2010 is a year that will go down in the history books as the year of the gamer.  Never has there been more video games and gamer accessories released in a single year that have received such anticipatory flashes of excitement.  To name just the top 10 video games of 2010 would do no justice to what the gaming industry has produced.  There are games and accessories that will encompass the interests of all gamers, young and old, hardcore and recreational.

To make the task of  choosing a product easier and more convenient we’ve developed a list of games and game accessories that are must haves for the 2010 holiday season.  To make things seem even more effortless, we’ve made sure each of the items are available for purchase online, which, let’s face it, not only saves people time and money, it retains the sanity of the border line psychotic.

Call of Duty: Black Ops is due for release on Nov. 9.  This first person shooter takes place between the Vietnam and Cold War eras.  The player assumes the role of various characters, changing perspectives throughout the story. The playable characters are special forces operatives conducting black operations behind enemy lines.

Kinect is a motion sensor accessory for the Xbox 360.  Kinect’s motion sensing capability lets the gamer to become the controller as well as allowing navigation of the Xbox 360′s menus with swiping gestures, and built-in microphones working with voice recognition to enable voice command for basic functions.

Medal of Honor is a first person shooter set during the present-day conflict in Afghanistan.  From recon missions to epic fire fights behind enemy lines, there’s vast diversity of gameplay.

Wii Fit Plus, the sequel to the popular Wii fit, offers a more expansive variety of home workouts that focuses on strength training, flexibility, and aerobics for a well rounded fitness regimen.

Fallout: New Vegas is a continuation to the award winning game of the year Fallout 3.  New Vegas takes place in the post nuclear ruins of sin city,  in which the main storyline revolves around the Hoover Dam and major hostilities set to resume over its control among key factions

Fable III is set 50 years after the acclaimed Fable II.  The player leads a revolution and becomes the King, at which point the player is given the choice to keep the promises made to those who aided in the revolution at great expense to the treasury, or betray those promises in order to raise money for the defense of Albion.

PlayStation Move is is a motion-sensing game controller platform for the PS3 video game console. Based on a handheld motion controller wand, PlayStation Move uses the PlayStation Eye camera to track the wand’s position, and inertial sensors in the wand to detect its motion.

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, a direct sequel to Assassin’s Creed II, is a third person action-adventure game set in Roman times.  The player once again controls Ezio Auditore through the genetic memory of Desmond Miles using the Animus 2.0 (which is the game’s memory interface).  The player will have to rebuild Rome, which has fallen into ruins due to the corrupt rule of the Templars over the Papal States and concentrating all the wealth in the Vatican.

Halo Reach takes place in the year 2552, where humanity is locked in a war with the alien Covenant on the human colony of Reach weeks prior to the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. Players control Noble 6, a member of an elite supersoldier squad, during the battle for the world of Reach.

A person can’t go wrong with any of these games or accessories.  They’re on the list of best sellers and must haves on Amazon and Gamestop for a reason, because they provide non-stop fun for everyone.

November 2, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

Those consumers looking to connect with Microsoft’s latest peripheral – the Kinect, a motion-controller option which is their response to the Nintendo Wii and the Playstation Move – may have to part with a significantly higher amount of money than they initially thought in order to get one in the first weeks of availability. Given Microsoft’s original decree of $149 for the new peripheral, and their recent end to taking preorders, the latest Amazon.com numbers for outside retailers are sure to send some shoppers into sticker-shock. At almost double the advertised price, getting one of these in your living room won’t be cheap.

This race to corner the market should come as no surprise to the tech-savvy shopper. Early adopters always pay a premium, and a quick round of pre-release buying-up has made many the eBay power-buyer a quick buck at the expense of moms and dads eager to make that special person happy for the holidays.

