Christmas Gift Ideas for 2008

Playstation 3 - The ultimate game console also plays Blu-Ray discs. The average price for this system is around $499. If you're lucky, you can pick a Playstation 3 game system up on eBay for less. It comes with wireless controllers, Wi-Fi, and 80GB of hard disk storage.

X-Box 360 - The second best game system is the X-Box 360. There was a time when you could buy the external HD-DVD drive for this system and play your favorite movies in HD. But Sony beat out the competition and made it virtually impossible to find HD-DVD movies at the stores. However, you can still find HD-DVDs on eBay and at great prices. The system usually runs for $299 with the 20GB hard disk storage. You can find it for 100 dollars less if you just buy the console.

Wii - Nintendo, the biggest name in the gaming industry gave us Wii a while back, making their games much more interactive. However, after trying one on for size, I decided that this system is really not for me. It comes with a wireless remote control that can be moved and used in many different ways. Characters in the game should follow your movements precisely. But "should" is the optimum word in that sentence. The Wii system is usually priced between $299 and $499.

Call of Duty: World at War for X-Box 360 - Truly a fun game for anyone who enjoys shooting and defeating bad guys for their country. You get to play two characters on two fronts in WWII. One character, an American is fighting the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre. The other character is a Russian, fighting the Nazis in the Atlantic Theatre. This game shows us truly what it was like in the last great war. Like its predecessors, the photo-realism in this Call of Duty game is extraordinary, blowing away anything before it. It's a MA game for MA people. In other words, all of the blood, language and violence makes Call of Duty: World at War an adult game.

Super Mario Galaxy for Wii - Not my favorite game. It is Mario though. Given the fact that I grew up playing Mario makes me a little bias. I remember the very first Mario Bros. game for the original Nintendo game system. It's a trip down memory lane. The fact that I can plug in that old console and play the original Super Mario Bros says a lot about its integrity. Not only has that system withstood time, but its also withstood dust and contamination, unlike most of the newer game systems. However, this review is not about that game or that game system. It's about Super Mario Galaxy. One thing that has bothered me about these newer Mario games is that Luigi is nowhere to be seen. It was Mario Bros and should be Mario Bros. Every since Super Mario for the Nintendo 64, this series seems to have gone downhill. And for that reason along. Mario has never looked more realistic than he does in Super Mario Galaxy. The way the camera pans around in so many directions that it can make you sick bothers me the most about this game. But I'll bet kids will still enjoy playing this game on a big widescreen TV.

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe for Playstation 3 - With the newly found appreciation for Batman and the popularity of the Mortal Kombat series, this game should have ever martial arts and comic book lover salivating. How often do you get the chance of putting the Dark Knight and Scorpion in the ring. By the way, the photo-realism in this Mortal Kombat beats every Mortal Kombat game that's come before it. Of course, like its predessors, this game is more for adults than it is for kids. But, I bet anyone would get a kick out of watching Superman have his ass handed to him by Sub-Zero.

TVs

Pioneer Elite Kuro Pro-111FD

Panasonic Vierra TH-50PZ800U

Sony Bravia KDL-55XBR8

Samsung LN52A650

Samsung LN46A660

DVD and Blu-Ray Players

Magnavox 160GB DVD Recorder with Digital Tuner

Samsung BD-P1500 Blu-Ray Player

Sony Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Combo

Sony BDPS350 Blu-Ray Disc Player with a $50 Bonus Gift Card Bundle

Philips Blu-Ray Disc Player (BDP7200/37)

Sony DVD Player with 1080p Upconversion (DVP-NS700H/WM Black)

Cell Phones

Nokia N95 with two digital cameras

Samsung Q1U XP - A110 800 with 60GB

LG ENV (VX9900)

Samsung SGH U600 Ultra Edition

Motorola MOTOKRZR K1

For The Kids (Thank you, Toys 'R' Us)

For children, 12 months and younger

Galloping Minds: Baby Learns - Alphabet and Phonics DVD

Winther Mini Viking Push Bike for Two

LeapFrog Learn & Groove Musical Table

For children, 12 to 24 months old

Little Tikes Junior Quad - Pink

Talking Train with Track

Fisher-Price Little Mommy Sweet as Me ("I'm a Fairy Princess with Shimmer Shimmer Wings")

For children, 2 years old

Barbie Collector Doll (Pink) Label My Favorite Barbie Rockers Doll

Fisher-Price Elmo (Live)

Easy Score Basketball Set

For children, 3 to 4 years old

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Responsibility Chart 90-Piece Set

Melissa & Doug English Springer Spaniel

Bumble Bee Pedal Train

For children, 5 to 7 years old

Mary Poppins 45th Anniversary Special Edition DVD

Beyonce: I am Sasha Fierce CD

Star Wars Galactic Commander Cody and Obi-Wan Kenobi

Flashing Cube Bounce Balls

For children, 8 to 11 years old

Club Penguin: Limited Edition Penguin - Shadow Guy

1:8 Scale Chevy Silverado with Battery Pack and Charger - Red

For children, 12 to 14 years old

Eclipse: The Twilight Series - Book 3

Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts - Strategy Guide for the X-Box 360

Binoculars

Of course, action figures will certainly be a hot item this year, especially if they're from The Dark Knight.