Games of 2007 - ranked by preference

Release Date: August 21, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: 2K Marin
Genre: Shooter - First-Person

I was a new owner of an Xbox 360 when BioShock came out, and looking for some exclusive titles to warrant my purchase of the system. I got BioShock, knowing full well that I generally get bored with first-person shooters....And popped it in, pretty much ready to dismiss it. Next thing I knew, several hours had gone by, I needed to get to sleep before work, and I was still having trouble putting the controller down. I've heard first-person shooter veterans voice their disapproval of this game, but I absolutely love it. I'd gladly venture to the depths of Rapture again today without any hesitation.

Release Date: September 10, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Genre: Adventure

I love Oblivion. The Game of the Year Edition of Oblivion included a few new add-ons, including the very entertaining 'Shivering Isles' expansion, which is an add-on that lasts longer than most stand-alone commercial games. It's the Oblivion I loved, plus a tad more.

Want to know what I think of the regular game? Read on to the next entry...

Release Date: March 20, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Genre: Adventure

The best thing about Oblivion was when I realized that I had put over 60 hours of gameplay in....But had never finished the first mission of the main story yet. I had gotten so caught up in exploring this massive world, doing side quests, and taking part in fisticuffs with the residents of the world (including the wildlife...nothing beats boxing a bear) that I had forgotten that there was an actual main story to be found.

Oblivion may be sandbox-style gameplay at its finest.

Release Date: April 19, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Atlus
Genre: RPG

Persona 3 FES is the Persona 3 we all know and love, but with some new demons and the like tossed in. Also, the story from Persona 3 is now a mode called "The Journey" with a second mode, which is an epilogue with Aegis called "The Answer" also playable. The Answer plays like the regular Persona 3 game, but without Social Links or the need to attend school. In other words, dungeon crawling goodness. So, FES is Persona 3 with enough extras to justify a purchase for the Persona nuts (like myself) out there.

Release Date: November 1, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Platformer

Super Mario Galaxy, for a time when it first was released, was the highest-rated game ever, surpassing Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's grasp on that title. Eventually, enough reviews came in where it settled in at a few spots below number one, but the fact remains; critics loved this game. I don't blame 'em. I've always preferred 2D Mario games to their 3D brethren, but Super Mario Galaxy did have me hooked for quite a while. I don't think it's as great as the hype made it out to be, but I definitely think that it's in the Wii's top 5 game available for the system, hands down.

Release Date: October 10, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Valve
Developer: Valve
Genre: Puzzle - Action

When the Orange Box compilation was released, it contained a little-known game called Portal which became the star of the package, instantly gaining poularity and adulation. The action-based puzzle gameplay was addicting and fun. It wasn't very long before it saw its own solo release, and eventually even saw a sequel. Spawning several catchphrases (many of which have been well overused) like "the cake is a lie," Portal is a game that will stick with you long after GlaDOS sings to you as the credits roll.

Release Date: October 10, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Valve
Genre: Compilation

The Orange Box, for a few months, was an exclusive compilation for the Xbox 360 that was worth the price tag of the system alone. The terrific port of Half-Life 2 mixed with the decent Team Fortress 2 and wonderful Portal equated into one of the best compilations ever made. It's also the compilation that forced another first-person shooter into my small list of FPS games that I love, with Half-Life 2 getting the nod. Portal also made its debut here, reminding everyone that the cake is a lie.

Release Date: December 20, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Music - Strategy

Patapon is a unique music/rhythm game that has the basic gameplay elements of a music game, but additional elements of an action-based strategy game, resulting in a very unique, very fun game unlike anything that had come before it. The game has the player memorize various drum beats, with each one controlling the Patapons in a different way. One drum beat instructs them to advance forward, another instructs them to attack...Essentially, you need to look at your surroundings and try to give the correct instructions at the right time or you may lose your opportunity to do what you wanted. It's unique, it's unusual, and it's a fantastic hybrid of genres that any PSP owner should give a try.

Release Date: November 16, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Sony CEA
Developer: Naughty Dog
Genre: Action

I really enjoyed Uncharted...Up until the end. While not quite as bad as Indigo Prophecy, I felt the final hours of Uncharted were unnecessary. I like supernatural stuff...Heck, I love it...But Uncharted was already telling a fascinating story, and the end just took me out of it. That little bit of complaining out of the way, Uncharted is still an excellent game. Some of the platforming can be a bit of a pain, but for the most part it's very well done. It's a very solid start to what eventually became one of the best, and consistently good, franchises that Sony has to offer.

