Kingdom Hearts was one of the best games I have ever played. Ever since I completed the first game I have been waiting for the sequel. All the cast of the original game are back. The graphics have been improved from the previous title. The music should be great once again. There will be several new disney locales to explore including Pirates of the Caribbean. The control scheme has been made easier and the controls work better than the previous game. Donald and Goofy's AI has been made more intuitive. Square Enix also claims that Kingdom Hearts II is twice as long as the original. Although the new title will not be a ton different it fixes the problems of the original game. You can expect my #1 title to be released in December.

#2 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The last Legend of Zelda game was cell-shaded but the latest title is in a more realistic world. The graphics in the latest title are amazing and are probably the best ever on the Gamecube. The world in large and richly detailed. The soundtrack and sound effects should also be amazing. The soundtrack uses a full orchestra. The controls at the moment are crisp and work very well. Most of the controls are similar to those of Wind Waker. There will be several different types of levels. There will be horseback riding, dungeon levels, and many boss levels. There are some glitches in the game at this time but they should all be worked out by the time the game is shipped. This title looks so impressive it might be the best game of the series. You can join Link on his journey in October.

#3 Okami

Okami is one of the most original titles I have ever seen. Okami is an action adventure game with amazing style. Players play as a white wolf who is in charge of returning color to the world. The game has a cartoony feel and is simply gorgeous. The gameplay is comprised of platforming and fighting. The best part of the game is the paintbrush. When you press a button the game slows down and the world is flattened onto a piece of paper. You can then paint on the paper and when you un pause the game the brush stroke will affect the game environment. If you draw a straight line over an enemy it will cause damage to it. You can draw bridges over water, create wind, or create paths for you to travel on. There will be thirteen different abilities for you to learn. The game will be released in November.

#4 24: The Game

This preview occurs between 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm on August 6th. For all of you who are "24" fans this game has been a long time coming. You are placed in the shoes of Jack Bauer the lead CTU officer of the Los Angeles branch. The games story takes place between season two and season three. The story will feature the many plot twists of the show. The graphics are loyal to the series including locales you would see on the show. Many of the actors from the game lend their voices to their counterparts. The best feature of the game is that it follows the concept of the show and will take place within a 24 hour time. That means this game should take at least 24 hours to complete and that all the missions are timed. In the gameplay category 24 is a third person shooter. Jack can take cover behind everything in the environment during the shooting stages. There is also some stealth action sprinkled in. There will also be several mini games too including interrogation. In interrogation you need to scare the person into telling you the information you want but not push them to far. There will also be some driving missions included also. The game seems faithful to the series. I hope they spend enough time to get the controls down and then this will become a great game. You will get to play this game sometime this year.

#5 Nintendogs

Have you ever wanted your own dog? Nintendogs is a game for everyone except cat lovers. Nintendogs is a lot like Tamagotchi except you get to take care of cute little puppies. There are three different games called Shiba and Friends, Dachshund and Friends, and Chihuahua and Friends. My personal favorite is Dachshund and Friends because it contains the pug dog. You start with $5000 and have the choice to buy whichever dog you want. The money you don't spend on your dog you can spend on toys and other things for your cute canine. You can buy things ranging from balls to collars to soaps.  The graphics push the DS's capabilities and all the dogs are cute and adorable. The interaction with your dog is what is best about the game. You can teach commands to your dog using the microphone. Things really get interesting when you have your three dogs on the screen at the same time. When you want to leave the house you can take your dog with you on a walk. You can use the touch screen to control the leash so your dog doesn't get in trouble. There are also many different competitions including frisbee. This game is not just for gamers it is also for people who have never played a game before. The only question mark with this game is if it will get repetitive. You can adopt your own puppy on August 22nd.

#6 Shadow of the Colossus

From the developers of Ico comes a new title that has gigantic expectations. Shadow of the Colossus follows the story of a young boy who needs to fight giant monsters to save a young girl he cares about. The only enemies you will ever fight in the game are the Colossi. You will need to climb up the monster to defeat it. This involves platforming elements. The Colossus will know you are there and will try to shake you off. Also your character will get tired and you will periodically have to rest. If you fall off you will have to start all over again. When you reach the top you have to complete a boss battle. These stage feel epic and the whole game consists of them. At the moment there will be 16 different Colossi. The graphics are stunning and are a sight to behold. The world is also huge and will take a lot of time to transverse. You can tackle the Colossi on September 20.

