For the crime lord... Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (read our review)

If your favorite gamer is the type who uses video games to do things they'd never do in real life - like, say, stealing cars and mass-murdering pedestrians - then anything with Grand Theft Auto in its title is a no-brainer. Vice City Stories stands out as one of the best in the series, with a huge, 1980s-Miami-inspired city that players can freely explore using cars, boats and even helicopters. It's all rendered in smoothly animated, detailed 3D, too, which is no small feat for a handheld.

VCS also packs in a bunch of cool multiplayer modes for up to six goons over an ad-hoc connection, giving this more longevity than even a console GTA game. If the cold of the holidays has got your would-be crime baron down, then Vice City 's warm weather and blazing-hot lead make it a great place to escape to.

Second choice: Gun Showdown