Halo 4, Black Ops II top holiday video game lists
Halo 4 ranks high on holiday wish lists, squeaking by Call of Duty: Black Ops II.
Peter Gagnon of Seattle shakes hands with Halo character Master Chief after purchasing the first copy of Halo 4 during the game's launch on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Seattle.
Stephen Brasher/Invision for Xbox/AP
No holiday season would be complete — at least for gamers — without the latest titles. Nielsen released its list of most-anticipated games for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii. The list shows that Xbox and PS3 gamers have nearly identical tastes in games — first-person shooters rule — while Wii players are all about family fun.
Nielsen surveyed more than 4,800 gamers — men, women and kids, ranging in age from 7 to 54. All had a current-model console and identified themselves as regular gamers.
Topping the list for Xbox 360 is "Halo 4" (exclusive to Xbox and the first of a new trilogy), while "Call of Duty Black Ops II" is just a fraction of a point behind, according to Nielsen's scale. They are followed by "Assassin's Creed III" and "Resident Evil 6."
The PS3 line-up matches up pretty well with Xbox 360: "Black Ops II," "Assassin's Creed" and "Resident Evil " secure the top three spots.
The Wii attracts an entirely different set of gamers, who prefer dancing to killing. Four of the top 10 slots for Wii games are held by dance games, including "Just Dance 4" at No. 1, "Zumba Fitness Core" is in second place, "Just Dance: Disney Party" is fourth and "Nickelodeon Dance 2" at No. 10.
Several game titles, such as "NBA 2K13 " and "WWE ’13," will be released for the three consoles, while exclusives also captured a few spots. In addition to "Halo 4," Xboxers covet "Fable: The Journey," PS3 players want Sony's "LittleBigPlanet Karting," and Wii enthusiasts have placed "Transformers Prime: The Game" at No. 8.
The report does not include upcoming games for the new Wii U . It won't be available until the weekend before Black Friday. But the new hybrid device — a controller connected to the TV, combined with a handheld gaming system — could bring the trigger-happy members of the family together with their dancing counterparts. Top-ranked "Call of Duty Black Ops 11" and "Assassin's Creed III" will be available next month for the Wii U. Games are priced around $60 for each platform and can be pre-ordered now.