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People always write to GameSpot to ask which games we're playing, and if you haven't noticed, we've begun including them in our sidebars for our weekly GameSpotting feature. To make things even easier, we've decided to dedicate this week's Game Collector to games we're currently playing in our free time. You'll be sure to find the latest and most popular games here, as well as some of the lesser-known games that are worth playing but may have slipped under your radar. If you've ever wondered what the GameSpot editors are really playing when they leave the office, this Game Collector is for you.
Virtua Fighter 4 - PlayStation 2 (2002)
Street Price: $43.20
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You can't tell right off the bat, but Virtua Fighter 4 is the best fighting game in years. Even if you've never liked the Virtua Fighter series, you should still give Virtua Fighter 4 a try. The quicker pacing, the perfected controls, and the great-looking character designs, along with the outstanding AI and the unparalleled gameplay depth, make this a fighting game that just about everyone will agree on.
Rallisport Challenge - Xbox (2002)
Street Price: $42.14
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It's somewhat noteworthy that the Xbox is only a few months old, and yet, it already has no fewer than 10 driving games available for it. However, none of those games deserve your attention as much as Rallisport Challenge does. This is easily the best driving game currently available for the Xbox, and no Xbox owner should be caught without it.
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 - Game Boy Advance (2002)
Street Price: $43.00
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Super Mario World is one of the greatest games ever made. The Game Boy Advance version adds a handful of amenities to cater a bit more to the portable crowd, but these changes serve only to enhance an already extraordinary game. New multiplayer options would have been nice, but in the end, this is a game that no Game Boy Advance library should be without.
Halo - Xbox (2001)
Street Price: $39.95
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Halo is one game with remarkable staying power. Its graphics are superb--excellent textures, huge draw distances, and dozens of enemies fill the screen at once. The rest of the game doesn't disappoint either. Its film-score-like soundtrack is a tour de force with sound effects that put you on the battlefield, and its multiplayer mode keeps Xbox owners coming back for more.
Final Fantasy X - PlayStation 2 (2001)
Street Price: $44.99
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All told, Final Fantasy X is an outstanding new installment in the series and is an excellent role-playing game in its own right. Not everyone will take to its deliberate pacing, its drawn-out and sometimes punishing combat, or its metaphysical story. But the ambitious design of Final Fantasy X ultimately pervades in every aspect of the game. And so, like many of its predecessors, Final Fantasy X stands as a testament to just how affecting a game can be.
ZOE: Fist of Mars - Game Boy Advance (2002)
Street Price: $29.96
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Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars fleshes out the same futuristic techno world seen in the original PlayStation 2 action title. The involved narrative deals with the political and social struggles of humankind in the strange future they have created. Although tactical combat is the focus of the title, Konami has infused an element of hands-on action into this competent, story-driven strategy RPG.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 - Game Boy Advance (2002)
Street Price: $36.84
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Activision went the extra mile for this sequel and included an improved trick system, improved graphics, multiplayer support, and a create-a-skater mode, creating an exceptional game and maintaining the Tony Hawk tradition of perpetually creating better games. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 used to be the must-own action sports game for the Game Boy Advance. Meet the new titleholder.
Maximo: Ghosts to Glory - PlayStation 2 (2002)
Street Price: $39.95
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Based loosely upon Capcom's Ghosts 'N Goblins series, this 3D platformer's game design would be right at home in most any game from that era--making it appeal to the old-school set. Maximo's graphics are simple yet endearing, and the gameplay is slightly repetitive yet highly addictive. If you're a detail-oriented person or a fan of games from a generation ago, Maximo is more than worth your hard-earned dollar.
Pirates: The Legend of Black Kat - PlayStation 2 (2002)
Street Price: $44.26
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Though it isn't totally remarkable from a technical standpoint, Pirates is an endearing and well-thought-out game. Its vast environments, original concept, and successful combination of two distinct types of gameplay--the seafaring and the on-foot swashbuckling--make Pirates: The Legend of Black Kat a solid and welcome addition to the 3D action adventure genre, one that you'd do well to check out for yourself.
Sega Soccer Slam - GameCube (2002)
Street Price: $47.95
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If you like new ideas in video games, hunger for twitch-influenced gameplay, and can handle sports games that take a less serious approach, Soccer Slam should be closely watched. For an arcade soccer game, the gameplay is surprisingly deep, the graphics are some of the best on the console, and the voice acting is hilarious. Look for our full review of Sega's slamfest next week.
Be sure to visit GameBuyer for the best deals on video games anywhere.
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