Video games are a hot seller this holiday season, for a lot of reasons. The price of video game systems has gone down, so more people are buying them and looking for that perfect game. That's even true of personal computers and the games made for them.
Besides that, there's never been more variety. Just trying to narrow the field is tough because there are, literally, thousands of video games.
This year, we have looked over a variety of games and come up with a few suggestions to narrow the gift-giving choices. We've included favorites for various systems and a couple of hardware choices that tie in and are simply too fun to ignore. Here are a few we (mostly) liked:
One of the most unusual — and genuinely hilarious — offering this season is "EyeToy," for PlayStation 2 by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. It's a USB camera that uses motion-tracking technology to throw you and your buddies right into the middle of the action. It projects your image onto the television screen, where you can play 12 mini-games of various types, including music, puzzles and sports.
We also found it to be strangely aerobic as we jumped and jabbed, swatted and rolled our way through, using our hands, feet, knees, even our heads. What a hoot! The device, which sells for under $50, is even more fun when you get a bunch of people acting silly at once onscreen.
You can also record up to 60 seconds of personal video messages, though that was the least of its considerable charms.
Another hit for the whole gang, regardless of age, is "Karaoke Revolution" ($59.99) for PS2. It's a contest that lets one to many players complete in a singing contest. The microphone is included with the game and you get points if you sing well, hisses if you don't.
Little gamers
The very youngest players, those 3-6, are going to love some of the games put out by Atari for use on the personal computer. At my house, "Putt-Putt: Pep's Birthday Surprise!" ($19.99) was a joy for the kids, who figured it all out by themselves and a chance for the adults to get other things done, like wrapping gifts without worrying about prying eyes and little people.
Pep's a puppy who has never had a birthday party, and Putt-Putt, the friendly little car, thinks that's a shame. He works his way through various puzzles and tasks (like moving cows to get the milk to make a cake) to gather all the party supples. And, boy, is Pep a pleased pup.
In the "Blue's Clues" series (including Preschool, Learning Time, Playtime, Takes You to School and others), kids 3 to 7 can lose themselves for hours. Each of the programs have art elements that are captivating and even adults can enjoy taking a few minutes to "draw" a portrait or send a note to the kids.
Also worth a look are Atari's "Tonka Town" and "Dora the Explorer: Animal Adventures."
Some of the titles are available for the Mac, but many of them aren't yet.
Children
If there's one sure bet for girls, it's Barbie. Her series, like the doll that spawned it, is a perennial favorite. Now "Barbie Swan Lake: The Enchanted Forest" ($29.99) for PC and Mac is, I'm told, flying off the shelves. It's fairly short and totally non-competitive. Activities include arranging musical flowers in the forest.
"SpongeBob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom" (THQ, $39.95) will play on PS2, Xbox, GameCube and PC. And though I haven't tried it, a couple of my friends say they enjoy it as much as their kids do. Go figure. The secret is reportedly the humor, which works at all levels. The game combines typical action with things that are apt to please children, including underwater bungee jumping.
"Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup" by Electronic Arts ($40) brings the magic of the enchanting books to PS2, Xbox, GameCube and PC. If you've seen the movies, you know that Quidditch is a flying ball game of sorts, with seekers and chasers going after an unusual goal, a golden "snitch." This game works best if you've seen the sport. It's a challenge to master but a blast to play.
On GameCube, "Mario Party 5" (Nintendo, $49.99) is pretty much irresistible. This time, Mario and company are trying to restore peace by racing around a new set of gameboards. And there are new minigames, new characters and the multiplayer features for which Mario Party became a favorite to begin with. One to four players can enjoy the game at a time.
Teens and older
Can you say "Tony Hawk's Underground"? This pro-skating game is the fifth installment of a series that has been a genuine hit. Done by Activision for PS2, Xbox and GameCube ($50), this game invites you to be important this time around. In fact, the main character is you, with your features and your run for the pro-skater sponsorships and money. And you don't just have to skate in this game. You can do other things as well.
Two much-anticipated sequels came out this year, as well: "Jak II" (PS2, $49.95) and "Ratchet and Clank: Go Commando." We've had a great time with both of them. In "Jak II," Jak's had a very tough time, taken captive by an evil baron. His furry friend Daxter helps him escape and they set out to get revenge. It's clever, even tricky and not the least bit graphic in its violence. It's also very challenging. As for "Ratchet and Clank" (also PS2, $49.95), Insomniac Games has taken the old, loved characters and given them some really cool weapons as they travel from planet to planet to save their world. My personal favorites are a spider-bomb that walks to its target then blows it to smithereens (without being graphic) and "bouncer," which shoots a bomb that turns into smaller exploding, bouncing balls.
"SOCOM II: US Navy SEALS" ($50, by Sony) is a PS2 exclusive. Sony also says it's the biggest online console gaming community in America. Teens (and others) love to get online with the game and strategize, then battle with the latest gadgetry. You can play alone and chat with computer-controlled artificial intelligence or meet your flesh-and-blood pals online with the USB headset.
"The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King" (Electronic Arts, $49.95) is as vibrant and beautiful on the gaming console (PS2, GameCube, Xbox and Gameboy Advance) as it is on the movie screen. Little kids will be fascinated by its look, but it's a little too violent for them. Teens, however, will like the intense action, which doesn't go over the top.
Our Scott Iwasaki loved "Dungeons and Dragons: Heroes" (InfoGrames, $49.95), for Xbox and PS2, which keeps players challenged and happy for hours, without "pushing them into the pit of frustration.
For Gameboy Advance, check out "SSX3" (also Electronic Arts), a snowboarding treat that's both exciting and entertaining.
Our Larry Curtis, on the other hand, is a zealot when it comes to Xbox. And he thinks he's found the "second-greatest game" released for the system: "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" (LucasArts, $49.95). It's also available for PC. "This is a one-player paradise of exploration of the Star Wars universe thousands of years before the movies," he said. Halo, by the way, got his No. 1 vote.
Pat Reavy, who looks at a lot of sports games for the Deseret Morning News, said he likes Midway's "NHL Hitz Pro" with its full 5-on-5 gameplay and great graphics and simple-to-learn controls (PS2, $49.99)
We'd be remiss to ignore the popularity of "True Crime: Streets of LA," for Xbox, GameCube and PS2 by Luxoflux ($49.95). It's a crime-fighting game where you're Nick Kang, an operative out to bring down the Chinese Triad and Russian Mafia. That means lots of firepower and firefights, high-speed chases, punching and gunfire. It's fast-paced and exciting but not for the squeamish. It's rated Mature.
E-MAIL: lois@desnews.com