WWE '13 Review

The Good

• Improved reversal system makes matches incredibly enjoyable   
• Excellent Attitude Era solo campaign   
• A broad range of customization options.

The Bad

• Still some minor visual bugs.

Ditching the SmackDown vs. Raw title, last year's WWE '12 gave the wrestling series a major overhaul with a fresh look, a new engine, and streamlined controls. While the much-needed reboot may have revitalized faith in the franchise, it still had some lingering problems that held it back from true greatness. WWE '13 isn't quite as revolutionary as its predecessor, but thanks to a superior campaign mode and tighter gameplay, it's drastically more enjoyable.

Authentic ringside showdowns explode with all of the testosterone-laden bombast and roaring crowd enthusiasm of the real deal. Pyrotechnics, boisterous announcers, and grand entrance sequences do a great job of setting the stage for each brutal matchup. When it comes down to trading actual blows, WWE '13 sticks closely to last year's fast-paced formula, which is a good thing. The same simplified controls conveniently map strikes, grapples, Irish whips, and special moves to individual buttons, making it easy to pull off maneuvers and deliver awesome-looking move sequences without struggling to remember elaborate combos.

Your attack moves also vary depending on your position and how much punishment you've dealt to your opponent. Despite the fact you're a burly dude clobbering the snot out of other burly dudes, there's a certain grace to the ebb and flow of matches as the advantage shifts back and forth between wrestlers. The excitement builds once the sweat starts flying: wrestlers show injuries and fatigue, and the action ratchets up to its peak with wilder signature moves. New "Spectacular Moments" add to this frenzied energy by letting you dish out elaborate finishers like smashing opponents through the announcers' table, hurling them through barricades, and breaking the ring itself. They're a thrill to pull off, and make you feel even more badass than usual.

Most of the other wrestling gameplay improvements are subtle, but they make a real difference. WWE '13's action feels tighter and more cohesive than last year's revamp. Though not all of the visual bugs are squashed, there are far fewer problems that interrupt the flow of combat. Transitions between moves are animated more smoothly, and airborne maneuvers connect with greater precision, boosting the realism of matches. This is a big improvement from some of the more jarring visual transitions in last year's matches.

Spandex and Lycra: it's all the cushion you get.

This time around the reversal system is a lot more forgiving too, which solves one of the more aggravating conundrums of WWE '12. You still need quick reflexes to time your blocks and turn opponents' attacks against them, but there's enough wiggle room now on the default settings that you won't feel like you're being put through the meat grinder the second you're caught unprepared--unless you want a steeper challenge, that is. When you do miss, an onscreen indicator tells you whether you're too early or too late, instead of leaving you frustrated and guessing as to why you're getting getting your face bashed in. This helps to improve your timing so you can better anticipate when your next opportunity to break your adversary's attack chain will arise.

Beyond the option to boost or reduce the overall difficulty, you can even dig into the nitty-gritty and fine-tune the effectiveness of AI reversals to suit your ability level. Toggling the "experience" level of each match can further adjust how much damage each move does, affecting how long matches last. These additional layers of optional flexibility go a long way towards boosting accessibility. Though there's plenty of challenge here for experienced wrestling game vets to chew on, WWE '13 is a great entry point for newcomers to the franchise.

WWE '13 isn't lacking in one-off options for those who want to jump right in and experiment with the different match types against the AI or human opponents. From backstage brawls and Royal Rumbles to cage matches and tag team bouts, there's a ton of variety to explore. A beefier range of creative options let you craft a massive amount of customized content--including unique wrestlers, moves, storylines, and entire stadiums--that can be used in online multiplayer matches without having to upload creations first. Even better, this content can be used in the returning managerial-heavy WWE Universe mode that lets you simulate or play entire seasons of SmackDown, Raw, and Pay-Per-View matches. With so many options available, it's tempting to sink months of time into crafting content and tackling matches before you even dive into the solo campaign's great main event.

Move your butt, Kofi--we can't see what's going on in front of you!

In contrast to WWE '12's weak Road to Wrestlemania campaign, the excellent Attitude Era mode is a great replacement. It's one of the biggest improvements in WWE '13. Covering some of WWE's most notable matches, rivalries, and encounters from the Attitude Era (1997-1999), the new solo campaign is chock-full of audio and video clips culled from wrestling's historical archives. Nostalgia factor aside, some pretty rocking showdowns are found in the lengthy run of matches divided into character-focused chunks. These matches have you playing as a rotating group of wrestlers, including Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mankind, The Undertaker, and more, as they tackle some of the most epic encounters of the period. While most matches in the campaign let you win by pinfall or submission, mostly optional historical objectives for each showdown spice things up, and completing them unlocks bonus goodies like extra matches, special outfits, arenas, championships, and wrestlers.

