Vacation Sports

Developer: Mere Mortals
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: March 17, 2009
System: Wii
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

In a nutshell: If Wii Sports Resort is sold out ... wait for them to restock it.
0:00 Since I'm reviewing Wii Sports Resort for this site, I thought it was only fair to check out what's obviously being released as "competition."

0:01 Right off, I'm jamming to the steel-drum and trumpet-heavy music on the preview screen. This is gonna be in my head all day, and I don't really mind!

0:02 A plane with some creepy-looking people flies over an island that looks REMARKABLY like the one in Wii Sports Resort. On it, people play cricket and throw an American football around. As four misshapen, ugly cartoon people get off the plane, they get leis and walk toward the palatial hotel. In Resort they skydive off the plane. Skydiving is cooler than walking. I'm just saying...

0:03 On to a title screen, where characters that are much blockier than in the intro cut scene awkwardly hurl a Frisbee around. "Hello and welcome to the resort," says a blocky woman in a yellow bikini. She's Lola, and she wants me to have "a great time during your stay with us." I have to go to Reception to check in. Wow ... all the fun of the most annoying part of a vacation!

0:05 So now I'm "Creating a family," which really sounds like a euphemism for something. I choose a watermelon for my family logo, because YUM. Then I get to pick the members of my family. There are 10 people to choose from, all kind of odd-looking, and mostly blonde. For the brother, I pick a guy with an open Hawaiian shirt and a tall buzz-cut. For the rest I just choose the "Auto" option, because really, who cares. "Well done! Your family is now checked into the hotel." That deserves a well done? Ugh.

***-->CONTINUE READING AT CRISPY GAMER<--***

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Pro Evolution Soccer 2009

Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Release Date: March 17, 2009
Systems: Wii (reviewed), PS3, Xbox 360, PSP, PC, mobile
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

In a nutshell: Point and shoot

0:00 I got a quick, five-minute demo of this game at a New York PR office a few months ago. Seemed harmless enough back then, with controls that mimicked a classic NES game but graphics that looked more like a PS2 release.

0:01 The preview screen features a large arrow bouncing between targets amidst sounds of a soccer ball being kicked. Odd...

0:02 Zoom in from high above to a soccer pitch, which lights up as another huge arrow comes out from the center. Driving rock music plays as we pan across images of Euro teams posing against a starry void. Lots of lens flare and shiny backgrounds. If I knew who these teams/players were, I'm sure I'd be very impressed. Cut to a slow pan across all sorts of team logos, then zoom back out to a ball flying high above the pitch. Someone makes a big, curving corner kick before we cut to the title screen, with two long-haired hippies in soccer uniforms standing back-to-back. Pretty sharp as far as intro videos go.

0:03 I choose my Mii, my nationality and my favorite team. Man, there are a lot of teams to pick from, from national to club teams, even "classic" teams. I can't find Arsenal, the favorite of my former podcast co-host Ralph Cooper, so I end up sticking with the three-star U.S. team out of misplaced patriotism.

***-->CONTINUE READING AT CRISPY GAMER<--***

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MLB 09: The Show

Developer: SCEA
Publisher: SCEA
Release Date: March 3, 2009
Systems: PS3 (reviewed), PS2, PSP
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

In a nutshell: A realistic bit of spring on a cold winter's day

0:00 Apparently I didn't like MLB 07 but did like MLB 08 when I played them for an hour. This could be because of the many (read: few) differences between the versions, but more likely relates to my mood at the time of playing.

0:01 The intro video has a "then & now" theme. "He anchors the front of the rotation. He's an All-Star. A Hall-of-Famer. He's the guy you count on to start the season, to stop a losing streak, to start a post-season series. They deliver the strikeouts, they deliver the wins, and most of all, they deliver the glory." He's ... the pitcher, I guess? "THE TRADITION CONTINUES!" the screen blares. Title screen! OK then!

0:02 "The game requires data to be cached to the HDD. This process will take 6-7 minutes." Of course it does...

0:04 Just as a warning: It's roughly 5 degrees Kelvin outside in Pittsburgh today, so I'm not really in the mood for baseball...

0:06 During the HDD preloading process I get to stare at an HD image of some screaming Red Sox player. If I were a better baseball fan I'd probably know who he is...