#7 Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves

Sly and the gang are back for another cartoony adventure in Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves. The gang gets back together to try and find the Cooper family fortune. Each member of the group has learned some new moves too. Sly has now become the master of disguise. He will be able to wear several different disguises to sneak past guards. Murray has improved his fighting more and has become an even more difficult opponent. Even though Bentley is confined to a wheelchair after the last game he also has got some new moves. Bentley fixed his wheelchair up with several gadgets such as rockets to make himself an even better thief. There has also been a couple of other characters added to your group. Dimitri, the lounge lizard has been added for water stages. The shaman Murray trained under can mind control enemies to do your bidding. Finally you can also play as Carmelita Fox. There will be great variety of missions in the single player. The biggest addition to the game is the online play. One mode has one player as Sly and one as Carmelita. Sly is supposed to steal a certain amount of items while Carmelita tries to stop him. There will be several other modes including co-op missions. Join the gang in November of 2005.

#8 Final Fantasy XII

The Final Fantasy series has been around for a long time and has changed how we view RPG's today. The latest title is being lead by Yasumi Matsuno the creator of the Final Fantasy Tactics series. The game takes place in the same universe as the previous titles. In this title there is no more random enemy battles. Fights are seamless in XII. Once you see an enemy on the horizon you can decide to attack it or run away like a coward. If there are multiple enemies you have the choice of which to battle. You will also want to use the field of battle to your advantage. Where you are located on the battlefield can either help or hinder you. You take control of three characters at one time. You control the main character and the computer controls the others. Even though the formula has been changed a little I believe this will be another great title in the Final Fantasy series. You will have to wait till the second quarter of 2006 to find out for yourself.

#9 Ratchet: Deadlocked

Another Christmas season another Ratchet and Clank game. But this game is a little different. First and foremost Clank's role has been greatly diminished. NOOOO. You now can only see him in the cut scenes and doesn't follow Ratchet in his travels. Ratchet has been kidnapped by a crazed mogul who has recently been capturing heroes left and right. This mogul captured the heroes to fight against one another on his reality tv show. This game has a grittier tone than any of the previous titles. This title has a bigger emphasis on multiplayer. The whole single player game can be played co-op and the already great online play has been made even better. There has been squad based combat also added. Ratchet: Deadlocked is a big departure from the series. I hope they can make it faithful to the series. You can enter the battledome in November.

#10 The Movies

Have you ever wanted to make a movie? Do you like the Sims? If you answered yes to either question this game will be for you. In the movies you take control of a movie studio. There are three parts to running the movie studio. The first part is running the day to day operations of the studio. You can hire or fire anyone you could imagine to run your studio like you want to. The second part is taking care of your actors and actresses. This part seems to be a lot like the gameplay style of the Sims. Your final job is to actually make the movies. These movies can be used in-game or you can share them with friends or post them on the official web page. The controls seem to be simple at the moment and it seems like it will be no problem making a movie. There will also be a lot of variety in the movies you can make. With over 8,000 props, scenes, backdrops, and special effects you can make the movie of your dreams. The story begins in the early 20th century and you progress through the decades as your studio increases. Will you make a blockbuster film or will your films be busts. You can find out on October 4th.

#11 Super Mario 128

The Mario platforming series will be expanded when Super Mario 128 is released. There is very little known about this game but seeing that all the Mario platformers have been great there is no doubt in my mind that this game will be great too. Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that this game will be a lot like the original platformers but will also feature many new features never before seen in a platformer. Super Mario 128 will be released sometime in 2006.

#12 The Godfather

Godfather the classic movie has finally gotten a game. If you are a fan of the movie or a fan of the GTA type of gameplay you should be anticipating this game. To begin the game you can create your own character using the player creation system from the Tiger Woods series. You follow the story of the movie loosely as the climb the mob ladder. You will eventually gain respect and become more powerful. You can commit many crimes like in the GTA titles and the controls seem good for the moment. Don't be too cruel though or you can have rival gangs or the cops after you. Hopefully EA will take their time on this game and make it truly spectacular. The game will be released in the first quarter of 2006.

#13 StarCraft: Ghost

StarCraft: Ghost has been delayed and delayed but finally it is coming. StarCraft: Ghost is a stealth action game placed in the StarCraft universe.  This game has single player and multiplayer elements. Nova the ghost is the lead character of this game. You can either play in a first or third person view. You can also cloak yourself for some sneak kills. There is also vehicle combat added to the game. Multiplayer contains four on four capture the flag and many other types of combat. The graphics are simply stunning and are very loyal to the series. StarCraft: Ghost is EXPECTED to be released in February 2006.

