Operation Sports:

360 Degrees of Holiday Happiness

Unless you've been living under a rock this fall, you already know that Xbox 360™ is the must-have holiday gift this year. Amazing graphics and sound, wireless controllers, and next-generation game play all wrapped up a sleek package you'll be proud to show off ... well, I could go on, but the rest of this site has Xbox 360 covered.

You're looking for the best gifts for Xbox 360 gamer on your list this fall, and I'm here to help.

Of course, since the launch lineup of games is perhaps the most impressive ever for any new console release in history, the hardest part of making such a list is whittling it down.

So before I get to the seven games that I chose as the best gifts this fall, I should give mention to some superlative games that didn't quite make the cut: Condemned: Criminal Origins™, Kameo™: Elements of Power™, Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game Of The Movie, Need for Speed™ Most Wanted and Perfect Dark Zero™.

Depending on your favorite gamer's particular interests (and maturity—Condemned and Perfect Dark Zero are both rated M for mature audiences), you can't really go wrong with any of these titles, either.

However, this is Operation Sports, and so naturally, most of the games we're looking at today will be in that vein. Grab one of these "Magnificent Seven" titles, and you'll be assured of a happy and grateful gamer this holiday season.

Project Gotham Racing® 3
My pick as the most impressive game on Xbox 360 today, Project Gotham Racing 3 is a thrilling arcade racer with jaw-dropping visuals. With unbelievable attention to detail—try driving down the Las Vegas Strip and waiting for the Bellagio's water fountain show to start—you'll be completely enthralled while flying through the streets of virtual Vegas, New York, London, and Tokyo at 170 miles per hour.

No, that's not a photo—that's PGR 3 in action.

Not only are the tracks lush, with utterly realistic re-creations of dozens of the world's finest automobiles, playing Project Gotham Racing 3 is as close to owning an Enzo Ferrari or Lamborghini Gallardo as most of us are ever going to get. The single-player mode has plenty to do, but no game utilizes Xbox Live® better than PGR™ 3. Upload your scores, keep track of your friends, race anyone online at any time, and even use the next-gen Gotham TV feature to watch the best players in the world race—live!

NBA 2K6
This basketball simulation was also released on the original Xbox, but it's even better on Xbox 360. The graphics look spectacular in motion, with free-flowing uniforms and so many realistic animations that you might find yourself hooting and hollering at the TV like you were watching a real NBA game. NBA 2K6 is a full-featured title both online and off, and the realistic style of play is perfect for the serious hoops fan.

Miami's Dwyane Wade throws it down.

In "The Association," take over an NBA franchise and try to take them to a championship. Drafting well, making shrewd trades and free-agent signings, and keeping team chemistry high (in other words, guys like Indiana's Ron Artest may help you on the court, but they can tear your team apart from the inside) are all critical to success.

Play in an Xbox Live league with all the trappings—including fantastic integration with the World Wide Web. The game's VIP feature tracks every tendency you have, and the new "Shot Stick" provides a whole new level of player control. This isn't your run-of-the-mill hoops game—it's a serious basketball simulation for the true fan.

NHL 2K6
If you've been reading my column regularly, you'll remember that NHL 2K6 was also one of my holiday picks for the original Xbox. Well, it's good enough to be mentioned here, too.

The hockey brother of NBA 2K6, NHL 2K6 provides the same realistic game play and remarkable depth as its basketball sibling. With new lighting models, the ice reflections and arenas look better then ever, and a flood of new animations do more than look nice—they can even affect the game itself. NHL 2K6 incorporates all the new NHL rules and the latest rosters, so the gamer can experience the "new and improved" NHL in all its glory on Xbox 360.

Slapshot—use "Crease Control" to stop it cold.

On-The-Fly Coaching and ProControl give you total command of your team on the ice and during gameplay while the Enforcer System lets your toughest players patrol the ice. Xbox Live leagues let you prove your mettle anytime, anywhere, but best of all, the Xbox 360 version includes an exclusive, new way to play. Designed in part by Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco, NHL 2K6's new Crease Control lets you play as the goalie in a whole new way—think "bullet time" from The Matrix meets the NHL's best snipers, and you're getting the picture.

