This year is shaping up to be one of the best in history for pure gaming joy. With the Xbox 360 having two years behind it and the PlayStation 3 and Wii just passing the first year mark, developers are finally hitting their stride and producing truly amazing games on each platform.

With over 300 games slated to ship during the fourth quarter of this year, navigating through this busy season’s plethora of games is a daunting task even for the most hardcore of gamers. The DailyTech Holiday Games Buyer’s Guide aims to assist consumers in making the best choice for their holiday gaming expenditures.

Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the current system of choice of the hardcore gamer. The impressive attach rates associated with the console indicate that Xbox 360 owners spend more on gaming than owners of other consoles. It’s no coincidence, then, that this holiday’s line-up for the Xbox 360 offers gamers the best reasons yet to lighten their wallets.

• Rock Band
  From the creators of the Guitar Hero series come Rock Band, a game that brings even the most musically-challenged players the thrills of being in a band. At an asking price of $170 for the bundle of guitar, drum kit and mic, it’s not pocket change – but the cost will be justified once you have your quartet jamming out in your living room to classic tunes such as “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath, “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” by the Blue Oyster Cult and “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. Plus, the promise weekly updates to downloadable content (DLC) sweeten the deal even further.
  
  
• Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
  For those not interested in drumming or singing, Guitar Hero III offers an arguably better pure guitar experience. Neversoft, developers of the Tony Hawk series, have done an excellent job taking over the Guitar Hero franchise. Furious guitar shredders will find Guitar Hero III’s setlist more than satisfying with Metallica’s “One,” Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage,” and Dragonforce’s “Through the Fire and Flames.” Early comparisons also place Guitar Hero III’s note charts as more challenging than Rock Band’s.
  
  
• Mass Effect
  There remain few game development studios that are consistently reliable in its output and are specialists in their genres. BioWare of Edmonton, Alberta are the experts of the RPG, pushing the genre further than any other western developer. The latest creation from the house that brought Baldur’s Gate and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is Mass Effect, no better described than as an epic space opera. Mass Effect will take in-game conversation systems to a completely different level – a technology that the developer’s new owner, EA, is already looking into integrating into other games.
  
  
• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
  Infinity Ward returns to the Call of Duty series with a completely different take: Modern Warfare. Moving away from the World War II setting, Call of Duty 4 presents current war scenarios in a fictitious, but realistic setting. While the thrilling, adrenaline-filled single player campaign lasts only about six hours, the Call of Duty 4’s multiplayer component will hold gamers’ for at least months. In fact, some consider Call of Duty 4’s multiplayer superior to Halo 3’s.

Honorable mention:

• Halo 3
  Any serious Xbox 360 owner will already own this, but those just now buying an Xbox 360 will need a copy.
  
  
• BioShock
  2007’s first serious game-of-the-year candidate is still a strong runner months later.
  
  
• Assassin’s Creed
  The ambitious cross-genre game may have been overhyped, but the end product is still a solid game.
  
  
• The Orange Box
  While the PC version is the preferred way to play, the Xbox 360 more than does Valve’s collection of masterpieces justice.
  
  
• Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation
  Anyone who has ever dreamed of being a fighter pilot ace will be sky-high when playing Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation. True hardcore aces should consider the package that includes the flight stick and throttle.
  
  
• Project Gotham Racing 4 / Forza Motorsport 2
  While not a big leap over PGR3, the fourth chapter adds weather effects and bikes, helping to make a more complete package for the racing fan. For those who are looking for a hardcore driving simulation, Forza 2 will better fit the bill.

PlayStation 3
It was a very long and lean year for Sony and its loyalists, but the drought is finally over. After Resistance: Fall of Man, there was little else to keep the PS3 gamer company throughout the last holiday season. MotorStorm and Ninja Gaiden Sigma came in earlier this year to aid, but only now is the PlayStation 3 starting to show some real strength as something other than a Blu-ray Disc player.

• Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
  Resistance developer Insomniac’s expertise with the PlayStation 3 console has yielded one of the prettiest and best games for the system this year. The latest entry into the Ratchet series brings the shooting platformer genre to the current generation of consoles. Besides innovative weapons and solid gameplay, Ratchet & Clank Future is the first game to come close in delivering “Pixar quality” visuals.
  
