The games of February 2011

FEBRUARY 8

Stacking

Platform: PS3, 360
EU release: Feb. 9

Double Fine Productions has made a name for itself producing quirky, stellar gamesbased aroundinteresting concepts, and Stacking – a puzzle/adventure-game hybrid about a tiny nesting doll who can slip inside larger dolls and control them – seems to fit right in with the rest of DF's lineup. Set in a semi-open world, Stacking tasks players with solvingpuzzle-like challenges (clearing out all thepatrons in a bouncer-guarded bar, for example) by borrowing and using the unique abilities of other dolls. Also it's possible to punch babies, and if that's not grounds to recommend a game,we don't know what is.

Test Drive Unlimited 2

Platform: PS3, 360, PC
EU release: Feb. 11

With so many killer racing games featuring customizable, licensed rides circling players right now, what the hell can TDU2 possibly have in tow that the competitors don’t? As it turns out, its most notable distinction is same one most other racing games have abandoned: A persistent hub world in which hopping into co-op play and dynamic online events is as seamless as kick-starting a single-player race. In other words, less like the isolated events found in Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, and more like the open world of Paradise. However, its biggest claim to fame is one you don’t need to be a gearhead to appreciate: it’s launching for at least $10 cheaper than the competition.

You Don%26rsquo;t Know Jack

Platform: PS3, 360, Wii, DS, PC

After something like a seven-year hiatus, the beloved, rapid-fire, relentlessly funny quiz-game series is making a multi-platform comeback – and if early reviews are to be believed, it’s just as good now as it’s ever been. The host banter is endless, the game modes rotate quickly, the trivia is inane and online play promises to be almost as much fun as playing the “Screw Your Neighbor” segment with actual friends in the room. If you’re looking for something simple and fun to play against friends or family, this is a pretty solid bet.

Body and Brain Connection

Platform: 360
EU release: Feb. 11

Since his initial splash in Nintendo’s Brain Age games a few years back, Japanese neuroscientist Ryuta Kawashima has been all over the place, most recently lending his name to this Kinect game. Offering a selection of IQ-testing minigames designed to get players thinking and reacting more quickly, Body and Brain Connection looks to be little more than a motion-controlled variation on Brain Age. Given how fun Brain Age was, though, that could be more than enough to interest casual, Kinect-equipped players.

Trinity: Souls of Zill O%26rsquo;ll

Platform: PS3
EU release: Feb. 11

An action-RPG by Dynasty Warriors developer Omega Force, Trinity puts players in control of three characters – a warrior, an assassin and a mage (controllable one at a time, with AI for the other two) – out to save the world from an evil king. This one hasn’t gotten a whole lot of attention pre-release, but we do know that it promises dynamic, shifting environments, plenty of destructible scenery and a story that changes depending on your actions.

Dungeons

Platform: PC
EU release: Feb. 4

In the vein of Dungeon Keeper, Dungeons turns the player into the bad guy in a standard fantasy setting where you design your own dungeons and invite heroes to plumb the dark depths. Your goal is to harvest soul energy from adventurers, and to get the most from them, you don't want to kill them outright – you want to design cool traps and treasures to make the heroes happy before you slay them. The twist that sets Dungeons apart is that you aren't some disembodied presence looking down from above – you have an avatar that lives in the dungeon and can personally stalk especially troublesome heroes, so it's a kind of Diablo/Dungeon Keeper hybrid.

Naruto Shippuden: Shinobi Rumble

Platform: DS

Does it even matter what we say about Shinobi Rumble? By this point, you’re probably either going to buy it because it’s a Naruto game, or you simply don’t care, also because it’s a Naruto game. Still, Shinobi Rumble’s anime-ninjas-meet-Smash-Brothers action could be a good time for fans, what with its wireless multiplayer and individual storylines for each fighter.