Kiwi Christmas Gift Guide

By Jess Nickelsen

Check out our awesome gift guide for this holiday season.

Yes, it’s Deck the Halls time and all that jazz. Three weeks to Christmas now people!

It’s time to be leaving hints for your loved ones about what you’d like to see under that Christmas tree, yes - and time to start thinking about what to buy for the other gamers in your life.

No idea what to buy a 360 gamer when you only play PC RPGs? What’s good on the PS3? Do they even make good PS2 games anymore? Fret no longer, little Christmas dumplings, the staff of NZGamer have put on their bells and pointy shoes, and are writing a list you won’t need to check twice…

[disclaimer: PLEASE, for the love of all that’s holy, make sure you suss out the minimum specs for any PC gamer you might be buying for. It’ll end in tears, no matter how sure you think you are!]

Without further adieu, here it is:


The Official NZGamer Christmas Game Buying List For All Good Little Girls And Boys.



Halo 3

[Game Hub]
RRP: $99.95 (Xbox 360)
NZG Score: 9.9 [Read Review]
“Halo is popular because it doesn’t have moments, but events. Experiences that tickle the soul, sending shivers down the spine. Experiences, both single-player and multiplayer, that can be shared with friends in an excited oh-and-remember-when way that no other game achieves.

The frantic escape from the Pillar of Autumn’s self-destruction in Halo: Combat Evolved. The first assault on the Scarab tank or the first experience of a Banshee dogfight in Halo 2. Halo 3 takes those epic moments and multiplies them by ten.”



Mass Effect

[Game Hub]
RRP: $99.95 (Xbox 360)
NZG Score: 8.5 [Read Review]
“Mass Effect is not only served on a shiny silver platter but tastes as good as you’d hope. Space adventuring has rarely been so delicious.

Take 1 cup of Star Wars, blend in 2 tablespoons of Firefly and mix thoroughly. Mass Effect might not create as much of a stir as KOTOR did, but it's an undeniably good game that manages to showcase the incredible talent and dedication of the BioWare team.”



Project Gotham Racing 4

[Game Hub]
RRP: $99.95 (Xbox 360)
NZG Score: 8.6 [Read Review]
“PGR 4 does a number of things well. Once again, the arcade racer puts a focus on earning Kudos for drifts, getting air, and clean racing sections. While the goal is to win races, you'll want to do it in style.
The extreme weather variables add a lot of substance to the racing, and will actually get you thinking of how hard you should be pushing your car, and really gives a sense or risk versus reward, especially in career mode.”



Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction

[Game Hub]
RRP: $119.95 (PS3)
NZG Score: 8.5 [Read Review]
“This is the first quality platform game on PS3 and Ratchet and Clank’s biggest outing yet.
This time around Emperor Tachyon has attacked planet Metropolis in an attempt to kill Ratchet, and so our heroes are off on another adventure to defeat him. As with previous titles, gameplay involves running around huge levels, smashing crates and monsters, and collecting nuts to exchange for weapons or ammo. Fans of the series will feel right at home in Tools of Destruction.”



Warhawk

[Game Hub]
RRP: $109.95 (PS3)
“Warhawk’s a flying shooter at heart, but the developer, Incognito, has provided way more scope for players than just downing bogeys in the sky. They’ve taken the awesome turn of developing a persistent, open-ended world, where players can fight each other in the air, from tanks or jeeps, or even on foot. What’s more, players are able to move seamlessly from each vehicle to the next, hovering their aircraft in order to drop to the ground and commandeer that tank sitting there, or perhaps to take to the jungle for some hand-to-hand action. This is a huge game, a combination of flight action, ground combat and 3rd person shooter.”



SingStar

[Game Hub]
RRP: $119.95 (with mics), $69.95 (without mics) (PS3)
“The question is, why shell out a lot of money for a PlayStation 3 when you already have a PS2 and a lot of SingStar games already? Could it be that Sony are actually – gasp – adding in new modes and features to this version of the game? Well, yes and no. While there won’t be any new singing modes as such, there will be something that sounds pretty darn interesting: namely, the SingStore.

If you imagine an iTunes-like place where you can download songs of your choice for a nominal fee, you’re on the right track. The SingStore will let you choose from a catalogue boasting hundreds of songs that you can then sing along to. All of the songs from previous SingStar’s will be there, along with an ever-growing amount of new tracks.”



