As games get ever more realistic and violent it's nice to come across one like Mario & Luigithat values gameplay, originality and gentle humour above other more gratuitous gimmicks. A quasi-sequel to the N64's superb Paper Mario(itself a sequel to the never-released-in-this-country Super Mario RPGon the SNES), Mario & Luigiis essentially an action role-playing game, although it has enough action sequences and mini-games to evade easy pigeonholing.

The game's preposterous storyline involves Prince Peach's voice being stolen (and replaced with exploding speech bubbles) and both Mario and Luigi going off in pursuit of those responsible. One of the main conceits of the game is that you control both brothers at the same time, with the actions of one controlled via the A button and the other by the B button. This results in a lot of jumping on each other's heads and some genuinely inventive cooperative puzzles.

Combat in the game is turn-based and again you control both brothers at the same time, with special "Bros. Attacks" taking the place of magic. This aspect of the game is particularly close to Paper Mario, with both attack and defence being aided by a press of the character's button at the appropriate time. In these cynical times it's something of a relief to see games like Mario & Luigistill being released: it manages to amuse and entertain without upsetting anyone and is one of the very best games to be released in 2003. —David Jenkins

In a nutshell: 

The greatest strategy game in portable history maneuvers onto the DS with new units, new COs (commanding officers), new game modes and the most addictive gameplay this side of Tetris. It may not have much in the looks department but in gameplay terms this is the supermodel of turn-based combat.

The lowdown:
Mixing chess-like complexities with an anime plotline, Advance Warsis one of gaming’s most unlikely heroes. This marks the most significant overhaul of the series yet with six new units and dozens of new features, including a real-time mode. The stylus control and dual screen display are really just gimmicks though, and it’s the new dual strike attacks that are the most interesting idea, with COs double teaming for some battle turning super moves. COs can also gain "experience", as in a role-playing game, allowing you to fine tune your army’s abilities like never before.

Most exciting moment:
A tense four way battle against friends that ends in a double whammy duel strike from hell.

Since you ask:
The Advance Warsseries has been going since 1988 in Japan, where it’s known as Famicom Wars. The first to make it to the UK was Advance Wars 1on the GBA in 2002. Advanced or not, war has historically been viewed as a bad thing.

The bottom line:
The best DS game yet and probably the best Advance Warsever.
Harrison Dent

In a nutshell:

The game that launched 150 million Game Boys is back with the first Nintendo-developed Tetris title in eight years, featuring six different game modes and a ten player multiplayer option.

The lowdown:
With a game that’s been around as long and with as many versions as Tetris it’s obviously difficult to think of what else to do with it. Nintendo’s answer is to fill the game with as many different game modes as possible, including completely new concepts like Push, where both players share the same pile of blocks, and Touch which is specifically designed to use the stylus. Best of all there’s a ten player multiplayer mode for playing against nearby opponents in wireless mode or a four player Wi-Fi mode that you can play against anyone in the world. On top of this the whole game is filled with cameos and tunes from classic Nintendo games, from Super Mario Bros. to Metroid, for that perfect retro cool look and feel.

Most exciting moment:
Going up against nine other opponents in wireless mode, watching all their screens on the top screen and then winning out as the victor of them all!

Since you ask:
The controversial "super rotation" technique, which allows you to infinitely spin a block before placing it, is actually the idea of the original Tetris license holders and Nintendo, and anyone else that makes a Tetris game, is contractually obligated to include it in the game.

The bottom line:
The best version of Tetris for years and another top Wi-Fi game for the DS.
Harrison Dent

In a nutshell:

It’s been over fifteen years since the last Super Mario Bros. but finally Mario is back in a proper 2D platforming adventure. Just because it’s old school though doesn’t mean it’s old hat...

The lowdown:
Considering the last Super Mario Bros. game is still the best selling video game of all time (17.28 million copies and counting) this has a lot to live up to, but it almost effortlessly captures the action and charm of the old games. The basics of the game are the same as always as you run and jump through mostly horizontally scrolling levels. New to the game are power-ups that turn Mario into a giant or make him really tiny, as well as one that gives him a Koopa shell on his back to attack enemies with. Although the gameplay is all in two dimensions the graphics are 3D, with all new moves such as the triple jump and wall jump added in as well.

