Consider these great games for the dark winter days when it’s too cold for outdoor fun
Bejeweled 3
The world’s most popular “match three” game is available on just about every digital device you can name, so it may seem unnecessary to buy another version. Or, it would—if PopCap’s flagship franchise wasn’t so much darn fun. For only $20, the Nintendo DS version includes eight different versions of the game. Our favorite is the addictive quest mode, which challenges players to finish 40 scenarios with specific goals. From matching moving jewels before they reach the top to using jewels to uncover hidden treasures, the variations are clever enough to keep players of all ages hooked. Recommended for children 8 and up.
PopCap Games. Nintendo DS
Three words
Puzzle
Variety
Energy
uDraw Gametablet
Last year, THQ released the uDraw Gametablet for Nintendo’s Wii. Now a redesigned version has been released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Both of the new versions feature a responsive drawing surface with a special pen that allows young artists to see their artwork come to life on the screen. The $80 device comes with uDraw Studio Instant Artist, which teaches kids the basics of art. Also available for the device are games Pictionary Ultimate Edition, an electronic version of the classic board game, and Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat. The simple action game challenges players to defeat comic book-style enemies by drawing special moves on the tablet’s screen. Recommended for children 5 and up.
THQ. Available for Xbox 360,
PlayStation 3 and Wii.
Three words
Art
Creativity
Doodles
Kinect Sports Season Two
Most of the Xbox’s family-friendly games now rely on the motion-sensing Kinect sensor, and the games for the device keep getting better. Kinect Sports was a solid introduction to the sensor’s abilities, and Kinect Sports 2 improves on the formula with a fun variety of sports and activities. Use your body to imitate the motions of playing darts, baseball, football, skiing, golf, and tennis—no controller required. Thanks to the variety of sports and variations on each game, there’s plenty of fun to be had for everyone, especially in multiplayer mode. Recommended for children 10 and up.
Microsoft. Xbox 360. Kinect required.
Three words
Sports
Competition
Action
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5–7
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5–7 recounts the final stories in the mega-popular Harry Potter books and movies. Players can use blocky ingredients to create their own spells, but experimentation can have hilarious results. No matter which franchise the kids in your household are more excited about, the LEGO games offer up simple, cartoonish action that’s acceptable for gamers of almost any age—both players and enemies crumble into LEGO blocks when defeated and players always rebuild themselves a moment later. Recommended for children 8 and up.
LEGO Harry Potter published by Warner Bros. Interactive. Available on all major video game platforms.
Three words
LEGO
Action
Spells
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
The LEGO video game series has become one of the most popular all-ages franchises around, thanks to the way they retell goofy, good-natured versions of familiar stories. The original LEGO Star Wars games retold the Star Wars movies with LEGO figures, but LEGO Star Wars III draws its inspiration from a source that’s likely more familiar to young fans, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars cartoon. The game recreates the events of the series and adds large-scale battles bigger than anything seen in the LEGO games before.
LEGO Star Wars III published by LucasArts. Available on all major video game platforms.
Three words
LEGO
Battles
Laughs
