Free-running and bloody assassinations — Assassin’s Creed II was one of 2009’s best video games.

If you've come out of the holiday season with a mitt full of gift cards, here are some great games you can redeem the plastic for.

• Assassin's Creed II (Ubisoft; PS3, Xbox 360; rated mature):

This sequel to one of the best games of 2007 is much like the first. Once again, you are Desmond Miles, who uses technology to enter the memories of his ancestors. Here he becomes Ezio, a Florentine noble during the Renaissance. As Ezio, you'll be running across rooftops to carry out assassinations and other missions. The controls are virtually unchanged, which is to say a bit twitchy, so if you're like me you'll need to be careful while free-running so that you don’t plunge to your doom. Improvements to the game include a more robust blending skill so you can more easily hide in plain sight, more control over upgrading and improving your character and his items, and greater impetus to explore the nooks and crannies of Florence, Tuscany and Venice. Prominent figures from Italian history — Medici and da Vinci among them — appear in the game, and the story has another layer of conspiracy that you reveal by solving puzzles based on works of art. There are fewer breaks in the action, too, so Assassin's Creed II is more fluid, seamless and breathtaking. It'll be hard to stop playing once you start.

• Borderlands (2K Games; PC, PS3, Xbox 360; rated mature):

Humans colonized the planet of Pandora, but the only reason anyone still inhabits the wasteland is because of a legend. Somewhere on the planet there is a vault containing alien technology and untold wealth. This means Pandora is a giant gold field, and the only humans left are those searching for treasure and those selling them the tools they need — in this case, guns and ammo. Blending elements from some of the best shooters and adventure games of the past couple of years — you'll catch hints of BioShock, Fallout 3, Crackdown and others — Borderlands manages to concoct a completely playable game that is fast and fun. There's more than 30 hours of gaming here and robust multiplayer that allows for split-screen or online co-operative play.

• DJ Hero (Activision; PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360; rated teen):

If Guitar Hero and Rock Band were groundbreaking, for many music aficionados, DJ Hero is a revelation. For one, it is able to represent genres of music that the other music games just can't. Jared Yeager, assistant producer, listed them during a PlayStation Canada event in Toronto: “Trance, dance, hip hop, rap, techno, electronica.” The controller is a scaled-down turntable — the platter spins easily — accompanied by buttons, a dial and a slider. Your guide to learning the tools of the DJ trade is Grandmaster Flash, who was one of the first artists to use the turntable as an instrument. Flash teaches you the basics of beats, scratches and crossfades, and then you can cut loose with a wealth of tracks put together by the likes of Daft Punk and DJ Shadow, among others. As with the other music games, DJ Hero isn't about teaching you how to play music, but when it comes to music appreciation, an essential talent for DJs, you can't go wrong.

• New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo; Wii; rated everyone):

From the moment you hear the first tones of the Super Mario theme, you'll have a smile on your face. This is the first time the classic side-scroller has appeared on the Wii and the presentation is bright and stereophonic, the controls as simple as ever, the game fun and engaging and just frustrating enough to compel you to play for hours at a time. As much fun as it is to play alone, though, it's even more fun to do so with friends. The real reason you'll want to have this game on your shelf is because for the first time ever, up to four players can run and jump at the same time. Whether you choose to co-operate or compete is up to you, but when your little sister proves to be more skilled, you might consider playing with a friendly disposition.