Release Date: November 1, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Sierra
Developer: Kuju Entertainment
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

Geometry Wars: Galaxies is all of the dual-analog shooting fun that you may have loved from the Xbox Live Arcade and then some. This game is a throwback to the days of old with a new coat of paint. The gameplay is simplistic and addicting with your only real reason to continue playing (aside from the enjoyment) is to beat a high score. The colorful graphics and particle effects make it a fun game to watch as well. This gem is easily one of my favorites on the system, and in my opinion, one of the best non-Nintendo-published games on the Wii.

Release Date: January 18, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Atlus
Genre: RPG

When I play an RPG where maps are created by walking around every inch of the area, I often find myself trying to complete each map just for fun. In Etrian Odyssey, not only is that encouraged, but you're also actually drawing the map as you explore with your stylus. The game is absolutely gorgeous to wander around and explore in, which makes map making quite a joy to experience. When it comes time to fight, it's classic, turn-based combat and your party members are all customizable from their names to their classes. It's a nice mix of classic RPG action mixed with beautiful new visuals and a touch screen gimmick that actually enhances the game rather than holding it back.

Release Date: February 8, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: AM2
Genre: Fighting

Virtua Fighter 5 is a continuation of the great Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution...Which is a very good thing, but it also doesn't really introduce anything new, which isn't quite as good of a thing. That being said, Virtua Fighter 5 is still an extremely solid fighter and well worth playing, but if you've already played Vitrua Fighter 4: Evolution until your fingers were numb, you might not be too impressed with what Virtua Fighter 5 has to offer.

Release Date: November 1, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Majesco Games
Developer: BudCat
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

I love Katamari Damacy. I also happen to enjoy scrolling shooters. What happens when you combine the two? You get Blast Works, a game that was, unfortunately, mostly ignored at retail shelves....I saw it in $10 clearance bins within four months of its release. It's a shame because this innovative title, while rough around the edges, was a neat concept that had never been done before. I was completely addicted to this gem for a while...And really disappointed when it became apparent that it sold poorly. My dream of a Blast Works sequel will likely never become a reality.

Release Date: March 30, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Cave
Genre: RPG - MMORPG

This is the first PC-based MMORPG that I've ever played...And I've got to admit, it got me hooked. Simply wandering around and exploring the ruins of Tokyo while battling and conversing with demons is fun...as is the SMT trademark of demon fusions to create bigger and better allies. The community is also pretty friendly. I actually had a very high level character hand me a strong-for-my-level weapon early in the game. He wanted to trade, but when I told him that I had nothing of value to give in return, he simply said, "Take it. It's a gift for being new." The game isn't perfect, and some very annoying glitches can sometimes cause frustration...But overall, I've lost plenty of hours to this game due to the enjoyment it creates...And it's completely free to play, to boot. You can download it here.

Release Date: June 23, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Adventure

Phantom Hourglass, like most Legend of Zelda games, is very, very good once you start to get into it. My issue with it was (and still kind of is) the touch screen controls. They're not done poorly, mind you, but they're just not as accurate or natural as normal controls. I often found myself running into walls in the beginning or losing health because my attempt at swinging the sword registered as something else and an enemy took advantage of that. Once you get the hang of it, the controls aren't THAT bad, but regular ol' controls would have been so much nicer. That said, this is still the kind of Zelda game that we all know and love - just one with a different control scheme that will likely take some time for you to get used to.

Release Date: July 12, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Genius Sonority Inc.
Genre: RPG

Dragon Quest Swords is a game that I wish I had played more of. I played a few hours in, got side-tracked with another game, and never made my way back. The time I did spend with it, I really enjoyed. In this first-person RPG, you use the motion sensors to fight your battles, and it's not bad. I would have preferred an old-fashioned experience like the one found in Dragon Quest VIII, but if the motion-sensor gimmick must be done, this game is a good example on how to make it tolerable.

