Every year, parents play a dangerous game. They buy gifts for their children without really observing what they're interested in. Store employees can only do so much to dissuade once-reasonable adults from buying the worst gifts imaginable, but those efforts only go so far. The holidays spread sadness like a plague, all because no one stopped and asked "So what kind of games are you interested in, again?"

If any of the gifts you've wrapped and stowed bear any resemblance to the discouraged titles below,  I implore you to return them. In the days leading up to Christmas, I'll reveal the very worst games to buy for your family and friends. I'm not trying to make you feel bad. Consider this your last chance to save the holidays.

Don't buy:

Thor: God of Thunder (or really any movie game)

I don't care if little Johnny really, reeeeally wants to be Thor. Movie games are notoriously crappy.  Bashing enemies and innocent bits of scenery to smithereens with Thor's hammer seems like a good idea until you realize that's the game's only trick.

If the person you've bought this for really enjoys destroying worlds with iconic and powerful weapons, consider picking up Lego Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars instead. You get all the manic destruction found in Thor but in a more inspired way. Plus, breaking little Lego people apart is a strangely satisfying action.

Consider instead:

Lego Star Wars 3: the Clone Wars

Don't buy:

Asphalt 3D, Ridge Racer 3D, or Need for Speed: The Run

Racing games are hard to get right on handhelds. I have a bad habit of subtly moving my hands like a steering wheel when I play them, and that causes a lot of problems with staying focused on a tiny screen. Add to that the 3DS' hyper-sensitive 3D functionality and you've got one blurry mess.

Mario Kart 7 is the only racer I've played so far that gets the 3D right. It isn't blurry, and I don't have to fight my hands to keep the game in focus. Beyond utilizing the handheld's assets effectively, Mario Kart 7 is a tremendous amount of fun with friends both locally and online. It's the best choice for someone looking to play with friends and get the most out of the 3DS' capabilities.

Consider instead:

Mario Kart 7

Don't buy:

Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D

The Resident Evil fan in your life might have mentioned how much he or she enjoyed the Mercenaries mode in Resident Evil 4 and 5. The free-standing 3DS Mercenaries game is a neat idea but is woefully limited by the handheld's functionality. If the 3DS had two analog nubs, playing such a fast action shooter like this would work amazingly well. As it stands, the funky shoulder/face button controls simply don't give players enough accuracy to play a shooter properly.

If you really want to get an RE game, perhaps sneakily pre-order the upcoming Resident Evil: Revelations. It harkens back to the series' origin and takes full advantage of the 3DS' capabilities.

Consider instead:

Waiting for Resident Evil Revelations

If you're looking for all-around 3DS recommendations, you can't go wrong with any of these:

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

Cave Story 3D

PilotWings Resort

Super Street Fighter 4: 3D Edition

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked

Super Mario 3D Land