How to Pick Video Game and Accessory Gifts for Gamers

Whether it’s your child, girlfriend, boyfriend or friend, you have a special gamer in your life. You’d like to give that special someone a gift that will help her enjoy her favorite pastime but the world of gaming is foreign to you. You could ask your gamer what kind of video game or accessory she wants. Or she may drop hints or tell you outright--especially if she’s a child. But if you’re into the element of surprise, you can shock your gamer with the perfect gift.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Picking a Video Game

1. Observe your gamer. Watch what kind of games he’s currently playing and if he plays games online. Gamers can be picky about the types of games they play, whether those games are first-person shooters (FPS), fighters, role-playing games (RPGs), real-time strategy (RTS), racing games, sports games or other types of games.

2. Make a list of the video games and any game consoles your gamer owns. Note if she’s into a certain franchise, a series of games based upon the same characters, worlds or situations, like “Halo” or “Virtua Fighter.”

3. Take your list and observations and call a local gaming store like EB Games or GameStop. Talk to the staff about what your gamer likes to play and ask for suggestions. Find out how much they’re selling the games for. Also ask any other gamers you know for suggestions.

4. If you’re going to buy a game for the PC, make sure the computer can handle the game’s system requirements. The game will not run properly if those system requirements aren’t met. If you’re not sure, tell someone at a gaming store what your gamer’s newest PC game is. This will give the staff an idea of whether the computer can run the game.

5. Decide upon a game based upon how much you’re willing to spend. If you’re buying the game for a child, make sure you know the game’s ESRB rating as well. The ESRB rating well let you know what kind of content is in the game and whether it’s suitable for children. See Resources below for more information. Only buy games with ESRB ratings you’re comfortable with if you’re buying a game for a child. Get the parents' permission to give the game as a gift if the gamer is not your child.

6. Compare prices for the game at different online and brick-and-mortar stores. See Resources below for more information. Take the best deal.

Picking an Accessory

7. 
   PS3 Memory Adapter

   Decide how much you want to spend. Some accessories cost more than games.

8. 
   Wireless Xbox Controller

   See what kind of games and accessories your gamer has for his gaming console or PC. Some types of accessories are controllers, wireless network adapters, console hard drives, remotes and online gaming subscriptions.

9. Call a local gaming store like EB Games or GameStop and tell them what kind of accessories your gamer already has. Ask the staff how your gamer can improve her gaming experience and see if any of her accessories can be upgraded. Also ask other gamers you know for suggestions.

10. Decide upon an accessory by how much you’re willing to spend and the advice you've gotten. Make sure you buy games and accessories for the right gaming platform (console or PC). A game made for the Playstation 3 will not work in an Xbox 360. Compare prices for the accessory at different online and brick-and-mortar stores. See Resources below for more information. Take the best deal.

11. Think beyond the obvious. A great gift for someone who likes to play online is to extend his online subscription. There also are special PCs made specifically for gamers. They’re powerful machines that can run the newest and most technologically advanced games. They’re pricey but make great gifts for gamers who like to play on their computers. You might also consider getting your gamer the newest gaming console or handheld console if he doesn’t already have it.

12. Clothing is another great gift for a gamer if you don’t want to spend too much. You can get shirts, caps, sweatshirts or jackets with characters from games, game logos, game manufacturers or designs celebrating the gaming lifestyle.

Tips & Warnings

• If a new game is coming out from a franchise like “Halo,” “Virtua Fighter,” “Grand Theft Auto” or “Final Fantasy” and your gamer loves that franchise, you can almost bet she’ll want it.

Resources

• Compare prices for games, consoles and accessories and read product reviews
• Game ratings with descriptions

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