Those of us who have behaved impeccably through 1998 could reasonably expect to get a video game or two from Santa. The only snag is that he is not always up to speed when it comes to choosing the right ones.
Imagine waking up on Christmas morning and finding games like Epidemic, Adidas Power Soccer, Frenzy, Alain Prost Grand Prix or Men In Black under the tree. The recipient would not enjoy Christmas dinner very much and might even have trouble holding it down. The real problem for Santa this Christmas is not avoiding the rubbish but identifying the cream of the crop. Those making a list to give him a hand should keep in mind the following.
The most anticipated game perhaps of all time Zelda: Ocarina of Time was released on Friday. Nintendo predicts five million copies will be sold worldwide by January and say it is destined to become an all-time classic. Combining exploration, puzzle action and a good plot, this sequel to Zelda: A Link to the Past has been many years in the making. The wait has been worth it, however, making this game a reason in itself for owning a Nintendo 64. About 12 months ago Nintendo released Goldeneye and it is still in a class of its own. No self-respecting Nintendo 64 owner should be without Goldeneye, Zelda, or indeed Super Mario World.
For those who have the Sony PlayStation or the IBM-compatible PC as a gaming platform, life is a little more complicated. This is primarily because there is so much to choose from. There are lots of good games available for both platforms - and then there are the truly great ones.
Gran Turismo on the PlayStation is a boy racer's dream. Although it has an arcade mode, it is essentially a simulation. Not only does it look real, it feels real. Depending on funds the player can buy cars ranging from a Honda Accord to a Chrysler Viper, a Mazda Demio to an Aston Martin Volante. To win the big money you need to enter races but what races you can enter depends on what grade licence you have achieved.
Resident Evil 2 might scare you into next Christmas but you'll enjoy the ride. It creates an atmosphere of true menace and will keep nerves on edge as the player peeks around every corner waiting for something to jump out from the dark. Play it with the lights turned down and then take something strong to help you sleep at night.
On a lighter note, Spyro the Dragon does for the PlayStation what nobody thought possible - it challenges Super Mario. In the game the player controls a cute, fire-breathing dragon as he tries to rescue his fellow serpents from their frozen state. Spyro will appeal to almost everybody and everything in this game - graphics, sound and gameplay - gels seamlessly to create a real gem. Golf enthusiasts should check out the unpretentious Everybody's Golf. Despite its fun attitude, this will provide a stern test for golfers of all handicaps. Slightly more pretentious on the PC is Links LS '99 which is without doubt the best golfing game ever. No need to ruin a good walk either.
The recently released Half-Life has Quake fans in a bit of a flurry, but it shouldn't. It should have them petrified. This game takes every single aspect of this genre to a new level of realism. It's not just a matter of going into a level and clearing it of enemies. There is much more going on than that, with unsteady ceilings to fall through and enemies that spring from nowhere. With the right PC and 3D accelerator this game makes Quake 2 look old fashioned. In fairness to Quake however Half-Life has still to prove its multi-player credentials.
Adventure games haven't been as popular in recent years but Grim Fandango from Lucas Arts makes up in quality what has been lacking in quantity. Plenty of subtle gags, characters to really get a feel for, sumptuous graphics and the odd puzzle make the whole experience extremely enjoyable.
Good behaviour all round deserves at least one of the titles above, Mr Claus. Otherwise, there's always Minesweeper, I suppose.
games@irish-times.ie