Nintendo Wii

CHICAGO – The developers of “Rock Band 3” have surely heard the bell-ringers who claim that the music game genre is dead and have accepted the challenge presented to them. People have been proclaiming rock to be dead for decades only to be proven wrong by an amazing new release. Does “Rock Band 3” disprove the naysayers and reinvigorate the oversaturated genre?

CHICAGO – The learning curve may be steep enough that casual gamers could get thrown off by a title that demands a lot of its players but once you get the hang of “NBA 2K11” it becomes one of the most addictive and accomplished sports games ever made.

Video Game Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Krome Studios and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment knew that a video game tie-in for “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole” was required and could have done the bare minimum, as so many releases for kid’s movies do.

CHICAGO – There have been so many bad superhero games that, despite my adoration for last year’s amazing “Batman: Arkham Asylum,” I still approach them with serious trepidation. And 2008’s Peter Parker Activision title – “Spider-Man: Web of Shadows” – was just not good.

Video Game Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – When we first heard about a Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS video game tie-in to the mega-franchise of ABC reality shows known as “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” the mind reeled at the possibilities. Would the game be merely a series of conversation choices like some of the cheesy dating video games of the ’90s? How would the Wii-mote get involved?

CHICAGO – It’s rare to find a tie-in of any kind — whether it be to a film, television show, comic book, or just a line of toys — that works as well as the surprisingly-fun “Batman: The Brave and the Bold: The Videogame.” Where most tie-ins miss the elements that work about their source, “Brave and the Bold” works by perfectly building on what fans love about the popular cartoon.

CHICAGO – In many circles, Samus Aran is as iconic as Pac-Man, Mario, Link, and whichever video game character turned you into a hopeless addict. I can vividly remember experiencing the ending of the first “Metroid” game so, SO many years ago and the legendary franchise is still going strong with the accomplished and innovative “Metroid: Other M.”

CHICAGO – After seeing the amazing “Toy Story 3” (read our review here) this past weekend, you may be inclined to participate in the adventures of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the rest of the gang in one of the many incarnations of the video game tie-in available on Sony Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, and Sony PSP.

CHICAGO – DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon” is one of the best movies of the year to date; a remarkably enjoyable experience that works for children and adults and deserves to be doing even better at the box office. Don’t miss it while you still have the chance. The game that ties in with it? You can miss that.

CHICAGO – I used to approach a new “Silent Hill” game with heightened anticipation but the franchise has been so lifeless for the last few years that I somewhat dreaded entering its world again in the alleged reimagining of “Silent Hill: Shattered Memories,” now available for the Nintendo Wii. Much to my surprise, Konami’s latest is an effective, atmospheric title with only a few flaws.