Like Puzzle Quest before it, Patapon is a game that grabs key features from existing genres, squishes them together like different-colored balls of Play-Doh, and then turns them into something far more special than you might expect. For example, if you combined a ball of red and ball of blue you might expect to get a big lump of purple, while a rainbow-colored re-creation of the Venus de Milo would seem unlikely. But Patapon is just that special. Puzzle Quest's nontoxic, nonstaining ingredients included a Bejeweled-style puzzle component used for combat, as well as a character advancement system and storyline that belonged in a role-playing game. Patapon's recipe, on the other hand, blends rhythm-based controls with a horizontally scrolling real-time strategy game. Then--as if that combo wasn't already enticing enough--it sprinkles plenty of RPG-style gear collection and some fabulous visuals from French artist Rolito on top. In short, Patapon is unlike any game that has come before it, and with a retail price that's half of what many PSP games sell for, our recommendation of this ingenious recipe that has been masterfully realized is a no-brainer.

Tony Hawk's a tricky prospect on handheld systems, but last year's Tony Hawk's Underground 2 proved it could be done write with proper care. The attention given to THUG 2 on PSP was denied Tony Hawk's Project 8, which fails to deliver Neversoft's vision. Developed by Page 44 Studios off of the underwhelming Shaba current-gen Tony Hawk port, Project 8 is fun is short spurts, but ruins the series' innovative new addition.

While the Vic Viper might not be a household name on quite the same level as Mario or Master Chief, it still is emblematic of what makes video games great. This spacecraft and its distinctive split-nose design is the unlikely hero of Gradius, possibly the all-time greatest series of shoot-'em-ups. This style of game simply challenges you to survive wave after wave of enemies, by maneuvering to avoid them and their bullets while returning fire. The Gradius series' primary innovation was its customizable power-up system, though the games also featured some distinctive level design and excellent presentation quality. Now five games from the Gradius series--most of which have never been released before in North America--are available on one PSP disc, in the form of Gradius Collection. It's a must-have for any shoot-'em-up fan, but even those who weren't pumping quarters into arcade cabinets during the series' heyday should be able to appreciate the pure action and challenge these games deliver.

So here it is. The first title in the Worms series on PSP, titled Worms: Open Warfare, has landed. Developed by Team17, Open Warfare sticks with the basic premise of warring worms established in the original game. It keeps the oddball humor, voices and 2D presentation of the original, but it throws in a few exclusive modes to spice things up a bit.

If you’re proper old, you’ll know that Pipe Mania was a game first released in the late Eighties on the Amiga, and if you’re reading this review with the intention of buying it because of that – good work! You’ll be well catered to. In fact, even though as a retro remake, Empire were given every possible chance to waste your money, Pipe Mania isn’t a cash-in, but rather a fiendishly addictive puzzler that, while samey at times, is accessible and fun for anyone with hands big enough to use a PSP.

Brave Story: New Traveler is a game you'll want to like. A role-playing game in the mold of Final Fantasy, it has all the ingredients of its Final forebear and even some helpful touches of its own. The problem is that New Traveler takes its cues from ancient entries in the genre and suffers from maladies long ago cured. You'll wander through labyrinthine dungeons tangled with dead ends and random encounters in the name of thwarting evil, as well as coming of age. If only this game took its own advice and grew up.