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Games People Play
The document discusses developing a video game collection in public libraries. It provides information on circulation rates of games, developing policies on format, ratings and budget, purchasing options, collection management concerns like storage and security, and recommendations for core titles to include for different age groups and consoles. Sample policies and resources for reviews are also mentioned.
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Games People Play
- 1. GAMES PEOPLE PLAYVideo Game Collection Development SEMLS October 2009
- 2. Beth Gallaway, ConsultantEmail: [email_address] Website: http://informationgoddess.info Links: www.delicious.com/informationgoddess29/
- 3. WHAT % OFPUBLIC LIBRARIES CIRCULATE VIDEO GAMES?* 30% *Nicholson, Scott. (2007). The Role of Gaming in Libraries: Taking the Pulse. July 2007. http://boardgameswithscott.com/pulse2007.pdf
- 4. GAMING COLLECTION DEVELOPMENTMagazines Strategy guides Nonfiction about gaming Fiction with gaming as a plot or subplot
- 5. POLICY CONSIDERATIONS Format Console/Handhelds/ PC Breadth & Depth Genres Styles Age ranges Ratings Budget
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- 7. WHAT PERCENTAGE OFGAMES PRODUCED IN 2007 WERE RATED M?* Gamespot. http://www.gamespot.com/news/6185699.html 6%
- 8. GAME POLICY QUESTIONSWho is the collection for? What formats will you collect? What genres will you collect? What is your selection criteria? What resources will you use to select? Where will you purchase from? Is there a donation policy? How will the collection be classified/cataloged? Where will the collection be stored? How will it be displayed? What security measures need to be taken? What is the procedure for materials challenge?
- 9. SAMPLE VIDEO GAMEPOLICY Schwarzwalder, Jami. “Video Game Collection Development Policy.” Super Mario Brothers Memorial Public Library. November 2005. http://www.mbmpl.org/vg/?page_id=6 . Gaming, Learning & Libraries July 2007
- 10. PURCHASING GAMES Fromlibrary companies Baker & Taylor Ingram Crimson Multimedia S&S Worldwide From retailers Amazon.com Comp USA Best Buy Wal*Mart Direct from the publisher Red Octane From game stores Game Stop Electronics Boutique Game Crazy
- 11. COLLECTION MANAGEMENT Storagedepends on: format staff space Budget Issues replacement/repair resistance Theft secure storage community buy-in start Friendly circ policies
- 12. SECURE STORAGE KwikCases Locking Caps Locking Security Straps Gaming, Learning & Libraries July 2007
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- 14. BEST PRACTICES: COLLECTIONSRockridge Ages 13-18 year olds PS2 games 2 games/patron No holds/renewals 7 day free checkout $1/day late fee $50/replacement fee Genres: sports, adventure, racing, fighting, and shooters. Helen McGraw E, E10+ and T PS2 and PC games 14 day circ $.25/day late fee game cost+$5/replacement fee Genres: compilations, sports, racing games, platformers, unique and quirky titles
- 15. WHAT MAKES AGOOD GAME? Replayability Plot Setting Character Graphics Sound track Modification/Customization Uniqueness
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- 18. STAR WARS: KNIGHTSOF THE OLD REPUBLIC
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- 26. GAME AWARDS BAFTA- http://www.bafta.org/ IGN - http://bestof.ign.com Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences http://www.interactive.org/ GameSpot - http://www.gamespot.com GameSpy - http://goty.gamespy.com Game Developer’s Choice Awards - http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/ Game Critics Awards http://www.gamecriticsawards.com/
- 27. GAME REVIEWS SchoolLibrary Journal Voice of Youth Advocates Video Librarian Gaming Magazines Tech Magazines Popular Culture Magazines
- 28. OTHER RESOURCES WhatThey Play www.whattheyplay.com Gamer Dad www.gamingwithchildren.com Video Game Librarian www.videogamelibrarian.com Video Game Report Card www.mediafamily.org
- 29. PC GAMES FORCHILDREN Finding Nemo I Spy Spooky Mansion Deluxe Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 Civ City: Rome
- 30. PC GAMES FORTEENS The Lord of the Rings II: Battle for Middle-earth Medal of Honor: Allied Assault The Movies Psychonauts Sid Meier’s Pirates!
