Christmas Buyer’s Guide

Article December 23rd 2005 Thomas McDermott

So this is Christmas, what have you done? You’ve done no Shopping! Now you’d better RUN!!! Yes it’s that time of the year again when people leave the important task of buying presents for those they know and (supposedly) love to the very last moment possible and unfortunately end up buying then a jumper, a pair of socks or for the really unfortunate something of the shelf the shelf of there local petrol station. Well fear not DarkZero is here to make sure you don’t get the ones you know and love an aerosol tin of deicer as we recommend the best game for him, for her and for kids this Christmas season.

ibu Recommends

For Him
Half Life 2

Although the original title has been out since late last year on the PC the Xbox version tops ibu’s list of title that your husband, boyfriend (maybe dad?) would love the receive come Christmas morning. It took five-year to create the fantastic Half Life 2; a development cycle that was beset with source code was leaked to the Internet. The game utilizes the Source game engine, coupled with a heavily modified version of the Havok physics engine. The game has been critically acclaimed for advances in computer animation, computer graphics, artificial intelligence (AI) and physics game has sold over 4 million copies. The Xbox or cheaper PC version would no doubt bring a smile to many a person’s face Christmas morning. (Read Our Review)

For Her
Prince Of Persia: Two Thrones

Number two on ibu’s list is a game that he believes the lady in your life will no doubt love playing. The Prince of Persia makes his way home to Babylon, along with Kaileena, the enigmatic Empress of Time, and unspeakable scars from the Island of Time. But instead of the peace he longs for, he finds his kingdom ravaged by war and Kaileena the target of a brutal plot. When she is kidnapped, the Prince tracks her to the Palace – only to see her murdered by a powerful enemy. Her death unleashes the Sands of Time, which strike the Prince and threaten to destroy everything he holds dear. Cast to the streets, hunted as a fugitive, the Prince soon discovers that the Sands have tainted him, too. They have given rise to a deadly Dark Prince, whose spirit gradually possesses him..

For Kids
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

We all know the book and film are popular but the game have never really taken off to be classed as best of the best in there genre but ibu believes that this years Harry potter game would be a good bet to light up the eyes of you kids this holiday season. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are all playable characters, modeled after their big-screen counterparts. An all-new spell-casting system allows players to really feel the magic for the first time as the controller shakes and reacts with every flick of the wand. Gamers can team up with friends in co-operative play to combine magic and produce more powerful spells than ever before!

Blodskur Recommends

For Him
Age of Empires III

Blodskur’s first recommendation for Christmas comes in the form of Age of Empires III for the PC. This is the sequel to Age of Empires II and the third title of the history-based real-time strategy Age of Empires series of computer games. The game was developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft, and was officially released on October 18, 2005. The game is set entirely in the New World and Malta, covering the European colonization of the Americas between AD 1500 and 1850. The game allows the user to play one of the following historical empires: the Spanish, British, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Germans, Ottomans, and Russians. Twelve different tribes of Native Americans are in the game as well: the Aztec, the Carib, the Cherokee, the Comanche, the Cree, the Incas, the Iroquois, the Mayans, the Nootka, the Seminole, the Sioux, and the Tupi. These are not playable factions, but players can ally with them to gain access to trade and unique units.(Read Our Review)

For Her
SingStar Popworld

Blodskur’s game “For Her” is Sonys SingStar Popworld and could easily be a title the who family would end up enjoying. SingStar Popworld includes 30 new tracks and supports the impressive list of household-names already featured in the SingStar range, a great recipe to spice up any party! All the tunes in this unrivalled line-up are easily recognisable and fun to sing with many chart-topping hits of the last three years. The track list is filled with music superstars including original artists such as Avril Lavigne, Jamelia, Keane, Robbie Williams and the Black Eyed Peas. If you cannot get you hands on SingStar Popworld then they even more recent SingStar 80’s would be a great choice to toss under the Christmas three as well.(Read Our Review)

For Kids
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry’s back! Did I not just talk about him a few seconds ago? I did but Blodskur also recommends Goblet of Fire for the rugrats in your life. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are all (still) playable characters, modeled after their big-screen counterparts. An all-new spell-casting system allows players to really feel the magic for the first time as the controller shakes and reacts with every flick of the wand. Gamers can team up with friends in co-operative play to combine magic and produce more powerful spells than ever before!

