Burnout Legends presents a different take on the racing genre with strategic destruction of opponents, other vehicles on the road, and the driving environment. To advance in the game and unlock tracks and new cars, one of the top three medals must be won in each event. Race, crash, and head-to-head are the basic modes of play, but even those are broken down into different types of challenges. Racing circuits offer a combination of road rage (take out as many opponents as possible), burning (time trial), face-off (race against an opponent), and pursuit (drive as a cop and take down the target vehicle). Crash events use your vehicle to cause the most financial damage possible to meet the goals.

The cars take damage, the crashes are spectacular, and the environments are fun to look at. The smoke, sparks, and other effects make the experience even more entertaining. Framerates are smooth except during the most complicated crashes. That said, overall the graphics and models do not offer the detail and polish of other titles, and other than the effects the game looks as though it came directly off an original PlayStation.

The audio effects are great, offering just the right blend to the graphics. The included music tracks are eclectic and high quality, but there are only a handful of songs that grow tiresome after a few hours of play. Fortunately the background music can be muted before insanity sets in.

The later stages can become very frustrating — instead of being a test of gaming skill, they become more a matter of memorizing patterns for completion. Loading times are more noticeable and annoying as the more difficult levels are replayed and memorized, but overall Burnout Legends is a good racing game with great entertainment value.

It can be argued that Virtua Tennis: World Tour is a fancy version of Pong, but that would be a disservice to this sports title. With Exhibition, Tournament, and World Tour options this game is great for both brief and extended play. Several mini-games offer additional arcade-style gaming, and the Wi-Fi multi-player allows up to four players to compete.

The controls are so intuitive that it only takes a few minutes to become immersed in play. Graphics and character animations are fluid and entertaining, with simple and amusing sound effects as the player screeches around the court and wallops the ball. Loading times are occasionally noticeable, but not so bad to become frustrating. The background soundtrack is dated, but not obnoxious.

Virtua Tennis: World Tour is something that almost anyone can enjoy. This is a great title to introduce someone to gaming, and the multi-player mode will keep anyone occupied regardless of age or gaming background.

OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast is a update to the classic arcade racer, but with enough elements from the original to still create nostalgia. Like many arcade racing titles from years past, checkpoints add seconds to the timer and when the timer runs out the game is over. The controls are predictable with drift-style racing similar to other game titles. Several single-player modes are available, along with Wi-Fi and online options for up to six players.

There are many Ferraris to choose from, and as player scores increase more are unlocked. The cars are detailed, and your passenger will express her opinion of your driving performance with emoticons, arm waving, and voice feedback. In some racing modes the "girlfriend" becomes a more significant part of the game by presenting specific challenges.

Environments flash by with an engaging sense of speed and change significantly from level to level. This works well with the "coast to coast" theme, and adds significantly to the enjoyment of the game. One of the more impressive environmental effects are the low-hanging clouds in some stages. Other effects react based on driving and the road surface, including tire-smoke from drifts, sparks from swiping other cars, and grass when things go off-road. There were no noticeable dropped frames, even with high speeds and effects. Background audio tracks are mostly based on the classic arcade music, but updated in quality and with a much faster beat.

While OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast isn't the best drift racer available, the online multi-player mode offers replay value that makes it significantly better than many other PSP racing titles. The combination of gameplay and presentation makes this is one of the few racing titles that is both lighthearted and challenging at the same time.

Everything that made the first few Mega Man titles great is back in this remake of the original platform-shooter. This isn't just a port of the first Mega Man, but a complete overhaul that still manages to keep the essential game-play intact. The heart of the game consists of playing either classic or new story modes, but the 100 levels in the challenge mode are also a lot of fun. Two new bosses have been added, and over time the game can be played as any of the unlocked bosses with their associated powers. A level editor is available to create new challenges for personal use or sharing with other players, even over the internet.

