Top 10 - Games for Kids this Christmas

By Emily Buxton

Ho ho ho, have you been good this year?

Now that December is upon us, I feel I can finally embrace the festive season wholeheartedly. Until now, each Christmas jingle I’ve hummed, or gift idea I’ve stumbled upon has also been accompanied by a large helping of guilt that it’s not even the month that Christmas falls on. Aren’t we starting the celebrations a tad early?

My advent calendar has now been opened however (yes, I cheated and ate all the little chocolates on the first day) so in the spirit of the season, I’ve compiled a Top 10 Games for Kids this Christmas. Some of them are new or upcoming releases and some are slightly older games that every boy and girl should have in their collection by now. If you don’t know any children to buy gifts for, you’ll just have to embrace your inner child.

10. Eragon - More info
A game based on the movie based on the book. Never mind figuring all that out though - Eragon takes you on a fantastic adventure as the destiny of a young farm boy named Eragon is revealed with the help of a dragon. Eragon, now a Dragon Rider, is swept into a world of magic and power, discovering that he alone has the power to save – or destroy – an Empire. A perfect opportunity to take the kids to see the movie when it comes out on the 14th of December and then to buy the game for Christmas, while they’re still dreaming of growing up to be a dragon rider. See our preview
Available for: PS2, Xbox, PC, PSP, DS, Xbox 360, GBA
My recommended age: 10+

9. Justice League Heros - More info
Playing a game as just the one superhero is sooo last year. This Christmas you’ll have the chance to play as more than 10 of your favourite superheroes from the Justice League including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and The Flash. Two player co-operative gameplay mode ensures that the only fighting going on with siblings is against the evil Brainiac and his henchmen. The perfect game for when those old comic books just won’t do! See our preview
Available for: PS2, Xbox, PSP, GBA, DS
My recommended age: 8+

8. Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex - More info
Everybody knows this cute little orange guy! After overwhelming demand, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex was bought to the Xbox after residing on the Playstation for years. With more than 30 levels to guide Crash through, this is the perfect game to buy if you want some peace and quiet in the house over Christmas. Colourful levels and charming music makes this a hard game for kids to resist.
Available for: PS2, Xbox
My recommended age: 8+

7. Eyetoy Play 2 (requires Eye Toy Camera) - More info
There’s nothing kids find more amusing than seeing themselves on screen. With Eyetoy Play 2, you can keep them highly entertained while also letting them burn off excess holiday energy at the same time. The EyeToy USB camera projects players onto the television screen live within the game, allowing them to physically interact with characters and environments. 12 new energetic games will leave the kids totally worn out, invalidating the old “kids should be doing something active, not playing videogames” argument. Sorry Gramps!
Available for: PS2
My recommended age: 5+

6. Singstar - More info
Get ready to stuff your ears with cotton wool because this Christmas is about to get a whole lot louder! With a range of seven different Singstar titles available, you can choose a themed version that the gift receiver is sure to enjoy (although for the younger ones, Singstar Pop or Singstar Party are probably going to be the favourites). If you enjoy listening to quality sound, you may want to turn the microphone volume down and the music volume up.
Available for: PS2
My recommended age: 12+

5. Mary-Kate and Ashley’s Dance Party of the Century
In a jovial Christmas spirit, I’ve included this gag entry in the form of an Olsen twins product. Gag indeed – I don’t recommend this game for anyone, anywhere. Apparently you can explore fashion or music or something, before you get to be the guest of honour at Mary-Kate and Ashley’s incredible dance party! OMG, how totally super awesome! Parents, if your kids have been naughty, have mercy and give them a piece of coal rather than this. (Note: The author of this article will take no responsibility for parents who mistakenly do buy this product for their children after reading this…)
Available for: PC
My recommended age: N/A

4. SpongeBob Squarepants: Creature from the Krusty Krab - More info
SpongeBob, Patrick, Plankton and his many friends are back for more crazy adventures in Bikini Bottom. Nine visually bizarre levels include gameplay features such as rampaging, flying, skydiving and hot rod racing. (And you thought it would be a quiet day at the beach!) Young fans of the TV show will be delighted with the chance to experience Bikini Bottom firsthand. Warning: You may buy this game for your child or younger sibling, but the crazy antics and oddball humour will suck you in faster than quicksand. See our preview
Available for: PS2, Xbox, Wii, GBA, DS, PC
My recommended age: 5+

3. Oddworld Strangers Wrath - More info
A game set in towns filled with chickens could never go wrong in my opinion. In the most recent Oddworld title, players take the role of Stranger, a bounty hunter floating from town to town using his unique crossbow and ‘live’ ammo to bag the outlaws and collect the hefty bounty offered. Different creatures can be captured to use as ammo, including Chippunks, Fuzzles and Boombats. With a unique brand of humour and rich, detailed environments, Oddworld Strangers Wrath is a surprisingly engaging game suitable for most older kids (and beyond!) See our full review
Available for: Xbox
My recommended age: 12+

2. Lego Star Wars 2 - More info
The sequel to the surprise hit Star Wars Lego has arrived and guess what? You don’t even have to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy these games. Reliving the original Star Wars trilogy in a virtual Lego land, this is the kind of fun that everyone will enjoy (regardless of if you realise you’re playing as Obi-Wan Kenobi or not.) There’s no blood and gore to be found here – characters killed with lightsabers merely explode into individual Lego pieces. See our full review
Available for: PS2, Xbox, PC, PSP, DS, Xbox 360, GBA
My recommended age: 7+

1. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - More info
A highly anticipated title for the upcoming Wii, this is going to make a lot of gamers very happy if they find it under their Christmas tree. Twilight Princess tells the story of Link, a young boy who sets off to explore the vast land of Hyrule. As he comes across the Twilight Realm, he transforms into a wolf and is captured. Aided by a mysterious girl called Midna, Link must then use all of his skills to escape and free the land from the shadows. This is a must have game this Christmas. See our preview
Available for: Wii, Gamecube
My recommended age: 10+

Happy Holidays! May your belly be full and your Christmas stocking stuffed with a heap of new games.

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