Most exciting moment:
As well as the single player mode there’s also a wireless multiplayer mode where you get to battle a friend (as Luigi) across a whole bunch of specially designed levels.

Since you ask:
As Super Mario World on the SNES (since re-released as Super Mario Advance 2 on the GBA) was subtitled Super Mario Bros. 4 in Japan that name couldn’t be used for this new game, although that’s secretly whatever everyone’s calling it – behind Nintendo’s back.

The bottom line:
The impossible has happened: Nintendo have created a worthy follow-up to Super Mario Bros. 3!
Harrison Dent

Star Fox Command lets you hop into your fight through a unique branching storyline of missions, all rendered in gorgeous 3-D. This game brings a whole new strategic element to the series, with a commander's view of the mission. Using the touch screen, players can draw the routes they and their teammates will take. Battle the enemies they encounter as they take over bases and strategically advance across the map. Players can also blow their friends out of the sky, as they dogfight 8 players over a local wireless connection — or take on 4 players from around the world on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Before the advent of the PlayStation, Japanese publishers Square Enix and Nintendo used to be the best of friends. But when Square Enix tried to split their games between the PS one and N64, Nintendo was too jealous to share and they ended up falling out - a friendship only renewed in the last few years. There can be few that imagined that one of the first new games to evolve out of the partnership would be a basketball sim featuring both the usual Mushroom Kingdom suspects and Final Fantasy characters (White Mage, Black Mage, Ninja, Cactuar and Moogle). The result is even more bizarre than most Mario sports games, but only slightly less entertaining.

To its credit, the game makes more use of the touch screen than most on the DS, with all the actions bar movement achieved using the stylus (although the basics can be replicated using the face buttons if you want to be boring). Your character dribbles the ball automatically but you can speed them up by tapping the screen and throws are managed simply by drawing the stylus in a straight line. A surprisingly subtle amount of control can be achieved, including several kinds of trick shots and even swapping hands when playing defense. A variety of special courts also complicate things with coins collected along the way adding to your score when shooting. Indeed the whole game works so well that the only real problem is the mechanical enemy artificial intelligence. It's therefore a real shame that playing multiplayer requires both people to own a cartridge each, although that's undoubtedly a result of the game's superb graphics which go well above the call of duty for a simple sports game.
HARRISON DENT

In a nutshell:

If you want as gentle an introduction as possible to the world of Wii then this user-friendly compilation of mini-games is just the thing for you, with a collection of games that are as easy to play as they are fun.

The lowdown:
It might be easy to use but the Wii is still a pretty unusual beast and a bit of a culture shock from the overly complex controllers of other consoles. This compilation of mini-games aims to ease you in gently with simple to play games that only need the Wii Remote to enjoy. These include games of table tennis, air hockey (or Laser Hockey as the game would have it) and an updated of NES classic Duck Hunt. There's also Wii Billiards, a fishing sim and a number of games which use your customised Mii Channel character, including Wii Pose and the Where's Wally style Find Mii. Since many of these games have a multiplayer mode the game also comes bundled with an extra Remote (but not a nunchuck), which usually sells for £29.99 separately.

Most exciting moment:
Although all of the games are fun the best one is probably the Duck Hunt update (which also has you shooting UFOs and other non-avian enemies). Perhaps what's most exciting about it is that it proves how good other light gun franchises, such as Virtua Cop and Time Crisis would be on the Wii.

Since you ask:
Many of the mini-games included with Wii Play, such as Duck Hunt and Table Tennis, were first seen as technical demos at the E3 trade conference in May 2006, when the Wii was first revealed in playable form.

The bottom line:
The beginner's guide to Wii, with a handy extra controller. - HARRISON DENT

If you don't recognise the name, this is the sequel to Mario Smash Football on the GameCube (the name will likely change for the UK release). The original was one of the hidden gems on Nintendo's previous console, but this new game is not planning to be quite so coy. For a start it will be one of, if not the, first Wii games to be fully playable online, as Mario and his usual company of heroes and villains take to the pitch for some truly bizarre 5-a-side action. Although the basic rules of football are observed this is no serious simulation, with special moves galore and lots of Mario Kart style power-ups to pick up along the way.