A significant part of Mega Man Powered Up is the updated presentation. While the game is still a 2D platformer, the graphics have all been converted nicely to colorful 3D models. Characters have been restyled to be even cuter than previous incarnations, resulting in a strange mutation between animé and the Powerpuff Girls. The whimsical yet solid voice acting adds to the cut-scenes and story. Mega Man purists may find the changes too cute, but everyone else should be pleased with the aesthetics.

Mega Man Powered Up is a solid entry not only to the series but to the genre in general. The new graphics and audio combine with new play modes and tons of unlockable content to provide hours of challenge.

Lumines II slightly expands the puzzle action formula from Lumines. This sequel offers fancier graphics with animated blocks and background video, accompanied by music that is more mainstream. Other additions include Mission mode with timed objectives and a sequencer to create custom tracks.

The single-player Challenge and two-player Duel are unchanged from the first game, which is both good and bad. Fans of Lumines will immediately feel at home, but this title conveys far less excitement of discovery than the first — not only is the game-play almost identical but the music selections recognizably top-40. The new graphics and audio are nice, but they don't add enough over the original to hold interest for more than a few hours.

Lumines was a fresh take on the Tetris formula. Lumines II is a solid update and a worthwhile purchase for those that don't own a copy of Lumines, but it doesn't offer enough to set it apart from its predecessor.

Race Driver 2006 offers some serious racing simulation, a welcome change from the standard arcade-style racers. The many types of cars, tracks, and formats all offer different handling and racing experiences. WiFi mode has multi-player game sharing for up to four players, and up to 12 players if all have their own UMDs.

The controls are excellent, but it takes some time to get used to the more realistic driving physics and differences between cars and tracks. Going off-track will cause spinouts or damage to the vehicle. The cars are beautifully modeled, and as damage increases it not only shows up visually on specific areas but affects performance appropriately.

The tracks and environments are impressive, with interactive objects and obstacles throughout. Sound effects differ between cars and tracks, and the team manager announces updates on player performance, the competition, and physical status of the car.

Race Driver 2006's only problem is the sheer difficulty of such an exacting simulation. Be prepared to repeat events at least several times until understanding the differences between tracks and car handling. While it's impressive overall, Race Driver 2006 is better suited for fans of racing simulations rather than general audiences.

Infected is a zombie-killing, third-person action game for mature audiences. With so many Resident Evil games and knockoffs, it seems unnecessary for yet another in the genre. Like other games in the genre, the player is a multiple-weapon toting cop out to save civilians from infectious zombies — but that's were the similarities end.

Infected uses an inventive killing system, where zombies must be weakened using traditional weapons and then killed with blood darts. Enemies start out yellow, turn red after the first round of weapons, then explode with gusto when finished off. Any other zombies in the area are weakened by their exploding neighbors, creating opportunities for mass elimination and power-ups. The controls are easy to master and effective, with an excellent auto-targeting system.

The graphics and audio are adequate, but far from pushing the PSP's abilities to the limits. Some will be disappointed by the lack of mission variety. Infected is not perfect, but it doesn't take itself too seriously and instead offers straightforward action and humor that give the zombie-shooting genre a fresh perspective. This title is engaging, memorable, and even fun to replay several months later.

Many remember the Sega Genesis. The console was a robust 16-bit system, introduced in 1989 and popular for several years. This compilation offers 28 classic Sega Genesis titles (Alex Kid, Altered Beast, Bonanza Bros., Columns, Comix Zone, Decap Attack, Ecco the Dolphin, Ecco: The Tides of Time, Ecco Jr., Flicky, Gain Ground, Golden Axe, Golden Axe II, Golden Axe III, Kid Chameleon, Phantasy Star II, Phantasy Star III, Phantasy Star IV, Ristar, Shadow Dancer, Shinobi III, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Super Thunder Blade, Sword of Vermillion, Vectorman, Vectorman 2, and Virtua Fighter 2).

