This coming Friday heralds the official start of the holiday buying season and the biggest shopping day of the year. You can bet that there will be a handful of great deals, but we wanted to make sure you had a little direction going in to the holidays, so we're giving you this handy guide. Today we'll be taking on the Wii, but keep checking back, as we'll be covering all the major consoles throughout the week.

Recommended For a Crowd - "New Super Mario Bros. Wii"
Pictured above, "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" manages to capture the magic of the original Mario games, while adding in the ability to play with up to four players simultaneously. It's also the one game that will probably please just about every Wii owner, making it an ideal I-have-no-idea-what-to-get gift.

Recommended For The Casual Gamer - "Wii Sports Resort"
Everyone who owns a Wii has played "Wii Sports," so upgrading to "Wii Sports Resort" isn't too much of a stretch. Thankfully Nintendo didn't just ride on the popularity of the first game with "Resort," as there are more games with better controls the second time around. You may want to buy your casual gamer friend a second Wii Motion Plus attachment, though, as they'll need it for multiplayer.

Recommended For The Hardcore Gamer - "Muramasa: The Demon Blade"
This is a tricky category, as hardcore gamers are notorious efficient at picking up the games they want to play. But with a game like "Muramasa: The Demon Blade," it's possible they missed it the first time around, since it was a bit of a dark horse title. Gorgeous 2D graphics and fantastic levels of depth make this an easy choice for those who consider gaming their main pastime.

Recommended For The Younger Gamer - "New Super Mario Bros. Wii"
Not to repeat myself, but just because you're buying a game for a younger kid doesn't mean it has to be bad. Unless you consider hopping on turtle shells a violent endeavor, you'll have a hard time finding anything offensive in this game, and the fact that you can play along with your favorite half pint and help them through the harder bits makes this an easy pick.

Recommended For The Mature Gamer - "Dead Space: Extraction"
While the Wii excels at family-friendly games, there are a few solid titles for the more mature family members. "Dead Space: Extraction" is a gruesome, thoroughly enjoyable shooter which features 2-player co-op, as well. Children should be kept far away, but older gamers will no doubt get a kick out of this one.

Recommended Purchase With A Console - Extra Remote, Nunchuk, Wii Motion Plus
If you just picked up a brand new Wii console for the holidays, make sure you pick up an extra Wii remote and nunchuk while you're at it. If that makes no sense to you whatsoever, just ask the clerk at the store, they'll help you out. Also, if you pick up "Wii Sports Resort," get a second Wii Motion Plus attachment, as you'll need it for multiplayer.

Sony and Microsoft entered the current generation of consoles with far greater immediate ambitions for non-game content. Nintendo appears to be warming up to the idea of its Wii becoming a place to watch movies and TV episodes, however. Though the company has denied plans for an HD hardware upgrade, their "Wii no ma" service in Japan has now expanded beyond ad-only content to include paid viewing options as well.

Warner, Pokémon, Disney, Sesame Street, J League soccer, THK and TV Asahi are all providing content for the service, according to Kotaku. The format may be structured to compete with the PlayStation Video Delivery Service and Xbox Live Marketplace, but no plans have been announced to bring the system over to North America.

TV show rental prices start at 100 Wii points and go up. The Wii's Nintendo channel in North America similarly offers video content, but everything there is basically a streaming advertisement.

Netflix has been expanding aggressively over the last year onto home entertainment systems. With the 360 and PS3 now in its stable, it would make sense for Nintendo to seek out a viable method of A) bringing Netflix to the Wii, B) adopting a viable method of competing or C) ignoring movies and TV altogether and focusing on games as it has for the last few years. Up until recently, I would have expected C to be their plan of action, but if they're piloting a new paid content delivery system in Japan, it may signal a few surprises ahead.

Would you buy or rent movies on your Wii? What do you think of Nintendo's new service in Japan? Share your reactions in the comment section below.

"Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles" was a little too ambitious...and not very good. For a glorified light gun game it had overly complex controls and wasn't, well, very much fun. But Capcom has returned to give it another game with "Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles." Does it remedy mistakes of the past or are we left with another so-so title to fill in the time between true sequels?

