It’s true, Super Mario Galaxy is going to rule your life when it debuts on November 12. With the return of the fire suit and the other zany goodness that made the original games so great, Galaxy could bee a worthy successor to Super Mario 64. In fact, it might even be better!

But this list isn’t about Super Mario Galaxy. Oh no, this one is about the other games that are going to shape up your holiday season. I’m talking about the Fire Emblems, the Contras, and those NiGHTS that are preparing to make a journey into dreams. Now join us as Christian and myself take a look at six games that are going to help make this holiday season one of the best (hopefully).

Christian’s picks:

NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams- December 18

I started out a Sega fan, a fact that I’ve repeatedly brought up in the past. It wasn’t until I saw the Spaceworld 2000 video of Link fighting Ganondorf (after having played through OoT just weeks prior) that I decided to skip the Dreamcast and save my money for a GameCube. Before that, however, it was all Sega, and all Sonic.

I remember shopping at Sears once when I was a kid, and they had this new system on display. It was a Sega system, so I checked out the kiosk, but there weren’t really any kinds of Sonic-related promotions with it. I was intrigued by the game that was playable there at the store, however, so I decided to try it out. NiGHTS: into Dreams was unlike anything I had ever played before (which up until then included a bunch of NES Mario games, Game Gear Sonic games, and Pitfall on the 2600). Those five or ten minutes at the Saturn were all I ever got to play of the game, since my parents never would have sprung for a $400 system at the time. Luckily, I plan on borrowing a friend’s system and game later next month.

When December 18th rolls around, NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams may not shine through a crowd including Super Mario Galaxy, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, or even Zack & Wiki. Hopefully, though, it will be an enjoyable and well deserved sequel to NiGHTS: into Dreams. It would be great if it brought back memories for the fans while forging new ones for the rest of us.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games- November 6

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games looks a lot like a sports mini-game fest. You know what? It probably will be. Still, with Sega behind the game’s development and Miyamoto’s guidance to make sure it doesn’t turn out like some of Sega’s recent productions, it shouldn’t suck. In fact, if you’re willing to take it for a spin with an open mind, I’m sure you’ll probably find it enjoyable.

These are all just hunches, of course. It’s important to keep in mind that this game will be an epic moment in gaming history, and both Nintendo and Sega know it. This will be the first game bringing two of the 90’s most popular icons in friendly competition, and should appeal to old Nintendo and Sega fans (and heck, anyone who was alive during the 90s) for the nostalgia. It’s got the potential to be a mass market hit if the gameplay is fun, and could be this holiday’s Wii Sports.

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn- November 5

The Fire Emblem series is, hands down, my favorite franchise of all-time. Zelda and Sonic come close, but Fire Emblem games combine difficult challenges and engaging stories into what essentially boils down to a series of games based on numbers and chance. I’ve got a chance to play a few import copies of old games, but the two GBA games and GameCube games released internationally pulled me in for good.

It’s hard to say which I’ll end up being more excited for between Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn for the Wii and the announced DS remake of what could be Fire Emblem: The Dark Dragon and Sword of Light or Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem. At the moment, however, Radiant Dawn is the game on my radar, and I’m eager to find out what happens to Ike and company.

Those who have played through Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance on Normal or Hard mode (or Maniac mode, if you’ve played the import) know how tough these games can be and how much the storylines in these games can pull you in. You grow so attached to these characters that you’re willing to throw away the 2, 3, or more hours that you spent on a single chapter, just to retry the chapter from the beginning after losing someone on your team. It’ll be the same thing (in Hard Mode and up, apparently) when Radiant Dawn arrives on store shelves this November 5th. With a whopping 44 chapters and additional 30+ newly playable characters (for a total of over 70), Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is a strategy RPG that will make you work just to finish the game before Super Mario Galaxy comes out…if you’re even good enough in the first place.

Matthew’s picks:

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles- November 13

Apparently, J.K. Rowling is planning to write a Harry Potter encyclopedia of sorts that might tie up a few loose ends in the Harry Potter universe. It seems that J.K. Rowling is obviously a huge Resident Evil fan, since she is clearly following in the path of Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.