In addition to the impressive list of Genesis titles, interviews, and cheat codes, there are five unlockable arcade titles (Astro Blaster, Congo Bongo, Eliminator, Space Fury, and Super Zaxxon). The range of titles and genres offers something for everyone. For games that offer two-player action, others with a UMD of the Sega Genesis Collection can join in using Wi-Fi.

Games can be played in original resolution, scaled to fill more of the screen, or stretched to widescreen format. The graphics and audio only rarely skip, and play is generally smooth and well emulated. The Genesis controls have also translated well to the PSP, and even the analog stick works admirably. One of the nicer features is the ability to save progress at any point in game-play, perfect for portable gaming and retrying levels.

With so much to choose from, Sega Genesis Collection offers significant value both for new and old gamers alike. The sheer volume of content makes this title an excellent addition to any game library.

Mega Man X was an intense, often difficult side-scrolling shooter for the SNES. Mega Man Maverick Hunter X provides the essentials of the original along with updated 3D graphics, remixed audio, animé cut-scenes, and a well-animated bonus video.

The action is standard Mega Man fare with jumping, shooting, climbing, powerups, and level bosses. After beating the game as Mega Man, his arch-enemy Vile is a playable character — otherwise the game-play in this remake is only slightly altered. Even with the PSP's widescreen, enemies approach quickly and in quantity with little warning. Level and enemy memorization is a big part of winning, so expect to replay levels many times before moving on.

While many remakes do nothing to improve on the originals, the graphics in Mega Man Maverick Hunter X are impressive and make the entire experience contemporary. It's this repackaging of the familiar game and story that really shines. Everything in the levels has been updated to 3D, with smooth movement and character animations. The environments are well integrated within the action. Polished cut-scenes add to the experience. Unfortunately, the in-game audio and music are not as impressive as the graphics, and they get monotonous at a few points in the game. Except in the animations, the audio simply does it's job without either great success or failure.

For those up to the challenge, Mega Man Maverick Hunter X wraps "old-school" action in a shiny new package. What keeps this title from being suited for all audiences is the same thing that affected the original: it can be infuriatingly hard.

Exit combines platform and puzzle genres with cartoon graphics and an upbeat-jazz soundtrack. The player navigates an "escapologist" through disaster scenarios, solving puzzles and rescuing trapped survivors. 100 levels build skill and difficulty at a reasonable pace, and more are available as free downloads from the web.

The original presentation is a large part of Exit's charm. Different illustrative styles are used to animate characters, environments, and effects. Speech balloons appear during interactions with the survivors, further emphasizing the cartoon feel. The background music coordinates with the visuals to create a retro-noire atmosphere.

Pacing is significantly slower than most contemporary puzzle games. Solving levels doesn't rely upon reflexes, and the player has no special powers to deal with obstacles. Success comes from applying observation and logic, with a little trial-and-error thrown in. Even accepting that the action is more leisurely, sometimes things are too unhurried when moving through the levels. There are occasional lags between input and response that become frustrating even after becoming accustomed to the even stride of the challenges.

Exit is distinctive and entertaining, with a good balance between story, play, and presentation. There aren't any multi-player options, but there's more than enough to be challenged and amused for quite a while.

World Tour Soccer offers plenty of short and extended play options. The matches are easy to control and follow on the PSP screen, and character animation is smooth and convincing. A score brings several replays from different angles, along with close-ups of the players "hamming it up." Options include the same game score indicators and replays seen in sports broadcasts, all of which make the game more interactive and engaging. Likewise, the audio with announcers, commentary, and crowd response makes World Tour Soccer significantly more entertaining.

The initial selection of teams is somewhat sparse, but more teams and stadiums are unlocked as player skills develop and tournaments won. Wi-Fi multiplayer is limited to exhibition matches, and while fun it is somewhat disappointing that more options weren't available.

World Tour Soccer is pleasant surprise, because of the excellent controls and engaging game-play. This is a sports game that can appeal to even to those who are not soccer or sports enthusiasts.