We covered the consoles in part one, but what about the portables? So here is the second part of our list of games you should consider when buying a game for the Nintendo DS or the PlayStation Portable for that special person, family member or co-worker.

Don’t forget, you have less than a week to get these games! So you probably should start going in stores to get them to take advantage of last minute sales!

Again, these are not in order of preference – just to appease the fanboys.

Nintendo DS

5) Final Fantasy The 4 Heroes Of Light

Yet another Final Fantasy game and this one is not a failure *cough* Final Fantasy XIII *cough*.  Well in brief, the story is how the player must save a princess and their hometown.  Just like many of the Final Fantasy games before, this game does include a class system in the form of crowns. The gameplay is like many games before, random monster encounters and a giant overworld map. If you are a player that enjoy the Final Fantasy series this is the game for you.

4) Super Scribblenauts

Nothing like using your vocabulary to solve puzzles.  Super Scribblenauts had improved from the first game by introduce new puzzles and introducing adjectives into the game’s dictionary.  With the addition of adjectives, the player is able to use oxymorons like jumbo shrimp.  The goal of each level in the game is to obtain a item called a ‘Starite’ by using your vocabulary skills.  Like the previous game, this game includes a level editor game which the player can design their own level.  With the unlimited nature of the player’s mind, this game is sure to unload many hours of fun.

3) Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver

Ten years since the original games were first released to the world, and a lot has changed.  The gameplay is the same as all the other games, but it comes with additional functions.  With the increase of number of Pokémon since the original, many new Pokémon will appear in familiar areas.  Aside from the new gameplay like Pokémon following you; the game comes with a pedometer which allows the player to transfer their Pokémon and travel like a real Pokémon Master (what the gayest thing I said in this whole article).  The feeling of nostalgic will make players of the original enjoy the game(s).

2) Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

Yet another Dragon Quest game, and like all of them they get better and better.  Dragon Quest IX tells the story how an angel-like person fall from the sky and become human and must return to this civilisation in the sky. The combat system combines first and third person views within a turn based system: planning actions in first, combat in third.  Along with the many hours of initial story, the game offers much most hours worth of side-quest which the player will enjoy.

1) Professor Layton and the Lost Future

The Professor is back with a new adventure.  Professor Layton and the Lost Future offers the same type of gameplay that the other games of the series had: puzzles.  The story is how the professor and his assistant travels through time and must return to their time by solving puzzles along the way.  With more than 150 new puzzles in the game and a breathe taking storyline, this game is one of the best game released this year.

PlayStation Portable

5) God of War: Ghost of Sparta

Firstly let’s begin with “THIS IS SPARTA“.  Now with that out of my systems, let’s move on.  God of War: Ghost of Sparta tells the story that which Kratos, the protagonist, is haunted by his parts and decides to explore his origins.  With the similar gameplay known in all the God of War series: quick time events and third person actions, this game will be appreciated by beloved fans.

4) Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep

Finally a Kingdom Hearts game without playing as Sora, expect for 385/2 Days.  Anyways let’s move on, the game is the prologue of the first game of the Kingdom Hearts series, set ten years before the first one.  The game features three different campaign modes, each focusing on a particular protagonist.The main storyline of the game is different to each protagonist, however each of them reachs the same ending.  As with any Kingdom Hearts games, the game includes various Final Fantasy characters and as well as Disney’s.  With the different campaign storyline included in the game, and as well as multiplayer, this game is one of the games to get for Christmas.

3) Valkyria Chronicles II

Valkyria Chronicles II follows the events that occurs after the first game, which a rebel army is formed and students in a military academy must fight against them.  For you many who enjoyed the first game, many of the gameplay is back, such as BLiTZ (Battle of Live Tactial Zones) which allows the player to view the battle in an overview maps while zooming in on individual units to control them.  With this game being a tactical role-player game, this game is sure to appeal to many gamers.

2) Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable

Just another remake one might think, but this game is more than a re-make, more like an enhanced version.  This version, unlike the original, allows the player to choose their character’s gender instead of playing as a male.  Alongside with the selection of gender, the game has now include two new difficulty levels. The story is the same as the original – the player must live a normal life during the day and fight shadow-like creatures during the night.  Despite being a remake, the game includes many aspects included in the later games, such as control of all characters in combat, guarding and sacrificing an ally’s life to protect the main character during combat.  Needless to say, this game would be a great game for Christmas.

1) Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

This latest release for the Metal Gear series has had high appraisal around the world, making this game top to get for this Christmas.  The player of the game plays as Naked Snake, and the story is set after the game Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.  The plot is that the player must uncover the secrets of a group that threatens the power between East and West.  The game includes a co-op missions with allows two players to complete, while allowing four players to complete boss missions.

As its the final week of Christmas, expect to see some huge bargains coming out for stores in order to get you to buy last minute gifts. Of course, one of these would be the games – and I have created this super list of the top five games for the next-gen console (except for the PC) should get as a gift.

I should note, this is not in order of preference or whether one is better than the other, because I don’t want angry fanboys sending me emails. So, here’s the list.

Also note: we did not choose any Kinect or PlayStation Move games, as there are currently not many available.

PS3:

5) Gran Turismo 5

Five years in the makings and boy it was worth it. The graphics of Gran Turismo 5 are just amazing. The game includes over 1,000 different cars with the inclusion of karts, NASCAR and WRC vehicles.  And for all you fan of the show Top Gear the game includes the Test Track so the players can experience to bends and turns of the track.

4) Heavy Rain

Released early this year, Heavy Rain combines quick time actions, breathtaking graphics and a wonderful plot into a game. With the inclusion of the PlayStation Move patch, the player is able to immerse themselves into the actions involved in the game to truly experience the wonders of the game.  The plot of the game involves four different characters all focused on one thing: to find the Origami Killer, a killer who abduct children and drowns them within a time frame.

3) Call of Duty: Black Ops

With the some what success of Call of Duty: World at War, Treyarch have moved from World War II to the Cold War.  With the inclusion of warped depiction based on various real life events during the time frame, the players are able to experience most of the events first hand.  Treyarch have included one of their Call of Duty trademarks in this game: Zombies.  In Dead Ops, the player is able to play as a historical figure during the Cold War in the level ‘Five’ and fight off zombies.

2) God of War III

Thought learning about the Greek Gods were boring? Well God of War is back with another sequel, God of War III.  Continuing with the war against the Gods and as well former allies the Titans, Kratos the main character must continue his path to defeat the Greek God, Zeus.  With the outstanding graphics and quick time actions, the fast pace nature of the game will incapture the player’s heart.

1) Red Dead Redemption

If you thought John Wayne’s western films were good, Red Dead Redemption is a whole lot better. The graphics and storyline of the game is just flawless.  The story of the game is that the player plays as John Marston and how he must undo the events of his past.  With the edition of the latest DLC, Undead Nightmare, the player is able to shoot zombies along side with an amazing story.

XBOX 360

5) Fable III

A game for all types of people: vegans, animal lovers (sort of), and people with a good or bad conscious. Fable III‘s environment is completely different from the previous games, taking the player through an industrial era.  The plot of the game is how the player must become ruler of their country by overthrowing their brother (What great family love) via the help of the player’s friends and a reliable dog companion.  The game includes character morphing, like previous games, depending on the player’s actions.

4) Fallout: New Vegas

Looks like Vegas could not be destroyed by a nuclear war.  Fallout: New Vegas is set in New Vegas and a bit of its surrounding areas.  Just like the previous games in the series, this game is set in a post-apocalyptic/nuclear war Earth which mutants and humans wage war among themselves.  The plot is how a courier delivers a pokerchip and loses it and how the player must reclaim it by forming factions among the citizens of New Vegas.

This game, unlike others, includes a Hardcore Mode. In Hardcore Mode, the player must act like how a person must survive in the real world, by eating, drinking, sleeping and so on; as well as carrying ammunition slows the player down.

3)  Mass Effect 2

If you enjoyed the first game, you will enjoy this game.  Mass Effect 2 allows the player to import their save file from the first game to allow the player’s character to change job class and to be at a higher starting level.  The storyline is that how Commander Shepard must save humanity from an alien race.

2) Red Dead Redemption

A little bit biased, but the XBOX 360 version is just awesome, and as such, I’m just repeating the PS3 explanation: If you thought John Wayne’s western films were good, Red Dead Redemption is a whole lot better. The graphics and storyline of the game is just flawless.  The story of the game is that the player plays as John Marston and how he must undo the events of his past.  With the edition of the latest DLC, Undead Nightmare, the player is able to shoot zombies along side with an amazing story.

1)  Halo: Reach

Nothing like ending a trilogy of Halo with the introduction of the prequel of the trilogy.  Halo: Reach has outdone Halo 3 in terms of graphics, plot, and gameplay. Like the other games in the Halo series, this game is no exception: just to wage war against aliens called the Covenant for humanity’s sake. With the inclusion of jetpacks, new abilities, and as well as combat in space this game is probably the game to get for Christmas.