- 31. PS3 GAMES FORCHILDREN FIFA Soccer 09 Kung Fu Panda: the Game MX vs ATV: Untamed Ratchet & Tank: Tools of Destruction Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
- 32. PS3 GAMES FORTEENS Guitar Hero: World Tour American Idol Karaoke Revolution Lair The Simpsons Game Tiger Woods PGA Tour
- 33. WII GAMES FORCHILDREN MarioKart Wii Boom Blox Elebits Super Paper Mario Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam
- 34. WII GAMES FORTEENS Rayman Raving Rabbids Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Super Smash Bros. Brawl Trauma Center: Second Opinion
- 35. XBOX 360 GAMESFOR CHILDREN Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Beijing 2008 Bionicle Heroes Robo Blitz Viva Pinata
- 36. XBOX 360 GAMESFOR TEENS Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga Beautiful Katamari Fight Night Round 3 Lost Odyssey Project Gotham Racing 3
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- 38. Thank You! Email: [email_address] Website: http://informationgoddess.info Links: www.delicious.com/informationgoddess29/
Editor's Notes
- #5 Annotations on handout
- #6 A good game collection is well rounded and contains a mix of games that are popular and quality, and a mix of genres: action, fantasy, puzzle, rhythm, shooter, simulations, sports, strategy, etc. Collections are divided by platform and grouped by age, with ten recommendations per category and suggestions for expansion where appropriate. Consider too, what peripherals are needed to play? Will you circ those, as well? If you are only buying for teens, look to ESRB ratings. Remember the average age of the gamer! Handouts: Sample policies, Sample Budget, Core Collection, ESRB handout Involve teens in the selection
- #7 A good game collection is well rounded and contains a mix of games that are popular and quality, and a mix of genres: action, fantasy, puzzle, rhythm, shooter, simulations, sports, strategy, etc. Collections are divided by platform and grouped by age, with ten recommendations per category and suggestions for expansion where appropriate. Consider too, what peripherals are needed to play? Will you circ those, as well? If you are only buying for teens, look to ESRB ratings. Remember the average age of the gamer! Handouts: Sample policies, Sample Budget, Core Collection, ESRB handout Involve teens in the selection
- #8 85 percent rated E for everyone. 15% of games get 85% of the press. Game ratings are like film ratings – we’ll talk more about them later. It makes sense that as the age of gamer increases, the content in the games matures The Federal Trade Commission today released the results of its latest nationwide undercover shop of movie theaters and movie, music, and video game retailers. The FTC conducted a survey with 13-to-16-year-old undercover shoppers to collect data about the extent to which retailers prevent unaccompanied children from buying tickets to R-rated movies, R-rated DVDs, Unrated DVDs of movies that were R-rated in theaters, M-rated video games, and music CDs labeled with a Parental Advisory Label – “PAL” – for explicit content. The survey found that 20% of underage teenage shoppers were able to buy M-rated video games, a major improvement from all prior surveys, and down from 42% in 2006. While CD and DVD retailers demonstrated some improvement since the 2006 survey, roughly half of the undercover shoppers still were able to purchase R-rated and Unrated movie DVDs and PAL music CDs. The fact that so many children were able to purchase Unrated movie DVDs – some of which contain content that, if rated, might result in an NC-17 rating – indicates that retailers need to re-double their efforts in this area. Although movie theaters have improved since the 2000 shop, they still sold R-rated movie tickets to unaccompanied children 35% of the time, demonstrating no statistically significant improvement in ratings enforcement since 2003.
- #9 For formats and titles, poll your community! For selection criteria, consider Rating, Content descriptors, Format, and Reviews Sample in your packets, customize to your community. A good game collection is well rounded and contains a mix of games that are popular and quality, and a mix of genres: action, fantasy, puzzle, rhythm, shooter, simulations, sports, strategy, etc.
