Castlevania: Circle of the Moon

Yeah, we know Nintendo’s new handheld unit (snicker) is essentially a kid’s toy, but if there were ever a game that could compel a grown man to play one, this is it. The latest installment of the long-running horror series doesn’t tamper with tradition, as vampire hunters explore a decrepit castle and sock it to the living dead with a magical whip. (Take that, Strom Thurmond!) Like Dracula himself, Castlevania really bites in some places: The difficulty level is fiendish at times, and a few dimly lit scenes make it hard to see the blood-splattering agony of your vanquished enemies. But its blend of gory game play and stylish graphics (especially for a portable system) make it a button-mashing, thumb-blistering classic.