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Sega Superstar Tennis

Developer: Sumo Digital
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: March 17, 2008
System: Wii (reviewed), PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS
ESRB Rating: E-10+
Official Web site

In a nutshell: Unforgettable characters play forgettable tennis.

0:00 What can I say, ever since I played Mario Golf/Tennis, I'm a sucker for cute characters in unpopular sports (See: Hot Shots Tennis, We Love Golf, etc.). I'm a big Sega fan in general, too, so I'm looking forward to playing with some classic characters.

0:01 Aiai from Super Monkey Ball bounces a ball and serves to Beat from Jet Set Radio. Ulala from Space Channel 5 returns the ball with an overhead Smash, then Amigo from Samba de Amigo does some wall jumps off a cliff and hits it back. Nights from, er, NiGHTS hits it to Dr. Eggman from Sonic, who uses an octo-handed backpack to smash it at Sonic. The Hedgehog runs through a loop, jumps off a springboard, and bends the racket as he smashes the ball into Eggman's face! Confetti falls and everyone (except Eggman) is jumping and happy as the title screen appears. I'm pretty sure they aren't playing tennis by the real rules, though.

0:03 There are three different control modes ... one that's like Wii Sports Tennis where you just swing the Wii Remote, one where you swing and move around with the Nunchuk, and one where you hold the Remote like an NES controller. Let's try the Nunchuk/swinging hybrid. Wait, that means I have to stand up, huh? Grooooan.

0:05 I can choose between Male and Female umpire voices? GAME OF THE YEAR!

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Blitz: The League II

Developer: Midway
Publisher: Midway
Release Date: Oct. 13, 2008
Systems: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS3
ESRB Rating: M
Official Web site

In a nutshell: FUMBLE!
0:00 I was a huge Blitz fan back in high school, but haven't touched the series since NFL Blitz 2000, and I've heard the series has changed quite a bit since then. The Crispy game room has an unopened copy, though, so I figure it's worth checking out.

0:01 I'm not counting the literally FIVE MINUTES it took to open the shrink wrap on this game in the running count. What is wrong with me today?

0:02 A quick downloaded update, some animated logos and some loading and then some truly awful rap plays over the menu screen. The Campaign option is kind of intriguing, but this is the type of game that was always meant for "Quick Play," which is what I choose to start with.

0:04 The Philadelphia Brawlers? The Houston Riders? The New York Nightmare? What the hell is this? I guess I forgot that the game no longer has the NFL license ... I go with the Washington Redhawks, which is surprisingly less offensive than Washington's real team name.

0:05 "You think you know how to play football? If you don't know how to use Clash, you don't know a thing!" says a voiceover for a video tutorial. Basically, holding the left trigger and tapping a button does super-cool moves like jukes, perfect catches and "dirty hits" in super-slow motion. This drains your clash meter, which gets built up by other good plays. You can also earn "Clash Icons" for big moves and build up an "Unleashed Meter" for a one-time ultra-mega-super-duper move.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

NBA 09: The Inside

Developer: SCE Studios San Diego
Publisher: SCEA
Release Date: Oct. 7, 2008
Systems: PS3 (reviewed), PS2, PSP
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

In a nutshell: What fun is a basketball game if you can't push people over and do thirty-foot dunks?

0:00 I usually only enjoy basketball games of the NBA Jam/NBA Street variety, but this one has been staring at me from my shelf for months, making me feel guilty that Sony sent it to me and I haven't played it yet. So I guess I'll give it the old college try.

0:01 Shocker, there's a 49 MB downloadable update available. Now I remember the other reason I was loathe to try this one out ... it's on the PS3.

0:04 53-percent downloaded so far. I've been passing the time by listening to this excellent Harvey Danger album. It's free! Go download it! NOW!

0:06 The download and install are done. That really wasn't too bad. The music helped the time pass quickly.

0:07 Oh, looks like I spoke too soon ... now we're "Installing game data files. Please do not turn off your system or eject the disc or BUY AN XBOX 360 during this process." I may have embellished that message a little bit...

0:09 57 percent. The install is pretty fast, but still slow enough to make me want to just bust out the DS for some Retro Game Challenge.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

We Love Golf!

Developer: Camelot
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: July 15, 2008
System: Wii
ESRB Rating: E10+
Official Web site

In a nutshell: Mario Golf ... minus the Mario ... plus the Wii Remote.

