System: iPod TouchPrice: $229 (8GB), $299 (16GB) and $399 (32GB)Release Date: September 2008 (2nd generation)Publisher (Developer): ApplePros: Incredible audio support and very accurate touchscreen and accelerometer (motion) controls. Lots of games to choose from including standard casual, card and puzzle games, as well as several system-only and online games. External speakers.Cons: No manual game buttons and a naked iPod is a bit slippery to hold. Home button slip exits the game without pause. No external media slot.Overall Score: One thumb up, one thumb sideways; 88; B+; * * * 1/2 out of five.

Apple has been promoting the crud out of the iPod Touch as being “the funnest iPod ever” with commercials that show a bunch of motion-controlled games.

While certainly not a Nintendo DS killer, the iPod Touch does offer some rather decent motion and touchscreen controls as well as all the iPhone’s main features sans the phone and microphone. There are a few small concerns for touch-only games but, otherwise, it performs well above most phones as a gaming device…

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While dashing through my nearest Target store, I passed a rack stacked with tins in the underwear, er, pajamas section.

The tins, priced at $9.99 each, include a set of colorful men’s boxers that reflect the packaging: a Wii (as in the console), a red Guitar Hero guitar, black Guitar Hero speaker, an Xbox 360 controller, Super Mario Bros. 3 with Mario, the Superman logo and the Batman logo.

I did find a few listed on the Kohl’s and Sears web sites…

Archie McPhee, the company known for creating silly and unconventional amusements, has just created a new item for the holiday season – the inflatable fruitcake. Yes, for $9.50 you can send your family, friends or even yourself a life-size inflatable fruitcake. My favorite part is the Frequently Asked Questions sections of the site, which tells you why fruitcakes are so terrible and how you possibly lived before the inflatable fruitcake was invented.

Now, you may be wondering what exactly a fruitcake has to do with gaming. Good question! First – I’m sure there are some desperate gamers out there who, after receiving that game they’ve wanted for weeks for Christmas decided to pull an all-nighter playing it. After hour 23 of their gaming marathon, their sense of judgment have been impaired and they might have accidentally ingested some of the ornamental family fruitcake. Now, with the inflatable fruitcake, there is no more temptation to actually eat a real one.

Second, the act of giving a fruitcake is a bit of a game in and of itself. Its like playing hot-potato…

Title: Travel Games for DummiesPrice: $29.99System(s): DSRelease Date: October 28, 2008Publisher (Developer): Electronic Arts (Electronic Arts and Beanbag Studios)ESRB Rating: “Everyone”Pros: Three different games, 100 Crossword puzzles, 500 Sudoku puzzles, 10 kinds of Solitaire. Informative.Cons: You have to go back manually clear Crossword boards when you’re done. Solitaire is very hard. Sometimes the letter/number recognition is a bit off. Only one player profile allowed per cartridge.Overall Score: One thumb up, one thumb sideways; 80/100; B-; *** out of 5

EA Games’ Casual Entertainment division recently teamed up with Beanbag studios to create three instructional/casual games, two for the PC and one for the DS. The DS game, Travel Games for Dummies is actually a collection of three popular puzzle games – Sudoku, Solitaire and Crosswords. The goal of the endeavor is to teach people how to master these three games, and then offer a wide variety of puzzles to test their newfound skills in.

Its very straightforward, since it is supposed to be educational, but also is surprisingly fun. While it isn’t as diverse as say, Crosswords DS, it is better than the shovelware sudoku and casual game compilations you see cluttering GameStop shelves. And, surprisingly enough, it can help you become a better player. At least, the Crosswords and Sudoku segments can – I’m still on the fence about solitaire. Travel Games for Dummies would make a good gift for casual gamers this holiday season – I know my mom would adore it…

Title: Sims 2 Apartment LifePrice: $19.99System(s): Windows PCRelease Date: August 28, 2008Publisher (Developer): EA (EA)ESRB Rating: “Teen” for crude humor, sexual themes and violencePros: Witch character class/lifestyle, reputation system, apartments, new items/clothing/decor and a new neighborhood.Cons: Adding this to the other expansions can slow down your game a bit, custom content you’ve downloaded may not be compatibleOverall Score: One thumb up, one sideways; 88/100; B+; *** and 1/2 out of 5

The Sims 2 Apartment Life is a memorable expansion pack for the Sims 2. It features a slew of new gameplay additions, lots of extra items, a witch/wizard character class/lifestyle and the ability to have multiple households in a single home. In short, the expansion gives fans of the game a lot of things they’ve wanted, all in a single package.

It is easily one of the best expansion packs released for the game. If you’re a newcomer to the series, Apartment Life, Nightlife, University and Seasons are definitely the four expansion packs you will need to maximize your Sims 2 experience…

Title: Boom BloxPrice: $49.99System(s): Nintendo WiiRelease Date: May, 6, 2008Publisher (Developer): Electronic ArtsESRB Rating: “Everyone”Pros: Makes great use of motion controls. Fun, frantic multi-player. Gets extremely additive.Cons: Not all modes are created equal. Frame rate occasionally chugs along. May be a tad cutesy for some.Overall Score: One thumb up, one sideways; 85/100; B; * * * 1/2 out of 5

When the Wii was first unveiled, the unique motion-sensing controller led many to believe that it would lead to a boom in creative, original titles. Unfortunately, that has not been the case, and aside from a few notable exceptions (mainly consisting of first-party Nintendo titles), games for the Wii have mostly been rushed ports and budget shovelware.

That’s what makes Boom Blox so great: It’s a game that couldn’t be played on any other system and, instead, it plays to the console’s strengths, offering a wholly fun and unique experience.

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Title: CrossworDS (aka Crosswords DS)Price: $19.99System(s): DSRelease Date: May 5, 2008Publisher (Developer): Nintendo (Nuevo Retro Games)ESRB Rating: “Everyone”Pros: Fairly easy to play and has two extra puzzle games (crossword puzzles, word searched and anagrams).Cons: Scrolling through large word lists and crossword screens become tedious. A few lame clues and some words left out of anagrams.Overall Score: One thumb up, one sideways; 85/100; B; * * * 1/2 out of five.

Despite a few small inconveniences including a few lame crossword clues and selectively missing words in the anagrams, the portability, number of games, easy-to-use touch controls, low price and the two extra games not advertised on the cover make Crosswords DS a sure-fire winner for any puzzle-lovin’ person. If your mother likes word puzzles, you will definitely want to consider this for Mother’s Day.

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