Yamcha Recommends

For Him
Perfect Dark Zero

If you know someone who was lucky to get a 360 for Christmas and did not get title to add to their collection then there is no better game to give them this holiday season. We all know the single player campaign is not the best ever conceived but where the games shine is in multiplayer and on Xbox Live. The story is set in 2020, three years prior to the events of the original game. Joanna Dark is a Bounty Hunter working with her father Jack and her friend Chandra. After a rescue mission goes wrong, a conspiracy is revealed where the fate of the world is at stake. Zhang Li, the founder of dataDyne and his daughter Mai-Hem are searching for an ancient artifact known as The Graal, which imbues its possessor with superhuman powers. Joanna joins the Carrington Institute and attempts to stop this evil from coming about. If we want to play any of the DZ team on the game be sure to check out the forum and add our Gamertag’s (PDZ Match Setup Thread) (Read Our Review)

For Her
Nintendogs

The ever popular Nintendogs is the second choice for Yamcha and for those that have a DS there really is no better choice for the girl in your life. For those that don’t know Nintendogs is a pet simulation video game, similar to a virtual pet, for the Nintendo DS portable game system. The player is given the ability to interact with virtual puppies via the DS’s touch screen and microphone. It began as a project for the GameCube, but was later scrapped and re-worked for the dual-screen portable. The game made its debut at the 2004 Electronic Entertainment Expo as a tech demo for the system. At one time, the North American version was to be titled Puppy Times? Fun Times!, but this was changed back to Nintendogs before the game’s release. (Read Our Review)

For Kids
Mario Kart DS

It may be Yamcha chose “For Kids” but there is no doubt Mario Kart DS is highly addictive to anyone who is fortunate enough to lay their hands on it. The acclaimed Mario Kart series has gone wireless, letting players race and battle with up to eight karts at once, regardless of whether everyone has a game card. An all-star cast that includes Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario, Bowser and Toad will round out a truly all-star lineup of more than 30 courses drawn from every Mario Kart game. Players will tour courses from Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Super Circuit and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, not to mention brand-new tracks and arenas. With all the crazy items and frantic speed players have come to expect, this game is a Mario Kart fan’s dream. The game has a new dimension of fun, since players can battle others around the world by connecting to Nintendo’s new wireless gaming service, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. (Read Our Review)

JonSt Recommends

For Him
Project Gotham Racing 3

Although recommendation for those that has a Xbox360 comes for JonSt in the form of the fantastic Project Gotham Racing 3. In his own review of the title he classed it as having great depth and playability and will last you as long as you want it to. Enhanced and refined gameplay reintroduces racers to the familiar Kudos system with a completely original user-driven experience that lets gamers race what they want, where they want. Gamers drive with style and daring to earn Kudos in front of large crowds, and win badges to reward their skills in all areas of the game. With a whole new take on accessibility offered by the innovative and user-friendly GothamTV, “PGR 3” becomes even more like a real sport, offline and online. Unparalleled online features allow racers to compete for the right to become the Gotham World Champion, live on GothamTV. With a whole host of new racing modes, custom races, community support and campaigns, “PGR 3” takes advantage of the online advances Xbox 360 has to offer. (Read Our Review)

For Her
Nintendogs

Having the same idea as Yamcha JonSt also recommends Nintendogs to slot into your DS this holiday season. If getting a pet dog is not practical, Nintendo has an alternative that will definitely have you wagging your tail. Nintendogs takes the concept of the virtual pet and adds a whole new dimension of interaction. Players can actually touch and speak to their dog which, will in turn react realistically to this attention. This interaction is unlike any other seen before on a games console. Nintendogs is an ideal pet for people who can’t own a real dog, it makes no mess, will never die and definitely won’t be doing all kinds for weird thing all over your sofa! (Read Our Review)

