NBA 2K10

Electronic Arts continues its hard-hitting hockey series with NHL 2000--a game that skates back to the Sega Genesis roots of the franchise for some key elements of gameplay. Serious sports fans can take advantage of options that set up all the true NHL rules for each game, but the default settings make it easy for all gamers to hop right in and skate to victory.

The skating is silky smooth and the graphics are extremely fast, including a motion-blurred puck during high-speed shots. There's nothing more satisfying than knocking the wind out of another team's lead scorer with the dedicated big-hit button, and the incredibly responsive controls make finesse shots possible. Icon passing makes sure players get the puck to the correct man, and those who wish to leave nothing to chance can take control of their goalkeepers in midplay. With the help of Multi-Tap adapters, up to eight people can play this king of hockey games.

The main thing this game has going for it is speed--pure speed. And that's really the most important thing a racing game can have. Unlike so many racing games that throw a hundred options at players and then offer lame, slow-motion action, ATV more or less says hurry up.
The fact that the vehicles of choice are ATVs is almost unimportant, except that, like a cat, they can catch huge air and always seem to land on all fours. And though these machines go fast, there's really little reason to slow down. In fact, players won't even have to brake on the first three tracks, as power leans and a slight easing of the accelerator can satisfy most turning demands.

Of course, all this speed does have its costs, especially as far as graphics go. It's not that the tracks are ugly by any means; they hold together with little polygon breakage. It's just that they're entirely generic. You've got your desert track, your snow track, your forest track, and subtle variations of the aforementioned three. Also, there's very little a player can do besides race--in other words, no tricks. Obviously, this can get pretty boring after a while, but for those who just want to race, ATV makes a decent showing.

Lightning-fast backs, 300-pound forwards, huge hits, and no pads. This is rugby in its greatest glory. With Rugby 2005 you can build team momentum with a shoulder charge or a high-impact collision, or avoid being tackled with creative side-steps or jukes--the power is in your control. New player models promote the most popular players in rugby, while realistic animations better simulate actions and movements on the pitch. For newcomers, an interactive Training mode allows you to easily familiarize yourself with the game’s elements. After you hone your skills, make a run for the 6 Nations and European Cup championships or take on teams in the Super 12 and European Domestic Leagues. The time to master the sport of rugby is now.

Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball offers five game modes for baseball fans: Exhibition, Season, Playoffs, Home Run Derby and Clutch Time, which will let you try your hand at completing one of sixteen different scenarios. The game also brings over 700 MLBPA stars to the plate with ratings based on the 1994 season. This title does not include a Major League Baseball license, however, nor does it have authentic stadiums.

Has baseball become too slow a game for you? If so, there's a Quick Play option which will give you only one strike. Other notable features include: rain delays, different times of day, pitcher fatigue, hot and cold streaks, lineup changes, and battery backup to track 23 different stat categories. The main view is from the catcher's perspective, but once the ball is hit, the game will switch to a traditional three-quarter view for fielding. Acclaim used their motion capture technology to create large digitized batters modeled after slugger Frank Thomas himself.