Release Date: November 13, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Genre: Adventure

Tomb Raider Anniversary, to compare to a more recent release, is kind of like Uncharted: Golden Abyss on the Playstation Vita. It delivers a very solid, entertaining game similar to other entries in the series, but also manages to find logical ways to implement the gimmicks of the system the game is running on. In Tomb Raider Anniversary on the Wii, the WiiMote gimmicks aren't used consistently, but when they are used, it's done well. It's weird to say that a title with the name value of Tomb Raider is surprisingly good...But considering the lack of quality in several of Lara Croft's games leading up to this release, it is a surprise that this game is as good as it is.

Release Date: March 16, 2007 (EU)
Publisher: D3 Publisher
Developer: 1st Playable Productions
Genre: Puzzle

In my opinion, Puzzle Quest almost seemed to start its own genre of game with this match-three puzzle game mixed with an RPG hybrid. Since then, we've had a few more puzzle RPGs put out by the folks that made this game, and indie titles like 10,000,000 and Dungeon Hearts that do their own take on mixing RPGs and puzzle games. But, as far as I know, this was the first, and many can argue that it may still be the best. Puzzle Quest is a fantastic game that flew under the radars of a lot of folks, but most of the people that discovered it fell in love with it. It's not without its flaws, but it was still very well done and a very unique title for its time. If you like RPGs or puzzle games (or both, like me) then you definitely need to give this game a try.

Release Date: October 23, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Adventure

In a time where point-and-click adventure games were basically extinct, Zack and Wiki proved that that style of game feels right at home on the Wii when using the WiiMote. But the fact that the style of game works on the console isn't why it's so high on this list. It's high on this list because it's a genuinely fun game...And like many of the non-Nintendo games on this list, didn't get nearly as much attention as it should have.

Release Date: February 9, 2007 (EU)
Publisher: SNK Playmore
Developer: Terminal Reality
Genre: Compilation

Metal Slug Anthology is a compilation of one of my favorite game series - Metal Slug. As a result, it's also one of my favorite compilations of all-time. Containing Metal Slug 1-6 and Metal Slug X, each and every game in the compilation plays similarly....Simple, but fun. If you're unfamiliar with Metal Slug, think Contra with some comedy tossed in...Though, honestly, I prefer Metal Slug to Contra in just about every way. The PSP version is tremendous due to the fact that it contains all of the great, Metal Slug goodness, but in portable form...So I can blow stuff up while on the toilet if I so desire.

Release Date: October 11, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Examu
Genre: Fighting

Arcana Heart is an all-female, 2D fighting game. It's got a unique system called the "arcana" system, which is essentially like a second move set that the player gets to choose prior to the fight. So if you really like one arcana over the others, you can pretty much pick that arcana with every fighter and you'll always have at least a few moves that you'll be able to use regardless of the fighter that you're playing as. Of course, you could also use the arcana system to vary things up a bit, too. It's a very solid fighting game and worthy of a place on the shelf of any fighting game fan.

Release Date: November 13, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: WayForward
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

I'll admit it - I was skeptical upon hearing that Contra was going to get a sequel on the DS. I have seen many franchises get "revived" only to see the new game be a total stinker. Thankfully, that was not the case with Contra 4. Truthfully, it's not as good as a game as some previous titles in the franchise, but considering much of the franchise is fantastic, that's not knocking it that bad. Contra 4 is a very good game with some great nostalgia value for those of us who spend much of our childhoods run-and-gunning through previous games in the series. It's not perfect, and not quite as good as some other Contra games, but it's still magnificent and well worth playing if you're into third-person shooters or just action games in general.

Release Date: October 16, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Developer: Now Production
Genre: Action

Beautiful Katamari is just as fun as the other Katamari games...Except this one feels a bit like more of the same. That's not saying that this is a bad game, it just feels like you've played it already. If you're like me, and a Katamari nut, that won't bother you a whole lot, but folks who got their fill with the previous Katamari games and are wanting more might walk away disappointed with this entry in the franchise.

Release Date: October 23, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Genre: Action

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles is a re-made version of the TurboGrafx-CD game Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo, which had never made it to North America before this point. It's a pre-Symphony of the Night game, and as such, plays like it. It's a very solid title, and holds its own among the other, great, non-SotN-style Castlevanias...And if you'd rather play Symphony of the Night? No worries. Beating the Dracula X Chronicles unlocks that timeless classic for you to play on the go whenever you feel like it.

