Let it be said that I hate real golf. The putting, the driving, the ugly polyester clothes -- they all seem so pointless. But when it comes to video games, there are few that can beat Tiger's for sheer playmanship. 
     This version ups last year's game with a fun feature allowing players to create their own ubergolfer to play with the pros. My guy may have looked like a dork with his buck teeth, squatty legs and glasses, but he kicked Woods' butt around the course for a good half hour. 
     Playing on the PGA tour is fun, but give some of the other options a shot as well. "Battle Golf" is particularly fun, with the winner snaring the opponent's prized club. (Rated E for everyone) 

     Xbox has finally found its platform mojo. "Voodoo Vince" is a 3-D platform game featuring a wisecracking voodoo doll with a penchant for abuse. Fortunately, his pain is your gain. When a 2-ton safe falls on him, it’s the surrounding enemies that are flattened. 
     The plot unravels when Vince’s maker, the voodoo high priestess Madam Charmaine, is kidnapped by henchman for the evil Kosmo who is after Charmaine’s zombie powder. It’s up to you — as Voodoo Vince — to save her. 
     The game also features over 30 different levels that take you everywhere from the bayou to the backalleys of the French Quarter. The characters and highly detailed environments remind one immediately of Tim Burton’s masterpiece "A Nightmare Before Christmas." "Voodoo Vince" is a stitch and the most fun you’ll have this side of Fat Tuesday. (T for teen)

     "Hit and Run" is the best video game based on the "Simpsons" franchise. For those of us who have had to suffer through dreck like "Simpsons: Skateboarding" -- that isn't saying much. 
     "Hit and Run" is a mission-based driving game and a decent knockoff of "Grand Theft Auto" --though less violent and much funnier. 
     Main gameplay puts you literally in the shoes of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa -- and for some strange reason -- the Kwik-E-Mart's Apu. Through the course of the game, you'll also be able to drive vehicles as supporting characters like Cletus the Slack-jawed Yokel and Comic Book Guy. 
     There are plenty of laugh out loud moments that almost make you forget the many graphic glitches in the game. (Rated T for teen)

1. Madden NFL 2004 PS2 
2. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Game Boy 
3. Pokemon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire Game Boy 
4. The Simpsons: Hit and Run Xbox 
5. Mario Kart: Double Dash! GC 
6. Jak II PS2
7. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 PS2 
8. DDR Max 2: Dance Dance Revolution PS2 
9. Mario Party 5 GameCube 
10. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 Xbox 

Game Boy Advance players won't need cables to link handhelds together anymore, thanks to Nintendo's plan to include a free device (similar to Bluetooth technology) with its upcoming "Pokemon" title, due out in 2004. 

        Sometimes, a game comes along that makes you wonder just what the developers were smoking.
        "Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg" follows the adventures of its title character -- a blond-haired, blue-eyed, overly-optimistic boy -- as he dons a magical rooster suit and battles to save the world from the evil Crow King, who has vanquished daylight. Billy's weapon of choice is eggs, and he rolls them over enemies and feeds them fruit so he can hatch them. 
        This probably comes as no surprise to fans of Sonicteam's work -- they also developed the successful "Sonic" games which feature a blue hedgehog in
sneakers.
        Beneath the offbeat characters and concept, "Hatcher" is at its heart a standard platformer. You run, jump, smash crates, solve puzzles and use
power-ups to destroy bosses. Its colorful graphics and quirky game play set it above the rest. Finally, a GameCube title that gives players something to crow about. (Rated E for everyone)

        This is like a weird game of Yahtzee, only with exploding dice, cutesy round-eyed creatures and a decent enough 3-D feel. Basically a puzzle game,
"Bombastic" allows you to play as one of five characters. The roll of the dice determines your fate. Will you detonate or escape the dicey minefield? There are seven levels for which to strive, including the quest mode where you have to out-think enemies and scamper off before blowing up. (E for everyone)

        Playing wrestler here is about as fun as watching the WWE on TV. Take that as you will. More compelling is the mode where wrestlers are taken out of
the ring and given assignments to sabotage Mr. Vince McMahon's WWE franchise. 
        You get to beat up everything, from security guards to cars. The violence is about as real as an actual WWE match -- bone- crunching but not nail-biting. (T for teen)

1. Pokemon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire    GBA 
2. Jak II (Advance orders; available Oct. 14) PS2 
3. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance    GBA 
4. Madden NFL 2004    Xbox 
5. NBA LIve 2004    Xbox 
6. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City    PS2
7. Bionicle: The Game (Advance orders; avail. Oct. 17) GameCube 
8. MLB 2004    PS2 
9. Dance Dance Revolution Max 2    PS2 
10. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004    Xbox 
 

Everybody loves a bargain--especially gamers. Nintendo reports that GameCube sales have quadrupled since they dropped the price to $99.99.

