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Although there are technically only two games we recommend this week - in the respective shapes of slaughter-hungry The Mark of Kri on PS2, and that icon of simian scintillation, Super Monkey Ball 2 - few would argue that this is the best week of the year so far for gamers.

For a start, Xbox Live is officially on sale today, and if you have both broadband and an Xbox and haven't already got a Test Drive berth, you'll want to give this some serious thought. If you like any of MotoGP, MechAssault, Ghost Recon and Capcom Vs. SNK 2, then you owe it to yourself to sign up, and given that today also marks the release of Kola Cell, the first downloadable extra for Splinter Cell, we'd buy a pack anyway.

Also on Xbox today is the console's first lightgun outing, the disappointing House of the Dead 3, and otherwise it's a slew of ports which are available to all the others: Defender, Rayman 3, The Two Towers and Zapper. The Two Towers, it should be noted, is identical to the PS2 version.

But the Cube is fighting for its second place (and don't we bloody know it), with Paris Dakar Rally 2 to a certain extent and the massive Super Monkey Ball 2. You can read our extensive review of that here, and as you might expect, it's recommended.

PS2 fans needn't worry too much though, because although you'll need a Cube to play SMB2, you'll need a PS2 to play Ape Escape 2, the latest Dynasty Warriors update and The Mark of Kri, all of which should be worth buying if you can put up with their respective flaws. And if that sounds like a bit much to ask, Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc is a platformer which will plug the gap if you're missing Sly, Ratchet and co.'s company.

A brief mention this week goes to both PSX and GBA. PSX's death throes have churned out another compendium of past greats, Final Fantasy Origins, which includes FFs I and II - old, crusty RPGs which will find no feet with the post-PSX generation of RPGers, we fancy. Meanwhile, the GBA gets Bomberman Max 2 in two shades (blue is Bomberman, red is someone else) and Crash Bandicoot 2 (expect that to sell). If nothing else, everyone in the world should own a copy of Bomberman. We'll have a review of Max very soon.

So, once again, whatever you go for; simians, scimitars or Square sustenance, we bid you a merry weekend's shopping.