Game Reviews

Jenga is so much fun! I just love removing and restacking the pieces. As it gets higher, the intensity also gets high. My cousin and I don't just use Jenga as a stacking game, we use it to play dominoes. Although Jenga is not an educational game, it is still the best stacking game for players of all ages. The wood pieces are very durable, clunking them to the ground won't snap or break them. Throwing the wood pieces against the wall also won't break them. Jenga is a durable and fun stacking game.

Not only is this toy extremely durable (how can you really break those small blocks of wood?), it's incredibly flexible as a toy. My brother at twelve (and I at 21) played this game for hours. When I went back to my computer/book/sleep, he'd stay occupied with the game -- playing it alone, stacking and re-stacking the blocks, creating houses and encampments as if the pieces were designed as building blocks.

As an adult, I don't enjoy card games or board games much, but I still appreciate having this game around the house. It's a game you can play with just about anyone, and although it does take some concentration when you're the one pulling out that precarious block, you can still converse and cavort while playing (as long as you've got the game on a stable surface!).

Jenga also helps teach hand-eye coordination, precision, patience, forethought ("what will happen if I pull out this block?"), and just a bit of physics -- some of the blocks are rougher, some are smoother, so friction comes into play.

I highly recommend this game to everyone, regardless of age!

Jenga has always been one of my favorite games to play since I was a kid. You have to construct a vertical tower using 54 wooden blocks by putting 3 on each row. Then that's when the fun begins. Everybody who's playing has to take turns taking away one of the wooden blocks from anywhere on the structure, and then putting that block that has been removed at the top of the tower. Whoever makes the building fall is the loser.

Jenga can be a lot of fun for anybody of any age. It's one of the funnest games out there and if you're bored it's really great, you'll never get tired of playing Jenga. I recommend anybody to get this game.

The GameCube controller. This controller is one of the best ever made. No doubt about it. Nintendo's previous controller, from the Nintendo 64, was good, but not great. It was a very different type of design. The GameCube controller is a million times better than that controller. It's really hard to believe. The very first time I held this controller in my hands, I knew it was a winner.

Many people say this controller was made for people with small hands. I disagree with that. I have small hands myself, but I have a few friends who have huge hands, and they have no problems with it. The left and right triggers are in the perfect position for both of your index fingers. All the buttons on the right side of the controller are easily accessible with your right thumb. They button layout is nearly perfect; with an enlarged "A" button for games with repetitive pressing of a single button. The analog stick can be easily accessed with your left thumb, and it rotates smoothly every time. The C-stick has replaced the C buttons from the previous N64 controller, and it allows for much more precise control.

The only problems I could possibly think of with this controller are that the control pad is a bit small, but it is very rarely used, so that really isn't too big of a problem and the second thing I could think of was that the length of the controller cable is a bit short, but that can be easily fixed with extension cables. And now that the WaveBird is out, you can enjoy the wonderful GameCube controller without all the trouble of cables!

I've had this controller for nearly eight months now, and it is still extremely dependable. All the buttons are still firm, and the control stick is still nice and tight. Nintendo hardly needs to issue any kind of a warrantee with this controller; there is hardly any chance of anything bad happening to it. You would have to drop something heavy on it, or pour something on it. I've dropped my controller numerous times, and nothing has happened to it yet. It is still in nearly brand new factory specifications. I am truly amazed.

Overall, this controller is better than any of its counterparts. It deserves the "best controller" award in my book. Nintendo has come up with another masterpiece, and it looks even cooler in the Orange Spice color!

Mark Williams

Friends rejoice, the controller Nintendo designed for its newest console, the Gamecube, is by far the greatest controller ever conceived. No controller, not Sega's not Sony's nor Microsoft's, can match this baby once you grasp in your hand. I'm not saying the Gamecube controller is flawless, no such thing exists, but this (thing) is so darn close to being perfection that you will forget all about its minuscule flaws. The Gamecube controller features an incredibly unique design and intuitive control that only the geniuses at Nintendo could think up.

