Only the Lonely: Games for the singles out there

For a good percentage of video game enthusiasts, Feb. 14 is nowhere near as important as Feb…. For a good percentage of video game enthusiasts, Feb. 14 is nowhere near as important as Feb. 15, the day when all the unsold Valentine’s Day chocolate goes on sale. To them, the red-and-pink-and-white wrappers mean nothing – their only concern is with the caffeine-loaded block of sugary goodness inside. We salute these dateless devotees of digital diversions by presenting a few great games to play solo.

“Super Smash Brothers Melee” (Nintendo, Gamecube) is a staple of gamer gatherings, but loses none of its luster in its single-player offerings. With three different one-player courses – Classic, Adventure, and All-Star – and plenty of extras, like the Home-Run Contest and Event Mode challenges, there’s plenty to do on your own. Finishing certain goals can even unlock new characters, turning your time alone into an investment in the future.

If you’re in the mood for a nice, long story, try out Bandai’s .hack series (PlayStation 2). It’s the touching tale of two friends, one of whom slips into a coma an hour into the game. The cause is suspected to be some weird virus in “The World,” an online RPG that they were playing at the time of the incident. Thus begins a four-chapter-long trek across this game-within-a-game, searching for answers and a way to cure the coma victims. The game as a whole takes about 80 to 100 hours to complete, and is broken into four volumes, the first of which can be purchased for about $20.

For those of you who want nothing more than to relive the days of your childhood, salvation lies with “Activision Anthology” (Activision, PlayStation 2). Travel back to a time when gender relations were less complicated with this beautifully produced clutch of 48 classic, Atari-era, Activision games. The main menu is designed to resemble your room back in 1985, complete with a boom box blasting A-Ha, Twisted Sister and a bevy of other big ’80s bands. The classic feel is replicated in everything from the patches you can earn by performing well to the original commercials for many of the games included. Remember, it’s only called “regression” when your psychiatrist is in the room.