For Kids
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Ahhhhhh! Who knew Harry Potter was such a popular game, I sure as hell didn’t and my dislike for the little bugger is getting even higher now that I am writing a third paragraph about him. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are all still (OMG Shock and Awe) playable characters, modeled after their big-screen (glorious and large) counterparts. An all-new spell-casting system (It’s OMG amazing people!!) allows players to really feel the magic (XX-XY???) for the first time as the controller shakes (mmmmmmmm) and reacts with every flick of the wand. Gamers can team up with friends in co-operative play to combine magic and produce more powerful spells than ever before! As Paul Daniels would say “Now That’s Magic!!”

Liquid_Vegeta Recommends

For Him
Resident Evil 4

It specially the Cube version he recommends though so watch out! In Resident Evil 4 players are reacquainted with Leon S. Kennedy, Raccoon City Police Department’s idealistic rookie cop from Resident Evil 2. It has been six years since the destruction of Raccoon City and in that time, the U.S. government has been able to destroy the nefarious Umbrella Corporation. Fast forward to 2004 and players rejoin Leon, who is now a U.S. agent with a top-secret mission. He has been tasked to look into the abduction of the President’s daughter and his investigation has led him to a mysterious location in Europe. As Leon encounters unimaginable horrors, he must find out who or what is behind everything. This title may also be picked up cheap as it has been out a while. (Read Our Review)

For Her
Nintendogs

Another recommendation for Nintendogs comes from Liquid_Vegeta you all know what it is about now though and if getting a pet dog is not practical, Nintendo has an alternative that will definitely have you wagging your tail. Nintendogs takes the concept of the virtual pet and adds a whole new dimension of interaction. Players can actually touch and speak to their dog which, will in turn react realistically to this attention. This interaction is unlike any other seen before on a games console. (Read Our Review)

For Kids
Paper Mario

Although this title was released last year Liquid_Vegeta still recommends this as a great title to slot into you GameCube for this Christmas. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is the sequel to the Nintendo 64 video game Paper Mario, and is the fourth in the series of Mario role-playing game titles that includes Super Mario RPG, Paper Mario, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time. It was developed by Intelligent Systems and follows the artistic style of its predecessor with a unique 2D-characters-in-a-3D-world look, and improved overall graphics as well. It has many in-jokes and references regarding Intelligent Systems’ Fire Emblem series, older titles in the Mario series, and other games that play on Nintendo consoles and handhelds. The title may also be sold at a lower price due to it been almost out a year at the time of writing but it is still a fantastic game. (Read Our Review)

DeltaTri360 Recommends

For Him
Project Gotham Racing 3

PRG3 is the fantastic arcade-style racing game that was released with the launch of the Xbox 360 on December 2nd in Europe. Developed by Bizarre Creations, it is the third instalment in the Project Gotham Racing franchise, a highly popular series on the Xbox console. PGR3 creates the ultimate roster of the hottest supercars in existence, introduces them to the high-definition era, and drops them into a completely new gaming world, where style rules the road. Racers define and create individually customized gameplay, and can race each other – on or offline. The title also home to a demo of the fantastic title Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved which in my opinion everyone needs to play NOW! (Read Our Review)

For Her
Nintendogs

The dog rear the cut little faces again as DeltaTri360 recommends them to stuff in you Christmas stocking. In the first week of its release in Japan (April 18 to April 24), its sales totalled over 168,000 units (Nintendogs: Shiba & Friends — 75,000 units, Nintendogs: Miniature Dachshund & Friends — 49,000 units and Nintendogs: Chihuahua & Friends — 44,000 units). This title game also boosted the Nintendo DS system sales by over 4.2 times the previous week to 95,000 units, up from 22,000. Nintendogs had also very successful launches in North America and Europe, with first week sales of over 250,000 and 160,000 respectively, making it the fastest selling Nintendo DS game in both regions to date. Worldwide sales are approaching the 2 million mark, according to Nintendo of America vice president of sales and marketing, Reggie Fils-Aime. Over 1 million have been sold in Europe alone since its debut on October 22. (Read Our Review)