First and foremost is the controller's downright bizarre looking design. Mini D-pad, yellow C-stick, giant A-button, and kidney shaped X and Y-buttons may throw both you pro and amateur gamers off at first glance, but don't let this controller's intimidating looks deceive you. The Gamecube controller was, from the feel of it, designed to make the gamer forget he or she had such a device in their hands. The side handles are contoured to a person's hand, the L and R-buttons are grooved for your index fingers, and the green A-button is the largest of the four main buttons so you never lose the primary action button.

As I said, the A-button is the largest of the four main buttons because it is intended to be you primary action button. With this design, you'll never mistake another button for the A-button. Whether you're jumping from platform to platform of blasting away enemy fighters with lazer canons, the A-button's large size will always keep you from losing a game because you pressed the wrong button.

The X and Y-buttons are uniquely designed in the odd shape of kidneys for a reason. If you place your thumb over the A-button, you will see that this strange set-up is there so your thumb can easily navigate from button to button when you need to most without accidentally tapping the wrong one. Don't believe me, try playing "Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3" on both Gamecube and Playstation. You'll soon discover as I did that it is much easier to master the skater game with the Gamecube controller than it is with the Playstation controller.

The last of the main buttons, the red B-button, is of the normal size and shape buttons have been on Nintendo controllers for years, but was set slightly apart, in size and shape, from the A X and Y-buttons because it acts as a secondary action button. Play "Star Wars: Rogue Leader - Rogue Squadron II" and find out what I talking about. In "Rogue Leader" the A-button fires your main weapon, lazer canons, while the B-button fires your secondary weapons, proton bombs or ion canons depending on the ship your using, weapons which are usually limited in supply. With the B-Button being smaller than the A-button, you won't mistake it for your main action button and go firing those all important proton bombs before you need them.

The L and R-button are the secondary buttons and are grooved for perfect comfort as your index fingers rest atop them. In "Star Wars: Rogue Leader - Rogue Squadron II", the L and R-buttons are used as "gas pedals." The L-buttons slows your ship down while the R-button speeds it up, and the harder you press the button, the slower or faster your ship will move.

Next up are the two analog sticks. The larger gray analog stick is the main control which will guide ships and characters through their quests. The control stick is larger, of much better quality, and easier to use than Nintendo's N64 version. The second and smaller yellow analog stick is the C-stick used for camera control, but will no doubt be used for secondary control on later games. The C-stick replaces the awkward C-buttons of the N64 which were both small and uncomfortable to use.

Another great feature is the built in "rumble pack." For those of you who had N64s, you may remember having to purchase the rumble pack separately from your controller and having to replace those pesky batteries. No more my friends. Apparently Nintendo heard the cries of its consumers and rabid fans and decided it best not to charge gamers for features companies like Sony already have built into there controllers. Smart thinkin' there Big N.

Lastly come the flaws and surprisingly enough, given the Gamecube controller's somewhat strange design, there are only two and you may never have to deal with them. Design flaw number one is the purple Z-button, which is located directly above the R-button. Although Nintendo states the Z-button will act as an emergency button, I fear some companies shall use this in a capacity where you will constantly need to use this button. I fear this because the Z-button, though it is directly above the R-button, is in an awkward location and testing the overall feel of the controller, I found it hurt my index finger slightly trying to press it. Design flaw number two is the directional D-pad, which in previous controllers from Nintendo was designed to be your primary means of controlling character movements. Not so with the Gamecube controller. In an attempt to wean their gamers from using the D-pad and relying more heavily on the analog control stick, Nintendo has shrunk the size of the D-pad making it hard to use, although it is within comfortable reach of one's thumb.

The verdict: the Gamecube controller is, in every sense of the word, a work of art. Nothing past or present, in the opinion of this veteran gamer, can match its ability to immerse someone into the game which they are playing, even with its minute flaws. And even if you find those flaws to be a bother, there are already third party alternatives that address the problems and unfortunately create some of there own. Nintendo revived video gaming in America, rescued it from certain death, and the Gamecube controller is still proof positive that Nintendo is here to stay.

made for human hands, unbelievably comfortable. not like holding a big rock like the ridiculous xbox controller.

