Don't let budget stifle gamer's wish list
By DOUG ELFMAN
The Game Dork
Friday, November 16, 2007
There's no shame in poverty, but there's no money in it, either.
And buying video game stuff for holiday gift-giving can require lots of cash. This irritates me, since I remember what it was like growing up poor.
So I'm splitting this year's gift guide into two categories. One is for cash-strapped gift-buyers. Another is for people flush with cash. Happy holidays, players!
Low on funds?
Go to a used-game store like EB Games, GameCrazy or GameStop, where you can find a "refurbished" Nintendo DS ($80) for a kid younger than 10 or for a newbie gamer who likes puzzle games, which are available in abundance.
If you're shopping for a hard-core gaming teen or adult, you might want to go instead with a refurbished PlayStation 2 ($80) or hand-held PSP ($130).
Refurbished machines are used but spruced up at factories, as dependable as new. Do not buy an old Xbox (which is the pre-360 Xbox). No one's making games for the original Xbox ($80) anymore.
Next, you need games. You can sift through used-game bins for $2 to $20 bargains. Used games always work. And if your gift receivers don't like the titles you pick, they can usually exchange them, no fuss.
Instead of buying, it might be cheaper to rent games from stores like Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, for just a few dollars for weeklong rentals. Video stores offer gift cards for renting.
Another pricier but cooler option is GameFly.com. It's like Netflix for games. GameFly mails games you pick out online. Cost: $16 per month to rent one game at a time; $23 a month to rent two games at a time.
Money to spare?
For a hard-core gamer, buy the new Xbox 360 Elite ($450) if your gamer doesn't already own an Xbox 360. Check out store ads in the newspaper. You'll see that some offer Elite bundles with free games or other extras.
If you're buying for an online gamer, you can't go wrong with a one-year Xbox Live subscription card ($50).
If you want to get someone a second system, the PSP ($170) is my favorite, since it's like holding a PS2 in your fingers. The DS Lite ($130) is great for kids and fans of puzzle games. But the trendy system is, of course, the Nintendo Wii ($250, or up to $500 as a multigame bundle). The interactive system thrills female and kid gamers en masse. Supplies are good. This season, you should be able to actually get your hands on one in a store.
Personally, I'm falling in love with the Sony PlayStation 3 ($500 for the 80 gig; $400 for the lacking 40 gig). It's a stronger computer than the Xbox 360 and Wii. It plays Blu-Ray and DVD movies, plus PS2 games. And PS3's online gaming is free, as opposed to the fee-based Xbox Live.
The bad thing is the PS3 isn't selling great, so its future is relatively weaker than Xbox 360. The problem: there aren't tons of great PS3 games yet. And games released for multiple systems usually take weeks or months longer to hit the PS3 than the Xbox 360.
Doug Elfman is a TV columnist for Chicago Sun-Times. Game Dork appears biweekly.
Buzz games
Here's the year's hot titles -- just make sure your gamer doesn't already own them:
* "Guitar Hero III" for Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii (guitar simulator, rated T for teen)
* "Rock Band" for Xbox 360, PS3 (and PS2 mid-December) (guitar, singing and drum simulator, T); be careful, this one's $170 for a full bundle.
* "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" for Xbox 360, PS3, DS (war, rated M for mature)
* "Assassin's Creed" for Xbox 360, PS3 (action-adventure, M)
* "Super Mario Galaxy" for Wii (action-adventure, E for everyone)
* "BlackSite: Area 51" for Xbox Live (shooter, T)
* "Mass Effect" for Xbox 360 (action role-playing game, M)
* "Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction" for PS3 (action, E 10+ for everyone 10 and older)
* "WWE Smackdown! Vs. Raw 2008" for Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, DS (wrestling, T)
* "Rayman Raving Rabbids 2" for Wii, DS (mini-games, E 10+)
* "The Simpsons Game" for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, DS (adventure, T)
* "Manhunt 2" for PSP (horror, less great for PS2, Wii, M)
More can't miss games
"God of War 2" for PS 2 (action-adventure, rated M)
"NBA 2K8" for Xbox 360, PS 3, PS 2 (basketball, E)
"Resident Evil 4" for Wii (horror, M)
"Shadowrun" (shooting, awesome only in online gaming, M)
"Major League Baseball 2K7" for Xbox 360, PS 3, PS 2, PSP, DS (baseball, E)
"MotorStorm" for PS 3 (off-road racing, online especially, T)
"Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2" for Xbox 360, PS 3, PSP (shooter, T)
"Super Paper Mario" for Wii (action-adventure, E)
"Halo 3" for Xbox 360 (action-adventure, M)
"BioShock" for Xbox 360 (horror action, M)
"Medal of Honor: Airborne" for Xbox 360 (war, T)
"Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08" (golf, E)
"Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow" for PSP (shooter, T)
"Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas" (shooter, especially online, M)
"The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" for PS 3 (fantasy action, M)
"Skate" for Xbox 360, PS 3 (skateboarding, T)
"Crackdown" for Xbox 360 (shooter, M)
"SSX Blur" for Wii (snowboarding, E)
"New York Times Crossword" for DS (puzzles, T)
"MLB '07 The Show" for Xbox 360, PS 3 (baseball, E)
"Nervous Brickdown" for DS (puzzles, E)
The Game Dork
Friday, November 16, 2007
There's no shame in poverty, but there's no money in it, either.