Release Date: May 16, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Secret Stash Games
Genre: Shooter - First-Person - Rail

Touch the Dead is a fun (and difficult) rail shooter where you shoot up zombies while frantically re-loading in hopes that you can survive long enough to continue shooting down the undead around you before they undead you...I don't know if undead works as a verb. Oh well, it does for this comment. It's my comment and I'll do as I please, dang it. Anyway, Touch the Dead is surprisingly good, but also has a pretty high difficulty to it, so it may frustrate some players...I'm not particularly good at it myself, but I still enjoy the high difficulty attached to it - if I ever beat it I'll feel like I accomplished something nerdy that I can brag about.

Release Date: November 9, 2007 (EU)
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Yuke's
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 on the consoles was one of the better entries in the history of the franchise in my opinion. The 24/7 mode was enjoyable with some fun little stuff tossed in like a Power 25 ranking system that you're able to go back and watch your progress in the rankings each week and an earnings system to motivate you to earn money to unlock legends and the like. This PSP version has all of the stuff that made the console versions so fun. The only thing holding it back is the load times...A slight improvement over previous PSP releases of the series, the load times are still fairly constant and fairly long. But, when you're enjoying the new-to-the-series ECW Extreme Rules matches, and putting people through tables set on fire, you'll be having enough to fun to forgive the wait time.

Release Date: December 1, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Fitness

I want to put Wii Fit at number one just because it let me see how stupid multiple parents in the country are when they sued Nintendo because Wii Fit had the audacity to call their fat children fat. That being said, Wii Fit isn't 100% accurate with its "fatty" claims, as the game is unable to determine muscle mass in their calculations....But I'm willing to bet that the vast majority of those children weren't bodybuilders. Anyway, Wii Fit isn't a perfect game by any means, but it mostly does what it sets out to do, which is make the player perform exercises while motivating them to return the following day for more. Unlocking exercises helps prevent the game feel repetitive and also decreases the likelihood of the player getting bored from repetition. If you're willing to be mildly active while you play a game, you may find Wii Fit to be a good game for you.

Release Date: September 13, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Genre: RPG - Action

I'm still kind of scratching my head at Square Enix's attempt to cash in on the popularity of Final Fantasy VII. People love the fairly-traditional playing RPG, so to suck them in, they decided to make a bunch of games that play absolutely nothing like it? That said, Crisis Core isn't a horrible game, but it does suffer a bit from the repetition bug during battles. Nine times out of ten, you won't need to do anything except use the attack command and maybe dodge an attack here and there. That can lead to some boring battles. But, the story will likely push most fans of FF7 forward regardless. Seeing the sword get passed down and reliving some of the flashback scenes from Final Fantasy VII make this a worthwhile game to play for folks who enjoyed the story of FF7, but want a little more background on the history of Final Fantasy VII from before Cloud flipped off the train and bludgeoned some soldiers to death.

Release Date: April 9, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Genre: Platformer

Super Paper Mario was a step away from the previous Paper Mario games as it was more of a unique platformer than an RPG. The concept of the platforming is unique. Can't figure out where to go? Switch from 2D to 3D and you'll likely see a previously invisible route suddenly appear...Like maybe a staircase that blends into the background in 2D, but in 3D it's easily visible. It's an okay game with a neat concept, but it's cursed with not being as fun as any of the 2D or 3D Mario games or any of the previous Paper Mario games, for that matter.

Release Date: April 19, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: TOSE
Genre: RPG

Final Fantasy Anniversary Edition marks yet another remake of the original Final Fantasy...And I really enjoy the first game in the franchise...But I played it on the NES, then I got the Origins collection on the original Playstation packaged with Final Fantasy II, then I got I and II together again on the Game Boy Advance...And now it's flying solo on the PSP with much prettier graphics, and the extra content added in the GBA edition...But aside from the graphics, there's no real reason to play this if you've played it before unless you just want to play it with a new coat of paint.

Release Date: November 13, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Cavia, Inc.
Genre: Shooter - Rail - First-Person

Want a condensed version of the stories of Resident Evil 0, 1 and 3 in the form of a first-person rail shooter? No? Well, Capcom gave it to us anyway, also adding in a few other story elements to fill in the gaps between the stories. As whole, the Resident Evil concept works well in a rail shooter environment, as there are plenty of zombies to fill with lead...But there's nothing here to make the game advance beyond 'good' and into 'great' in terms of gameplay. It's a good, solid rail shooter...But not much more than that.