Far better than a cheap knock-off we had around the house, this is a game that kept the kids occupied for hours.

One part likes to fall off, but it does not matter to game play.

The above title are the words of my 3 year old neice. She loves the game - The game is colorful as well as durable. She can take out the game and set it up and even put it away all by herself. It's easy to turn on and off. I think the only drawback from having this game and it's not for the kids - it's for the adults is that there is no volume on/off or control switch to lower the volume. So this can be annoying. Other than that the game is lots of fun and she loves it.

My daughter received this when she was 3. She loved it, and usually played the game without the cards, but using the hooks to catch the fish as they swim around. Over the next 3 years, she and her baby brother wore this game out! (The board became scratchy and the magnetized fish would no longer "stick.") My son cried for it to work again, and we eventually bought a new one for him when he turned 3.

Yes, it is a noisy game, but we've easily solved this problem by placing the game on a bed or pillow to muffle it. My son loves to smack the turtle (which turns the game and song on) and leave the game on. When his friends come over, this is the first game they always play.

What really drives me crazy is not knowing all the words to the song . . . "and they swam and they swam all over the dam!"

Hamtaro ham-ham heartbreak is a hard game.I know all the places of the map. They are : the Clubhouse , Sunny Peak , Sandy Bay , Boo Manor , Fun Land , Wild Woods , and Spat Tower. If you want to know where is the spring egg , talk to cappy.Then Use the ham-chat Bizzaroo.Then go to sunny peak and dig-dig into the hole where you use to see Seedric.Talk to Seedric inside.Go into the hotspring and dig-dig 2 times.You'll find a hot spring egg and a Ham-Dance note.Go back to wild woods and talk to cappy.First hamha then Bluh-hoo.Chase cappy and give the hamster that traps you in a cage , the hot spring egg and you'll learn Clingie.I want to ask you how do you find the last orb from sandy bay.Where is the spoon from sunny peak. when you go to these places , talk to every hamster.

I really loved this game because i love the show and the charcters but actually i don't have the game but i'm trying to get it boy do i wish i had it (...) any way this is the greatest game ever get it and the ham-hams unite one l8ter

This is such a fun game! It's NOT for little kids, though, it is too tricky. (3-4 is too young) The puzzles are quite challenging and you might have to doodle to get through them, hehe. You have to use logic when you're talking to hamsters, too. The graphics are VERY cute and the exaggerated sounds make this game like a Japanese anime. This is a must have if you're a Hamtaro fan with a GBA handy. =^_^= I recommend this game to 8-9+.

I had this for almost a year now and it rocks! I have a GameCube, PS2, N64, NES, SNES, GBC, GBA, GBA SP, and a PSone of course. Out of all I just said, I like the PSone the best. Why? Well, it has some of the best games and the PSone is cheap and with the LCD screen (a screen that has liquid clear display) more enjoyable because it can go in the car and plane and my room! In addition, the games for the PSone range from $5 to $30. If you do not want to use the screen, plug the PSone to you are home TV and play away when the small LCD screen still attached to the PSone. In addition, if you have the right camcorder, you can play what is on it right threw the PSone LCD screen with one cheap cord. You can also use headphones on the LCD screen to hear what you are playing on them. In addition, if you forgot you are CD player and brought you are music CD's, why not play em' on the PSone... you CAN!

Pros.

-cheap games

-great selections of games

-totally portable

-plays what's on the camcorder with special cord that the
camcorder can support

-doubles as a CD player

-can use headphones on it

Cons.

-what cons?!

Bottom line; get the PSone with the LCD screen both by SONY. Thanks for readn'!

Peace

The LCD screen for the PS One exceeds all expectations. The graphics are amazingly clear, and the sound is nice and crisp. It simply hooks onto the back of your PS one, and folds down for easy transport in a bag. The screen is super thin, but extremely sturdy. This is a major plus because unlike the other LCD screens out there, it doesn't add too much excess bulk or weight to the system.

But please, only get the official Sony LCD screen. There are a number of low quality knockoffs out there that either suffer terrible burn-in before long, break easily due to shoddy construction, or give poor picture and sound quality. This is the only one worth getting.

