(Since I have to play a fuckton of games on a daily basis and the Mercury has a limited amount of review space, a lot of games fall through the cracks. Consider this my (hopefully weekly) attempt at covering as many of these titles as possible. I'll mostly be choosing stuff that I've been enjoying recently, but if there is anything you want me to specifically review, let me know and I'll try to make it happen.)

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Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia -- $30 -- Nintendo DS

Once again Koji Igarashi has crafted a 2-D handheld Castlevania that's a contender for best game of 2008. Between an innovative weapon system, fucking stunning graphics and sound, and the most entertaining level designs since 1997's Symphony of the Night, Order of Ecclesia is the best handheld game you'll play all year.

Verdict: Buy

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Dokapon Kingdom -- $40 -- Wii

"Retarded-cute" isn't a strong enough euphemism. If you've ever gotten drunk and swore at your girlfriend for fucking you over in Mario Party's mini-games, Dokapon Kingdom is a must-buy. Think: Mario Party with Dungeons & Dragons characters all of whom were drawn by a 13-year-old Japanese girl.

Verdict: Buy, if you have friends to play it with

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Rhythm Tengoku Gold -- $40 (Import) -- Nintendo DS

If you enjoy Rock Band, but often wish it had more of a hallucinatory, Japanese feel, Rhythm Tengoku Gold is the game for you. It's not nearly as content-packed as Rock Band 2, but if you can get past the language barrier -- it's not terribly difficult if you're familiar with videogames -- you'll find RTG to be a quirky, hilarious, often psychotic experience.

Verdict: Buy, if the fact that it's entirely in Japanese doesn't terrify you.