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Xbox 360 Economical Gift-Giving Guide: Part 1 - Family Hits
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Viva Piñata is both fun and great-looking while treating kids like they have brains.
Photo credit to vivapinata.com
Halloween signifies the start of the holiday season and despite Thanksgiving being next on the holiday menu, Christmas commands the season due to the preparation, and frankly the marketing and money in the holiday. Video games can be tricky as presents. If one isn't explicit in their details of their perspective games expect to receive a duplicate game in your library or "Carnival Games" for the Wii. In the next month, these series of articles will hopefully assist you, the buyer or receiver, in helping find presents for a variety of people and also pointing out the best deals and packages offered this holiday season.
Family games share the same characteristic with family movies; you as the parent, brother/sister, etc. need to find a shred of entertainment in it but it has to be something that can be enjoyed repeatedly as undoubtedly a child would. You also need to separate educational games. Reader Rabbit and Freddie the Fish may be great for ABCs and 123s, but expect most kids to leave it under the tree come this Christmas. Here are some suggestions that will be enjoyable for families with children and should be found at under $30.
Lego versions of popular movie series, such as Indiana Jones, allows you to enjoy
the references while kids enjoy the humor. Photo credit LucasArts.com.
Suggestion #1
The Lego series of games
Developer Traveler's Tales takes everyone's favorite childhood blocks, sorry Mega Bloks, and combines them with classic movie and entertainment franchises that contain at least a trilogy of movies or extensive history in entertainment, including Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Batman and the upcoming Harry Potter game. The Lego series does well in incorporating frustrating-proof gameplay with no-lose restrictions or radically difficult challenges, allowing players to breeze through levels. Thanks to licensing popular franchises, the games recreates movies and moments while using comedic miming motions to relay story elements and keep violence to a minimum. There is no actual building with Legos, which are used for aesthetic purposes only and the games don't deviate radically in gameplay from each title. With cooperative play, although no local 4-player is available, it allows for even further assistance in helping play through the game.
Suggestion #2
Viva Piñata/Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
I combine these two Rare-developed games because both share a complex learning curve that are ultimately rewarding if one is patient. Both games are dependant on creativity; Viva Piñata asks gamers to create their own "garden" branding it by enticing piñata animals while Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts focuses on vehicular design for completing tasks. There's no way to "fail" in either game, with Banjo Kazooie exhibiting standard platformer gameplay without the constant falling to your death and you can restart gardens in Viva Piñata with all unlocked upgrades and piñatas carrying over. Both aren't without its faults, as Banjo Kazooie has frustrating missions especially if you've designed a vehicle terribly equipped for a task and Viva Piñata takes time to develop the right garden. Viva Piñata 2 does boast local multiplayer, allowing players to work together in developing a garden while Nuts & Bolts only allows for online multiplayer challenges.
The beautiful scenery is lush and... Ah heck, let's just get to the crashing.
Photo credit to criteriongames.com.
Suggestion #3
Burnout: Paradise
If you need a game that's adrenaline pumping and exciting not involving popping aliens, Burnout: Paradise is the choice. The Burnout series has always focused on sensational crashes and by taking drivers out of the cars, players are treated to eye candy car crashes without the horrible aftermath and insurance mess of a typical fender-bender. Paradise has an open city to explore with challenges gradually increasing in difficulty but most people's enjoyment will more than likely focus on the crashing than the racing. The worst part about Paradise? Multiplayer is only available via XBOX Live.
Kingdom for Keflings is about a growing town and subjugating smaller and inferior
people. Oh, it's not? I missed the point then. Photo credit to the official site.
Suggestion #4
A Kingdom for Keflings
There's a lot of other obvious choices for family hits like Guitar Hero/Rock Band but one outside of mainstream notice is a downloadable content (DLC) title called "Kingdom for Keflings" released simultaneously with the avatar update last year. The concept is simple; build your town by utilizing tiny people known as Keflings in harvesting various resources like stone and wood and turning materials into bigger building components. There's no antagonist (unless you count yourself), no violence (unless you consider kicking your Keflings), or anything remotely difficult. It's peaceful, simple and surprisingly a lot of fun. It won't be for the kid that tears through the house blabbering away on a sugar high, but for anyone remotely patient will enjoy the game. Also by utilizing avatars, it gives you an actual reason to design an avatar.
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