If you have ever been in the position of wanting to buy a video game as a gift for your child, niece, nephew, partner or friend then you will understand that it can be quite a tricky undertaking. Games are a good option for birthday and Christmas gifts but finding the right one is not always easy. It is hard enough if you have some video gaming knowledge but if you are a total novice there is a good chance you will buy the wrong game.
Firstly, and I know it sounds obvious, get the correct format! Does the person you are buying the game for have a PC or do they have a console such as an Xbox 360. Make sure when you pick a game to buy that it is in the correct format, some actually look quite similar so check the writing on the box carefully.
The next thing to consider is what genre of game does the person you are buying this gift for like to play. Are they into driving games, strategy games or beat-em-ups? A useful way to find out without having to ask and potentially spoil the surprise is to see what they already have. Take a look at their game collection, if you see five different platform games then it is a safe bet that these are a type of game that they like.
OK, so you know the correct platform and the type of game they like but there are still a lot of games out there to choose from. A useful step to take next is to buy a video gaming magazine or visit an on line game review site. Find a couple of games in the right category with high scores or good reviews and then pick the one which seems most suitable. This way you will be buying a relatively new game and not some old title which has been sat on the shelf for ages. Also from the good review you know that it is considered to be of good quality by people that actually know about these things.
Hopefully you will find these tips useful when choosing a video game as a gift and that they will lead to the recipient smiling when they unwrap it rather than that pretend 'thank you, that's just what I wanted'. One final tip though keep the receipt! You can never be totally sure you have made the right choice and if you do make a mistake you can always take it back to the shop and exchange it for a more suitable game.
Rich Heaney is the webmaster at game tester guide. Find out more about gaming and info on how to become a game tester at rjheaney.com/gametesterguide |
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