The Holiday Spirit: Games to Play Together

For most of us, holiday vacation means quality time with the loved ones -- time that often tends to drag like crazy. Rather than getting trapped in TBS' marathon showing of The Christmas Story (yes, we love it too, but one viewing per year is enough), break the tedium with some of these great family gaming options. We stuck to games that have local multiplayer and are in the Everyone to Teen rating, so you don't have to worry about accidentally offending Grandma with any random F-bombs. Of course, if Grandma is down with the F-bombs, feel free to engage in some online action in the shooter of your choice instead.

We've broken the games down into categories -- Get Active, Cooperate and Compete -- so you can find the flavor you prefer for your holiday gathering.

Get+Active

Dance Central
Xbox 360 + Kinect
Kinect is the technology most likely to impress any non-gaming family members -- using a camera as a controller gets us one step closer to the virtual reality that films of the early '90s kept promising us. After everybody's stuffed themselves silly, bust out Dance Central (arguably the best Kinect game so far) and work off those extra calories with a family dance-off.

Kinect Sports
Xbox 360 + Kinect
If Mom and Dad don't feel like getting down to Bel Biv Devoe, your other best bet for group Kinect play is Kinect Sports -- plus it's a little more user-friendly for younger gamers. Thanks to the Wii, everyone understands the concept behind the sports mini-game compilation, so family members will be lining up to compete in sports ranging from table tennis to javelin throwing.

Cooperate

Castle Crashers
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
This four-player co-op smashfest hit the Xbox 360 two years ago, and this year the PlayStation 3 finally got to join in on the fun. Four knights embark on a goofy journey to rescue several princesses and retrieve a magical gem, and beating down on a variety of enemies is a great way to work through any family conflicts.

Donkey Kong Country Returns
Wii
If you're looking for a challenge, the follow-up to the much beloved SNES original is targeted straight at fans of old-school platform games. You and a loved one can play cooperatively as Donkey and Diddy, and then commiserate together as you miss that set of jumps yet again. Fortunately, Nintendo has included the "auto-play" feature to help you get past any killer jumping sequences to great for your thumbs to handle.

Kirby's Epic Yarn
Wii
If Donkey Kong Country Returns is tougher than your liking, the gentle learning curve for Kirby's Epic Yarn is probably much more your speed. Guide Kirby and Prince Fluff through this fun and accessible adventure that's sure to get female family members oohing and aahing over the darn adorableness of it all. Who knows, Grandma may even be inspired to whip up a Kirby-themed needlepoint before the holiday is over.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Ms. Tomb Raider's first co-op outing is a good one, and you and a partner can take on enemies and solve puzzles together. And, as is fitting at Christmas time, the Guardian of Light lets you be naughty and nice: there's also a fun element of competition as the two of you can race to see who can grab treasure faster or kill more enemies.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
PC, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
There's a pretty big overlap between people who like LEGOs and people who like Harry Potter, because it's obviously only the very crankiest of cranky people who don't like them both. Thanks to the LEGO games' excellent drop-in/drop-out co-op play, you can keep a parade of cousins and siblings entertained, and then still be able to keep playing on your own even if they all get sucked into that eighth airing of Christmas Story.

Plants vs. Zombies
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 version of this popular tower defense game adds multiplayer into the mix, letting two people get in on the action. Work together to collect sunshine and plant your garden to ward off the undead invasion. Or, if you're sick of all this gaming cooperation, you can choose to play against each other, with one person playing as the plants while the other sides with the zombies.

Rock Band 3
PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
The franchise that made family gaming mainstream has taken another big leap. In addition to a batch of 83 new songs (with artists ranging from Amy Winehouse to Yes), Rock Band 3 introduces keyboards for the first time, and also has added a Pro mode, which lets you try your hand at learning actual guitar chords. There's even a controller that doubles as an actual guitar for those who want to get serious.

X-Men: The Arcade Game
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Anyone whose misspent youth included many stacks of quarters will appreciate this brand-new downloadable version of the 1990s arcade classic. Play with up to six people in your living room (or four on Xbox 360). This one's really for players who were fans of the original, but even people who didn't grow up with it can enjoy going along for the ride of some mutant beat-em-up fun.

Compete

GoldenEye 007
Wii
If you've got a big enough TV, there's no better way to settle your differences than with a few rounds of four-player split-screen multiplayer. Experiment with goofy modes like paintball and slappers-only (where you lose the guns and have to smack each other in the face), or just get down to brass tacks and do some straight-up deathmatch. Just don't let anyone pick Oddjob -- that guy is for cheaters.

ModNation Racers
PlayStation 3
Up to four players can compete for dominance in this excellent kart racer, using weapons to try and take out other racers and making strategic use of your shield to defend yourself from attacks. And when you get tired of zooming around the tracks, you can take turns designing racers, karts, or even work together to build your own course.

NBA Jam
PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
For most of us, a virtual game of hoops is a lot more enjoyable in December than going outside and doing it for real. NBA Jam keeps things lighthearted, letting up to four players compete in a two-on-two match. And if your family can't avoid political arguments, settle your differences with a face-off between the Republicans (including Dubya and Sarah Palin) and the Democrats (featuring both Obama and Bill Clinton).

Risk: Factions
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Risk purists might sniff at this adaptation, but most people will enjoy this streamlined version of the boardgame classic. (And for the diehard faithful, there's always an option to play the game old-school style.) With silly new factions like the Cats, Zombies, and Yeti, this downloadable game will keep family members battling for supremacy for hours.