Video games may seem expensive when compared with other entertainment media, such as DVDs or CDs. But when you do the math, video games are some of the most cost-effective gifts you can give.
Take a $60 game such as “Fallout 3.” I’ve played it for about 80 hours, which works out to 75 cents per hour. Your typical DVD purchase costs about $10 an hour, so what’s the real bargain?
There are two things to remember if you’re new to buying video games. First, find out what kind of console the recipient owns — Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii are the big three — and make sure your gift is in that format. Second, pay attention to ratings: The M-rated games listed here are too intense for younger players.
Fallout 3 (Bethesda Softworks, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3; rated M for mature)
The finest game released this year, Fallout 3 turns the grimmest of scenarios — Washington, D.C., 200 years after a nuclear war — into an invigorating role-playing adventure. You can spend dozens of hours roaming the vividly realized Capitol Wasteland, fighting mutants and helping the last remnants of civilization survive. It’s disturbing, funny, violent and ultimately hopeful, and it’s a can’t-miss delight for adult gamers. ($60)
Rock Band 2 (MTV Games, for the Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2; rated T for teen)
It’s the best party game of the year, and one that uncoordinated parents can enjoy with their more nimble-fingered offspring. Rock Band 2 builds nicely on the series’ addictive Tour mode, in which you can form a band and conquer the world, one club at a time. MTV now has hundreds of Rock Band-compatible tunes online, so you never run out of fresh music to play. ($50-$60, game only; guitar, drums and microphone cost extra.)
LittleBigPlanet (Sony,…