- #10 In correlation with the mission of the library, the Mario Brothers Memorial Public Library hereby establishes a collection focused on the use, creation, and impact of gaming. (November 2005) Liaison A staff member from the young adult or adult service area, with technology use experience will be responsible for this collection, in addition to the CD, DVDs and New Technology Materials. Collection This collection will meet the general needs of the public, collection information and recreational materials to enhance users’ understanding of the topic. This specialized collection will be available to outside communities through Inter-Library Loan in the State and University Consortium in the event material is not available elsewhere, but patrons of the Mario Brothers Memorial Public Library will have precedence with use of this collection. If a patron requests access to this information, the loaning library will have a specified time to return the item, and renew request will not be honored. Materials will be selected on currenty, informational quality, and target audience. The collection will maintain information in the most relative format, most appropriate for the information and the community’s needs. Gifts Gifts will be evaluated on the three criteria as selection.: Currency, informational quality, and target audience. Reviews Informed decisions will be based on reviews found in professional journals (VOYA, Schoo Library Journal, CLCD, Booklist?), www.gamerankings.com, and liaison’s discretion. As with materials for the rest of the library, if materials are not selected for inclusion in the library collection, they will be donated to Better World Books or another non-profit organization. Location This collection will be located between the Adult Reference Desk and the Young Adult Room, due to the fact this collection serves the need of all patrons in the library. Suggestions Suggestions for purchase will be accepted via the libraries online suggestion form. This form may also be printed out and given to reference staff. Withdrawal Materials will be considered for withdrawal when information is not current, or the format has no longer become accessible. At this time, materials will be offered to other libraries for collection, or withdrawn. Resource Sharing The Mario Brothers Memorial Public Library has established a partnership with the local ITT Tech to share print resources from this collection without limitations due to residency. An established relationship with the state university will be used to fulfill any requests for print materials that are not appropriate for this collection. In addition, any non-print materials within our collection will be shared with the university for educational purposes. In addition, the Mario Brothers Memorial Public Library participates in the state library consortium that consists of three fourths of the state’s public libraries. In accordance with its guidelines, Mario Brothers Memorial Public Library shares print materials with patrons from other libraries when the item is not in use by the local patrons If an item is requested through interlibrary loan by two people within the same year, it will be evaluated for inclusion in the collection by the subject liaison. Evaluation When evaluating materials in this collection, librarians will use a determination of its currency in comparison with other books written onthe subject. Information quality is determined by the number of times the work has been cited and the notoriety of the author. The last consideration is the target audience. Books in the collection should be understandable to our average demographic, with exception given highly regarded works. The library will work closely with Young Adult Library Service Association as a model for other libraries interested in this collection area.
- #11 Like books, games are not purchased directly from publishers or manufacturers, but there are many options for acquisition. GameStop (http://www.gamestop.com) is the largest retailer of video games in the United States, and the only retailer with a specific video game focus. GameStop sells new and used games, consoles, and console accessories in addition to action figures, trading cards, and strategy guides. Library jobbers are slowly getting into the act and distributing games – Baker and Taylor (http://www.btol.com) offers a standing order plans and sells titles for all consoles, and Thomas Kline/Crimson Multimedia (http://www.crimsoninc.com) provides CD-ROM products and console games. S&S Worldwide, a craft and activity supply distributor, sells Dance Dance Revolution as a fitness activity. Online bookstores, including Amazon (http://www.amazon.com) and Barnes and Noble (http://www.bn.com), sell games at a small discount. WalMart, Best Buy, and Circuit City sell games in addition to other goods, but if you are looking for truly knowledgeable staff, GameStop is your best bet. GameStop’s e-commerce site offers online ordering and reviews at your fingertips and a locator for their 4,400 stores. CompUSA (http://www.compusa.com) accepts purchase orders through their business services unit and they carry most major games and accessories. Best Buy Government and Education 888-224-8181accepts Purchase Orders. Reports from the field are than equipment arrives quickly, software does not. Online access in the library or outside of it halts theft and storage issues! GameTap (http://www.gametap.com offers a monthly subscription. Playfirst (http://www.playfirst.com) and IGN’s Direct2Drive (http://www.direct2drive.com/) will save you a trip to the store through digital downloads. Overdrive recently added 200 titles to its downloadable media offerings
- #12 DS games are small, easy to steal. Most new games are on CDRoms, and will fit in DVD or CD gresko boxes with some clever repacking. Games need face out display, like videos. They take up about as much room as a DVD. Keeping games behind a desk helps the theft problem, but is staff intensive Theft has been an issue. About half a dozen to a dozen games have been stolen and only a handful were recovered. Some older patrons have expressed "Pfft, games in a library" sentiments, but mainly only to themselves. No formal complaints were ever made, but "Games" were included on a list of bad things happening at the library a patron mailed to the director. Sometimes Games just don’t come back. I wait six months to a year depending on the game before I purchase it. We also only purchase games rated T or under. The biggest problem with our PC games is the same that someone else stated... if you lose the key code, the game is worthless (tech services lost several key codes while processing the new games- afterwards we made sure to add the key codes to the item records). A CD-DR may be of use Gently cleaning a disc with rubbing alcohol often helps a game returned as damaged to run
- #13 Gressco Kwik Case $ Capped cases Demco, $1.59 (unlocker $84.99) Straps $2.79 (unlocker, 64.99) Does staff have time to unlock cases? or put discs into the packaging? Community buy in is the best theft deterrent. Our most popular materials get stolen - every collection suffers loss. Perhaps these are the items we should be buying more of!
