EL33TONLINE: News tag archive: xmas

Budget, pace yourself and most of all don’t panic! Yeah right, it is that time of year when credit cards expand, leave is finally an option and there are a ton of AAA titles begging for your attention. How is one to cope with all the pressure I ask?

First you need to figure out what to buy and go through all the usual nonsense of am I getting a good deal and can I get my hands on a review copy (do these actually exist?). This is exacerbated by the quality of the titles out at present whereby the cost is a mute point and you start looking at paying a premium to have it couriered within the hour. Sure it is great if you can walk into a retail outlet, sniff the shrink-wrap, cradle the sucker in your arms and make a bee line for the cashier… however in South Africa things are slightly different. Here it is all about planning and patience. If you want a title anywhere around the actual launch date you need to purchase online and have it shipped. The retail outlets are slowly improving but unless you get with a very proactive gaming specialty store you will end up waiting even longer for the title that has already spent years in development.

So that is where I am currently at… planning! Hey, we review games for fun so naturally we have every console which makes it even worse. Sure I love my Wii but there are so many stunning titles out on all the platforms at present. I have a wish list on Play-Asia that could bankrupt a small country and refuses to be reduced any further. So this is what I am aiming to get and after selling a kidney I should be good to go. Wish me luck and let me know how you are supporting your gaming addiction.

• Super Mario Galaxy - Wii
• Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune - PS3 (eye-candy + story = winner)
• Wii Zapper with Link’s Crossbow Training - Wii (necessity to relieve stress after work)
• Rock Band - (tough one, can’t choose between PS3 or Xbox 360)
• Mass Effect - Xbox 360
• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Xbox 360 (online abilities)
• Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles - Wii
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games - Wii
• Battalion Wars 2 - Wii
• Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 - Wii (plunger shooting just doesn’t feel right on other platforms)
• Guitar Hero 3 - Probably PS3, maybe Wii, tough one … does one really need GH3 and Rock Band.