Back-to-School: Great Video Game Product Ideas for Student Down Time

You can almost feel the cringe from students' faces when the words "Back-to-School" are spoken. Summer vacation feels like it just started for many, yet retailers have been hard at work stocking shelves with school supplies in anticipation of the new school year. If it hasn't been outdoor sports for many to occupy their time with over the past few weeks, it has been extended late nights and early morning hours that have been spent to beat the latest popular video game. With classes starting up again soon, students will need some routine down time after earning great grades from all the hard work.

There are some great video game related products available that will satisfy every student's extracurricular need this coming fall. Some are fresh new products that will keep avid gamers on the cutting edge, while other classics will prove that they aren't new to the gaming scene.

It almost seems as though every gamer has an Xbox 360, and whether they do or don't the newest model to join the ranks in the Xbox line from Microsoft is sure to be a desired product. The new Xbox 360 slim, also known as the "S," was announced earlier this year at the annual E3 (Electronics Entertainment Expo). The new model which now sports a high gloss black finish is leaner, lighter, and quieter. The unit also comes straight out of the box ready for the soon to be released Kinect technology which is scheduled to hit store shelves this fall. Students looking to be on the leading edge will want to get those game club point cards ready and trade-up at the local game shop.

Many gamers are physically active, and don't enjoy sitting in a chair in front of a screen for hours. EA Active for the Nintendo Wii, is not only a great way to keep fit and lose weight, it also a fun title that can be played with many different physical sport exercises included such as baseball, volleyball, rollerblading, boxing, and more. Even more activities are available on the expansion disk More Workouts, and EA Active 2 has been announced for this fall. Other family members can join in for the physically active challenge during those cold and dreary fall and winter weekends.

Some gamers have a hard time leaving their games behind when they leave the house. Nintendo's line of DS handhelds has been hugely popular with and uncountable number of titles available to play. Nintendo's newest DS, the DS XL which was made available earlier this spring, sports a much larger form factor and screen size for those that are looking for maximum visual experience. Removed from this model, however, is the Gameboy Advance cartridge slot which is a necessity for retro-gamers. Gameboy Advance games continue to be very popular, and they can be found very easily and affordable as used games at many game shops. For those looking to play back in time, the Nintendo DS Lite is a great option.

Guitar Hero returns this fall, just in time for a new class in music education. Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock returns gamers to the rock and roll roots of Guitar Hero with an all new guitar controller and 90+ tracks. For those that can't wait, and haven't updated their library in a while, the previously released Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: Van Halen, and Band Hero titles will be worthy hold-overs in the meantime.

For the budget conscious gamers, most game shops carry just about every recent console manufactured as a tested and repackaged trade-in or used item. These include XBoxs, Wiis, PS3s, and usually also the PS2. Many retailers still actually carry the Playstation 2 in new retail packaging for those looking to experience the countless number of titles released for over decade, without having to dish out for a higher priced Playstation 3.