I started playing video games on the original Nintendo system when I was in elementary school, and I’ve been a huge fan of gaming ever since. In fact, there are several video games on my Christmas wish list this year. But after a recent conversation with a friend, I realized that if you’re not a gamer yourself, then you might be having some trouble this holiday season shopping for a gamer in your group of friends or family. So I’ve come up with a few tips and recommendations to give you some ideas.

Shopping tips

What type of gamer is the person you’re buying for? Generally gamers fall into categories. Most people who like sports games stick to that genre; some people only like strategy games; while others stick to first-person shooters. You should also take into account what themes the person you're shopping for enjoys the most. What I mean is, some people don’t like scary, horror games with zombies, while other can’t stand games with sci-fi or war plots.

Obviously asking is a good place to start, but if you want to be discrete, then check out what other games they own for some good ideas. You should take into account what console(s) they’re using – like the PS3®, the Xbox™ 360, or the Wii™. Some games are released for multiple consoles, while others are only available on a specific console. Also don’t forget to look at the ratings for games, to make sure that the one you’re thinking about getting is age-appropriate for your gamer.

Recommendations

I’ve been a long-time gamer, and a lot of my coworkers and friends enjoy gaming as well. So I took a quick survey to see what new games everyone is playing to help give you some ideas.

My favorite new game right now is LittleBigPlanet.  It’s a very imaginative game, in which you play as a little sack person completing themed levels to score points and stickers. You can customize your character’s appearance, and even create your own levels to share with other players on the PlayStation network. It’s a really fun game to play on your own, but it’s even better as a two-player game. When Amanda, a Crutchfield Editor and blogger, comes over, we like to play LittleBigPlanet because it’s more challenging and amusing to have to work together to complete the levels.

When I get together with several of my friends, Rock Band 2 is usually the game of choice. It also happens to be Tara’s (another Crutchfield copywriter and blogger) favorite. You and your friends can choose from the guitar, bass guitar, drums, or microphone in your band. It’s really exciting to play some of your favorite songs and achieve some measure of stardom, even if it’s just for a night. It’s one of those great games that bring people together over shared music tastes and hilariously botched music solos.

And Matt down in IT just got Gears of War 2. In the game, he plays the character of an army officer fighting against alien invaders. He’s really into first-person shooters/fighting games, and with his Xbox Live account, he can play with his friends and communicate with them over an internet connection.

Another great thing about all of these games on the Xbox 360 or the PS3 is that you get a really great high-def picture on an HDTV and engaging surround sound. So you can really appreciate the creativity that goes into the design and coloring of every level in LittleBigPlanet, or hear when an alien is approaching you from behind in Gears of War 2. There’s really no better way to game than with a full home theater system.

So what do I want in my Christmas stocking? I’m hoping for the recently released Fable 2. It’s another adventure game where you actually get to choose which path you want your character to take: good or evil. I also recently got to try the demo for Left 4 Dead, and really liked it. It’s a first person shooter in which you have to fight against zombie hordes to escape a city. You can play on your own, or in a co-op with other players, similar to Gears of War 2.

Other tips

If you need some more help, you can check out GameSpot for information, reviews, images, and other helpful tips about the games you’re considering. You can also visit Crutchfield.com and see our selection of video consoles and games, and even sort by top sellers, what’s new, or customer reviews.

So if you’re a gamer, then what games are you looking forward to this holiday?