Motion-sensor videogame technology is a rapidly expanding market, so much so that Amazon has set up its own motion gaming hub called “Motion Gaming 101,” designed to help users figure out which motion gaming system is best for them. Sales of the XBox 360/Kinect bundle took a huge leap after a successful promotion on Oprah, and sales of the PS3′s motion gaming option have been strong too. This holiday season may turn out to be a showdown in the real world as virtual games with a motion-sensor element go at it.

November 1, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

There are exactly 7 days, 11 hours, 12 min and some change until the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Black Ops is the seventh installment of the Call of Duty series and the third game in the series developed by Treyarch.  The game will be set in various locations, including Vietnam and Cuba, and studying the weaponry and dates given in the trailer (shown below), it is set between 1960 and 2010.  Black Ops will focus on military cover-ups during the Cold War.

Treyarch has said that Black Ops will focus more on stealth than any previous entries in the Call of Duty series.  They have also stated that Black Ops will be much grittier than Modern Warfare 2, and that the differences between World at War and Black Ops will be as significant as the differences between Call of Duty 2 and Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare.

Online gameplay has been completely revamped from the ground up.  Players will be able to customize their characters and weapons in a fashion they see fit for complete domination.  From face paint to camo skins, all the way down to the smallest detail of slapping a decal and etching a clan tag on the weapon, Black Ops has placed customization on a new level.

Unlike previous CoD games where gamers would unlock weapons and attachments solely through leveling up with XP, Black Ops has developed a currency system.  With this system a player can unlock, say a perk through leveling up with XP, and through that  you can purchase certain categories within the perk using currency.

Pre-ordering Black Ops online seems to be the most popular, and some say smartest, thing to do right now.  If one were to pre-order the game through Amazon, they would be able to receive certain promotional items along with the game.  By choosing the hardened edition ($79.99) a player would garner a Black Ops medallion, and an exclusive Xbox Live Avatar outfit.  The prestige edition ($149.99) offers everything above plus a working RC car complete with a camera that provides TFT color video and audio to its operator.  If the fancy items are not that appealing or the cash flow just isn’t there, the game by itself is also procurable for $59.99.

Activision’s CEO, Robert Kotick, says that each entry in the Call of Duty series has outperformed its predecessor in unit sales.  Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson estimates Black Ops sales to be around 12 million units. Wilson said the pre-orders for Black Ops are outpacing those of last year’s mega hit Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which sold 16 million units during the 2009 holiday season.

And yes, zombies are back.

October 29, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

For that special gamer out there, let’s put our Mario Brother’s t-shirts on, turn on that World and Warcraft, sharpen our number two’s, and go meet in my parents’ basement for a little L.A.R.P. In other words, let’s talk shop. The ever going debate on who puts out a better product, Nintendo or Sony, has plagued the minds of gamers all around for decades. This time Sony has become even more of a contender in the fight with the recent decrease of their portable device, the Sony PSP Go, from $249.99 officially to a more competitive $199. This multimedia portable device offers more than just a gaming system by including bluetooth connetivity, wi-fi for online gaming, photos, tv and movies.

The only product close to the same playing field as the PSP Go is the Nintendo DSi. Nintendo’s portable system offers wi-fi, online gaming, a built in camera, photo sharing capabilities, touch screen, and over hundreds of games to choose from as this is a product more focused on the gaming aspect. The Nintendo DSi is priced at $149.99.  Although, the two devices have similar capabilities, comparing the specs of each is like comparing apples and bananas. One is focused on being a multimedia entertainment system and the other is focused as mainly a gaming system.

Curious about the substantial price decrease? So are we. Taking a look back at sales in August 2010, the PSP had only sold 79,400 units while its competitor, the DSi sold more than 342,000 units within the same month. The same time last year, Sony saw 140,300 PSP units sold. The substantial drop in numbers may be a slight kick to the Sony specs, so to speak. Now with only a $50 price difference between the two devices, it will be interesting to see the change in units sold by Team Sony or Team Nintendo for this holiday season.

