out.

Release Date: October 17, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar Toronto
Genre: Action - Brawler

I'm a pretty huge fan of the film, so when Rockstar released this game based off of the cult classic, I was very much looking forward to it. It didn't disappoint, either. The Warriors has everything you'd want and more, like countless gangs to encounter, including the popular Baseball Furies. It also was the first game to successfully bring a similar, quality experience of games like Streets of Rage and Final Fight into a 3D world. It's definitely a personal favorite of mine.

Release Date: November 7, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: RedOctane
Developer: Harmonix Music Systems
Genre: Music

Japan had Guitar Freaks, with a guitar controller, for years before Guitar Hero introduced North Americans to a similar concept. While I bet that Harmonix knew they'd have a hit on their hands while making this simple, yet great music game, I don't think that they had any idea how insanely popular the series would become. Before Activision got their grubby paws on the franchise and oversaturated the market, like they like to do, the original Guitar Hero was absolutely fantastic. If you're one of the few that have never played a Guitar Hero game, do yourself a favor and give it a go. You'll quickly understand why it was all the rage a few years back.

Release Date: September 15, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Adventure

I was mildly interested in playing this game when it first came out...And then when I finally gave it a try, I absolutely fell in love with it. Between the puzzle-like cases that involve you trying to defend your client from being framed for crimes that they didn't commit and the sense of humor tossed in here and there for good measure, I just could not put this game down once I started to play. If I say that this is the best adventure game available on the Nintendo DS, or maybe even on handhelds in general, I don't think that too many folks have a good argument for throwing an "OBJECTION!" my way for making that comment...Phoenix Wright is that good.

Release Date: July 14, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Konami
Genre: Music

If you've played a Dance Dance Revolution game, then you've played Mario Mix, right? Not quite. While it has the DDR action that we all know and love, it also has a story mode to it, where you can play as Mario or Luigi and dance your way through remixed Mario music against various foes to bring peace to the Mushroom Kingdom. That mode, along with the Mario Bros. characters making cameos make this feel like it's not just more of the same as far as Dance Dance Revolution games go. This is easily the best music game on the Gamecube.

Release Date: June 23, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Skip Ltd.
Genre: Action

I remember reading a review of Chibi-Robo when it first came out that give it a low score because "who wants to do chores in a video game?" A dumb reason for a low score, in my book. Yes, Chibi-Robo has you doing chores, but it does so wonderfully. With a plethora of odd characters to encounter, Chibi-Robo makes those chores seem worthwhile and fun. It's not an action-packed game with bullets and kung-fu, but it doesn't have to be. Chibi-Robo is relaxing, entertaining, and fun - which is pretty much all that it tries to be.

Release Date: November 11, 2005 (EU)
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Yuke's
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

I feel like THQ slipped a bit when Smackdown vs. Raw came out. It was a very obvious step backwards from Here Comes the Pain. With WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2006, the franchise started to take steps forward again. While not as good as Here Comes the Pain, SvR 2006 does introduce Buried Alive and Fulfill Your Fantasy matches as well as the first variation of GM Mode, which is a fun mode for the fantasy bookers among us, but it's very flawed. Overall, this is a decent addition to the WWE franchise, but a more polished GM Mode would have likely made me bump this game up the list a little bit higher.

Release Date: July 7, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Now Production
Genre: Action

I absolutely fell in love with the original Katamari Damacy. When We Love Katamari came out, I was rushing to the store to get it. While it added plenty of new level types, all of which were fun and added another layer to the Katamari formula, it still somehow felt like I'd already played this before. That's not necessarily a bad thing - but with its higher price tag than the original, it did make it difficult for me to score it higher. Whether it felt like I played it before or not, it doesn't matter. It's a Katamari game, thus I'm madly in love with it.

Release Date: March 10, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Q Entertainment
Genre: Puzzle

Meteos was, and still is, a great, unique puzzle game. Basically, you use your stylus to slide blocks up or down to match three or more of the same color. Doing so causes blocks to blast upwards, sometimes off of the screen, and sometimes just up a little bit and they'll slowly float back down. It's easy to learn, fun to play, and is easily not just one of the best puzzle games on the DS, but on any handheld or console.

