Gift Guide: 5 Hot Holiday Video Games

Informal polling from a handful of local video game experts revealed the hottest games for the holiday season. Some involve assassins in ancient Rome and soldiers fighting during the Cold War. Others star adorable gorillas and an iconic mouse. No matter what age your friend or family member is, there's something here for everyone. And unless you're shopping online, the only place to buy these games in Westport is at GameStop.

5. Gran Turismo 5 (PlayStation 3. Rated appropriate for all ages)

The release of a Gran Turismo game is always an auspicious occasion. The games are released so infrequently and delayed so often that it's hard to believe when a new installment of the racing series actually hits store shelves. The latest entry in the hyper-realistic offers more than 1,000 cars, 70 different tracks and countless hours of content for devoted racers.

Like all previous entries in the series, critics rated the game favorably, although less so than previous entries. Is the formula becoming stale? Do the fans dumping countless hours into the game even care?

4. Epic Mickey (Wii. Rated appropriate for all ages.)

Mickey Mouse has done it all over the years, but his adventures haven't been this dark since his stint as a sorcerer's apprentice.

This much-hyped game was released in late November, and while older fans were hoping for a mature experience when news of the game first broke, they were instead given a decent game playable for all ages. However, homage to Mickey's days in Steamboat Willie might fly over the head of younger gamers.

3. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii. Rated appropriate for all ages)

A group of evil Tikis steal a gorilla's bananas. Much to his chagrin, the gorilla embarks on a quest with his chimpanzee friend to retrieve them all. The debate as to whether games are art won't be decided with this lightweight game, but that doesn't mean it's fun. This classic series returns with everything that made it so popular, and plenty of new wrinkles for 21st century audiences.

2. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC. Rated for mature audiences only.)

Rome has fallen, and it's up to a ragtag group to rebuild the once proud city. Since this is a video game, you don't accomplish this by running for office or canvassing for volunteers. Rome is rebuilt through assassinations, sword fights and gracefully running across rooftops. The Assassin's Creed series has always blended science-fiction with pseudo-historical events, and the third entry in the series is the most refined yet.

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC. Rated for mature audiences only.)

There are plenty blockbuster video games, but none can compare to the Call of Duty series (except for famed timesinks like FarmVille and World of Warcraft). The latest entry sold 5.6 million copies in the U.K. and U.S. within 24 hours of release. That's the equivalent of $360 million. Not bad for one day.

The recipe for the series' success has always been fierce action and impressive special effects. Past games focused on World War II or the modern military, but Black Ops straddles the line with events taking place during the Cold War. Of course, that means those evil Soviets are portrayed as the villains. It's like an 80s Schwarzenegger film (but with better acting and special effects).