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 06
Perhaps the most accessible game on this list, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 06 allows gamers of any skill level to pick up an Xbox 360 controller and start playing in mere minutes. The game's difficulty settings and options can be changed in a snap to create the exact fit for your skills and preferences. Many modes of play are available, and the amazing Game Face technology allows you to create any alter-ego you can imagine—or even create a reasonable facsimile of yourself. Of course, you can also play as many top PGA professionals, including the one and only Tiger Woods himself.

The legendary 17th at Sawgrass.

The game's career mode is deep and challenging, and Tiger Woods' flexibility makes for a great party game. Feel like playing a best-ball 18 at Sawgrass? Go right ahead. How about playing some alternate-shot with three friends on Pebble Beach? The course is all yours.

The scenery is nothing less than spectacular and new galleries of fans lining the course ratchet up the excitement. On top of all this, the controls are simple to use, but challenging to master, making Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 06 the perfect game for the whole family (and golf fans of any age) to play together.

Madden NFL 06
The 800-pound gorilla of sports gaming, Madden NFL makes its debut on Xbox 360 this year and takes full advantage of the console's graphic capabilities. Madden's always been a great multiplayer game, and that hasn't changed a bit. Built from the ground up, the game's digital players have a new depth, weight and physicality to them that they've never had before, and result is an intense football gaming experience punctuated by hard hits and a lot of attitude.

Madden NFL 06 looks amazingly lifelike.

The new play-calling screens are flexible and easy to use, giving you even more options to unleash your inner Vince Lombardi on the opposition. The entire menu system's been revamped as well, and the entire game feels polished and almost futuristic—except for the welcome and classic NFL Films soundtrack that accompanies the game's sounds. Cue the trumpets and head to the frozen tundra of Green Bay's Lambeau Field for some thrilling football action for the holidays. This is what Xbox 360 gaming is all about.

Tony Hawk's American Wasteland
Much like the Madden series mentioned above, the Tony Hawk series of skateboarding games has built a fan base almost as rabid—and for good reason. They're simply a blast to play!

I couldn't stay on a skateboard to save my life, but I can't get enough of the over-the-top antics and addictive game play. The single player story will take your created player from nobody to skateboarding rock star in a zany and immersive streaming world. It's tongue-in-cheek counterculture gaming at its finest and most fun.

Do not, I repeat do not try this at home!

The level designs are wonderful and varied, and the sweet new Xbox 360 controller makes pulling off even the most insane tricks a breeze. The best part of American Wasteland, however, is that you play it your way. It sports game modes galore, including outrageously fun co-op and competitive multiplayer modes, most of which can be played online using Xbox Live.

Tony Hawk's American Wasteland harkens back to classic videogames in many ways. Full of straightforward goals and addictive game play, this one will stay in any Xbox 360 disc drive for a long while.

Call of Duty® 2
It's no sports game, but it is the most visceral and intense experience available on Xbox 360. This World War II-themed first-person shooter has finely tuned controls, a crackling script, and a feeling of tension so think that you could cut it with a bayonet. Some of the game's visuals have to be seen to be believed, and the environments that you'll travel through are stunningly realistic.

Leading the assault across a frozen plain.

Call of Duty 2 demands your attention from the opening frame and never lets go. The heroism of the "Greatest Generation" isn't exploited in this game—in fact, many gamers may find a new sense of respect for it after playing. It's the rare game that makes you feel a real sense of accomplishment for those who are good enough and determined enough to complete it.

It should also be noted that while Call of Duty 2 is rated T for teenage audiences, it's very intense, and that should be taken into consideration before buying. If this type of game is up your alley, however, answer the Call—you've never experienced anything quite like it.

There you have it: seven games that are sure to please any gamer lucky enough to receive one of them.

So what are you waiting for? It's time to brave the crowds at the mall and make someone's holiday even more exciting with these great Xbox 360 titles!

Happy Holidays!

Article by Shawn Drotar, Managing Editor, OperationSports.com