October 29, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

It appears as if the $500 million of promotions, along with other outside sources, for the Xbox 360′s Kinect has been validated with the pre-order sell out of the product at Amazon and Best Buy.

Some say this massive sell out has something to do with Oprah and her gypsy curse.  A while back she featured the Kinect on her show and finished it off by giving everyone in the audience their own Xbox/Kinect bundle.

Reports from JoystickDivision say that Amazon.com saw a sales spike of 42% for standalone Kinect pre-orders after the hardware was seen on the show, putting it in the no.7 position for all video game sales on their charts.

The Xbox/Kinect bundles also saw increases in popularity, with the 250GB bundle jumping 43% in sales and the 4GB an impressive 67%.

If there is any confusion as to what exactly Kinect is and how it works, it’s a sensor that hooks up to an Xbox 360 and offers controller free gaming. With a system of high tech sensors, microphones, and software, Kinect turns the human body into the controller.  In fact this technology is so responsive that it can actually recognize facial expressions, making it an impressive evolution in the world of motion gaming begun by the Wii.

In terms of who the Kinect is made for, the array of games and required skill levels will be quite eclectic, so no one will be left outside in the rain.

Though Amazon and Best Buy may be out of the standalone Kinect hardware, the bundle is still available and there are still third party sellers out there.  So if the Kinect can’t be found at those two retailers or people don’t want to dish out 300 bucks for the bundle, they may have luck finding it elsewhere, hopefully not paying out the keister because of Kinects new found celebrity.  You can blame Oprah for that.

October 27, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

Pac-Man is coming back into the limelight with its release of Pac-Man Party for the Nintendo Wii.  Though it may be bit more interactive than the original 1980′s Pac-Man, this birthday party themed game will be filled with dozens of mini games, challenges and surprises that should keep even the most seasoned of Pac-Man players captivated.

By bringing the Wii remote into the equation, Pac-Man will be brought to another level of responsive gameplay.  Using the Wii Remote’s motion and button control capabilities in various time-based trials, like dodging a cascade of blocks, to racing and sheep shearing challenges, there seems to be a game type for everyone.  Pac-Man Party offers 50 mini-games and eight characters to choose from including newcomers Woofa, Patra and Roger.

For those who enjoy the power of choices, Pac-Man Party offers three different game modes to select from.  Story mode lets the gamer explore all 50 levels while trying to protect Mr. Cookie’s secret recipe.  Mini game mode offers time trial based games for those who need a quickie before work.  Party mode brings up to four players together to compete for points.  To make the gaming experience more competitive, property can be developed on any given space which can increase game points and provide the quickest route to victory. However, if someone lands on a spot that is already occupied, players will have to fight for ownership via challenges.

If there is an urge to kick it old school, Pac-Man Party has that covered by offering Classic mode.  There, gamers can experience the original arcade versions of PAC-MAN, Galaga and Dig-Dug. Either way, PAC-MAN Party is sure to be a big online seller this holiday shopping season.

October 18, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

Gamers are anxious for the upcoming release of Fallout: New Vegas and Fable III, as both games are topping the best selling video game list on Amazon.com. The Fallout series started in 1997, when the game was launched for PC, and it quickly became a hit among PC gamers. In an effort to capitalize on the early success of the first Fallout, the game developers produced a variety of sequels and spin-off games. Now on October 19, gamers will be able to get their hands on the newest game in the Fallout series dubbed Fallout: New Vegas. Gamers are flocking to pre-order the game at Amazon, as they want to make sure they get a copy when it debuts later this week. Fallout: New Vegas is not actually a sequel of Fallout 3, but it does have a similar gaming experience that fans of the Fallout series should enjoy. There are not many detailed reviews out yet about Fallout: New Vegas, but we do know that this is a much bigger game, with more complex weapons, and a more preserved world than prior games in the Fallout series. Any gamers looking to pre-order Fallout: New Vegas can purchase the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game for only $59.99, and the PC version of the game for $49.99.

