RAGE Works 2014 Holiday Gift Guide: Gaming

RAGE Works is celebrating its first holiday season this year and we wanted to give our readers and listeners some recommendations to help them with their holiday shopping. Our staff will be sharing their recommended consoles, games and accessories to help you find a gift for yourself and/or your loved ones. Let’s get the ball rolling!

Rich

Console Recommendation

• Wii U: I am recommending the Wii U as my console choice because Nintendo has truly stepped their game up and the library of great titles has increased over the last few months. While I own both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, I definitely have a lengthy list of Nintendo titles on my radar (which may even show up on this list).

Game Recommendations

• Super Smash Brothers Wii U: The time has finally come for Wii U owners to get their smash on and Nintendo has gone to great lengths to ensure a great console debut for this Nintendo classic.
• WWE 2K15 (Xbox One/PS4): While Xbox 360 and PS3 owners have been enjoying this title thus far, I do feel that the next-gen debut is on track to give not only more realistic character animations but more expanded creation and customization possibilities. The Hulkamania Edition is a solid pick up if you like premium edition versions of games.
• Killer Instinct (Xbox One): While I am not a fan of the developers’ “season” approach, I will admit that [easyazon_link asin=”B00MMPB4RE” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”mytara0c-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]Killer Instinct [/easyazon_link] is a solid fighting game for the Xbox One. If you can, I recommend going with the season one pack since you get TJ Combo for free. Most retailers have this version for roughly $19.99 so definitely hunt around.
• Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox One/PS4): While I am not a fan of double dips, I do think the jump to next-gen will breathe new life into Rockstar’s signature series. I know fans are chomping at the bit for online heist mode and of course the enhanced graphics.
• Mario Kart 8: While not a brand new title, the newly released DLC is making Mario Kart truly a must-have title for the Wii U. Link was recently added to the game and new DLC continues to be discussed. If you are picking up a Wii U then this should be one of the first titles you pick up.

Accessory Recommendations

• Xbox Live or PS+: The perks of both services have increased dramatically over the last few years and with the free game giveaways both on current gen consoles and next gen consoles I can’t recommend it enough. Best advice would be to check around for discounts on subscription cards. Black Friday and Cyber Monday usually yield some good deals.
• Play and Charge Kit (Xbox One/Xbox 360): A life saver when it comes to eliminating batteries for Xbox One and Xbox 360 controllers and can be found at times for a lot less than $20.
• HDMI Switch: An accessory not discussed often but a must if you have a limited number or ports on your TV or home theater receiver. I use the [easyazon_link asin=”B0049SCB2Y” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”mytara0c-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]Kinivo [/easyazon_link] 5 port HDMI switch since I can pair it with my Harmony remote and it keeps all my consoles set to one port on the TV.
• Headset/Headset & Mic Combo: If you are going to be doing some late night gaming and don’t want to disturb your family members, spouse or roommates then a good headset is a must. If you chat online then look for a one with a good noise canceling microphone. For Sony PS3/PS4, I recommend the PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo headset which has 7.1 surround sound and hidden mic. Xbox 360 and Xbox One have a few solid choices, but I use a [easyazon_link asin=”B008KH7NZA” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”mytara0c-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]TRITTON 720+ [/easyazon_link] which I run through an optical out switch to my PS3 and Xbox 360. I recommend finding one that fits comfortably and can be used on multiple consoles.