Video games galore

If your Christmas list includes a Wii, you'll most likely be standing with your fingers crossed in a line that forms hours before the sun rises. And you might still come up empty handed.

And that $250 Wii is not alone on the "impossible to get" list. Wii Fit is there, too. Meanwhile the Xbox 360 turned three, and the PlayStation 3 won the high-definition movie format war. While the economy struggles, the video-game industry is healthy and growing.

In 2008, somewhere in the neighborhood of 750 games were released, not even counting the legion of PC games. They were designed for every age and interest imaginable, including many successful games that never sought a spot on a store shelf but went directly to gamers — a term that is quickly losing relevance as everybody joins the ranks of players — right on their console. How do shoppers know where to start?

Our team has put together a few suggestions:

For kids

"Hasbro Family Game Night" — Six classic games ("Connect 4," "Battleship," "Yahtzee," "Sorry!" "Boggle" and "Sorry! Sliders") on your computer hosted by Mr. Potato Head. Why a game system for these classics? Because they are even more fun with animation and automatic scoring. Imagine "Battleship" with animation and sound and "Connect 4" with checkers that freeze the opponent. Wii; rated E for Everyone

"Game Party 2" — Sometimes simple is better. Lawn darts, beanbags, trivia and hoop shoot are some of the 11 games that make perfect use of the Wii control system. Young kids will love the game, and nobody can argue about scoring or get impaled by a dart. Wii; rated E for Everyone

"Rapala Fishing Frenzy" — You can cast, reel and set a hook with this fun fishing simulation that offers a variety of lakes and fish. The smallest children will find it less inviting than preteens or older, but it is a good family game. A reel peripheral is available for improved Wii action. Rated E for Everyone

"Sonic Unleashed" — In video-game terms, the little blue hedgehog has been around for an eternity, and in this edition he has both a day and a night persona that play completely differently. It falls in both 2-D and 3-D play category, with excellent cut-scenes and spiffy new environments and two completely different game experiences because Sonic, and the game, change at night. Preteens and up will enjoy saving the world, but older players will find this fun as well. PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii; rated E10 for Everyone 10 and up.