Okay, some of our games writers remain unconvinced about Nintendo’s controversial handheld, but at around £140 with a growing range of excellent titles (including Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7), it’s an enticing prospect this Christmas. Plus you can take loads of compromising 3D photos of your festive celebrations! Actually, you may well end up regretting that …
Yes, incredible as it may seem, Mattel has produced a board game version of the hit smartphone game. Players must build their own towers then try to knock over the constructions of their competitors by flinging small plastic birds at them. It’s being described as Mouse Trap meets Jenga – which sounds to us like the perfect post-Christmas dinner entertainment
This colossal fantasy adventure offers more than 200 hours of engrossing entertainment, and will be game of the year for many publications. Players create utterly individual warriors before exploring a rich, expansive universe, battling dragons and discovering treasure. Beware however: buy this for someone at Christmas and you may not see them again until mid-summer. Alternatives: More hardcore? Go for Namco’s Dark Souls. If you want something similar for the Wii owner in your life, get them the beautiful Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
If you want to give a game that’s going to amuse your whole household this winter, make it Dance Central 2, the exhilarating (and quite frankly knackering) dancing sim from the creators of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Learn the dance steps to all your favourite pop tracks, then get all your friends and family involved in elaborate routines. If nothing else, it’ll help you all work off the five kilos of Cadburys Heroes you just ate. Alternatives: For Kinect family fun, opt for Warner Bros’ charming Once Upon a Monster
This is one of those rare games that you can get for anyone – from kids to experienced players – and they won’t be disappointed. It’s a brilliantly crafted platformer with luscious 2D visuals and a great four-player mode, allowing everyone to play together on the same screen (as long as you have enough controllers). It’s a good present too, as the titles has enjoyed only cult success so far so your friend/partner/child/parent is unlikely to already have it. Alternatives: For co-op fun, you can’t go wrong with Lego Pirates of the Caribbean or Lego Harry Potter
PS3/PC/Xbox 360; £39.99-£54.99
Decisions, decisions! If you have a gamer in your life, they’re probably going to want one of these two – but which should you go for? Prevailing wisdom suggests that if they like slower-paced strategic play, it’s Battlefield all the way; if they like running around with an assault rifle shooting the place up like Tarantino characters, opt for MW3. Really though, for the person in your life who unconditionally loves first-person-shooters, you can’t go hugely wrong with either. Alternatives: Resistance 3 could be this year’s overlooked classic. Or try intelligent cyberpunk thriller Deus Ex: Human Revolution
As far as graphically rich, narrative-heavy gaming goes, you can’t get much better than this barnstorming, globe-trotting treasure hunt. The perfect gift for the perennial schoolboy in your life who grew up wanting to be Indiana Jones. And it’s so much fun to just sit and watch, the rest of the household can gather round the TV and rpetend it’s the big Christmas movie. Alternatives: Batman: Arkham City is another astonishing narrative thrill-ride, or there’s the dark detective drama, LA Noire.
If you know someone who’s said, “surprise me” when you asked what game they want this year, get them this. It’s a motion controlled music shooter that’s as awesome and trippy as the stargate sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey, but fully interactive. Your lucky recipient will need a PlayStation Move controller or an Xbox Kinect device, but if you get them this title, their New Year’s Eve post-party gaming is well and truly sorted. Alternatives: Really freak them out with El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
What do you get for the gamer who has everything? You get them one of these actually-almost-cool T-shirts, all featuring fictitious brands, organisations and logos from hit video games. Handily, the website tells you the name of the game each piece of clothing is inspired by, so you just pick your pal’s favourite title and away you go. My personal favourite is the Eggman Industries shirt, inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog. Chic
Another game of the year contender, and an astonishingly entertaining cerebral treat for anyone who wants something a bit more demanding than the latest blaster. The aim is to escape from a futuristic science laboratory governed by an insane computer – this involves mastering physics puzzles and enjoying the voice acting of Stephen Merchant as a hapless power-hungry droid. Amazing two-player co-operative mode too. Alternatives: Hang on, alternatives? To Portal 2? Are you kidding?!