The Basics

Like "The Umbrella Chronicles," "The Darkside Chronciles" is a first person light gun game that uses the Wii remote to blast zombies, lickers and a host of other "Resident Evil" beasties. The game follows the events of "Resident Evil 2" as well as "Resident Evil: Code Veronica," as well as a side-story which fills in some of the plot holes.

The Highs

Simplicity
"Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles" made the mistake of giving the player too much control. Most light gun games give you a fixed point, but in that game you had to constantly move the analog stick on the nunchuk to look around. "The Darkside Chronicles" tosses this concept, letting you play the game with just the Wii remote, a much more simple affair, and more ideal for quick multiplayer.

Improved Weapon Upgrades
You'll now find money hidden throughout the levels in "The Darkside Chronicles" which can be used to upgrade your weapons, "Resident Evil 4"-style. Upgrading weapons was in the last game, but the money element adds a new level of fun, blasting apart each and every scene, looking for gold bars.

Trip Down Memory Lane
If you've played "Resident Evil 2" or "Code Veronica" you'll probably love how each of those stories are delivered. The game is broken up into chapters, with familiar action scenes replayed from the new first-person point of view. And, if you never played those games, "The Darkside Chronicles" is sort of like a fun Cliffs Notes version, hitting all the major plot points without you having to worry about running out of typewriter ribbon.

The Lows

A Bad Case Of The Shakes
Getting rid of the need to move the camera around: good. Making the camera so shaky that you can't get a shot off: less good. While I understand the need to add challenge, making it harder to nail headshots, the camera in "The Darkside Chronicles" moves like it's on crystal meth. It gets to a point, later on, that you're basically firing wildly, hoping to hit something, with the camera bobbing and weaving through the action like a scene out of "Black Hawk Down." Ease up a bit, guys.

Cheese To The Max
If you've never played a "Resident Evil" game, you may be stunned by just how bad the writing is in these games. Some say they're intentionally bad, to mimic the b-movie style, but personally I think it just comes down to rough translations. Fans of the series will appreciate the groan-worthy lines, but anyone that's used to "BioShock"-quality writing should brace themselves.

Final Word

I was surprised by how much enjoyment I got out of "Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles." Even with its faults, it's one of the best light gun-style games I've played in a long time, and is well worth a look for fans of the genre or fans of the franchise. It's also great for 2-player multiplayer, which is as easy as hooking up a second Wiimote.

Shigeru Miyamoto said he wants to see a Zelda unveiling at E3 in 2010, and new comments from another Nintendo decision-maker indicate that those plans are still in motion. What's more interesting, though, is that in addition to adding MotionPlus support, producer Eiji Aonuma expects to see the next Zelda title overhaul the series' traditional game format.

"I hope that we can show you something at the E3 show next year, and it is something we are hopeful will be surprising," Aonuma told Official Nintendo Magazine.

"Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks" has absorbed the bulk of the franchise's attention this year, but after it ships in December there will be a lot of eyes looking ahead to Link's fate on the Wii. Aonuma indicated the changes being made were intended to keep gameplay fresh for longtime players.

"So we have been trying something new in terms of the structure of the Wii version of the new Zelda game this time," he said. "I am really hopeful that people will be surprised with the changes we have implemented for this Wii version."

Since Link's console graduation from bird's-eye play to third-person action, there haven't been any significant tweaks to his basic gameplay mechanics. Aonuma's promises may hold big surprises -- or perhaps just a new follow-up to the horses, boats and trains that have been introduced over the last decade. Not to put any pressure on Nintendo of course.

What changes would you like to see Nintendo make with their next Wii Zelda title? Has the series been living up to expectations for you thus far? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

While other franchises boldly venture into the future, with fully 3D worlds, procedural gameplay and killstreak unlocks, "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" takes a look back. But can this retro reboot stand the test of time?

The Basics

Imagine the classic "Super Mario Bros." gameplay. Now add four people, all playing at once, jumping off one another, throwing each other into pits, stealing mushrooms. Suddenly it's a whole new experience. Well, that's the idea behind "New Super Mario Bros. Wii," a multiplayer-centric Mario game.

