That’s right, it’s the time of year where you have to purchase things for OTHER people.  Weird concept, right?  Since it’s only November, you should have a decent amount of time to make arrangements before whatever gift-requiring holiday rolls around.

If you have friends who enjoy video games as much as you do, holiday shopping can actually be pretty fun.  Here are some ideas I thought of which would be great for most gamers this season:

	LittleBigPlanet Guide If your friend owns a PS3 and has half a mind, they’ve picked this game up.  The guide features some helpful hints on acquiring items in the game as well as level creation.
	More Controllers I don’t think I know anyone who has enough controllers.  This is an especially great gift for a Wii owner, since their controllers are inexpensive.  Also more games are requiring both the controller and nunchuk adapter, which are sold separately.
	Wireless Router Is your dumb friend still connecting to things with wires?  Make their lives easier and get a wireless router.  Great for handheld or standard consoles.  If you can, find out what brand their modem is and get the same brand of router to prevent any problems while installing.  If your friend has dial-up then an intervention may be needed instead…
	Pre-orders These are obvious gifts.  If you can’t afford a game, just put whatever down you can.  Some upcoming titles you should definitely consider are Resident Evil 5, God of War III, Prinny etc.  For a list of more games being released in 2009, check out this list.  It’s important to note that many of these games WILL feature special editions.  If that’s what you think your friend would prefer, be sure to reserve the correct edition.
	Instruments The number of games out there requiring these complex controllers are increasing, which means the need is greater.  That need has brought about several advancements in “instrument” technology which is fairly new.  If your friend is still playing an old fashioned controller why not chip in with some friends and get them the cutting edge of plastic music-making technology.
	Valkyria Chronicles If you have a friend who plays mostly RPGs and a friend who plays mostly FPS, this game may be for both.  The game is a mix of the two, with a healthy dose of strategy to keep everything from falling apart.  I love the art of this game and am very glad it was brought to North America.  Valkyria Chronicles may may go under the radar of most gamers, ensuring that your friend won’t have already purchased it themselves.
	Portable System Protection Portable systems are getting more expensive these days.  It’s important to protect your investment, but that doesn’t mean your friend needs to look like a tool.
	Toys Who doesn’t love toys?  It’s just a matter of thinking of a game or character your friend likes and doing a bit of digging.  I am a huge advocate of KidNemo, they have a huge selection and a great search engine.  You can also browse by series, which is a nice feature.  If you don’t find what you want there, give eBay a shot.

A few of these gifts may be a bit too expensive for one person, so if you’re running a bit short on cash, team up with some friends who are apt to procrastinate.  The year gets pretty hectic by the time December rolls around, so try and be prepared!  It will make your life a little less stressful and the quality of your gift will be better.

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