10/06 Update: Since we no longer write for the Edmond Sun, this section is temporarily housing our podcast links for our iTunes feed. All of the columns are in the archives menu if you feel like exploring.

These columns (as well as the 'releases') come from weekly content that we write for the Edmond Sun, out of Edmond, OK (though we live in Chicago). This page contains the archives for said column, many of which are in their pre-published, unedited state. Some titles and editing by Brendan Sinclair.

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Holiday Buyers Guide
Saturday, November 27, 2004

This year's holiday season will no doubt be rough on wallets everywhere, and gaming is an especially expensive hobby. So what's the best way to avoid disgruntled relatives and as many murder-suicides as possible? Why, read our first annual shoptacular gaming gift guide, of course!

Stocking Stuffers (games on the cheap):

ESPN Sports (NBA, NFL, NHL 2K5) - PS2, Xbox MSRP $20
I get crazy looks whenever I say it, but I swear to you these are the best sports games out there. Better looking, better playing, and a mere fraction of the cost of the competition ($20 a pop); there is no reason every sports-loving American shouldn't have at least one of these games.

Gungrave: Overdose - PS2 MSRP $15
Everyone likes shooting things, and this game has you doing it non-stop from start to finish. It's stylish, chaotic fun, and at $15 you can probably afford to get one for each psychopathic little nephew you can think of.

Midway Arcade Treasures 2 - PS2, Xbox, GC MSRP $20
If you can remember way back to the 90s, arcades were full of life, robots and dinosaurs and Midway was leading the charge. This compilation of all their recent arcade hits is one of the best deals around. For only $20, you get more than 20 classic games, including arcade perfect ports of two Mortal Kombat games and the original street crime simulator NARC.

Great Games Your Kids Won't Ask You For (because they've never heard of them):

Katamari Damacy - PS2 $20
It's about the most Japanese game you'll ever play, and it's wall-to-wall zaniness is the icing on a cake containing incredibly fun, incredibly simple gameplay. You're the tiny Prince of the Cosmos, and you're tasked with rolling up snowballing clumps
of junk on earth. You start with buttons and paper clips, and before you know it you're rolling up stadiums and skyscrapers. It's one of those games that will make your heart happy, guaranteed.

Viewtiful Joe 2 - PS2, GC $40
I may be living in the past, but I think Viewtiful Joe is as good as games get. In a 2D world filled with colorful characters, you fight a horde of enemies using only your fist, feet, and penchant for controlling time itself. Speed up and slow down time, or simply replay it again and again to dish out massive amounts of damage in this addictive, and incredibly difficult, adventure.

Alien Hominid - PS2, GC $30
Another title that is soaked in the yummy juices of yesteryear, Alien Hominid is a cartoony romp of world destruction seen through the eyes of an overactive alien who just wants to get his spaceship back. Borrowing heavily from Contra and Metal Slug, Alien Hominid pits you and a friend against a horde of outlandish creatures who try, and will eventually fail, at stopping your rampage. Fun for the whole family. I'm serious.

Fun For All Ages, Despite The Advertising:

Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal - PS2 $40
At first glance R&C certainly looks like a heavily focus-tested attempt at putting likable characters in a colorful world with lots of explosions. Well, that may be a fairly accurate description, but it's also one of the most entertaining games you'll ever play. There's a massive amount of things to do and gameplay styles to explore (including the new addition of online multiplayer), but every one is as fun as the last thanks to top-notch game design and some of the best controls in the business.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - GC $50
If you want an epic quest and deeply troubled characters, look elsewhere. Mario's role-playing adventures always place an emphasis on humor, fun and all those things sorely lacking in the competition. You may not be able to chose to follow the dark side, but you can turn into a paper airplane and fly across an ocean, and who doesn't love that?

Mario Power Tennis - GC $50
I never thought tennis could be fun until I look at it through the eyes of Donkey Kong. In this simple, but highly addictive take on the sport, use special moves and smash shots to crush your opponent and become the king of the Mario Tennis universe. One of the best 4 player games around that can be enjoyed by the hardcore and casual gamer alike.

For The Old-School:

Mega Man Anniversary Collection - PS2, GC $40
I love Mega Man games. The mere thought of having an entire disc filled to the brim with just about every relevant Mega Man adventure is enough to make me dance a jig of unbridled joy. Pay special attention to Mega Man 2 - though almost two decades old at this point, this is still one of the most fun games ever made. Though I never understood how Flash Man and Wood Man could play such a large part in a child's game.

Sonic Mega Collection Plus - PS2, XBX, GC $20
I swear, these games are the cause of my complete lack of patience. Speed is the name of the game and, thankfully, the games are still quite fun. If you really want a Sonic game this year, forget about those fancy new 3D ones and enjoy some blast processing enhanced classic gaming.

Street Fighter Anniversary Collection - PS2 $30
Street Fighter was never as flashy as the competition (and still isn't), but it still offers some of the most balanced, entertaining fighting around. This collection gets together all versions of every character from every iteration of SF2 and lets them duke it out, and that alone will make any fan wet their pants in glee.