The Highs

Classic Mario To A T
The gameplay in "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" is far from revolutionary, but that doesn't make it any less fun. There are eight different worlds, each with unique enemies, obstacles and power-ups to discover. The traditional Mario formula of teaching you new elements and then throwing difficulty curve balls returns here, and the game slowly ramps up to a frantic, undeniably difficult pace by the end. It's one of the best 2D "Mario" games ever made and arguably matches the genius of "Super Mario Bros. 3."

Mulitplayer Makes Mario More Fun...To A Point
Playing "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" with one person alongside you (taking on the role of Luigi or a variety of Toad) makes the game at least twice as enjoyable. Seriously, if you don't at least try this with one other person you're missing out on the joy of cooperative/adversarial multiplayer in a Mario setting. Note how I said "one person alongside you." We'll get to that.

Presentation
The visuals and music combine to make "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" feel like a fresh experience, while still recalling classic themes and level designs. Twists on old favorites (like the underground theme) are freshened by lighting effects and every enemy and hero really shows a level of care and thoughtfulness.

The Lows

4 Players Is Nearly Impossible
I can't say for sure if this is a "low," per se, as the novelty of playing Mario with 4 people is pretty fun...for a level or two. After that you'll begin to understand that the game just ends up becoming more frustrating and less fun beyond the first two people. Because everyone is able to interact with everyone else there's a level of chaos that simply can't be avoided. It's with 4 players that I feel like the game gets to "Contra" difficulty levels. With 2 it's considerably easier, but still challenging enough to require a handful of restarts from a veteran.

No Drop-In, Drop-Out
A relatively minor issue, but in order to add new players to a game you have to be back at the level selection screen. If you're in the middle of a level the only option is to die before you can add more people. Seems like it wouldn't have been that hard to toss in new characters on the fly (hell, "Contra" did it like 20 years ago!).

Power-Up Variety
I wish there was a little more variety in the power-ups for "New Super Mario Bros. Wii." As it is, the only brand new power-up is the penguin costume (gives Mario the ability to slide across water and throw ice balls), while the others have appeared in previous Mario games.

Final Word

If you're a fan of Mario games, "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" is a can't miss title. Playing with other people adds a whole new layer to the franchise (for good and bad) and even if you're just playing alone, you'll still get an enjoyable experience hopscotching through the game's dozens of levels. It's also the sort of game that's great to introduce to non-gamers, as it allows you to pick up their character and carry them over the tricky bits. That's assuming you're not an amoral jerk, which apparently I am.

This weekend, in honor of the launch of "New Super Mario Bros. Wii," Nintendo has decked out the Nintendo World Store in Rockefeller Center with objects from the history of the overall'd plumber. My favorite, strange and awesome Mario shampoo, is pictured above, but there are plenty more shots from the event.

Check out the full gallery of the Mario Museum.

If you'd like to take a look yourself, Nintendo is hosting a public launch event for "New Super Mario Bros." at the Nintendo World Store on Saturday (tomorrow) from 3pm to 7pm.

Nintendo's Wii has followed different rules than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 since it launched, focusing early on on interface and family-friendly titles rather than graphics and expanded hardware capabilities. That hasn't kept speculators from predicting a hi-def upgrade, however. One analyst in particular, Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan Securities, believes that a Wii HD may be coming as early as next year. Nintendo says no.

"Michael continues to be the only one who believes that this is gonna happen," Nintendo of America CEO Reggie Fils-Amie told Gametrailers TV. "I don't know how forcefully we can say there is no Wii HD."

If that wasn't enough to kill hopes, Fils-Amie further added an emphatic "No" when asked directly if there would be a Wii HD in 2010.

Whether those denials will have more longevity than Nintendo's similar DS Lite denial prior to that system's launch in 2006 remains to be seen. But for now, their stance appears to be completely opposed to HD-ifying the Wii anytime soon.

The DS, which will go through its third evolutionary transition in 2010 with the release of the DSi XL, seems to be Nintendo's research and development focus for now, but seeing so many generations emerge from one handheld device does raise the question of what the company's console teams have been doing next door in recent years.