#14 Star Wars Battlefront II

Time to relive the historic battles of the Star Wars universe once again. In Battlefront II there will be more emphasis on space combat. In the previous game the levels were so small ships were pretty much pointless. The new game will have much bigger levels and some will mostly involve space combat. Another big problem with the first game was the computer controlled jedis. In this game you will be able to control the jedi. To limit their power they will only be available for a limited time or after you have completed a certain objective. Each jedi will control differently. This title will have levels from all the Star Wars movies. Star Wars Battlefront II will be available in November of 2005.

#15 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell 4

The Splinter Cell series is one of the best stealth action series around. Each sequel has added a great new feature to the series. Although little is known about the game I can't wait for the next game in the series. One thing that is known is that the game will be released on current and next generation consoles. I would be shocked if this game does not live up to the previous titles. Splinter Cell 4 will be released in the first quarter on 2006.

#16 We Love Katamari

Katamari Damacy was one of the most innovative games I have ever played. With simple but addictive gameplay the original game made you want more. Soon there will be a new game in the series that you can get your Katamari fix from. In the new game there will be a lot more variety in your goals. It will not always be "make your Katamari this big" missions. Some missions have you picking up the most valuable items you can find. Some missions you can relax on and take as much time as you would like. There are some other quirkier stages too. The stages are also more creative including underwater and snow stages. There are also secondary goals on each level which should help replay value. Then there are the multiplayer options. There is now a co-op mode and a competitive mode. In co-op both players share the same Katamari and have to work together to pick up as much as possible. The competitive mode is a lot better in the sequel then in the original. The stages are very similar to the stages in the single player. Also in this game you will get to meet more of the princes weird family. The music is unknown at this time but it is probably as wacky as the first game. Soon we will be able to get our hands on this game. While we are waiting impatiently the Japanese are already enjoying this game. You can expect to get obsessed with this game October 3rd.

#17 Civilization IV

The Civilization series has been one of the best strategy series in video game history. In Civilization IV the series will receive it's first ever totally 3D environment. A new religion system has also been added. The fast gameplay from the earlier games in the series has returned. A new interface has been added that will be familiar to RTS fans. The new multiplayer mode might actually be fun as well. The new graphics engine is the same one used in the newest pirates game. Religions will make a huge difference in strategy in the game. You can also merge two civilizations together. You can try your luck to conquer the world in the fourth quarter of 2005.

#18 Age of Empires III

The Age of Empire series is one of the best RTS series around. In this new title in the series the graphics are simply amazing. The detail is so refined that you can see the smoke coming out of the chimneys of buildings. The environments are stunning and contain 50 different animals that graze on the land. This game will push the graphics card of any PC. In the third installment you play the role of a European country colonizing the new world. The newest addition is the home city. This is where you can get upgrades and reinforcements. There is a lot of strategy with what you choose to upgrade. Will you be defensive or offensive. Your home city also upgrades as you go along. The natives of the new world will affect the game greatly. Formations will be very important to combat. There is also a physics engine in the game. Age of Empires III will be out November 1.

#19 Call of Duty 2

The original Call of Duty was one of the best first person shooters I have ever played. With great atmosphere that made it feel like you were really there Call of Duty was an immersive experience. It is time to go back to WWII for another adventure. You will once again play as the British, Russians, and Americans but this time you can switch between stories at will. The graphics are raised another level from the previous game. The enemy AI has had a major upgrade. The game also seems to be less scripted than the previous game. The sound effects are as good as the originals. The only big question is what there will be for online. The game will be released in the fall of 2005.

#20 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow

Have you ever wanted to experience the life of Captain Jack Sparrow? The Legend of Jack Sparrow follows the life of the famous Captain. This game is a blend between action, and platforming with some puzzle solving elements. The story tells of how Jack Sparrow became the famous pirate he is. The game will feature many characters you are familiar with including Will Turner. At this moment Johnny Depp is not on board yet but hopefully he will join soon. The combat includes fast and furious swordplay with lots of combos. Throughout the game you will get many different swords to help you on your way. The game can also be played as co-op. You will have to wait awhile though. It is not set to be released until late 2006.

#21 James Bond 007: From Russia With Love

EA is creating another James Bond game but this time it is different. This game is based on the classic bond movie "From Russia With Love." This title returns the series to the third person shooter genre. Sean Connery lends his voice to the game. The game will feature all the gadgets and vehicles from the movie. The game will expand on the movie with new locales and a different ending. There is also an rpg element added to this title. There are new bond moves that can take out several enemies at one time. The latest edition in the Bond series begins in November.