Considering the franchise's annual nature and the fact that last year brought such a huge overhaul to the series, it's not a surprise that WWE '13 doesn't innovate as substantially as its predecessor. It feels like the same game in many ways, but lots of subtle tweaks help make up for the shortcomings in WWE '12. The small refinements add up, particularly when rounded out by the handful of bigger additions. The stellar Attitude Era campaign alone alone is a huge draw, and if you're a longtime avid wrestling enthusiast. WWE '13 is a big step in the right direction.

New Super Mario Bros. U Review

The Good

• Excellent level design   
• Smart difficulty curve   
• Classic Mario elements make their triumphant return   
• Additional content is plentiful and challenging.

New Super Mario Bros. U is an amazing jump start for Mario's 2D platforming career. It incorporates the best elements from the classics and mixes them into the New Super Mario Bros. formula, revamping the subseries' reputation for bland level design and menial difficulty.

As a whole, Story mode is a blend of joyful speed-run-friendly courses and precision-based platforming puzzles. It's the same balance of freedom and challenge that defined legendary entries like Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3, and it's the backbone of New Super Mario Bros. U's success. Also here are branching paths, a sprawling world map, and the overall sense of wonder that comes from exploring every last corner of the modern Mushroom Kingdom for secrets and alternate exits.

The first half of the game is a relative playground; troublesome enemies are at a minimum, power-ups are plentiful, and the environments are generally forgiving. Even at their easiest, the earlier stages are still enjoyable because their compositions lend themselves to acrobatic displays of triple-jumps and power-up-fueled maneuvers.

Sprawling overworld map with alternate routes? Don't mind if I do!

Sprinting through the first few worlds is carefree and instills confidence. Eventually, however, such hubris must give way to patience and awareness lest you squander all your remaining lives. The game's rise in difficulty is easy to miss, seamlessly transitioning from a light romp to a challenging test of perseverance.

Should you continue to fail multiple times in a given stage, the Super Guide box appears granting you a demonstration of Luigi completing the level, or allowing you to bypass the stage completely, though you may choose to forge ahead on your own. When failure persists despite your best efforts, the addition of a second player on the GamePad becomes a very attractive option. By using the touch screen, a second player can place up to four platforms at a time within a level, and can also stun enemies and interact with elements in the environment.

Mario maintains his positive disposition even when surrounded by Boos and poisonous waters.

Where New Super Mario Bros. Wii's co-op was often frustrating and useful only on occasion, the touch screen method employed here affords an experience that rewards teamwork. There are still ways that the "ghost" player on the tablet controller can interrupt Mario's flow and ruin the experience, and this opens up delightful opportunities for the tablet holder to make a little mischief. Deviously obstructing a player's progress can be as amusing as virtuously helping them to victory, and every player should be sure to take a turn with the tablet. Up to five people may participate at a time when four Wii Remotes are used, and roles can be switched from the world map without having to exit to the main menu.

Batman: Arkham City - Armored Edition Review

The Good

• Atmospheric, fascinating world rich with details and secrets   
• Satisfying, varied, hard-hitting combat   
• Grappling and soaring around the city is thrilling   
• Great assortment of involving side quests   
• Includes all the downloadable content from earlier releases.

The Bad

• BAT combat mode makes fights less exciting.

In last year's Batman: Arkham City, the Caped Crusader faced one of the greatest adventures yet in his legendary career. Now, that game has made its way onto the Wii U as Batman: Arkham City - Armored Edition. The new touches added here don't contribute much to the experience, and occasionally risk interfering with it, so there's no reason to buy this version if you have access to others. However, the Wii U version is still an excellent game, one that's absolutely worth playing if you haven't yet stepped into the batsuit and explored the open-air superprison of Arkham City.

Faced with a criminal housing crisis in the wake of the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum, the city of Gotham has fallen on dark times. Certain unscrupulous characters took advantage of the crisis by acquiring the run-down neighborhood of North Gotham, walling it off from the rest of the city, and tossing criminals in there to fend for themselves. It's an inhumane and immoral operation; food and warmth are scarce, and some inmates are people whose only crime was voicing a negative opinion of Arkham City and those who run it.

