Gooder Than Hell!

So you got an Xbox 360 or a PS3 for the kids this holiday, yeah? But if someone asks you about it, you mumble something like “Oh, that’s not for me, that’s for the kids, I don’t play it.” Is that you? Are you that guy?

Well, let me introduce you to a couple of games that you, the non-video-gamer, are going to want to play. These are all downloads, so there’s no need to go to the store; they’re also very inexpensive, a fraction of what you’d pay for a new boxed game.

For the Xbox 360, there are some great adaptations of European board games. Start with Ticket to Ride (pictured), then move up to Catan, a really good adaptation of one of the greatest board games of all time, Settlers of Catan.

For the PS3, I want to introduce you to Flower, a truly beautiful experience that straddles the line between game and interactive art. You control a flower petal, gently blowing in the wind. As you zoom through amazing landscapes, you pick up new petals along the way, and each time you do, it generates a musical tone. So as you swoop and fly through this world, you’re setting off these amazing strings of sounds that perfectly match the gorgeous visuals. Think of this one as “ambient gaming,” and a great stress reducer.

It’s also really easy for non-gamers to play, because all you do is tilt the controller to move, like you might steer a Segway. It will intuitively make sense after about five seconds.