Play it out: Games for the season

This Eid, we bring you a list of must-have games you must get your hands on to make your festive season extra special.

Trivial Pursuit

Rating: E for Everyone

Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, Nintendo Wii

Synopsis: Engage in multi-player quiz games with your family in this digitised version of the classic board game. Trivial Pursuit builds on the original game play with stunning visual presentation, new categories of questions and the innovative facts and friends game mode. The new mode keeps everyone actively involved in the game by encouraging them to guess whether their opponents will answer their questions correctly or not. Up to four player modes ensures fun-filled family evenings.

Rock Band: The Beatles

Rating: T for Teen

Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Wii

Synopsis: The world's best music game meets the world's greatest band. Rock Band: The Beatles takes players on a trip down memory lane with The Beatles. Up to four players can take their pick from lead guitar, bass, drums and microphone, and perform some of The Beatles' greatest hits from albums like Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Yellow Submarine, The White Album and many more. Compete against other bands online and prove beyond any doubt that you're the best Beatles cover band in existence! Compatible with Guitar Hero Hardware.

Available: In all major gaming retail outlets

FIFA 09

Rating: E for Everyone

Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC, PS2, NDS, PSP, Wii

Synopsis: Step onto the pitch and play professional football your way. Powered by the third generation of the EA Sports football engine, FIFA 09 features more than 250 core gameplay additions and enhancements that deliver the most responsive and realistic action ever. With new player momentum physics, the speed and weight of the player determines everything from the distance of a slide tackle and the power of a header to the severity of player collisions and the height of a player's jump. It features new custom team tactics that allow you to become a first-team coach.

Available: In all major gaming retail outlets

Fight Night Round 4

Rating: T for Teen

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

Synopsis: Fight Night Round 4 has the biggest and most fearsome roster of fighters yet. Play as one of the boxing legends or create your own boxing career. Redesigned physics engine and control scheme allows maximum game play fluidity and realism. Watch closely as your face (and your opponent's) starts bruising from the blow exchange. And with the smart control system, the game offers you a genuine experience. It supports online modes, which means there's a roster consisting of millions of players for you to box. Stay on the lookout for downloadable content packages for more features.

Available: In all major gaming retail outlets

Battleforge

Rating: T for Teen

Platforms: PC

Synopsis: Build your deck of cards, master the elements and defend hope in this real-time strategy card-based game. The world of BattleForge is controlled by four elements – fire, frost, nature and shadow. The cards in your deck decide how well you control these elements and thus affect your performance. Build the ultimate deck, trade cards with your friends or buy new ones via the Free4Play server. Play against nature in the PvE mode, or against other players in the PvP mode, which allows up to 12 players. It's available for free via the official website, or you can buy the retail edition.

Available: In all major retail outlets or free online at
www.battleforge.com

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010

Rating: E for Everyone

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP

Synopsis: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 is probably the most serious golfing experience after real golf, and the Wii version comes bundled with the motion capture plus add-ons, which gives layers of sensitivity to the Wii-mode, making the whole experience more realistic. Play the Tournament Challenge and replay dramatic scenarios from past PGA Tour seasons as you're placed on the course at the precise moment before history was made, only this time, you can determine the outcome!

Or try the precision putting mode and see how far you can go with a single putter. Those looking for a bit of a challenge can compete in the US Open championship against golf's greatest players. The game also supports multi-player and online multi-player gaming.

Available: In all major retail outlets

Battlefield Heroes

Rating: T for Teens

Platforms: PC

Synopsis: Battlefield Heroes is a game that aims at broadening the fan base for the Battlefield through this cartoon and computer-friendly action game. Create your own hero, choose a class (soldier, gunner or commando), and join the national or the royal army.

Then start off by engaging in different modes of free online multi-player gaming via the Play 4 Free server from Electronic Arts. Utilise in-game vehicles and strategise with your team the best way to victory.

Points can be purchased to upgrade and further customise your hero via the official website. Battlefield Heroes is compatible with both XP and Vista.

Available: You can download for free online at www.battlefieldheroes.com/

EA Sports Active

Rating: E for Everyone

Platforms: Nintendo Wii

Synopsis: Too hot to go outside and work out? The EA Sports Active offers over 25 calorie-burning, muscle-toning exercises and activities, daily progress reports and encouraging virtual personal trainers, who guide you through Bob Greene-approved exercises. The game package includes a pouch that allows the player to strap the Wii-Nunchuk to their legs to track the body movements.

It features a number of exercise options like 20-minute workout regimens and a 30-day challenge mode. The idea behind this is that the weight loss will happen on its own if the calorie goals in each workout are met or exceeded. The game also comes with a rubber band that acts as weights for muscle training.

Available: In all major game retail outlets

Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure

Rating: E for Everyone

Platforms: Nintendo DS

Synopsis: Henry Hatsworth is a quirky character who guides players on their journey through five exotic worlds and 30 levels, all the while battling a variety of opponents and a series of bosses. Players switch between the puzzle and action-platform realm while utilising both DS screens. The challenges of puzzle world include solving puzzle combinations and defeating puzzle enemies to gain power-ups to supercharge Hatsworth in his adventure.

Rocking a strategically placed monocle and safari hat, Hatsworth is out to discover a set of golden clothes said to be worn by powerful "gentlemen" throughout the ages.

Available: In all major game retail outlets

Grand Slam Tennis

Rating: E for Everyone

Platforms: Nintendo Wii

Synopsis: Bundled with the Wii Motion Plus add-ons, tennis on the Wii has never been more real. Nine features – total racket control, pick up and play, Grand Slam career, venues, Wii motion plus, shot types, challenges, online play and player styles – and 23 different players offers the best tennis game play experience to date. The game offers four different modes of play; play now (singles or doubles match), Grand Slam (a player career), party mode (various mini-games) and online. Go all out in multi-player mode and enjoy a physics engine that is designed specifically for the Wii. Enjoy quality time with friends and family while working out a real sweat.

Available: In all major game retail outlets