Nintendo wouldn't let new hardware hit the shelves without a Mario title to accompany it. You can play as any of the four characters, choosing your favorite before each stage. Princess Peach can glide like a feather, Luigi can jump through the roof and Toad can outrun almost any enemy. While jumping on enemies is the time-honored way of wiping them out in platform titles, this time Mario gets to throw things at them, including other bad guys. There's also an excellent multiplayer game if you need to entertain a small crowd.
New cars race at breakneck speeds, floating above nicely detailed and varied tracks.
Doing well is important, because winning lets you unlock additional tracks and racers. Again, there's a multiplayer mode available. This launch title comes from Konami, and like the others we've looked at, it has a proud heritage. The title takes you back to 1830 as a disciple tries to revive the vampire king against the wishes of a plucky band of hunters. You have to battle a legion of demons from the underworld, using a whip and weapons you gather along the way.