Make Father's Day a day for play
— -- Some guys like ties, but all boys love toys. Whether dad's the sporting type, a race-car driver in training, an action hero, a rock-star wannabe or the more cerebral type, there's electronic entertainment perfect for him this Father's Day. Video-game writer Marc Saltzman offers a few suggestions.
Wii Fit
Nintendo; for Nintendo Wii; $89.99; wiifit.com
OK, so Dad has packed on a few pounds. With the bundled Balance Board, which looks like a bathroom scale, players can take advantage of more than 40 "exer-gaming" activities to help him stay fit and feel good. Options include yoga, aerobics, muscle strengthening, balance exercises and mini-games such as skiing, boxing and soccer heading. Who needs a gym membership?
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Konami; for PlayStation 3; $59.99; metalgearsolid.com
If Dad's the adventurous type, he can play as the legendary Solid Snake, back in his final mission deep behind enemy lines in pursuit of arch nemesis Liquid Ocelot. With new stealth moves, weapons and gadgets, the aging hero infiltrates enemy territory in the Middle East, South America and elsewhere, each rendered in HD. Play alone or go online with up to 16 players.
Crosswords DS
Nintendo; for Nintendo DS; $19.99; Nintendocrosswords.com
If Pop's a crossword aficionado, he'll love this clever collection for the portable DS system. By using the touch-screen display and stylus pen, word game fans can solve more than 1,000 increasingly challenging crossword puzzles. The game also houses more than 200 word-search puzzles and anagram brainteasers.
Million Dollar Poker Featuring Gus Hansen
Gameloft; for mobile phones; $4 to $7, depending on carrier; gushansenmobilegame.com
Dad can be a poker superstar with this cellphone game that lets him face off against smart opponents, thanks to clever artificial intelligence created with the help of champ Hansen. Play Texas Hold 'Em from a first-person perspective in three modes, including a meaty career option.
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
Activision; for Xbox 360, PS2 and 3 and Wii; $49.99 to $99.99,depending on console and guitar bundle; guitarhero.com
Let Dad live out his rock star dreams with the next Guitar Hero, available June 29, featuring one of the most beloved rock bands, Aerosmith. Use a guitar controller to jam along to classics such as Dream On and more contemporary hits like Don't Want to Miss a Thing. Unlock additional tunes from the Bad Boys from Boston and tracks from others that have inspired the band.
Gran Turismo 5: Prologue
Sony; $39.99; for PS3; us.playstation.com/granturismo
Maybe he can't afford a Ferrari, but Dad can climb behind the wheel of more than 60 accurately modeled cars from top manufacturers and race on a half-dozen tracks, including Daytona. Start with a basic car, such as Ford Focus ST, Honda Integra Type R or Mazda RX-8 Type S, and earn enough credits by winning races to buy a Ferrari F40 or its 2007 Formula 1 car.
Ninja Gaiden 2
Microsoft; for Xbox 360; $59.99; xbox.com/ninjagaiden2
If Dad considers himself a hard-core gamer, he can control ninja warrior Ryu Hayabusa as he uses fists, weapons and acrobatic abilities to avenge his clan and protect the world. Along with high-definition visuals, a number of improvements over its celebrated predecessor include an auto-healing system, more points at which you can save games and larger worlds to explore.