After much deliberation about which mobile monitor to get, I decided on the Sony. Reviews for other products I checked were about on par with those for this unit, but I figured the "non 3rd party" product was probably the best. For once, I was right. The picture is amazing, with even the slightest detail distinguishable (including RPG text). I'm not big on video game sound overall (through TV either), but when I have the volume on here, it's impressive. The one fear I had was that it wouldn't be able to be connected to DVD / VCR / etc, due to the lack of an RCA connection on the screen. Luckily, that fear was allayed after a 5 minute trip to RadioShack and $7.99 for the RCA--1/8" connector. I hooked it up to the DVD, VCR and cable box, and was quite pleased with the result. I've come to terms with the fact that I can't afford picture-in-pucture yet, but by hooking the LCD up to my cable box, "picture-on top of-picture" works for me. I know it's only supposed to be for use with the PSone, and it's great for playing games when there's something better on TV, but the other potential uses are great as well.

Red, Blue, Yellow, TGC, Pinball, Stadium, Snap. How many pokémon games can one player have? Well if your choice is limited, you should definitely make room for this smash hit. Pokémon Puzzle League is the next installment in the poképhenomenon, but you should be warned that it bears about as much resemblance to pokémon battles as the latest FIFA game.

That's not necessarily a bad thing though. If you're an avid gamer, you'll have probably found out by now that PPL is based on the excellent puzzle game, Tetris Attack. For those of you who've played it, you'll have probably discovered how amazingly entertaining and addictive it is. If you've never heard of it, Tetris Attack is a wonderfully playable game that bears no more resemblance to Tetris than the name. The idea is simple: Blocks of various colours rise from the floor and it's your task to get rid of them. You continuously switch blocks around the screen to try and match three or more of the same colour at which point they disappear and the blocks above fall down. Of course, in the event that the rising blocks should reach the top of the screen, it's Game Over for you, mate!

The strategies are much, MUCH more complex than Tetris and the game is infinitely more playable. Tetris Attack is to Tetris what Chess is to Snakes and Ladders. Like Chess, it's often the player who can see the most moves in advance who wins. Unlike Chess, there's a lot of emphasis on speed too and you'll be dripping with sweat as you try to prevent the mountain of blocks from reaching the top of the screen.

Like all the great puzzle games, PPL is deceptively simple to get into, but astonishingly tough to master. Clearing four blocks at once is not all that hard to do, but pulling off multiple combos requires all the brainpower of three supercomputers. That's no easy task when you have an opponent continuously dumping blocks on your screen. The computer AI shows an astonishing level of intelligence and can execute tricks that humans can only dream of. PPL also gives us our first definitive look at Ash on a game (unlike that masked gray haired individual in Stadium) and it also features Ricky: an obscure trainer from the cartoon who befriends Ash at the championships. So at least you know you're not fighting alone against the onslaught of blocks.

In the end, you know that the pokémon license alone will sell this game by the millions. Thankfully, it's actually worth all the hype.

I am a huge fan of both Pokemon (It's not just for little kids, you know.) and Tetris, especially Tetris Attack, the most addicting Tetris game in history. (My mom even liked it, and she doesn't like playing video games.) This game is the newest version of Attack, and it is much better. The 3D mode adds a lot of challenge and fun to the game. The 3D mode seems awkward at first, but after about ten games of it, you will be able to play it with ease. The 3D mode itself would have made this game worthwhile. The one player game seems to be focused more on Pokemon, but the Pokemon cinema scenes and humor make it a lot more fun than just plain ordinary Tetris. The spa service mode is the best and most challenging part of the game. It seems ridiculously easy at first, but halfway through it I found myself playing most of the levels at least twice. The 2-Player mode is fun, and is more focused on the Tetris part of the game. The main focus is on winning, but some Pokemon related things are found in this mode. I found the Pokemon and Tetris themes to be perfectly balanced. The game wasn't too focused on either element. Everyone should try this game. It is a great investment with a lot of replay value.

Even if you hate Pokemon, but like puzzle games, you will love this! It's very addicting, I really enjoy playing it! It's even better than Tetris! Give it a try!