Release Date: March 15, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Atomic Planet Entertainment
Genre: Compilation

Mega Man: Anniversary Collection has all 8 (at the time) Mega Man games that had been released in one disk, along with the two Mega Man arcade fighters - Mega Man Power Battle and Mega Man Power Fighters. I've noticed most folks have one of two reactions to this compilation...One is absolutely loving it, and playing through until they've mastered each game. The other is immediate frustration and hatred to the games for being "too hard." A little patience goes a long way in these titles. Learning the level layouts and enemy patterns is essential to making it to the end. Without that, you'll likely end up using language that would make sailors blush directed towards the game. Personally, I love these games and having them all on one fancy little disk makes my heart glow.

Release Date: October 18, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Aspyr
Developer: Wideload Games Inc.
Genre: Action

While it was created using the Halo engine, Stubbs the Zombie plays nothing like Halo...And I mean that in a good way. In Rebel Without a Pulse, you control Stubbs as he eats random people, transforming them into hordes of zombies. You can also dismember your hand and send it at people to posses them, so to speak. These tactics and more, like farting, need to be used to survive through each level. Starting off as the sole zombie in the level, and slowly transforming the majority of the population into a fellow zombie just leaves you with a unique feeling of satisfaction. Also, Stubbs is easily one of the most lovable video game characters that you're likely to see in his console generation...Or any other, for that matter.

Release Date: August 25, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre: Action

Dawn of Sorrow continues along the path that its Game Boy Advance predecessors had walked along, pretty much copying the successful Symphony of the Night formula. The only noteworthy difference here is the use of the stylus and touch screen, which turns boss fights into chores. At the end of a boss fight, you have to draw a specific symbol to seal away the enemy. If you screw up or don't draw it fast enough...Or if the system just doesn't register what you drew, the boss regains health and you're stuck continuing on with the battle. The boss difficulties have been dumbed down to accommodate for this, but it's still rather frustrating. It's still a very solid game, but the irritation of fumbling around for your stylus when a boss is near death is enough for me to knock it down a few spots on this list.

Release Date: April 21, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Simulation - Virtual Pet

People who say that this game is boring, well then it's obviously not meant to be for you. Nintendogs is not a game that you'll sit and play for hours at a time, but it's not meant to be that way. This is a game that you pop in for ten or fifteen minutes a day to care care of your dog(s), take them for walks, put them in competitions, etc. As a lad that missed his real dog back at his parent's house, this was a decent way for me to experience some of the joys of having a dog around. It's obviously no replacement for the real thing, but as a dog owner and animal lover, I really grew to love Nintendogs and found my time with it to be very relaxing.

Release Date: June 16, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: ITL
Genre: Action

I don't have the patience to be a surgeon...Nor the steady hand, as my childhood of failed attempts of beating the board game Operation has told me...But Trauma Center has still managed to convince me that it would be a job that I'd enjoy. Not so much because I wanna stab folks with it being legal (let's face it, that's what surgeons do) but because this game is so dang fun that it made me think that stitching folks up in real life may be fun as well....Okay, maybe not, but it's still a very fun game and a great way to make use of the touch screen and stylus without it feel like an unnecessary feature tacked on so it can claim to have touch-screen support.

Release Date: December 1, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: TOSE
Genre: Action

I adore the slime in the Dragon Quest games. How can you not? Look at him on the cover there all smiley with that little gob of goo popping out of the top of his head like uncombed hair...Adorable. Anyway, Rocket Slime gives the slime his spotlight. You play as a slime (Rocket) and enter giant tanks and fortresses to save your slime townspeople and rid the area of those pesky platypus-lookin' goofballs that ruined everything. It's not the longest game in the world and it's more about action than the RPG stuff you'd expect from a Dragon Quest game, but if you give it a try, I think it's very likely that you'll be hooked just like I was.

