Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stoneby Electronic Arts
Platform: PlayStation
ESRB Rating: Everyone
ASIN: B00005NCAY
The history of video games is littered with translations of films--most of them bad. This game, while decidedly based on the feature film's visualization of the Harry Potter story, is actually very good in its own right despite being too easy for most experienced gamers. It's a fun, colorful experience even for the few of us on the planet who have neither read the book nor watched the movie. [ more on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ]
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4by Activision
Platform: PlayStation
ESRB Rating: Rating Pending
ASIN: B00006IJJG
Just in case you didn’t know, the Tony Hawk's series is the best skateboarding sim ever--and now, with the release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4, even more so. As many of you young hipsters may be aware, skateboarding is taken far more seriously nowadays than any child of the '70s could ever imagine, with legions of baggily trousered youths now able to refer to moves such as a "bluntside" or "overcrook" with a perfectly straight face. Indeed, the list of silly names for ridiculously dangerous stunts has been increased for this latest sequel, and you now have the added ability to skitch (hold onto the back of a moving car) and grind through traffic. Such minor additions aside, though, the big new change is the career mode, which now has specific goals and milestones for all the different skaters and really adds to the replayability. [ more on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 ]
Mat Hoffman's Pro BMXby Activision
Platform: PlayStation
ESRB Rating: Everyone
ASIN: B00004TEXX
Tony Hawk fans, take notice! Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX uses an enhanced version of the same Neversoft engine that's used by nearly everyone's favorite extreme-sports series, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, which means it has a wide range ofmotion, excellent graphics, and hundreds of trick combos. The game features 10-time world vert champion Mat Hoffman and seven other top BMX Pros, as well as realistic BMX physics, two-player competitions, a course editor, and street, dirt, and vert tracks. [ more on Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX ]
Dexter's Laboratory: Mandark's Labby BAM! Entertainment
Platform: PlayStation
ESRB Rating: Everyone
ASIN: B00005NUIP
Dexter's Laboratory is a light-hearted arcade puzzle game. Dexter's archrival, Mandark, has managed to infiltrate Dexter's secret lab and is intent on its destruction so he can make himself Scientist Supreme and ruler of all. Using a combination of wits, courage, and skill, Dexter embarks on a quest to regain control of his lab. [ more on Dexter's Laboratory: Mandark's Lab ]
The Italian Jobby Rockstar Games
Platform: PlayStation
ESRB Rating: Teen
ASIN: B00006409W
In 1969, the film The Italian Job was released in the U.K. and almost immediately achieved cult status. This game, like the film, concerns Charlie Croker, who is out of jail and on the make again. He is attempting to steal $4 million in gold in broad daylight from under the noses of the Turin polizei and the Mafia. The title features a total of six playing modes in which gamers thrash three Austin Mini Coopers and 11 other vehicles around massive, freeform areas in London, Turin, and the Alps. Road, off-road, and rooftop driving are all included in The Italian Job, which delivers the ultimate mix of high-speed pursuit and thrilling chases. [ more on The Italian Job ]