Nothing beats the feeling of staying up late with friends to play a great video game online. “Red Dead Redemption 2,” “Black Ops 4,” and “Super Mario Smash Bros. Ultimate” are just a few of the hot games that will be on the shelves this Christmas season.

Developed by Rockstar Games, “Red Dead Redemption 2” offers the opportunity to run free in the Wild, Wild West. Living in the heartland of America, main character Arthur Morgan is forced to survive by any means necessary. Initially caught during a robbery, Morgan and his trusty horse are forced to evade the sheriffs and other cowboys by fighting and robbing people and places.

“I stayed up all night in anticipation for this game and played it the whole night once I got it,” freshman Kyle Kooz said. “I love having the ability to go freelancing in between the missions.”

Compared to the already very lucrative and fast-paced Black Ops series, “Black Ops 4” is even better.

“Everything in the game is very smooth,” Sam Valenziano, a sophomore, stated. “I believe this game to have more strategy than the others in the series because of all the different specialists you can be.”

Specialists have unique abilities and weapons. They also play a big role in the game because of the perks that come with them. Some can give ammo and health back to players while others allow the user to be super aggressive in combat. With all the different game modes to play within “multiplayer,” it will hard to get bored with this game.

Finally, make sure to mark your calendar for the release of “Super Mario Smash Bros. Ultimate” on December 7, 2018. Every character from the first 1999 “Smash Bros” up to today will be featured in the game.

Senior Justin Cottrell said, “I remember going over to my friend’s house every day to play ‘Super Mario’ on his Gameboy console. This game is really going to be a throwback for me.”

All of the details are still a little up in the air about the game, however. Not all of the maps or all the of the characters’ moves and special abilities have been completed yet. Once it gets a little closer to the actual release date, dedicated fans will find more of the details of “Super Mario Smash Bros. Ultimate.”