WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010

Most console formats; £30-£50. Age 15+
The best thing about this title is its realistic and detailed portrayal of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)

scene. Want pre-fight banter, fireworks, spandex and bad acting? You’ve got it. Ditto, convincing portrayals of bikini-clad wrestling “divas”, cage matches, and a mighty 20-man pile-up known as the Royal Rumble. You can play either as an established wrestler or create your own from scratch. There is a wide selection of single-player storylines, each culminating in a title fight if you can win enough bouts. In a knowing nod to the hammy nature of wrestling, you can even play as a director, and craft your own narrative from a set of ready-made fight scenes, before sharing these results online. All the sadder, then, that the actual wrestling is a bit — forgive the expression — pants. The stilted gameplay largely involves you sequencing together a series of punches, grapples, throws and counter-moves in an experience that feels closer to choreography than combat. Despite its fancy frills, the free-flowing action of the vastly superior UFC 2009 Undisputed lays this bad boy out cold.

Football Manager 2010

PC, Mac; £40. Ages 3+
Football management games involve choosing a team to play as, from a wide selection of real-world clubs, then picking a squad and tactics that spur it on to success over several seasons of computer-simulated matches. The Football Manager series has long been the Manchester United of this genre, so the question is whether it continues to outpace its rival, Championship Manager, which has recently enjoyed a renaissance of Manchester City proportions. The most impressive new feature is the option to bellow instructions to your players without disturbing the action. It’s immensely satisfying to see these orders carried out and each game can be animated so you can see it all unfold. Another key change is that your back-room coaching staff now offer you ad hoc advice before a game. Football Manager’s famed attention to detail hasn’t faltered. Chelsea’s transfer embargo is implemented, for instance, while Rory Delap’s ridiculously long throw-ins have to be dealt with if you face his team, Stoke City. A revamp of the menus feels like change for change’s sake, however, and owners of last year’s title will struggle to justify an upgrade. Even so, for managerial realism and sheer sophistication, Football Manager remains the game to beat.

Rabbids Go Home

Wii; £40. Age 7+
Fans of the Raving Rabbids games will be delighted at another instalment of the series about loony rabbit-like creatures. This time, rather than mini-games where you and your friends waggle Wii remotes to make the Rabbids disco dance or shoot at targets, the title is a Mario-style 3-D platform game. The premise is that the maniacal critters have decided to move to the moon. The Rabbids don’t have the patience to faff about with rockets and instead opt to build a giant pile of junk to get into space. You control a dynamic duo of the crazed bunnies as they sweep through supermarkets, hospitals and airports in a shopping trolley, grabbing objects as they go. Cannon shots can help you to blast through barriers and boosters enable you to soar skywards from ramps. The ingenious gameplay works well and the vibrant cartoon graphics imbue it with genuine quirkiness. There are twists galore and much delirious anarchy. Sure, it gets a bit samey, but even so,Wii owners seeking fast-paced craziness will find this just the ticket.