Okami

[Game Hub]
RRP: $99.95 (PS2)
NZG Score: 9.5 [Read Review]
“Every now and then, a game comes along which restores my faith in the joy of gaming.

If one word was used to sum up the appearance of Okami, it would be lush. The graphics look stunning, both in-game and when using the Celestial Brush. The environments are rich with colour and the swirling splashes of paint draw you effortlessly into a living, breathing paint box world. Given the intensity of the visuals, this game is akin to a slice of devil’s food cake – decadent, sweet and enjoyed in moderation. Happily, that last part is a load of nonsense. Slices of cake which are so good shouldn’t be rationed, and neither should Okami. The next generation of consoles would do well to sit up and take notice of how great a humble PS2 game can look.”



Buzz: The Mega Quiz

[Game Hub]
RRP: $99.95 (with buzzers), $69.95 (without buzzers) (PS2)
NZG Score: 9.4 [Read Review]
“If you have a PlayStation 2 (and let’s face it, who doesn’t these days?) and you have friends, then you owe it to yourself to pick up Buzz: The Mega Quiz. It is by far the best and most accessible party game on offer – even more so than SingStar or Mario Party. In fact, both of those series should take note of Relentless Software’s improvements and renovations because Buzz: The Mega Quiz is the new king of party games, and there is very little on the market at the moment to challenge its dominance. Purchase immediately.”



God of War II

[Game Hub]
RRP: $99.95 (PS2)
NZG Score: 9.0 [Read Review]
“Of course, God of War II would be nothing without its sound and graphics. And it’s in these two areas that it easily surpasses the first game. The voice acting is completely believable, the sound effects are fitting and realistic, while the rousing soundtrack is simply stunning, and lifts God of War II out of the realm of ‘ordinary’ and into ‘epic’ - which is something that no other game I’ve played has managed to do. Graphically, you’d be hard pressed to find anything else on the PlayStation 2 that even comes close. Everything is crisp and clear, and the lack of loading times earns God of War II four gold stars. But then, God of War II is a winner all around.”



Super Paper Mario

[Game Hub]
RRP: $109.95 (Wii)
NZG Score: 8.8 [Read Review]
“Some would say that if you've heard one Mario story you've heard them all. That certainly isn't the case here. Super Paper Mario has our titular hero making nice with familiar enemies, all in the name of bringing down the new supervillian, Count Bleck. Bleck is one twisted individual; after forcing Bowser and Peach to wed he then throws Mushroom Kingdom into a whirling chaos. Twists and turns in the game's plot are plentiful and highly unexpected, and it's because of this that the game is so engaging.”



Metroid Prime 3

[Game Hub]
RRP: $109.95 (Wii)
NZG Score: 9.6 [Read Review]
“The original Metroid Prime is one of the highest rated games of all time, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption can easily stand by its side. Its incredible controls and even gameplay really elevate the franchise to new levels. Hardcore purists may find the greater emphasis on combat sacrilegious but for everyone else this is the Metroid game we've been waiting for since Super Metroid on the Super Nintendo. By the end of it all you'll find yourself justifying the purchase of your Wii, understanding why you're proud to be a gamer, and praying to the Gods for a sequel, and soon.”



Super Mario Galaxy

[Game Hub]
RRP: $109.95 (Wii)
NZG Score: 9.8 [Read Review]
“Galaxy really is as good as you have been hearing; if you are a Nintendo fan, this is simply essential. If you can’t stand that darn plumber, still take a look (and for more than five minutes) – you may be surprised how different this game is. If, like me, you have been in a gaming rut as of late, make sure you play this; it will remind you of why you play games in the first place. If it doesn’t work, there’s simply no hope. Sell your games and get a new hobby.”



Resident Evil 4

[Game Hub]
RRP: $79.95 (Wii)
NZG Score: 9.4 [Read Review]
“The story won’t always surprise you but it will keep you on edge and may even force you to say “I’ll go to sleep in a few minutes” every couple of hours. RE4 is highly engaging thanks to its even pacing – huge action set-pieces spliced with eerie trails through the unknown; massive bosses and of course the odd puzzle thrown in for good measure. Were RE4’s formula a recipe it would produce an epic meal capable of pleasing the most picky of food critics.

