Joystiq Holidaze: best of Black Friday
Stuffed full of poultry, pork, potatoes, pie and gravy you rise from your food coma dazed, angry, and ready to shop. It's still dark outside. Welcome to Black Friday.
We've trimmed the fat and cut the crap, bringing you the gaming highlights from the retail world's annual sale. Remember, the best shopper is an armed a prepared shopper. Use this guide to target the needs of your whiny loved ones, while avoiding bold-lettered traps (Joytip: It's no bargain price if you're cleaning out retail garbage). This year's sales favor Xbox 360 products, though there are valuable savings in the PlayStation 3 department. As for PSP? Not so much (actually, none at all). And only a few Nintendo-brand listings pop out (Joytip: Unless you're camping on the concrete, ignore Wii bundle listings; the console will be as scarce as ever).
This Joystiq guide focuses on brick and mortar retailers (Amazon's Black Friday listings are here) and only includes our recommendations. (Joytip: Each image is linked to additional information about the corresponding product). Please use the comments section to share additional deals you've discovered!
Hardware
Joytip: Avoid retailer-assembled bundles that force you to buy games & accessories you don't want
Joytip: Don't purchase retailers' replacement plans; manufacturers have solid built-in warranties -- especially Nintendo
Xbox 360:
Xbox 360 Pro Value Bundle (w/ Forza 2 & Marvel Alliance) & 2 games (choice of: Halo 3, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty 4, or SmackDown! vs. RAW)
FYE - $419.97 [after $50 mail-in rebate]
Xbox 360 Pro Bundle
Best Buy - $349.99 [free Guitar Hero 2 bundle]
Halo 3 Xbox 360 & Halo 3 game
Target - $459.98 [$60 gift card]
Xbox 360 & migrate paid Xbox LIVE subscription (for original Xbox) to Xbox LIVE Gold
Any retailer - price varies [free Halo 3]
Offer expires 12/21/07
Refurbished Xbox 360 Pro Bundle
Micro Center - $229.99 [save $120]
Joytip: lacks HDMI; susceptible to older model defects
Xbox 360 HD DVD drive
Wal-Mart - $179.99 [free Heroes Season 1 HD DVD/DVD Set]
Xbox 360 HD DVD drive
Any retailer - $179.99 [5 free HD DVD movies; mail-in form]
Offer expires 2/28/08
PlayStation 3:
40GB or 80GB PlayStation 3
BJ's - $299.99/399.99 [$100 instant rebate]
80GB PlayStation3
Wal-Mart - $499 [10 free Blu-ray movies of choice]
Any model PlayStation 3
Any retailer - price varies [5 free Blu-ray movies; form]
Offer expires 2/29/08
Nintendo DS:
DS Lite Zelda/Nintendogs bundles
Circuit City - $139.99 [save $10]
DS Lite Zelda/Nintendogs bundles
FYE - $129.99 [after $20 mail-in rebate]
PlayStation 2:
PlayStation 2
FYE - $99.99 [after $30 mail-in rebate]
PlayStation 2
GameStop - $129.99 [receive $30 gift card]
Joytip: If you're really in the market for a PS2, why not hold out for the new model?
Software
Xbox 360:
Assassin's Creed
Circuit City - $59.99 [receive $10 gift card]
Call of Duty 2
Circuit City - $9.99 [save $20]
Call of Duty 4
Target - $48 [save $11.99]
Gears of War
Target - $38 [save $21.99]
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
Best Buy - $20 [save $20]
Guitar Hero 2 bundle (includes guitar)
Circuit City; Kmart; Sears - $59.99 [save $30]
Halo 3
Circuit City - $59.99 [receive $10 gift card]
Orange Box
Kmart - $39.99 [save $20]
Project Gotham Racing 4
Circuit City - $44.99 [save $15]
skate
Target - $48 [save $11.99]
Wii:
Super Mario Galaxy
Circuit City - $34.99 [save $15]
PlayStation 3:
Assassin's Creed
Circuit City - $59.99 [receive $10 gift card]
Call of Duty 4
Target - $48 [save $11.99]
Ratchet & Clank Future
Circuit City - $59.99 [receive $10 gift card]
skate
Target - $48 [save $11.99]
Nintendo DS:
Meteos: Disney Magic
Toys R Us - $9.99 [save $10]
PlayStation 2:
Bully
Circuit City - $9.99 [save $10]
Joytip: Enhanced Xbox 360 & Wii ports are in the works
All EA Sports 08 games
Wal-Mart - $19.88 ea. [save $10.11]
Guitar Hero III
bundle (includes guitar)
Circuit City - $89.99 [receive $10 gift card]
Accessories
Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
Kmart - $39.99 [save $10]
Xbox 360 Wireless Headset
Target - $48 [save $11.99]
PS3 Blu-ray Remote
GameStop - $9.99 [save $15]
Joytip: Don't waste $$$ on brick-n-mortar stores' overpriced HDMI cables, shop for cheaper options online: HDMI cables (Amazon) -- anyone'll do, really
Joytip: Avoid 'cooling systems' like Nyko's infamous Intercooler
Joytip: Plastic extensions don't make Wii Sports more fun (but if you must, be less of a sucker by buying the Sports Pack at Circuit City for the $9.99 sale price)
Joytip: Consider switching to AA rechargeable batteries for all applicable accessories (they offer longer playtime than battery packs)
Dumpster Diving
Buy two used games or accessories, get one free
GameStop - prices vary [buy 2, get 1 free]
Entire stock of games is buy one, get one free [limit 4 free games]
KBtoys - prices vary [buy 1, get 1 free]
Links to Store Locators
Bonus: Fanboy's Recommend
DS Fanboy: Micro Center offers convoluted process for two free games
PS3 Fanboy: Finding the best PS3 deals on Black Friday
PSP Fanboy: Finding the best PSP deals on Black Friday
Massively: Black Friday: where's the love?
Wii Fanboy: Buy the 'last copies' of these cheap games at Best Buy
Wii Fanboy: TRU Sale: Buy 2 Wii games, get 1 free [Expires 11/21]
Xbox 360 Fanboy: Best of Xbox 360 Black Friday deals
