New Super Mario Bros. Wii

The Skinny: Mario, Luigi and the Toads recreate the 8-bit magic of 23 years ago with a whole new adventure to save the princess. (Yes, she's in another castle. Many, many other castles.)

The Good: NSMBW is a reminder of why most people love video games. It's simple, essentially taking the level design of yesteryear with a whole new twist. The platforming is tougher, the three new Mario suits (Propeller, Penguin, and Ice Flower) are a ton of fun, and the new four-player co-op mode can quickly become the center of any party. Yes, you can actually play this with your little brother, grandma, and your girlfriend without wanting to set yourself on fire. (Save that for the post-holiday dinner arguments with family.) Whether with others or alone, the over 80 levels means there won't be any five-minute speed-runs in your lifetime.

The Bad: We like the multiplayer mode, but you'll wind up being too busy trying to throw the other players off the screen or down an endless pit. Sure, you'll play World 3-4 56 times just to get to the flag, but the look on your former friend's face those first 55 times you're annoying: priceless.

Buy, Rent, or Disembowel? There's enough enjoyable content here to last a long while, plus it's the perfect party game. Buy it.