If you’re as lucky as I am, you’re one of a family of gamers and can cover most of your family holiday shopping in one quick and well-planned trip to GameStop. It wasn’t always so easy, however. My brothers may be lifelong gamers like me, but my parents are much more recent converts, and it’s taken a lot of work to convince them that gamers aren’t part of a zombie army and can actually be useful members of society. So if your parents have shown any interest in this world of ours, or you think that there are games out there for them, the question remains: What do you get them this holiday season? I’m here to help. (And a note to my own parents, who may or may not be reading: Avert your eyes so as to not ruin any surprises.)

Nintendo Wii



This one’s a no-brainer. I know the Wii is still impossible to find, but if you do happen upon one, it’s the perfect gift for almost anyone on your list. The Wii, along with games like Wii Sports, was a huge factor in bringing my parents over to the dark side. My dad still asks if I’m bringing my Wii every time I go home to visit.

Wii Play (Wii)
 

This isn’t really a $50 game. It’s actually a $10 game with a $40 controller, which you need anyway. For ten bucks, you get 9 two-player minigames, most of which are actually pretty fun. They may not be appropriate for the hardcore gamer, but for new Wii owners, Wii Play is a good choice.

Nintendo DS



Can’t find a Wii? No worries. Nintendo’s dual-screened handheld is also awesome for parents. There’s such a huge selection that anyone can find a handful of games to get started with, and it’s also fun and easy to use. You may also want to invest in some of the NES classics that were remade for the Game Boy Advance, since you can play GBA games on the DS; my mom can’t get enough Dr. Mario.

Brain Age (DS)



For only $20, your mom or dad will be able to do simple but addictive exercises to improve his or her thinking skills. This game also comes with Sudoku, which is a parental favorite in my family. You’ll have your parents competing to see whose brain is younger.

New Super Mario Bros. (DS)



It’s a newer installment in the famous Mario series that plays much like the older NES and SNES classics—and that’s a good thing. In addition to being ridiculously fun for everyone, this is a good choice for parents because no matter how displaced from the video game world they may be, there’s no way they don’t know who Mario is.

Rock Band (PS3, PS2, 360)

 
Yes, there are products not made by Nintendo that your family members will like. Believe it or not, your parents like to rock out just as much as you do. They might not admit it, but it’s true. Families all over the country were enjoying this game over the Thanksgiving weekend, and if your parents haven’t gotten in on it yet, it’s about time they do. It’s perfect: they can play it together, pick the songs they want, and set their own difficulty levels. No game in recent history has brought people together the way this one has.

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Wii, 360, PS3, DS)



A great gift for any fan of either Star Wars and Legos. With fun gameplay and easy coop play, your parents should have a lot of fun with this one. They’ll love playing through storylines from the classic Star Wars movies, even if they don’t quite get why they’re made out of Legos. I don’t quite get it either, but who cares, it works.

Of course, this list is fairly introductory; there’s a lot more out there for gamers of all ages. Your family may also have different tastes than mine, which I get. However, the games listed above can be enjoyed by almost anyone regardless of age or degree of video game addiction. Maybe this is the year that your parents dive into the deep, scary world of gaming.