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Music

Glorious gaming

Games are available at EB Games, Best Buy, Future Shop and Game Shack.

PLATFORMS

PS2 = PlayStation 2

Xbox = Xbox

GC = Game Cube

GBA = Game Boy Advance

PC = Personal computer

Rating: NNNNN


Relative Ruckus
So you’re stuck at your family shindig, bored out of your skull? Whip out your console and a crowd-pleaser like the eyeToy ($74.99, for PS2, rating: NNN ), a camera-based party game that literally puts you and your drunken relations into the game. Or try The Simpsons: Hit & Run ($59.99-$69.99, for GC, PS2, Xbox, PC, rating: NNN ), pitting you against one another as Springfield’s favourite dysfunctional family.

Charming the Children Need to do away with the kids while you wrap gifts in the other room? Sit ’em down with Billy Hatcher And The Giant Egg ($59.99, for GC, rating: NNN ) or Batman: Rise Of Sin Tzu ($49.99-$59.99, for PS2, GC, Xbox, GBA, rating: NNN ) for the tweens.

Musically Minded This is a great year for the performers out there. Shower singers will adore Karaoke Revolution ($79.99, for PS2, rating: NNN ) and Xbox Music Mixer ($59.99, for Xbox, rating: NNNN ), which lets you record your voice and play it back. For the fleet-footed, DDR MAX II ($59.99, for PS2, rating: NNNN ) will get them moving, especially when used with the arcade-style dance pads. Pocket Pleasures Be the master tactician with Fire Emblem ($59.99, for GBA, rating: NNNN ) and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance ($44.99, for GBA, rating: NNNNN ), which expertly blends story and gameplay, or stuff your stocking with the retro but still fun Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 ($49.99, for GBA, rating: NNNN ).

Racing Around Long-awaited Mario Kart: Double Dash ($69.99, for GC, rating: NNNNN ) comes in first for all-round playability and appeal for all ages. Second and third place go to Project Gotham: Racing 2 ($69.99, for Xbox, rating: NNNN ) and Need For Speed: Underground ($49.99-$69.99, for Xbox, PS2, GC, GBA, rating: NNN ). Got an aversion to asphalt? Take flight with Crimson Skies: High Road To Revenge ($64.99, for Xbox, rating: NNNN ).

Seasonal Stress
Blow off some steam with an old-fashioned first-person shooter like Halo: Combat Evolved ($69.99, for PC, rating: NNN ),finally here for PC. Hack ‘n’ slash your way through Hunter: The Reckoning Redeemer ($69.99, for Xbox, rating: NNN ) and battle opponents in Soul Calibur II ($69.99, for Xbox, PS2, GC, rating: NNNN ). Take control and take aim with Savage: The Battle For Newerth ($69.99, for PC, rating: NNN ).

Festive Fantasy Escape reality with this year’s jewel in the crown, Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time ($49.99-$69.99, for Xbox, PS2, GC, GBA, rating: NNNN ). Another pair of gems: Final Fantasy X2 ($64.99, for PS2, rating: NNNN ) and Final Fantasy Online ($74.99, for PC, rating: NNNN ). Rounding out the treasure trove are Beyond Good & Evil ($59.99-$69.99, for Xbox, PS2, GC, rating: NNNNN ) and Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Game Of The Year ($39.99, for Xbox, PC, rating: NNNNN ), which both have hugely immersive story lines.

Movie Mania
The big screen moves into your living room with Harry Potter: Quiddich World Cup ($39.99-$59.99, for GC, Xbox, PS2, PC, GBA, rating: NNN ), The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers ($39.99-$49.99, for Xbox, PS2, GC, GBA, rating: NNN ) and TRON 2.0 ($49.99, for PC, rating: NNNN ) – the sequel to the cult hit delivers. The small screen gets in on the action with Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds ($59.99-$69.99, for GC, Xbox, PS2, rating: NNN ). For full reviews of each of these games and many more, check out our Online Holiday Game Guide, coming December 11 on www.nowtoronto.com

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