My Holiday Gift Guide for Gamers

The holiday season is upon us like on Princess Peach, and it’s time to get that special gift for the gamer in your life. Unfortunately, you may have no idea what titles he or she already owns. Worse, you may not even know their gaming console of choice.

If video game gift giving makes you feel like with no power pellets, never fear, our list of gaming related items is here. Instead of buying a typical game disc or download, which the recipient may or may not want (or may already have), why not surprise your turtle-jumping, tomb-raiding, dot-munching loved one with one of the following peripheral presents?

Nintendo

Nintendo’s cute, colorful figurines are compatible with certain titles for the and 3DS, unlocking bonus content and features (such as costumes and weapons) in those games. The great thing is, even if the person you’re buying a gift for doesn’t have a Wii U or 3DS, Amiibo are cool collectibles and make for great game room decorations.

There are numerous designs, including such iconic characters as , Mario, Pac-Man, Pikachu, Princess Peach, Sonic the Hedgehog and Zelda.

Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie

Screenwave Media

Whether hardcore or casual, most gamers who are also film fans have seen such big budget pictures as Pixels and . However, there’s a thriving indy video game movie scene as well, exemplified by such fun but relatively obscure features as Nintendo Quest and King of the Arcades.

A standout in this category is  (starring YouTube sensation James Rolfe), which is noteworthy not for its quality but for its lack thereof. Adult in the most juvenile sense of the word (Rolfe is famous for his expletive-laden tirades), the movie is so bad it’s good. Call it Plan 9 from Outer Space for the vid kid generation.

Game On! 2016: All the Best Games: Awesome Facts and Coolest Secrets

Scholastic

Everyone loves lists, and Game On! 2016 has several that joystick jockeys will enjoy, from “50 Greatest Gaming Moments” to “Glitches, Stunts, and Fails” to “The Coolest Gaming Secrets of All Time.” Plus, the book, which is recommended for readers ages 8 to 12, spotlights some of today’s hottest video game properties, including , , The Sims, Madden NFL and the 8-bit-inspired favorite, .

For a more scholarly work, hold out for Leonard Herman’s forthcoming Phoenix IV: The History of the Videogame Industry (maybe you could give it as a birthday present next spring), but Game On! 2016 is a fun, photo-heavy read that will keep kids entertained (and somewhat informed) while they’re away from their gaming consoles.

Legend of Zelda Link Robe

ThinkGeek

Give the green gift of comfort with this one-size-fits-most-adults Link bathrobe, which features a pointed hood, a removable brown belt, two pockets (for snacks, magic potions and the like) and a decorative shield on the back. Perfect for marathon gaming sessions (there’s no time to get dressed or even go to work when there are kingdoms to conquer and princesses to rescue), it’s made of 100 percent polyester, so it should last through many adventures.

Non-Zelda fans will be none the wiser when you tell them it’s a Green Arrow or Robin Hood robe.

LEGO Minecraft: The Desert Outpost

LEGO

If you’ve got kids in grade school, you’ve probably heard of . In fact, you may have heard too much about it as devotees tend to discuss the popular world-building game at length (which is polite phrasing for ad nauseam).

Many fans call  “digital LEGOs,” so it only makes sense that there are several related LEGO sets available, including our favorite, The Desert Outpost, which, like the rest of the sets, spurs analog creativity. A child with an especially inventive mind can add Star Wars blocks and figures (sold separately) and create scenes evoking the dusty planet Tatooine.

Mario Kart 8 GO!!! Racing System

Carrera

The “” series, which began with Super Mario Kart (1992) on the Super NES and continues today with Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U, features some of the most popular racing video games ever made. A natural extension of the franchise is this super cool slot car racing kit, which includes a lap counter, a pair of controllers, Mario and Toad in their respective racers and a twisting, turning, infinity-shaped track.

The set is recommended for children ages 8 and up, but parents and grandparents who played with slot cars during the toy’s heyday of the 1960s and ’70s will enjoy it as well. This is a great way to spend some family time together away from screens.

Monopoly: Fallout Collector’s Edition

Monopoly

for the PS4 and Xbox One is just a month old, meaning RPG fans and hardcore gamers are still fully immersed in the game’s vast universe, fighting to survive a world destroyed by nuclear war. But at some point, players must take a break, come up for air and interact with actual human beings. In short, Fallout 4 is an immersive, time-draining, solo experience.

Enter Monopoly: Fallout Collector’s Edition, an immersive, time-draining experience for two to six players. The buy/sell/trade action is similar to classic , but with themes based on the popular “Fallout” franchise, complete with Wasteland environment, customized money and Houses and Hotels renamed Shacks and Vaults.

Other video game-themed versions of Monopoly are available as well, including Halo.

  

Pac-Man Connect and Play

Bandai

Released to celebrate Pac-Man’s 35^th anniversary, this nifty gadget plugs directly into most any TV set and includes 12 old-school arcade games, mostly mazes and shooters: , Pac-Man Plus, Bosconian, Galaxian, Mappy, Super Pac-Man, Galaga, Dig Dug, New Rally X, Pac & Pal, Xevious, and Pac-Man 256, the latter of which lets fans play the 256^th board in , when the coin-op classic would famously freeze.

