VIDEO GAMES

Holiday video games are a bounty of digital fun

Despite the recession hitting the games industry, there are still plenty of great titles to play as the year ends

By Omar L. Gallaga
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, December 12, 2009

This year, the supposedly recession-proof video-game industry hit a rough patch as sales slowed and even the once-invincible Nintendo game console finally hit a plateau.

Despite this, there's a glut of games to choose from this holiday season. Game publishers have been pulling out the big guns (sometimes literally) this fall and winter, and the summer's best games, like 'Batman: Arkham Asylum' and 'Wii Sports Resort,' are still going strong. It's the time of year when gamers are happiest.

Here are some of the best titles out there for holiday shopping, by genre.

The games

Action and adventure

'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'(Windows PCs, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) is likely to be the year's best-seller. It's got top-notch production values and is a big hit with online players.

'New Super Mario Wii' (Nintendo Wii) returns the famous plumber to his old 2-D stomping grounds and introduces new power-ups (a penguin suit and a propeller-head suit) and frantic co-op gameplay.

'Uncharted 2: Among Thieves' (PS3) was my favorite PlayStation 3 game of the year; it's a superbly crafted, finely tuned globe-trotting adventure with great voice acting and stunning animation.

'Left 4 Dead 2' (PC, 360) is all about zombies, zombies, zombies, but with new weapons, a new quartet of characters and a tour through the Deep South.

'Dragon Age: Origins' (PC, 360, PS3) is this year's giant role-playing game that could eat up all the game time a player has for the winter. BioWare's sprawling fantasy has earned great reviews.

On the portable consoles, 'The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks' (Nintendo DS) could be called "Link on a train." The Nintendo hero continues the adventure from 2007's "Phantom Hourglass" game. 'Tekken 6'(PSP, 360, PS3) and 'Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier'(PSP, PlayStation 2) are two old-school-style games that appear on the Sony PSP as well as other consoles.

Meanwhile, for pure over-the-top adrenaline rushes, you can't go wrong with the unique art style of the shooter 'Borderlands'(PC, 360, PS3) or the upgraded 'God of War Collection' (PS3), which brings the classic games to the high-def world in a re-release package.

Rhythm and music

It looked like guitar games might be on the decline until 'The Beatles: Rock Band' (Wii, 360, PS3), left, breathed new life into the genre with its amazing playlist and loving re-creation of Beatles lore. Meanwhile, rival Activision has unleashed the turntable-based 'DJ Hero' (360, PS3, Wii), the place where musical mashups go to be played. 'Band Hero' (Wii, 360, PS3), meanwhile, brings Taylor Swift to younger would-be vocalists, drummers and virtual guitarists. 'Rhythm Heaven' (DS) has an amazing soundtrack, as does 'Rock Band: Unplugged' (PSP). They're both portable games that require no instrument add-ons.

Casual and sandbox games

'The Sims 3' and its recent expansion pack "World Adventure" (both for PC and Mac) have kept the franchise strong for those who have kept up with the series. 'LittleBigPlanet' (PSP) brings Sony's sack-puppet hit to its portable system. 'Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story' (DS) has a clever and hilarious story in the latest of this long-running role-playing-game series from Nintendo.

'Scribblenauts' (DS), meanwhile, has made fans with its innovative gameplay: You write the names of items you need and they appear on screen to help you progress.

For those wanting something less-involved, however, there's the retro blasting of 'Space Invaders Extreme 2' (DS) and the casual sequel 'Zuma's Revenge!' (PC)

Kids and family

This year, it feels like there's an unsually large number of games targeted to younger players, and they're not just tie-ins to animated movies and TV shows (although there are plenty of those, too). 'Hasbro Family Game Night 2' (Wii) collects "Jenga," "Operation," "Connect 4" and other classic board games into one package. 'NERF: 'N-Strike' Elite' (Wii) continues the commendable combination of foam darts and video-game console technology. 'Style Savvy' (DS) is a smart, well-made fashion game, while 'My Virtual Tutor: Reading'(DS) is one of a series of titles that combine gaming with educational content.

And yes, some of the more popular pop-culture tie-in games might be 'The Princess and the Frog' (Wii, DS, PC) and 'Bakugan Battle Brawlers' (Wii, DS, PS2, PS3, 360), based on the popular card game and TV show.

