When the Playstation 3 (PS3) was first introduced in 2006, it arrived with a hefty price tag that alienated a lot of families. To this day, many still consider the PS3 a hardcore gamer platform even though the price has been cut to just $299 for the 120GB version—just above the price of an e-reader like Amazon's Kindle. As the console has matured and the price has become more universally appealing, we've decided it's time to compile a list of PS3 games for the first half of 2010 the whole family can enjoy.

Green Day: Rock Band
Rated: T (Teen), Price: $59.99 (instruments sold separately)
By now I'm sure you're familiar with the Rock Band series of games. Each family member can pick up an instrument from guitar or drums to microphone and bass, and each song allows for up to four people to participate. In Green Day: Rock Band, you're stepping onto the stage as one of the largest modern rock bands, with the a catalog of their greatest hits, including: Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), Brain Stew, When I Come Around, American Idiot, Welcome to Paradise, Basket Case, Minority, Wake Me Up When September Ends, and many, many more. There are 47 tracks in total and three venues to get your jam on. There's also additional downloadable content once you've mastered the disc’s content. If you grew up listening to Green Day, here's the perfect opportunity to share that love with the rest of your family.

ModNation Racers
Rated: E (Everyone), Price: $59.99
Who doesn't love kart racing? Well, ModNation Racers finally brings a kart racer worthy of this new powerful generation of console. Of course this game is addictive and fun, but what really makes this game stand apart is the ability to create and build your own tracks, characters and karts that are only limited by your imagination. You want your driver to sit in a lawn chair? Go for it. What's more, you can share your creations online and let others race on your tracks! ModNation Racers allows offline races of up to four players and online races with a whopping 12 players. With such a creative sandbox to build, you don't need to be fast to have fun with this racer.


3D Dot Game Heroes
Rated: E 10+ (Everyone 10 and Older), Price: $39.99
What do you get when you take the heart of an old school game (like Zelda) and rebuild it block by block for a new school system? You get 3D Dot Game Heroes. It's a one-person game where you burn bushes and slash your way to seven dungeons to rescue, of course, a princess. The whole family can get into the action to help create your own block-pixilated hero and take turns solving the mysteries to get to the next stage. Enjoy the old school tunes and the pop-up windows of dialog in this fun and kitschy adventure.



2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
Rated: E, Price: $59.95
If you haven't heard, there's a big soccer tournament this summer. We're talking, of course, of the FIFA 2010 World Cup. Now the whole family can pick a team, hustle up and down the field and head a few goals into the net. Compete as one of 199 teams from qualification right through to a virtual reproduction of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final. Play in any of the 10 official stadiums of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and represent your country online. Special to the FIFA World Cup game are the recreated moments of qualifying to the tournament, 2006 FIFA World Cup Final and play over 50 scenario-based challenges—a concept familiar to the EA Sports franchises. Did we mention that this game offers a new two-button control system designed for new gamers?

MLB '10: The Show
Rated: E, Price: $59.99
There have long been some pretty solid and fun baseball games on the market, but MLB '10: The Show offers a new level of detail to an already impressive franchise. The stadiums and players look, feel and act like you'd expect if you were in the batter's box yourself. The 2010 version adds new features, including MLB All-Star Week consisting of the Home Run Derby; catcher game calling functionality; the ability to create personal highlight reels; 11 new Stadiums; new fielding and pitching training modes; and even custom music, fan yells, and chants. Remember we mentioned the details? There are more than 1,250 new gameplay animations, more than 1,000 new presentation animations, and more than 400 personalized pitcher and batter animations. This is one pitch your family will want to swing the bat to.