Ms. Pac-Man is noticeably absent, and the joystick isn’t as sturdy or as sure as that on a real arcade cabinet, but as playable shelf-porn (the cord can be stored in the controller for a streamlined look), this will make any Pac-Fan smile.

RetroN 5

Hyperkin

Retro gaming is rad, but many people—especially casual gamers—don’t want to go through the expense and hassle of acquiring and hooking up a bunch of dusty old consoles. That’s where the comes in. This amazing device, which comes with HDMI connections and a Bluetooth wireless controller, lets users relive gaming’s glory days by playing cartridges (sold separately) from nine vintage systems: the , Famicom (Japanese NES), Super NES, Super Famicom (Japanese Super NES), Genesis, Mega Drive (Japanese Genesis), , Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance.

Yahtzee: Borderlands Claptrap Edition

Gearbox

If you’ve checked this list twice and still can’t decide what to get your favorite gamer, roll the dice on this special  edition of the popular tabletop game, Yahtzee, published by Plano-based Gearbox. Playable solo or with one or more friends, the package comes with a collectible CL4P-TP Dice Shaker Cup, a custom score pad and special dice featuring Borderlands Achievement icons: Vault, Pandoracon, Chest, Map, Psycho Mask and CL4P-TP.

There are Super Mario-, Pac-Man- and Legend of Zelda-themed Yahtzee sets as well.

And Now a Message from Programmer Don Daglow

, legendary programmer of the groundbreaking Utopia for the , among many other classic titles, has written a novel. Here's a message from Mr. Daglow about his new book:

Some of you may know that I was a professional writer and teacher before the games industry began. In addition to being a Game Developer, for the last seven years I've taken little pockets of late-night time for a writing project I wanted to bring to life.

That project is The Fog Seller, a mystery novel set in , and it just went on sale (e-book and paperback). If you've ever felt like people just make assumptions instead of really listening to you, this story will feel familiar. If you like mysteries or love stories please take a look at it on Amazon. I'd also be deeply grateful for an Amazon review if you give it a read.

The Fog Seller is the story of Steve Ondelle, a Sausalito ferry deckhand and a deeply introverted young man who never answers questions about his past. He's the perfect suspect in a political assassination around a billion-dollar land deal, because he acts and sounds guilty even though he's innocent.

With his street-performer roommate Liam the Fog Seller and a bizarre collection of friends like Leonard the Human Statue, astronomer Paula Costa, The Prophet of Market Street, veterinary physical therapist Emma Hernandez, and radio DJ Phil Steen, Steve takes on the lies of the wealthy and the powerful in San Francisco.

FREE REVIEW COPIES! -- Classic Home Video Games

FREE BOOK!

If you write for a video game website or magazine, or you have a YouTube channel or podcast, email me if you want a FREE review copy of one of the books in the “Classic Home Video Games” series. *Please respond only if you intend on reviewing the book.

To get your review copy, email to brettw105 AT sbcglobal.net with your name and a link to your site. Also, let me know which book you would like, and if you prefer a digital copy or a print copy (provide address if you want a physical copy): Classic HomeVideo Games, 1972-1984, Classic Home Video Games, 1985-1988, or Classic HomeVideo Games, 1989-1990.

Below you'll find links to excerpts from the books to help you decide which one you want. Thanks!

Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984:

This reference work provides a comprehensive guide to popular and obscure video games of the 1970s and early 1980s, covering EVERY official United States release for programmable home game consoles of the pre-Nintendo NES era. Included are the following systems: Adventure Vision, APF MP1000, Arcadia 2001, Astrocade, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, ColecoVision, Fairchild Channel F, Intellivision, Microvision, Odyssey, Odyssey2, RCA Studio II, Telstar Arcade, and Vectrex. Organized alphabetically by console brand, each chapter includes a history and description of the game system, followed by substantive entries for every game released for that console, regardless of when the game was produced. Each video game entry includes publisher/developer information and the release year, along with a description and, frequently, the author's critique. An appendix lists "homebrew" titles that have been created by fans and amateur programmers and are available for download or purchase. Includes glossary, bibliography and index.

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Classic Home Video Games, 1985-1988:

A follow up to 2007's Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984, this reference work provides descriptions and reviews of every original U.S.-released game for the Nintendo NES, the Atari 7800, and the Sega Master System. Organized alphabetically by console brand, each chapter includes a description of the game system followed by entries for every game released for that console. Video game entries include publisher/developer data, release year, gameplay information, and, typically, the author's critique. A glossary provides a helpful guide to the classic video game genres and terms referenced throughout the work, and a preface provides a comparison between the modern gaming industry and the industry of the late 1980s.