But their misfortune is your gain. The area of several city blocks that makes up the superprison isn't especially vast as open worlds go, but what it lacks in scale, it more than makes up for in atmospheric detail. Arkham City is home to an old courthouse, a former police headquarters, a musty museum, a disused subway terminal, and other fascinating places. These structures, with their faded portraits, old billboards, and plentiful other features, convey a sense of history, and the art direction that makes this vision of Gotham so fantastic is in full effect on the Wii U.

Batman has no choice but to explore the alleyways and underground tunnels of North Gotham. Within the prison's walls, Joker is dying, and the villain's schemes force the Dark Knight to help him find a cure. That quest brings Batman into contact with the Penguin, Mr. Freeze, and numerous other members of Batman's rogues' gallery. Each character is represented terrifically, with plenty of nods to their histories as established in the comics, and part of the fun of progressing through the story lies in seeing what character might make an appearance next. The excellent Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprise their roles as Batman and the Joker, heading up an ensemble of voice actors who never miss a beat.

Locations like this ornate, disused subway station give Arkham City a wonderful sense of history.

Naturally, Batman's errand brings him into constant conflict with the many thugs and lowlifes lurking in the shadows of Arkham City. The game's combat is outstanding; there's a rhythm to chaining together your strikes and counters, and successfully keeping a chain going for a while is immensely satisfying. Your attacks are accompanied by terrific animations that look simultaneously graceful and brutal, and the increasingly varied configurations of enemies you encounter as the game progresses require you to frequently alter your tactics.

Of course, thugs with shields, blades, and body armor are one thing; enemies with guns are something else entirely. Batman is tough, but far from invulnerable, and when faced with such firepower, it's time for him to rely on stealth. Batman has an assortment of sneaky techniques at his disposal, all of which are great fun to use. Crawl up to an enemy from behind, and you can take him down silently. By hanging from a gargoyle, you can ensnare an unsuspecting enemy below with an inverted takedown. The excellent sound design adds tension to these stealthy standoffs, with bad guys becoming increasingly frightened as you pick off their buddies one by one.

One addition to the Wii U version of Arkham City does take some of the bite out of combat, though. Batman's suit now comes equipped with what's called Battle Armored Tech mode, or B.A.T. As you fight enemies, your suit stores up kinetic energy, and once you have a full charge, you can trigger B.A.T., which makes your blows do twice as much damage and activates a visual filter that highlights enemy positions. Part of what made the combat in Arkham City so involving was that every strike mattered and that Batman was fragile enough that missing a counter could be a costly mistake. Being able to do more damage at set times means you can worry about precision a little less, and this eliminates the exciting balance that combat previously maintained. Of course, you're free to just ignore B.A.T. and not use it, but you can't turn it off entirely.

Lingering above, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It's good to be the Batman.

Another silly addition to Armored Edition is sonar, which lets you see indications of nearby enemy positions, as well as the locations of nearby collectible Riddler trophies, on the GamePad screen. Batman's detective vision, which lets you see through walls and easily spot any enemies in the area, is much more useful than glancing between the GamePad and the television to plan your next move, and manually spotting and tagging those Riddler trophies you don't know how to snag just yet is far more involving than letting the sonar do it for you.

Other implementations of the Wii U's GamePad to perform certain functions are more sensible, but don't appreciably improve the experience. When Batman investigates a crime scene, for instance, you can now move the GamePad around to search for clues; it's a nice option, but hardly a meaningful addition. Similarly, you can tap the GamePad to detonate explosive gel if you prefer that to the button command. Armored Edition's best use of the GamePad is not in the gameplay at all, but in the sound design. Now, radio transmissions, and all the enemy chatter that Batman intercepts, come through the GamePad's speaker, giving them a distinct, crackly sound.

LEGO The Lord of the Rings Review

The Good

• Tells the familiar story in a satisfying way   
• Lots of goodies to uncover  
• Exploration is encouraged and fun   
• Faithful to the spirit of the source material.

The Bad

• Stages can get repetitive when played alone   
• Occasional bugs can sometimes annoy.

Those who have never played one of the many Lego games developed by TT Games might find it difficult to believe that a beloved franchise such as The Lord of the Rings can benefit from a simplified narrative and family-friendly gameplay. The notion seems absurd, and yet past releases have capably proven that plastic blocks and theatrical blockbusters can make a great mix. That's particularly evident in the case of Lego The Lord of the Rings.

Sure, Frodo gets the nifty Phial of Galadriel, and Sam is stuck carrying the Lembas bread.

