Last Minute Buying Guide

Christmas is just around the corner, and consumers are being bombarded with hoards of games and game-related merchandise, taking up every inch of shelf space. So, in the true sense of the occasion, we thought we’d give you a helping hand on what the stockings of you and your loved ones should be filled with come the big day.

Call of Duty: Black Ops
From $50.00 / £35.00

Black Ops brings you the same cinematic and epic single-player experience you’ve come to expect from the Call of Duty franchise over the years, but this time places you in the role of an elite Black Ops soldier who will do whatever it takes to complete the deadliest of operations.

Then there’s the signature multiplayer gameplay, which has been injected with a whole host of new perks, modes and a much deeper level of character customisation. Theatre Mode catches the eye especially, allowing players to record and edit their favourite multiplayer moments for sharing with friends, and anyone else willing to watch.

LittleBigPlanet: 11 Inch Sackboy Holder
From $60.00 / £25.00

LittleBigPlanet is a unique community-based game with a hugely innovative concept behind it, and since its release has developed somewhat of a cult following, spewing a whole host of superb merchandise.

This cutesy little blighter is designed to hold your PlayStation controller, PlayStation Move controller, PlayStation Portable, mobile phone, remote control, or anything of a similar size for that matter. Standing 11” tall, the large, curved hands of the Sackboy keep your gadgets and peripherals steady, safe, and easily accessible.

PlayStation Move: Starter Pack
From $100.00 / £45.00

Move isn’t just another motion-sensing device, as far as Sony is concerned, it is THE motion-sensing device. Unmatched in its accuracy through its advanced motion sensors, including a three axis gyroscope, a three axis accelerometer and a terrestrial magnetic field sensor, as well as a colour-changing sphere that is tracked by the PlayStation Eye Camera.

The pack varies depending on where you make your purchase and in what country, but generally it contains the PlayStation Move: Motion Controller, PlayStation Eye Camera and either a starter disc or the game, Sports Champions.

Kinect including Kinect: Adventures!
From $150.00 / £190.00

Kinect truly is hands-free entertainment, providing you with new and innovative ways to play video games for all ages, across all genres. The sensor bar is the genius behind it, tracking your every movement, whether you wave, shake or spin, it will know about it. It also includes face and voice recognition, providing a multitude of possibilities.

The pack comes complete with sensor, power cable, manual, Wi-Fi extension cable, Kinect game and Kinect Adventures! The latter is a sports title that compliments the motion-sensing equipment perfectly, providing you with plenty of excuses to kick, run and jump your way through 20 different adventures.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
From $60.00 / £25.00

Picking up where Assassin’s Creed II left off, Brotherhood continues the story of Ezio Auditore, who has now become a Master Assassin, taking advantage of more weapons and abilities than ever before. This includes leading your own brotherhood, calling upon trainee assassins who can do your bidding for you, or aid you in quests.

Arguably the biggest addition is Brotherhood’s unique multiplayer, where you pick your own character class, each with their own unique weapons and killing moves, and sprawl a host of richly-detailed maps. The selection of multiplayer modes on offer means you’ll never quite fight, and hopefully kill, the same way twice.

Assassin's Creed: Ezio Auditore Da Firenze Figurine
From $20.00 / £25.00

If you feel there’s something missing from your video game collection, then this is it. This would make the perfect gift to accompany the recently released Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, and would truly set off any shelf or surface it sits upon.

The figurine has been specifically designed to represent Ezio Auditore Da Firenze from Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, who now acts as Master Assassin, recruiting and training promising young assassin’s to aid him along yet another perilous quest. It stands at 22cm and is made from PVC, making it pretty durable, but also allowing for a stunningly accurate representation.

Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition
From $30.00 / £18.00

I won’t just give you one reason why this is the perfect gift for Christmas, I’ll instead give you four: Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. These aren’t just nostalgic games, these are games that changed the face of platforming for a generation, and they’re now all available on a single disc.

The package also includes a booklet chronicling the history of Super Mario, as well as an audio CD choc-full of some of the most recognisable video game tunes, spanning the best part of two and a half decades. This is a retro gamers dream, and one that should not be missed.

Super Mario Brothers Chess Collectors Edition
From $34.00 / £43.00

Whether you’re a hardcore chess fan, like to play on occasion, or collect gaming merchandise, Super Mario Brothers Chess depicts all your favourite characters superbly well with 32 hand-painted figurines, each sporting a classic pose, and are housed within a compact collectors tin.

The good side consists of Mario as king, Luigi as queen, Princess Peach and Daisy as bishops, Yoshi as knights, Toad as rooks, and eight coins for pawns. The evil side consists of Bowser as king, Bowser Jr. as queen, Magikoopa as bishops, Birdo as knights, Goomba as rooks, and eight green shells for pawns.

(all prices rounded up and may vary)

Craig Bryan, NoobFeed