That isn't to say that Sneak King, Pocket Bike Racer, or Big Bumpin' (even combined) are anywhere close to as good as Resistance, but in their own way they are incredibly fun to play and, all things considered, that's quite impressive for $4 interactive advertisements. It's more than that, though. As short, janky and awkward as the games are, they're still complete experiences. Achievement points, leader boards, online play, HD support, decent graphics (for XBLA-style games anyway - take a peak at the screenshots to get an idea), and decent sound are all there. Being decked out in Burger King swag and blatantly pimping their product can almost be overlooked because of how well rounded the games are.

The gameplay of each title is quite different and even with a few flaws (alright, a bunch of flaws) they still manage to entertain. In a lot of ways it's like dealing with Dead Rising's save system - you know it's complete garbage, but you play anyway because of how outlandish and fun the rest of the game is. That's what kept us playing the King's trilogy; we just wanted to find out what ridiculousness was around the next corner. With that in mind the only way to actually enjoy these games is if you treat them for what they are (a joke that takes in-game advertising to the Xtr3mE.) And for those that feel the BK games are an embarrassment to gaming, no one is forcing you to buy them.

As for the argument that these games should be given out for free over Live, personally I appreciate having a hard copy especially when they're packaged in a full case with instructions (not just a DVD slip.) At the very least they can be used as backup cases in the event that a "real" game case accidentally gets trashed… Plus there's the whole collection aspect that isn't really possible with a digitally distributed version.

Sneak King:
Sneak King is arguably the best game of the three and not just because it has "rape time simulator" written all over it. Each level (I believe there are 5) is broken down into 20 selectable challenges ranging in difficult. As "the King" you'll need to remain unseen and deliver what ever the selected challenge requires. For instance, one challenge in the first lumber yard level has you hand out three cups of BK Joe coffee in under a minute and thirty seconds without alerting anyone. In order to remain undetected, you have to keep your sound level to a minimum and remain out of the view of the A.I. controlled characters. You do this by sneaking and hiding in clearly marked areas (e.g. trash cans, piles of leaves, etc.) It's kind of like an objective based Metal Gear Lite, except with really haggard/clunky controls.

Actually that reminds me, there is no non-inverted camera option, and so those of you that don't use inverted will have an additional hurdle to overcome. Think of it as the "Ultimate Ghosts and Goblins" of the third person sneaking genre - the control nuances are what make the game particularly challenging.

To increase your score, upon delivery you are given an opportunity to perform a "Flourish." A meter appears on the screen with a bar that goes up and down. Pushing "A" causes the bar to stop and the closer to the top you are, the higher level of "Flourish" you'll achieve (up to level 3.) It's like the power meter in golf games. Depending on which level you hit, the King will execute varying degrees of ballet-like maneuvers to deliver a Burger King product to the unsuspecting NPC. It's as funny as it sounds.

Pocket Bike Racer:
Brooke Burke is hot and she fully endorses Pocket Bike Racer. In fact you can play as a whole assortment of characters - The King, Whopper Jr., even a player-adjusted model (not as cool as it could have been) - including Brooke. The beauty of Pocket Bike Racer is in its diversity. Similar to how Sneak King incorporates a few different kinds of challenges (time-based, amount-based, etc.), Pocket Bike Racer is more than just racing. Sure you'll be tearing up the track, but there are 5 game modes to do it in. The most notable feature of Pocket Bike Racer is that it has a fully formed online experience allowing you to race with up to 7 other people!

Pocket Bike Racer is essentially a Mario Kart clone that, while not nearly as good as any game in the Mario Kart series, does a pretty decent job of replicating that arcade-y, fun-fueled mayhem. Like other kart games there are power-ups and weapons, refillable boosts, and (most importantly) power sliding. The controls and camera take a while to get used to (again, they're clunky) and at times it seems like quite a generic kart game, but overall it's a solid title. It feels a lot like South Park Rally… except it only costs $4 and isn't that crappy.

Big Bumpin':
If Pocket Bike Racer is a Mario Kart clone, Big Bumping is a Mario Kart Battle Mode clone. Rather than Pocket Bikes, Big Bumpin's vehicle of choice are Bumper Cars! Surprisingly, there are actually a bunch of modes in this game as well, ranging from standard bumper car action to the unconventional, like bumper hockey. As you may have guessed, Big Bumpin' has a very multiplayer friendly style of gameplay, which makes sense seeing that Sneak King is mostly a single player title and Pocket Racer offers a decent mix of both multi and single play.

Like Pocket Racers, you can choose your character from a moderately big selection of both BK mascots and semi-customizable models (again, they're customizable, but in a limited way.) Arenas consist of trap doors, power-ups, and are usually surrounded by an instant explosive abyss. The main object of the game is to jut, bump, and push your opponents until they lose health, fall into a trap door, or go over the edge of the arena. With the 'Own the Puck' mode a giant illuminated disc is introduced into the fray and the object is to obtain and keep the disc from the other players. Bumpin' Hockey uses that disc as a puck for Bumper Cars Hockey. Needless to say they're all pretty basic, but the havoc can quickly build when you're playing with people over Live.

Conclusion:
It's hard to label the BK games (pardon the pun.) If they came out in the middle of the summer drought they would've gotten far more attention (and maybe even praise.) However, because they dropped in November - arguably the busiest month in gaming - most gamers' time has been spent elsewhere (and for obvious reasons… reasons like Gears of War, Resistance, Zelda, etc.) The games have their problems and are rough around the edges, but realistically anyone who purchases them shouldn't be expecting perfection anyway.