Though the game doesn't offer many narrative surprises, the lack of unexpected twists actually works in its favor. If you've seen the movies, you know the story of the brave hobbit Frodo and his journey to a well-guarded volcano where he hopes to destroy the cursed bauble he carries. All of the nastiest creatures in the land would be delighted to pry "the One Ring" from Frodo's cold, dead hands, and the capable people who should protect him are usually busy facing similarly important struggles of their own. The characters' combined adventures provided ample fodder for hours of cinematic excellence, and now Peter Jackson's three enormous films have been crammed into a single game.

This latest adaptation of the classic tale doesn't feel like a cheap substitute for the epic story, even though the protagonists are now fashioned from plastic. The most riveting moments from the film trilogy are recreated here--even a few that existed almost entirely for the sake of character development or mild comic relief, such as the contest between Legolas and Gimli to see who could slay the most orcs. The shrugs, smirks, and tension-diffusing humor that are standard practice in Lego games have been supplemented here with extensive spoken dialogue that was pulled directly from the movies. Kids will love seeing characters skewered by fruit or snuggling with teddy bears, while parents will appreciate the minimal violence.

A fascinating story and great voice work can carry a game only so far, though, and Lego The Lord of the Rings benefits from a solid gameplay foundation that should keep players of all ages coming back for more even when they already know how everything ends. Stages generally consist of a series of basic puzzles, occasionally interrupted by battles with small enemy groups that are easily overwhelmed. You can swap protagonists instantly to gain access to their respective abilities, and there are no permanent deaths. Characters briefly falls to pieces but almost immediately return to the action.

Lego Viggo Mortensen is way hotter than Lego Orlando Bloom.

The worst punishment you face is the loss of a portion of the studs you've collected, which means you could be deprived of a True Adventurer bonus once you clear the stage. Advancing from the game's prologue to its closing credits will probably take you no more than 10 or 12 hours, but actually reaching 100 percent completion could easily take twice that long. Mostly, you are allowed to decide what sort of experience you want to get from playing, within the established framework.

Due to the occasionally distracting volume of available content that practically begs to be discovered, a dynamic stud trail guides you to the next story sequence. Banners are spread throughout the open world and handily mark the entrances to action stages, but adventurers can easily get turned around without additional assistance. Fortunately, it's easy to warp directly to places you have previously visited, or to consult a map and set helpful waypoints. The stud trails unerringly lead you toward a chosen point unless you find a new obsession. Detours from the beaten path aren't a problem, either; the translucent stud trail quickly adapts and calculates the best route from your current location to your chosen destination at all times. That helpful mechanic isn't new to video games or even to the Lego franchise, but it's tremendously useful all the same.

Mass Effect 3: Special Edition Review

The Good

• Wonderful story elevated by numerous heartbreaking developments   
• The choices you make have a noticeable impact   
• Diverse levels and aggressive enemies make for exciting battles   
• Great art design underscores the game's dark, ominous tone  
• Using the tablet to perform special actions keeps you immersed in battle.

The Bad

• Some glitches and AI foibles   
• Reaper invasions keep galactic travel from being much fun.

The horrid creature standing before you might be a disgusting monstrosity, but you once spared this beast's entire species from annihilation. Do you do so once more, and risk losing a valued squad members and a crucial alliance? Or do you allow an even greater threat to destroy it--effectively committing genocide--so you might make a speedy exit, even though this creature's assistance could turn the tide of a vital galactic battle? In Mass Effect 3, such choices loom large, and not simply because there are many of factors to consider. Your actions often guide the course of events to come, sometimes in ways that see the loss of those nearest and dearest to your heart.

How deeply you grieve those losses depends on whether or not you have played Mass Effect and its sequel, and how close you've grown to the inhabitants of their irresistible universe. This is the first time this role-playing/shooter hybrid series has appeared on a Nintendo console, and it's possible you haven't played a Mass Effect game before. If so, you're at a disadvantage: without a connection to the wonderful characters that have already crossed the playable hero's path, you may place less weight on their ultimate fates. Yet even without that previous connection, it's hard not to be drawn to your comrades in arms. Every character leaps off the screen, thanks to top-notch voice acting and great facial animations that effectively communicate the sting of sorrow and the rush of victory.