Release Date: May 19, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Education

What's your Brain Age? Playing an emulator to get the screenshots for this game, I got 80 years old. I blame it on both that a mouse was used instead of a stylus and that my writing style made the game think that my incomplete 4 was actually a 7, giving me wrong answers. Checking back at my physical copy, my real Brain Age is 21, so that's not too shabby. Anyway, Brain Age actually makes learning kind of fun by turning it into a timed game where you can play in an attempt to beat your records and the like. None of the activities take long (unless you're bad at sudoku) so they're perfect for on-the-go gaming...And this game is a perfect counter-argument whenever someone tells you that video games will rot your brain.

Release Date: December 22, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Action

Me & My Katamari marked the first handheld release for the Katamari franchise. It can take a little getting used to as the game uses the D-Pad and △, □, O, and X buttons to move around rather than two analog sticks. However, once you've grown accustomed to the new controls, you'll quickly be addicted to rolling stuff up like you were in the previous entries. An added bonus is the tremendous 8-bit, side scrolling level you unlock at the end of the game, which shows that Katamari Damacy can be fun in both 2D and 3D.

Release Date: September 16, 2005 (EU)
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Quantic Dream
Genre: Adventure

When Indigo Prophecy was released, there wasn't really any other game like it. The game starts out very strongly with an extremely interesting story...And unfortunately, that all falls apart by the end, putting an ugly blemish on an otherwise great game. I've met and talked to plenty of people that strongly feel like the ending ruins the game as a whole...I definitely wouldn't go that far, but it is very likely to disappoint folks - just hopefully not enough to sour them on the game as a whole. Despite that negative, Indigo Prophecy is still worth playing, if you haven't yet, if only because of the unique way it tells a story. It's also worth playing if you enjoyed Heavy Rain and would like to see the game that laid the ground work for that style of gameplay.

Release Date: November 23, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Simulation - Virtual Life

When I first played Animal Crossing: Wild World, I was kind of afraid. I loved the original Animal Crossing, but I was unsure if that was because of the game itself or all of the classic NES games that I enjoyed discovering and playing. I didn't have anything to worry about, with NES games or without 'em, Animal Crossing is still very fun and its style of gameplay seems to be right at home on a handheld. Wild World may lack the ability to play Donkey Kong Jr. Math whenever you feel like it, but its own gameplay can more than make up for it. Fishing, catching bugs, digging up fossils, and interacting with the townfolk are all fun activities that Wild World had now let us all do while on the go.

Release Date: February 22, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: EA Canada
Genre: Sports - Soccer

FIFA Street was EA's attempt at capturing the magic it had in NBA Street in the most popular sport in the world - soccer...or football if you're one of those folks that gets their undies in a bunch for calling it soccer. Anyway, while it's a decent game, and it's fun scoring much more frequently than in a real game of soccer, it just doesn't work in the same way that NBA Street did. It's good if you love soccer and are looking for a slightly different take on the sport, but otherwise, there are much better options out there for the sport than this game.

Release Date: March 24, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Hal Laboratories
Genre: Action

Kirby Canvas Curse is another early Nintendo DS game that feels like it was specifically made to show off touch-screen gaming possibilities. In this case, it's done very well, with the game being exclusively controlled via the touch screen. It was one of the first games to show how well done a touch screen game could be, as it took advantage of the unique capabilities of the DS to deliver an experience that you couldn't have previously had on any other gaming system.

Release Date: July 21, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Now Production
Genre: Sports - Baseball

Mario Superstar Baseball is a very arcadey game of baseball with plenty of power-ups and wackiness to both amuse and frustrate you. Playing a game of baseball and filling out your team's roster with a variety of characters from the Mario universe is quite fun. Being able to go to bat as a goomba was a highlight for me. I also really liked how, goofy aspects aside, it played like the baseball games of the 8-bit days - simplistic, but fun. Aside from regular, ol' baseball games, there's also a variety of mini-games and such to keep you busy should the normal ball game begin to wear thin on you. It's not great, but Mario Superstar Baseball is a decent rookie effort for Mario in a new sport.

