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Bryan Ochalla Are there any gay video gamers in your life that have been more nice than naughty this year (or at least naughty in all the right ways)? There’s still time to pick up something that not only lets them know they’re special but also lets them know you understand their need for a little electronic entertainment now and then. Depending on which system the gaymer in your life prefers, here are a few gift ideas that are sure to make their holiday season a whole lot brighter: Wii Zapper (Wii, $19.99 MSRP)—If the gaymer in your life has a Nintendo Wii, odds are good he or she already has a copy of Super Mario Galaxy, the latest and greatest chapter in the Super Mario series that began way back when. A great gift idea, then, would be the Wii Zapper, a plastic shell that turns the Wii’s remote controller and nunchuck attachment into a gun-like peripheral that can be used with an increasing number of games. You don’t have to worry about that, though, because Nintendo has wisely included a game in the package—Link’s Crossbow Training—which takes the environments and enemies from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and repurposes them into a fun shooting game. Xbox Live 360 Marketplace Points (Xbox 360, $19.99-$48.99 MSRP)—For gaymers that prefer the Xbox 360, a great gift would be a nice chunk of prepaid points that can be used on the system’s online Xbox Live Arcade. There are board games (Catan and Carcassone among them), puzzle games (such as Bejeweled 2 and Lumines Live!) and, best of all, classic arcade games (Dig Dug, Galaga, Joust and many more). My pick: Pac-Man Championship Edition. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (PlayStation 3, $59.99 MSRP)—Who wouldn’t like to take on the role of an Indiana Jones-like character in a hunt to find the treasure of Sir Francis Drake? That’s exactly what players are tasked with in this game, developed by Naughty Dog (best known for Crash Bandicoot on the PS1 and Jak and Daxter on the PS2). With a pair of sidekicks (cigar-chomping Sullie and newswoman Elena) in tow, players will scale walls, swing on vines, battle pirates and more in a game that really shows off what Sony’s latest system is capable of. Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness (Sony PSP, $39.99 MSRP)—This thoroughly quirky role-playing game turns the genre on its ear by putting the player in control of a so-called bad guy. The game doesn’t look like much on the surface—the graphics look more like something that would have appeared on the PS1 than the PS2—but that isn’t really the point of the Disgaea series, which has gained a cult following for its complexity and humor. If the gaymer on your holiday shopping list has ever spoken the words “Final Fantasy,” he or she is sure to love this one, too. (continued) Freshly Picked: Tingle's Rosey Rupeeland (Nintendo DS, $59.99 on eBay)—Full disclosure: This game, which features one of the gayest characters in all of gaming, is only available in Europe and Japan for the time being (Nintendo of America has not said if it will be coming to the States). So, you’ll have to hunt around on eBay or other online retailers (such as NSCX) and pay a premium price for this one should you want to pick it up for a loved one. It’s well worth it, though, if he or she is into quirky adventure games starring guys who wear green tights and red Speedos. If you aren’t sure which system the gaymer in your life owns but you want to buy them a gaming gift anyway, here are a few fun options: 8-Bit Tie ($19.99 at ThinkGeek)—What started as a joke eventually led to the creation of this hilarious stocking stuffer. The design of the microfiber clip-on tie is an homage to the video games of yore, especially those that appeared on the original Nintendo Entertainment System (Super Mario Bros., anyone?). As for why it’s a clip on and not a ‘real’ tie: According to the folks at ThinkGeek.com, “a real tie would end up creating a non 8-bit curved triangle knot at the top of the design. The 8-bit effect would be instantly lost.” Gaymer T-Shirt ($17.99 at cafepress.com)—Gaymers unite! The folks who founded gaymer.org, billed as a “gay and gay-friendly webspace for gamers to come together and get their video game on,” now sell shirts, sweatshirts, caps, bags, mugs and more bearing their site's logo. For the more adventurous gaymer on your shopping list, you might want to pick up the classic thong, which will only set you back $9.59. Retro Gaming Dot-Pin Toys ($15.00 at NCSX)—Everybody loves classic arcade games like Dig Dug and Pac-Man, right? Well, these toys, produced by a company called Tomytec, allow the gaymer in your life to create cute and colorful reproductions of his or her favorite video game characters using colorful pegs. Each set includes about 520 pegs, which can be used to create multiple characters from each game (for example, the Pac-Man set allows you to create Pac, Inky or Blinky). Missed the last "Gay Gaming"? Read it here!
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Originally published on Monday December 17, 2007.