Sports Video Games

Gamers join characters from the popular Ice Age animated films for Olympic-style, motion-controlled multiplayer action and 3D visuals in Ice Age: Continental Drift -- Arctic Games for 3DS. Continental shifting has set Manny, Sid, Diego, and the rest of the herd adrift on an island, and when they bump into a group of pirates carrying a secret treasure, the group holds an athletic competition to divvy up the riches. Players can join the herd, or the pirates, and team up with friends for local co-op or competitive events like ski jumping, ice smashing, and glacial hopping. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Nintendo's multi-talented mascot brings his ferocious forehand to the 3DS as up to four gamers can team up or square off in Mario Tennis Open. Series mainstays like Bowser, Peach, and Yoshi join in the action as players use wicked spin, execute drop shots and lobs, or step into Chance Areas to unleash supercharged Chance Shots. Gamers can choose touch-screen or button controls, and multiplayer options include local or online singles and doubles matches, automatic skill matching in "Open Match" mode, online leaderboards, and information sharing with StreetPass. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Past legends grapple with modern superstars in WWE All Stars, an arcade-style take on professional wrestling. Playable in glasses-free 3D, the 3DS game follows the high-flying, ground-pounding format of earlier versions of the title. With a selection of more than forty superstars from decades of WWE competition, fans battle through fantasy matches involving Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, John Cena, or their own custom star. Characters are more stylized than realistic, with exaggerated physiques and over-the-top moves.

Wrestlers are categorized in four classes: brawler, acrobat, grappler, and "big man." Class influences attributes, such as speed and power, and determines the moves available to players. Attacking and taunting a rival in the ring fills an energy meter, enabling wrestler-specific "extreme" moves. In a departure from traditional wrestling games, each grappler in WWE All Stars has a simple health bar. As in a one-on-one fighting game, the goal is to deplete the opponent's health and then finish him off in dramatic fashion. ~ All Game Guide

DualPenSports is a collection of sporting events based on baseball, archery, soccer, boxing, and more. While you'll use motion controls to swing the bat, throw punches, fire arrows, and kick the ball, the twist is that you need both hands to perform each action. The 3DS system's multi-touch display lets you perform multiple steps by touching portions of the screen assigned to specific controller functions. For baseball, you can adjust your stance on one side of the screen, while swinging the bat with the other. In boxing, you'll be able to throw left- and right-handed jabs, hooks, and uppercuts using both hands. Other featured sports include a similar two-handed control scheme. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Konami's "Winning" Pro Evolution Soccer series debuts on 3DS as a launch title, presenting the serious sports-sim action in stereoscopic display for the first time. In addition to adding another layer of visual realism, the stereoscopic graphics work with the game's camera angles in a manner intended to give the player a better sense of depth and distance on the field. The game features dozens of national and club teams through its UEFA Champions League options, with virtual athletes designed to play like their real-life counterparts. In "Master League" mode, players create a custom team and lead it to victory through all levels of play. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 for 3DS can also use the handheld's Street Pass function to compare Master League team data with others nearby, and two-player competition is available over a wireless 3DS-to-3DS connection. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide