Christmas is more than just video games

Christmas is only a week away and if you’re like me, you haven’t done much shopping yet. Thankfully Amazon makes it incredibly easy to find the popular toys and get them to your doorstep practically overnight. I don’t advocate just picking out random toys for your kids and loved ones, but if you must, you must. Amazon has a list of “best selling” toys so for all the parents and grandparents that don’t know exactly what to buy, here’s my take on a few select items from Amazon’s list.

Flying Shark R/C Blimp

Terrorizing the cat was never easier.

Okay, this is just awesome. C’mon, a flying shark! What kid (or adult) wouldn’t want a giant flying great white shark? So what if it’s just a remote control balloon…it’s a shark! There’s also a clown fish version of this wonderful R/C blimp but I feel sorry for the kid that gets the clown fish only to find out his friend down the street got Jaws. Of course, for every unit of awesome there is usually a unit of suck and this floating predator is no different. You’ll need to stock up on AAA batteries, which might not be an issue, but I’m guessing most people don’t have an extra tank of helium hanging around the house. Yes, this bad boy needs some gas to get into the air and that ain’t cheap. The toy itself will run you $30 and from the looks of things a helium tank runs anywhere from $50 – $75, so this cheap-looking toy quickly becomes uncheap. Still, it’s a flying shark.

Check out the Flying Shark on Amazon

Perplexus

David Bowie not included.

Perplexus is an aptly named puzzle game that seems to put the old fashion labyrinth game into a plastic sphere. Perplexus looks confusing at first glance but I see a lot of fun trying to move your marble up, down and around all the twisting pathways. The toy suggests ages 6 – 12 but looking at this thing I’m not sure folks 12+ could easily solve this one. If nothing else, Perplexus would even look cool standing still. I can see one of these on my office desk at work as just an interesting object but then also as the “I can’t stare at my computer screen anymore” break toy. Perplexus comes in several flavors and skill levels, each of which goes for about $20. If you’re looking for something different but still somewhat educational, this would be a good choice.

Check out Perplexus on Amazon

Snap Circuits

Next step, soldering!

Electricity is one those things I wish I had learned more about when I was little. I loved learning about circuits and switches in elementary school but that’s where it stopped. Today I’m not sure I would know how to turn on a light bulb but having Snap Circuits would certainly help. There are several Snap Circuits kits, the larger models coming with buzzers, lights, sensors and then some. I can’t draw a schematic to save my life but the 8-year-old that has this certainly can. This is the type of toy I wish I had gotten when I was younger if only to re-discover it as an adult. One of the best feelings in the world is outgrowing a toy and then finding out later as an adult that it’s still a lot of fun and that you never really outgrow some toys, especially ones that teach you something. This is the type of toy I look forward to giving my own child and watching their excitement when they make that buzzer go off. Considering there are a ton of projects within Snap Circuits, there’s a lot of bang for your $35 in this one.

Check out Snap Circuits on Amazon

Settlers of Catan

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a board game, right? Sure, you can take the easy way out with the latest licensed Star Wars game or one of the 124 varieties of Uno, but if you want a real game that will last forever, Settlers of Catan is a good choice. Catan is a strategy and resource management game that pits you against up to four of your friends. Every time you play, the board gets shuffled around so you have to adjust your buying, spending and trading accordingly. Work to conquer the land and kick out your opponents to take over their settlements! Catan has more complex rules than some other board games but this is truly a game you can enjoy at the age of 40 as much as you can at the age of 14. Buy this for your pre-teen and they’ll have a game for life. Battleship and Trouble will come and go, but Catan is forever. I admit, $30 seems steep for a board when you can nab Monopoly for less than $10, but I guarantee this will not be money wasted.

Check out The Settlers of Catan on Amazon

LEGO Mindstorms

Truckasaurus got nothing on this.

You can’t go wrong LEGO. There’s a LEGO set for every budget and every size. Need a few stocking stuffers? No problem. Need something that will last more than 10 minutes? No problem. Need something that will be interesting forever? Also, not a problem…if you go with the LEGO Mindstorms. The Mindstorm sets are something I want right now as a 30-something but just can’t justify the $200 price tag. Yes, $200 for a LEGO set. But before you scoff and scroll on, these Mindstorm LEGO sets turn your regular LEGO bricks into moving robotic creations. Packed in with all the LEGO bricks is software that lets you program them to do your bidding. Want your LEGO robot to spin and dance when someone turns on the light? You can make it do so. How about a LEGO dinosaur that will pick up and crush Hot Wheels? Again, not a problem. When you were young and in your LEGO prime you always dreamed of making your creations actually move and do stuff, and now with Mindstorms you can make that happen! It might be cliche but in the case of Mindstorms, your imagination really is the limit…well, that and your bank account.

Check out Lego Mindstorms on Amazon

Simon Flash

Simon says...mabye?

I know I’m the first person to poo-poo modern incarnations of classic toys (and I have every right to) but Simon Flash caught my eye as an interesting spin on an old favorite. The original Simon is still one of my favorite puzzle games and I wish I still had mine. Between the lights, sounds and speed, Simon is a toy that still challenges me to this day. Simon Flash sounds like it follows the same formula but instead of beating on a UFO-shaped piece of plastic you have to arrange colored blocks that magically know when you’re right and wrong. Classic Simon had you hitting colors in order but they always stayed in the same spot. Simon Flash looks to challenge you a little bit more by making you actually move the colors around. This might be another reinvention of the wheel that is all bark and no bite, but I’ll give it a try for less than $15…it certainly beats the Uno robot.

Check out Simon Flash on Amazon

Educational gifts don’t have to suck

I just realized that all of these toys are more or less educational…well, maybe not the flying shark. From learning electronic circuits and programming to challenging your spacial reasoning to learning how to divide and conquer a small island of villages, there’s something that will be great fun for the kids (and adults) on your Christmas list. The best part is many of these toys are timeless and will last a lifetime. Why not give them a shot?

10. Tyco R/C Stunt Psycho Vehicle – Red:

A car possessed by some sort of demon? Apparently so.

To start with we have an RC car from Tyco (“That’s how you spell “R/C!”). Putting the name “Psycho” in the title of your toy is typically a good idea unless it’s a Barbie (though I’d love to see “Psycho Barbie” in the near future). The Stunt Psycho is pretty simple with two wing-like things on the top that allow you to pop the car onto its back tires and ride around, or flip over and drive upside down while bouncing like a low-rider car. Also, the big wheels help the car hop small obstacles without any problem.

9. Hot Wheels RC Ford F-150 Blue:

Because kids love Ford trucks.

Kids like trucks. Ford likes money. So kids and Fords are just a natural fit. The Hot Wheels RC Ford F-150 is a standard RC car that drives around and makes the cool “RC car noise” whenever the wheels spin. You can roll it over most terrains, though it works best on smooth surfaces. No tricks or anything, but it makes for a good remote controlled truck to dink around with.

8. Air Hogs Laser Micro Zero Gravity – Yellow:

Looks confusing now, but just see it when it's climbing walls.

And just like that we’ve hit all three primary colors. The Tyco was red, the Ford F-150 was blue, but now Air Hogs surfaces with a yellow model of their Laser Micro Zero Gravity Car. I don’t know what it is about Air Hogs, but the company doesn’t like to follow the rules nature set up, such as “cars can’t climb walls or follow lasers.” Well the Laser Micro yada yada does both of those things. You place it on a wall and it follows the laser as you shine it around. It’s pretty cool is what it is, and for under $40 for something that defies gravity, how can you say no?

7. Spinmaster Micro RC Terrain Titans Hot Shot Red:

Cool background not included.

So the Spinmaster Micro RC Terrain Titan is small. Very small. We’re talking smaller-than-palm-sized small here. But it’s got an awful lot of zip to it. It also costs a whopping $9.99, so you don’t have to dig too deep to snag one of these for your kids. I watched a review of the Terrain Titan as it ramped over crayons, flying discs, books, and calculators, as well as ride a miniature skateboard. It’s a nice little gift, but be careful when taking it out of the box since it has real suspension that can break pretty easily if you tug too hard.

6. MATCHBOX Rocky the Robot Truck – Deluxe Rocky:

Kind of like i Robot but less about Converse sneakers.

Trucks are cool. Robots are cool. Robot trucks are terrifying, but somehow kind of cool as well. MATCHBOX has a truck named Rocky and this truck can apparently say 80 different phrases and dance. Hold on, I couldn’t have just written that a truck dances. Mm-hm, yes, okay, yeah, the truck dances. It asks your child if it feels like dancing and then groves to its own beat. Rocky isn’t so much remote controlled as he (ooh, that’s weird, let’s call it “it”) is able to respond to various things your child does to it, such as back it up, have it dump blocks, or carry too much weight (it’ll complain when it feels overworked). The commercials show a little boy having a blast until his father joins in dancing with the truck. I assume the commercial cuts out right before Child Services are called in to the scene.

5. Air Hogs Switchblade – Red & Grey 27.195 MHz.:

Only slightly safer than a real switchblade, but definitely more fun.

The cool thing about the AirHog Switchblade models are their ability to hover up into the air from takeoff looking like a UFO and then morph into a flight mode. That’s pretty darn cool, even for toys. A morphing helicopter? I’d like to see more toys that morph with a flick of a button.

4. Air Hogs Switchblade – Black & Yellow 27.045 MHz.:

If only real helicopters were built like this...

Didn’t I just recover the Switchblade? Yeah, they’re popular alright, but the black & yellow color scheme seems to be the more popular of the two. Hey while you’re here, I always thought it was odd for companies not to have at least half a dozen different colors for their products. Do they focus group the item and determine that kids will only like a transforming helicopter thing if it consists of the color combinations of black & yellow or red & grey? Why not blue & white? And if such a color scheme exists, why don’t people like it that much? Just things to think about. Oh, back to more toys.

3. Spinmaster Micro RC Terrain Titans Hornet Black:

Kind of like the red one, but this one's black.

Hey, I already did these too! Somehow black is more popular than red, so here it is, the Spinmaster Micro RC Terrain Titan in HORNET BLACK! So there are six different colors of these Terrain Titans but only four frequencies for them to run off of (A-D). If you buy two, don’t buy two of the same color as they’ll have the same frequency and won’t work in the same area together. Strangely, there are two instances where a frequency overlaps with two different cars, but Spinmaster doesn’t tell you exactly which one overlaps with which. I’d say the safe bet is to purchase only the first four colors as shown on the back of the box as those probably go A through D before overlapping. Of course, that’s just me speculating.

2. Playskool Tonka Bounce Back Racer (Band B) 49 MHz:

I swear I saw these back in the day but they were bigger and called something different. Oh well.

Kids are not the most skilled when it comes to hand-eye coordination right off the bat. They get better over time, but there’s a period of “kinda sucking” when it comes to controlling things with any sort of precision. Playskool saw this fact and made the Tonka Bounce Back Racer, a remote controlled car that has huge tires that bounce off things and allow the car to flip over and continue driving. This means your child won’t have to run over and flip the car back over so that it can be driven again and thus, they learn no cause and effect for poor driving. Wait, was I trying to make a good point here? Oh right, it’s small and bounces around so that it doesn’t damage things. Also, it’s only $39.99 and the two sides mean it has two colors to choose from. That’s two colors for the price of one! What a deal!

1. Air Hogs Havoc Heli:

Oh, so cute you could just put it in your pocket and take it home.

These just sell way too well for their own good. They’re miniature helicopters that fit into the palm of your hand and can be controlled by a child or a mildly hip adult. They’re a simple concept but they work perfectly, and at a price of just over $40 you aren’t losing too much. However, I’d recommend preparing for the inevitable rotor replacements. More on Air Hogs coming soon.

Don't forget to tell the man in red what you want for Christmas.

Do you have a loved one who’s into video games? Are you yourself into video games? Did you forget that Christmas is fast approaching? Yikes, looks like you could use a helping hand when it comes to what games to shop for. Lucky for you, I’ve compiled a handy little list here of some of the best games from 2009. I don’t have them all, mind you, but I have a good selection to choose from. So get those pens and papers ready and your wallets out and let’s go over my Holiday Game Guide.

Nintendo Wii Games:

The Nintendo Wii is always a good choice for the casual video game player. You’ll find a lot of family and kid friendly games on the Wii, as well as a very low failure rate for hardware or controllers (which is very nice). Also, the interface is about as simple as they come.

New Super Mario Bros Wii:

No, I'm not going to stop telling you to get this game until you do.

