Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
Publisher: Activision
Platforms: PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360
From Toys in the Attic to dedicated music simulations garnering millions of plays in bedrooms worldwide, who could’ve guessed Steven Tyler & Co. would come this far? Celebrate the Grammy-winning band’s success with a special edition of the world’s most popular rhythm-based game, shredding in sync with on-screen prompts to hits like “Walk This Way” and “Sweet Emotion” with the bundled Aerosmith-edition guitar. Inherent cheesiness aside—hooray for watching over-the-hill musicians relive career-defining moments!—fear not: gameplay still rocks.

GRID
Publisher: Codemasters
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Get ready to shift into overdrive: What last year’s DiRT did for off-road racing, this puppy does for drift, circuit, street and muscle-car competitions. Putting the pedal to the metal in Ferraris and Porsches at famed international arenas or along Tokyo’s, San Francisco’s or Milan’s stunningly high-definition streets, run circles around the competition while dodging gut-wrenching blowouts and eye-popping collisions. Realistic physics will amaze, but it’s the online multiplayer options that really leave rivals eating dust.

The Bourne Conspiracy
Publisher: Sierra
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360
While lacking in a few crucial areas—say, open-ended mission progression or cameos by Matt Damon—and flush with clichéd scenes and timed key-pressing challenges, don’t dismiss this silver screen-inspired tale outright. Cheesy “intuition” powers, bland shootouts and unmemorable vehicle-based chase sequences aside, stunning cinematography and brutal fistfights ultimately carry the day. As with summer blockbusters, you’ll never tire of watching gas tanks explode or heads colliding with unlikely objects like microwaves and file cabinets.

LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
Publisher: LucasArts
Platforms: Nintendo DS, PS2, PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii, PC
We hate snakes. But addictive 3D button-mashers based on classic Hollywood serials? Now that gets our joysticks waggling. Such is the case with this action-packed, family-friendly outing, wherein you’ll swing on whips, assault thugs and run from rolling boulders solo or with friends’ assistance. Intuitive controls, bountiful humor, makeshift weapons and 60-plus playable heroes, from Marcus Brody to Short Round, earn it two enthusiastic (and sore) thumbs up.