Nevertheless, leaping blindly into the final installment of a beloved trilogy requires a degree of faith, and the game at least allows newcomers to catch up on the spacefaring series' plot developments via an interactive comic that has you making a number of decisions that determine the state of the universe prior to beginning the game proper. The attractive comic covers key plot points, and benefits from an outstanding narration. And while it's no substitute for dozens of hours' worth of dramatic storytelling and exciting gameplay, the comic gets the job done as well as could be expected.

Whether or not you're new to the series, it's hard not to be taken in by Mass Effect 3's narrative. You play as the customizable Commander Shepard, galactic hero and star of the first two games. Galactic tensions are high: a sentient race of starships known as reapers are eager to harvest organic species and turn their vibrant planetary homes into lifeless husks. After a short exposition, an opening combat scenario cleverly combines the "big" of a reaper attack on Earth with the "small" of a single death. While there is plenty of action, the game continually subverts expectation. Every so often, the shooting heats up, only to lead to a climax that comes not in the form of an explosion or a boss fight, but in a simple quiet conversation, or a few limping steps.

Brutes got you down? Nothing some biotic powers and a good shotgun can't handle.

The reapers aren't your only adversary in Mass Effect 3: the pro-human organization known as Cerberus, led by the Illusive Man, complicates the conflict. Your ultimate goal is to rid the galaxy of the reaper threat with the use of a superweapon, yet the Illusive Man has different ideas and goes to some disturbing lengths to implement them. Discovering his goals and means is one of Mass Effect 3's better story threads, in part because the Illusive Man is such a strong presence. Actor Martin Sheen brings a calm, chilling strength to the character, but also exudes a touch of vulnerability when the Illusive Man is forced to confront his own demons.

Much has already been made of Mass Effect 3's controversial finale, so you should note that the Special Edition incorporates the Extended Cut ending, which closes some holes left open when the game was originally released on other platforms. And even if you feel ambivalent toward its ending, Mass Effect 3 is hardly lacking in memorable moments. The choices you make during story scenes using the game's dialogue wheel have dramatic implications, and entire quests, conversations, and characters shift as a result of your actions. Other consequences are less sweeping but still emotionally affecting; a lover might fondly recall her previous entanglement with you, while still supporting your new romantic interest, for instance.

As a result, you might be delighted by characters other players never meet, share intimate talks with crewmates other players never interact with, and deal with decisions other players never make. Your entire attitude, governed by Mass Effect 3's morality system (paragon versus renegade) when choosing dialogue options, can drive you to conclusions other players could never consider. Rising personal tensions are enhanced by the game's ominous visual identity. A raging storm encroaches, giving battle an even greater sense of urgency. The sheer darkness of a subterranean ruin enhances the sense of danger. The art is effective, with touches of blue and crimson contrasting the cool apathy of space with the passions of its fearful residents. The Wii U release holds up rather well against the others, with only a few frame rate dips and less-saturated colors sullying an otherwise fluid and attractive experience.

A face only a Shepard could love.

Mass Effect 3 packs in plenty of excitement between story developments. The action plays out as a typical third-person cover shooter, with special tech and biotic powers livening up the core shooting. Mass Effect 3 provides a huge supply of guns and weapon modifications. There are five weapon types and loads of choices within those types, each with its own pros and cons. You find weapons and mods in mission areas and can purchase them from vendors on the space station known as the Citadel or from a terminal on your ship, the Normandy SR-2. You don't just need to consider your play style when choosing weapons prior to battle--you also need to consider how their weight might affect your ability to perform biotic and tech skills. The heavier your loadout, the less often you can send the bad guys flying into the air.

Scribblenauts Unlimited Review

The Good

• Thousands of objects and creatures to experiment with   
• Bonus objectives provide puzzling questions   
• Creation tools allow even more imaginative offerings.

The Bad

• Standard puzzles are easy   
• Logical solutions aren't always accepted.

Maxwell hides incredible powers beneath his unassuming stature. When he fancies eating a hot dog, a tasty treat materializes into existence, and if he dreams bigger--say, with a prehistoric slant--he can conjure his trusted dinosaur, ready to ride. Objects and creatures spring forth from his magical notebook, easily modified with a clever adjective or two, and he uses this menagerie to solve the troubles plaguing his compatriots. The inherent joy of flexing your creative might makes Scribblenauts Unlimited a ridiculous delight, though the pleasures never reach their destined zenith. Because there are no boundaries to rein you in, puzzles rarely demand more than silly suggestions, putting the impetus for enjoyment on your ability to create fun within this off-the-wall sandbox.

Maxwell has a unique way of solving puzzles.