Release Date: April 21, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Adventure - Horror

I like Haunting Ground...I've heard people say they absolutely hate it, though. Never really understood why. In Haunting Ground, you play as a British gal who wakes up wearing only a blanket in a cage. The lass befriends a dog, gets stalked by a giant, mentally challenged lad, and all sorts of fun stuff like that. Sounds great, right? Well, Haunting Ground is decent, but not great. I'm a fan of the hiding elements and the use of the canine is kind of unique, but neither element makes this game really, really good...It's just decent. But, great, decent, horrible, whatever the general feeling on the game is - I'm still a fan.

Release Date: March 24, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Sony CEA
Developer: Incognito
Genre: Action - Car Combat

Twisted Metal: Head-On isn't quite the Twisted Metal Black sequel that many fans wanted, but it's still a solid entry into the series that feels a little more like a return to the less-dark, more-comical roots that the franchise was known for. The gameplay isn't quite as tight as Twisted Metal Black's was, but it's still pretty good, making this a nice debut for the series on a handheld, allowing players to enjoy quality car combat on the go.

Release Date: 2005 (CHINA)
Publisher: ShenZhen Nanjing Technology
Developer: ShenZhen Nanjing Technology
Genre: RPG

Created for the SUBOR entertainment system in China, which is an NES clone, this port of Final Fantasy VII really is done amazingly well. The entire story is covered here as you play, and many of the gameplay elements, like the materia system (which is slightly different from the original game, but still impressive)...Which really makes this game an amazing feat. It's not without its faults - it's INCREDIBLY hard. Expect to die shortly after you start playing. The random battles also take quite a long time to finish, which can make things kind of boring at times....But the rest of the game is well worth playing through. If you've got patience and are willing to sit down and try to master the game, you'll be rewarded with an amazing 8-bit RPG that is well worth playing, flaws and all.

Release Date: February 4, 2005 (EU)
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Rare
Genre: Puzzle

It's Mr. Pants is a unique puzzle game that requires you to add and overlap shapes in order to create squares and rectangles, which will then disappear from the screen. The goal is to empty the screen from all colors. Some of the puzzles are easy while others are real head scratchers. I can't help but feel like a version of this game would have been a great addition to the Brain Age games released by Nintendo on the DS handheld, as these puzzles really make you think. That said, this isn't the best puzzle game I've played, but I'd say that it's still quite good and worth playing if only for the fact that it's an innovate puzzle game without anything else like it out there that I'm aware of. It's not just Mr. Pants, it's also one of a kind.

Release Date: December 13, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Yuke's
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

The PSP version of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2006 was unique as it included three bonus mini-games to play. Two out of the three aren't very fun - the trivia game, which is ridiculously easy, and the balance game for Eugene, which is just lame...And I like Eugene. The third mini game came at the peak of the poker craze here in the United States, so, of course, it's Texas Hold'em poker, which is a pretty addicting little game and a nice way to gain funds towards unlocking in-game legends like the Junk Yard Dog and the PSP-exclusive Jake Roberts. That said, the in-game action is good for its time, but the load times are ridiculous. Unless you're really pumped to play Texas Hold'em poker with WWE stars, later releases in the series provide a smoother, more enjoyable in-ring experience.

Release Date: April 6, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Ignition Entertainment
Developer: Awesome Studios
Genre: Puzzle

Imagine games like Marble Madness or Super Monkey Ball, but with a puddle of liquid, and you've got Mercury. In Mercury, you've not only got to try to not fall off the edge of a level, but you've got to use edges to split your blob into two, change the color of the blob to enter doors, combine two colored blobs to make a new color, and make sure that enough of your blob is left by the time you make it to the goal. It makes for a very entertaining and fun action-puzzle experience that every PSP owner should try.