Release Date: January 25, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: M2
Genre: Compilation

TwinBee Portable is a compilation of the TwinBee games in one, convenient, portable package. For those unfamiliar with TwinBee, it's a scrolling shooter that's probably most known for the bell power-ups found in the game, which you can shoot to prevent them from exiting the screen, and in the process, you can volley it until it's the color for the specific power-up that you want. It transforms the game from being a simple shooter to a game where you're trying to juggle your attention between the power-ups and the enemies on screen, and this is a pack of the TwinBee series. If you're a fan of scrolling shooters, this is a worthwhile addition to your PSP library.

Release Date: March 22, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: SCS Software
Developer: SCS Software
Genre: Action

Bus Driver is a decent simulation of driving a bus. You drive to your stops and pick-up/drop off passengers, all while obeying traffic laws, and driving safely so you're not scaring your passengers. From school buses to city buses, there's plenty to drive in...And while it's fun, it does get kind of old after a while. Obeying traffic laws and all that fun stuff is enjoyable at first, but after a while, it begins to feel repetitive. After an hour or so, I was left wishing that this game played more like Crazy Taxi, where traffic laws went out the window and off-road shortcuts were the norm. But, for what it is, Bus Driver is still a pretty fun game...But if you want some real, chaotic fun involving picking up and dropping off passengers, go play some Crazy Taxi.

Release Date: October 26, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Gamecock Media Group
Developer: Renegade Kid
Genre: Adventure - Survival Horror

Dementium: The Ward is a decent survival horror-style, first-person game that fans of both genres will likely appreciate. I really like what tried to be done here...But I found the control scheme to be very awkward. Even after clearing several chapters, I still wasn't fully comfortable with the controls. That said, for the hardware that the game is running on, I think they might have made the best control choice that they could have made. Folks who stick around long enough to adapt to the controls will find a nice little tidbit of terror-themed gameplay to enjoy...But I suspect that many will give up on the game before discovering its good qualities.

Release Date: June 28, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: STING
Genre: Brawler - RPG

Baroque is a hardcore, tough-as-nails, hack 'n' slash RPG remake of a Japan-exclusive Saturn game of the same name. The game consists of two parts - walking around town and talking to folks and exploring a tower where you battle enemies as you attempt to reach the top. What makes it so difficult? Every time you enter the tower, your character starts at level one...Even if your previous time in the tower, you leveled up and got your stats up, the next time you enter, they'll be reset. This game also expects you to die repeatedly through the game...And you will. But, if you have patience and are a fan of dungeon crawlers, you'll learn to appreciate this game for what it is...But folks who aren't fans of the genre will very likely hate it.

Release Date: June 7, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: TOSE
Genre: RPG

Final Fantasy II had previously only been released in North America packaged with the original Final Fantasy...And while I enjoy the second entry in the Final Fantasy franchise, it's not good enough, in my opinion, to justify a new game price tag as a stand-alone title. That said, it's still a passable title, and worth playing if you want to experience every title in the Final Fantasy lineage, but unless you're a Final Fantasy or RPG fanatic, you're probably not going to be too impressed here.

Release Date: December 13, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Genre: Action

NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams isn't a horrible game...It's just a game that had high expectations placed on it, and failed to meet those expectations by a pretty wide margin. It's still a passable experience, but not the great sequel to the Saturn classic that many fans of the original were hoping for. That said, this is a passable experience and one that you may appreciate a tad more if you don't have the original to compare it to.

Release Date: November 9, 2007 (EU)
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Amaze Entertainment
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

I'll admit, I like the concept of what Amaze Entertainment went for when they created this game - it almost reminds me of Micro League Wrestling except with a need to complete quick little actions with the stylus upon choosing an action. For those that don't know what that means, basically each match is turn-based. You've got three options for each turn with actions that increase in difficulty to perform the bigger that the move is. Unfortunately, it will probably disappoint most people. It's not enough action to satisfy wrestling fans that want a traditional wrestling game, but it's also a little too much action to get fans of turn-based gameplay fully on board...The end result is an okay concept that is passable and it technically works...But it's not going to be the first portable wrestling game option of most folks.