The game uses the analogue stick on the nunchuck to move, with the Wii remote itself being used to tackle by gesturing in the appropriate direction. There's no such thing as a foul in this game so not only do you take possession via a range of painful looking barges but you can also try and push an opposing player off the side of the pitch and into an electrified fence. Other elements not usually featured in the beautiful game include the "mega strike", which is a special move unique to each captain and which creates an automatic shot on goal which the other player has to save with the Wii remote. With football games becoming ever more serious and complicated this should please both sports fans and those simply looking for the next big multiplayer hit.
HARRISON DENT

If you think you knew what it felt like to be the bounty hunter behind the visor, think again. The Galactic Federation?s network computer, Aurora Unit, is suddenly and completely corrupted with something like a virus. The Federation believes Space Pirates may be behind the problem and are soon attacked. Samus and other hunters leap to their defense only to find that the enemy they face is Dark Samus, armed with immense power that no one can withstand. Players control Samus by moving with the Nunchuk and aiming with the Wii Remote allowing for a level of immersion unlike anything they have ever experienced. Through the eyes of Samus, players experience a quantum leap in first-person control as they wield the Wii Remote, the ultimate device for the first-person shooter genre. Samus will employ well-known power-ups like the Grapple Beam and Morph Ball, as well as a bunch of new surprises, to help her survive her coming trials. The game also incorporates a new system involving Phazon. If you fill Samus' Phazon supply to a certain level, Samus will temporarily go into hyper mode, a state in which she can pull off incredible feats. On the flip side, if she exceeds the maximum Phazon level, she'll perish. Also, for the first time in the Metroid series, Samus' ship will be used in active game play

The ultimate Nintendo hero is taking the ultimate step ? out into space. Join Mario as he ushers in a new era of video games, defying gravity across all the planets in the galaxy. Features: Shake, tilt and point! Mario takes advantage of all the unique aspects of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controller, unleashing new moves as players shake the controller and even point at and drag items with the pointer. Mario essentially defined the 3-D platforming genre with Super Mario® 64, and this game proves once again that he is king. Players perform mind-bending, lowgravity jumps across wild alien terrain as they experience platforming for a new generation.

For over a decade now fans have been wondering just what a team-up between Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog would be like. Everything from traditional platform games to complex role-playing titles have been suggested, but it's fair to say nobody imagined that it would finally happen in the form of an athletics simulator. It's officially licensed from the 2008 Beijing Olympics though (Sega already had the license for their own more traditional tie-in) and contains all the usual events you'd expect including the 100m sprint, swimming, judo, table tennis, hammer throwing and archery. Sega have even been talking about using the new Wii Zapper controller for a spot of clay pigeon shooting.

More than twenty-five characters from both universes will be playable in the game, including not just Mario and Sonic but also Luigi, Tails, Yoshi, Knuckles, Bowser, Doctor Eggman, Princess Peach and Amy. Other characters will have cameos as judges such as Cream the Cat and Toad. You'd expect some characters to be naturally better at some sports than others but each has their own strengths and weakness, with even Sonic's incredible speed mitigated by his slow acceleration. The whole game is developed by Sega but overseen by legendary Nintendo creator Shigeru Miyamoto, with full tournament and missions modes as well as online leaderboards for all the different events. The name may sound like an April Fool's joke at first but this crossover could well be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Harrison Dent

Nintendo The third instalment in Nintendo's popular Super Smash Bros. fighter franchise debuts on the Wii in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Loaded with all the characters and features players have loved from the two previous versions, plus much more, it is a worthy addition to the series and yet another must-have title for the Nintendo Wii.

The Brawl comes to your Wii

Brawl with old friends .

Or new ones like Pit from "Kid Icarus." .

The Smash Ball is the key to success. .

