Gamers come in all ages. Kids, tweens, teens, adults- the video game world is filled with an array of age groups. The average player today is 35, and women and girls make up 40% of all players, the Entertainment Software Association says. Whether you’re shopping for family, friends or yourself, USA TODAY looks at some of the year’s best, by appropriate age.
KIDS
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Nintendo, for Wii, rated E for all ages, $49.99
For the first time in the franchise’s 26-year history, Super Mario Wii allows up to four people to play at the same time, competitively or cooperatively. Hold the Wii remote sideways, choose a character, and race to the castle by jumping on baddies, navigating through traps and collecting coins. Simultaneous multiplayer reinvents this classic. Mamma mia!
Plants vs. Zombies
PopCap Games, for PC, rated E-10+ for ages 10 and up, $19.99
Get a lot of bang for your buck with this refreshingly different computer game that challenges players to ward off a zombie onslaught by planting photosynthesizing creatures to do your bidding. This “tower defense”-style adventure features five lengthy modes, bonus mini games, 26 types of zombies and a hilarious music video at the end of the main game.
Scribblenauts
Warner Bros. Interactive, for Nintendo DS/DSi, rated E-10+, $29.99
Whether you’re 7 or 97, give your brain a workout with this ingenious puzzle game for Nintendo’s dual-screen handhelds. Using the touch screen, players help hapless Maxwell complete each level by jotting down a word in his notebook – such as “tree,” “rope” or “boat” – and the object appears on-screen to use. Also from WB, check out LEGO Rock Band (for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, rated E-10+, $49.99).
TWEENS
DJ Hero
Activision, for Xbox 360, PS2/3 and Wii, rated T for ages 13-up, $119.99
With its bundled turntable controller, DJ Hero lets players master song mixing, scratching and dropping in special effects for the ultimate “mash-up” between two tracks. More than 100 mixes are available, with cameos from the likes of Grandmaster Flash and the late DJ AM. Also check out Activision’s Guitar Hero 5 (for Xbox 360, PS2/3 and Wii, rated T, $59.99) and Band Hero (for Xbox 360, PS2/3 and Wii, rated E-10+, $59.99).
Forza Motorsport 3
Microsoft Game Studios, for Xbox 360, rated E for all ages, $59.99
Climb behind the wheel of Microsoft’s Forza and choose from more than 400 of the world’s hottest cars – each rendered in stunning high-definition detail – before hitting the 100 or so real-world tracks and exotic road courses from around the globe. Not only can you engage in multiplayer matches over Xbox Live, but you can also share your custom paint jobs and other tuner tweaks.
NHL 10
EA Sports, for Xbox 360 and PS3, rated E-10+ for ages 10-up, $59.99
While its football and basketball offerings were only marginal improvements this year, EA Sports brought its A-game to soccer and hockey. In NHL 10, use brute force or finesse to skate and shoot your way to the Stanley Cup. FIFA Soccer 10 (for Xbox 360, PS2/3 and Wii, rated E, $59.99) plays and looks amazing, with improved ball and player control, smarter artificial intelligence and new online leagues.
TEENS
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Eidos Interactive and Warner Bros. Interactive, for Xbox 360, PS3 and Windows, rated T for ages 13-up, $59.99
Earlier this year, Eidos and Warner Bros. delivered this deliciously dark atmospheric adventure starring the Caped Crusader. The Joker traps Batman inside Gotham City’s psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane. Use combat, gadgets and stealth to complete this immersive single-player tale.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Sony, for PS3, rated T, $59.99
Move over, Indiana Jones; you play as the adventurous Nathan Drake in an outstanding sequel that has you searching for a legendary jewel, once in Marco Polo’s possession, which is said to grant extraordinary power to its owner. This cinematic third-person adventure features more action, bigger set pieces and, for the first time in the series, multiplayer modes that add to the game’s replayability.
The Beatles: Rock Band
MTV Games, for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, rated T, $59.99
Perfect for teens and their parents, The Beatles lets you use previously purchased instrument accessories – or you can pick up new ones that resemble the Fab Four’s gear – to jam to the band’s famous catalog of hits. As John, Paul, George and Ringo, you can strum, drum or sing (including three-part harmonies) to rack up points and unlock songs in this great party game.
ADULTS
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Activision, for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, rated M for ages 17-up, $59.99
Picking up where its gripping predecessor left off, MW2 is a first-person military shooter that again drops players in the middle of the world’s hot spots in a near-future in which heavily armed Russian nationalists threaten world security. Complementing the cinematic single-player campaign are co-op Spec-Ops missions and online competitive modes.
Assassin’s Creed II
Ubisoft, for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, rated M, $59.99
Developed by no fewer than 250 people over the past three years, Assassin’s Creed II introduces Ezio, a young noble who chooses the life of an assassin during Italy’s Renaissance period. Spread out among more than 100 missions in a non-linear, open world, players will hop across rooftops, lurk in the shadows and take down prey with speed and cunning.
Brütal Legend
Electronic Arts, for Xbox 360 and PS3, rated M, $59.99
What happens when you combine Jack Black, heavy metal music and Tim Schafer, the ingenious designer behind Day of the Tentacle and Psychonauts? The answer is a refreshingly fun – and funny – third-person adventure with real-time strategy elements. Players control Eddie Riggs (Black), a roadie zapped into a fantasy world. Also from EA is the spectacular fantasy Dragon Age: Origins (for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, rated M, $49.99).
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2009-12-02-giftguidegames02_ST_N.htm
Tags: holiday gifts, recommendations, video games
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