Good things: A few of the online xbox live games are somewhat fun. Graphics are nice. Car damage and degradation looks great. Frame rate is smooth even online.

Bad things: Terrible physics and hyper sensitive controls. Paris is not a fun driving city; It's all sharp corners. Even though it offers several multiplayer modes online, you can only play 2 of these modes head to head on the same machine. Games like the Hunter mode could have easily been done with up to 4 players playing split screen and still have 4 additional computer cars in there but apparently for business reasons the local multiplayer modes are limited to checkpoint and free ride. Online modes should be an extension of a very complete offline game, especially when it comes to something like racing games where the genre has already proven itself over decades to be a great standalone game. It seems that since Microsoft published this title they are also offering a very stripped down non-xbox-live experience strictly to push you to pay for an xbox live account just to enjoy the majority of the game modes. It's as though the offline game is a demo disc of the complete game. The single player missions are not fun, they get annoying and redundant very quickly. Also, there are no modes where you try to trash the other people's cars. They put so much work into the graphics for car damage and they don't even include it as a factor in any game mode.

Maybe one could hold out for content downloads for additional game modes but that still won't fix the horrible physics and touchy controls. Too bad too because it did look fun.

There's little left to the imagination with the Midtown Madness series. Released in its first two incarnations on PC only, the games were already well-known for their original, free-roaming style of gameplay, their wide selection of real world automobiles and their revolutionary use of online play. This was one of the earliest games to allow players to leave the pre-set race tracks and obstacle courses to explore an entire virtual world on wheels, complete with working traffic systems, interesting jumps and stunts, and pedestrians. I'm surprised it took the series this long to make the transition from home computer to consoles, but the third chapter in the ongoing series was worth the wait. It's a vast improvement over chapters one and two in every area, and though it does have its faults, I'd consider it to be one of the Xbox's strongest original titles.

The storylines themselves are, honestly, very overwhelming and incredibly cheesy, but that slowly becomes part of their appeal. Every single character you interact with is a crazy, super-exaggerated parody of some sort of culture, be it French, American or anything in between, and the voice acting reflects that more than anything else. The unifying sense of humor between all the different stories is a bit too cartoony for my taste, but occasionally delivers a good laugh or two. If you're looking for a game with the realism, grit, grime and atmosphere of Grand Theft Auto, you better move along because this ain't it. If you've got your eye out for a squeaky clean, sometimes amusing, lighthearted adventure that won't lose you any sleep at night, this is your ticket.

The controls employ your standard racing setup, basking in the glow of the strengths of Microsoft's controller design. The triggers are your gas and reverse, respectively, and are pressure-sensitive which makes all the difference when you're trying to set the proper speed for taking a turn or lightly brake before pulling a fancy Hollywood U-turn. Both the left analog stick and the D-Pad can be used to steer, but you're out of your mind if you use the D-Pad. Unlike Sony's classic dual analog, Microsoft's S-Controller was born to handle racing titles, and my hands never cramped or suffered throughout my experiences behind the wheel of MM3 (which is something i most certainly CAN'T say about my marathon sessions with Gran Turismo 3.) Even the extra "click" functions of the Box's two analog sticks come into play here, and clicking the right stick will bring up a translucent full-screen map of the city and your location, overlaying the game screen itself which is still in motion. It really gives the feeling of keeping one eye on the road while you quickly check the map in your passenger seat, and often leads to similar results. I've driven headfirst into some nasty situations because of this map, and I love it that way. Very nicely done.

Though not particularly original, the graphics of MM3 are still quite a sight to behold, and deserve special mention without a doubt. There's a nice visual theme running between the cutscenes, (which are few and far between) the loading screens, the main menu and the in-game HUD, and the car / building models themselves are fan-freaking-tastic. There's no question in my mind they were setting out to flex the Box's muscles in a big way with this one (thus the inclusion of both 480p High Definition and Dolby Digital 5.1 support) and in this regard they were quite successful. While I won't go so far as to claim the vehicles or environments trump those seen in the previously mentioned Project Gotham 2 or Gran Turismo titles, they do give both a healthy bit of competition. The sheer visual interactivity of tiny elements of the scenery especially caught my attention.