Battle to your hearts content. . Characters: More Than Just Mario and Friends
The lifeblood of the Super Smash Bros. series has always been the depth of the character line-up that each instalment has been able to bring and Brawl not only keeps with tradition, but does it one better. Just as in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros Melee, players can expect to pit their favourite Nintendo characters against each other in head-to-head and multiplayer battles, but instead of insisting on characters exclusively from the Nintendo universe, Brawl adds variety in the form of superstars Sonic the Hedgehog and Solid Snake from Konami's Metal Gear franchise. This is a first-time addition and one that will delight veteran players and newbies alike. But these two characters are only a sampling of the new additions to the game's line-up. The other ten come from classic Nintendo titles and bring the complete line-up of playable characters to a whopping 25. See the full list on combatants below:

New Comers: Pit from the Kid Icarus series, Wario, Zero Suit Samus, Ike from the Fire Emblem series, Meta Knight and King Dedede from the Kirby series, Pokémon Trainer, Diddy Kong, Lucas from the Earthbound/Mother series, Pikimin and Olimar from the Pikmin series and of course Sonic and Solid Snake.

Returning Veteran Fighters: Mario, Link, Kirby, Pikachu, Fox McCloud, Samus, Zelda/Sheik, Bowser, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, Princess Peach and Ice Climbers from the NES title Ice Climber.

The Rules of the Brawl
As in previous releases in the series, Brawl places players within a different, but easy to use fighting system. Players choose a character, select one of the numerous stages—which are levels based in the game worlds represented in Super Smash Bros.— and try to knock their opponents off the screen using a range of standard techniques and combos as well as a variety of special attacks and `Smash Moves' specific to their chosen character. A Smash Move can only be performed after securing a `Smash Ball.' These precious items, marked with the Smash Bros. logo, fall randomly and can be used by either player, but they must be cracked open before they can be used. To keep things interesting they can also can be stolen if not used right away, so when a player sees one it must be grabbed quickly and cracked to avoid an unfortunate turn of events.

Also, keeping with the game's "E" rating and player's affection for the characters, instead of displaying health bars the game uses a percent system to indicate character status and strength. The more damage done to a character, the higher the percentage and the farther back he/she is knocked back when struck by an opponent.

Many Ways to Play: Multiplayer and Single Player Options
Just as in previous instalments of Super Smash Bros. there is fun to be had whether you choose to fight in multiplayer or single player mode, but Brawl again pushes the envelope even further by providing additional ways to play within these areas and the possibility of others added later. Here are just a few of the modes that you can expect to see:

MultiplayerStandard Multiplayer Brawl - A standard battle between 2-4 players.Special Brawl - Take down your friends in matches which you can customize with as many rules as you would like.Tourney - Choose the number of players and rules you want and have at it in a round-robin battle against many foes.Online Multiplayer - For the first time play against registered friends or randomly selected opponents from anyplace in the world via a Nintendo Wi-Fi connection.Single PlayerTraining - Start on the path to Brawling like a pro as you learn to string standard moves together into combos.Classic - Fight your way through semi-randomly generated battles where each match features an arena or opponent from a particular game series and may feature unique battle conditions.Stadium: Target Smash - Practice your aim as you break ten targets within a set time limit."Subspace Emissary" - The world of Smash Bros. is invaded by an entity called the Ancient Minister and his army, called "The Primid. As this villain starts turning characters into trophies to harness their power, declare a peace with your quarrelsome companions and work together to defeat the invaders in an engrossing side-scrolling adventure.Stay in Control
Because the Super Smash Bros. series has a huge following and an even larger list of characters from the Nintendo catalogue, it only makes sense that players may have a preference for a particular Nintendo controller from the era of their favourite game. Because of this the game's creators have incorporated all four of the major Nintendo controllers into the mix. Whether you prefer the Wii Remote, the Wii Remote with Nunchuck, the Wii Classic Controller or GameCube Controller it makes no difference. All four are fully compatible with all the features of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, although the handling of each is a little different. Choose the one you are most comfortable with, or explore all your options. The choice is yours.

A Barrel Full of Customization
Finally, created with an eye towards providing year's worth of fun, Brawl comes with extensive built-in customization possibilities. Dive into the game's seemingly endless list of game modes/mini-games, battle stages, in-game items and musical playback options to make the game your own and Brawl the way you want to.

Nintendo Wii Sports Resort is a new collection of fun sports games that anyone can pick up and play.

This sequel to the popular Wii Sports makes use of the Wii Motion Plus accessory, which gives players the most responsive and realistic experience possible. The Wii Motion Plus accessory, which is included with Wii Sports Resort, plugs into the base of the Wii Remote controller and, combined with the accelerometer and sensor bar, provides an experience that gives players an even greater sense of immersion.