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Classic Home Video Games, 1989-1990:

The third in a series about home video games, this detailed reference work features descriptions and reviews of EVERY original U.S.-released game for the Neo Geo, Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx-16, which, in 1989, ushered in the 16-bit era of gaming. Organized alphabetically by console brand, each chapter includes a description of the game system followed by entries for every game released for that console. Video game entries include historical information, gameplay details, the author's critique, and, when appropriate, comparisons to similar games. Appendices list and offer brief descriptions of all the games for the Atari Lynx and Nintendo Game Boy, and catalogue and describe the add-ons to the consoles covered herein--Neo Geo CD, Sega CD, Sega 32X and TurboGrafx-CD.

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Christmas Carol vs. The Ghost of Christmas Presents -- Intellivision

Christmas Carol vs. The Ghost of Christmas Presents
Intellivision

Publisher and Developer: Left Turn Only

www.carolvsghost.com/index.html

Grade: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Making its debut at the 2012 Classic Gaming Expo, Christmas Carol vs. The Ghost of Christmas Presents is one of the most polished, most professionally published homebrews that I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing. It’s not my favorite —Medieval Mayhem for the 2600, Jr. Pac-Man for the 7800, and D2K Arcade for the vie for that honor—but it’s challenging, nice looking, and a heck of a lot of fun, and the production values are first class all the way.

As soon as you plug in Christmas Carol, you’ll know you are in for a treat. The title screen features a nicely rendered Christmas tree with twinkling ornaments, and the music is a delightful interpretation of Mykola Leontovych’s classic, folk-inspired Christmas tune, “Carol of the Bells.”

Christmas Carol is a maze game that borrows from  (don’t they all?), but has a distinct flavor all its own. Using simple, four-way controls, players guide Carol Greenleaf around a series of labyrinthine caverns, picking up presents (in the form of Christmas gift boxes) while avoiding a -like ghost (the titular “Ghost of Christmas Presents”). If the ghost touches Carol, all the presents she has gathered will reappear in the maze, and she must pick them up again.

A few seconds after a stage begins, the Evil Snowman will enter the maze. His howl will warn you of his impending presence, giving you a chance to keep clear of the Pac-Man-like side tunnels where he enters. Unlike the ghost, making contact with the Evil Snowman is deadly.

Luckily, there are magical snowflakes to help you out. When Carol eats a snowflake, the enemies temporarily become stunned (the ghost will freeze) and confused (the snowman will turn the opposite direction). For extra points, Carol can eat bon-bon candies dotting the pathways; this slows her down, but not by much. Additional points are also awarded if you collect all the presents in a level without getting caught by the snowman. This is called the Perfect Level Bonus, and it increases as you complete more stages.

Christmas Carol offers eight different non-scrolling mazes to explore: Haunted Hollow, Frosted Maze, Candy Cove, Icicle Lane, Snowflake Garden, Freezer Burn, Krystal Keep, and Twisted Toyland. The latter introduces a new enemy to the action called The Toy of Mischief 3000, a.k.a. T.O.M.BOT 3K, who has been reprogrammed by the Evil Snowman to “aid his foul deeds.” This little robot shoots Carol with lasers, slowing her down (but not killing her). As with the ghost, Carol can freeze the robot by eating a snowflake.

Craggy borders, ice cubes, icicles, and other such elements delineate the maze pathways, and cute intermissions play out between levels. There are humorous elements in the intermissions, such as when Carol is surprised to the point of fainting by a jack-in-the-box, and when Carol scares off the snowman with a flaming torch.

If you beat all eight levels, you rise in the ranks from Novice to Helper in Santa’s Elite Elf Squad, and the action starts again at the beginning, but is more difficult. Then you must try to beat the levels a third and a fourth time to become a Ranger and then a Master respectively, but this is very difficult to achieve. To pause the game, press "1" and "9" simultaneously, just like in the good old days.

You may not think the Intellivision control disc is the ideal device for manipulating a character around tight corners, but it works great for Christmas Carol. The title character maneuvers quickly and smoothly, but the enemies are even faster, so you’ll have to be clever, anticipate their moves, and use snowflakes wisely to make it very far into the game. One tip is to move up, down, and all around when the snowman is chasing you as this sometimes gets him off your tail.

Clearly, few corners were cut in producing this fine game, which comes packaged in a classic-style, front-flap Intellivision box with two keypad overlays, labeled cartridge, and slick, full-color manual. I wish there were a way to occasionally turn the tables on the enemies—maybe a magic elf that would appear from time to time to give Carol a candy cane weapon. I also think the enemies should slow down when they are chasing you through a tunnel (as they do in ). However, these are nitpicks in an otherwise terrific game.

If you decide to hop over to the Left Turn Only website and order a copy of Christmas Carol vs. The Ghost of Christmas Presents (who says you can’t buy a Christmas present for yourself?), you might find that you enjoy it more than such revered maze titles as  and Pac-Man. It’s simply that good.

*Also by Left Turn Only: Space Patrol, which is a spectacular  clone for the that lets you pilot your moon buggy across the Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Pluto.

I did a recent interview for the new Walter Day Collection website. 

You can check it out HERE.