- #14 Clearly label format Collections are self weeding collection Games can be cleaned with rubbing alcohol Scratches can be removed with cleaning devices for use with CDs & DVDs Breaks or wears out by the time it is out of date Disc Doctor $25-$40 A volunteer opportunity! Get teens to test games. Write into your policy that the library is not responsible for troubleshooting, and not responsible for patrons not understanding the system requirements of games
- #15 Patron Survey: majority own PS2. Most popular titles: Soul Calibur, Tekken 5, Madden Football, NBA Live, Sims 2 Least popular titles: older sport titles, some of the E-rated adventure games aren't too popular Issues, concerns, successes: Lost fees, desire of patrons for M games, collecting more formatsAt my branch we now have a collection of 35 games. New and used games were purchased for $700. This is 10% of my total budget. At any given time about 1/3 of the games have been checked out. I do not have stats yet as the games have only been available for a month or two. Contact: Susy Moorhead Please share any quotes from users: "I can't believe you have games. I love this library."
- #16 Handout: Get Your Game On From VOYA August 2006
- #17 Story is key. As games moved from simple vector graphics like Asteroids to text based role-playing games such as Zork , designers had to become vivid writers as well as good programmers.
- #18 While the plot doesn't have to be linear, each choice should lead in a new direction to increase replayability.
- #19 In the best games, the player is an active participant that contributes to the story. The plot should incorporate a rewards system in addition to "leveling up," (the process of advancing your character in the game). Leveling up activities should be fun, interactive and creative, and go beyond the traditional "get items, earn experience" round. Interesting quests that focus on the journey, not the destination" are preferred. A graded experience curve makes leveling up fair; pacing is important.
- #20 The backstory or premise of the game must make sense and have strong roots, such as in history of realm, a mythology, etc. In Katamari Damacy, The King of All Cosmos has a little dilemma. After a night of partying, he awakens to find out that all the stars are missing. It seems the immeasurably large King had a bit too much to drink the night before, and in his drunkenness, he took a swing at the sky, reducing the entire population of stars to mere stardust. Realizing what he has done, he calls upon his son, a cute, green creature with a mallet-shaped head and a height of about two inches, to clean up the royal mess he has made. The lazy, condescending King sends the Prince to Earth to roll up the entire planet's contents into several balls of varying sizes, called "katamari", so he can launch them into space to act as makeshift stars. You play the role of the nameless Prince, and you must "roll up" as many objects as you can in the time alloted to make the largest possible katamari. As the game progresses, so does the size of your katamari, until it is eventually large enough to collect animals, people, buildings, and even land masses! Like any solid work of fiction, the plot must be fleshed out with character, dialogue, and actions that further the adventure.
- #21 World Building makes the setting come alive. Whether the story is set in the past present or future in space, on the isle of Myst or in the kingdom of Britannia , the physics and other rules governing the world of the game must be believable and consistent. A physically plotable map lends realism and eases play. Some online games (known as Massive Multiplayer Online Games or MMOGs) are made up of enough players to populate a small country and have customs, government and an economy all their own.
- #22 Geography is important. The terrain must be fun to explore and interesting. Any settings based on real locations should have strict attention to detail and stay as true to the real-life location as possible.
- #23 Character, like story, is integral. The immediacy of first person makes a player feel immersed in the game. Players today demand customizable characters, avatars with a variety of non-stereotypical choices in look, personality, trade, skills, dress and ethics . Traditional characters (archetypes such as the hero, the guide, the trickster, etc) are expected, and creative options beyond this are a nice touch. Networking is an important element to creating character. Gaming with and against other people adds several dimensions to character, including chat, development of community through support or assistance or by banding together to solve problems. Playing against other people adds a certain degree of unpredictability that is thrilling. . An NPC might have stock answers or moves that grow repetitive and predictable. Smart A.I. (artificial intelligence) is more challenging and more fun. Unpredictability means that the enemy reacts in surprising ways and can out-think player, i.e. a wizard might attack with his staff instead of a spell. Balance of power between character and the enemies must be fair. Bosses to beat should be diverse from level to level and increase in difficulty as the player levels up.
