Here's what's cool and hot on the video game horizon

Hey, we recently flew in from the annual Electronics Entertainment Expo in Atlanta and are our arms tired _ from non-stop video game playing!

In case you don't know, E3 is the annual industry showcase where game companies show off the best of what they're working on.

Here's our Best of E3 list. These are the games we guarantee you will want to get your hands on in the months to come:

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE OCARINA OF TIME, N64 _ We finally got to play this masterpiece in the making. It's everything you ever hoped it would be. Look for it to hit the market in about six months.

BUSHIDO BLADE 2, PLAYSTATION_ The seamless, realistic battle action is better than ever in this classic sequel.

BANJO-KAZOOIE, FOR N64_ Folks have been talking about this one for a long time. Now you will find out why.

PERFECT DARK, FOR N64_ This one's being billed as the sequel to Goldeneye. It's not. It's better than you could possibly imagine (though, sadly, still at least a year away).

STAR WARS ROGUE SQUADRON, N64 _ Brilliant game lets you do battle in the flying ships of the Star Wars Universe!

TOMORROW NEVER DIES, PLAYSTATION_ The actual Goldeneye sequel if there is one. This third-person shooter combines Goldeneye elements with other classic v-game scenarios in a sure-fire winner.

POKEMON, GAMEBOY_ The Japanese hit comes to the states. Also very cool and looking good were the Game Boy Camera and Printer and _ best of all _ Game Boy Color!

MADDEN NFL '99, N64 and PLAYSTATION_ The return of the NFL license and a shift to polygonal graphics could put this one back on top.

TOMB RAIDER 3, PLAYSTATION _ Lara's looking better than ever!

CARDINAL SYN, PLAYSTATION_ Brilliant brawler could be the best of the year.

NFL BLITZ! PLAYSTATION & N64 _ The arcade smash brings brutal football action home _ and looks great!

TIGER WOODS '99, PLAYSTATION _ Easily the best golf game we've ever seen, Tiger or no Tiger.

LEGACY OF KAIN 2, PLAYSTATION _ Vampires chasing vampires. Eerie, moody and brooding.

ARMY MEN 3-D, PLAYSTATION_ The gang from 3DO returns with an instant classic featuring those little plastic soldiers you used to love in real-life combat.

CRASH BANDICOOT 3: WARPED, PLAYSTATION_ Another Crash classic.

PARASITE EVE, SQUARESOFT_ Res Evil meets something even better. Very cool.

NFL EXTREME, PLAYSTATION_ Five-on-five football's fast and furious.

COOL BOARDERS 3, PLAYSTATION_ Revamped, with a new engine that delivers more of what you love and does it better.

TUROK 2, N64_ This one's absolutely going to blow you away. One of the strongest games at the show.

TWELVE TALES: CONKER'S QUEST, N64 _ You first heard of it a year ago and probably wondered where it went. It's been revamped and looks twice as good as the game that never came out.

NFL QUARTERBACK CLUB '99, N64 _ A good bit better than last year's smash hit.

NCAA FOOTBALL '99, PLAYSTATION_ The best college football game we've ever seen.

WWF WARZONE, PLAYSTATION & N64_ The greatest grappling game ever.

POPULOUS: THE BEGINNING, PLAYSTATION_ The latest in this series gives you your first chance to play God on a next-generation system.

ROAD RASH 3-D, PLAYSTATION_ As good as it was before, it's better now.

INDIANA JONES, PLAYSTATION_ At last, an Indy game that's worthy of the title!

JERSEY DEVIL, PLAYSTATION_ Crash clone is plenty of goofy fun.

Mailbag

Question: I have been playing GEX: Enter the Gecko (PlayStation) for weeks and I'm stuck. Can you help me, please? Julie Sundbury, St. Petersburg

Answer: We can help. We won't, but we could if we wanted to. Okay, okay, we will. First, we have to give you this key: The buttons respond to various letters. Up is U or N, Down is D or S, Left is L or W, Right is R or E, Triangle is A, Circle is O, X is X. Pause the game and then enter these codes, using the buttons described above to fill in the letters: UNDEAD gives you infinite lives; WEASEL makes you invincible; ALOUD lets you only hear the jokes by pressing the select button; and SENSELESS makes Gex just ramble on and on.

For more tips, tricks, reviews and news, check us out on-line at http://chitrib.webpoint.com/vgames or e-mail us at VidChipaol.com. Got a question? An inside tip you'd like to share? Write to Chip and Jonathan Carter in care of the St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. While they cannot respond individually, they will answer questions of general interest in their column.