Game Shopping

The holidays are almost here, and you know what that means – we can feel our thumbs tingling already. Thank an impending deluge of high-profile fall PC and video game releases, which signal the end of the industry’s annual summer drought.

Set to arrive amidst a blaze of flashing light and cheerful virtual fanfare blaring from every self-respecting player’s desktop or HDTV, what’s not to love? Apart, of course, from the impending havoc each of the following options are all but bound to wreak on your monthly budget, personal relationships and/or junior’s college fund. (See opening salvo Batman: Arkham Asylum, a superhero adventure so good it’s already crushed what scant little remains of our will to go outside.)

First though, in the interest of full disclosure, before you start worrying about selling a spare kidney so you can cop a tricked out Alienware PC or PS3 Slim with all the trimmings, a few things to bear in mind:

• Digital distribution (the ability to download games right to your computer or video game console using a high-speed Internet connection) offers some of the hottest deals around. From old-school classics to gripping remakes and explosive originals, many of today’s sweetest offerings aren’t actually found on store shelves. Courtesy of services like the PlayStation Network, WiiWare and Xbox Live – not to mention the Wii’s Virtual Console or handheld DSi and PSP Go’s respective online shops – countless gems such as Trials HD or Shadow Complex can be had for just $5-20 a shot. PC owners enjoy the benefit of even more options to choose from, with services like Steam, Impulse, GamersGate, GOG.com and Direct2Drive offering instant access to timeless hits and under-the-radar smashes as well.

• Downloadable content, or optional game expansions, are also making a splash, allowing you to extend the shelf-life of titles like Grand Theft Auto IV, Fallout 3, Fat Princess and more. Enabling you to digitally retrieve new maps, missions, characters, vehicles and levels for favorite electronic amusements, many can be had for a pittance (under $10), and deliver serious bang for the buck. As such, it may prove wiser, and more fiscally responsible, to dust off an old flame – say, F.E.A.R. 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – and give it a second look than purchase an entirely new standalone alterative. Also keep in mind that certain titles like Spore and LittleBigPlanet offer users the ability to create new levels, creatures and play styles themselves at no cost, and afterwards freely share these homebrew designs with friends. As such, these games constantly feel fresh and new, and (though older releases being sold at a steep discount) may still make a compelling purchase nonetheless.

• Also worth remembering: Free-to-play games of all stripes – online virtual worlds, ad-supported games, Flash titles which run in your Web browser, titles for social networks like Facebook and Bebo, etc. – offer tons of entertainment at zero cost whatsoever. While the many featured selections created by enterprising amateurs on portals such as AddictingGames.com, NinjaKiwi.com and Kongregate.com may not generally be as technically sophisticated as full-scale retail releases, you won’t find a better deal around. One needn’t “settle” in any case either way, though, as slick massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) like Dungeon Fighter Online, Free Realms, War Rock, Sword of the New World, Dragonica Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited actually do favorably compare to their higher-priced cousins. Likewise, titles for social networks, i.e. Restaurant City and Mafia Wars split the difference, offering multiplayer fun at no cost with surprisingly decent production values.

• Independent, or “indie” games – small, oftentimes quirky productions created by single individuals or tiny groups of homebrew coders – are also all the rage. For the most part though, you won’t find outings like Braid, Fez, Passage or World of Goo clogging up the aisles at GameStop. Thanks to programs like Xbox Community Games and publishers such as Sony’s inherent support for the burgeoning field, you can readily download many via digital distribution networks, however. (Also an option on the PC: Try services like Steam or hit sites such as Play This Thing and Game Tunnel to get the scoop on where to grab unsung wonders like Zeno Clash or Defense Grid.) Still, most are offered freely or sold directly online by developers from their own websites, necessitating a little digging to discover. But time spent tracking such offerings down is well worth it… Unconstrained by fidgety shareholders and a need to rely on market research, many of the most fun, innovative titles out there are springing forth from the unlikeliest sources.

• While the DSi or PSP Go may automatically spring to mind when we say “handheld entertainment,” the iPhone 3G/3G S and iPod Touch are actually quickly proving to be today’s most rewarding mobile gaming platforms. Right now, the App Store plays home to over 21,000 game and entertainment titles – the vast majority downloadable virtually anywhere you get a wireless signal for under $10. Interestingly, many are touch-sensitive, respond to tilting the device, boast compelling 3D graphics, and offer incredible depth and excitement, especially considering you can grab them in minutes while waiting in line to catch a bus. The range of choices further extends from forgotten classics (Flight of the Amazon Queen) to spin-offs of popular franchises (Mass Effect Galaxy), catchy retro revamps (The Secret of Mokey Island: SE) and fresh exclusives (Zombies & Me). Knowing this, the best investment you can make in mindless entertainment this year might just be an iTunes gift certificate.

• If cash is especially tight, look to rental services like GameFly, which let you play the same new games as more affluent friends for a single low monthly fee, to stretch your dollar further. GameStop, Toys R Us and Amazon.com all offer trade-in programs designed to help you exchange titles you’re done with for store credit as well. Also look for bargains courtesy of sites like CheapAssGamer and RetailMeNot.com, with swap services such as Goozex another great way to boost one’s bottom line. Don’t forget episodic titles (bite-sized games delivered in regular installments like TV episodes) such as Tales of Monkey Island or Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures either. Cheaper than full-sized outings (under $10/average), they’re often just as engaging, and fit in better with one’s hectic schedule.