Are you looking for that last Nintendo purchase of the season? Over the next couple of days, we here at the House are going to give you our definitive (and yet it should be admitted, slightly subjective) lists of top 5 games for older and younger gamers on the Wii, and the top 5 games on the DS. Many factors will be taken into account, and hopefully you'll find our assistance to be diverse and helpful in choosing some last minute gifts! Here are House of Nintendo's Top 5 for older gamers...

5) Pro Evolution 2010

If your loved one is into fast-paced and immersive football/soccer games, then this is one for them. Its graphics are improved from the last installment in the series, but the Pro Evolution games have never let the Wii down on that part anyway. One thing which this has over competitors on other consoles is it gives the gamer full control of their team, allowing you to control more than one player on and off the ball, setting up flowing movements and set pieces in a way which is severely lacking on the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions.

4) Mario Kart

Doesn't matter what age you are. You'll love this. That's a given. All the Mario characters take to the race track in different quirky vehicles, and with the use of assorted weapons even the most docile of households will become a loud, competitive game room. With the game you get a plastic wheel into which you insert the controller, and while the most hardcore of online gamer refuse to use it it wouldn't be half as fun without it. Offline is excellent, with hours of unlockable races available, but the online multiplayer is where things really take off.



3) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

We have included this one on the "older gamers" list due to the fact that any fan of the Nintendo consoles of yore will forever have a soft spot for any Zelda game, and if they are like us they'll continue to stick with Nintendo not because of Mario but because of Link. These always offer some of the most compelling plots and longest hours of game-time, and Twilight Princess is no different. You don't need to have any past experience of the franchise to enjoy this game though, and if Ocarina of Time was an essential buy on the n64 then this is the essential buy for the Wii.

2) Call of Duty: World at War

This game is rated, depending on your location, at least 15+. It has to be the grittiest game on the Wii, immersing gamers in a hardcore take on WWII in a style that is often lacking on the console. Although at times unrealistic, it was probably the most convincing installment of the franchise to date and is most definitely worth a look-in for older fans of first-person shooter games.

1) Super Smash Bros Brawl

A button bashing smorgasbord of long-lasting fun, our favourite characters all feature in a game with tons of unlockable features. At its core, this game is a basic "beat 'em up", harking back to the glory days of Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat, but it goes miles further. With such a diverse range of characters you can get used to your own moves and know exactly how to outsmart your opponent.

Multiplayer is very fun, especially when you decide to play through the story-mode together. If this is not your cup of tea, though, days of fun can be had in 2 to 4-way brawls, with new characters and stages adding to the incentive to keep playing. Mario, Link, Pikachu, Kirby, Yoshi and all the characters you can think to have ever appeared on Nintendo even in a cameo role feature here, and will offer fun for players of all ages.