        Imagine Lara Croft in outer space. Our equally fashion-forward heroine is saddled with a much less cool name Vanessa Z. Schneider. A lethal mercenary who hate robots, Vanessa's plan is to wipe out the Computer Arms Management System. We quickly learn they wiped out her entire family. This is where you come in. Make multiple kills and score mondo combo points utilizing Vanessa's smooth fight moves. Like the headstrong woman she is, Vanessa doesn't always do what you say. But you wouldn't want her any other way. As for the throbbing techno music pulsating in the background, it's not something you'd want to listen to for hours at a time, but it does help give the game a sense of urgency. (T for teen) 

        One of the most anticipated games for the PlayStation 2 this holiday, "Jak II" doesn't disappoint. After being sucked into the wormhole, Jak and Daxter find themselves in a strange city ruled with an iron fist by the evil Baron Praxis. Jak gets captured and subjected to experimental injections of a substance called "Dark Echo." The substance has given him new powers, but at a terrible price -- if left unchecked, his new abilities will lead to madness. But Jak has other things on his mind -- like revenge. After Dax helps him escape, the pair set out on a mission of extracting retribution from the tyrannical Baron. "Jak II" is a mission-based platform game that offers something for everyone. In addition to standard platform fare of jumping and running, there's shooting, racing and even a bit of "Crazy Taxi" shuttling of passengers. The graphics are outstanding. The colorful cheeriness of the first game are replaced by a more gritty post-apocalyptic world that suit the plot of this game well. "Jak II" is a definite must-have. (T for teen) 

        "Dance, Dance Revolution Max 2" has players ditching the controller for a giant Twister-like mat with giant arrows up, down and left and right. A wide range of songs can be selected -- everything from K.C. & the Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight" to "Take Me Away" by 4 Strings. As the music plays, you step to the beat as arrows onscreen tell you which way to step. 
        What would gamers do without Konami? In the past month, Konami has gotten them off the couch and outside for some much needed sunshine ("Boktai") and now the Japanese company succeeds in getting their heart rates up with this aerobic workout disguised as a video game. (E for everyone) 

1. Madden NFL 2004 Xbox 
2. NBA Live 2004 PS2 
3. The Simpsons: Hit and Run GameCube
4.Madden NFL 2004 PS2 
5. Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup GameCube (advance orders; avail 10/28) 
6. Bionicle: The Game PS2 
7. Finding Nemo GBA 
8. Super Mario Advance 4 GBA 
9. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King PS2 (advance orders; avail 11/5) 
10.Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 Xbox 

Peter Gabriel recently inked a deal with Ubisoft to provide his song "Burn You Up, Burn You Down" on November's "Uru: Ages Beyond Myst" game. Why stop there? We think Ubisoft's "Ape Escape 2" is a perfect match for Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey." 

        Some 1,500 players have licensed their likenesses for this game. Chances are you won't be familiar with any of them. But don't let that stop you. Rugby is a tough sport that falls somewhere between the grace of soccer and the brutality of football. But it's also fun. Don't think that knowing how to score on Madden 2004 will help you here. Remember that your X button marks the spot for punting and you're golden. If there's one thing lacking, it would be the graphics, which appear less crisp than what we've come to expect from EA titles. (E for everyone).

        Based on Academy Award winner Nick Park's claymation shorts, this game revolves around the adventures of a cheese-loving man (Wallace) and his dog (Gromit). Their mission? To capture Feathers the penguin. In order for the duo to progress, Wallace has to MacGyver his way around and fix bits and pieces of whatever's in their way. It's no wonder a big chunk of their mission is spent collecting tools. Gameplay is relatively easy, albeit frustrating when you're trying to free some caged beavers and Wallace gets "stuck" no matter how many times you hit the control. (E for everyone). 