Almost as an afterthought, the sound is also an impressive example of what the Box can do when it really sets its mind to it. The use of Dolby Surround is more effective than you'll give credit for at first, sending the sound of squeeling tires, angry horns, screaming pedestrians and scattering change from one side of the room to the other as you wildly spin the wheel. There's no doubt in my mind that this is an example of some of the best use of ambient noise in a video game, and it aids the entire package immensely. The in-game music is nothing worth remembering, no doubt, but never really gets in the way and is negated due to the inclusion of custom soundtracks. There's really no excuse for a racing game to ship on the box WITHOUT this feature, since even the greatest tunes can get old after an hour of solid racing, but it's noteworthy all the same.

All in all, this is a game I'm happy to have in my collection. It didn't force my jaw to the floor in utter disbelief when I first caught a glimpse of the visuals, it didn't blow me away with unique, revolutionary new gameplay methods or stun me with a totally original concept. Put plainly, it is what it is; a solid, straightforward adventure game mixed with a solid, straightforward driving game. The single player story mode isn't anything to write home about, but I can't think of a time at any point in the future where I'll grow tired of playing the online modes and trying to erase my old land speed records offline. This is a great example of a game that never takes itself too seriously and is meant as a diversion, a way to kill a couple hours with pure, unadulterated fun. It isn't perfect, but it's good enough. I'd recommend a purchase without a second thought if you're Live-Enabled yourself.

This Game is one of the best Racing Games Ever it is Really nice and Cool it does looks like a lil bit like Taxi 3 and it does looks like a lil bit for need for Speed.

now The Races takes Place in two Diffrent Cities, Washington Dc and Paris , the game got many modes and they are really cool like "The Undercover Jobs" you work as a taxi Driver, Truck Driver, Detective, Limo Driver, Pizza Delivery Guy Driver, Paper Guy Driver , Rental Cars, Police Cars, also in the game there are Checkpoint races, or Single Races with other Cars, and Time Race which you Race against Time.
All Styles of Races Present Opportunities to unlock New Cars.
You Can Drive like Crazy while the streets are filled with traffics , Cars fly out of the way when your car comes into contact with them , and the Game Also Supports the xbox Live.

if you are Looking for a Terrific online Racing Game Than Stop , this is the one for you and you won't be Disappointed .

Overall, The Game is Fun, a Fun Racing Game that is, it is a must have if you are a Racing Games Fan, it is By Microsoft And Happy Playing This Game, Cuz it's lots of Fun.

This is a great game. Whre else could you have UConn be the defending champions? I've now won tha national championship with them 7 years in a row. I've also won tha Heisman Trophy 6 years in a row, and I've gone undefeated 7 years in a row. That shows that u can be any team in this game and still b a champ. You can even win with my favorit team, Army. GO ARMY! BEAT NAVY! But after a while, it gets kind of boring. One of tha best parts in tha game is tha Create A School. U can make any school and even made up ones, with any color uniforms. The only bad part is the limited number of original logos, and the fact that u cant put any logos on tha helmets. It would be so cool if you could make your school's jerseys like Miami's or UCLA's. At least the players are faster than NCAA Football 2000.

Like a lot of people, I look forward to the new football games every summer and fall hoping that they will make improvements on the past years offerings. In NCAA 2001, what you have is an update of last year's version with some gameplay changes and some changes to the dynasty mode.

We'll start with what is the same. Basicly the game looks just like it did last year. There are some new tackling animations, but other than that, graphically it is the same game. Of course, for the most part, sports' titles have maxed out the potential for the PSX so there's not much we can do about this. The sound remains fantastic with just the stadium announcer telling us what is going on in the game. There is no play-by-play, but when added to the fantastic crowd noise, the sound is the best for a sports title on the playstation.