By now you’ve seen both my preview and review for New Super Mario Bros Wii, so you already know everything I could say about this one. This is the best title for the system at this point in time, either for one player or multiple players, though it will take some getting used to when you have two or more characters vying for limited platforming space. Basically though, this one is sure not to disappoint.

Rabbids Go Home:

Chaos is about to happen, you can be sure of that.

Ubisoft has been pumping out these Rabbids games for the past few years and unfortunately they come with the connotation of “Shovelware titles” since they’ve previously only been a collection of minigames. Well, Rabbids Go Home is an actual adventure game with a real plot, and the game handles itself really well to diversify the gameplay into great bursts of hilarious antics spliced with good fun. Kids will love this one.

Punch-Out!! Wii:

Get used to this view because you'll be seeing it a lot.

For those on your list with a Wii but an unquenchable thirst for punishment, Punch-Out!! Wii is probably one of the best titles you could get for them. I have a review article on Punch Out wii from a few months back that goes into my thoughts on the game, but I really can’t emphasize enough how brutally difficult the game is. But don’t misunderstand, that difficulty is a good thing. You want a challenge? A FAIR challenge? Punch-Out!! Wii is that challenge.

A Boy and His Blob:

Remember kids, cute alien blobs sound like a good pet at teh time, but they grow up someday.

Slightly less of a challenge is A Boy and His Blob (Hey, I wrote a review of that, too!), a game with hand-drawn artwork and just the right amount of difficulty for midcore gamers (which is somewhere in between casual and hardcore). Also, you might notice that A Boy and His Blob is slightly cheaper than some other titles on this list. Good for the more value-minded among us.

Metroid Prime Trilogy:

Can you handle the awesome power of the Power Glove? Samus totally can.

You want value? How about three games in one? Metroid Prime is a trilogy that I place great stock in as one of the best video game trilogies to date. Now that it’s been packed into one case, there is no better time to give the gift of Metroid. If you’ve heard a guy complain about the lack of “non-kiddie” games on the Wii, see if he’s played the Metroid Prime Trilogy, and if he hasn’t, bam- you win Christmas.

Muramasa The Demon Blade:

I don't know what the heck that thing is, but I'm pretty sure it needs to die.

Please don’t pass this one up because you haven’t heard of it. Muramasa The Demon Blade is another game with hand-drawn artwork in it and even though it pains me to say this, “It is important to support hand-drawn art in video games so that we get more of it.” Hacking and slashing your way through this game looks better than some 360 games, purely because of the amount of detail done with the art. Also, the game is great. It’s a bit on the short side, but it’s also not overly expensive, either.

Xbox 360 Games:

Most of you probably have an Xbox 360. The 360 has the best online system for play at the moment and the best exclusive DLC, usually getting things long before the PS3 does. If you’re looking for a good gift for a 360 owner, Xbox Live Arcade Points is always a good idea, as well as a Gold Subscription for Xbox Live.

Assassin’s Creed 2:

Just give up now; you're not getting away from this guy.

One of the newest games on this list, Assassin’s Creed 2 is a game for the murderous hitman in all of us (or at least every college male). The game sets about correcting most of the faults people had with the first game and does a rather good job of improving as a franchise. Stealthy kills and parkour over rooftops just makes for a great gift, wouldn’t you say? Also on the PS3.

Modern Warfare 2:

You better make your next move count because you're losing at the moment.

Assassin’s Creed 2 is a single player title, but Modern Warfare 2 is a game almost best played online. The only thing I can fault this gift idea with is the fact that most people already probably have it. If you have a gamer on your list that loves First Person Shooters, ask if they already have Modern Warfare 2. If they don’t then they’re just hoping to get it for Christmas, so make sure to right that wrong. Also on the PS3.

Halo 3: ODST:

Still delivering the spank to alien scum after nearly a decade.

The Halo franchise is still going strong this year with Halo Wars and Halo 3: ODST. The star of the franchise, Master Chief, is gone from ODST, but surprisingly that doesn’t turn out to be a terrible thing. ODST is a good gift for anyone you know that can’t get enough Halo, but hasn’t been given enough Halo recently. Also, it makes for a good alternative to online play if you’re tired of Modern Warfare 2 kicking your butt.