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Immaturity can infect even the purest of souls, and Maxwell finds himself in an unenviable position when the juvenile bug bites him. Using his magical notebook for a hoax, he creates a rotten apple for a starving man dressed in tattered rags. Lo and behold, upon seeing a worm squirm from the decayed skin, the man reveals his true self, a wronged sorcerer quick to anger. In a flash, rock crusts over sister Lily, slowly transforming her into a helpless statue, and Maxwell is set off on a quest to cure her. Only through kind deeds can his bad act be reversed, so he visits citizens in need of a helping hand and provides his services to win back the goodwill he needlessly lost.

Though only the beginning and ending sequences involve much in the way of plot development, the story weaves its way throughout this adventure. Collecting starites from satisfied people opens diverse worlds to explore, and each time new stages become available, you see how close Lily is to becoming completely petrified. Such a reminder solidifies that there's a reason for your goofy hijinks, so the narrative hook introduced in this installment of Scribblenauts helps push you through this adventure.

Despite this narrative impetus, Scribblenauts Unlimited has only a loose structure. You choose which stage on the map you want to visit, and you can reach the ending even before visiting every place. Each level is a sandbox, giving you ample opportunity to explore the environment or conjure whatever amusing notion comes to mind. Words written in your notebook spring to life, and with tens of thousands of different items recognized, you'll still be making discoveries hours into the adventure. Try bringing various breeds of dogs to life, and then seeing which look better in a top hat. Or turn that chocolate cake invisible because any calorie you can't see can't affect you. Travel through time or teleport to another place; there are few rules, so much of the appeal lies in experimentation.

Well, if you don't think he deserves to wear that crown, you tell him.

When you tap on an animal or person in distress, you receive an objective, and that's when puzzle solving takes over. In a medieval dungeon, a public execution is taking place, and you're the chosen savior of the miscreant in chains. If you happen upon a lost underwater city, Poseidon requires your help in settling kingly matters. A frog needs a boost to cross the river, a baby goat can't keep up with its mama, and someone has to collect those crystal bones. The diverse problems urge you to scan your vocabulary to find the perfect word. Cycling between themes such as sports, farming, and animal rescue keeps you on your toes, and the sheer variety creates a pleasing, anything-goes atmosphere.

Bringing happiness to others is, in itself, enjoyable, but after a few hours of fiddling around, you enter a predictable groove. Scribblenauts Unlimited offers unrestrained freedom, but having such powers means that even the most difficult situations can be conquered with the flick of a stylus. Sticking a coach in the same cell as a convicted athlete is a quick way to keep both parties happily incarcerated, and you breeze through most situations by going with your instincts. However, Scribblenauts Unlimited often thwarts your attempts at being creative. It's disheartening when a dancing bear won't cheer a sad clown, or when a hurt girlfriend won't accept a gabby diamond as a peace offering, and meeting such barriers discourages you from thinking outside the box on the next puzzle.

Scribblenauts veers on the easy side and too often can't fulfill your craziest fantasies, but that doesn't halt the good times. Wackiness abounds, and that's the reason to keep messing around with your powerful notebook. One neat aspect has you solving riddles separate from the citizens in distress. At any time, you can pause the game to scroll through bonus objectives, and these often require a specific answer that can prove to be a real head-scratcher. Just don't be embarrassed if you have to consult a friend to discover what the correct answer to "What's black and white and red all over" is. And, no, it's not a zebra wearing a red saddle.

Strangely, the banana-headed monkey went extinct years ago.

For those who feel that the nearly unlimited freedom offered in the main adventure is still stifling, creation tools let you craft your own objects. Start with an item already in the game, add any other object into the mix, shrink or enlarge until the size is perfect, go nuts with the paintbrush, tinker with your creation's traits, and then come up with a ridiculous name for your monster. Yes, you can finally bring a purple monkey dishwasher to life, and even use it to solve a puzzle. It's a neat feature that allows you to be as imaginative as you want, and does a good job of plugging holes when you find that a real object wasn't properly represented in the in-game dictionary.

Sadly, as entertaining as Scribblenauts Unlimited can be, it doesn't reach its full potential. It's ultimately your duty to provide the fun because the included puzzles rarely test your skills, and though the extreme flexibility means it's inherently fun just to mess around, that does grow tiresome too quickly. Still, there's a lot of love about this latest installment, and if you have a warped sense of humor and friends eager to share in the twisted good times, Scribblenauts Unlimited provides another good outlet for your silly tinkering.