The Best Handheld Games: Our Holiday Gift Guide 2011

Television specials would have you believe the Christmas season means holly and presents and pine-trees and whatever, but for many of us, the holidays really mean one thing: Traveling. Endless car-trips and plane journeys to visit relatives in far flung parts of the world. Boring, right? Wrong! With handheld gaming, even the most dull voyage can be fun!  With this in mind, we've compiled a list of the best Handheld Games for the holidays in 2011, perfect to give as gifts so the ride back home will be enjoyable.

Super Street Fighter 4 3D Edition

It seems strange that a 2D fighter works so well with the 3D of the Nintendo 3DS, but SSFIV 3D does, plus it's packed with all 35 playable characters from the console game, bonus stages, cinematic Ultra combos and online playability.

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

The oddly title Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together brings deep tactical gameplay to the Sony PSP, and is the perfect gift for the obsessive, math and tactics-obsessed gamer on your list. This game is only for the hardcore, but the hardcore will be in awe.

• GUIDE: The Best Controllers: Our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

Dead or Alive Dimensions

Dead or Alive: Dimensions doesn't deserve to be as good as it is, yet after six years, the series is just great. It has everything you love from DOA: The hits, the wackiness, the girls and the combos. All that, in the palm of your hand.

Persona 2: Innocent Sin

Over 12 years in the making, the North American localization of Innocent Sin provides patient fans with the other side of the Persona 2 arc, a dark adventure about high school students who find their reality being twisted by rumors, and who must draw on their inner strengths, their Personas, to bring back order.

Professor Layton and the Last Specter

This best-seller from Japan features innovative, immersive puzzle play and a lot more. Colorful characters, mini-games and lots of other surprises will keep you entertained for hours.

• GUIDE: The Best PC Games: Our Holiday Gift Games

Here's a couple more, also-ran handheld games that you could definitely pick up for the handheld gamer on your list.

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

Ocarina remains the best video game ever made, and playing it in 3D adds a welcome gimmick to the proceedings. I defy you to play this and not smile at either the nostaligia or the greatness.

Super Mario 3D Land

Everyone loves Mario. Everyone. Past Mario games have let the blue-suspendered hero roam around fully rendered 3D landscapes. Now, for the first time, players can see true depth of their environment without the need for special glasses. Super Mario is a 3D evolution of classic Mario platforming featuring new level designs and challenges.

(To continue your gift-recommendation odyssey, check out all our 2011 holiday gift guides.)