Top Ten Gift Ideas for the Video Game Lover

A few big-named companies in the video game industry are releasing their newest, hottest consoles ever just in time for the Holidays! Besides that, there are a few games recently released that are gaining popularity by the second. Give video game lovers one of these top-selling items and they will be happy for months!

(1) PS3
The Playstation 3 becomes available on November 17, 2006. It will retail at $500, but testers say you will get what you pay for. Circuit City says that with the new PlayStation 3 you can enjoy Blu-ray movies, music and online services. Also, they stated that the PlayStation 3 features Bluetooth accessories, a powerful Cell Broadband Engine processor, and a built-in Blu-ray player for high-definition entertainment.

Not much has changed as far as looks of the system - it is shinier than the PS2, but that is about it. Games for the PS3 are rumored to be the best yet. Many stores have already pre-sold their stock of these, but there should be plenty more on their way.

(2) Nintendo Wii
The Nintendo Wii system will be available in stores November 19, 2006. The Wii system (pronounced "we") features video game play as well as 7 fun "channels."

The Mii channel allows users to make 3D caricatures of themselves. They can be saved, and transported to a friend's Wii. A Photo channel lets users retrieve photos from a SD card put into the Wii. Then they can be displayed on a TV screen and even edited in funny ways. On the Forecast channel, users can access free weather forecasts via the WiiConnect24 Internet capability. A News channel gives users up to date news stories and a Wii Shop channel is where users can purchase and download games and content. A Wii message board that basically takes the place of sticky notes that user's would otherwise leave around the house.

With the Nintendo Wii system, users can play Wii games or any Nintendo GameCube game, as well as access games that were made for the Nintendo 64, SNES, NES, and the SEGA system.

When the game console comes out, it will be priced around $250. You can believe that lots of parents and game lovers will be waiting in long lines for this system!

(3) Xbox 360
If your game enthusiasts didn't get one of these last Christmas, get them one this year. The Xbox 360 features a crystal clear HD display for those of you who have HDTV. Even if you don't, the picture is still amazing. The system has a wireless receiver, 20GB hard drive for taking games on the go, built-in Ethernet port, and allows you to play movies, videos, and music.

Prices are still pretty high for the system, but the quality and quantity of games for the Xbox 360 are so great and give the video game lover so many hours of non-stop entertainment that you won't mind paying $350 for it.

(4) PSP
A Sony Playstation Portable, better know as a PSP, is still popular today. The black handheld system has a 16:9 LCD screen and game controls on each side of the screen. This system, despite its size, has superb color and clarity. It has USB outputs and a wireless LAN. Also, it features a Universal Media Disc which can hold 1.8GB of game storage.

This PSP can fit into your pocket or purse for easy transport. Get one for your video gamer and watch as the PSP becomes part of their everyday life, whether at work or in the car.

The PSP is sold at many retail stores that have a video game department. It sells for around $200.

(5) Nintendo DS Lite
The new Nintendo DS Lite is less than two-thirds the size of the original DS and more than 20 percent lighter, according to Circuit City. With the DS Lite, you can pick between two screens that offer two viewpoints of the action at once. The touch screen makes moving characters and moving through menus easy. A nice feature of DS Lite is a voice recognition that lets players tell the game what they want it to do. There is also chat software and a microphone that sits in the center of the system. You can even play others via the wireless functions.

DS Lite systems, priced around $130, come in a variety of colors that meet the video gamers personality: coral pink, black, and white are the most popular.

(6) Call of Duty 3
Call of Duty 3, available for Playstation and Xbox game systems, is rated #2 on EB Games hit list. EB Games describes the game as getting a first-hand view into the fury of combat as an Allied soldier in World War II's Normandy Breakout Campaign. You will have face-to-face combat with German forces. You decide whether to flank your enemy or hit them head on. If you play online, up to 24 people can battle together as a team.

The game price is $50.

(7) Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories
There is yet another game in the Grand Theft Auto lineup. Vice City Stories goes back to Vice City, like the Liberty City Stories game went back to Liberty City, and fills in some questions and unfinished business. The story line is spectacular, and there's nothing bad about the content in it. Children can play this game without the sexual content and exposure to extremely offensive dialog and bad words.

GTA Vice City Stories is available for purchase at $50.

(8) Pro Gamer's Kit for DS Lite
This kit is a must-have for any gamer with a Nintendo DS Lite. You get an aluminum case to keep your DS Lite protected, four game cases, earbuds, a car power adapter, Safe Screen, squeegee, cleaning pad, white stylus, and a neck strap. It is priced around $30.

(9) Gears of War

Gears of War, rated #1 on EB Games hit list, is only available for the Xbox 360.

According to EB Games, "Gears of War" is the first game developed by Epic Games exclusively for Microsoft Game Studios and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. "Gears of War" puts gamers into a deep story of humankind's battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish group of creatures that surface from the pits of the planet.

Like most all Xbox 360 games, Gears of War costs $60.

(10) Surround Sound Chair
Now that your video game enthusiast has a game system and game, what else could he need? Answer: a surround sound chair!

At Target, I have fallen in love with an iRocker 100 micro fiber chair. It looks so comfortable, just sitting flat on the floor like a legless chair and having 4 reclining positions. You can plug any audio source, such as a game system, into the audio hookups on the chair. There's a built-in amp and speaker system as well. You will truly get lost in the game with this $189 chair!