       Thirteen is Ubisoft's lucky number. 
        Based on the story arc of the first five issues of acclaimed Belgian writer Jean Van Hamme and artist William Vance's comic book of the same name (which, in turn, was inspired by Robert Ludlum's "Bourne Identity"), "XIII" opens with intentionally blurry graphics and sluggish controls -- thanks to the bullet you've taken to the head. 
        You have no memory of who you are. Before you can get your bearings, the chase is on. It seems everyone in the first few of the game's 36 levels has it in for you, and you spend much of the time running as you try to figure out who you are and why so many people want you dead. Along the way, you discover the president of the United States has been assassinated and you were either involved or you know who was. No sooner has one question been answered and you're plunged deeper still into a government conspiracy. 
        First-person shooters have come and gone. So, too cel-shaded games. No one -- and I mean no one -- has every married the two with as much success as in this game. 
        Comic panels pop up. Guns not only make a "blam" sound, but the screen even has the written words "Blam! Blam!" much like a comic would, In short, it's like playing a graphic novel. 
        With an engaging plot line and highly stylized and innovative graphics, "XIII" is a must for any fan of first-person shooters. (M for mature)

1. Jak II PlayStation 2 
2. Madden NFL 2004 Xbox 
3. WWE SmackDown! Here comes the Pain PlayStation 2 
4. Mario Kart: double Dash GameCube 
5. Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 Game Boy Advance 
6. Pokemon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire Game Boy Advance 7. The Simpsons: Hit and Run GameCube 
8. Medal of Honor: Rising SunPlayStation 2 
9. Lizzie McGuire: On the Go Game Boy Advance 
10. Mario Party 5 GameCube 
 

The Chicago Fire midfielder says, "My favorite is 'NBA Live,' because I love basketball. It's very entertaining and realistic. The graphics are great. It's almost like you're watching a real basketball game." 
 

        "Super Mario Bros. 3" ("SMB3") is one of the best platform games ever. After all, 15 million people can't be wrong. That's how many copies were sold
during the game's initial release in 1990. It's a world record -- and rightfully so.  And now, Mario fans who've enjoyed playing this on the Nintendo Entertainment
System can play it on Game Boy Advance.  Bowser Koopa has returned to the Mushroom Kingdom, turned all the monarchs into animals and kidnapped the princess. He plans to marry her and make himself king. You play as Mario or his brother, Luigi, and it's up to you to stop him. 
        Shigeru Miyamoto's masterpiece holds up surprisingly well for being a 13-year-old game. While graphics have certainly improved since the game first came out, you'll find no better example of great game play than here. There are eight worlds to discover -- Mario will make his way over land, sea and air, developing new powers and facing new enemies as he makes his way to the final level to rescue the princess and save the day. (E for everyone) 

        If you're expecting a game as innovative as the film on which it's based, you'll be disappointed. But if you enjoy fighting -- in a video game, that is -- you'll probably get a kick out of this martial-arts fighting game. You get to play as Li Mu Bai, Shu Lien or Jen, three warriors trying to retrieve the magical sword Green Destiny. The game's selling point, unfortunately, also is its downfall. The battles are intricate and well-choreographed. However, once you figure out the right combo to fight your opponent, you have the key to winning every battle. In some cases, winning really isn't everything. And this is a perfect example of where a little mystery would have gone a long way. (T for teen)

        This game is hard. That said, it shouldn't deter you from picking up the game, regardless of whether you've played its predecessor. Set in the future, where innocent robots are attacked by a government faction intent on getting rid of them, the game centers on its hero, Zero. With the aid of CyberElves, Zero has to outsmart (and fight) the enemy. Unfortunately, not all Elves are created equal. Pick the wrong one and you may as well be alone. But the right critter may have the power you need to win a battle. Regardless, beware of the pits. There are many and can end your game quicker than you can load in your game cartridge. (E for everyone)

1. Soul Calibur II GameCube 
2. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Walker GameCube 
3. Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour GameCube 
4. Mario Kart: Double Dash    GameCube 
5. Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike    GameCube 
6. Wairo World    GameCube 7. WWE Smackdown! Here comes the Pain PlayStation 2
8. Jak II PlayStation 2 
9. SSX 3    PlayStation 2 
10. Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City Bundle Xbox 
 

Feel like you're missing out on some secrets within "Arc the Lad?" Use the steal spell on your enemies and shake them down for items that uncover extra
bonuses in the game.