Games we're giddy about

Sometimes great games are made. I imagine that inside the development houses for these games live magical wizards and gold roads, where designers effortlessly make the right decision, every time.

Unfortunately for us on the outside, those development houses didn't release anything for March, but there are some solid choices this month.

Black (Xbox, PS2 - $39.99) If you're a big fan of games where the story is back-burner and you really like to just holster a rocket launcher and go crazy, this game was made just for you. Black is coming from the people at Criterion Software, who brought you the Burnout series (if you don't remember the Burnout series, it's because you passed out from playing it hours on end) and who hope to strike it big again with this cross-classing First Person Shooter. Extremely destructive environments also enable you to do a little "virtual landscaping" with heavy artillery if the story gets old.

The Sims 2: Open for Business (PC - 34.99) America's control freaks rejoice at this all-encompassing expansion pack for The Sims 2. This time around, your characters (be they replicas of you or a family of ninja, as in my case) can open up shop and work hard for the money.

Professions give your Mini Me colony new depth, and will effectively vacuum hours of your free time away once you start playing. With the last few expansions, the only things your Sims don't do are go abroad and pay taxes, but knowing creator Will Wright, he'll probably do that, too. The Sims, as always, makes you wish that you were able to go downtown, go to college, and get a job - until you realize you do, it's just not as fun as it looks.