MOLI VIEW™

Yesterday I wrote about how new technologies break big before Christmas. All week I'll be recommending some of this year's best, starting with video games.

For the hardcore gamer

Amid this season's flood of hardcore games, two stand out. Halo 3 is, hands-down, the state-of-the-art shooter, with gorgeous graphics and ambitious online components. For the thinking gamer — yes, there is such a thing — BioShock combines action with the responsibility of moral choices. Both titles are exclusive to Microsoft's Xbox 360.

For the whole family

A year after its release, Nintendo's Wii is still pure, silly fun. The motion-sensing "Wii-mote" makes it easy to pick up, and anyone can enjoy casual games like Wii Sports and Rockstar's ping-pong title. After everyone else has gone to bed, the serious gamers can stay up late with action titles like Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. And at $250, the Wii is a good deal — if you can find one.

For the would-be warrior

Every Christmas brings another brace of military shooters, most of them indistinguishable from those that came before. This year is no different. But Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare stands out. Available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the title brings Activision's franchise into the modern world. That's a bit creepy for my tastes. But the new edition keeps the graphical grit that made the previous iterations hits.

For your inner rock star

I've already written about how much I like Guitar Hero III, which lets you play along with songs on a guitar-shaped controller. Rock Band ups the ante by adding a microphone (which judges your phrasing and pitch) and a "drum kit." Turning it up to 11 is optional.

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