Top 9 for ‘09: winter fun videogames

Dec. 6, 2009

Top 9 for ’09:
Winter Fun Videogames
By Kristi Kates
It’s that time again, videogame fans - and luckily, there are plenty of gaming options again this year for those who choose to eschew the great (cold) outdoors and instead spend their leisure time in the great indoors, pursuing this year’s crop of brand new (cool) games.
We’ll start with a few necessary accessories to add to your gaming collection, and then show you our picks for the top nine videogames of this year, for both great gift-giving or just to treat yourself to a little winter fun.

THE ACCESSORIES
GP2X Wiz ($179.99)
For those of you who are fans of really old-school games - many of which are no longer being manufactured, unavailable for download via the Wii, or only available to buy (as a used game) on such sites as eBay - the GP2X Wiz is not only a compact way to acquire plenty of your faves, but also a super-cool geek gadget sure to impress even the most jaded game-system collector. The handheld, open-source, Linux-based mini-console, which arrives with several of its own games pre-installed, is capable of running free or inexpensive emulations of games from the Nintendo, Commodore 64, and Sega systems, among others - part of the fun is searching out those vintage games you thought you’d never get a chance to play again. The GP2X Wiz can also play videos, music, and more, so it’s both a great travel gadget and everyday portable gaming system.

Wii Glow Saber Duo Pack ($34.99)
Star Wars fans, rejoice! Finally, a Wii-compatible lightsaber set (you get one each of blue and red, so choose your side, Jedi or Sith) has the best glow-ability of any videogame lightsabers we’ve seen yet, and the Wii remote snaps conveniently into the handle so you can master your lightsaber combat skills right in your own living room.

Wii Motion Plus Tennis Duo Pack ($19.99)
With similar construction to the Glow Sabers (the Wii remote again snaps into the handle),these racquets are surprisingly well-balanced for videogame tennis racquets, and add both realistic tennis accuracy and a lot of fun to any tennis-based Wii game, whether you’re playing a “serious” game of Wii Grand Slam, or just playing some power tennis with Luigi.

THE GAMES ROUND ONE
MySims Agents (Wii/DS $29.99-$49.99)
Those wacky Sims are back, in a more interesting incarnation than their usual working/partying selves; this time, they’re special agents working to defeat the corrupt villian Morcubus. The game’s only flaw is that the case is solved far too quickly; but it’s still a lot of fun chasing the mystery and honing your deductive and puzzle-solving skills

SimAnimals Africa (Wii/DS $29.99-$49.99
More Sims hit our Top 9 List - but this time, they’re SimAnimals. Instead of a house, neighborhood, or spy hideout (see above), you’re transported to Africa, where it’s up to you to oversee a virtual wild kingdom of such African residents as crocs, gorillas, and lions. The gameplay is low-stress and captivating, with adorable characters and artwork.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Wii/DS/PS2/PS3/PSP/XBox $29.99-$49.99)
The latest hit Harry Potter movie arrives in videogame form, and is nicely playable as both a single or multi-player game. There’s plenty to do at this virtual version of Hogwarts; team up with Dumbledore and your classmates to explore the grounds, embark on important missions, mix up potions, speed through Quidditch, and a lot more.

Avatar: The Game (Wii/PS3/XBox $49.99-$59.99)
Our second film-based game is centered around James Cameron’s newest venture - the complex animated world of Pandora and its people, the peaceful Na’vi, who find themselves in battle with the RDA invaders. The graphics are gorgeous on this one, and the gameplay rich, with over 60 weapons, 20 skills, and the ability to design your own character.

THE GAMES ROUND TWO
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Wii/DS/PS3/PSP/XBox $29.99-$49.99)
And in our third movie-related game this year, you can play as Flint, the hero of the quirky and often silly Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movie, to stop the machines that are creating food-based mayhem for everyone. Your “villians” in this game are - yep - giant pieces of food - and if you get overwhelmed, you can call on a monkey for help.

Steven Spielberg’s Boom Blox Bash Party (Wii $29.99)
This is perhaps one of the most difficult to explain, yet most intriguing, games on our list. A combination of quick-draw reflexes, problem-solving, and puzzles, Boom Blox involves utilizing everything from physics to anti-gravity to explosives to topple towers made of gems, wood, and steel, while crazy square-shaped mascots/characters look on.

Hasbro Family Game Night (Wii/DS $29.99-$39.99)
Sure, any family would have loads of fun basing their game nights around this one; but so will anybody who played these games as a kid. Included here are video versions of such hits as Connect 4, Jenga, Bop-It, and Operation, as well as a nifty, multi-featured version of old favorite Mr. Potato Head, and new soon-to-be-classic fun fest Pictureka.

Dawn of Discovery (Wii/DS $29.99
Although it does lack the complexity of the higher-level SimCity games, Dawn of Discovery is a good introduction to a city-building game combined with a whole lot of history. Taking place in the year 1404, you’ll team up with King George’s two songs to snag new territories, build towns, cultivate land and goods, and keep your civilization afloat.

GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Wii/DS/PS3/PSP/XBox $29.99-$59.99)
A whopping 12 GI Joe characters are available to choose from on this arcade shooter, which somewhat follows the GI Joe storyline but offers single or team campaigns to keep the interest of all levels of player. Levels abound here as you battle against the Cobra units with your virtual arsenal of videogame weapons and combat suits.