Borderlands:

You know, I don't think those bird things should be up there. Better take them down just to be safe.

First Person Shooters and Role Playing Games don’t typically sound like things that go well together, but Borderlands proves the theory spectacularly incorrect. The art style (man am I talking about art styles a lot lately), is pretty fluid and the controls work as good as you could hope, but the selling point here is the sheer amount of guns you can collect. All the weapons in the game are randomized, making for constant switching and swapping to take place to find the gun that works best for you. Also available on the PS3.

Guitar Hero: Metallica:

I said it before and I'll say it again: No one can destroy The Metal.

Hardcore Guitar Hero fans, this is the game you wanted to play since Guitar Hero first came out. The entire tracklist consists of Metallica songs (gee, didn’t expect that), as well as a few selected songs from bands that toured with Metallica. The basic Guitar Hero format doesn’t change, but Metallica is the perfect band for causing yourself endless strife attempting some truly epic guitar parts. Also on the PS3.

Batman: Arkham Asylum:

Who doesn't love a good Joker choke?

I played through Arkham Asylum twice in one week. I don’t do that very often, but in this case I made an exception. In fact, I have nothing left to do in the game since I did everything possible. That’s how addicted I was to Arkham Asylum. It has the best combat system in any game I’ve played in recent years and excellent pacing to go along with it. Any Batman fans, this is the best gift out there. Actually, anyone with an Xbox 360 should have this one. Also available on the PS3.

PS3 Games:

The PS3 has recently dropped its price down to a reasonable $299.99, making it a decent option as a video gaming platform at last. And to go with that, it started getting some excellent games this year. But keep in mind that it’s still one of the best Blueray players currently on the market, so anyone you know with a PS3 is fair game for Blueray movies as well.

Uncharted 2:

Why does everyone insist on shooting you when you're running across dangerous bridges?

The best exclusive Sony got on the PS3 this year was without question Uncharted 2. I gave my review already, so you’re well aware of its system-selling qualities. It’s a game that plays like a movie, and a fun movie at that. It improved over the first game, making sure to fix everything fans disliked about the previous installment. Support companies that do this. It’s hard to find a video game developer that actually listens to its fans.

Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time:

Ready to waste more enemies Ratchet & Clank style? You should be.

While Uncharted 2 may be a bit violent for the younger crowd, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t get an equally amazing game as well. The Ratchet & Clank series is solid all the way through, and A Crack in Time only continues this trend with great platforming and fun characters. Basically, Ratchet & Clank is the Mario for Sony consoles.

The Beatles Rock Band:

Remember kids: Don't do drugs.

Oh The Beatles, how more iconic can you get than the band that just about everyone respects? Somehow through some deal with demonic forces, Rock Band was able to make a version filled out entirely with Beatles songs (a feat I find difficult to imagine considering how tough it can be to get those rights). You can even buy instruments that look like replicas of The Beatles’ actual instruments. And the game adds harmonizing to the vocalists among us, a welcome new feature that should have been in Rock Band from the start. Perfect for Beatles fans, obviously. Also available on the Xbox 360 and Wii.

Killzone 2:

This is the reason you don't typically sleep at night.

Sony’s been looking for a worthy combatant to Halo’s crown, and Killzone 2 does a fine job of letting PS3 fanboys know that they have an awesome First Person Shooter as well. Killzone 2 was a long time coming, but it was well worth the wait. Don’t listen to any hype surrounding the game. Just be aware that the game is good and needs to be played should you own a PS3.

InFamous:

Yeah, I'd do about the same thing if I got electrical powers.

While it sounds a lot like Prototype, InFamous did its own thing with a sandbox-style game involving a character with crazy electrical superpowers that let him shock people, heal people, and even fly. That makes sense, right? Ah who cares? InFamous is a great gift for fans of super heroes that have to make many moral decisions between helping people and shocking people. The correct answer? Always shocking people.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2:

Man, being a ninja must be rough.

I was pretty bothered when I saw the ads for Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 since Ninja Gaiden 2 was SUPPOSED to be a 360 exclusive and I just can’t stand lies such as that. But then I found out that Ninja Gainden Sigma 2 isn’t just a port to the PS3. It’s actually a completely retooled game with extra characters and features. The game even got a little easier, which makes it accessible to a whole wider audience than the 360 version. They also scaled back the blood a little bit, but that doesn’t mean the game isn’t still meant for mature audiences only, since it absolutely is.

