From the makers of Soul Caliburcomes a tour of the ancient days of gaming. For those who remember Ms. Pac-Manand Atari, for those who loved Dig-Dug, and those of you who spent way too many quarters on Galaxian, this little treasure is for you.

While it does contain some forgettable titles such as Phozon, a deadly boring puzzle game, and the Tower of Druaga, a sad, sad attempt at a top-down role-playing game, Namco Museum Vol. 3is worth its price for the addictive classics alone. Pole Position IIis also included, and, unlike modern racing games where you can knock opposing racers out of the way with a quick side swipe, Pole Position II's car explodes at the slightest contact. This was too much of a habit to break, but the nostalgia alone can be worth the effort.

Although this is a fun trip into video game history, younger gamers could be bored due to the low-tech nature of the package. But parents of the new video game generation should feel free to plug this into their child's PlayStation and say aloud, "When I was your age..."—Allen Stewart

Pros:Memorable classics such as Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian, and Dig-DugA save high scores functionThe classics are still really addictive and fun

Cons:Has a few forgettable titles such as Phozonand Tower of DruagaYoung players won't appreciate this selection

With Crash Bash, the PlayStation finally has received its official party game in the vein of Mario Partyand Sonic Shuffle. Up to four players can engage in 30 minigames, provided that one of those players owns a Multitap accessory.

The games are almost as simple as the minigames that are found in Combatfor the old Atari. There's Crash Ball, a four-way game of pong, and Desert Fox, in which the game characters go after each other in tanks. Adventure mode even includes boss battles in minigame form.

The beauty of Crash Bashis that anyone—and I mean anyone—can pick it up and play it, with virtually no instruction. On the other hand, playing against computer opponents is pointless. Without friends to liven things up, the premise gets old in no time.

The graphics and sounds share the same cartoonish quality of the previous Crashgames, with playable bad guys. There's some graphical choppiness in multiplayer mode, but looks aren't the point of this one, anyway. —Robb Guido

Pros:Easy to pick up and playThirty different minigames, most of which are fun when played with or against friends

Cons:Hard to enjoy without a Multitap and four players

This value packed collection includes Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, James Bond: Nightfire, Sim City 3000 Unlimited, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2, Red Alert 2 and a special bonus disk!

Da Rules—the ultimate guide for kids with magic Fairy GodParents—has disappeared. Without it, Timmy's Fairy GodParents, Cosmo and Wanda, have no magic. Join Timmy on his amazing adventure to recover all of the pages from the "Da Rules" book and restore his family's magical powers.

Gubble is a loveable alien who has a purple head and a red body—but he has become separated from his family and the alien mother ship. Can you help him find his way back? The idea of the game is that you have to use your wits, as well as a large range of tools, to remove the nails, screws, and tacks from dozens of varied levels. But be warned: There are lots of nasties loitering around to try and stop you from reaching your destination.

Many of the games in the budget-priced Greatest Hitsseries are showing their age, but Rayman's old-school 2-D technology ironically gives it an edge in terms of longevity. This still is one of the most beautiful, fun, and imaginative side-scrolling platform jumping games ever released.

You control the now-famous Rayman, a strange character with no arms or legs (although he has feet and hands) and a propeller on his head. Some may look at this as just another game where players run around and jump all the time, but the charming graphics and incredibly tight controls elevate Raymaninto special territory. The difficulty level is just right at the beginning, letting players get a feel for Rayman's basic moves. Later levels require more advanced tricks and precise jumps, but the game is never unfair—something few 2-D side-scrolling games can claim. If you can get past the too-cute graphics and see them for the lush, imaginative visuals they are, the gameplay should keep you hooked for days. —T. Byrl Baker

Pros:Imaginative graphics and smooth animationsTons of levels to explore

Cons:2-D confines can make things a little dull after hours of play

In SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge, players take the role of SpongeBob on a quest to secure the autographs of his heroes, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. This is no simple task: SpongeBob must complete silly errands such as retrieving beauty products from the bottom of the world and fetching Kelp Kandy Bars. SpongeBob even has to borrow a time machine and travel to prehistoric Bikini Bottom to find a shell-bra outfit made of rare clams. Whether he's searching for the ultimate spatula to perfect his Krabby Patty-flipping technique at the Krusty Krab, or just hanging out with his best friend Patrick (an amiable starfish), SpongeBob's good intentions and overzealous nature usually create chaos in his underwater world.

