by Ashley Penrod, Assistant Editor
So, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, buy stuff, blah blah. All of that holiday cheer is here, yet again, for 2011! Take your shopping fears and woes out of the equation, because here are a few words that should calm your noël-rattled nerves: “Here is some stuff I can buy for all of my cool friends”. Brought to you by yours truly, because this is pretty much what my list looks like. And I’m the coolest. I’m also a girl, so look elsewhere for a list filled with stupid Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Madden NFL, because that is not what your geeky girlfriend wants for Christmas. As a matter of fact, considering that this is, literally, my personal wish list, we could probably just call it: “What Your Geeky Girlfriend Probably REALLY Wants For Christmas”. In no specific order of desire:
1)
Assassins’s Creed: Revelations – When the title first launched back in 2007, the graphics, story, and gameplay left many players overly satisfied, and excited about things to come in the war between The Assassins and The Templars. It was a very new concept in the sea of titles fronting the battle-for-the-best-console waging between Nintendo and Sony. But the original
AC held its own beautifully, and hooked an entirely new generation of gamers to the beauty that console-graphics can bring to a good story (Am I the only gamer who was completely entranced with the freaking LOAD SCREEN? I know my friends were sick of me after the seventh time I said: “Damn, guys, isn’t this pretty? This is pretty!”) Four years into the franchise and still going strong,
Revelations has a strong intro story that brings new players up-to-speed on the past stories, as they will all interplay into one another throughout the course of the game. And, as a first, this story actually has a feeling of closure to it, unlike the other
ACs. This will leave faithful followers happy, while drawing new players into the experience, and probably lead to the purchase of the first three games. Do you really need another blockbuster title on your wall this season, or would you rather give a strong story and aesthetically-pleasing graphics a chance to shine? That’s up to you, but I’m going to be getting to the end of this game if it kills me. Check out the
official site or
get your copy on Amazon now!
2)
Super Mario 3D Land –
Super Mario games are always fun, the exceptions are few and far between, and can be swept easily under the carpet with the release of a better title in the series (i.e We can all forget that the first
Super Mario Galaxy ever happened. Ugh.) This game promises to be an awesome amount of that Mario + Luigi fun we’ve all gotten so addicted to – along with the side-scrolling 2D and free-roaming 3D elements that the 3DS has obtained such high praise for. Many of the power up suits found in the previous
Mario games are included in
‘3D Land including the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower and Invincibility Star, as well as a Statue Leaf, Boomerang Flower (this allows the plumbers to throw boomerangs at enemies) and the Question Box (a suit that maximises Mario’s ability to collect coins as he walks around levels). I thought the last two rare suits were sweet additions, and the game is all-in-all probably the best Mario game for a handheld console since
Super Mario Bros DS (Between that and
The Sims 2, I skipped a semester of college). Check out the
official site or
get your copy on Amazon now!
3) While you’re at it, have you gotten her a
Nintendo 3DS yet? You should probably get one of those. This gorgeous piece of gaming equipment is a must-have for any Nintendo fan, as the gameplay and graphics looks tight and amazing throughout the games that have been released thusfar. And Nintendo promises more big-name releases in 2012, so get your hands on one of these ASAP. What better excuse than Christmas? (I’m an old school gamer, so I’m going to say “Get a DS.” long before I sell-out to the idea of a 3D iPad. That’s just how I roll.) Check out the
official site or
get your copy on Amazon now
4.) A GPS. Any kind of GPS. I prefer the Tom-Tom, as it is considerably more affordable than the Garmin, with all of the perks and fun, downloadable voices, and even if it comes a little bulky, the set-up and take-down is fairly simple, and can be quickly and easily folded up to put inside of her glove compartment or trunk. If she is blonde and usually in a hurry, you may want to remind her on a daily basis to do this. A good GPS is a must-have for any driving female, especially if she is new to town, and, though it may not seem very romantic, she will appreciate it more than any gift you could think of. It is showing her that you care about her safety, and want her to get to her many destinations safely and in a timely fashion. So, you know, that will buy you a lot of points for later use. Check out the official site or get your copy on Amazon now!
5.) Doctor Who: The David Tennant Years – When I saw this, I was loathe to give it back to its owner. Its a gorgeous set, filled to the brim with The Doctor who got me completely hooked to this innovative series, David Tennant. There is nothing about this that isn’t absolutely awesome, as it includes all of Tennant’s run as The Doctor, from Series 2 up to 4. When it comes to these series, you are cheating yourself if you don’t make the run through each episode, from the beginning of Tennant’s run, up to the movies that finalize his years as The Doctor. The storylines are so intricately intertwined, that it is really only acceptable to watch each and every episode, in order, to fully understand the depth of these years in Doctor Who. But, if you’re intensely ADHD like me, you will jump from episode-to-episode and movie-to-movie as they are available, and entertaining. I regret having done this, to some extent, and if I’d had this beautiful set, I wouldn’t have jumped around quite as much. From beginning to end, this is a glorious piece of television, and a great way to get any new fan hooked hardcore onto the BBC’s best import. Check out the official site or get your copy on Amazon now!
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