Fortunately, this formula hasn’t gone off after two years; it’s still fresh and it is still tasty.”



Civ IV: Beyond the Sword

[Game Hub]
RRP: $49.95 (PC)
NZG Score: 9.5 [Read Review]
“Beyond the Sword features a very impressive array of scenarios. And where the scenarios in Warlords (Civ IV's first expansion) explored historical campaigns, Beyond the Sword moves into less traditional territory. While Rhye's and Fall of Civilization, a new incarnation of a fan mod favourite, charts to a fair degree the historical growth of some of the world's great empires, other scenarios take on a science fiction or fantasy flavour. And some even throw the rulebook out the window, altering the fundamentals of the game. […]
To have breathed new life into an already vibrant title like Civilization IV is a very impressive feat. And that right there is the bottom line. I had to tell you all about the new content. And the new content is exciting. The non-military additions to the game already make for a more exciting expansion than Warlords. But the winning stroke here is the polish.

Beyond the Sword plays better, and looks better. Civ fans: this is more than worth forking out for.”



Command & Conquer 3

[Game Hub]
RRP: $99.95 (PC), $119.95 (Xbox 360)
NZG Score: 9.0 [Read Review]
“As soon as I heard EA were making a new Command and Conquer game set in the Tiberium universe, and as soon as I heard they were getting the actor who played Kane back on board, I got pretty excited. I was looking forward to a real time strategy game that was simple, explosive, and extremely entertaining. So now that Command and Conquer 3 is actually out, does it live up to my expectations? In a word: 'yes'. In more than a word: 'oh my god this game is so much fun'.

You may have heard it before, but it’s worth repeating: C&C 3 is a throwback to RTS games of old, when your strategy would generally go something like this: build up your base as quickly as possible, create an army, rush the opponent’s base, then repeat if necessary. What’s new in this sequel is the extent to which this basic formula has been refined and polished. The developers have basically taken everything that was fun about the gameplay of earlier C&C games and transplanted it into this one, removing elements that didn’t quite work and adding in a number of great new features along the way. The result is a game with confidence and polish that few other RTS titles can match.”



Call of Duty 4

[Game Hub]
RRP: $89.95 (PC), $109.95 (Xbox 360), $119.95 (PS3)
NZG Score: 9.0 [Read Review]
“Fans of Call of Duty can sleep safely without the gun under their pillow, knowing that the series has not been doomed to dwell in the nineteen-forties forever. It was a smart move to go into the near desolate war zone of modern era shooters. CoD4 proves that a game does not have to be set in the past or the future to be great – it just needs to be well made. A gripping story and simulative combat combined with a fantastic multiplayer system makes Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare a must-have on your Christmas wish list.”



Guitar Hero III

[Game Hub]
RRP: With Guitar - $159.95 (PS2), $169.95 (Wii), $179.95 (Xbox 360, PS3); Without Guitar - $79.95 (PS2), $99.95 (Xbox 360)
NZG Score: 8.7 [Read Review]
“Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock has finally burst onto the scene, and is throwing those TV’s out of the hotel room window. If you’ve still yet to pick up one of those plastic guitars with the coloured buttons on the neck, now would be the time.
Even with the formula remaining largely unchanged, the Guitar Hero series has always been about the songs. It’s a good thing then that Guitar Hero III delivers on content. It’s a star-studded line up with the likes of The Smashing Pumpkins, The Rolling Stones, Beastie Boys, Kiss, Metallica, Sex Pistols, along with a whole slew of others. Impressively, nearly three quarters of the songs are master recordings. The game also features a pile of mostly lesser-known songs for the bonus tracks, as well as regular downloadable content from the Marketplace.”



Assassin's Creed

[Game Hub]
RRP: $119.95 (Xbox 360), $129.95 (PS3)
NZG Score: 9.0 [Read Review]
“Assassin’s Creed isn’t perfect. However, it is so close to being that perfect 10 that this game is definitely worth checking out. Apart from the slight faults in the AI and voice-acting, Ubisoft has done an amazing job in creating a unique gaming experience and a solid new franchise. Yes, there is definitely room for a sequel and the strange storyline does give them room to build upon. Assassin’s is minus any multiplayer modes and although these would be awesome, getting that level of detail and maintaining the gameplay integrity would be a mammoth task. Single-player wise many gamers could finish the core missions in around 10 hours. But to explore every aspect along with side missions, there are easily over 18 hours of solid enjoyment here and a very worthy title for a wide audience.”



