As in the original game, Guitar Hero II lets you hook up a second guitar controller to the game, but in the current version, one player can play lead guitar while another plays the bass. This year's game ($73-$80) includes all-new songs, and they come from more genres than classic rock -- this year's selection ranges from Skynrd to the Police to Nirvana. Rock on!

-- George Jones

PC games for the whole family

Want to know which computer games offer the most family-friendly fun this year? Here's a handful of games that appeal to a variety of tastes and offer hours of fascinating gameplay.

Sid Meier's Railroads: Call us old-fashioned, but there's something about developing and maintaining a working rail company that makes us extremely happy. Thankfully, Railroads ($35-$40) allows us to do just that. This is one of the sleeper hits of the year.