Release Date: March 17, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Sony CEA
Developer: Sony CEA
Genre: Platformer

Ape Escape: On the Loose is basically the same, wonderful Ape Escape game that graced Sony's first Playstation, but without the unique dual shock, twin stick gameplay that made the game a little more charming. The game is still fun, and since it's portable, it's still worth playing if you want to catch some apes on the go, but it does lose a little something in translation due to the PSP's button limitations. Not enough to prevent you from having fun while playing it, though.

Release Date: September 1, 2005 (EU)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sumo Digital
Genre: Sports - Tennis

The original Virtua Tennis on Dreamcast was the most addictive tennis game released since Pong. World Tour continues on in that trend, but doesn't really add too much to the already fun formula. There's nothing technically wrong with this game, but without a whole lot of worthwhile new content, Virtua Tennis fans who had their fill of the first game, and of Tennis 2K2, won't find anything here to bring them back to the courts. But for people who still can't get enough, and want it in portable form, World Tour is a good purchase for the PSP.

Release Date: December 1, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Adventure

Hunting and gathering...If that sounds like the concept of a solid game to you, it is. Monster Hunter Freedom revolves around quests requiring you to gather items, hunt creatures, and sometimes capture creatures...And it's absolutely addicting once you really get going. An aspect I like the most is how you can gather materials from monsters that you kill, like their bones, to create stronger equipment to help you survive as you encounter bigger and badder monsters, helping you stay as a predator rather than becoming the prey. This series is ultra-popular in Japan, and after spending some quality time with this title, it's not hard for me to see why.

Release Date: December 13, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Midway
Developer: Digital Eclipse
Genre: Compilation

Midway Arcade Treasures is a compilation of various Midway arcade hits from early games like Joust to more modern ones like Mortal Kombat III. It's a nice range of various titles from various times and various genres, meaning there's likely at least a few titles here for everyone. That's not to say that every game in this compilation is an absolute winner, but there's more good than bad here, making it a decent game for folks who'd like a little nostalgia on the go.

Release Date: September 15, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Telltale Games
Developer: Telltale Games
Genre: Adventure - Point-and-Click

Telltale Games has recently gotten plenty of attention after releasing the absolutely fantastic first season of the Walking Dead. Before creating 2012's potential game of the year, however, Telltale made several other point-and-click titles, like Bone: Out From Boneville. While not nearly as good as some of Telltale's other games, Out From Boneville is still solid and pretty nice to look at to boot. I think this game would be perfect for children, as I think most adults will be underwhelmed. It's a good game, but not great.

Release Date: March 24, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Dimps Corporation
Genre: Action - Brawler

Spikeout: Battle Street is a so-so, 3D brawler. It's playable and all, and the controls are done well, but it just gets repetitive pretty quick. Even with a decent variety of attacks and weapons to use, the game just gets old after a few minutes of playing. If you're a fan of brawlers and don't find them to be repetitive, the controls and such are pretty solid here, so you'll likely have a good time. This is a game that's fun in small doses, but play for too long and the repetition will make you grow to resent the fact that you're playing.

Release Date: December 22, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: D3 Publisher
Developer: Tamsoft
Genre: Brawler

The third game in the Onechanbara series is actually called The Oneechanbara 2, and it's actually a decent improvement over the previous games. Yeah, it still gets repetitive after a while, but with multiple characters to play as and the same, charming B-movie storytelling, the repetitive gameplay is much more tolerable. Also, while it doesn't have an effect on the gameplay, it's interesting to note that blood color strangely changed from red to purple for this game. Apparently, when a bad zombie game becomes passable, its blood gets some blue mixed in with the red. No idea where I was going with that, but I'll leave it in. Anyway, this game was a nice step forward in the series.

Release Date: March 17, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Sammy Studios
Developer: Dimps Corporation
Genre: Fighting

The Rumble Fish is a forgettable fighting game. A day after I beat it, I went to write about this game and couldn't remember a whole lot of anything. That's not so say that this is a bad fighting game - it's passable...But it doesn't play as smooth as other fighters, it's not as visually impressive as other fighters, and it just lacks much of a reason to continue to come back for more. Fighting game fanatics might find something to like here, but most others likely won't.

