Issue Date: December 3, 2006

In this article: Gifts for the hard-core gamer Teen dreams on small screens

GAMING

Beyond Madden

Gift ideas for the hard-core gamers in your life. (Tip: Never get them a video game!)

By Scott Jones

Dear Aunt Bea and Uncle Phineas, and friends, family and co-workers: Please don't buy me any video games for Christmas this year, thank you. I already own a copy of "F.E.A.R." And "Bully." And, yes, even "Guitar Hero II." I'm a true-blue gamer, which means that when it comes to the latest hit game I either pre-ordered or picked it up on release day. Seriously, giving me another game is like tossing a Perrier to a drowning man.

Don't worry, there are a range of other game-related gifts you could buy. I'd love a copy of Jon Gibson's terrific "I Am8-Bit" (Chronicle Books; $22.95). Yes, it's a book! Yes, gamers like to read, especially books full of artwork inspired by '80s-era video games.

We also get into documentaries. "Once Upon Atari" (onceuponatari.com; $29.95) details the rise and fall of the video game company that started it all. The DVD is filled with boozing and nervous breakdowns. In fact, there's more seedy drama here than in a season of "Desperate Housewives."

If your wallet's feeling a little slim this time of year, you always could get me a nifty Tetris-inspired set of magnets (store.artlebedev.com/catalog/toys/tetrius) to decorate my mini-fridge. The set is about $10.

Fact: Gamers love collectible items, and among the most coveted has to be the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Kubrick box set (Medicom/Rock Star Games; $35.99). All my favorite characters from the "M"-rated game -- Tommy Vercetti, Lance Vance and even scuzzball lawyer Ken Rosenberg -- have been made over as cute, plastic dolls. Those will look great on my desk.

Feeling a bit more generous? Then get me the Xbox 360 HD DVD player (Microsoft; $199.99). The attachment plugs directly into the USB port on your 360 console and lets you play movies on the new HD DVD format.

Naturally, I'm going to need a high-definition TV to go with my new HD DVD player. The Westinghouse LTV-46w1 ($2,499), a 46-inch LCD flat-panel HDTV, is a good-looking ultra-thin widescreen that's light enough to hang on my wall. Of course, we could go bigger. Mitsubishi's WD-65831 ($4,599), a monstrous 65-inch DLP, features a 1,080p six-color light engine (translation: it offers the widest range of colors on the market) and 13 ports so I can have all of my game systems, peripherals and anything else I need connected at the same time.

Finally -- and this is if you want me to move out of the basement anytime in the foreseeable future -- buy me a copy of "Paid to Play: An Insider's Guide to Video Game Careers" (Prima Games; $19.95). The book covers 50 different careers and includes chapters on everything from 60-hour-a-week video game testers to level designers. Who would've known that all those hours spent sitting in front of a screen with a controller in my hand could turn out to be my ticket to a lucrative career?

Save.

Quit.

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Teen dreams on small screens

The latest games let you build a clothing empire and give your friends makeovers.

By Rebecca Louie

There's more to video games than bloody battlefields and twisting racetracks this holiday season. Fashion-forward teens can get their "Vogue" on with two new techie games.

"Radica's Digi Makeover" ($59.99) is a touchpad console that lets you style coifs and cosmetics like a celebrity stylist. The game, which runs on AA batteries, plugs into your TV and holds a salon's spectrum of choices for hair, makeup and accessories.

Several "models" come with the game, but the fun lies in using the device's camera function to snap shots of yourself, friends and family. Make everyone look gorgeous -- or ghoulish. This is a great gag for slumber parties or holiday get-togethers.

"Hasbro's Designer's World" ($39.99), another TV plug-in game for the 8-and-up set, challenges players to tap the talent in their fingertips. Fledgling fashionistas must design their own line, manage runway models and build their own fashion house.

Though both games (and their graphics) are elementary, they encourage expression and creativity -- the best parts of the fashion industry.