- #24 Graphics can make or break a game. The game engine (the set of program code and software that gives game it look, style of play) should have capability to turn elements off and on, so players can compete more fairly. A game shouldn't require the best or newest hardware to run properly. Game physics are related to graphics in that striking range should be realistic, and motion, such as walking should be smooth. Graphics must be fast-loading, meaning there should be zero lag time to cause stuttering or skipping. High quality graphics mean no clipping or ghosting (seeing characters or objects through walls). Beautiful, seamless and cinematic images are nice, but content - story, character, etc - must to back up the pretty pictures. Content and presentation are of equal value. Cool digital effects and name brand designers can be a draw, but convincingly execution is more important. A players ability to interact with the environment, such as trampled grass or lasting damage can be as impressive as or explosions or other special effects.. Environmental details like shadows, wind and weather add to the setting and mood.
- #25 Games are also rated on the amount of online support and communication options to play against computer or against other people, and flexibility - the openess of the code and to what extent a hacker player can customize his or her game.
- #26 Sound is more than just random background noise. The style of background music must fit the game, because the score sets the mood. Up and coming bands are finding that getting a song onto a video games soundtrack can be a stepping stone to success. Speech is also important, both what is being said and tone used. As graphics improve, synchronization of facial expression and voice with movement of lips is expected. Voice over acting by famous name actors is a growing trend. Ambient noise gives clues about what might happen next and rounds out setting
- #27 IGN Civ IV AIAS Game of the year: Half Life 2 (runners up: GTA, Halo 2, Katamari Damacy, & WoW Game Developer’s Choice Awards: Shadow of the Colossus Game Critics Award: Spore/Gears of War BAFTA is now committed to the development of the contemporary art form of video games, and to lending equal weight to its British Academy Video Games Awards as that given to film and television. All “Parent Alert” Games were rated M for Mature and include such titles as Mortal Kombat, Unchained, Reservoir Dogs, the Sopranos, and GTA. Recommended titles: Lego Star Wars, Madden Football ’07, Nancy Drew, Dance Factory and Brain Age all rated E or E 10+ Game Spy Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid
- #30 Civ City: Rome (Take Two Interactive, 2006) Simulation. Rated E for Everyone for Alcohol Reference, Mild Violence. Experience Roman life by creating and building a Roman city. Special features allow you to see inside of buildings and get an up close look at day-to-day city life in ancient Rome. Finding Nemo (Disney/Pixar, 2005). Edutainment. Rated EC for Early Childhood. Play through the film’s storyline this scavenger hunt game, featuring characters from the Pixar film. I Spy Spooky Mansion Deluxe (Riverhillsoft, 2005). Puzzle. Rated E for Everyone.Walter Wick and Jean Marzolla’s hide and go seek game of riddles in verse and photography comes to life with this click and find game. Expand your collection with I Spy Fantasy, Mystery and Treasure Hunt. Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull (ValuSoft Inc., 2008)Adventure. Rated E for Mild Violence.Characters based on the classic hildren’s mystery series embark on an updated set of adventures. Expand your collection with others in the series from Her Interactive. Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 (Atari, 2004)Simulation. Rated E for Everyone for Comic Mischief, Mild Violence Run your own themepark and design your own roller coasters--then ride them!--in this business simulation. Expand your collection with the expansion packs (Soaked! a water park simulation) or similar titles such as Wildlife Tycoon: Venture Africa; Zoo Tycoon, Ski Resort Tycoon, Lemonade Tycoon, and Mall Tycoon.