Nintendo Wii

5) GoldenEye 007

Thought that one of the earliest first-person shooters was great, well the re-make is better. GoldenEye 007 is a complete re-make of the original Nintendo 64 game of the same name but with new features.  Firstly, the game now includes online multiplayer. Another change is that the Bond figure is now the more recent Bond, Daniel Craig. The minor changes to the original are slight and the player will experience a nostalgic feeling.

4) Monster Hunter Tri

Always wanted to hunt? Well this game have got you covered. Monster Hunter Tri involves the player to hunt monsters within a time frame by using tools and weapons.

The includes an online mode which allows up to four players to hunt together. With the graphics and the well known gameplay this series has, the player will have many hours of fun.

3) Epic Mickey

Disney has actually made a good game, like OMG! (I mean finally) Epic Mickey tells how Mickey Mouse is captured by his psychotic ‘brother’ Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and must save the world created by Yen Sid via paint tools. The game combines both a sandbox game with a role playing game and a bit of 2D side scroller.  With the ability to draw to create objects and as well as remove objects with paint thinner, you can filful your heart’s contents.

2) Metroid: Other M

Samus is back with a brand new attitude. Metroid: Other M allows the player to play in two different modes: first and third person shooter. By pointing the Wii Remote towards the screen the game shifts to first person shooter mode, while holding the Wii Remote horizontally, the game is play in third person. Other than shifting from first to third person views, this game now includes melee combat. Fans will enjoy this game and the newly added features.

1) Super Mario Galaxy 2

The plumber is back in space (and not cleaning space ‘waste’). The story line is the same as the other Mario game: save Princess Peach from Bowser (times like these I wonder how she doesn’t have bodyguards around her). Anyways moving on, many of the power-ups from the first games makes a return along with new ones, such as smashing through boulders. Many well known characters appear alongside Mario, such as Yoshi, who will assist Mario on some levels. With the unpedictible natures of the levels along with the superb graphics, this game one of the games to get from Christmas.

According to The Wall Street Journal, quoting those familiar with the matter, the deal will allow users to watch the show on the variety of Apple products and on iTunes and watch the show just once before it is deleted.

ABC’s involvement has been widely expected, due to Apple’s Steve Jobs is the largest shareholder of its parent company Disney after its acquisition of Pixar. Fox’s involvement, however, will see some limitations, including only rentals on shows it airs and produces, and a limited number of episodes.

The deal will not affect any cable channels, or shows like American Idol because digital rights are not handled by Fox.

Tapulous, the creators of the famous Tap Tap Revenge games on the iPhone and iPod touch, has just been bought by Disney. Basically it is a talent acquisition, as the founders – Bart Decrem and Andrew Lacy – and their development team will join its Interactive Media Group’s mobile content division.

“In a short time, Bart and Andrew have built Tapulous into a successful and accomplished mobile games developer that’s emerged as one of the most successful companies in the industry. We welcome the Tapulous team to the Disney family and look forward to integrating their popular games into Disney’s offerings,” Disney’s Interactive Media Group President Steve Wadsworth said.

Tap Tap Revenge is still the most popular game, being released two years ago, with over 35 million downloads. As well, according to Tabulous, there has been one billion songs played on the game. Since its release, there has been many variants produced by them focusing on a single artist – including Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Metallica and Nirvana.

Fans of Tap Tap Revenge, don’t fear. The games will still live on. Just get ready in seeing Tap Tap Revenge editions of Disney stars coming soon to the App Store. Yes, that would be crap.

Birth by Sleep is the prologue of the game series, roughly ten years before the start of the first game.  As the main protagonist of the game series, Sora is too young, the game has implemented new protagonists.  These protagonists are named Aqua, Terra, and Ventus (It looks like Square Enix enjoys Latin – see Final Fantasy Versus XIII).

The plot of the game is that all three protagonists are looking for another Keyblade Master called Xehanort, and have to venture to worlds location him, while fighting against a new enemy called the Unversed.

Anyway, this game will explore never before seen Disney based worlds, such as Drawf Woodlands, Deep Space, and Castle of Dreams; as well as newly created worlds that are non-Disney based, such as Land of Departure.  As will new worlds, old characters will be making an appearance, such as Mickey Mouse, Stitch, and Snow White; while new characters will also make an appearance, such as the Seven Drawfs, Experiment 626 (Sparky), and the Magic Mirror.  For those who are sadden by the fact the Sora will not be the protagonist will not be disappointed, as Sora, and both Riku and Kairi will be making a somewhat brief cameo.

