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- Dragon Quest IX (10/10/10/10, 40 points): The newest game in Japan's national RPG love affair receives the tenth perfect score Famitsu has given in its 23-year history -- and the fourth they've awarded since the start of 2008.

Famitsu tends to delay their reviews of the really big-name titles -- the DQs and FFs and Marios of the world -- until after they're released into stores. Exactly why is left to speculation, but in this particular case, the editors seemed to wait for a chance to fully try out DQIX's multiplayer mode, which they mostly enjoyed. " Multiplayer can be frustrating given its command-based nature, but the unique suspense it offers is nice," one reviewer wrote. "I'm not going to say I have no complaints, but they're all trivial."

Otherwise, it's all love for this game. "The balance here, keeping the player just a bit anxious while guiding him along, is sublime," one writer said. "You're constantly driven to keep going, and the deeper you get, the more addicted you become." Further shout-outs were given to the "surprisingly severe" battle system and the music, which one reviewer found "hard to believe it was coming from a DS; it's stirring and drives you to adventure."

"Things may look different, but the feel is classic Dragon Quest," Famitsu summed up. "It's an RPG that people from truly any generation can enjoy."

- Punch-Out!! (6/7/6/7, 26 points): Famitsu bucks the American reviewing trend (and, indeed, its own reputation for overrating Nintendo titles) by dishing out some surprisingly tough scores for the classic retread. It's particularly striking because the reviewers' text is not all that critical, praising the "rugged difficulty" and how the game loses nothing of the original's style.

The most direct complaints were reserved for Punch-Out!!'s durability, or lack thereof. "There are lots of people to fight, but in terms of volume, there isn't a whole lot here," one reviewer wrote. Another agreed: "It would've been nice if there were other modes besides the championship that could stand up to repeated play."

Still, overall impressions seem positive despite the disappointing scores. "The gameplay is all about remembering the attack patterns for each fighter, meaning you'll either love or hate this, but the rush you get punching holes in your opponent's defense and KOing him is intense."

- Katamari Forever (9/8/8/8, 33 points): "A quick play now and then is satisfying enough," but "the sheer amount of volume in this game makes it the pinnacle of the series." It's "simple but fun", and while "there are no amazing new changes," it's still "neat to change how the game looks, and the soundtrack lineup is as glorious as ever." The chief complaint: The camera, which makes it "hard to see what's going on when a wall is blocking the way ahead."

- 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand (8/8/8/7, 31 points): Bethesda Softworks' Japanese division is releasing THQ's hip-hop vehicle next week over there, and Famitsu's reception is surprisingly upbeat. "Not just a lame 50 Cent license, this game is packed with shooting excitement," one reviewer said. "It's pretty simple -- you're shooting first and asking questions never -- but the way the game satisfies your primal urges to destroy things is exhilarating."

Not everyone was satisfied, however. "There are many disappointing parts," another wrote, "from the lame climax to the fact that a helicopter is the only very large boss battle in the game. It's the same basic style through all the stages, so things get a little stale in the second half."