There are many enthusiastic amateur astronomers and in the past 50 years they have made a number of important discoveries. Starry Night Backyard 4.x is a CD-ROM package that is targeted at this audience and adds greatly to the tools at the amateur astronomer's disposal.

The package is extraordinarily eclectic—one moment you're viewing the sky as it now is in Abidjan or Rio de Janeiro, and the next you're visiting Mars or any location within 20,000 light-years (surely enough for most of us). This range is supplemented by some excellent visual effects: the moving graphics, for example, as you travel through the solar system and past the edges of planets and moons are quite otherworldly.

The software is designed so that you can select your home geographical coordinates and then explore the constellations as you perceive them from home. However, what really distinguishes this CD-ROM is the scope it offers in terms of interstellar travel. With the range of viewing locations on offer, you can experience the fearful darkness of Pluto and the searing heat of a sunny day on Mercury. You can also turn to interesting events in the past, including many solar and lunar eclipses, and experience the passage of comets and asteroids.

This broad, comprehensive scope is what will really attract people to this package. Among the consolations for the freezing winter temperatures suffered by those who live in northern Europe and the northern part of North America are the crisp wintry nights, when the stars are as clearly visible as at any other time in the year; now, with the help of Starry Night Backyard 4.x, we can all go out and discover the mysteries of the heavens for ourselves. —Toby Green

Tony Hawk's American Wasteland Collector's Edition gives you the total freedom you need, to make LA your Personal skate and bike park. For the first time, you'll skate or bike in a rich, expansive open environment. The sky's the limit as you progress through the Wasteland. No level, no load times — just never-ending action. You'll never skate the same line twice!
Special Collector's Edition features bonus content: Two exclusive classic mode levels, secret characters, "making of" feature, Jimbo Phillips art gallery and exclusive packaging.

Ollie, grind, and skate the way you always knew you could in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, the ultimate extreme sports experience. With a hip-hop and punk soundtrack, skate as the legendary Tony Hawk, one of 12 other pro skaters, or create your own pro from scratch. Go head-to-head on terrain that would make even a novice skater drool. Players can also design their own dream parks using a variety of ramps and more. Original levels from Tony Hawk's Pro Skaterare included in the single-player mode. Other modes include single-player career and free-skate modes, as well as two-player modes such as trick attack, graffiti, tag, and horse. Skate or die!

ToySight Gold uses your iSight camera or any Firewire-equipped digital camcorder to put you in the game. Instead of controlling game object through a keyboard, game pad or mouse, you'll control a series of games by waving your hands in the air. It features 12 great games that will make you smile, laugh and cheer: The Owl and the Pussycat Toy Wars Pie Sight Tennis Xtreme Flysight Mars Lander AirHeads

You Don't Know Jack, a popular and irreverent trivia game previously available only on the Internet and computers, has come to the PlayStation. At seven or 21 questions in length, this game is fast, furious, and difficult. Every subject imaginable from pop culture to math is covered through five types of questions: multiple choice, impossible (some very random facts), ThreeWay, DisOrDat, and Jack Attack.

ThreeWay questions require you to buzz in when the correct answer is highlighted among three onscreen choices, while DisOrDat asks you to correctly group words into two or more categories while the clock ticks away. The game gets particularly heated during Jack Attack mode, which challenges gamers to buzz in when they see a word or phrase that matches a specific clue.

Reading fast and buzzing in quickly are beneficial skills. Although the designers didn't add much in the way of graphics or extras for this version, there are two discs full of questions to avoid repetition. Some phrasings and topics aren't suitable for the pre-teen and younger players because they consist of bodily functions, profanity, or sex. Up to three contestants can play, but you'll need a Multi Tap (sold separately). —Carrie Bell

Pros:Hit PC game comes to the PlayStationUp to 3 players and 2 CDs worth of questionsChallenges knowledge on a variety of subjects without being boring

Cons:No improvements over the PC version