And buying video game stuff for holiday gift-giving can require lots of cash. This irritates me, since I remember what it was like growing up poor.
So I'm splitting this year's gift guide into two categories. One is for cash-strapped gift-buyers. Another is for people flush with cash. Happy holidays, players!
Low on funds?
Go to a used-game store like EB Games, GameCrazy or GameStop, where you can find a "refurbished" Nintendo DS ($80) for a kid younger than 10 or for a newbie gamer who likes puzzle games, which are available in abundance.
If you're shopping for a hard-core gaming teen or adult, you might want to go instead with a refurbished PlayStation 2 ($80) or hand-held PSP ($130).
Refurbished machines are used but spruced up at factories, as dependable as new. Do not buy an old Xbox (which is the pre-360 Xbox). No one's making games for the original Xbox ($80) anymore.
Next, you need games. You can sift through used-game bins for $2 to $20 bargains. Used games always work. And if your gift receivers don't like the titles you pick, they can usually exchange them, no fuss.
Instead of buying, it might be cheaper to rent games from stores like Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, for just a few dollars for weeklong rentals. Video stores offer gift cards for renting.
Another pricier but cooler option is GameFly.com. It's like Netflix for games. GameFly mails games you pick out online. Cost: $16 per month to rent one game at a time; $23 a month to rent two games at a time.
Money to spare?
For a hard-core gamer, buy the new Xbox 360 Elite ($450) if your gamer doesn't already own an Xbox 360. Check out store ads in the newspaper. You'll see that some offer Elite bundles with free games or other extras.
If you're buying for an online gamer, you can't go wrong with a one-year Xbox Live subscription card ($50).
If you want to get someone a second system, the PSP ($170) is my favorite, since it's like holding a PS2 in your fingers. The DS Lite ($130) is great for kids and fans of puzzle games. But the trendy system is, of course, the Nintendo Wii ($250, or up to $500 as a multigame bundle). The interactive system thrills female and kid gamers en masse. Supplies are good. This season, you should be able to actually get your hands on one in a store.
Personally, I'm falling in love with the Sony PlayStation 3 ($500 for the 80 gig; $400 for the lacking 40 gig). It's a stronger computer than the Xbox 360 and Wii. It plays Blu-Ray and DVD movies, plus PS2 games. And PS3's online gaming is free, as opposed to the fee-based Xbox Live.
The bad thing is the PS3 isn't selling great, so its future is relatively weaker than Xbox 360. The problem: there aren't tons of great PS3 games yet. And games released for multiple systems usually take weeks or months longer to hit the PS3 than the Xbox 360.
Doug Elfman is a TV columnist for Chicago Sun-Times. Game Dork appears biweekly.
Buzz games
Here's the year's hot titles -- just make sure your gamer doesn't already own them:
* "Guitar Hero III" for Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii (guitar simulator, rated T for teen)
* "Rock Band" for Xbox 360, PS3 (and PS2 mid-December) (guitar, singing and drum simulator, T); be careful, this one's $170 for a full bundle.
* "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" for Xbox 360, PS3, DS (war, rated M for mature)
* "Assassin's Creed" for Xbox 360, PS3 (action-adventure, M)
* "Super Mario Galaxy" for Wii (action-adventure, E for everyone)
* "BlackSite: Area 51" for Xbox Live (shooter, T)
* "Mass Effect" for Xbox 360 (action role-playing game, M)
* "Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction" for PS3 (action, E 10+ for everyone 10 and older)
* "WWE Smackdown! Vs. Raw 2008" for Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, DS (wrestling, T)
* "Rayman Raving Rabbids 2" for Wii, DS (mini-games, E 10+)
* "The Simpsons Game" for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, DS (adventure, T)
* "Manhunt 2" for PSP (horror, less great for PS2, Wii, M)
More can't miss games
"God of War 2" for PS 2 (action-adventure, rated M)
"NBA 2K8" for Xbox 360, PS 3, PS 2 (basketball, E)
"Resident Evil 4" for Wii (horror, M)
"Shadowrun" (shooting, awesome only in online gaming, M)
"Major League Baseball 2K7" for Xbox 360, PS 3, PS 2, PSP, DS (baseball, E)
"MotorStorm" for PS 3 (off-road racing, online especially, T)
"Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2" for Xbox 360, PS 3, PSP (shooter, T)
"Super Paper Mario" for Wii (action-adventure, E)
"Halo 3" for Xbox 360 (action-adventure, M)
"BioShock" for Xbox 360 (horror action, M)
"Medal of Honor: Airborne" for Xbox 360 (war, T)
"Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08" (golf, E)
"Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow" for PSP (shooter, T)
"Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas" (shooter, especially online, M)
"The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion" for PS 3 (fantasy action, M)
"Skate" for Xbox 360, PS 3 (skateboarding, T)
"Crackdown" for Xbox 360 (shooter, M)
"SSX Blur" for Wii (snowboarding, E)
"New York Times Crossword" for DS (puzzles, T)
"MLB '07 The Show" for Xbox 360, PS 3 (baseball, E)
"Nervous Brickdown" for DS (puzzles, E)
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