  
• Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
  Naughty Dog takes a stab at the PlayStation 3 hardware and appears to be successful with its first entry, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. Best described as a mix of Tomb Raider exploration with Gears of War third-person shooting, Uncharted will surely satisfy those waiting for a game to show off the prowess of their console.
  
  
• Rock Band
  The music group simulator will hit the PlayStation 3 with one distinct advantage over the Xbox 360 version – a wireless guitar. PS3 gamers will also have access to all the DLC as the Xbox 360, perhaps making this the preferred version for those who don’t like cords.
  
  
• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
  Another one also available on the Xbox 360, but unlike many cross-platform games, Call of Duty 4 runs just as well as the Xbox 360 version – and at 1080p (upscaled) too! Given that Call of Duty 4’s main appeal is the multiplayer, the free online play of PSN gives it the leg up on the competition.

Honorable mention:

• Ninja Gaiden Sigma
  Still one of the best action games of all time, and the best it’s ever looked and played.
  
  
• Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
  The latest Guitar Hero III rocks in surround sound on the PS3, but falls behind the Xbox 360 and Wii versions in online support. Plus, the PS3 Les Paul guitar doesn't work with Rock Band.
  
  
• The Orange Box
  While not yet released, EA promises a December appearance of the port. Speaking of ports, the opportunity for PS3 gamers to play Portal alone gives the Orange Box reason to be on this list.
  
  
• Assassin’s Creed
  PlayStation 3 gamers have been looking forward to this game for quite some time, and should pick it up if it suits their gaming tastes.
  
  
• WarHawk
  A solid multiplayer team game that can be purchased at retail and via the PlayStation Network. Those who buy the retail bundle will also get a Bluetooth headset.
  
  
• Unreal Tournament III
  Just gone gold this week, Unreal Tournament III features unprecedented support for user-made modifications for a console game. It's the best way to play UT if one doesn't have an powerful PC.
  

Wii
Out of the three home consoles on the market, the Wii has the widest range of games for each market segment. While it is unquestionable that the Wii is the system of choice for the casual or non-gamer, the hardcore gamer will find selection on Nintendo’s system. Nevertheless, the Wii is host to some of the best, if not the best, gaming experiences of the year.

• Super Mario Galaxy
  Mario returns to form in the best 3D platformer since Super Mario 64, perhaps even surpassing it to become the best 3D platformer of all time. Its level of innovation and refinement of its genre shows an incredible expertise and near-perfect of gaming craft. Plus, a second player may also participate with his or her own Wii remote to assist the first player in fighting enemies and star collection. Super Mario Galaxy is a must-have game for Wii.
  
  
• Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure
  The oddly named Zack & Wiki is a brand new franchise from Capcom which doesn’t rely on existing product cross-marketing or cartoon shows. Instead, its strength comes from solid, classic adventure game roots with a point-and-click interface that should appeal to both seasoned and newbie gamers.
  
  
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
  The third Metroid Prime adventure from Retro Studios is the best so far in the series. With exceptional integration of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption controls like no other first person shooter on the console, and is among the best visually available on the console.
  
  
• Wii Zapper and Link’s Crossbow Training
  It might be just a gimmicky piece of plastic, but the Wii Zapper is given its raison d’être thanks to Link’s Crossbow Training. Don’t let that “training” in the title fool you, Link’s Crossbow Training is more of an arcade shooter experience than the title suggests. Zelda fans will find a lot to like with Link’s Crossbow Training’s use of environments from the Twilight Princess, but even those completely unfamiliar with the Zelda series will be entertained by the shooting action. For only $20, it’s tough to refuse.

Honorable mention:

• Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock
  The Wii version is priced at $10 less than its high-def counterparts due to the use of the Wii Remote’s wireless and motion sensing technologies, but its lack of support for downloadable content make it less desirable.
  
  
• Trauma Center: New Blood
  The original Trauma Center was one of the first innovative “outside the box” games for the Nintendo DS, which was translated to the Wii in Trauma Center: Second Opinion. The true sequel for Wii, Trauma Center: New Blood, adds co-op play and true widescreen support, making it the best way to legally play doctor – unless you have an M.D.
  
  
• Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition
  Those who haven’t played the original releases on GameCube or PlayStation 2 are required to play RE4 on Wii. Only $29.99 for the best Resident Evil yet.

Stay tuned for Part Two of the DailyTech Holiday Games Buyer’s Guide for the best in PC, Nintendo DS and Sony PSP recommendations.