Arcade and Puzzle Video Games

Gamers can help the famed city of Rome grow from a small village into a great empire in 100 levels of "match-three" adventure in Cradle of Rome 2. Players match three or more items to collect resources, earn gold, and find citizens to help construct buildings and populate the city. There are eight different power-ups to help when gamers get stuck, blueprint mini-games to keep the action varied, and three difficulty levels for added challenge. Players can also earn 28 different trophies and unlock the bonus "Blitz" and "Tourney" modes. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

The most famous puzzle game in video game history makes its 3DS debut with Tetris Axis. Over 20 variants on the shape-stacking game are included, from "Survival" to "Marathon" to "Bombliss." The fast-paced "Fever" mode has you racing against the clock, while "Fit" mode involves placing blocks in differently shaped holes. In "Capture," you'll attempt to cover stars on both sides of a matrix playing field, whereas "Jigsaw" lets you solve picture puzzles with an option to import your own images. Up to eight players can challenge each other in select modes via Download Play, where only one copy of the game is needed, or online via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Five local multiplayer modes are also included, along with two augmented reality modes. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide