The holiday season is big business for game publishers with the biggest blockbusters being released around this time of year. The latest in the Call of Duty franchise, Modern Warfare 3, grossed more than $1 billion after just two weeks on the market. Angry Birds has been downloaded over 500 million times.
There are lots of video games out there to choose from and it’s easy to be overwhelmed when looking for one as a gift.
Here are some tips when on the hunt for some digital entertainment.
Know the platform:
Video games are designed to be playable on a certain technology, whether on a console, mobile device, or computer, make sure you know if the game is playable on the platform available. There’s nothing worse than getting an Xbox 360 game when you have a PlayStation 3.
Consoles are stand-alone devices usually connected to a television and are designed primarily to play video games (although they do a bevy of other things as well). The Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 are the three primary consoles available.
The machines are far more advanced than their predecessors and connect to the Internet for playing with others online. Each of them offers its own pros and cons and it helps to do research before picking one up.
Mobile platforms come in all shapes and sizes, anything from an Android Smartphone to a Nintendo 3DS or an Apple iPad. This is a fast growing market with many innovative titles and applications.
Portable consoles like the 3DS or Sony PlayStation Portable offer a condensed home console experience that people can take on the go. Smartphones and tablets have games, which are usually unique to them and offer a wide range of time wasters. These games are usually shorter - quick bursts of fun.
And of course the trusty computer, whether on a PC or Mac there are lots of options available from the pre-installed Solitaire to massive 100+ hour role-playing games. Many gamers contend that the tried and true mouse and keyboard combo is still the best way to go.
What do they want?
Everyone has different tastes: some prefer short and sweet puzzle games, others want to play their games in social settings or to get fit, some want to escape in a fantasy world where all of their troubles disappear, and some want all of the above.
For the puzzle hound consider getting them gift cards for Apple’s app store where they can look for classics like ‘Tetris’ or new challenges such as ‘World of Goo.’ Ensure they have and iOS device first though (iPod Touch, iPad, or iPhone).
Party and fitness games are great when paired with motion control, which can be found on Nintendo’s Wii or by using the PlayStation 3’s Move add-on and Xbox 360’s Kinect sensor (Move and Kinect are sold separately from the consoles). Dance Central 2, exclusive for Xbox 360 with Kinect is one of the better party games available. Wii Fit makes for a good supplement to any fitness nuts lifestyle with an advanced scale that can be used for games and weight tracking.
The Nintendo DS platform has been a huge hit with younger children and are still top-selling gifts. However, the recently released Nintendo 3DS might be the wiser choice for $20 more. You’ll get backwards compatibility with all regular DS games, access to Nintendo’s eShop for downloading content and future 3DS titles including the newly released Super Mario 3D Land.
For the guy or gal who just likes to shoot things and blow things up, you’ve got a few great choices this year. Battlefield 3’s online multiplayer allows players to get inside and control vehicles like tanks and jets alongside great first person shooting gameplay. It’s available on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.
Finally the adventurer, the play-all-day-and-all-night-in-their-own-private-dungeon type. Leveling up, using magic, exploring dungeons has never been so fun. Two games that stood out in this genre this year include: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (360, PS3, PC) and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii) which ironically both have ‘sky’ in their names. Skyrim is a huge game with over 100 hours of quests, beautiful graphics and dragons to slay this is the ultimate hardcore game. Zelda is a staple in the video game industry and the latest game, Skyward Sword, is no slouch. With lots of amazing puzzles to solve, a beautiful composed score and innovative motion controls, this might be the best Zelda yet.
colin.andrew.chisholm@gmail.com
SIDEBAR
Best games of 2011
By Colin Chisholm – The Weekly News
Here are a few of my favourite games from this year:
10 - Sonic Generations (Sega) Available on: 360, PS3, Wii, PC, 3DS.
9 - Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Square Enix) Available on: 360, PS3, PC, Mac
8 - Super Mario 3D Land (Nintendo) Available on: 3DS
7 - L.A. Noire (Rockstar) Available on: 360, PS3, PC
6 - Forza Motorsport 4 (Microsoft) Available on: 360
5 - Rayman Origins (Ubisoft) Available on: 360, PS3, Wii
4 - Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (Sony) Available on: PS3
3 – Batman: Arkham City (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment) Available on: PS3, 360, PC
2 - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda) Available on: 360, PS3, PC
1 - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo) Available on: Wii
