Getting a present for a gamer over the holidays isn't as easy a matter as it may sound. Sure, you want to get him or her a game to play, but which game? What system? You want to get them the right game for the genre they enjoy, and that's where we come in. In our 2008 Holiday Gift Guide all you need to know is what kinds of video games they play, and plan accordingly. Do they like shooting things? We've got some games for them. If they like racing, yeah, we've got the shopping list covered too. A bevy of genres for you to peruse lay below, so that you can rest knowing you're getting them the right gift this year.

Below you'll find our Holiday Picks for the Nintendo DS. To check out our full guide, please visit out Holiday Guide Index.

For the Music Lover...

Guitar Hero: On Tour - Decades
For rocking out on the go, it doesn't get any better than this. Using the stylus and the unique guitar grip peripheral, Decades will take your rhythmic skills to the limit. While expert players may be a little offset by the inability to strum quickly on the touchscreen, there are few feelings better than rocking out to "I can't drive 55" with a good pair of headphones on. Guitar Hero fans with a DS owe it to themselves to give GHOTD a few strums.

For The Role-Playing Fan...

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
This endearing role-playing game finds its roots in the purely traditional. Form a party, traverse an overworld, encounter enemies, uncover a sinister plot, level your characters, wash, rinse & repeat. However, its faithful use of the Sonic license and strong pedigree (stemming from acclaimed developer Bioware) makes this a stand-out title for any season.

The game controls well using only the touch screen, a feat which too few DS games can boast. Battles are made interesting by timed tapping and dragging patterns via stylus to execute special moves. This makes the core-game a matter of both strategy and skill, each required in perfect proportions. Though this isn't the Sonic game you grew up with, it's a great buy for anyone with a DS this holiday.

Chrono Trigger DS
Some would consider Chrono Trigger to be the greatest RPG of all time. While other may disagree, what is indisputable is the brilliant storytelling, time travelling aspects, battle system, reworked script, thirteen different endings, and endearing characters all come together to create a fantastic RPG experience unlike any other. The addition of portability and touch screen controls only adds to sheer value of this package. You're not a true RPG fan until you've played Chrono Trigger, and with the recent DS release, there's never been a better time to do so.

Fun For The Whole Family...

N+
The sequel to the popular internet flash game hits the PSP harder than a freight train. The N stands for Ninja (+ for expansion pack), which explains all the jumping and dodging around dozens of levels. This one will keep the casual gamer busy for hours to come, and it retails for only $20!

To check out our picks across other platforms, please visit out Holiday Guide Index.