HO, HO, HO, HO!!! Welcome to Game Guru's Hot Holiday Hit Picks... It's SSsssSSSssSpectacular! BOOM!!! Just ask Father Creeper-mas...

Here's a HUGE Happy Holiday wish from Game Guru, going out to all you hip and happening gamer guys and gals out there!!! With X-mas drawing closer by the second, Guru's has had to pull his finger out, flex his gamer's thumb, and start smashing out his fave picks for the Holiday Season...

As you'd expect, there'll be tons of videogames and consoles in the mix, but you're also sure to find a few cool surprises too - you know, tech, gadgets, flicks, collectibles! All the things you'd love to see under the tree come X-mas morning.

Additionally, I'll try my best to keep the posts going over the holiday break, even if the Guru's away visiting LEGO Land, Timbucktoo, or maybe even the Mushroom Kingdom. That way, you'll all know the best games Guru's playing over the festive season. So Game Guru highly recommends keeping it tuned to G@MER4KIDS over the Hollys, be sure to check in every few days to get your dose of gaming from the Guru, be safe, and have a very happy holiday!!!

PS. Be sure to get your parents to visit Guru's Website/Blog at either www.gamer4kids.com or www.gameguru.com.au ...Hint...Hint...Hint... The HIT PICKS make a great guide for kids X-mas Pressies ;-)

THOSE HEROES IN A HALF-SHELL ARE BACK... Get Set For Some Beat 'em Up Ninja Action!!!

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

Xbox 360 / 3DS
Single & Multiplayer
Rated: PG
Based on the new Nickelodeon animated TV series of the same name, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sees those cool heroes in a half-shell explode onto Xbox 360 in an ‘old school’ side-scrolling brawler. 

Join Leonardo (blue mask & dual katanas), Michelangelo (orange mask & pair of nunchuku), Donatello (purple mask & bo/staff), and Raphael (red mask & dual sai) as they battle Shredder, Kraang and their army of goons, throughout the streets of Manhattan.

You can even invite your family and friends along for the ride, in the cool 4-way, drop-in/drop-out co-op multiplayer mode, where everyone gets their own mutated wise-cracking turtle to control. 

Featuring slick cartoon visuals reminiscent of their comic book origins and frantic beat ‘em up gameplay, the only let-down, is the game's glitchiness... But if you can overlook that, it offers some mindless brawler fun for TMNT fans!

SCRIBBLENAUTS COMES TO Wii U... Are You Ready to Write Your Way to Fun and Games?

SCRIBBLENAUTS UNLIMITED

Wii U
Single & Multiplayer
Rated: PG
Scribblenauts is one of the freshest gaming concepts from the last decade, the series offering some of the best puzzling available on both handheld and consoles. 

Players are tasked with helping 'chicken-hatted' Maxwell solve all manner of brain-busting problems by writing helpful “objects” into existence using Maxwell’s magic notepad. 

Need to get an apple out of a tree, but can’t reach? Why not write “axe” and then chop it down, or jot the word “ladder” and then climb up? The possibilities for solutions are almost as endless as your own imagination! 

This Wii U version - dubbed Scribblenauts Unlimited - shakes off the shackles limiting the handheld titles, adding gorgeous high-def visuals and some mighty familiar Nintendo characters into the mix. 

Mario, Luigi, and the Mushroom Kingdom crew lending Maxwell a hand, gets a big thumbs up from the Guru! All in all, Scribblenauts Unlimited is innovative and creative fun for all ages, and is a must play for all Wii U owners - Awesome Stuff!!!

MULTIPLAYER MONSTER HUNTING ON Wii U... Challenging Fun for Even the Most Hardcore Gamers Out There!

MONSTER HUNTER 3 ULTIMATE

Wii U
Single & Multiplayer
Rated: M
If you're a fan of Capcom’s Monster Hunter series, you and your mates have probably been battling monsters for years! These epic battles have been raging for almost a decade now and have gained a huge cult following both here and overseas. The latest installment in the series, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, is one of the most highly anticipated Wii U titles for 2013. 

In addition to sporting spectacular visuals and some of the biggest and baddest creature battles you'll see this side of a Godzilla flick, MH3 Ultimate is also a fiendishly difficult and complex game. Don’t expect a simple hack ‘n slash fest, where you can slice and dice gargantuan monsters - this one takes strategy, finesse, and a whole lotta teamwork! 

Players have to work together, devise plans of attack (some of these monsters are freakin' HUGE!!!) and use the best weapons, traps, and items for the situation if they hope to defeat the monsters – it can be a long and infinitely rewarding process! 

This is why the Monster Hunter series has gained such popularity with hardcore gamers. If you're an older, more seasoned gamer it's definitely worth checking out, if you think you're up to the challenge!

NINTENDO'S PRINCESS SAVING PLUMBERS ARE BACK... Get Ready for Some Great Multiplayer Mayhem!!!

NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. U

Wii U
Single & Multiplayer
Rated: G
Guru is constantly amazed at how fast technology changes. You just have to look at videogames - in particular, mobiles, handheld consoles and iDevices - which seem to update on a yearly basis. 

So sometimes it’s comforting to think that with all this change, some things still stay the same. Case-point with the videogame New Super Mario Bros. U. It's a new, flashy twist on a tried and tested formula that we all know and love! 

It’s without a doubt, the “must have” launch title on Nintendo’s Wii U console. Now, while it’s the first time we’ve seen the 2D game-scapes of the Mushroom Kingdom displayed in the crisp clarity and colourful cartoon vibrancy of high-def, the game still faithfully retains the classic style of side-scrolling gameplay that we've come to expect from Mario and the crew. 

