JD's Holiday Gift Guide Day 2: Hardware and Portable Games

Posted by Anton Gordon at 12:08 PM Nov 20, 2009

http://www.rfhrhs.net/

​Welcome to the second day of the inaugural Joystick Division Holiday Gift Guide. Below are our top picks for hardware, portable games, and some other fun stuff that we recommend for gamers.

As with yesterday, these games aren't necessarily our picks for "Best Games of the Year," although most of them would certainly be in contention for those awards. These are simply the games and gear items that we recommend for gift-buyers looking to purchase presents for the gamers in their lives. With a few exceptions, we've played everything on this list and can personally recommend it. If you follow our advice, you're guaranteed* to have a perfect non-denominational holiday experience!  Read on for more!
Hardware

​Xbox 360

Out of all the consoles, the Xbox 360 is currently offering the widest range of options. For most gamers, we'd recommend the Elite bundle for $299. Once the top-end 360, the Elite is the new standard console, although there is a starter console with no hard drive available for only $199. For the serious gamer, there's the limited edition Modern Warfare 2 bundle, which features the largest hard drive ever offered for the 360 - 250 gigs. That one will set you back $399, though.



​PlayStation 3

Late 2009 was good for the PS3. First there was the price cut. Then there was the redesign. Then there was Uncharted 2, which may be the PS3's true breakout hit game. Netflix and Facebook were recently added to the console as well, so now it has most of the features of the 360 - plus the Blu-ray drive. There are several versions available, but only one you really need to consider: The new PS3 Slim for $299.




​Wii

The Wii is no longer impossible to find in stores, so if you want to pick one up this year,  you should have no problem. There's only one version to choose from, which goes for the reasonable price of $199 and comes with Wii Sports. However, the costs of the Wii start to add up when you tack on extra Wii Remotes, Nunchuks, Wii Motion Pluses, and the other peripherals you'll want to get the most enjoyment out of the system.




Nintendo DS Games
With the news of the Nintendo DSi XL coming to Japan, we're not recommending the actual system this year. The risk of a new version being released within the next few months is just too high.

Henry Hatsworth and the Puzzling Adventure​
Publisher: Electronic Arts / Developer: Tiburon / ESRB: E / MSRP: $29.99

An addictive fusion of platformer and puzzle game, Henry Hatsworth is one of the most likable new DS franchises in a long time. It's also much harder than in looks, so we don't recommend it for younger gamers.

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The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo / ESRB: E / MSRP: $34.99 This game doesn't actually come out until the middle of December, so we haven't played it yet. But it's a Zelda game. It'll be great.

​Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: AlphaDream / ESRB: E / MSRP: $34.99
The sillest RPG history, the Mario and Luigi games are sure to make you laugh out loud with their bizarre sense of humor. This game takes place inside Bowser's body, so you're already starting off on a weird foot.

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box​

The brain-teasing puzzles of the Professor Layton games make this series one that's as good for adults as it is younger players.

Scribblenauts​

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive / Developer: 5th Cell / ESRB: E10+ / MSRP: $29.99

Write a word, and that object appears in the game. Scribblenauts is big on creativity, although a little short on polish. Even so, it's one of the most original games you'll ever play.



PSP Games
Sony recently released the new PSP Go, but we haven't had a chance to get our hands on a unit yet. As such, we're not recommending the new version of the PSP hardware, as we can't fairly speak to its strengths and weaknesses.

​LittleBigPlanet PSP
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment / Developer: SCE Studios Cambridge / ESRB: E / MSRP: $39.99

LittleBigPlanet PSP strips out the level creation aspect of the console version, but that still leaves you with a great, charming platformer. Sackboy is the most endearing video game character in years, and you still get to deck him out in tons of different gear and clothing  - not that this is a fashion game. Although maybe it should be...

Patapon 2​

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment / Developer: Pyramid / ESRB: E / MSRP: $19.99

On the surface, it seems like a simple game - use rhythm to command your army of Patapons. But once you get the feel for it, you'll discover the shocking amount of depth there is in this game.Tons of unlockables and four-player multiplayer will keep you going in this game for hours. And it's cheap, too!








Rock Band Unplugged​

Publisher: MTV Games / Developer: Backbone Entertainment / ESRB: E / MSRP: $39.99

It won't necessarily feel familiar to those who only know Harmonix from Rock Band and Guitar Hero, but it will be instantly recognizable to anyone who played their earlier games Amplitude and Frequency. With nearly as much DLC support as the console game, Rock Band Unplugged is a game that you'll be able to play for years without getting bored.