Game on for the year's best console, PC picks

'Tis the season to be jolly, and what better way to keep the kids — and kids at heart — happy than with a brand new video game?

PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Xbox One dominated much of the scene in 2014, along with Windows PC for those who prefer a "lean-in" rather than "lean-back" interactive entertainment experience.

If it's console and computer gamers you're shopping for, the following are some thumb-numbing suggestions. Be sure to check the ESRB age-rating in the corner of the box before buying.

Kids

Activision's Skylanders Trap Team ($74.99 for Starter Kit; for all major consoles) is the latest in the popular 4-year-old series that fuses video games with action figures. Connect the Traptanium Portal to the game console via USB and place the Skylanders on top and they'll instantly come alive inside the video game. As the name suggests, Trap Team also lets you trap defeated enemies in colored crystals and use them as playable characters in future missions. Good news for parents: All previous Skylanders can be used in this new game, too.

If you're buying for a Disney or Marvel fan, Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition) starter pack ($74.99; for multiple platforms) offers a similar concept: Place familiar characters on a USB-connected console accessory and they're zapped onto your television screen. The game play is different than Skylanders', however, and includes a Toy Box mode that lets kids build their own worlds and then play in them.

Young PS4 gamers, on the other hand, will likely fall for the charm of Sony's LittleBigPlanet 3 ($59.99). Up to four friends can adventure together in this platforming puzzler that blurs the lines between game player and game designer — tools are included to create and share custom-made content. This third game in the series features a new story, three new playable characters (in addition to the lovable Sackboy) and 1080p HD resolution.

Another great pick for kids is Super Smash Bros.Wii U ($59.99), which features nearly 60 favorite video-game characters — including Mario, Pikachu, Samus and Link from The Legend of Zelda series — and lets up to four players battle each other locally or online across interactive environments inspired by classic Nintendo games. This Wii U game also supports the new amiibo action figures ($12.99 apiece) that come alive in the game after you touch them to the Wii U GamePad controller.

Teens

Sports fans can play ball with 2K Sports' NBA 2K15 ($59.99; PlayStation 3/4, Xbox 360/One), a near photo-realistic basketball simulation with more than 5,000 player animations, smart artificial intelligence and multiple game modes (including a new story-driven career campaign and a massively multiplayer online playground mode). Featuring NBA M.V.P. Kevin Durant on the cover and a head-bobbing soundtrack curated by Pharrell Williams, NBA 2K15 includes broadcast-style presentation hosted by Shaq and Ernie Johnson.

Sports fans should also consider NHL 15 ($59.99) and MLB 14 The Show ($59.99).

As with its popular predecessors, Ubisoft's Just Dance 2015 ($39.99 to $49.99; for multiple consoles) challenges gamers to mimic the moves of the onscreen dancers. Depending on the console you own — Nintendo Wii and Wii U, Sony PlayStation 3 or 4, and Xbox 360 or Xbox One — a camera or sensor just above or below the television monitors your performance in front of the TV and awards you a score based on how well you match the pros. Even more fun than dancing solo, players can have friends or family members join them to play with or against each other (you can have others join online, too, if desired). Just Dance 2015 not only features more than 40 pop tracks on the disc, but gamers can download the hit track Break Free by Ariana Grande featuring Zedd for free.

Who said all good first-person shooters were rated Mature? Activision's Destiny ($59.99; for PlayStation 3/4 and Xbox 360/One) is a teen-rated online sci-fi shooter played with or without friends on numerous planets and moons in our solar system. Along with an epic story that slowly unravels over time, the game features lots of customization, multiple-mission types and a wide arsenal of weapons, ships and gear. The most ambitious new game of the year, Destiny was created by Bungie Studios, the creators of the iconic Halo franchise.

Adults

Insomniac Games' Sunset Overdrive ($59.99; for Xbox One) is an over-the-top third-person shooter that takes place in the near future in a world controlled by the FizzCo Corporation. You play a janitor who must clean up the mess following the launch of an energy drink that has transformed people into mutants. Along with running and gunning, this colorful, open-world action game features agility-based combat including ziplines, mid-air acrobatics and parkour moves. Up to eight people can play co-operatively online, as well.

Another Xbox One exclusive, Halo: The Master Chief Collection ($59.99) is a bundle featuring previous games including Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 4. The collection also includes more than 100 multiplayer levels, a playlist maker, downloadable content and other goodies — and it's all mastered in 1080p HD resolution and runs at a smooth 60 frames per second. As a bonus, the Halo: Nightfall live-action digital series is included, as is an invitation code for the Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta.

Other notable first-person shooters include Ubisoft's Far Cry 4 and Activision's Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (both $59.99; for multiple consoles and Windows PC).

Despite launching with some glitches (later fixed with downloadable updates), Assassin's Creed: Unity ($59.99 for PS4, Xbox One and Windows PC) is an exciting sequel that places you in the middle of Paris during the 1789 French Revolution and features the most immersive city environment in the game series to date. The stealthy sequel introduces cooperative ("co-op") play for the first time in an Assassin's Creed game, allowing up to four friends to take part in story-driven online missions.

Finally, role-playing game fans had a great year with such notable titles as Ubisoft's South Park: The Stick of Truth and Namco Bandai's Dark Souls II (both $59.99), but two that really stood out were WB Games' Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor ($59.99; for PS4, Xbox One and Windows PC) and EA/Bioware's Dragon Age Inquisition ($59.99; for PS3/PS4, Xbox 360/One, PC).

Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, the single-player epic Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor has you play as a resurrected warrior out to seek vengeance for his family's murder. Using weapons and abilities, exploration and character interaction, you become stronger over time to take on tougher enemies. The impressive visuals and sound design are also worth noting in this cinematic, third-person adventure.

The latest in the award-winning Dragon Age games, Inquisition l tells of a cataclysmic event that plunges the land of Thedas into turmoil. The onus is on you and your party of legendary heroes to restore order as you lead the Inquisition, hunting down the agents of chaos. The game features a well-written story, memorable characters and immersive combat — oh and dragons, of course.

Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. E-mail him at techcomments@usatoday.com.