0:00 I don't really love golf in real life, but I did love Camelot's Mario Golf on the Nintendo 64, so I'm looking forward to this one quite a bit.

0:01 The chorus of chipper voices screaming "WE LOVE GOLF!" on the preview screen is almost worth the price of admission all on its own. What a way to start the morning.

0:02 No cut scene intro, just a title screen with the logo and the same chipper voices screaming at me about their love for golf. They need to up their meds. Seriously.

0:03 The brightly colored menu buttons make tones when I pass over them. Everyone is smiling and determined. Man, this is a happy game!

0:04 I can choose my player from Meg, Leo, Annie and Jack. Each looks no older than 14, and has a vibrant animated pose to go with their something. I go with Meg, who's very cute in her white skirt, orange shirt and white visor. Her stats? Who cares!

0:05 I think I'd better start with training before diving into a tournament. There are three courses, including the excellently named Sweet Candy Putting Forest. Let's start at the Highland Leaf Country Club, though.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Skate 2

Developer: EA Black Box
Publisher: EA
Release Date: Jan. 22, 2008
Systems: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS3
ESRB Rating: T
Official Web site

In a nutshell: The most realistic skating experience you can have lying down on a couch.

0:00 I enjoyed my hour with the demo of the original Skate so much that it almost made up for the time I spent suffering through the Wii spin-off Skate It. Hopefully this Xbox 360 sequel will bring the joy back.

0:01 The Skate 2 logo flickers on a billboard atop a half-pipe, with random skaters skating about. The bottom shows "EA|HD: HD-compatible for optimal gaming." Er, doesn't that go without saying on the Xbox 360 these days?

0:02 Logging into my EA Nation account using the on-screen keyboard is pretty annoying. Also, what's the point of blanking out my password as I enter it if anyone can see me choosing the letters very slowly?

0:03 The camera zooms down an alley to the menu on a brick wall. "Thank You for Letting Me Be Myself" plays in the background ... appropriate for a game that lets you make your own tricks.

0:04 New Career. "Hey, get up ... it's time to go," says a guard from behind a meal slot. "It's your lucky day, boy." Surprisingly, it's HD video and not pre-rendered animation. It's like the opening to some hard-bitten crime show as I pass by other prisoners, each with the name of an actor hovering below them. Out in the prison yard, they're rolling dice and lifting weights, eating ice cream and ... playing patty cake? Reminds me of "Arrested Development" a bit.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff

Developer: Polygon Magic
Publisher: Tecmo (duh!)
Release Date: Nov. 17, 2008
System: Nintendo DS
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

In a nutshell: It's easy and fun to beat those Supercocks!

0:00 I never played the original Tecmo Bowl, but I know it has a borderline obsessive fan base. I generally like old-school sports games more than modern, hyper-real simulations, so this one should be right in my wheelhouse.

0:01 The title screen logo appears with what sounds more like fighting game music than football game music. It's all very tinny and old-school. "Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff," says an even tinnier announcer when I press A. Also, why's the game called Kickoff? The series kicked off decades ago. I don't think that word means what they think it means...

0:02 I get to choose from a bunch of fake teams, including the Carolina Carnage, the Chicago Chinooks and ... the Los Angeles Supercocks? Really? Supercocks? I go with the Houston Heatwaves, because they're the only team that has a halfway decent name.

0:04 In the team editor I can edit my team's name and colors. So I can rename them to the Houston Texans, but they can't just call them the Texans out of the box? Thanks a lot, EA.

0:08 So apparently I can edit stats like max speed, hit power, pass accuracy, rush avoidance ability, etc. for all my players. That's not that surprising. What is surprising is, they all start off intentionally gimped, with plenty of stat points to distribute as I see fit. Good thing I looked at this player editor screen, or all my players would be underpowered scrubs!

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Top Spin 3

Developer: PAM
Publisher: 2K Sports
Release Date: June 23, 2008
Systems: PS3 (reviewed), Xbox 360, Wii, DS
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

In a nutshell: Mario Tennis it ain't.

0:00 My exposure to tennis games is mainly limited to the Mario Tennis series and Virtua Tennis on the Dreamcast. I preferred Mario Tennis, and it's not just because I'm a Mario fanboy. It's NOT! OK, maybe it is.

0:01 So I accidentally put this PS3 version of the game into my Xbox 360 and then wondered why it wasn't working. It's too early in the morning here...