#22 Prince of Persia 3

The Prince returns once again this year in Prince of Persia 3. The third game in the series returns somewhat to the original. The prince has most of the same moves as they have in previous games. The big twist of this game is that you can now play as the dark prince. The dark prince has a different weapon then the prince. He uses the daggertail which is like a blade attached to the end of a chain. There are also more puzzles added with the two characters. In some areas it is better to be the prince and others to be the dark prince. The environments include indoor and outdoor locales. Chariot races and combat has also been added. In November you can join in this new engrossing game.

#23 Trauma Center: Under the Knife

Have you ever wanted to be a surgeon? In Trauma Center: Under the Knife you are a surgeon in a local hospital. Using the DS touch screen your job is to perform several types of surgery on the patients that come into the hospital. This is one of the games that fully utilize the DS's touch screen. You will perform several types of surgery from removing shards of glass to healing small cuts. Your tools include tweezers, blades, syringes, ultrasounds, and several other tools. Each surgery involves several different tasks. The idea is different but I think it could turn out to be a very good game. This is one of the best ideas for a game in the last couple of years. You can become a surgeon yourself at the end of this year.

#24 Soulcalibur III

Namco is making another game in a Soulcalibur series. Soulcalibur has added a decent amount since the previous title. Three new characters have been added with several different fighting techniques. There is also Chronicles of the Sword which combines real time strategy with a fighting game. There is a player customization feature. There is also a new story mode. Each character also has their own story. Soulcalibur III seems to be more of the same. You can get your fight on in November.

#25 Burnout Revenge

Are you ready to crash? It's time for another Burnout game. The Burnout series is one of the best arcade racing franchises around. Burnout 3 was one of the best racing games that have recently come out. The biggest addition to the game is the revenge meter. The crueler you are to your opponents the quicker your revenge meter grows. The crashbreaker feature now makes it into regular races. The graphics have improved greatly. The details in the cars are in some places three times better. The crashes even look more impressive than in the previous games. There will be all new courses with plenty crash junctions. I just hope that the annoying announcer is not in this game. You can get your crash on September 13th.

#26 Animal Crossing DS

The original Animal Crossing was one the best games for the Gamecube. Now the game is coming to the DS. The graphics are almost on par with the Gamecube title. The biggest improvement is that you can visit other people's towns and interact with other players. To move your character around you can use the stylus or the traditional controls. The stylus makes several things easier to do then in the Gamecube title. The addition of online play makes Animal Crossing DS a game to look forward to. You can see for yourself on November 21st.

#27 Mario Kart DS

There have been many titles in the Mario Kart series but this is the first for the DS. The gameplay is more like the original than the most recent title Double Dash. All your favorite characters are back along with the classic weapons. There are over 30 different tracks with some classic tracks included from previous titles. The best thing by far for Mario Kart DS is that you can finally play a Mario Kart game online. You can play with several other people and there is no lag at this time. The gameplay is no different than previous titles but that is ok because it was perfect already. If you are a fan of Mario Kart you owe yourself to pick this one up on November 7th.

#28 Odama

Do you like weird games? This game would be perfect for you then. Have you ever thought a pinball game could be mixed with an RTS? Well that is exactly what Odama is. You are in control of a great army. Even though you have such a great army your best weapon is your Odama. You might wonder what an Odama is. Well it is your pinball in this game. I told you this game is weird. Your goal in each level is to help your army carry a bell into your enemies base. To help your army your job is to flatten the opposing army with your Odama. If you didn't think the game was weird enough already you control your army with the Gamecube microphone. Your commands include telling your army where to go and to charge. As you progress through the game you will learn new commands. If you thought Katamari Damacy was weird just wait for this game to come out. I hope this game pans out because it will be by far the weirdest game that has come out recently. Sometime next year you will be able to get your hands on this game.

#29 New Super Mario Bros. DS

Do you miss the classic 2D Mario platformers? Do you wish there was a new Mario adventure? Do you own a DS? After 15 years Mario is finally returning to his roots in a side scrolling platformer. This game is in 3D but takes place on a 2D background. This might just be the sequel to the original Super Mario Bros. This game is in a very early build and a release date has not been announced. The game has Mario's original moves along with a few of his newer moves. In this game you can also stockpile upgrades unlike any previous Mario game. The best feature so far is that you can play this game with a friend. You can be Mario and your friend can be Luigi. This game will probably be released sometime in 2005.