- #31 The Lord of the Rings II: The Battle for Middle-earth (EA, 2006)RPG. Rated T for Teen for violence. Fantasy role-playing game inspired by J.R.R.Tolkein’s best selling novels, set in Middle Earth. Expand your collection with The Rise of the Witch-King. Assume command of an army on the side of Good or Evil and build castles and hold lands as well as participate in battles Medal of Honor: Allied Assault (EA Games, 2002) Shooter. Rated T for Teen forViolence. WWII themed first person shooter. The Movies (Lionhead, 2005) Simulation. Rated T for Teen for Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Mild Language, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence This movie making business game allows the player to become a movie mogul. Manage talent, cast your players, and create a film to upload and share online. Expand your collection with The Movies: Stunts and Effects (Lionhead, 2006). Awarded Best Simulation in 2006, from the British Association of Film and Television Arts. Psychonauts (Majesco, 2005)Adventure/Puzzle. Rated T for Teen for Cartoon Violence, Crude Humor, Language Platformer style game. A boy with psychic powers escapes the circus to join up with others of his kind, undergoing psychonaut training. Witty dialogue and strong story earned this title the 2006 award for best game Screenplay from the British Association of Film and Television Arts. Sid Meier’s Pirates! (2K Games, 2005)Action/Adventure. Rated E for Everyone for Alcohol Reference, Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence.Swashbuckling adventure and treasure await as you earn your own fleet through gaining skill and reputation through battles on the high seas, and missions to deliver people and goods from one port to another. Incorporates history and geography.
- #32 FIFA Soccer 08 (EA Games, 2007) Play as a single professional player, honing your skills. Contains an unheralded amount of options for play: 20 licensed teams, 30 official leagues, authentic stadiums, and more than 15,000 players. Kung Fu Panda the Game (Activision/Dreamworks, 2008)Action. Rated E10+ for Everyone age 10 & up for Fantasy Violence, Mild Language Play through the animated martial arts comedy. MX vs ATV: Untamed (THQ, 2007) Racing. Rated E for Everyone for Mild Violence. Play as professional riders competing in off-road competitions on a variety of three and four wheeled vehicles. Unique for the way it brings together multiple types of off-road racing into one tournament. Ratchet & Tank: Tools of Destruction (Sony/Insomniac, 2007)Platformer/Shooter. Rated E10+ Two friends—an alien & a robot—save the galaxy from the forces of evil with the help of numerous gadgets. Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon (Sierra, 2008) Action. Rated E for Everyone for Comic MischiefSypro teams up with Cynder, his former enemy, to face his most challenging mission to date in the The continued adventures of Spyro the dragon, a bit less rounded and babyish for his next-gen console debut, features free flight and co-op modes. Premise is
- #33 American Idol Karaoke Revolution. (Konami/Blitz, 2007) Rhythm. Rated E10+ for Everyone ages 10 & up for Mild Lyrics, Mildly Suggestive Themes Solo or duet karaoke spans forty years of pop. Compete with whole songs or medleys in a variety of venues as you struggle to get to Hollywood. Paula, Randy and Simon lend their voices, compliments and criticism. Expand your collection with other Karaoke titles like Singshot (SCEA, 2007). Guitar Hero III (Red Octane, 2008) Rhythm. Play classic pop rock and punk hits, solo, collaboratively or competitively Lair. (SCEA, 2007) Adventure. Rated T for Teen for Blood and Gore, Violence As a dragon-riding warrior, fight the age-old battle of good versus evil by land, sea and air. The Simpsons Game. (EA, 2007)Action/Adventure. Rated T for Teen for Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Animated Blood, Cartoon Violence, Crude Humor, Language, Suggestive Themes Stuck in videogame purgatory, American’s favorite animated family must battle their way through Simpsonized versions of videogames, drawing on characteristics for their videogame superpowers. Humor abounds at pop culture references and spoofs of franchises including Everquest, Final Fantasy, Halo, and more. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 (EA, 2007)Sports. Rated E for Everyone for Mild Violence Realistic features of over a dozen real courses and fifteen top players. Mini-games improve skills and allow players to challenge one another. Expand your collection with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 (EA, 2008) or the Hot Shots golf series (SCEA, 2007).
- #34 BlastWorks: Build, Trade, Destroy. (Majesco, 2008) Shooter. Rated E for Everyone for Mild Fantasy Violence. Geometry is this game’s premise – shoot opponents to add pieces or their ships to your own, battling your way across land, sea and air. Boom Blox (EA, 2008) Puzzle. Rated E for Everyone. Destroy your way through a number of brainteasers, or CREATE your own. Elebits. (Konami, 2006) Action. Rated E for Everyone for Cartoon Violence. Hide and go seek game, via the Wii. Search for Elebits across thirty levels of gameplay. Mario Kart (Nintendo, 2008)Racing. Thirty-two tracks! Ten battlegrounds! New and classic bloopers! Baby and villainous characters! Play four at a time, or set up a Wii LAN for twelve-player action. Super Paper Mario (Nintendo 2006)Adventure. Rated E for Everyone. Classic sidescroller breaks out from 2-D to 3-D action as gameplay demands, combining traditional action with puzzle and RPG elements.