Now, the changes. The gameplay has been tweaked a little, giving the offense a bit of an advantage. There is an actual speed burst, and if you have a fast running back or wide receiver in the open, they won't get caught. The running game is easier than in previous years and you are finally able to run the ball up the middle. Unfortunately, the computer still passes the ball way too often, but if the game is close, the computer will play a pretty realistic style of offense. The dynasty mode is the best "season-style" mode in any sports game period. Recruiting is fantastic, and unlike last year, freshman will actually come to school with some speed, and as they go through their four years, things like their awareness will improve a lot, not their raw physical attributes.

Overall, this game is great. It is fun to play, and does a fantastic job of capturing the feel of college football. Now if only we could get EA to make the computer play a more realistic style of offense...

ok, here's the deal: ncaa 2001 is great. but then again, so was ncaa 2000, and that is essentially the game you are getting when you pop that beautiful CD into your overused Playstation.

there are some added features that definately add to the hours upon hours of enjoyment, but all in all, if you're happy with ncaa 2000, ncaa 2001 may be a purchase you might want to skip. could i skip it? no way! EA Sports is a company that always brings forth perfection to the gamer's table. the hard thing for EA Sports to look at while creating ncaa 2001 was that ncaa 2000 was pretty much the most amazing football sim (pro or college) ever made. why try and fix something that ain't broke? i agree with the direction EA Sports took with 2001...they added some cool new features (expanded create a school, expanded recruiting system, expanded the ranking system, improved the running game, and strengthened the AI) but they kept the basic core of what made ncaa 2000 so freakin' great.

One thing that was added that i hate is the momentum meter. there's no need for it...the crowd is your momentum meter. the meter apparently is supposed to give more "power and finesse" to what ever team has the meter in their favor. nah...doesn't really work out that way. i just turn mine off. i let my playcalling make or break my momentum, then i feed off the crowd's enthusiasm or rage. whichever their offering at the time.

the running game was improved and given a curve in favor of the gamer. unfortunately, running can sometimes be too easy. gaining a 50 to 60 yard run off a HB-TOSS is not out of the ordinary. and that's on skill level All-American. don't get me wrong, i love the running attack, but sometimes it can get ridiculous. oh, and by the way, the turbo button really kicks in this year. those HB-Toss plays really come through with that turbo button bein' tapped like there's no tomorrow.

the passing game is still great, but man, getting picked off happens way too much. one of the main reasons it happens so much is that when your QB tosses a pass to a receiver, about 4 or 5 defenders just swarm all over your intended target. now i'm all for defense, but let's cut down on the univited guests, shall we?

all in all, i do love this game. but i think i love 2000 just a smidge more. 2001, for all of its new additions and elements is sure to please any college football fan for hours and hours...whether it's in your dorm room, or your living room after the two year old and the wife have finally fallen asleep.

that's all i have to say. EA Sports has come through with another winner. besides, i don't think EA is putting out ncaa 2002 for the PS2. this may be your last offering for a while.

see ya on the gridiron.

The Game Boy link cable is a must for anyone that wants to play multi-player games on game boy advance. This cable is made by Nintendo, who has a reputation of genarally making high-quality products.

This cable is a fairly good length, and allows you to hook up another cable to it through a box in the middle of the cable for 3-player games (and you can hook another cable up to the second one for a total of 4-players).

The only disadvantage is that this cable will only connect two Game Boy Advances. That means if you want to connect a Game Boy/Game Boy Pocket/Game Boy Color to another one or to a Game Boy Advance, you will need a Nintendo Universal Link Cable, which is only a few dollars more.

In summary, if just want to connect your GBA with another one (or 2 or 3), then this is perfect for you. If you want to use an older Game Boy, get a universal cable.

What can I say? Its the link cable. If you want to link up with your friends to play the many multiplayer games available, then you need to buy this. There are a lot of great multiplayer games available and you'll be missing out on a lot if you don't purchase this cable.

Nintendo advertises this cable to allow 4 people to play together off of one pack. Absolutely not a 100% true. Certain games such as NHL 2002, and other sports games, each player must have a pack to be able to connect. Many parents have found this out all too late on road trips and what not. Make sure you read the warning on the back of the game and instructions to see what you need for multiplayer gaming. (...)

