By now the Christmas presents are probably unwrapped at your place, but the big question remains: did your kids get what they want? If you bought them a video game system, then odds are the answer is ”Yes.”
According to the Gallup North Poll, a special Gallup Organization survey of children age 7 to 16 conducted in November, 63 percent said they ”really wanted” a video game system for Christmas, 54 percent said a portable video game system and 43 percent said a video game.
Even among girls, computer systems and games placed at the top of their wish lists, far outranking board games, dolls, and pre-recorded videotapes. Many more kids wanted a video game system than a bicycle and just as many wanted a personal computer system as wanted a stereo.
It looks like they got their wish. According to a retail survey conducted by Playthings magazine, 13 of the top 20 Christmas toys (in dollar sales volume) were computer-related, including all of the top five. Nowadays it seems as if that specially wrapped package under the tree is less likely to be a fire truck and more likely to be a Sega Genesis cartridge.
To help keep you in the Christmas spirit, here`s a roundup of some of the best new releases for personal computers and video game systems. The prices listed are suggested retail. Often you can pay considerably less at discount stores.
For the whole family
Calendar Creator Plus (Power Up!; IBM, Macintosh; $59.95) is perhaps the most comprehensive and painless calendar program available. Not only can you create daily, weekly, monthly or annual calendars with ease, but you can also add a variety of customizable features, and it comes with more than 300 pieces of clip art to spruce up your calendar. Who needs a Cindy Crawford calendar when you can make your own?
Tetris Classic (Spectrum Holobyte; IBM; $44.95) is an beautiful update to one of the best-loved games of all times. If you were addicted to the original Tetris but disappointed by some of its sequels (such as Welltris and Hatris), then check out this version: it`s the real thing. All of the playability of the original remains, but the sound and graphics are more `90s. Moreover, a variety of intriguing options, such as two-player competition and a ”dual-pit playfield”, have been added.
Star Trek: The Screen Saver (Berkeley; IBM, Macintosh; $59.95) is a utility program that prevents screen burn-in by displaying images on your monitor if you leave your system unattended for a time. The fun here for Trekkies comes from the animated displays (including Tribbles and Romulan Birds of Prey) as well as the digitized sound clips (such as McCoy saying
”Damn it, Jim, I`m an actor, not a doctor!”). May your screen live long and prosper.
For kids
Alphabet Blocks (Sierra; IBM, Macintosh; $49.95) is a fun way for preschoolers to learn the alphabet. This colorful and easy-to-use program offers four different educational games, with coaching from an animated toy monkey and a friendly jack-in-the-box.
Follow the Reader (Disney; IBM; $49.95) is a reading program aimed at kids 5-8 and featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto. The variety of learning activities here work best if your computer has sound capability-even the online help is spoken. If your machine lacks good sound, you can remedy that by buying this program bundled with Disney`s Sound Source for $69.95.
Zookeeper (Davidson; IBM; $59.95) is a learning adventure geared for children 6-11, and it puts them in the role of keeping the animals at a zoo happy and healthy. The game is enhanced by digitized graphics and sound that help make the animals come alive. If children do especially well in the game, they get to release an endangered animal back into the wild.
Trolls (Capstone; IBM; $49.95) is computerland`s contribution to the Troll-mania that is sweeping the country. This wacky arcade game should enthrall kids of all ages as they guide their trolls over lands of giant teddy bears and through seas of cherry soda.
Mario is Missing! (Software Toolworks; IBM; $59.95) is the latest Carmen Sandiego clone and is geared for kids 3 through 12. The gimmick here is that this is the first PC program to feature Nintendo`s Mario Bros. characters. The premise is that Mario has been abducted by Bowser and the Koopas, and you guide Luigi to save him. Along the way, children will learn about world geography as they visit more than 100 famous landmarks.
For puzzlers
Take-A-Break! Crosswords (Sierra; IBM; $49.95) is a collection of almost 400 crossword puzzles from Dell Publishing, each of which can be played at different difficulty levels. A nifty touch is that if you are really stuck on a particular word, you can buy a hint.
Gobliiins (Sierra; IBM; $39.95) is a graphics adventure with a collection of logical challenges that are so difficult that the box states ”WARNING:
Contains hard puzzles for hard-core players!” And they`re not kidding. If you solved King`s Quest in a day and think hint books are for wimps, then this is the program for you. And, yes, that`s Gobliiins with three i`s.
For good sports
NFL Video Pro Football (Konami; IBM; $79.95) has an interesting premise:
instead of being one of those arcade football simulations like John Madden Football, where you control the players, here you are simply put in the role of head coach, devising the best game plan. Thus, this program is more for master strategists than for joystick jockeys. The program is further enhanced by digitized footage from NFL Films. Another nice touch is the ability to play 14 games simultaneously and to switch from one game to another, coaching a team only as you need or desire.
Super Mario Cart (Nintendo; Super NES; $49.95) takes the denizens of Marioland and puts them in a Grand Prix race competition. If you liked F-Zero, last year`s fine race game for the Super NES, then you`ll love this program, which has the extra added attraction of letting two human player compete simultaneously against six computer controls racers.
NHLPA Hockey `93 (Electronic Arts; Genesis; $59.95) is the sequel to EA`s NHL Hockey, and it`s a vast improvement. Now all the players on your rosters are named, allowing you to control greats like Lemieux, Gretzky and Roenick. The computer opponent has been made much tougher, but the game is even more fun in two-player mode when you compete against another human. With incredible graphics and great sound, this is the best two-player game available for the Genesis.
Side Pocket (Data East; Genesis, Nintendo; $49.95) is a visually delightful recreation of the game of pool, and you`ll learn to play all of the angles here. You can play not only 9-ball and regular pocket pool, but you`ll also be able to practice and perfect 19 different trick shots that will amaze and astound your friends. Rack `em up!
For space cadets
Star Control II (Accolade; IBM; $59.95) has all of the arcade action that made the original Star Control a big hit a couple of years ago, but it has added to the space battles some role-playing elements that bring an extra level of fun to the game. In the course of your journeys, you`ll encounter 18 alien races spread over 500 star systems and 3,000 planets, so expect several months of good game play.
Spelljammer: Pirates of Realmspace (SSI; IBM; $59.95) is an offbeat fantasy adventure set in the outer space of a universe with different laws of physics. Are those sails on that spaceship? And oars? Imagine Darth Vader as Bluebeard and you have an idea of this futuristic pirate tale.
Super Star Wars (LucasArts; Super NES; $59) is an action game featuring not only John Williams` original Star Wars score, but also actual sound effects from the movie and digitized speech. You elect to be Luke Skywalker, Han Solo or Chewbacca (what, no Princess Leia?) battling such foes as Tusken raiders, Banthas and Womp Rats. The high-speed flying and fighting scenes are so superbly done that you might get dizzy.
Stunt Island (Disney; IBM; $59.95) is a stunning flight simulator that lets users create stunt films with music, speech and special effects. You guide one of 45 different planes in a variety of breathtaking stunts ranging from ducking under the Golden Gate Bridge to landing on a moving train. Afterward you can edit the film footage to make your exploits even more heroic.
For plotters and politicians
Castles II (Interplay; IBM; $49.95) is a fascinating game of medieval diplomacy and treachery. Your goal is to unite the kingdom and crown yourself (who else?) leader, but to do this you`ll have to master your computer opponents skillfully, bribing some and conquering others.