- #35 Nintendo Wii Videogames For Teens Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Nintendo, 2006) RPG. Rated T for Teen for Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence Link travels to the land of Twilight to attend the Hyrule summit, encountering enemies along the way. The Wiimote is inventively used for archery and fishing. http://www.zelda.com/universe/game/twilightprincess/ Rayman Raging Rabbids (Ubisoft, 2007) Puzzle. Rated E for Everyone for Cartoon Violence and Comic Mischief. Rayman and his friends have been kidnapped by bunnies and must compete in a variety of mini-games to win freedom. Play stand-alone games or in story mode. Gems include a cow toss game, a rhythm game, and a plunger shooting game. Expand your collection with the sequel, Rayman Raging Rabbids 2 (Ubisoft, 2008) http://raymanzone.us.ubi.com/ Super Smash Brothers: Brawl (Nintendo, 2008) Fighting. Rated T for Teen for Cartoon Violence, Crude Humor. Sidescrolling adventure that involves beating up a cast of characters and knocking them out of the screen, using signature moves and objects. http://www.smashbros.com/en_us/ Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam (Activision, 2006). Sports. Rated E10+ for Everyone age 10 & up for Mild Violence, Comic Mischief, Mild Language Race downhill from the Streets of San Francisco to courses laid out in cities all over the world. http://www.thdownhilljam.com/ Trauma Center: Second Opinion (Atlus, 2007)
- #36 Beijing 2008: The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games (Sega, 2008). Sports. Authentic simulation of over 35 events from the upcoming Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and will allow gamers to experience the thrill of competing in many of the official venues ranging from the famous Beijing National Stadium (the “Bird Nest”) to the National Aquatics Center (the “Water Cube”). In addition, Beijing 2008 will incorporate innovative control schemes that allow novice gamers to learn how to play the game, while providing experienced gamers the chance to set new records. Bionicle Heroes (TT Games, Inc, 2006) Lego robots fight it out. Collect Lego pieces to build new attributes to use in battle, and collect masks to take on powerful characters to beat level bosses. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (EA, 2007)Adventure. Rated E10+ for Everyone ages 10 and up for Fantasy Violence. Game follows the movie’s plot. Authenticity stems from voiceover acting by cast members and attention to detail in settings. Player can choose to attend classes, recruit for the DA and play mini-games out of sequence. Robo Blitz (Naked Sky, 2006). Puzzle. Rated E10+ for Everyone aged 10 and up for Fantasy Violence Robot Bliz saves the galaxy from space pirates with inventive gizmos. Viva Pinata. (Microsoft, 2007). Strategy. Rated E for Everyone. Develop a plot of land to attract piñatas to collect, manage, and interact with. Expand your collection with Viva Piñata: Party Animals.
- #37 Beautiful Katamari. (Namco, 2007) Strategy. Rated E for Everyone for Mild Fantasy Violence. Your father, the King of all Cosmos, has accidentally deleted all the stars from the sky. Recreate the constellations by rolling over objects that stick to your Katamari, and when you meet your goal (for size or type of object), the Katamari is turned into a star. Fight Night Round 3 (EA, 2006)Sports. Rated T for Teen for Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence Multiplayer boxing game that allows to create a customizable character and fight in historical matches. Best Sports Game, 2006, British Association of Film and Television Arts. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Eidos, Traveller’s Tales, 2008)Action-adventure. Rated E for Everyone, for Animated Violence. Charming and humorous retelling of Star Wars Episodes I-VI, with Lego characters. Features short cut scenes from the films, and the ability to swap characters as their unique powers are needed. Expand your collection with Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (Lucsarts, 2008) Lost Odyssey (Mistwalker/Microsoft Studios, 2007)RPG. Rated T for Teen for Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence A 1000 year-old can’t recall his past, and doesn’t know his destiny. Epic good versus evil roleplaying game with masterful storytelling and beautiful graphics. Project Gotham Racing 3 (Microsoft Game Studios/Bizarre Creations, 2005)Sports. Rated E 10+ for Mild Lyrics. High performance racing game with in-car camera views and several modes of play.