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Family-Ready Xbox One, Wii U & PS4 Games for the Holiday

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The Holiday 2015 shopping season has finally arrived. With it comes big savings on every game worth mentioning. There are bundles for the Xbox One and PS4 that include games like Halo 5: Guardians and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 has its own dedicated console PS4 configuration. We’ve spent months hearing about how exciting these games are. There’s nothing wrong with any of these titles.

Unless, you’re someone shopping for a young child or teenager that you don’t want having access to what are generally considered to be violent games. If that’s the case, there’s no getting around the content in these games. They aren’t meant for children. That might leave you thinking that you shouldn’t invest in a gaming console this holiday season or a new game as a gift. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are plenty of family-friendly Xbox One, PS4 and Wii U games worth purchasing this holiday season.

Here’s a list of 10 Gotta Be Mobile compiled earlier this year.

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Rocket League

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Rocket League is only available on PCs and Sony’s PS4 video game console right now. That’s a shame, because it’s probably the most interesting independently developed video game to debut this year. It’s a sports game like you’ve never seen before. Players drive muscle cars in what is essentially a new version of soccer.

[ Buy Rocket League from Amazon ]

Just Dance 2016

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With fresh tracks and a new party mode, Just Dance 2016 is one of the few dance games around that uses motion sensor technology to let gamers pull off moves from their favorite music videos for points and achievements and trophies. Just Dance 2016 packs in co-op so that two dancers can perform at the same time against opposing teams. Showtime lets gamers perform their favorite music video – complete with lyrics.

The base game includes, Balk Blast Remix by Angry Birds, All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor, Fun by Christ Brown, Fancy by Iggy Azalea and Hey Mamma by David Guetta. Just Dance 2016 is available on the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii and Wii U. Wii and Wii U players need a Wiimote. Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners need a Kinect. PS3 and PS4 users need either the PlayStation Move or the PlayStation Camera for PS4.

[ Buy Just Dance 2016 from Amazon ]

Guitar Hero Live

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Another rhythm game, Guitar Hero Live focuses on letting players live the life of a guitarist in an up-and coming-band. Excel at playing a song and the crowd and your band respond accordingly. Fail and the crowd turns uglier, possibly going wild with disappointment.  A new guitar accessory that’s closer to the real thing comes with console versions of the game. Guitar Hero TV lets players checkout music videos using a music video playlist system.

Guitar Hero Live is on the PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One and iOS.

[ Buy Guitar Hero Live from Amazon ]

Splatoon

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It’s rare that a shooter for Nintendo’s platforms makes it into any lists. That’s not a slight on the company, it’s software makers simply prefer to focus on other genres. Splatoon is the rare, glorious except.

Splatoon is an online only arena shooter. Instead of playing as a person with a gun, you’re a squid, with a paint ball gun, paint roller or about anything else that you can think of that’ll hold the substance. You can attack players, keeping them from cover more of the level in their team’s paint, or you can focus on painting the levels with your team’s ink. The team that covers the most surface area with their colored ink wins.

[ Buy Splatoon for Wii U from Amazon ]

Disney Infinity 3.0

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Disney Infinity 3.0 is the latest entry in the popular toys-to-life category of games. The concept of toys-to-life titles hasn’t changed. Dropping a character or power-ups on a platform in the real world has consequences in the game.

Disney Infinity 3.0 is different in that it introduces a more complicated combat system and the Toy Box Hub. The Toy Box home is a visual menu for playing around with add-ons and exploring the different kinds of missions that are available to you. Also, there’s characters and complete stories from Star Wars, yes that Star Wars. The campaign included with the Starter Pack for the game takes you to different planets in search of tasks to complete. Like with characters and other extras, you can add other campaigns to your collection by purchasing new playsets.

Disney Infinity 3.0 is available on Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, iOS, Windows, Android, PS3 and PS4.

[ Buy Disney Infinity 3.0 from Amazon ]

Yoshi’s Woolly World

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Yoshi’s Wooly World sends players on the hunt for other Yoshis that have fallen pray to an even scheme. Baby Bowser has turned nearly all the Yoshi into balls of yarn. The player’s Yoshi and a friend go on a quest around the island to find Yoshis in distress and take down Baby Bowser and his crew.

Like Splatoon before it, this game is only available on Nintendo’s Wii U console.

[ Buy Yoshi’s Woolly World from Amazon ]

Minecraft Story Mode

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What would happen if you gave Minecraft a linear story with a clear narrative and people that players could relate to? Microsoft apparently wonders this soon after buying Minecraft. To answer this question we have the episode Minecraft Story Mode.

Minecraft Story Mode focuses on Jesse and his quest to find the Order of the Stone and save the world with their help.

Minecraft Story Mode is on Windows PCs, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Steam, Android and iOS. New episodes every few months ads more kid-friendly story for players to nibble on between other games and the traditional Minecraft experience.

[ Buy Minecraft Story Mode from Amazon ]

Lego Dimensions

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Lego Dimensions is another entry in the toys-to-life category of games. This title focuses more on puzzles and a wider range of characters than some other franchises. Batman, Lord of the Rings, Scooby Doo, Back to the Future and Simpsons all have characters available for Dimensions. When something goes wrong with a portal, it’s the players job to send their own favorite characters through the portal and stop what’s happening. The game is full of humor and a real-life portal that comes included with the game lets users solve puzzles that aren’t solvable in just the game environment.

Lego Dimensions is available on the Xbox One, PS4, PS3, Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

[ Buy Lego Dimensions from Amazon ]

Skylanders SuperChargers

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Skylanders SuperChargers is the last of the big three toys-to-life games that came out this year. It focuses on the never-ending stream of Skyland dwellers trying to defend everything they know from Kaos. Kaos has a new machine that can destroy everything they know.

This game is the first in the series that introduces vehicles. These vehicles run the gamut from land to air and sea. They’re upgradable and compatible with all previous Skylanders figures. Combine them with a member of the SuperChargers team and they get special upgrades and a new look.

[ Buy Skylanders SuperChargers from Amazon ]

Lego Jurassic World

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Bringing it’s own specific style and humor to the Jurassic Park franchise is Lego Jurassic World. The game sticks to problem solving, but with another controller players can add a friend or family member and complete their trek around Jurassic World on together. Many of the film’s characters are unlockable in the game. Villains include the dreaded Tyrannosaurs and more dinosaurs.

Lego Jurassic World is available on Windows, Nintendo 3DS, PC, PS4, PS3, Wii U, PS Vita, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

[ Buy Lego Jurassic World from Amazon ]

Good luck with your game purchases this holiday season. If you can’t find one of these games in your local shop, just ask an attendant for advice on what they’d buy for their children. Always be careful to look at each game’s cover to find out if it’s appreciate for your child. The Electronic Safety Board has a breakdown of different game ratings on its website. If you’re buying digital then be sure to look for that rating in the PlayStation Store, Nintendo Shop, Xbox Store and iTunes App Store.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Double Dragon

    11/30/2015 at 8:14 am

    Should also have Mario Tennis Ultra Smash here. Very underrated game that supports 4 player local co-op. It is light on content, but near perfect gameplay.

  2. Herbertlgarcia

    12/01/2015 at 6:32 am

    0=00013 my best friend’s step-sister makes $62 every hour on the laptop . She has been without work for 6 months but last month her pay check was $14905 just working on the laptop for a few hours.
    you can try here…. See More

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