Release Date: April 16, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Majesco
Developer: Dragon's Den Unlimited
Genre: Puzzle

I like Toon-Doku. I really do...But it's so flawed that I can't really recommend it to anyone unless they enjoy sudoku but are tired of using numbers for their logic and would rather use pictures. I, personally, really like that concept. Unfortunately, Toon Doku is made in such a way that sometimes (often times, actually) the pictures blend in with the background or pictures are similar to one another and you might get them confused...It leads to a mess at times, to be honest. The music is also pretty bad...But memorable, I suppose. Once I played this again to write up this little comment, I immediately remembered the music from when I played this 6 or 7 years ago. Anyway, the more you play, the more used to its flaws you'll get and you may, like me, actually end up enjoying the game as a whole, flaws and all...I don't see most folks lasting that long, though.

Release Date: November 13, 2007 (NA)
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Genre: Simulation - Virtual Pet

With the success of Nintendo's Nintendogs, it only seemed natural that there'd be a surplus of pet simulation games flooding the market. The Petz games are the most notable of them. In Petz Catz 2, the sequel of Petz Catz for those keeping score, you get a so-so pet simulation experience that's passable, but with enough flaws to prevent it from being anything more than that. I've had a cat before. It didn't need a drink of water every three minutes. I just want to play with the cat, but every time I start, I've got to go to the kitchen to get the furball a drink. It's also worth noting that while I don't doubt that cats can be trained to do tricks and play fetch like dogs, from what I've observed in life, it's not what most folks do. As a result, this feels like a game based on dogs with the dog models swapped with cat models. As I said, this isn't horrible...But it's far from the quality that Nintendogs has given us.

Release Date: November 9, 2007 (EU)
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Yuke's
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 was one of the better games in the history of the franchise if you ask me...Unless you look at the Wii version which is literally a shell of the game with the same name on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. In an attempt to work with the motion controls of the Wii, the gameplay got butchered and dumbed down to an almost arcade-like style of gameplay...Which would probably be a little fun if not for the common theme of motion controls not always registering with the system. There's enough here to keep some wrestling fans interested for at least a little bit...But just about everyone else will quickly move on to the same game on another system.

Release Date: September 6, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: UFO Interactive
Developer: Opera House
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

The Monkey King: The Legend Begins is one of the better bargain bin games on the Wii that I've played...But it still falls short of being good. It's a slow-paced third-person shooter with an extremely low difficulty level...The lack of difficulty makes this game feel very, very boring after only a level or two of gameplay. There's enough decent stuff here to almost make this a passable experience...But unfortunately, the overly easy difficulty and slow pace just make this game feel like a chore to play through, which makes it fall just short of being an alright game.

Release Date: June 28, 2007 (JP)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Paon Corporation
Genre: Racing - Kart

To be honest with you, I like the concept of DK: Barrel Blast...Sounds like an interesting concept and it tries something new. I always appreciate attempts at something new. Unfortunately, this attempt ended in a mess. Barrel Blast requires the player to rapidly move their wiimotes like they were beating on a drum. This is the whole control scheme. Move the controllers fast to go fast. To turn left, move the left controller more. To go right, move the right controller more. The problem here, like with many of the games I've complained about on the Wii, the motion controls aren't always accurate...So when your entire control scheme revolves around the motion controls, you're setting yourself up for disaster...And unfortunately, that's exactly what happened here. Interesting concept, poor results.

Release Date: October 2, 2007 (EU)
Publisher: Blast! Entertainment
Developer: Coyote Console
Genre: Racing

Yabba-dabba-don't play this. I'd leave my comment just as that, but I suppose I could explain myself. Bedrock Racing looks okay in screenshots, but when you play it, you quickly discover that everything is kind of bland. The racing is boring with horrible rubber-banding - you could dominate the entire race, but that doesn't mean that the computer won't speed past you at some point. The computer is also dumb. They like to drive right in front of you in turns and the like, causing a mess for both you and them. You're also expected to collect items while you race, which kind of speaks for how fun the races are on their own - they've gotta add a task for you do do during the race to keep things mildly entertaining. This might be a good game for toddlers, maybe call it "Baby's First Racing Game," but everyone else is almost guaranteed to quit from boredom after only a few races. I wish I had some flint stones so I could set the copy I played on fire.