Guru's got no complaints here… Mario, Luigi, and the gang are as entertaining as ever, offering up stacks of platforming challenges for you and all your friends – Awesome!

A HIGH FLYING ADVENTURE... That Plays Like Cars in the Skies!

DISNEY PLANES

Wii U / 3DS / Wii / DS
Single & Multiplayer
Rated: G
This high-flying videogame adventure was inspired by Disney’s latest animated feature, which takes a ‘bird’s-eye view’ on the world of Cars and beyond. 

Disney’s Planes is the story of Dusty, a big-hearted, dive-bombin’ crop duster who takes to the skies, allowing players to experience all of the thrills of flight. 

From rural Propwash Junction to China, players will soar through breathtaking environments as one of ten characters from the film, including Ishani, Echo, and Bravo. 

Designed specifically for you younger gamers out there, Planes sports simple ‘pick-up and play’ flight controls and a quartet of play modes, which will keep budding pilots amused for ages! 

Featuring ‘drop-in and drop-out’ co-op play, a friend can even join you on your aerial adventure, as you zoom through Story Mode, Air Rallies, Free Flight, and Balloon Popping Fun!

PLAYERS START YOUR ENGINES... Grid 2 Offers Great Racing Thrills and Spills!

GRID 2

PS3 / Xbox 360 / PC
Single & Multiplayer
Rated: G
Codemasters have been making racing games for as long as Game Guru can remember, and over the years they’ve had more than their fair share of hits, with blistering racing titles like DiRT and the original GRID. 

It’s taken five long years for all you GRID fans out there to get another dose of racing thrills, which balance the tightrope between simulation and arcade accessibility, but it's been well worth the wait! 

GRID 2 looks absolutely spectacular, sporting amazing real-time damage and stunningly rendered cars. Additionally, there’s a great collection of licensed ‘real-world’ circuits, city streets, and winding mountain roads, to test your driving skills on. 

As you’d expect, GRID 2 also offers a tasty range of multiplayer options allowing players to go head-to-head against family and friends, as well as, challenging drivers from all over the world. GRID 2 ticks all the boxes, for anyone interested in competitive motorsports - great stuff!   

THOSE FUNNY LITTLE BLUE GNOMES RETURN... For Even More Fun and Games!

THE SMURFS 2

Wii / Xbox 360 / Wii U / PS3
Single & Multiplayer
Rated: G
The Smurfs were originally created by Belgian comic-book artist Peyo in 1958, and those cute, blue gnome-looking dudes, have gone through several transformations over the last half century.

They're probably best known for the plastic collectible figurines made available through BP servos and Macca’s in the 70’s and early 80’s, and the Smurfs made a major comeback in 2011, with the release of the CGI/Live Action flick starring Neil Patrick Harris and Katy Perry. 

Now the Smurf-iest cinematic sequel of the year is here, and with it, a brand new videogame adventure that’s perfect for the whole family! 

Sporting gameplay that's a little reminiscent of Ubisoft’s awesome Rayman Origins, The Smurfs 2 is a co-op platform adventure, which allows up to four players to team up and embark on a quest to rescue Smurfette from the evil Gargamel – it's Smurf-tastic stuff perfect for the younger gamers out there!

STORYBOOK NOIR... Join Diggs in a Hardboiled Detective Adventure to Help Clear His Name!!!

WONDERBOOK: Diggs Nightcrawler

PS3
Single Player

Rated: G
Diggs Nightcrawler is the second instalment in Sony’s Wonderbook series of augmented reality (AR) games (their first was Book of Spells which was a collaboration with J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame), where players get to interact with virtual environments, characters, and events which are displayed on the TV screen.

Players use the Move controller as a magnifying glass to search for clues and the Wonderbook itself is laid out on the floor in front of them as a stage for the action to play out. You are tasked to help Diggs Nightcrawler, a hard-boiled detective bookworm, who’s been framed for the murder of his best mate and boss, Humpty Dumpty. Sporting a slick film noir vibe, and a quirky cast of characters, this is a murder mystery experience like no other! 

Players must partner with Diggs, helping him find the clues that will unravel the mystery, and ultimately help him clear his name. This is great cutting-edge entertainment for your PS3 and will be enjoyed by both young and old - check it out!

PIKMIN MEETS VIEWTIFUL JOE... What an Amazing Mix!!!

THE WONDERFUL 101

Wii U
Single & Multiplayer

Rated: PG
Some of you out there in gamer-land, might remember a cool little comic-book brawler by the name of Viewtiful Joe. It was a real cult beat 'em up and stacks of fun to play, with loads of action and humour. Now just imagine if someone took a brawler like that and then fused it with the team control mechanics of something like Nintendo's ever popular Pikmin series. What you'd end up with, would no doubt look a whole lot like The Wonderful 101 on Wii U! 

This is a hilarious, over-the-top, superhero beat ‘em up, that comic fans won’t be able to resist! It takes its cues from classics games like Viewtiful Joe and Pikmin, mashes them together, and then injects tons of inspiration from Manga, Voltron, Comics, Anime and even the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. The resulting game is a hyperkinetic brawler where players control, not one, but up to 100 different superheroes at the same time! 

They've dubbed this style of play as ‘Mass Hero Action’ and it truly delivers the goods! When nasty aliens invade the planet, it’s up to you to recruit everyday citizens and transform them from total ‘Zeros’ into an army of powerful ‘Heroes’, complete with amazing ‘Unite Morph Abilities’. 

Players unleash these super-incredible powers by drawing different gestures on the Wii U GamePad, allowing the on screen characters to transform their army into everything from a giant sword and a gun, to a fist and a whip – it’s totally insane fun!