SKATE

[Game Hub]
RRP: $119.95 (Xbox 360), $129.95 (PS3)
NZG Score: 9.4 [Read Review]
"The best skating game in the world. Period.
Skate provides so much enjoyment and challenge that it should keep fans of the skateboard entertained for hours on end. A fantastic setting, realistic controls, and insane graphics make EA Skate a definite must-have. It may take some time to get used to the advanced controls but once you are past that stage you will be skating like a professional and enjoying it even more.”



The Orange Box

[Game Hub]
RRP: $99.95 (PC), $119.95 (Xbox 360), $129.95 (PS3)
NZG Score: 9.0 [Read Review]
“If you’ve never played Half Life 2 before, this package will keep you occupied for some time to come, and rarely makes a wrong move. And even if you’re a long-time fan of the series, there’s still so much to play with here that you might still want to pick it up. Alternatively, you can just download each game separately from Steam if you so desire. Either way, if you have even a passing interest in first person shooters – or good games in general – this is an excellent package to look into.”



Virtua Tennis 3

[Game Hub]
RRP: $129.95 (Xbox 360, PS3)
NZG Score: 9.0 [Read Review]
“It’s the addictive gameplay that makes Virtua Tennis 3 such a winner. It’s simple enough that anyone can pick it up and play it, but it’s deep enough that the better player will always win. The game always challenges you to get better, to refine your game until you are a master. It’s something that is regrettably missing from most video games these days.

One of the most accessible and enjoyable sports games ever to grace the industry, Virtua Tennis is a joy to play. If you have even the slightest interest in tennis, you owe it to yourself to pick up this game. It’s $130, and that’s not cheap, but not only does it offer more than enough content for your money, it’s also some of the best fun you can have with your Xbox 360.”



BioShock

[Game Hub]
RRP: $109.95 (Xbox 360), $89.95 (PC)
NZG Score: 9.5 [Read Review]
“If you explore every nook and cranny – and I highly recommend that you do – the game will easily last around 20 hours. More importantly, the game stays entertaining throughout those 20 hours, which is a feat that few games accomplish. If you’re looking to sink your teeth into a quality single-player adventure, there are very, very, few titles that can compete with BioShock. Seriously: if you own a 360 or a good PC, why aren’t you playing this thing already?”



Hotel Dusk

[Game Hub]
RRP: $79.95 (DS)
NZG Score: 8.0 [Read Review]
“Hotel Dusk sometimes feels like less of a game and more of an interactive novel. It’s similar in some ways to the classic PC point and click adventure games, in that you solve puzzles and get involved in a lot of conversations. However, the fact that you turn the DS on its side, as well as the sheer amount of dialogue included in the game, means you’ll be passively watching the screens instead of engaging in the game world. It’s a testament to Hotel Dusk, then, that this actually adds to the experience rather than detracts from it.

This game certainly isn’t for everyone. If you’re after action, you won’t really find it here. But if you can appreciate a good story, and want something to keep you entertained for a while, I highly recommend picking up Hotel Dusk. Once you start unravelling the mystery surrounding the hotel, you won’t be able to stop until you’ve gotten to the bottom of things.”



Sim City DS

[Game Hub]
RRP: $79.95 (DS)
NZG Score: 8.0 [Read Review]
“So what is it about Sim City DS that is so arresting that for all my bluster I feel like a crotchety old man who talks about how music these days has gone straight to hell but finds himself tapping his feet to C4?

Seeing your population swell as you go about creating a tiny electronic utopia is well worth the few let-downs packed onto the cart and this is one game that will see you spending hours poised over your creation with your stylus, just making sure the buses are on time.”



The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

[Game Hub]
RRP: $79.95 (DS)
"Unless you’re a complete scrooge you won’t be able to resist its charm.

What’s cool about The Phantom Hourglass is that it has been created especially with the Nintendo DS in mind – the game is 100% controllable via the stylus and touch screen. Yep, all movement, fighting and boomerang action is controlled by the stylus. It’s used to solve puzzles. You can even bring up the map and write your own notes on it.

Zelda is a classic series – those unfamiliar with it are strongly advised to check out The Phantom Hourglass."

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