Welcome to our third and final blog post about the Top 2011 Christmas Gifts for Handheld Gamers. With Christmas now only ten days away, finding that perfect gaming gift is even more important, thus Mini Gamers now looks at what is available for the younger gamers - Kids and Teens.
Top 2011 Christmas Gifts for Handheld Gamers: Kids and Teens
KIDS ONLY (5-12yrs)
Cooking Mama 4 (3DS)
Yes, Mama is back, and this time she is cooking up a storm in an entirely new dimension! With over 100 brand new recipes to try out all displayed in full autostereoscopic 3D, this seems like the perfect game to turn kids into the next generation of super-cooks, what's more, this game also features a multiplayer mode and it encourages kids to tidy away the plates and untensils after they have finished cooking with a special set of mini-games!
This game is best suited to children aged between 6-10 years of age and will probably appeal to girls slightly more than boys. The game can be found at all good video game retailers, and is expected to cost around £30 to buy.
FLIPS: INTERACTIVE BOOKS (DS/DSi)
Produced by EA Games, the Flips videogame series turns the DS/DSi console into an E-reader. Each standard game cartridge contains between 6-8 unabridged novels from several popular children's authors.The books are aimed at both boys and girls aged between 6-12 years of age. Obviously, basic reading ability is necessary for this product. Each book is completely interactive. As well as using the stylus to turn each page, the stories contain sound effects and animations, hidden items to collect, (such as coins or codes,) simple explanations about various characters, and the chance to unlock bonus content such as interviews with the author or further short stories.
The Flips videogame series is available from most videogame retail outlets and usually retails at around £14.95.
FIREMAN SAM (DS/DSi)
Does your little one desire to be a Fireman when he gets older? If so, this could be the perfect game for his Christmas stocking. Join the famous TV Character and all his friends as they explore the local town of Pontypandy and play lots of exciting mini-games which will encourage children to develop logic, memory and basic problem-solving skills.
The game can be found in all good videogame stores and usually retails for around £19.99.
KIDS & TEENS (10-16 yrs)
The following games and or/game bundles will appeal to both children and teenagers:
CORAL PINK 3DS/
NINTENDOGS + CATS BUNDLE
This sweet little bundle will appeal to most female gamers, including young teenagers (up to fifteen years of age.) The bundle includes the latest 3DS Coral Pink console, and a copy of Nintendogs + Cats: Golden Retriever and friends. This game bundle will appeal most strongly to animal lovers.The bundle is available in all good video game stores and retails for around £164.99.
ICE WHITE 3DS/ SUPER MARIO 3D LAND BUNDLE
This Ice-white 3DS and Super Mario 3D Land Bundle could be just the thing if your man happens to be a retro Mario fan. The ice-white 3DS is the pefect colour for male gamers who found the Cosmic Black 3DS a bit boring and the Flare Red or Aqua Blue 3DS colours a little over-powering.
Meanwhile, the game itself contains many elements from the original Super Mario Bros franchise, but can now be viewed in full glasses-free (Autostereoscopic) 3D. To read a full review of the game itself, please click HERE.
Meanwhile, the game itself contains many elements from the original Super Mario Bros franchise, but can now be viewed in full glasses-free (Autostereoscopic) 3D. To read a full review of the game itself, please click HERE.
The Ice White 3DS Bundle is available from all good videogame stockists, and retails for around £164.99.
LIMITED EDITION LEGEND OF ZELDA 25th ANNIVERSARY 3DS BUNDLE
This exclusive 3DS bundle includes a special version of the Black 3DS console which features the Zelda Gold Crest design, and a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS game. This bundle will definitely appeal to both male and female gamers, despite being marketed more at male audience.
However, parents who wish to buy this for their children should also be aware that the game carries a 12+ certificate, which means that it is unsuitable for gamers under twelve years of age. Once again, this bundle can be found in all the major videogame outlets, and retails for around £299 - a price which clearly reflects its Limited Edition status.
This marks the end of our exploration of the Top 2011 Christmas Gifts for Handheld Gamers. We hope you have found it useful.
If you are still unsure about what to buy, you could try checking out the following posts to see if they can provide you with a further spark of inspiration:
Half-Term Boredom Busters For Kids (NINTENDO DS) (2010 post)
Good Luck and Merry Christmas to all!