Just as with Wii Sports, people will love competing against friends and family. As the competition heats up, Wii Sports Resort is as much fun to watch as it is to play. First-time players will find it easy to pick up a Wii Remote and jump into the action.

Wii Sports Resort takes place on the tropical island of Wuhu. This great new game will whisk players away to a resort thats full of action, offering more than 12 sports to participate in from, Archery to Frisbee, basketball, cycling, canoeing, Power Cruising, Table Tennis, Air Sports, Swordplay, Bowling, Golf and wakeboarding.

Wii Sports Resort takes the inclusive fun and intuitive controls of the original Wii Sports to the next level, offering a beach resort environment and many more sports to get to grips all using Wii MotionPlus. Wii Sports resort is easy to pick up and play, but comes coupled with deeper levels of play that are sure to challenge even the most experienced gamer.

The inclusion of Wii motion plus in this game will guarantee, that veteran Wii users and newcomers alike can enjoy unprecedented gaming precision as they cruise on a water scooter, duel with swords, toss a flying disc and much more.

Wii Sports Resort takes the inclusive fun and intuitive controls of the original Wii Sports to the next levelA whole new set of entertaining and physically immersive activities includi

Nintendo Requires Wii Balance BoardKnow Your Physique: Wii Fit Plus will now allow you to check and monitor 4 areas of your physique, BMI (body mass index), centre of gravity, and calories burnt during your workout you can then set your goals, against these areas. The BMI test measures your weight/height. Wii Fit Plus will take this measurement and let you know how you fair in comparison to the ideal. Once you are aware of your BMI you can set goals to reduce this measurement, by take part in the Wii Fit Plus exercises and introducing a healthier lifestyle. Your centre of gravity is measured via the Wii Fit Plus age test in which you will take on various balance in an attempt to keep your Wii Fit Plus age as close to or lower than you real age.Train Yourself: Wii Fit Plus contains 5 training categories Aerobic Exercises, Muscle conditioning, Yoga, Balance Games and all new Training Plus. All the training categories are designed to help develop bodily balance control, burn fat, help tone and condition muscle, as well increase aerobic stamina. All these great activities offer a fun way to get fit with your family.Wii Plus Routines: Allows you to create customised training routines, or ask your personal Wii Fit Plus trainer can create training programs for you, based on the area of your body you wish to work on - bum, hips, thighs - Wii Fit Plus will help! There are over 40 different activities within four training categories.Aerobic Exercises: New Additional Jogging Courses, Ste Rythum Remix all-new songs.Muscle Exercises: 3 New Muscle Exercises.Yoga: Includes 3 New Poses.Balance Games: Heading, Ski Jump, Ski Slalom, Tightrope, irritating maze, Penguin game, Snowboarding, and meditation.Training Plus: Skateboarding, Rythum Kung Fu, Dungeon Jogging, many more.

Sega The biggest Olympic superstars are back and the only country they're representing is video game land. The team-up that fans could previously only dream of is back, as the worlds of Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog combine at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

Following the same format of the 2008 summer games tie-in you and your friends can choose to compete in authentic Olympics disciplines as everyone from Mario and Sonic to Bowser, Dr Eggman, Yoshi and Tails.

Only a few disciplines have been revealed so far, but already we know that the game is going to contain ice hockey and figure skating. There will also be new fantasy events such as Dream Ski Cross, which sees everyone competing in a Mario Kart style race complete with familiar looking power-ups and speed boosts. Realism isn't the goal here, just good old fashioned multiplayer fun.

Superstar team-up: Only the second game to include Mario and Sonic characters together, featuring the official Olympics license and input from Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto.Worlds collide: Play as any of the characters from the original game - from Prince Peach to Vector the Crocodile, as well as first-timers Donkey Kong and Metal Sonic.Added balance: For the first time in a Sonic & Mario game you'll be able to use the Balance Board for some events, if you have one.The full monty: The new Festival mode lets you play through the whole of the Olympic Winter Games, including all the disciplines and an opening and closing ceremony.Friendly rivalry: Mountains of multiplayer options, including four-player competitive tournaments and co-operative games.

Ubisoft

Nintendo