This has to be my favorite game. And i have 25 games. SSX 3 has a total of 3 peaks and all of them will keep you playing them until you have to go to bed. Especially if you play as Elise and get to the 3rd peak so you can put her in a swimsuit!! haha. - best part. I've played this game for 3 weeks straight right after i got home from school, and i have unlocked all of about 20 secret characters and....again....the swimsuit for Elise. So, if you want to see A hot woman tear up the mountain and stay airborn for about 10 seconds so you can see all of her body.......then get the game. I guess you could play as a bunch of other people....but i haven't tried out them yet.SSX 3 TOTALLY OUTSCORES SSX TRICKY!!

if ypou havw ever played the former ssx games you know that this is the game to rule all snowboarding games. If you haven't themn you should pr-order it right now or buy it because it will be the bomb. Since there will be roughly 3 times as may tracks as in tricky or the first ssx, it will blow your mind how everything is going to be colossal and there will be unlimited off road exploration. There will also be 4 new players inthe game as well as six returning characters available to you at the very beginning of the game and unlockables goalore. along with new characters to unlock, there will be 300+ unlockable things such as music, outfits, and new lift tickets available for each character! Oh well, buy the game and get hours of enjoyment out of it;>

SSX 3: Out of Bounds Review

*Sound 5/5

Ok, with so many songs, and the ability to make your own playlist, this soundtrack rocks!
Here are a few of the artists who make a great appearance on the soundtrack:

Red Hot Chili Peppers (remixed)
Fatboy Slim
Andy Hunter
Yellowcard
Finger Eleven
N.E.R.D.S.
X-ecutioners
....and more!

Also, the sound is great. When you're riding down the mountain, you'll be immersed.

Voice-acting is top-notch, although in the cutscenes after a race when your rival approaches, you can't really hear them talk; the music is drowning them out. However, this is one flaw in an otherwise perfect sound category.

**Replay Value 4.5/5

Ok, SSX 3 can be played in a lot of different ways. While Peak 1 somewhat resembles the SSX Tricky courses, Peak 2 and Peak 3 are very unique. You'll be even more glad you bought this game once you try the freestyle mode on Peak 3---lightning, rockslides, and high winds make the gameplay explosive.

There are many different characters, all with a different feel to them, although it's not terribly noticeable. There are also tons of cheat characters, so the roster is quite large. However, the cheat characters are freeride only, and you can't change their clothes or gear. The cheat characters don't seem to have gotten the same graphic overhaul either; but since they're more of a fun addition, this factor doesn't detract from the game.

I would say that you have an unlimited amount of replay value, as you can try to go a different course with your character, or try beating the game with all the characters. Or just simply try to get a better race Medal or a better Freestyle score. You've also got the 2 player mode, which allows you to ride an unlocked course with a friend.

There are also tons of toys, posters, art, trophies to collect/earn. This adds more replay value, and it gives it a SSBM/SC II sort of feel. However, the trophies are for accomplishments, so there aren't too many, but there is a reasonable trophy count.

***Graphics 5/5

This game has great graphics. The characters look great, the courses look great, and the lightning and special effects are clear and awesome. I'd say the visuals are in the same league as Metroid Prime, and that's a major compliment.

****Control 4.5/5

The controls are tight, and although they're loose at first, they tighten up as you buy experience. The trick system is the same as SSX Tricky, except for the Uber-tricks. You can buy tons of new uber tricks for each trick category, and assign one to the required button combinations.

The tricks are easy to pull off, but timing is crucial to rack up major points. This game very challenging for all you hardcore gamers, but a casual gamer can still enjoy it.

*****The Final Score: 5/5

SSX 3 is a ton of fun. It's cool to customize your rider from head to toe, and it adds to the gameplay experience a lot. You can receive messages from other riders and your rival, making you feel more immersed in the gameplay. You can't send messages, but hey, this isn't Animal Crossing.

The effects are great, especially on Peak 3---I love the lightning, wind, and snow effects. Even if you have Tricky (like I do), you'll be glad you have it. If you're somewhat cautious about buying it, at least rent it. SSX 3 is the best snowboarding game I've played, and a great game for everyone.