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Scribblenauts (Gamer, Under $50)

Scribblenauts ($29.99) is one of those games that gets people talking. Essentially a puzzle game at its core, the experience involves inputting words (via either handwriting recognition or an onscreen keyboard) to outfit your character with different objects to solve the problem at hand. A flamethrower may be the easiest way to burn through some impassably thick brush, while a net may let you catch an intimidating shark. The game's vocabulary is rather staggering; input nearly anything you can think of and watch it manifest before you in two-dimensional glory. When your friend starts complaining about the lack of innovation in video games, hand them your copy of Scribblenauts and say, "Play this."