Don't Bother With A Gift Receipt:

Burnout 3 - PS2, Xbox $50
It's the fastest, most enthralling racing game ever, bar none. You can't tweak out your car, but it trumps every other racer this season in every other respect. Play it alone, with a pal, or online, and compete in a number of different racing and challenge modes, including the insanely addictive crash mode (which plays more like a puzzle game than anything else). Possibly the best game of the year, definitely the most addictive.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - PS2 $50
I didn't think that it was possible, but this truly massive game really does offer a good 150+ hours of gameplay. It's six times bigger than the last game in the series, and offers three different cities and all the woodland/canyons in-between to explore and cause chaos in. Spend your time playing pool, skydiving, bicycling, gambling, or just do some good ol' fashioned disemboweling. No gamer over the age of 18 should be deprived of this (except those with the brains of an 8-year old, a demographic I often overlook).

Halo 2 - Xbox $50
The first Halo was the reason to own an Xbox, and the second one improves on an already fun formula. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but it's a very entertaining journey whether you're alone or with a pal. That, and the online multiplayer is as addicting and well thought-out as games get. Anyone who owns an Xbox has probably already picked up their copy, but those without an Xbox could certainly use both.

Don't Bother With A Gift Receipt, Probably:

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater $50
The weird plot lines and intensely stealthy action of the MGS series is a bit too much for some to handle, but for anyone with some patience and a penchant for action, you can't go wrong here. It's one of the best-looking and sounding games on the PS2, and it's very organic level design (literal forests and the like) is sure to please anyone too scared to venture into the sunlight for too long.

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within - PS2, Xbox, GC $50
I would love to warn you about some fatal defect that will keep you from loving this title, but I can't think of one. Longer than the first, with more varied combat and a darker storyline, this game should be in everyone's console of choice before I count to three. What, you want a fault? Ok, a lot of the environments look the same. Happy? Now buy this game for anyone and everyone.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - GC $50
While some may complain this game really hasn't changed much from its predecessor, fans of the original can do a happy dance of their choosing. With a world two times as large as Prime's, and much harder to boot, this is more Metroid than most mortals can handle. And when you're done killing Ridley for the umpteenth time, check out the simple-but-fun 4-player mode.

For The Family Idiot:

The Guy Game - PS2, Xbox $40
Frat boys get a bad rap, but you have to hand it to this small but influential group. The powers that be saw their poor taste in gaming was not being met, so they produced a horrible trivia game/wet T-shirt contest. If you receive this for a gift, take that opportunity to really examine where you went wrong in life.

N-gage QD $200
The perfect gift for those with no knowledge of the current standard of cell phone or gaming technology. It's games look like muddy crap and control like hell, and it's "Side-talking" cell phone function just makes you look like a moron. But hey, what better way to tell those in your family "I don't love you, and never have."

Fight Club - PS2, Xbox $50
All the testostoriffic violence of the movie with none of the likable characters or deeper meaning. It's simple, hand-to-hand fighting, yet it still feels like it was thrown together at the last minute. Get it for film students and watch their initial pleasant surprise turn to horror as they actually boot up the game.

For Those With Patience:

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne - PS2 $50
A nice change of pace from your typical RPG fantasy fare, SMT:N offers an apocalyptic take on an intriguing story of demons and religion. You can recruit said demons or kill them - either way, it's deep and it's challenging. With some of the most beautiful art design around, you can't go wrong if you're a fan of this sort of thing.

Shadow Hearts: Covenant - PS2 $50
Battling mythical monsters in Post-WWI Europe - what more can you ask for? A quasi-real-time battle system? The ability to morph into different monsters? It's all yours. This series has been severely under appreciated thus far, so show your support and please an RPG nuts at the same time this season by picking it up.

Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords - Xbox $50
Another sequel that offers little change from the original. Usually, I would condemn such an act, but when the game in question is as good as KotOR, I can only thank the developers for not tampering with what works. Being able to turn on my trusting friends and bring them down to my level is one of the most satisfying moments I have ever had in gaming, and the sequel promises even more dastardly opportunities.

Those With Too Much Money:

Nintendo DS $150
This spankin' new system does a lot of crazy stuff - two screens, a touch-sensitive
interface, a built-in mic, wi-fi online play - but does it do it well? Thus far, based on the handful of launch games, I'm inclined to say no. Though it may be a thrilling system to own and interface with a year from now, it's current status relegates it to the realms of buying only for those with quite a bit extra to spare.

Taiko Drum Master - PS2 $60
It's been a huge hit in Japan for years now, and we American gamers are finally getting the chance to experience this rhythmic madness. The included sticks and drums are certainly sturdy, and provide hours of booty-shakin' fun for those who can keep a beat. The song selection varies from classic Namco gaming tunes to current pop songs, and there are enough difficulty levels to keep everyone happy.

Steel Battalion: Line of Contact - Xbox $150
This is probably the most niche title out there. For anyone out there who wants, more than anything else in life, to control a 100 foot mech with a special controller that houses more than 40 buttons, this is the perfect game for you. Considering this costs more than an entire console, I can't imagine many gamers are going to bite at this tasty hook.

- Tom & Nick


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