0:02 Maybe the Xbox 360 move was wishful thinking, as I'm forced to download the 47-MB "version 1.1" patch. This is the first time I've seen the PS3 download progress bar in full HD. It's still just as annoying.

0:04 Well that wasn't TOO bad. We're all installed and ready to go.

0:05 Or so I thought ... the game has to install itself on my hard drive as well. This is not optional. ARGH!

0:09 I've taken this opportunity to watch a bit of "A Garfield Christmas" on the excellent BetaMaxMas. So far it's been the best part of the game.

0:11 A GoBots commercial just came on the BetaMaxMas. I don't know how this game can top that!

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Super Mario Sluggers

Developer: Namco/Bandai
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: Aug. 25, 2008
System: Wii
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

In a nutshell: A Japanese company puts an Italian plumber in America's pastime.

0:00 Oddly enough, I'm relatively sure I've played every single Mario sports game extensively ... EXCEPT for this game's prequel on the GameCube. I know it's not baseball season anymore, but this game doesn't involve shooting people. Or hitting them with swords, which makes it perfect for me today.

0:01 "Let'sa play ball ... woohoo!" says Charles Martinet (as the voice of Mario) on the preview screen. A big Namco/Bandai logo is in the corner ... I didn't know they were behind this...

0:02 A boat on a blue ocean filled with Mario characters. Daisy enjoys the spray (heh) as they sail towards some sort of baseball theme park island-thing. They arrive and climb a tower to look out over the park. On the ball field, Wii remotes become bats in the characters' hands. Wait, they have Wii remotes? How does THAT work? Montage time: Toads slide around an ice field and get frozen. Wario is all wet! Yoshi falls in a warp pipe going for a diving catch! Diddy is almost crushed by a giant barrel! Everyone throws bombs at Yoshi! Donkey Kong knocks over Luigi as he goes for a double play. Everyone's worried, but Luigi held on to the ball, so they all cheer! Never mind the concussion ... and title!

0:05 "Welcome! Begin in Practice to learn the controls!" I think I will, thanks!

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

We Ski

Developer: Namco Bandai
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Release Date: May 13, 2008
System: Wii
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

0:00 I picked this one up mainly to see if it could improve on the overly touchy performance of the "Slalom" mini-game in Wii Fit. I'm hopeful that it can ... after all, Namco's Alpine Racer arcade series is one of my all-time favorites.

0:05 This first five minutes spent getting my Wii Balance Board out of its box, inserting the batteries, and struggling to get it synced to my system. My Wii Fit regimen has, er, lapsed a little bit.

0:09 The game requires 81 blocks of space for save data? What is it using all that space for? Anyway, this means I have to copy Strong Bad to my SD card and delete it, which takes a surprisingly long time.

0:10 Finally ready to go. A snowy title screen comes in with some winter bells and a children's chorus screaming "WE SKI!"

0:11 "Lean your body to the left and right to turn." Doesn't get much simpler than that.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Football Mogul 2009

Developer: Clay Dreslough
Publisher: Sports Mogul
Release Date: Sept. 18, 2008
System: PC
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

In a nutshell: SimFootball

0:00 I'm knowledgeable enough about football to follow a game easily, but not nearly smart enough to run a team. Still, I'm willing to see how well I'd handle some virtual team management.

0:01 A barebones options screen is the first thing to greet me. The lack of background music is a bit jarring. I choose to manage the Redskins at the "Fan" difficulty level (also available: Coach, Head Coach and Mogul). It's like they know me!

0:02 I'm thrown into a basic, Excel-style grid with the NFL standings and some columns of stats, all of which are at zero, of course, since the season has yet to start. The first week we're playing the NY Giants. I'm ... really not sure what to do here. Let's check out that help menu...

0:03 "The goal of Football Mogul is to accumulate the best Mogul Rating by successfully carrying your team through a decade or more of success." A decade or more? Looks like this will take more than an hour! Success is measured purely in wins and losses, although teams from small markets get a bonus and teams from big markets get a penalty.

0:06 Good lord, this is getting complex fast. I have to keep track of any number of "formations" for both offense and defense, budget for player salaries and other team expenses, set ticket and concession sales, scout for new players to trade for ... and that's just the start. I'm obviously in way over my head.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Rapala Fishing Frenzy 2009

Developer: Sand Grain Studios
Publisher: Activision
Release Date: Sept. 2, 2008
Systems: PS3 (reviewed), Xbox 360, Wii
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

In a nutshell: Just as boring as I imagine real fishing is.

