THQ

According to ESRB, this game contains: Fantasy Violence

No one is ever going to confuse Sphinx with Zelda, but that doesn't mean this quirky little action title is without merit. Sphinx may not succeed in all the areas of game development, but it does more than enough things right to justify spending some time with it. Gamers who enjoy lighthearted action with a pleasant mix of combat, puzzle-solving, and platforming elements will find Sphinx an interesting diversion.

Game Description: Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy puts you into the midst of an epic quest to find the ancient crowns of Egypt. You take on the character of Sphinx interacting with hundreds of supernatural monstyers while traveeling across levels spanning the globe. Each region is linked together by magic portals, but in order to reach them, you have to solve puzzles, defeat bosses, and learn new abilities.

The first thing that struck me about Tak was the striking similarities to Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. The sprawling jungle filled worlds and collection-based gameplay were quite obviously Jak inspired, and the picturesque environments even improved upon The Precursor Legacy on some levels. But the game quickly crosses the line from homage to blatant rip-off; even little things like the pause menu screen and Tak's exclamations upon completing an objective seem taken directly from Jak.

Game Description: Tak and the Power of JuJu is a 3D platform game featuring an original cast of characters. An evil sorcerer named Tlaloc is threatening the tranquility of Tak's tribal village, so the young shaman apprentice takes it upon himself to put an end to the problem once and for all.

After I managed to complete the final "rhythm" puzzle in Alter Echo (which requires near super-human hand-eye coordination to pull off), I found myself sitting in front of my TV, PlayStation 2 controller dangling from hand, craving more.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Cartoon Violence

A sense of humor goes a long way, and Tak and the Power of JuJu is a pretty funny game. Of course, it is a Nickelodeon property so it brings with it the same kind of quirky, off-kilter humor as other Nick 'toons like Rocko's Modern Life and SpongeBob SquarePants. A big difference here though is that Tak doesn't have his own cartoon show (at least not yet). Anyway, it's a good thing that Tak is funny. The actual gameplay left me crying at times, and I really needed a good laugh or two.

Game Description: Oh no! The Mastermind has kidnapped Mystery Inc! It’s up to Scooby-Doo to search for his lost friends. Guide Scooby through 12 huge levels that include a creepy mansion, a spooky cave, a ghostly graveyard, and a perilous pier. Help Scooby search for clues, avoid classic Scooby-Doo monsters, use wacky inventions, eat Scooby Snacks, and gather groovy power-ups. Do you have what it takes to foil the Mastermind’s plan to rid the world of Mystery Inc?

Nostalgia can be a dangerous thing. It has the power to cripple the critical mind, bathing it in the rainbow-colored reminiscences of a bygone era. Who hasn't remembered a certain movie from their childhood with a fondness that far outweighs the film's actual merit? For me, that movie was Krull, the tale of a brave fantasy warrior battling laser-shooting cyborg slugmen with a giant throwing star called "The Glaive." It's not a very good movie. It's taken me years of introspection and therapy, though, to even be able to admit that.