Family Gaming Buyer’s Guide

A buyer's guide that will help you buy games that will appeal to every gamer on your shopping list!

Whether you are looking to buy a game for one of the new consoles or want to buy something for your Xbox, PlayStation 2 or Nintendo DS gamer, this guide will help you select games that all members of your family will want to play this holiday season and well into 2007.

But before you head out the door with your car keys to go shopping for your gamer, make sure you do you know which system your gamer has, because Xbox 360 games won’t work on the PlayStation 2 and PSP games won’t work on a Game Boy Advance or on the Nintendo DS.



Star Wars Lego II—LucasArts— Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Xbox, PSP, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance-- E for Everyone--$49.99—Score 9 out of 10

Star Wars Lego II is a hysterical take on the Star Wars Trilogy and just like the Star Wars trilogy this game is revolutionary and fun for the entire family.



Lego Star Wars II follows the Rebel Alliance's battle to dismantle the Galactic Empire and rebuild a galaxy in pieces. From Darth Vader's pursuit of Princess Leia aboard her Blockade Runner to a showdown on the reconstructed Death Star, the game includes even more of the family-friendly LEGO action, puzzles and humor that earned the original Lego Star Wars such notoriety.



Star Wars Lego II takes the fun and endless customization of Lego and customizes it to the Star Wars universe. This game offers a unique tongue-in-cheek take on the movies.

The game follows the Rebel Alliance’s crusade to dismantle the Galactic Empire and rebuild the galaxy piece by piece. You and your family members are invited to build and battle your way through your favorite film moments, from Darth Vader’s pursuit of Princess Leia aboard her Blockade Runner to a showdown on the second Death Star, as the game includes plenty of family-friendly Lego action.



Rock on with Guitar Hero II for the PlayStation 2

Even though this game is rated T for Teen it’s a guitar game that sees you play along to some of rocks hottest guitar riffs. Some of the lyrics are a bit raunchy, but they aren’t that bad.

Guitar Hero II—PlayStation 2—Red Octane—T for Teen—Score 9 out of 10

Guitar Hero II is RedOctane's follow-up to the critically acclaimed rhythm game. This latest version features a brand-new and expanded track list, more venues and new play modes, and aims to rock longer and harder than its predecessor. RedOctane has once again teamed up with veteran music game developer Harmonix for the sequel, and is using famed recording studio WaveGroup for its music production, who also recorded the covers for the licensed tracks in the original Guitar Hero.



The game's all-important track list encompasses all forms of rock and metal music including classic rock, "hair metal", heavy metal, modern rock and alternative rock. In total, Guitar Hero II features more than 55 songs. New modes include a multiplayer co-op mode where players can play not only the lead guitar track, but rhythm or bass as well, allowing players to take on two different sections of the song simultaneously.



LucasArts has a License to Thrill with Thrillville for the PSP, Xbox and PlayStation 2

Similar to Electronic Arts and Bullfrog’s Theme Park series, Thrillville from LucasArts lets you visit Thrillville and step into a nonstop theme park environment that will allow you to create and customize your park.

Thrillville—LucasArts—PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox--$49.99—E for Everyone--Score 8.5 out of 10

You will be able to interact with guests like never before, and build and hop into your own roller coasters and other rides. You will be able to race on go-kart tracks that you construct as well as play mini-golf on courses you designed.

You will also be able to join friends for dozens of four-player party games, from bumper cars to arcade shoot-‘em-ups. You can also tour the park on foot and chat and joke with all of the guests to help them out and make sure they’re enjoying themselves.

Thrillville combines elements of simulation, party games and social interaction like nothing you have played before.



Hit the High Notes with SingStar for the PlayStation 2

Here’s your chance to sing with your favorite musicians! SingStar is an innovative, sophisticated and captivating social experience that can turn anyone into an instant singing sensation!

SingStar—Sony Computer Entertainment—PlayStation 2—Rating E for Everyone--$49.99—Score 8 out of 10

Turn your living room into the staging ground for the next Canadian Idol. Plus SingStar into your PlayStation 2 and get ready to sing along with some of the top tunes of our day.

Two custom, high quality microphones are included, allowing would-be musicians to really get into their performances. With microphones in hand, players perform along with chart-topping artists as song lyrics and the original music video play on-screen. 30 hit songs from a broad range of music genres are included, ensuring there is something for all tastes. And with a variety of gameplay modes, including Solo, Pass-the-Mic, Battle, and Duet, SingStar can turn a normal get-together into a rocking party!

So get ready to crank up the volume, break out the dancing ball and turn any holiday get together into a rocking good time with SingStar!



Viva Pinata for the Xbox 360 is fun for the Entire Family

Viva Pinata—Xbox 360—Microsoft Game Studios—Rating E for Everyone—Score 7.5 out of 10



Viva Pinata is an original intellectual property from Rare, the folks that made Battletoads and Perfect Dark.

Rare and Microsoft Game Studios invite gamers to create an immersive world where living piñatas inhabit an ever-changing environment. Beginning with a few basic tools, players build and take control of this environment, using their creativity and imagination to attract, protect and manage over 60 different piñata species that can visit their world and make it their home. Utilizing hundreds of customizable elements, players can create a unique pinata paradise.

The “Viva Piñata” world is an evolving paradise teeming with fantastic living piñata creatures and vibrant plant life, all determined by the player’s choices and actions.

Viva Piñata is customizable and allows players’ imaginations to run wild by providing them with expansive freedom and plenty of choices.

Your choice of contents will determine which of the piñata species are attracted to your world, since they all have individual requirements. Sowing grass, digging ponds, planting flowers and growing trees all affect which of the unique piñatas you will see. It’s not just about plants, either; there is a whole range of ornaments and structures that could be decisive. Your reward for creating an appealing paradise is to watch the piñatas visit and eventually reside there, which is where the fun really starts.

Once you have resident piñatas, you can begin to personalize your loyal community. Piñatas can be individually named and given their own personally designed tag to put on display as a declaration of their home turf. And the customization doesn’t end there. You can make the colorful critters more distinctive by customizing them with all kinds of costumes and accessories.

Top 10 Family Games
1) Lego Star Wars II—Xbox 360, Xbox, PS2, PSP, GameCube, Nintendo DS, GBA

2) Guitar Heroes II—PlayStation 2

3) ThrilleVille—PlayStation 2, PSP, Xbox

4) SingStar—PlayStation 2

5) Viva Pinata—Xbox 360

6) Super Monkey Ball Blitz—Nintendo Wii

7) Wii Sports—Nintendo Wii

8) Excite Truck—Nintendo Wii

9) NHL 2K7—PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

10) Madden NFL 07—PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii