holidaze-2008
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Wii Warm Up: Day of deals
If you're in the U.S., it's Black Friday, and by the time you get around to reading this, all the best deals are already gone. Isn't that crazy? It's not if you ended up with a pile of games, gifts, or both! So did you brave the crowds (or the clicks) at the crack of dawn this morning, or did you stay home, snuggled in bed, sleeping off the after-effects of tryptophan? If you snagged some deals, please share 'em with us, so that we may salivate with jealously.
Deals: Amazon Blu-ray sale and Black Friday sneak peak [Update]
[Update: Complete list of PS3/Blu-ray related deals are after the jump. Some of the deals are already active, while others will go live at 3AM EST/12 AM PST. Also note that other deals will go live over the weekend as others expire, and we'll try to keep this post updated. If you are interested in other video game deals, the Black Friday portal is here. Happy hunting!]Want to avoid that mob above come really early Friday morning? We bet you do. May we humbly suggest an alternative -- online shopping! You still have to wake up at an ungodly hour, but at least you can get everything done in your underwear. Cheap Ass Gamer has unveiled a partial list of the PlayStation 3 deals online retailer Amazon plans to offer. We'll update this post when the full list is available. Each of these deals go live at Friday, November 28th at 3AM EST/12AM PST: Fallout 3 -- $39.95 (Friday only) Soul Calibur IV -- $39.95 (Friday only) Call of Duty: World at War -- $49.95 (Friday only) Pure -- $29.95 Heavenly Sword -- $19.95 Resistance: Fall Of Man -- $14.95 Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe -- $39.95 Blu-ray lovers aren't left out in the cold either, for they have two separate Blu-ray deals going on. The first one is a pre-Black Friday sale on about 128 Sony titles. Many of them are already under $20, but if you buy 4 of them, you get an additional 15% off. If you buy 7, you get another 20% off. If you buy 10 or more, it is 25% off the total. Deal is only valid today and tomorrow. Check out their selection here. (Sorry, this deal is over!) The second offer is a buy 2 get 1 free sale on about 94 titles -- you can take a look at all of them over here.
Stay at home: Amazon's incredible Black Friday deals (and Newegg, too)
Knowing that we would prefer not to get off the couch (especially with temperatures dropping as they are wont to do this time of year), Newegg and Amazon are celebrating Black Friday with their own super deals. Newegg's deals (effective now through Sunday, November 30) are predominantly PC-centric, but console gamers can still enjoy $20 off Metal Gear Solid 4. Amazon's deals, however, are absolutely irresistible. Far Cry 2 for $38? Dead Space for $30? Left 4 Dead PC for $20?! There are plenty more; we suggest you get cozy and have your credit card handy tonight.Full list after the break. Amazon's deals begin Friday, November 28 at 3:00AM ET. The Friday Only deals (designated as such) end 2:59AM ET Saturday morning (or until supplies run out, natch), while the remaining discounts end 2:59AM ET Sunday morning.
Holiday Game and Rating Guide: Rated T for Teen
As many of you loosen your belts after a superb Thanksgiving feast we present part three of the X3F and What They Play joint holiday game and rating guide. Today we feature five titles rated "T" for "Teen" with games ranging in genre from trivia to fighting. Jump in and check out what's available and recommended for this holiday season.Developed by X3F and What They Play president John Davison -- you may also know him from the 1UP Yours Podcast -- the Holiday Game and Rating Guide hopes to showcase the best of each rating while helping to inform your loved ones what kind of content each game includes. It isn't meant to scare them away, in fact think of it as a walk through of what's really found in each game to help everyone make an intelligent decision this holiday season. Click the banner below to check out our picks for titles rated "T" for "Teen."
Holidaze 2008: Live in the past, it's cheaper
Bad news, everybody: 2008 is the new 2007. Those of us lucky enough to have survived last year's unyielding flood of exquisite games expected the new holiday to provide some respite -- perhaps an influx of blessedly mediocre games -- but alas, our wallets are once again tugged in every $60 direction. But what's worse? The deafening din of desirable games, or that irresistible impulse to play and master every adventure the very second it becomes available? Provided you can defeat the latter reflex, we have a simple suggestion: Live in the past. It's cheaper! We've dredged up our decisive, if ever-so-slightly controversial list of the ten best games of Oh Seven, hoping you'll find a fantastic experience you mistakenly overlooked. You'll find that the passage of time has taken a pleasing toll on the recommended price of admission. In fact, we've traveled forward in time to this very moment, hoping to pick up our 2007 nominees on the cheap. What do you think? Should we make Portal our Game of the Year?
Holidaze 2008: Live in the past, it's cheaper (Page 2)
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare What we said then: "Perhaps the most surprising thing about the game is how few actual revolutionary concepts are contained within. It selects existing game design tools, hones them to practical perfection and creates what is, in our opinion, the military shooter against which all others must be judged." What we say now: "An essential 'tunnel of fun' shooter with a rewarding multiplayer component. If you find yourself disappointed by this year's Call of Duty: World at War, it's probably this game's fault." Current retail price: $39.99 (Game of the Year edition)
Meta-Metareview: The best reviewed games of 2008
With almost all of the big games of '08 now on shelves (we're looking at you, Prince of Persia) or available via Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, you're left with a lot of choices. Some of them you've already bought; others you've been on the fence over; others you didn't realize were "supposed to be" any good – but, if you're anything like us, you don't want to miss any of the must-plays this year has to offer.Enter our "meta-metareview," a list of every game released this year that's scored above 85% on average from reviewers around the world. You won't be surprised by the games that made the list; you will be surprised that some of your (and our) favorites didn't make it. Check out the full list after the break and please, before you send us a nasty email because Castle Crashers didn't make it on, remember that them's the (sometimes painful) breaks with aggregate scoring.Some fun facts: October was the most crowded month for quality titles with 12 released, followed by November (8), September (7) and April (6). Breaking it down by console, PlayStation 3 has the most presence on the list with 22 titles, followed by Xbox 360 (20), PC (15), Wii (8), DS (7), PSP (2) and PS2 (1). The best-reviewed game this year? April's Grand Theft Auto IV (98%), followed by a three-way tie between LittleBigPlanet, BioShock (PS3) and World of Goo (95%) -- all three of which were released in October. Metal Gear Solid 4 and Wrath of the Lich King are the next tier below at 94%. Of the 55 titles listed, 12 (or approximately 22%) were not based on an existing franchise: Sins of a Solar Empire, Patapon, Professor Layton and the Curious Village, Braid, The World Ends with You, Boom Blox, World of Goo, GRID, Pure, LittleBigPlanet, Dead Space and Valkyria Chronicles.
Xbox Live Marketplace Black Friday sale
It's not just your friendly neighborhood retailers looking to take advantage of your weekend weakened state of mind this Friday. No, online marketplaces are looking to snag your credit card digits, too, as you sit slumped before your computer screen after awakening from a paralyzing food coma with an insatiable appetite to ... BUY! Microsoft's Major Nelson has posted the Black Friday discounts for Xbox Live Marketplace, available to Xbox Live Gold members "Friday morning" through "Sunday evening" (an originally stated start time of 6 am ET has been removed). The sale includes Xbox Live Arcade games, premium DLC and several NXE Themes. Full details are posted after the break.
Holiday Game and Rating Guide: Rated E10+
Continuing our Holiday Game and Rating Guide, today we present titles rated E10+. The newest rating from the ESRB, this list features five must own titles for gamers aged 10 and older. Lace on the skates and prepare to get strategic because these recommendations cover a wide range of genres. Developed by X3F and What They Play president John Davison -- you may also know him from the 1UP Yours Podcast -- the Holiday Game and Rating Guide hopes to showcase the best of each rating while helping to inform your loved ones what kind of content each game includes. It isn't meant to scare them away, in fact think of it as a walk through of what's really found in each game to help everyone make an intelligent decision this holiday season. Click the banner below to check out our picks for titles rated "E10+ for Everyone Age 10 and older."
Be a Guitar Hero for $59 this Black Friday
If you're still deciding where to take your sleeping bag and flask of cocoa for this Black Friday's queues, Target's deal on the Guitar Hero: World Tour Guitar Kit may sway you. The store will be offering the SKU, which includes the game and a wireless guitar, for a mouth-watering $59, a generous saving on the original MSRP of $99.99. It certainly beats paying close to three hundred big ones for the full band experience.%Gallery-23491%
Get a PlayStation credit card, $150 off PS3 purchase
If you're going to hurl yourself into an inescapable and ultimately ruinous pit of financial debt, at least do it for a good cause. Like video games! The official PlayStation blog has revealed a sleek little silver number in the form of a PlayStation-branded VISA credit card. Aside from facilitating reckless shopping sprees, the card offers a special introductory sign-up offer: $150 credit towards the purchase of a PlayStation 3. The offer will expire after December 31, 2008.To partake in this Holidaze deal, you can either get approval and purchase the system online, or apply here and purchase the console from any authorized retailer. Be sure to read the small print -- and if it's all small print, it probably means the repo man is walking away with your computer monitor.
Holiday Game and Rating Guide: E for Everyone
Xbox 360 Fanboy and parental gaming site What They Play have joined forces for a special holiday guide to inform both you and the people who are deciding what to get you for the upcoming holiday season. Today through Friday, the Holiday Game and Rating Guide will showcase five recently released titles -- with some exceptions -- from each of the ESRB rating classifications to add to your collection.Kicking off today with titles E for "Everyone," part one of the holiday game guide varies in recommendations from a sports fan's dream to ATV stunt-racing wannabes.Developed by X3F and What They Play president John Davison -- you may also know him from the 1UP Yours Podcast -- the Holiday Game and Rating Guide hopes to showcase the best of each rating while helping to inform your loved ones what kind of content each game includes. It isn't meant to scare them away, in fact think of it as a walk through of what's really found in each game to help everyone make an intelligent decision this holiday season. Click the banner below to check out our picks for titles rated "E for Everyone."
Holidaze 2008: Best of Black Friday
Note: No, the starred letters in this image don't rearrange to spell out Braid.We don't know what you're talking about. Nothing to see here, move along. Now that you've had a taste of our complete (and completely awesome) Black Friday shopping guide, we thought it best to give you a more concise edition to digest. Introducing: "The Best of the Best of Black Friday 2008" ...But first, some Joytips: There are two excellent Xbox 360 deals: (1) At Target, scoop the Pro Bundle ($300; 60GB HDD) with bonus $50 gift card, which is good for: Call of Duty: World at War ($49); or an EA 2-pack: Dead Space ($30) and Burnout Paradise ($20); or Halo 3 ($30) and 3-month Xbox Live Card ($15 -- with $5 to spare!); or (2) Circuit City's Arcade Bundle ($200), which packs in an extra wireless controller and refurbished 20GB hard drive on top of the other goodies. Best Buy is the only featured retailer with a Black Friday PlayStation 3 bundle ($400) with Ratchet & Clank and the first "new" 007 on Blu-ray Sam's Club (not featured in our guide) has the only notable Wii Bundle ($425 -- not $224 as originally rumored), which includes 3 extra Wiimote-Nunchuk sets, Mario Super Sluggers and King of Clubs: Mini Golf ($115 total savings); good luck duking it out for this one! In case you missed one of the better third-party Wii games of the year (and plenty of Wii owners did), Boom Blox ($20) is discounted at Target Now's a great time to cop some of last year's best, like Bioshock, The Orange Box ($20 each at Circuit City) and Halo 3 ($30 at Target) In general, there are some great PS2 deals to be had ... if you're still living in the past-gen (and let's not forget GameStop is selling pre-owned original Xboxes and GameCubes for $40 and $30, respectively -- just don't assume your kids won't know they've recieved hand-me-downs) Quick-search the best deals: Best Buy | Circuit City | GameStop | Target | Toys 'R' Us | Wal-Mart
DS Daily: Your wish list
Yesterday, we talked about Nintendo's very limited way to bother people about gifts you want this holiday season. Well, what we'd like to talk about it is your wish list this year. With the holidays coming up, it's the time for gift-giving (and receiving), so what are you hoping to get this year? Did you ask that certain someone for a Nintendo DSi? Looking forward to some new games? What's on your wish list?
Introducing Joystiq's awesome Black Friday guide
Joystiq has tirelessly compiled a list of some of the great deals you can expect this Black Friday, as most of the U.S. wakes at the crack of dawn to rush out and get all of the deals they possibly can. Joystiq's guide covers all of the major retailers and even includes some good Wii deals. So, stop wasting time and check it out!
