Choose a game format
- Board Games
Choose a shared tabletop game by turns, choices and the time you have.
- Party Games
Find a format for a group to join, explain and play together.
- Puzzles
Follow routes, arrange pieces and compare possible solutions.
- Trading Cards
Choose between a card-art collection, a documented deck and a game with its own rules.
- Video Games
Explore earlier game worlds by story and play pattern, with exact editions kept clear.
- Game Hardware
Read about the screens, controllers and systems that particular games used.
Give an arena a story
- Beyblade Shogun Steel — an arena commentator’s notebook
Draw an imaginary match, then give one change of direction a headline.
- Battle Strikers — a top designer’s pit notebook
Invent two teams, their emblems and a friendly exhibition report.
Follow a toy-and-screen history
- Angry Birds Go! Telepods — pit-stop postcards
Give two drawn travelers different discoveries at the same three stops. The article keeps the earlier app connection in its historical context.
Continue into card collecting and play
- Neopets — an illustrated exhibit trail
Arrange three owned cards or original creature drawings into a tiny museum tour. Read the original 2003 game separately from the later Battledome game.
Game Loft and the earlier gift survey
The complete earlier gift-survey report and Game Loft index follow. Titles, descriptions, percentages and quotations retain their historical wording and context.
In 2006, CNET announced the results of the "Gift Guide" survey conducted on GameSpot , the company's award-winning Web site offering gaming news, reviews, and exclusive content to nearly 4 million gamers each month. The survey results (detailed below) reveal the most popular games to give and get this year for people in three age groups - children, teens and young adults - providing parents valuable insight into the coolest and most appropriate gifts for gaming enthusiasts.
"There is a lot of debate right now about the appropriateness of violent game content for kids, and many parents are looking for games that aren't full of violence, but are still fun and challenging," said Greg Kasavin, executive editor at GameSpot. "Our survey reveals that gamers today favor the solid selection of non-violent games for children and teens, with more controversial titles emerging only in the 'young adult' - or over 20 - category."
According to the survey, Mario Party 4, part of the Mario Party series from Nintendo, is the most recommended game for "'tweens", or kids between 10 and 15 years old. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, the latest addition to the pro-skater's stunt skateboarding series, is the number-one choice for teens 15 and older. In the young adult category, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the new addition to the popular action adventures series for serious gamers, is the top pick. The survey, which polled more than 700 gamers randomly sampled from the GameSpot site, asked respondents to choose from a list of today's most popular games, as determined by GameSpot product information requests.
The top five games in each age category are as follows:
Recommendations for 10 years and older: Mario Party 4 (64%); Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (52%); Super Monkey Ball 2* (40%); Kingdom Hearts (27%); and Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (17%).
Recommendations for 15 years and older: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4* (52%); Metroid Prime* (36%); Madden NFL 2003* (27%); Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers (24%); and NBA 2K3 (24%).
Recommendations for 20 years and older: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City* (67%); Resident Evil Zero (29%); Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance (29%); Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (28%); and Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (27%).
The top picks included games that are available on a range of next-generation video game systems (i.e. Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Microsoft Xbox).
Furthermore, 58 percent of survey respondents said they would consider purchasing a new game system in the next 12 months if it was required to play a specific game, illustrating that a single blockbuster game title can drive platform sales.
"At GameSpot, we value our users' recommendations, and we are always interested in the games they would recommend to their family and friends," said Kasavin. "The GameSpot audience represents the most avid and knowledgeable gamers in the world - their loyalty can make or break a game."
Game Loft
- Chess
- Power Rangers Dino Thunder video game from Bandai based on the perennial boys favorite TV show and toy franchise.
- Freddi Fish
- Game Hardware
- Ground Control version 2 multiplayer online release marked by gift download of the original 3D real-time tactical strategy RTS PC game.
- Instant Messenger Games - Gaming Service for IM.
- Kingdom Hearts
- Mario Party 4
- Mario Pinball Land fast-paced alternative to the real arcade with 3D graphics and challenging play for Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP.
- Mazes
- Microsoft Xbox systems and games selling as fast as retailers can stock them.
- Neopets Trading Cards
- Nintendo 64
- Pajama Sam
- Pokemon
- Putt-Putt
- Rainbow Six Raven Shield
- Sim City
- Spy Fox
- Tomb Raider
- Computer Games for Women - An increasing number of girls and women enjoy computer games.
- Yu-Gi-Oh Trading Card Game
Sources and editorial notes
The linked profiles distinguish their own editions, equipment and original paper activities. The two spinning-top systems have separate parts and instructions; the Telepods profile retains its historical app context.
The preserved survey belongs to the earlier Game News page, recorded March 27, 2006 and updated August 27, 2023. Its original survey-release date has not been independently established here. Reported age bands, percentages and gift recommendations remain historical statements.
Created for Toysit by Tabbloza — the artwork in our header.