As part of the Electronic Articles new series of regular features, I have been given my own column within which I can talk about, well, pretty much anything which grabs my attention in the month of writing. This month is November – or, rather, the last week of, to be precise – and what’s on my mind right now? Christmas. Of  course.

            There was a time, not so long ago, when I could assure you that the only member of my family receiving a videogame at Christmas would be, surprisingly, me. But that’s simply not the case any more. While I’m cracking-down on Assassin’s Creed, my mum’s outdoing her previous best on More Brain Training From Dr. Kawashima: How Old Is Your Brain?. Dad’s shooting goons in The Godfather, my girlfriend’s beating my high-score on Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock while my little brother hacks-away at Disney/Pixar: Cars, and his girlfriend finds a helicopter in Nintendogs: Labrador & Friends.

            The market has expanded, there’s no denying it. But with this new-found success comes a new-found problem – after the likes of NEW Super Mario Bros., where does this new, “casual” market go?

            Well, that’s what my feature this month is all about; the top 25 games for “casual” gamers. Now, while there’s obviously been games being developed and published for this market since the likes of Dr. Mario on the NES, this idea was provoked by a need-to-know what to be buying friends and relatives at Christmas, this year, and so I will only be including titles released on systems currently available and in-production, i.e. PlayStation2, PLAYSTATION3, Xbox360, Wii, PlayStation Portable, NintendoDS and Game Boy Advance.

Top 25 Casual Games

25. Fuzion Frenzy 2

            Reportedly Bill Gates’ favourite games series, hence the sequels’ release on Xbox360, Fuzion Frenzy 2 is a mini-game compilation in the vein of Mario Party, only without the board game element, therefore, simply the mini-games. And not particularly good mini-games at that, yet simple enough for most players to understand on their first play, and generally with the use of only one button. A perfectly good design template; inherently flawed design.

24. Super Mario Galaxy

            Mario’s latest outing receives its entrance into the Top 25 only weeks after release, thanks mainly due to its encouraging two-player option. While player-one retains all the usual features and control of the portly-plumbers Platform exploits, a cunningly devised two-player feature has been crafted-in without requiring any previous knowledge on behalf of the second-player. Picking-up a second Wii Remote allows player-two to uncover hidden items, collect coins and alert player-one to danger, all by wiggling the Wii Remote and pointing on-screen; perfect for encouraging your partner to “give it a go”. And while this may only resemble minimal interaction, it’s not too far to picture those beginning as an aid soon wishing to take full control.

23. ExciteTruck

            Remaining fairly elitist due to its difficult-to-master nature, ExciteTruck does offer instant thrills to those new to gaming. Infinitely superior motion-control to that of SONY’s competitor, MotorStorm, ExciteTruck makes mistakes, but can offer some essential pick-up-and-play gaming early-on.

22. LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga

            Infinite Lives, endless amounts of replay value, two-player, drop-in drop-out Co-Operative play and simple, entertaining and addictive Platform action, LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game broke the mould, LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga opened a new mould-making factory.

21. More Brain Training From Dr. Kawashima: How Old Is Your Brain?

            While the year between titles certainly gives this release a technological edge, some of the immediacy may have been lost. Essential to those with the original Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?, yet the same often cannot be said for those who purchase this title first. A game built to feed an appetite, as opposed to help create the hunger.

20. The Simpsons Game

            Yes, many of you will be horrified that EA’s half-baked Platform effort has placed above the new king of Platform titles, Super Mario Galaxy, however, it cannot be denied that The Simpsons is a much higher profile franchise that Mario and chums. Add to this the comedic storyline, drop-in, drop-out two-player Co-Operative play and a progressive, easy-to-digest Level Structure, and it’s clear that the other-half may find it easier to pick-up an Xbox360 Controller than a Wii Remote for their Platforming antics this Christmas.

19. Polarium

            Becoming quite divisive upon release, like Pokemon Dash with it, Polarium became the marmite of the NintendoDS early-adopters. Most likely a testing-bed for the Touch Generations! range, Polarium is an easy-to-understand, difficult-to-master Puzzle title that’ll infuriate and irritate with regular occurrence.

18. Viva Piñata: Party Animals

            Microsoft’s “Pokemon-gone-wrong” fiasco doesn’t seem to have turned-out to be such a disaster after-all. With the cartoon series itself being a success in the US and, to a lesser extent, in Europe, despite lack lustre sales of its original Garden Sim release, Microsoft have tried again with an entertaining mini-game effort. Featuring Races obviously having benefited from RARE’s work on Diddy Kong Racing (even though not having been developed by RARE themselves) and a host of you’re a-typical mini-games, Viva Piñata: Party Animals is an example of how to expand a franchise with consideration and confidence.

17. NEW Super Mario Bros.

            Not necessarily a new invention for the casual market, but more a re-entry for a title that got the rest of us addicted in the first place. If the modern-day gamer gets hooked by a title such as this, the future may be well more rose-coloured than that which the casual-game-haters are predicting.

16. BUZZ!

            Staying true-to-form, SONY hit the market first with an easy, yet inspiring creation calling for its competition to play catch-up. BUZZ! comes complete at retail with a set of four buzzers comprising of one big button, and four colour-coded buttons. A simple quiz game that’s so intuitive your granddad could play it (and, in-fact, mine has), BUZZ! also has an extensive range of added-content discs, and an eight-player option available on some more recent releases.

15. SingStar

            Commendable for its efforts, SingStar remains the most embarrassing videogame ever created. Nintendogs may have you talking to puppies on the train, but SingStar gets even the most drunk of observers feeling like a diva. More in-tune with grumbling with prowess as opposed to actually hitting the correct note, SingStar has enough variety for all ages, and even the cynics.

14. Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action!

            Managing to top its obvious inspiration, SONY’s BUZZ!, by a hair’s-breadth, Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action! comes complete with four wireless buzzers – including all of the Xbox360’s feature buttons such as the Guide Button and Menu Navigation via rocking the large button – and an extensive array of movie clips last over a minute.

13. Big Brain Academy For Wii

            Attempting to encourage families to play together – and reportedly doing so successfully within families where the children are yet to reach their mid-teens – Big Brain Academy For Wii takes the formula from its NintendoDS counter-part and dramatically improves on the Multi-Player element. One for getting the family together over the Christmas holidays, and helping mum and dad learn how to use that Wii Remote properly.

12. Mario Party 8

            It may not be the best title in the series but, to newcomers, it’s proven to be an addictive taste of videogame/board game crossovers. The Wii Remote features are more accessible than those in WarioWare: Smooth Moves, while perhaps not as complimentary, and work as a good step-up from Wii Sports and Wii Play.

11. Cooking Mama

            While the NintendoDS release may have instigated the mini-craze, the Wii release capitalised upon it. Often considered to be the sole reason for budget publisher 505Games recent success (and new, rather brash attitude), their handling of Cooking Mama, including aid from Nintendo in providing support for a TV Campaign, perhaps means it’s deservedly so.

10. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games

            Having just been released on Wii, Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games is considered a contender for the much heralded Christmas Multi-Format Sales Chart number one spot, often above Super Mario Galaxy, and has been mentioned as the natural successor to Wii Sports by Nintendo executives on more occasions than one. It’s no surprise really with fluid and intuitive controls and two of the most recognisable faces in the industry on the cover; it’s bound to be a hit.

9. Nintendogs

            Shockingly, Nintendogs & Friends is a series that continues to perform incredibly well worldwide, despite not having seen a release in well over a year. Well, maybe it’s not so surprising given the terms of the NintendoDS’s adoption rate. Nintendogs is a cunningly crafted videogaming product, an while many of the more seasoned players may have complained about the lack of interesting features after only a few weeks, the targeted casual market will more than likely take months to see the same depth within the title.

8. 42 All-Time Classics

            It does what it says on the box. 42 All-Time Classics features, well, 42 all-time classic games, such as Poker, Ludo, Chess, Darts, Mah Jongg, Dominoes and Pontoon. With most games playable online, Single Card Multi-Player and an SRP of only £19.99, 42 All-Time Classics is an unconventional must-buy.

7. The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

            Who’d of thought it? One of the most notoriously hardcore videogame series ever created, and it’s being adopted under Nintendo’s aggressive “games for everyone” policy. Featuring the Cel-Shaded Graphics Engine first witnessed in The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker and the addictive, pitch-perfect gameplay of The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past, and all-new intuitive NintendoDS features and control, The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is proving at retail that this is an easier step from the likes of NEW Super Mario Bros. and Nintendogs than many would have predicted.

6. Mario KartDS

            Classics Mario Kart gameplay, in full 3D, online, Single Card Multi-Player and in-your-pocket. Is there really much more that needs to be said? Mario KartDS was one of the first must-have titles on the NintendoDS to span both the hardcore and casual markets, and remains as one of the best in the field.

5. Animal Crossing: Wild World

            There’s not a lot that can be said about the Animal Crossing series that hasn’t already been reported one-thousand-and-one times in the videogames press, but that doesn’t change the fact that Animal Crossing: Wild World is one of the most addictive videogames ever released. Featuring actually very little, Animal Crossing: Wild World gives the player total freedom to do as they wish within the games boundaries, with no real objective or possibility of failure. A Collect-‘Em-Up to beat them all, here’s hoping Nintendo can get Animal Crossing out on Wii sooner-rather-than-later.

4. Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock

            After the Dance Mat craze, after Donkey Konga pulverised our palms, after SingStar resulted in a visit from the RSPCA from the neighbours’ fear of cat-strangling, there is Guitar Hero. Having been an almost guaranteed classic since its inception, and coming complete with its own guitar controller, Guitar Hero is the Rhythm game for wannabe-rockers. And with Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock featuring girlfriend and family pleasers such as Ruby by Kaiser Chiefs and When You Were Young by The Killers, being released on all major home consoles, and PC, and finally getting some much-needed TV exposure, the series is nigh-on guaranteed to be a high flyer in this year’s peak sales season.

3. TetrisDS

            This much-loved classic may be somewhat of an under-performer in terms of retail success on Nintendo’s dual-screened wonder in the UK, but it remains one of the most highly addictive videogames on general release. The added gameplay modes are nice distractions, and twenty-years of release hasn’t at all diluted this masterpiece.

2. Wii Sports

            Until Wii Music, Wii Fitness or Wii Sports 2 arrives, there simply is no competition. Endless hours of Multi-Player fun and the single title responsible for Wii’s early success in Europe, Wii Sports is simply irresistible to seemingly all those who play it.

1. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?

           The game that started it all. At around eighteen-months-old, you could easily say Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain? should be pushing-up-the-daises compared to the majority of titles in this list, and yet it’s still to be beaten. In-fact, the only title to even come close in terms of ingenuity it that of its successor.

Kev J.

29/11/07

Return to the Articles Archive 2007 here.

 Each of these articles has been written either independently of Electronic Theatre or by an external viewer. The opinions discussed in these articles in no way reflects the opinions of Electronic Theatre.

If you wish to inquire about pricing of any titles for these formats not listed on this site, drop me a line at kjoyce@electronictheatre.co.uk