For young and old

By now, the kids are screaming that they want every toy featured in a TV commercial to magically appear under the Christmas tree. Between this new doll and that drum set that would be really, really loud, you don't know what to stuff their stockings with. You'd like something that is affordable but could be enjoyed for months to come and wouldn't end up in the toy chest, unused.

"Video games have gone wide, and everyone plays games now," says David Pava, the director of marketing at D3Publisher of America Inc. "It's assumed that families play games together." D3Publisher is one of the biggest producers of video games for kids, and the hot new releases in the upcoming months are sure to fill your holiday gift-giving needs. For your rugrat tyke, Ben 10: Galactic Racing will allow him to jump into the world of Ben 10, the popular series on Cartoon Network. Players get to choose different aliens to drive in various karts, allowing your kids to individualise their game experience. More than 20 racing tracks add to the fun.

If you have girls in your family, they probably are familiar with Nickelodeon's live-action comedy series Victorious. D3Publisher gives your tween the ability to experience the school that the show's characters attend, in the game Victorious: Hollywood Arts Debut.

"With Victorious, the No. 1 thing is to bring that show to life," Pava says. "We want to put the audience in the same classroom (as the characters) and feel like what it was like to go through a high-school classroom with those stars." This game is built for the Nintendo DS, which, according to Pava, is a strong game system for girls. If you're looking to purchase a hand-held system for your child, you may want to consider the new Nintendo 3DS.

"It offers a completely new way to play. It lets users experience 3-D games, take 3-D pictures and watch 3-D videos without the need for special glasses," says Cindy Gordon, the vice president of corporate affairs for Nintendo of America. Along with the release of the new 3DS system, several 3-D games are making their way to store shelves, including Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, Professor Layton and the Last Septor and Tetris: Axis. The 3-D version of Tetris literally adds another dimension to the game, and Gordon says that the 20 different modes deliver never-before-seen ways to play.

In addition to the newfangled 3-D options and popular titles, a big aspect to video games these days is the ability to have multiple people playing at once.

"Several games provide online gaming experiences so you can play with friends near and far," Gordon says. Being able to play Ben 10: Galactic Racing with multiple people, whether they be friends or family members, is especially important when it comes to the younger demographic.

"This is the game that is the ‘vehicle' for delivering what kids want," Pava says, referencing that most kids want to be able to play video games with others. The multi-player aspect of video games is even more important now, as families are trying to find inexpensive ways for everyone to stay entertained.

Nintendo is rolling out the Nintendo Selects series, which contains classic games at cheaper prices. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Mario Super Sluggers are being released at $19.99 instead of $49.99. There also will be Wii games added to the collection.

"The Wii is accessible to everyone — young and old — as it makes playing video games easy," Gordon says. So round up Grandma, the children down the street and anyone else you can think of to share in the fun of these classics.

With these video game recommendations, there is no need to pull your hair out when trying to decide what to wrap up for your kiddos this year. And maybe, just maybe, they'll let you play with them.

 -creators.com