A dizzying screenshot from Mirror's Edge.

Mirror's Edge (360/PS3/PC)
Mirror’s Edge is essentially a parkour (or “free running”) simulator presented from an immersive, first-person perspective. You play as Faith the Runner as she scales skyscrapers, jumps fences, and leaps between rooftops to deliver confidential messages across a totalitarian metropolis. The clean, overly saturated visuals are a sight to behold and the gameplay throws game design expectations out the window. Games this bold and ambitious only come around about every five years, so don’t miss out.

LittleBigPlanet (PS3)
Ever wanted to make your own MacGyverthemed platformer? LittleBigPlanet (LBP) can make your dreams come true. With LBP, players are able to create their own levels and share them online in YouTube-like fashion. With the ability to upload pictures using the Playstation Eye, your creative abilities are almost boundless. New costumes for your characters are available for download each week, as well. LBP is truly a gamer’s canvas and will keep you imaginative types busy during the holiday break. Just don’t waste that time making twilight levels... Please.

Rock Band 2 (360/PS3/Wii)
This holiday season officially kicks off the plastic instrument arms race: Guitar Hero World Tour vs. Rock Band. Yes, Guitar Hero decided to add drums and vocals this year, thereby rendering the name “Guitar Hero” somewhat useless. Both games have their advantages but I’m going to recommend bringing Rock Band 2 (RB2) back to the family this Christmas. RB2 is the more user-friendly option; its No Fail Mode won’t make little Jimmy feel like a screw-up when he fails a song, it offers a more aesthetically pleasing interface, and it’ll have a whopping 500 additional songs (including full albums) up for download by the year’s end. RB2 will be an instant hit in the living room.

Gears of War 2 (360)
If you’ve heard of (or played) the first Gears of War, you probably know what to expect from its sequel. More 300 lb. space marines who can’t emote their way out of a box, more chainsaw executions, and, of course, more obsessed fans on Xbox Live that play the game way too much. The single player campaign cranks the intense-o-meter up to 11 and is the most action-packed gaming experience this holiday. The new Horde mode —where you and four buddies try to survive several waves of enemies — is a great multiplayer addition that will surely give the game tons of mileage.

Left 4 Dead (360/PC)
Zombies. Apocalypse. Guns. If those three words don’t stir up some form of excitement within you, you might not have a soul. Left 4 Dead puts you and three of your friends in a Dawn of the Dead-like situation with one simple goal: Survive or be zombie Meow Mix. These aren’t your daddy’s slow-paced zombies, either. They could give Carl Lewis a run for his money (pun intended). They’re also surprisingly intelligent — they’ll continuously attempt to split your group up and, according to the game’s developer, if a zombie sees the three zombies before him get shot in the head it will crouch when approaching you. Bring it on.

Animal Crossing: City Folk (Wii)
If you don’t feel like shooting, killing, or stressing out in a video game this Christmas, give Animal Crossing a shot. The game puts you in a colorful virtual world where you’ll perform normal, everyday activities — think of it as The Sims but with talking animals and an overdose of cute. Animal Crossing is Wi-Fi compatible and supports Wii Speak (Nintendo’s new microphone) so you can go shopping, fishing, or apple-picking with your friends across the globe. Yes, it might sound disgustingly cute but it can be strangely addicting. You’ve been warned.

Honorable mentions: Resistance 2 (PS3), Guitar Hero World Tour (360/PS3/Wii), Call of Duty: World at War (360/PS3/Wii/ PC/DS), Dead Space (360/PS3), Fallout 3 (360/PS3/PC), Chrono Trigger (DS).