Boing. Even today I have trouble jumping without making the sound effect. Super Mario Brothers defined and shaped the video game industry for years to come with its simple yet addictive little plumber man. Mario’s quintessential moves, from jumping on goombas to throwing fireballs to falling down bottomless pits became the envy of all other games and gamers who wanted to be just like Mario. Saving the princess was just a cherry on the awesome sundae of finding secrets, exploiting hacks, and racking up points and coins till your thumbs bled.

Finally a reason to be thankful in November. Forget the coming cold and use these reason to stay inside the entire month. We all know this year has one of the best holiday line-ups ever, but we didn’t know how good. Here is an entire top 7 list of games just coming out in November. And below, I have all the awesome games that didn’t make it on the list. Obviously game release dates are subject to game publishers dart boards, so all games are what I at least think is coming out in November.

7. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune
In desperate need of a hit, the PS3 might have move some consoles thanks to the gorgeous Uncharted. This Tomb Raider sans boobs game features dazzling tropical settings with a hearty combat system borrowing heavily from the cover system in Gears of War (that’s a compliment). Oh, and it looks gorgeous. Did I mention that?

6. Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Swords
Many games have tried innovation with the Nintendo DS’ handy little stylus, but Ninja Gaiden:Dragon Swords slices innovation a new one. On top of some of the best graphics the handheld has seen, Gaiden uses 100 percent stylus controls for ninja hero Ryu. You hold the DS sideways like an open book, using swipes and slashes to kill demons of all sorts. That, and it’s cool to finally have a AAA mature title on the DS. Mother would be so proud.

5. Mass Effect
Save the universe in this action shooter RPG extravaganza. From the makes of quality RPGs like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire, Bioware brings its first next-gen experience. Mass Effect features a wide array of powers and boasts a galaxy of worlds to explore. It’s really selling point is its often talked about conversation engine that hopefully will allow for more fluid conversations. And combat looks really awesome. That’s what really counts, right?

4. Rock Band
Speaking of combat, who’s more violent than rock stars. That’s right, video game rock stars. Following the success of Guitar Hero, Rock Band is like Guitar Hero, only cranked up to 11. In hopefully the best multiplayer experience of the year (yeah, take that Halo and Call of Duty), Rock Band joins you and two or more friends, online and off, playing guitar, drums, and vocals to music from Kiss, Radiohead, Ramones, and dozens of others.

3. Assassin’s Creed
It’s been said time and time again: this is the first real next-gen experience. Well this time it’s for real. As assassin Altaïr, you get to navigate massive, ancient cities, working your way through lively marketplaces filled with interactive characters to kill various historical figures. And to navigate these cities, you can go anywhere at anytime, climbing buildings or running across rafters. Even chases with your targets will follow unspecified paths based on the target’s unique A.I. Maybe this next-gen experience will meet expectations. Finally.

2. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Screw Halo. Call of Duty finished the fight and came back for more. In its first adventure outside of World War II, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare takes place in the present day following a complex tale of political intrigue and cutting-edge combat. The realistic battlefield styling from previous Call of Duty’s get a modern overhaul, with a massive multiplayer component. Warfare just the way you like it. From your very own living room.

1. Super Mario Galaxy
As Nintendo itself puts it, Mario Galaxy is the first worthy successor to the classic Mario 64. With new power-ups, Wii-Mote motions, and astonishing graphics, Mario Galaxy is not only the November, but the 2007 game to beat.

And just so you know how challenging this list was, here are the games I considered that are also being released in November. So save your allowance kiddies.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
F.E.A.R. Files
BlackSite: Area 51
Army of Two
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Silent Hill Origins
Haze
Time Crisis 4
Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles
Soul Calibur Legends

What will you be playing over Thanksgiving all the way through Christmas?

Every Monday, I force my opinion on you, my fearless readers, ranking the seven of something geeky.

With the next-gen races begun, this year’s E3 looks to be a major turning point for the Big Three, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. From exclusive games to price cuts to redesigns to new colors, each console (and handheld) has a lot of hype (Nintendo) and bad press (Sony and kinda Microsoft) to trounce. While everyone’s doing their predications (PSP redesign, I hope), I figure I’ll instead go over what each of the big three has on the line at this E3.

Nintendo

Everyone’s favorite underdog rules the roost (enough cliches?) this E3 with the best selling Wii and DS and massive profits perfect for game development and R&D.

Nintendo needs playable AAA games that finally show the Wii isn’t just a fad. Super Smash Brothers Brawl is out, but look for Metroid Prime 3 and maybe even Mario Galaxy. Announcing no more supply issues would, of course, make everyone happy, though who knows how realistic that is.

But the two biggies: online strategy and a hard drive. WiiWare, the upcoming Wii channel with original games, is the Wii’s answer to Xbox Live Marketplace, shows Nintendo isn’t just using digital distribution for milking their own library. And while their at it, Nintendo will reveal its Mii and online codes for 3rd party developers so we can finally start getting some multiplayer party games. And instead of keeping a library of twenty SD cards with WiiWare and inevitable Sega Saturn and NeoGeo games, let’s just have a hard drive peripheral.

Verdict: For all it’s hype, Nintendo will meet expectations with games, but the buzz with start moving to other places…

Microsoft

This slow and steady giant has a staggering fall line-up of exclusive must-have titles, Halo 3, Mass Effect, and Blue Dragon, plus its own editions of once-PS3 exclusive blockbusters like Grand Theft Auto IV and Devil May Cry 4. But Microsoft won’t let the past limit its future. They’ve still got tricks up their sleeve.

Aside from getting the glowing praise it’s AAA games deserve, Microsoft should and will already prep the future, either with a new game announcement or some new exclusive stolen from Playstation. Either way, Microsoft needs to hype its stellar holiday line up, and accent this with a small but headline generating price cut for the 360. Maybe even announce a Halo 3/360 bundle. And free Xbox Live would stick it to Sony’s anemic online presence.

Microsoft’s wild card will be the long-rumored gaming handheld. While the disappointing Zune may leave a sour taste in Microsoft’s…hands, the Xbox’s growing brand name is proven and soon to be profitable. A handheld puts Microsoft in the larger and cheaper end of the gaming market. Even the “failed” PSP, with 25 million units sold, has outsold all three next-gen consoles combined. Microsoft could again aim for third place in this handheld generation, offering more of a portable PC than a handheld Playstation.

Verdict: The games will impress. The announcements will generate buzz. And a new handheld could be the announcement of the year.

Sony

The PS3 has failed to meet the staggering expectations set by the PS2. Sony has the most to lose should their games and announcements not start showing why the PS3 is worth $600.

First things first, price cut. The free press alone could save Sony enough marketing cash to make this worth it. And with some playable Metal Gear Solid 4 and several top secret announcements, the value of the system will begin to make sense. Also, more information about HOME and a download service for the PSP and PS3 will reveal Sony’s elaborate and free online strategy. Rumbling gamepads and a PSP redesign are near certain announcements.

Unfortunately, the only hype Sony needs to generate is in games, and ones that come out this year. Microsoft and Nintendo have mega exclusives this holiday season but the PS3’s killer apps are months if not a year away. Heavenly Sword and Lair must meet and beat expectations, and hands-on at E3 need to support this. Some other AAA games, even if they’re original IPs, will make the PS3 worth buying before the new year.

Verdict: The PSP will generate huge buzz with its redesign and new download store, both out by the fall, but the PS3 will still suffer from being an inexpensive Blu-Ray player that also happens to play games.