Release Date: August 16, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Backbone Entertainment
Genre: Platformer

I always wanted to like Death Jr. I wanted to tell everyone that this was the best platformer in years and that it made the PSP a must-buy handheld....But I couldn't. The characters in Death Jr. are all well-written and likable...but unfortunately, the gameplay itself is barely passable. I'm not the only one that had high hopes for this game - supposedly, Konami was already trying to market a cartoon out of the game and had a few sequels already in the plans. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to like this game, I found myself putting it down out of boredom and never returning to it...And that seemed to be the case for many people, as it didn't take very long for the Death Jr. franchise to fade away.

Release Date: April 7, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Indies Zero
Genre: Music

Electroplankton is hard to score. On one hand, I really like the concept here and creating music with the plankton is pretty fun...The giant downside, of course, is the lack of any ability to save. It kind of boggles my mind that a save feature was never implemented into this game so that you could share your musical creations with others...Instead it's fun while it lasts, but once you realize that none of the work that you're putting into constructing a song is going to last beyond when you turn the system off, it kind of derails your creativity and makes it hard to feel motivated to keep coming back. If it had a save feature, my score would go way up...But it's such an essential and obvious feature to have that I couldn't help but feel like I had to dock the score pretty heavily. If you like unique music games, definitely check this game out...Just don't create a musical masterpiece and expect to have it forever.

Release Date: February 10, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: Agetec
Developer: G-Artists
Genre: RPG

I'd consider PoPoLoCrois a casual RPG. By default, the battles fight themselves without you having to do anything but watch on until the battle is over, pretty much just leaving you to talk to people and explore towns and dungeons, with the occasional break where a random battle plays its course. Unfortunately, the story isn't really anything that will drive most folks to see the end of the game...But, if you're looking into getting into RPGs, this is a fantastic game for beginners of the genre, or maybe even a decent RPG for your little ones to play.

Release Date: December 29, 2005 (JP)
Publisher: D3 Publisher
Developer: Expotato
Genre: Action

Who wanted to play a bunch of mini-games as infants? Apparently the Japanese, as that's exactly what The Aka-Champion: Come On Baby is. You can choose from one of several babies and compete in various mini games based around summer or winter activities. Like you can ice skate against a bare-butted ape, fight other babies by slapping them in the face, and play jump rope with an electrified rope...Normal baby activities. It's not the best game I've ever played, but it's a passable experience, especially if playing with a group of friends.

Release Date: January 25, 2005 (NA)
Publisher: Arush Entertainment
Developer: Cyberlore Studios
Genre: Simulation - Adult

I'll admit it. Playboy: The Mansion surprised me. I saw that the game had nudity and I immediately thought that this would be a game with absolutely no substance that relied on naked women folk to drive sales. While it's not a must-buy game by any means, this is still a passable simulation of being Hugh Heffner. Basically, you hold parties, mingle with people, and do your best to put out issues of Playboy each month so that you can continue to make a profit. It can be slow and boring at times - and overly simplified as well...But this is still a decent game that would be just as fun (or not fun, based on your tastes) if it were about putting out Polka Monthly magazine instead of Playboy. It's not great, but it's decent...and really, that's a whole lot more than I expected out of this game.

Release Date: May 27, 2005 (EU)
Publisher: Ignition Entertainment
Developer: Warthog
Genre: Platformer

Putting out a game based on a cartoon that hadn't been relevant in years was a questionable move by Ignition Entertainment, but the end result wound up being passable, much to my surprise. As a fan of Animaniacs when I was a lad, The Great Edgar Hunt was a nice dose of nostalgia with cameos from various characters from the series. Unfortunately, while the game is passable, it's still not very fun for most adults. Children will likely love the game, and if you're like me and grew up on the Animaniacs cartoons, you'll find some fun re-discovering characters that you may have forgotten about from your childhood.