As the game has three protagonists, the game has offered three different scenarios, but all three are intertwine to each other.  Each protagonist have different strengths combat wise.  Aqua is gifted towards the used of magic, Ventus for speed, and Terra for strength.

The game promises at least 15 minutes per scenario, which seems short, but will three scenarios, the game will offer at least 45 minutes of gameplay, excluding multiplayer, which makes the game the longest game in the Kingdom Hearts series.

Kingdom Hearts coded was a mobile game released in Japan over a couple of years, ranging from 2008 to 2010.  Re:coded will have a similar plot to the original game, in which you play as Data Sora and have to relive the adventures of the first game.  Sounds like a bore, right?  In actual fact, you have to find this bug blocks to advance through the game.

Well the plot is after Kingdom Hearts II, and Jimmy Cricket has been looking at his journal about the adventure and finds something was added.  Mickey Mouse has the journal digitalised and Data Sora begins his adventure.

The court finding that iiNet’s role in giving access to copyright infringers to BitTorrent does not mean that it is authorising the infringement, and is protected by a section of the Copyright Act – known as the “safe harbour” section.

“The mere provision of access to the internet is not an authorisation of infringement,” Justice Cowdroy, who served as the judge in the trial, said in his judgement.

“”iiNet is not responsible if an iiNet user uses that system to bring about copyright infringement.”

“The law recognises no positive obligation on any person to protect the copyright of another,” he added.

Justice Cowdroy also said that BitTorrent could be used for legal purposes – like Revision3 and BitTorrent itself.

Unlike the Kazza trial, iiNet was not promoting and encouraging infringement – unlike Kazza with its P2P network. Kazza was forced to shut its operations within Australia or face criminal proceedings.

He also said that the proposition of a notification system to notify users of copyright breaches by suspending or terminating their internet service was not reasonable. If that judgement was in favour of AFACT, that would let AFACT be the judge and would force ISPs to suspend or terminate service as they would fear a lawsuit against AFACT.

Justice Cowdroy however said that the Telecommunications Act would not have prevented iiNet from acting on the notices of infringement given to them by AFACT, but this wasn’t relevant to the case.

The application was dismissed and AFACT has been ordered to pay the legal costs.

“Sheryl has been at the forefront of a technological revolution that’s opened up a world of new possibilities for consumers and which has greatly affected the way we do business. Her unique insight, born of great practical experience, will be of considerable value to Disney’s shareholders,” President and CEO Robert Iger said in a press statement.

The post becomes effective immediately when she is elected, along with the re-election of the other twelve members of the board, by the shareholders at its annual meeting on March 10 of next year in San Antonio, Texas.

Before joining Facebook as its COO (its previous one, Owen Van Natta, joined rival MySpace to be its CEO), Sandberg was the Vice President of Global Online Sales and Operations for Google, and was a former Chief of Staff at the US Treasury Department.

Her election makes her the second tech industry head to join the board, with CEO of Apple Steve Jobs already having a seat at the board after Disney acquired Pixar Animation Studios in May 2006. Jobs remains to be the largest shareholder in the company, owning seven percent of Disney stock.

But having two technology heads in its board of directors might not be a bad thing, as its already has a foot in the Web 2.0 world. It already owns an equity stake in Hulu, alongside NBC Universal and News Corporation; owns a virtual world for kids titled Club Penguin; and is rumoured to be in discussions to be part of Apple’s rumoured subscription TV service.

Walt Disney is expected to become part of the service as Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs, is the largest shareholder in the company after Disney bought out his animation studio Pixar.

The subscription service could offer access to some TV shows – like Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, Gossip Girl and NCIS – from a selection of television networks for a monthly fee. Apple is trying to get all the necessary licensing deals completed so they can launch the service in 2010.

If successful, this could actually alter the economics of the television business, as they try to push their shows on the Internet, threatening providers like Comcast – which just acquired a majority shareholding in NBC Universal – and DirecTV; who provide a multitude of channels according to your subscription.

The Wall Street Journal article also hints at the plan could be tied with a possible revamp of iTunes as it finalises plans for a tablet device, which Apple has not confirmed or denied any rumours.

They use a virtual currency, which is earned by doing activities at the site. Objects, like ‘stickers’ and virtual bubble makers’, can be bought with it.