Holidaze 2008: Black Friday Video Game Guide
Nothing quite like being packed into a frenzied shopping mob, is there? It's why we wait for hours in the cold dark with nothing more than the lingering memory of Thanksgiving stuck between our teeth. Or ... maybe it's just the promise of unbelievable savings?We've scoured the nation's largest retailers for Black Friday's video game deals and compiled these savings into a series of really good lookin' guides. Since you're likely to focus your efforts on one retailer, selling not just games, but various gift opportunities, we've narrowed our field down to six nationwide megastores -- with the exception of GameStop, which, well, just sells games. (Joytip: Consult GamerDeals or other Black Friday compilation sites for additional sales at small, regional or online retailers.)Without further ado, we present ... Joystiq's Holidaze 2008: Black Friday Video Game Guide! Click on a store above to view its Black Friday Guide
Get ready for Black Friday deals [Update]
The good folks at Cheap Ass Gamer have crafted a list of all video game-related Black Friday deals. For those not in the know, Black Friday is the term used for post-Thanksgiving sales. These are usually when retailers make their best prices available, as they all compete for early Christmas shopping attention. We've scrubbed the list to show only PS3 deals, but make sure you check out CAG for the full list, especially if you own more than just a PS3. [Update: Image of Best Buy bundle, courtesy Adrien. Expanded list after the break.]Best Buy PS3 system with Ratchet & Clank Future and Casino Royale (Blu-ray) - $399.99 Guitar Hero III Special Edition Bundle w/2 wireless guitars and Slash faceplate - $79.98 NBA 09 - $37.99 Soulcalibur IV - $37.99 Brother in Arms: Hell's Highway - $19.99 Karaoke Revolution: American Idol - $19.99 Rainbow Six Vegas 2 - $19.99 Circuit City & K-Mart & Sears Guitar Hero III Special Edition Bundle w/1 guitar - $54.99 Radio Shack DualShock 3 controller - $29.99
Buy one Guild Wars, get one half off!
If you're in the market for a great MMO deal this holiday season, ArenaNet has just announced their 2008 holiday promotion for Guild Wars. From now until January 5, 2009, when you purchase the Guild Wars Game of the Year Edition, Factions or Nightfall from PlayNC.com or the Guild Wars in-game store, you will get a second campaign for 50% off.This may just be the promotion you've needed to complete your Guild Wars trilogy, with the added bonus of unlocking the M.O.X. hero on your account. What more could you want? For more information and complete rules, check out the FAQ at the main site.
A handy 360 SKU chart for holiday shopping
Joystiq has compiled an updated 360 SKU chart just in time for the holiday shopping season. If you're looking to pick up an Xbox 360 for someone special (like yourself, for example), this super handy chart can help you (or your mom) sort out which console is which. There are five different SKUs out there -- all with a variety of possible chipsets -- so it's understandably confusing, especially to the uninitiated (also known as the people who buy presents). Head over to Joystiq for the chart and a helpful (if schizophrenic) FAQ.
Holidaze 2008: Xbox 360 SKU chart, revisited
We'd love to say picking up an Xbox 360 is as easy as going to the store and grabbing the first box with the console's name on it. For better or for worse, this generation of consoles gives consumers many choices at the (potential) expense of causing confusion at the store. This holiday, Microsoft has three different models (aka SKUs) on the market: Arcade, Pro and Elite. So, it's with all this in mind that we present you this handy guide for discerning the difference between the various Xbox 360 SKUs out there. Please note that the red, green and yellow coloring is not only festive decor for the holiday season, but a subjective highlight of what each version excels in (or subsequently lacks). #comparechart { border: 2px solid #333; border-collapse: collapse; } #comparechart td { padding: 3px; border: 1px solid #ccc; vertical-align: top; margin: 0; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 80%} #comparechart th { font-size: 80%; font-weight: bold; text-align: left; padding: 4px; background: #eee; } #comparechart th.mainth { font-size: 100%; border-bottom: 1px solid #333; } #comparechart td.red { background-color: #f08c85; } #comparechart td.yellow { background-color: #ffffcc;} #comparechart td.green { background-color: #b3e2c4; } Elite Pro (60GB) Arcade Pro (20GB) Halo Edition Core Hardware Price $399.99 $299.99 $199.99 $349.99* $399.99* $279.99* Storage 120GB HDD 60GB HDD 256MBmemory card 20GB HDD 20GB HDD none Color Black White White White Green/Orange White HDMI port Yes Yes Yes After July 2007 Yes After July 2007 Bundled Accessories Ethernet cable Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Headset Wired Wired No Yes Wired No Play &Charge Kit No No No No Yes No Video cables HDMI 1.2,RGB**,Composite RGB**,Composite Composite RGB**,Composite RGB**,Composite Composite Controller Wireless Wireless Wireless Wireless Wireless Wired Other Xbox Live Silver,1 Month Gold Silver,1 Month Gold Silver,1 Month Gold Silver, 1 Month Gold Silver,1 Month Gold Silver BackwardsCompatibility Yes Yes No*** Yes Yes No*** Notes:* Model has been discontinued. Price based on final MSRP.** To correct some formatting issues, "component" has been replaced with "RGB" in the chart*** Hard Drive required for backwards compatibilityI've got to ask some rhetorical questions, can you help me out ... again?Of course, it's always fun to talk to yourself.Awesome! Thanks!No problem.