#30 Neopets: The Darkest Faerie

Are you addicted to the online game Neopets? Well if you are this game is for you. The story revolves the Darkest Faerie who had been captured for 1,000 years. Somehow the faerie escapes and is angry for being held captive. Like most villains the faerie wants to take over Neopia. Your job is to stop her evil plan. You can play as either Tormund (a Lupe) or Roberta (an Acara). There are over 60 different locales and include Merridel Castle and Faeriland. This game is most like a 3rd person adventure game with little parts of platforming and rpg elements. If you get lonely you will have your own petpet along with you that will give you special powers if you feed and care for it. Sony promises between 50 to 60 hours of gameplay. Will Neopians jump for joy or hang their heads in grief? We will find out in August.

#31 Mario Superstar Baseball

Mario next adventure takes him to the diamond in Mario Superstar Baseball. You will once again be able to choose from Mario, Peach and all the gang to take a swing for the fences. This title also includes lesser known Nintendo characters as well like Kamec, Monty Mole, and many more. Namco is developing this arcade style baseball game. This baseball game is as arcady as can be. You can control pitches in mid-flight to fool the batter. The stadiums are well designed like in the other Mario sports titles. There are your basic stadiums but then there are the more peculiar ones. One contains a maze in the outfield and one has rolling barrels. Sick of a full game of baseball try the mini games. At the moment there are only two mini games. One is like a home run derby. Knowing Nintendo these mini games will be good. I believe this will be another great multiplayer game for the cube. There is also a season and a story mode to enjoy. Superstar Baseball seems to be right on track to become a great sports game. You can swing for the fences on August 29 of this year.

#32 Viewtiful Joe VFX Battle

What happens when you mix Viewtiful Joe and Super Smash Bros? You get Viewtiful Joe VFX Battle. Captain Blue wants to make another action packed movie but he doesn't know who should be the lead role. He decides to have everyone face one another to see who the best fighter is. You can use many different characters including Joe and Silvia. There are two types of gameplay co-op and player vs player. In co-op you team up with someone to beat up the baddies. In player vs player you fight against the other player to prove who is a better fighter. All your favorite moves are back with several new ones added. You can also throw other enemies and background objects at the other players. You can get your fight on at a later date.

#33 King Kong

King Kong, Peter Jackson's next great film, is getting it's own game. I know I don't believe it either but I am actually looking forward to a movie based video game. Most movie based video games are poorly made and just plain stink. I think King Kong will be different. Developed by Ubisoft this action game follows the story of the movie. The graphics of this game are simply amazing. In the game you play as King Kong and a traveling band of humans. The action is immersive and there are no HUD display to show your health or a map. So you always are wondering if you are almost dead and what lies behind the next corner. While you play as the humans it is mostly an action game with puzzle solving elements. When you play as King Kong it changes to a fighting game and platformer game. I sure hope this game pans out like so few movie games have. You can expect to play the movie on December 14th of this year.

#34 Jak X: Combat Racing

The Jak series continues but the series has changed dramatically. The platforming series has turned to cart racing. Why does Naughty Dog always make a cart racing game after they have completed a couple games in a series? Back to Jak X. This cart racer is different than most. It continues the darker tones from the last two games of the series. All the vehicles are packed with heavy firepower to destroy your opponents. The story takes place after the third game as our heroes are forced to compete in a racing tournament. There are over 100 missions including standard racing, death matches, time trials, and more. There are ten tracks with twenty different configurations. Your car can be customized with new parts, decals, paint jobs, and even goofy accessories like fuzzy dice. You can upgrade your engine, brakes, etc. too. When your car takes too much damage it will start to fall apart. One of the best features is online play. You can compete against five other people online. Jak X doesn't seem like a typical cart racer. With it's realistic approach this game could bring new life to the cart racing genre. Jak X will hit the PS2 in November of this year.

#35 Super Mario Strikers

Our friend Mario is back in another adventure. He has saved Princess Peach several times and has recently gotten into sports. He has already hit the greens and the hard court now he is taking his chances on the soccer field. Like the previous sports titles it offers over the top gameplay and cartoony graphics. The controls are easy to get the hang of. The characters you can choose include all of those in other Mario sports games. All the soccer fields are specialized with a different theme. There are also special moves for every different character. All the previous Mario sports games have been well done and I expect no less from this game. What will Mario do next? Super Mario Strikers will kick on to consoles sometime this year.