The Umbrella Chronicles is the game that Resident Evil story buffs have been awaiting for quite some time. The game’s plot will explore the fall of the Umbrella corporation by revisiting locations from Resident Evil Zero, the original Resident Evil, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, and an entirely original scenario that will take place five years after the previous chapters (2003).

At first, I was very disappointed to learn that The Umbrella Chronicles would be an on-rails shooter. As a man who still has a bit of bad taste left over from those awful Survivor spin-offs, I was quick to dismiss The Umbrella Chronicles as more of the same. Thankfully, The Umbrella Chronicles has been shaping up to what could very well be the pastime we need until we get some more solid information on Resident Evil 5.

Sure, The Umbrella Chronicles will certainly draw those wanting an action packed zombie killaton, and they certainly will not be disappointed. However, the main attraction to me is that players will finally be able to play as Albert Wesker in the main game. If the Resident Evil 4 mercenaries mode was any indication, Wesker practically reinvented the term “badass.”

Contra 4- November 14

Remember when games used to actually be hard? It’s weird, but whenever I talk to people about Mega Man on the NES, the majority of them say that the games were too hard to ever complete. Apparently they haven’t played Contra.

I try my best to keep my naturally foul mouth to a minimum on these pages, but the Contra series kicks my ass. I mean like, it really kicks my ass. No other series has managed to make me scream at the television as loud and as often as Contra has. Yet, no matter how many times a stray bullet nicks me in the leg to end my “THAT WAS ALMOST THE ONE!” run, I still can’t wait to do it all over again. It’s that love-hate relationship that makes me adore this series until the bitter end.

And what a bitter end it was, until Contra 4 was announced. There have been a few games after Contra III: The Alien Wars landed on the SNES, but they failed to live up to the Contra name on so many levels. Konami has made a wise decision with Contra 4 by choosing to retain the classic feel of the original games while introducing it to an entirely new audience on the DS. Hell, the added bonus of Contra and Super C alone are worth the price of admission.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock- October 28

Some people make Christmas lists for Santa; I make Guitar Hero song wish lists. I’ve been playing Guitar Hero to death since the series first debuted in November of 2005, and yet, I still can’t get enough of the “Star Powering” and “Rock Metering” action. Granted, Harmonix (aka: the heart and soul of the original two titles) might have passed the torch to Neversoft to move onto the behemoth known as Rock Band, but we are still mighty excited for the Wii to pop its Guitar Hero cherry.

Like most people, I cringed when I first heard that somebody other than Harmonix would be developing my yearly Guitar Hero fix, but those worries have subsided for the most part. Neversoft has given the series a breath of fresh air with an improved (again!) hammer-on/pull-off system and new note charts that should provide an added boost of realism to most songs.

The Battle Mode will be sure to please the casual crowd, but I have a feeling that a lot of Guitar Hero purists will be turned off by the crazy antics. Either way, it is encouraging to see Neversoft putting in some of effort to make Guitar Hero its own series. It’s sort of like what Drew Carey is doing with The Price is Right now: it might be awkward at times, but it’s the effort that counts.

Back in the day, Harmonix used to beg bands for permission to use a cover of their song for Guitar Hero. Today, bands are reforming just so they could provide the best possible master track for use in Guitar Hero. Money certainly talks, and in this case, it even brings happiness in the form of an excellent soundtrack. My highlights include:

• Foghat- “Slow Ride”
• Rage Against the Machine- “Bull’s on Parade”"
• The Who- “The Seeker”
• Rolling Stones- “Paint It Black” (yay for Twisted Metal: Black!)
• ZZ Top- “La Grange”
• Stevie Ray Vaughn- “Pride and Joy”
• Queens of the Stone Age- “3’s and 7’s”
• Metallica- “One”
• Dragonforce- “Through the Fire and the Flames”
• Smashing Pumpkins- “Cherub Rock”

Oh, and did I mention Metallica?

• Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure
• Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
• Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends
• Manhunt 2

Take off of work, skip school, and break off all your non-gaming relationships, because this holiday is going to slap you in the face with gaming excellence. Hopefully this list helped narrow down your choices, but don’t listen to us, what are your most anticipated games this season?

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