Sports

'Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage' (Wii) continues the snowy streak of perhaps the best game yet to use the Wii's Balance Board accessory. 'Pro Evolution 2010' (Wii, PS3, 360, PSP, PS2) and 'FIFA Soccer 10' (Wii, PS3, 360, DS, PSP, PS2) are among the winter's best-reviewed new sports games and for racing fans, there's 'Forza Motorsport 3'(360) and 'MX vs. ATX Reflex.' (PS3, 360, DS, PSP)

Fitness

The popularity of Nintendo's "Wii Fit" has spawned a whole genre of sweatin'-to-the-game-console titles, including the company's own sequel 'Wii Fit Plus' (Wii), Ubisoft's 'Your Shape' (Wii, PC) and Electronic Arts' 'EA Sports Active: More Workouts' (Wii), which include a Balance Board, tiny camera and workout strap, respectively. For star power, however, you might want to pick up "The Biggest Loser" celebrity 'Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010' (Wii, DS). We're guessing you'll lose more weight when there's an ultimatum involved.

Online

PC gaming is alive and well, especially in the world of massively multiplayer online games like "World of Warcraft," which is still going strong after five years. This year's online hits include the superhero game "Champions Online"(PC), above, Sony's kid-friendly "Free Realms"(PC) and the airborne epic "Aion" from NCsoft.

Mobile

Smart phone-based games went from a novelty to one of the biggest video-game areas of the year largely on the strength of Apple's App Store. If you're able to sneak these gifts onto your loved one's phone, here are some that the mobile gamer might appreciate: Austin-developed 'Hi, How Are You?' (iPhone/iPod Touch) celebrates the music of Daniel Johnston. 'Pac-Man' (various platforms) still holds up for retro thrills, while 'Bejeweled 2' (various platforms) is one of the most addictive mobile games around. And 'Tap Tap Revenge 3'(iPhone/iPod Touch) is a great mix of music and gameplay.

Off the beaten path

And, lastly, some games that might be lower-profile, but still are worth a look. 'Bass Pro Shops: The Strike' (Wii, 360, PC) includes a fishing controller for some virtual fishing action. 'Solium Infernum' (PC, available online) is a well-reviewed strategy game that takes place in Hell itself. And, in keeping with dark-themed games, 'Demon's Souls' (PS3) is a fiendishly difficult action RPG that was a hit in Japan. 'Torchlight' (PC, available online) is a dungeon-crawl-style game that's also gotten great buzz.

ogallaga@statesman.com; 445-3672

THE SYSTEMS

Nintendo Wii

$199.99

Includes: Built-in Wi-Fi, one Wiimote and Nunchuck controller and 'Wii Sports.'

Bottom line:Top of the heap for the current console generation with strong family-friendly titles and motion controls, but its momentum has slowed this year.

Microsoft Xbox 360

$199.99-$399.99

Includes: Basic package has minimal storage, but other packages have a hard drive and trial subscription to the excellent Xbox Live online service. Can stream Netflix content (with a Live and Netflix subscription). Some versions include a headset for online chat. Has no built-in Wi-Fi.

Bottom line: Strong games lineup, great online play and increasing number of downloadable games and social networking features.

Sony PlayStation 3

$299.99-$349.99

Includes: Free PlayStation Network online gaming, built-in Wi-Fi, ability to play Blu-ray movies and Netflix content.

Bottom line: Excellent, but small library of exclusive games. But as Blu-ray becomes more popular, many will see this less as a gaming machine than a full-blown home digital media center.

Nintendo DS

$129.99-$169.99

Includes: Built-in Wi-Fi, stylus for touch gaming, dual digital cameras and an SD-card slot (on the Nintendo DSi version).

Bottom line:This year's new Nintendo DSi added new features to a console with a huge games library and innovative touch-screen features. It's a hugely popular and versatile portable system.

Sony PSP

$169.99-$249.99

Includes:Built-in Wi-Fi, ability to play movies and to download music and games, Memory Stick expansion slot.

Bottom line:A good games library and a lot of online content to download, but the newly introduced PSP Go seems overpriced and lacks the ability to play UMD-based games and movies.