Forza Motorsport 2
XBOX 360 / MICROSOFT / $59.99
RATING: 3 1/2 GHOSTS
There are few, if any, video games these days that dare to ask the question: “Should you upgrade your flywheel?” Forza Motorsport 2 is such a game. It satisfies the hard-core driving crowd while keeping the experience fulfilling for those who just want to race. You can start off with the “arcade” mode, which lets you compete in exhibition races and practice laps, or you can jump right in to the “career” option. In career mode, you choose a home region — North America, Europe or Japan — and select a car to buy with your funds. Finishing well in races earns you money. Then there are the races themselves. Forza 2 is essentially a racing simulator, meaning you should have some knowledge of basic concepts such as driving lines or the most efficient route when cornering. Fortunately, the game helps you out by including an option that maps driving lines with colored arrows. And when you’re weary of racing against the computer, you can jump on the Xbox Live, where you can create private sessions to race against friends or participate in tournaments.
Mario Party 8
WII / Nintendo / $49.99
RATING: 4 GHOSTS
Break out the party hats, the cake and that leopard-print blazer you keep in the back of your closet — it’s time to party! This is the eighth version of Mario Party, and this one rocks the house. Mario Party 8 sweeps into the next generation with a brand-new barrage of mini-games that will test the limits of your Wii remote skills. Mario Party 8 comes complete with multiple play modes, six new boards, two new playable characters (including the lovable Blooper, because who doesn’t want to be an awkward squid-like thingy?) and game mechanics that put you right in the middle of the festivities.
Celebrate with a group of friends, or take on the computer in the Star Battle mode, where you compete against the game’s AI to reach Superstar status. Mario Party 8 takes full advantage of the malleability of the Wii remote, giving you a full sense of control that’s easy for anyone to pick up and play. The game plays smooth and looks absolutely great.
Naruto Ninja Council 3
Nintendo DS / D3 / $29.99
RATING: 2 GHOSTS
All right, let’s face it: Ninjas are pretty awesome. Enter Naruto Ninja Council 3, the latest ninja fighting game for the DS. After the preceding logic, this should be one of the coolest games ever, since you can play as any one of 27 ninjas from the TV series. Ninja Council 3 puts you through 60 mini-missions, without a cumbersome story line to get in the way. Or any kind of story line for that matter, but hey, who’s counting? If the lack of a plot doesn’t bother you, then there’s plenty of entertainment to be found within the game, unless you happen to be bothered by a fighting system that consists of about three moves per character (four if you count jumping — Whee!), or that a good number of the mini-missions are recycled throughout the game. Despite the absent plot and the limited combat system, this game is actually kinda cool — you just really have to want to get into it. It’s good for fans of the series, people seeking a simplistic portable fighting game and Germanic ninjas wearing leopard-print blazers.