0:00 I've never been fishing in real life, and the last fishing game I played was the mildly intriguing Super Black Bass on the SNES. But that didn't have Sixaxis motion controls!

0:01 Water washes over the Sand Grain logo. Some loading, then straight to a title screen with a picture of a fish chasing a lure and some twangy fiddle music.

0:02 During another, longer loading screen, the game scrolls some text about the surprising amount of bass below the Woodrow Wilson bridge in DC. Who knew?!

0:03 I start a new game, and two creepy-looking generic characters sit under a beach umbrella: a guy and a girl, both in breezy summer wear. I choose the guy. MALE PRIDE!

0:05 I've turned on the "Tutorial" option, so I dive into some "Open Fishing" on Lake Wylie at 6 a.m. Here's hoping the game will teach me how to fish.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

MLB Power Pros 2008

Developer: 2K Sports
Publisher: Konami
Release Date: July 29, 2008
Systems: Wii (reviewed), PS2, DS
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site

In a nutshell: Super cute happy fun baseball game time!
0:00 I haven't really read anything concrete, but I'm already a fan of the super-deformed characters and the simplistic, arcade-style baseball they seem to imply. I'm encouraged by the 2K and Konami names on the box, too.

0:01 After a few seconds of loading and logos, a ball sits on an oddly detailed field. Guitar-heavy rock comes in as heat haze obscures views of a lone pitcher and batter, both with small bodies and huge heads. Similarly deformed versions of a bunch of real-life players flash by alongside action photos of their real-life counterparts. "MLB Power Pros" yells the announcer, repeating the name again when I push the + button to start. We get it, it's the name of the game!

0:03 Bad sign: The game supports four different controllers! Usually I prefer they focus on one good control scheme. I go with just the Wii remote for now because I'm too lazy to go get the Nunchuk.

0:04 Good lord! The menu screen is crowded with 12 different gameplay options, including "baseball cards," "shop," and "MLB Life." Only one of these modes ("Wii Remote") seems to support my current Nunchuk-free control scheme. I try the "Home Run" derby as a simple intro.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Fight Night Round 3

Developer: EA Chicago
Publisher: EA Sports
Release Date: Feb. 20, 2006
Systems: PS3 (reviewed), Xbox 360, Xbox, PSP, PS2
ESRB Rating: T
Official Web site

In a nutshell: Reach out and punch someone

0:00 I've somehow avoided playing this series through all three iterations until today. Will this finally be the boxing game to make me forget about Punch-Out!!?

0:01 "THE LAST FIGHT DIDN'T GO YOUR WAY" blares an on-screen message. Scenes of two generic boxers pummeling each other, featuring a slow-mo shot of a face crumpling and spewing blood. "B-HOP" (as his trunks identify him) raises a fist in triumph. "SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE." And... title. What was that?

0:03 Looking over the controls, I'm tickled by the existence of an "illegal blow" button. I'm not nearly as tickled by the persistent, relatively slow loading.

0:04 I finally found a "training" option hidden in the game modes menu. I choose the sparring mode, which promises to teach me "the basics of total punch control and advanced moves." Sounds good to me!

0:06 Right off, I'm impressed with how responsive the controls are. The left stick moves me around the ring and the right stick throws a wide variety of punches. I end up jabbing the guy 30 times in a row. Heh.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

King of Clubs

Developer: Oxygen Studios
Publisher: Crave Entertainment
Release Date: Aug. 4, 2008
Systems: Wii (reviewed), PS2, PC, DS, PSP
ESRB Rating: E

In a nutshell: Mini-golf, maxi-annoyance.
0:00 I hadn't heard of this game until it appeared in my mailbox just before I moved. I'm a big fan of real-life mini-golf, though, so it shouldn't be a tough sell.

0:01 "Oh, bless my soul," says an Elvis impersonator on the preview screen. Wha? Then straight into the intro, with the desert countryside rolling by. "Under the blistering heat of the Nevada sun, five men (there are six of us!)... six men struggle against the odds." They have to fight traps and the elements and "they're gonna have to do it all in stupid costumes." Silly scenes of the characters doing a sort of screen test and antagonizing each other. "I don't want to see no spittin', no quittin', and no out-of-bounds hittin'," says the Elvis impersonator who seems to lead this ragtag group. "Perhaps I should play the caveman," says the very English guy in the knight getup. Wow, this is gonna be cheese-tastic, I can already tell.