Another game that is generating a buzz among PC and console gamers is Fable III, which is also topping the best selling video game list on Amazon. The Fable series of games started in later 2004, when the first Fable game was released for the Xbox 360, and then in 2005 an extended version of the game dubbed Fable: The Lost Chapters premiered on Xbox and PC. This franchise has sold millions of units, and the upcoming Fable III, which comes out on October 26, could help allow the Fable series to become an even bigger success. Gamers looking to purchase Fable III on pre-order, can pick up the Xbox 360 version of the game for $59.99, and the PC version for only $49.96. There is also a limited edition version of Fable III for Xbox 360 on the Amazon best selling video game list, and it can be purchased on pre-order for $79.99.

October 12, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

The bestselling video game charts are being led by sales of the much anticipated, Medal of Honor Limited Edition, which has also been a hot seller via pre-order over the last couple weeks. Medal of Honor for the Xbox 360 is #1 on Amazon, and the PS3 version of the game is at #2, on the best selling video game charts. One of the things that helped to create buzz around the new Medal of Honor game was that they had a controversial feature that allowed the player to control the Taliban in the multi-player mode. However game publisher Electronic Arts was receiving major criticism, so they decided to remove the feature from Medal of Honor Limited Edition. During the controversy around this game feature, the U.S. military decided to ban the game at any stores on their bases, and regardless of the changes made by Electronic Arts, the ban will stay in place for now.

All of this controversy over the past couple weeks has helped to create a buzz in the media about the release of the game today, and the responses so far from gamers are quite positive. Some Medal of Honor fans had been playing the beta edition, which may have also helped to generate interest by gamers. Overall the game play experience is one of the biggest things that gamers are raving about, as it is a super intense and fast paced first person shooter game. Now that the game is out, more reviews of the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of Medal of Honor Limited Edition should be popping up online over the next few weeks, and so far it is looking like this title will be a popular game throughout the holiday season.

October 6, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

Yesterday was a major milestone in the gaming world, as NBA JAM and NBA 2K11 debuted, which were two of the most anticipated NBA video games of the year. As video console and arcade games evolved in the late 80′s and early 90′s, there were many attempts to create a popular NBA game, but nothing truly succeeded until 1993 when NBA JAM premiered in arcades. This was the first basketball video game to have real action-packed game play, that had players extremely excited to use. NBA JAM was a 2-on-2 basketball video game, that allowed players to make very exaggerated slam dunks that involved them jumping 10+ feet in the air. It also lacked the concept of fouls and free throws, with the only violations coming for goaltending or violating the 24 second shot clock. There were various attempts after the arcade debut of NBA JAM to bring that gaming experience home to the video game console system, but none had really succeed. However the new release of NBA JAM for the Nintendo Wii may mark the start of a comeback for the franchise, if early reviews hold true. NBA JAM will only be available exclusively on the Wii until Christmas, at which time the XBOX 360 and PS3 will get their own versions.

The new NBA JAM game even features some of the original development team, plus they have brought back the original announcer which will be a great piece of nostalgia for those of us who remember playing the original arcade game. Another great feature that NBA JAM fans love is also coming back, which is the ability to unlock a variety of celebrity characters and NBA legends. Over the next week we should start hearing more about the NBA legends and celebrity characters on NBA JAM, and be able to read more reviews on what the gamers think.

In addition to NBA JAM debuting, October 5th also marked the release of NBA 2K11 which is available on all the major video game consoles, as well as the PC. One of the biggest reasons that NBA 2K11 is generating buzz is that you will be able to control one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Michael Jordan. This is a big deal because Jordan has not appeared in many NBA video games over his career, and his appearance in NBA 2K11 is getting gamers excited to play. NBA 2K11 will be the last Sim style NBA video game released this year, so it is likely to be a popular gift for basketball and video game fans this holiday season.