Fun for the kids this season

Shopping for the little ones this festive season? Want to know where to start with the wide range of options available on PlayStation? Then read on.

If they enjoyed the top family film releases this year, you will not go far wrong with Kung Fu Panda or WALL•E. Film tie-ins are a staple of the games calendar and these two, like the films they're based upon, stand head and shoulders above the crowd.

Explore ten worlds from the DisneyPixar movie with WALL•E, the last robot left on Earth. Take control of WALL•E and EVE and relive some of the movie's most thrilling moments in this non-stop action and adventure.

Control Po the Panda in the game based on DreamWorks' Kung Fu Panda. Embark on an epic adventure to become the Dragon Warrior and play as Po, Master Shifu and all the members of the Furious Five, each with their own special abilities.

Staying with the cartoon style, older children will enjoy the tongue-in-cheek action and arcade style antics of galactic adventurer Ratchet and his diminutive metal sidekick Clank in Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction on PlayStation 3 or Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters on PlayStation 2.

Even more colourful and great fun for all ages is LocoRoco 2. Back with a bounce, a roll and a splash in another joyous adventure on PSP, the adorable LocoRoco must once again thwart the Moja who have returned and brought with them a terrible song that sucks the life out of living things!

On the party front, games that they can enjoy with friends and family on PlayStation 2 include Buzz! Junior: Dino Den and Buzz! Junior: Ace Racers, while more physical fun can be had with EyeToy Play: Hero and EyeToy Play: PomPom Party.

Using the EyeToy camera attachment, EyeToy Play: Hero comes with a trusty sword and challenges you to catch a mischievous warlock who's causing havoc across the kingdom, while EyeToy Play: PomPom Party's colourful pompoms let you become the coolest cheerleader around.

Enjoy the festive season with all the family
To help you make the right choice about whether a game is suitable for children you can check out the following websites, which hold detailed information on and an explanation of the rating systems used for games released in Europe.

Ratings are about whether content of a game is suitable for your child's age and is not about the difficulty of the game. It's important to consider the age rating when buying games for a child.

PEGI at pegi.info
Parents BBFC pbbfc.co.uk
USK at usk.de
Ask about games at askaboutgames.com