PSP Games:

The PSP is a powerful little handheld system, but it does have trouble coming up with solid titles to call its own. This year, Sony released the PSP Go, a new version of the handheld that eliminated the UMD drive altogether and does everything based on an internal memory system. Beware of this new system as it is incredibly limited in what games are available to download for it. Rest assured though, these three games are among the downloadable titles.

Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny:

Dang Kratos, why you gotta be like that?

I reviewed Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny already and mentioned how it is a perfect transition of the Soul Calibur series from consoles to handhelds. The big selling point is the inclusion of God of War’s Kratos as a playable character, but beyond just that the game is an excellent choice for fans of Soul Calibur that own a PSP.

Little Big Planet PSP:

Parents, better learn who Sackboy is now before it's too late.

Little Big Planet is a strange game. It’s a platformer that relies entirely on the player to generate content, forcing you to create levels to play after you complete the single player mode. This is the strength of Little Big Planet. The content is endless and the amount of things you can create is staggering. If you know someone that wants to get into designing video games and has a PSP but not a PS3, then Little Big Planet PSP is the gift to get.

Final Fantasy: Dissidia:

I can't even begin to explain this one.

Final Fantasy: Dissidia is a love letter to the fans of the long running series. It takes heroes and villains from every numbered Final Fantasy title and throws them into huge battles against each other. The gameplay is very similar to Kingdom Hearts and looks utterly confusing when viewed from the outside in, but once you get used to the mechanics of the game everything works great. This is a game that every Final Fantasy fan wants to have if they don’t already own it.

DS Games:

The DS is the cheaper of the two main handheld options, but it’s also the less powerful of the two. Typically that doesn’t stop it from pumping out some memorable titles as often as it possibly can and this year we got a nice selection. The DS in general is cheaper than the PSP or the three consoles mentioned earlier, games included, so it makes for good gift ideas such as cases or fancy styluses.

Scribblenauts:

Oh how delightfully absurd!

I gave a preview of Scribblenauts a while back (it should count as a review as well), in which I said you should buy Scribblenauts. I stand by that statement as the game came out and put me into shock with the kind of things I actually got to do. This game is for the creative puzzle solvers in your family and seeks to push them to think up new items to write in as much as possible. Yes, there are some control-based hiccups that can become downright infuriating, but overall the game is a great option for casual gamers looking for short play sessions.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars:

Seriously kids, don't do drugs.

The Grand Theft Auto series is usually only console-based, but Chinatown Wars burst out on the DS and showed that it can be just as good on a handheld. The style harkens back to the pre-GTA III days when the perspective was top-down but the action remains fast-paced and fantastic. However, this is GTA, so it’s not for the young kids out there. There is violence and theft and drugs and all sorts of bad things, but if the gamer is old enough to play, they’ll enjoy themselves here. Also recently released on the PSP.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story:

Please, just listen to me already. Why won't you just listen to me?

I’m just a Mario fan, and I’m guilty of telling everyone to go play the Mario & Luigi games more than I probably should, but I haven’t overdone my telling of you to buy this game for people you know and love. Bowser’s Inside Story is an RPG with Mario and his crew. Battles are turn-based but you constantly have to press buttons at the right time to either increase your attack or dodge an enemy, which keeps things from getting boring. Plus, the writing is as funny as ever. Great for kids and people that enjoy having fun while playing games.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks:

A great way to end the year.

On December 7th Nintendo will release The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks to a nation of people that so sorely need a new Zelda title. After giving a preview of the game, I got a chance to see a lot more in terms of what the game is about and how it’s played. At this point I’m happy to say that Spirit Track is infinitely better than Phantom Hourglass, making it a great experience for DS owners and Zelda fans. I want this game for Christmas, but I know I’m not the only one.

Obviously, this list isn’t entirely complete. My goal was to find a handful of good games for each system that show off the best the system has to offer in terms of everything. But I couldn’t include every single game that came out this year.

What games do you want for the holidays? What games are you buying for your loved ones? Do you have some suggestions or questions about any of these games or others? Post a comment and get the conversation going.