Top 10 Video Game Christmas Gifts Under $30

Finding good games at a good price is sometimes a difficult mission. Sometimes, a new game looks good for it's inexpensive price when in reality there's a reason the game is priced the way it is, and sometimes, good old games get missed because of their age, when that shouldn't be the case since they're more deserving of being bought and being played. And sometimes, there are products that aren't exactly video games, but are probably more valuable than anything else in the store. This guide will show my top 10 game Christmas gifts for under $30.

10 - Half Life 2 Orange Box (PS3) for $19.99

The Orange Box contains the games Half-Life 2, along with its expansions Episode 1 and Episode 2, Team Fortress 2, and Portal. I've played hints of pieces of Half-Life 2, and from what I've played, it's standard first person shooter stuff with a decent story, but it's probably a better game than I'm giving it credit for. The game that I enjoyed from this package is team Fortress 2, which is a fun first person shooter to play online, as well as sports great graphics that are, for the most part, unique to the first person shooter genre by having the characters and the environments done in cell-shaded graphics. The game that I really enjoyed from this package is Portal, which looks like a first person shooter at first glance, but as you play it, you realize that it's a very intriguing game filled with puzzles and the like, making you think twice before you actually make your next move. All in all, the package is very decent for its value. The Orange Box is rated M for Mature and can be found at www.gamestop.com. It should be known that while this may be found at your local video game dealer, it might go for $29.99, so the given website is definitely the better choice in terms of pricing.

9 - Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories (PS2) $29.99

Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories is a 3D remake of the Game Boy Advance (GBA) game Kingdom Heart: Chain of Memories. I've played Chain on Memories on the GBA, and while it took a little bit to get used to the action packed card fights, where the cards in your deck will determine what kind of attack you're able to execute as you move in a given battlefield, it was a system that worked well on the GBA, and I believe works just as well on the PS2, as I've seen game play of the Japanese version of the game on Internet. The cards will also allow you to access certain areas while exploring the different worlds, and according to www.ign.com, there will be some new mini-games to go along with the main adventure. Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories is rated E for Everyone, and will released in North America on December 2, 2008, but you can pre-order it now at your local Game Stop or at www.gamestop.com.

8 - Metal Gear Solid: Essential Collection (PS2) for $29.99

The Metal Gear Solid series is just one of those video game series that make gamers take notice because it's just that good. Now, they've gone and put the original Metal Gear Solid and the director's cuts of Metal Gear Solid 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3 into one multi-disc package. All three Metal Gear games play differently enough to warrant getting used to for people who haven't played the games before, and the story for each game are very well done. The two issue with this package is that the original Metal Gear Solid is practically taking ALL of the code from it's PlayStation counterpart and putting it on disc (so you're gonna need a PS1 memory card to save the game when playing this), and Metal Gear Solid 3 doesn't have it's second disc, which had some extra content. This will definitely be a turn off to anyone who already has all three games, but if anyone of the games are missing from a collection for whatever reason, this is the best collection of games to get. All three Metal Gear games are rated M for mature, and can found at your nearest video game dealer or from www.gamestop.com

7 - Game Informer Subscription for $19.98

A subscription to a video game magazine might not seem like a good Christmas gift at first, but if it's for an avid video gamer, a subscription to a video game magazine, especially Game Informer, will make for a very good gift, as it will keep that avid video gamer very well informed on not just what video games are coming out when, but it will also give that avid video gamer info on the industry on the video games in general. The subscription is for one issue a month for one year, and that's plenty of information to take in about the video game industry, not to mention it's a very entertaining read. You can set up the subscription at www.gamestop.com.

6 - God of War II (PS2) for $19.99

God of War II is an old game, but it's still one of the best games out there. Yes, it is the second game of the series, so the recipient of this game will may miss out on the first game's game play, story, and how this story continues from the story in the first game, which may or may not take away from the experience as a whole, but it's still a game of epic proportions. You play the role of Kratos, who is now the god of war, on a combat-filled adventure to change his fate. The combat system in this game is incredible, as it's visually and technically impressive and satisfying, as the combos that you pull off in the game take quite a bit of skill, and the great graphics of this game allows you to beautifully see your enemies get destroyed by your attacks. God of War II is rated M for Mature, and can be found at www.gamestop.com.