Are you surprised to here Nintendo deny plans for a Wii HD? Do you think the console needs HD graphics? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Courtney Love isn't the only musician publicly feuding with Activision now, as No Doubt filed a lawsuit yesterday in Los Angeles regarding their appearance in "Band Hero." In a complaint very similar to Love's regarding Kurt Cobain's use in "Guitar Hero 5," No Doubt believes that their likenesses were re-purposed in ways they didn't approve.

"The band [members] are bitterly disappointed that their name and likeness was taken and used without their permission," manager Jim Guerinot said today, according to the Los Angeles Times. "They agreed to play three No Doubt songs as a band.... Activision then went and put them in 62 other songs and broke the band up [and] never even asked."

Activision begs to disagree, though, and responded accordingly.

"Activision believes it is within its legal rights with respect to the use and portrayal of the band members in the game and that this lawsuit is without merit," the company said in an official statement yesterday.

Music games have come a long way, becoming a new venue that everyone from U2 and The Who to Beyoncé want to get into. With that attention and all those dollars blowing around, a couple of lawsuits were bound to show up eventually.

What do you think of No Doubt's gripe with Activision? Do think they should be disappointed in the way they're portrayed? Share your thoughts in the comment section below?

Fall Out Boy front-man Pete Wentz is one of a handful of celebrities that Activision has tapped thus far to reenact the famous floor-skid underwear scene from "Risky Business." Past stars include Heidi Klum (guh), Alex Rodriguez and Bobby Knight throwing a drum kit. For the "Band Hero" commercial, Wentz is playing backup for Taylor Swift, paired with Rivers Cuomo and Travis Barker, with the band appearing in the buttondown shirt/underwear combo.

I spoke with Wentz about the commercial, as well as his gaming habits.

Regarding recreating the classic movie moment from "Risky Business," Wentz said it didn't come easily.

"I have a new appreciation for everyone that's done that slide. It's hard to slide into once place and kinda try to look cool and do it on a beat. It's not an easy thing to do. It would change up, 'cause they'd Lysol the floor and it'd be slicker...so sometimes I'd go way too far. And then they put down an adhesive to make sure I wouldn't go too far, and when I hit that, I'd just wipe out...no one's ever gonna do it as well as Tom."

Wentz went on to talk about his history as a gamer and what he spends most of his time playing:

"My gaming history is really scattered. Back in the day I was really a Nintendo guy. I got really into 'Contra' and 'Super Mario Bros.' and then Super Nintendo and Genesis. And then I lapsed, I started liking girls or something, I don't really know. Then I got back into Tony Hawk and realized there was cool music in that and there was cool music in Madden. Eventually my friends got me into 'Guitar Hero,' and outside of 'Wii Sports,' 'Guitar Hero 5' is probably what I play the most. And now I'll play 'Band Hero' 'cause I've got some jams on that thing!"

Infinity Ward has a lot to be happy about one week before the "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" in-store date. Despite some gamer backlash over the PC version's new multiplayer system, GameStop has already christened the "MW2" release as a record-breaker.

"By all indicators, we anticipate 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2' will be the biggest entertainment launch of all time,” GameStop's executive vice president for merchandising and marketing Tony Bartel told USA Today. “As of today, the number of pre-order reservations we’ve taken for the game is the highest for any title we’ve ever sold in our 6,200 store network.”

Those high marks for the 360, PC and PS3 don't mean that Infinity Ward is considering a port to the Wii any time soon, however, since the studio doesn't think that Nintendo's console can do what they need.

"If we felt like we could deliver the cinematic experience we were going for on other platforms, then we would gladly move to that platform," Infinity Ward community manager Robert Bowling told Develop. "Right now, we don't think the Wii can deliver the exact experience that we’re doing. We like to be very equal across all platforms, and if it’s not equal then we won’t do it."

That doesn't mean the Wii won't be a late afterthought, though, as a Treyarch-ported version of "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" is scheduled to come out on November 10, the same day as "MW2."

Would you like to see "MW2" come to the Wii? Do you agree with Infinity Ward's assessment of the Wii? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.