Just about every family contains at least one video-game fan—but unless you’re a gamer yourself, they can be tricky to shop for. So to help you decide the right titles to buy for your favorite gamers of any age or skill level, we bought and played the season’s hottest games.
Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 for Nintendo 3DS
Both are great for gamers of all ages
In Super Mario 3D Land, everyone’s favorite plumber gains some new abilities and returns to some classic ones, such as jumping over obstacles and onto bad guys. The 3D feature actually helps him navigate through the game.
Mario Kart 7 features Mario and other familiar characters in a “kart”-racing escapade; you can also race as your Mii character, if you’ve created one. There’s also some off-road fun, as some tracks take you through the sky or under water.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for Nintendo Wii
Best for ages 10 and up
This must-have title is a prequel to the classic game, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and tells the story of the origins of the legendary Master Sword. It’s an adventure game in which action and puzzle-solving are key elements. For young gamers, this may be their first Zelda experience, and having the game’s hero Link follow their every move with his sword on screen will be thrilling. For more experienced players, the new swordplay is coupled with the nostalgia that every new entry in The Legend of Zelda series provides.
Note that the game requires theWii MotionPlus accessory, which needs to be purchased separately for older Wii consoles.
Batman: Arkham City for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC
Recommended for ages 13 and older
The sequel to the very well received Batman: Arkham Asylum picks up a few months afterward. Solving puzzles and taking out enemies with Batman’s signature moves and gadgets is thrilling, fluid, and fun.
Batman: Arkham City also offers a New Game Plus mode: It allows you to restart the game with a higher difficulty level and all of the upgrades you earned from your previous play-through, which really cranks up the game’s replay value.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC
For mature gamers only
The United States government is under siege, and you’re on the battlefield, immersed in firefights in major cities like New York and London. While the storyline is fun, the real excitement of the Call of Duty series is in the multiplayer action, with one of the largest online gaming communities out there—so finding someone to play with should be no problem.
These are just a few of the big games out this year. Other popular titles you may want to consider are Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception for PS3; Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary for Xbox 360; Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC; andSkylanders: Spyro’s Adventure for PC and all major consoles. And don’t forget to check theESRB rating on any game you plan to buy to ensure that it’s age appropriate.
There are no posts related to Top five video games this holiday season.
Top five video games this holiday season