Donkey Kong Country Returns (or DKCR as it will be known) comes as a revival of the golden days of platforming when the Super Nintendo was King and the Mega Drive was a pretender to the throne of gaming. But is the world happy to see DK and Co again or are they simply the same banana munching Primates we saw 15 Years Ago?

Fate can be a cruel mistress at times. Just when the family unit were starting to have actual conversations and the addictive grip of Call of Duty might have started to wane just a little, Activision and Treyarch go and hit us up with 4 brand new maps.

Oh the irony of war. What could possibly seem more ridiculous than naieve American GI’s sat clinging to the netting of a circling Huey, firing hundreds of M60 rounds at North Vietnamese soldiers, whilst listening to Creedance Clearwater Revival songs lamenting the unfairness of it all. Back in ’67, many of those lads didn’t have a choice, so you could well forgive them for indulging themselves in the malaise that must result from fighting in a war which even many of your own countrymen don’t want you to win. Battlefield: Bad Company 2′s first major add-on however, poses players with a more difficult choice – to go to Vietnam, or not…. And even to fight on the ‘other side,’ as it were.

Its very rare that companies get a second chance after failing as completely as Reality Pump did with the first installment in the Two Worlds Saga. Thankfully, the Polish Developer has been given just that with the soon to be released (25th Jan) Western RPG Two Worlds 2

As sure as the Seasons, another year brings us another PGA Tour Game. Even with all the attention that Mr Woods has had in the media this year, including his fall from grace in the public eye and his trips to ‘sex addiction’ therapy, EA have stood by their man. Tiger therefore continues in his role as coverstar for the popular series which bears his name (albeit probably for less in royalty payments than before.)

After almost two and a half years, Super Mario returns in what can only be the most anticipated Wii game of 2010 up to press. Galaxy 2′s predecessor presented a slight change of format and location for the stocky italian plumber and this years follow up to the 2007 hit continues along similar tracks. Princess Peach is once again kidnapped by the nefarious Bowser and only the moustachioed maestro can thwart his evil scheme to control the universe using the power of stars.

Every now and then a game sneaks out which defies expectation. In a market saturated with also-ran FPS crap set in pseudo-realistic Modern theatres of war, Red Dead Redemption aims to rekindle gamers interest in the long forgotten (but once incredibly popular)’Wild’ West of the late 19th Century.

Now I must admit I love stomping around Alien worlds suppressing and killing the locals as much as the next man. No, for once I am not talking about Avatar, but actually referring to the next installment in the Lost Planet franchise. 2010′s follow on from the surprise Capcom hit (all the way back in 2007) has been eagerly awaited by a loyal and adoring fanbase which, alas, has me amongst its members.