For Kids
Kameo

From legendary game developer Rare comes “Kameo: Elements of Power,” a larger-than life journey full of intense combat, magnificent exploration, and innovative morph-into-monster action that allows Kameo to transform into incredible monsters to search out and battle ever-present evil. The future of the world depends on Kameo, who must capture, harness, and unleash a wide assortment of monsters to rescue three of her Elemental Ancestors and destroy the Dark Troll King who threatens the planet and its wildlife. In true Rare fashion, the world is wondrous and immense, the puzzles and challenges are brilliant, and the monster-oriented combat and exploration is innovative and unique. (Read Our Review)

Johelian Recommends

For Him
Resident Evil 4

Similar to Liquid_Vegeta, Johelian also recommends Resident Evil 4 (although is not console specific). In Resident Evil 4 players are reacquainted with Leon S. Kennedy, Raccoon City Police Department’s idealistic rookie cop from Resident Evil 2. It has been six years since the destruction of Raccoon City and in that time, the U.S. government has been able to destroy the nefarious Umbrella Corporation. Fast forward to 2004 and players rejoin Leon, who is now a U.S. agent with a top-secret mission. He has been tasked to look into the abduction of the President’s daughter and his investigation has led him to a mysterious location in Europe. As Leon encounters unimaginable horrors, he must find out who or what is behind everything. This title may also be picked up cheap as it has been out a while. (Read Our Review)

For Her
The Sims 2

Johelians second recommendation is the top selling Sims 2 for PC. An entirely new 3-D engine makes the world of The Sims 2 more life-like and dynamic. The Sims 2 will also introduce an all-new “Create-A-Sim” feature. This allows you to customize the facial features of your Sim with a few simple clicks to a level of detail never realized before. In The Sims 2, players are now able to build dwellings over two stories and have the ability to coordinate and customize the homes of their Sims to a new degree of design. It is also recommended to pick up some of the games expansion packs although that may end up costing a bit more.

For Kids
Nintendogs

Shockingly it is Nintendogs once again that gets the nod for a top crimbo gift. If you don’t believe us then other critics also seem to love the title as well. In the May 2005 edition of the Famitsu, a popular Japanese gaming magazine, Nintendogs received a perfect 40/40 score. Only four other games have attained this score: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Soul Calibur, Vagrant Story, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. It was also one of the three DS games to earn an Editor’s Choice award on Gamespot, with Advance Wars: Dual Strike and Mario Kart DS. (Read Our Review)

Rostam Recommends

For Him
Project Gotham Racing 3

For Her
Nintendogs

Next is a title which almost everyone is recommending. Nintendogs is a pet simulation video game, similar to a virtual pet, for the Nintendo DS portable game system. The player is given the ability to interact with virtual puppies via the DS’s touch screen and microphone. It began as a project for the GameCube, but was later scrapped and re-worked for the dual-screen portable. (Read Our Review)

For Kids
Mario Kart

Developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS portable gaming system. Mario Kart DS was one of Nintendo’s most anticipated games and it did not disappoint, The title is the first to use Nintendo’s free online service, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. An all-star cast that includes Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario, Bowser and Toad will round out a truly all-star lineup of more than 30 courses drawn from every Mario Kart game. Players will tour courses from Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Super Circuit and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, not to mention brand-new tracks and arenas. With all the crazy items and frantic speed players have come to expect, this game is a Mario Kart fan’s dream. (Read Our Review)

…And Finally

Well there you have it, you now know what we recommend you try and purchase for Christmas. If you still have not decided but if you only have enough money to get one title for yourself or those you love then it looks like it should be Nintendogs as nearly everyone on our team recommend it. Just remember a Nintendog is for life, not just for Christmas! All that’s left now is to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and let’s hope it’s a white one! What’s that? You want one more recommendation? Ok! DON’T EAT YELLOW SNOW!