5 - Platinum GameCube Controller for $24.99

Yes, the Nintendo GameCube is a system from the last generation of video games, but chances are if you know an owner of a Nintendo Wii, he or she could probably use a GameCube controller or two. Many games on the Nintendo Wii (such as Super Smash Bros. Brawl) can use the GameCube controller, as well as games on the Wii's Virtual Console, where you can download classic games, and since the Wii can play GameCube games as well, there might be a GameCube that gets play on Wii with an old, worn controller. As a result, as new, fresh, shiny Platinum GameCube controller gives all of those games brand new possibilities with the renewed power of control. GameCube controllers can be a little hard to find these days, as they can be found where video games are sold in theory, but the best place to get one is from www.gamestop.com.

4 - Wii Card 2000 Points or XBox 360 Live Marketplace 1600 Points for $19.99

Nintendo Wii has the Virtual Console, and XBox 360 has the Live Marketplace. With both, you can use points that you get from their respective cards to purchase downloading games or other materials. Chances are both are not really a priority for the owner of these systems when it comes to video games, but getting these cards for them will definitely allow them to revisit the scene and purchase a game from there that they might have wanted for a while but locked the thought in the back of their minds. It's a sleeper gift, but it really is more valuable than it may seem. Both the Wii Card and the Live Marketplace points can be purchased on www.gamestop.com.

3 - Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (DS) for $29.99

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, from what I've played, is a great game on the Nintendo DS. It's standard villain whipping action that puts the player on a quest to defeat Dracula. While the story is one that has obviously been written before, the game play is as solid as you'd expect from a Castlevania game (which translates to very good for the uninformed). The number of attacks you can use against enemies in this game is far from limited, as well as the number of areas you get to explore in this game. Add that to the multiple endings that this game has, and replay value is guaranteed, granted you feel like giving the game another go round for the ending that you didn't see. Two players can also play head-to-head, and items can be traded and sold to other players. This game is rated T for Teen, cost $29.99, and since the game is relatively new, should be easy to find anywhere video games are sold.

2 - Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3 (Wii, PS2) for $19.99

DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 3 is another oldie but good, and the funny thing about this is that I believe it's better than the newer DBZ game out, Burst Limit (which can be found for $29.99 if you must get the newer game for XBox 360 or PlayStation 3). Budokai Tenkaichi 3 has more characters than the newer game spanning nearly the entire Dragonball Z saga as well as some characters from Dragonball GT, which is a real treat for DBZ fans, has a 3D fighting space which makes for fights that are more authentic to the DBZ experience as opposed to Burst Limit's 2D plane, and has many, many more mode of game play. It just seems like DBZ Burst Limit was a step backwards in the progression of DBZ games, but it's still a pretty game and good if the person you buying for has an XBox 360 or a PlayStation 3. But Budokai Tenkaichi 3 seems like the better DBZ game to me. On an added note, the Wii version of the game does use the motion sensor technology to launch certain attacks, and it also has online play. Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi is rated T for Teen and can be found at www.gamestop.com.

1 - Burnout Paradise (XBox 360, PS3) for $29.99

The Burnout games have always been fun, as the objective is to win races while causing as much as chaos as you possibly can by making other racers and other innocent drivers crash. Burnout Paradise is no exception to this rule, as it gives you a whole city known as Paradise to burnout and crash down. You ride around the city at free will, doing your best to win races, improving the status of your license, and ultimately making people crash. I put so much emphasis on making other people crash because it does give your car a nice boost, and it's so much fun to watch people crash as you fly by and advance in the race. Of course, you're also a target, so you have to be careful not to crash yourself. Burnout Paradise is sure to be a fun game that will even get laughs, especially in its multi player modes, because making people crash in this game is just too much fun. The game is rated E for Everyone and can be found at www.gamestop.com.