2008 Holiday Gift Guide - Best in video games

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By Joseph Szadkowski

Higher resolution, smarter computing chips, faster processing speed and more digital information crammed into the tiniest of places have turned the video game into an all-encompassing form of entertainment.

According to the Entertainment Software Association, 38 percent of American homes have a video-game console; the average gamer has been playing for 13 years; and 26 percent of players are older than 50. That makes buying a game sound like a great choice for gift givers.

Best for Wii

* Animal Crossing: City Folk, from Nintendo, rated E for everyone, $69.99, bundled with Wii Speak. The popular community-based, open-ended game gives younger players a virtual place to call home. Using bulbous-headed, customizable avatars (with a new option to add an already-created Mii face to each) up to four players become part of a leisurely, real-time world where catching fireflies is as important as decorating a house for the holidays. Collect more than 2,000 items, befriend townsfolk, visit a big city, send text messages and use the Wiimote to perform such actions as fishing and chopping. The too-cute simulation is an ever-evolving, all-encompassing experience. City Folk also can invite friends into their town via the Wii's Wi-Fi connection, buy and sell items in online silent auctions and, more amazing, use the console's latest peripheral, the Wii Speak (a microphone that sits on top of the television), to initiate group gab sessions about their experiences.

* Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Lightsaber Duels, from LucasArts, rated E10+ for players 10 and older, $49.99. Players take control of the most powerful weapon of the Jedi and Sith in this third-person fighting game based on the current Cartoon Network series. Players wield the Wiimote like a light saber, slicing, thrusting and delivering hurt upon opponents in varied duels. With help from the Nunchuk, players can deliver the power of the Force. Characters eventually available for use and battle include Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Asajj Ventress, General Grievous, Count Dooku, Yoda and Kit Fisto. The mandatory two-player versus mode is frenetic and guaranteed to be a sweat-inducing experience for all involved.

Older Jedi who feel a bit silly waving around Wiimotes can embed them in Thrustmaster's Glow Sabre Duo Pack ($34.99, requiring six AA batteries). The peripherals feature a foot-long saber hilt with roughly 12-inch-long illuminated blades. They take a beating but must be swung pretty hard to get an on-screen reaction. Warning: Keep all antique vases and wandering tykes out of the room.

* Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party, from Ubisoft, rated E10+ for players 10 years old and older, $49.99. A pop-culture smorgasbord riffing on classic television and commercials greets up to eight players as they attack more than 60 minigames in this sequel filled with those lunatics from the Leporidae family. Once again, use the motion-sensing Wiimote and Nunchuk to blast zombies with plungers, match dance moves, drive monster tractors - you get the idea. All of the frenzied action and animated scenes reach crescendos of silliness to make even the sourest of curmudgeons crack a smile. The best addition to the zany action is the use of the Wii Balance Board ($139.99) with minigames. It requires players to use their bottoms for some snowboarding and perform some aerobics to name just two activities.

Best for PlayStation 3

* LittleBigPlanet from Sony Computer Entertainment America, rated E for everyone, $59.99. The diminutive, very customizable Sack Person leads a player into a virtual universe dominated by playing, creating and sharing. Lifelike environments and objects using physics-based textures become a playground to enjoy a ridiculous number of activities, including solving puzzles, collecting bubbles, avoiding Frida's Skulldozer (trust me) and riding a massive skateboard. The player can chill in his POD, explore the Curator Creator gardens or seven other massive places, or build his own adventure. Bundled with a robust online community encompassing multiplayer action and the ability to access a pal's newly published levels, LittleBigPlanet is a nearly limitless journey. The fun, cuteness factor and technology give players of nearly any age a wondrous world they can call their own.