0:03 A quick, one-screen explanation of the controls: I have to stand up, press A, pull back, press A again, and swing.

0:04 Some desert scrub scrolls by in the background as some endearing twangy rockabilly plays. I pick career mode, where I have to "clear as many pars as possible to advance." Jurassic Classic is the first course. The course par is 36.

0:05 A simple little interface lets me purchase pedestrian things like balls and clubs, but also weird things like mulligans (buy in bulk and they're cheaper), colored balls and trails (I pick red!) soundtracks and even action figures of the characters. Cute.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding

Developer: Indie Built
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date: Nov. 20, 2001
System: Xbox
ESRB Rating: E

In a nutshell: I'm surprisingly not very amped about this game.

0:00 SSX, which came out about a year earlier, was one of my favorite PlayStation 2 games of all time. So there's no excuse for this to be any worse, right? Right! I'll just be happy if the game makes me forget about the current summer heat.

0:01 Sounds of an old film projector whir about as the title burns away to show real video of snowboarders mixed with video of in-game snowboarders. The real boarders look a lot better. This isn't that surprising, I guess, since they're real, but putting the game right next to real video doesn't make the game look too good.

0:03 I start a new career and I'm asked to divide some stat points between spin, balance, jump, speed and switch. I go for a balanced breakfast of stats because I am incredibly boring.

0:04 Now I can choose from a bunch of extremely generic-looking characters who don't even have names. I'm practically begging for the over-the-top stereotypes of SSX at this point. I go with the slightly Asian-looking guy, because Asians are good at snowboarding, right? I can't even keep my stereotypes straight anymore.

0:05 Not only can I can choose from four colors of baseball caps, but also a smattering of beanies and bandanas. WHOA! I pick a snowboard that helps my balance, jump and speed ratings a bit. Let's go!

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

New Intenational Track and Field

Developer: Sumo Handheld
Publisher: Konami
Release Date: July 22, 2008
System: Nintendo DS
ESRB Rating: E10+
Official Web Site

In a nutshell: Disqualified for excessive button mashing.
0:00 The thick of the Beijing Olympics seems the perfect time to try this modern, portable retread of a button-mashing arcade classic.

0:01 An X-TREME sounding-announcer announces the title of the game. On the bottom screen, some extremely big-headed, big-eyed characters compete in hurdles, javelin, running, etc. They all seem stereotypical in some way, from the huge Afro on the black runner to the hair streaks on the "goth."

0:02 "Welcome to New International Track and Field. I am the referee and I will be your guide." The music is a light techno remix of the Chariots of Fire theme. Nice!

0:03 I can choose my nationality from 60 options! Part of me wants to claim to be from Luxembourg, but Olympic fever has got my patriotism levels up. U-S-A! U-S-A!

0:05 I can only choose an Easy Career mode to start. Lame! What if I'm an Olympic-caliber button masher already?

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer

Don King Presents: Prizefighter

Developer: Venom Games
Publisher: 2K Sports
Release Date: June 10, 2008
Systems: Xbox 360 (reviewed), Nintendo DS, Wii
ESRB Rating: T
Official Web site

In a nutshell: Only in America.

0:00 My experience with boxing games begins and ends with the Punch-Out!! series, and I've been OK with that -- until today!

0:01 "Endurance!, Excitement! If I can do it, you can do it! They say in America anybody can do it!" Don King's voice is mixed in with a generic rap about the thrill of boxing over a red-and-black title screen. The effect is unique, to say the least.

0:02 The difficulty levels are Amateur, Contender and Champion. I could have been a Contender -- and I am. The Don King rap continues. I swear I just heard a line about a blueberry muffin.

0:04 I guess I'll start with the "Training." Boston's "Long Time" plays over the loading screen for some reason.

0:06 The jump rope training is just a glorified rhythm game with no music. I have to press the buttons that scroll under my jumper's feet. It gets tough pretty quickly, even at the Contender difficulty. "Perfect! You're training like a boxing monster," says my trainer in a voice that sounds like he's been beaten down by the world.

Read the full review at Crispy Gamer