Plugged In

Black Friday deals have gamers grinning

November 21 9:44 A.M.

Black Friday shopping gets an early start this year.

Thanksgiving's almost here, and with it comes what's by far the biggest shopping day of the year -- Black Friday. But before you set your alarm clock, pack your sandwiches, and head out to tackle the crowds, get educated. We've boiled the week's ads down into the most tempting deals for gamers -- and for those shopping for them.

This year, retailers are favoring console bundle deals over straight price cuts, and there are some seriously tempting packages out there, like Walmart's PS3 offer that throws in top superhero games Infamous and Batman: Arkham Asylum -- plus The Dark Knight on Blu-Ray -- for the same $299 the base console costs. That's a savings of nearly $150.

On the games front, most major retailers are slashing prices on even the newest of releases. Dragon Age: Origins -- released just two weeks ago -- will be on sale for $34.99 at Best Buy, a $15 saving, and it's by no means the only bargain. Smash hit The Sims 3 will be available at several stores for under $30, while Rock Band (complete with guitar, mic, and drums) can be rocked for an astounding $50 at Walmart.

Read on for our picks of the best deals from each store, but there are lots more. Check www.blackfriday.info for complete details.

Walmart's selection boasts a slew of cheap games -- many well under $20 -- and although you're not going to find a discounted console, you will very likely find a tempting bundle deal. Our favorite: get a PS3 with Infamous, Batman: Arkham Asylum and The Dark Knight on Blu-Ray for $299, a savings of nearly $150. Even playboy millionaire Bruce Wayne would be tempted by that deal. On the 360, Walmart's selling the basic console plus Madagascar 2 (the game) and two Madagascar DVDs for $199. That's about a $100 saving. It's good value...if you really like Madagascar.

Hardware deals:

PS3 bundle: Infamous, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and Dark Knight on Blu-Ray: $299
Xbox 360 Arcade bundle: Madagascar 2, Madagascar 1 and 2 on DVD :$199
Nintendo DS Lite - $98

Games:

Best Buy is the place to go for good deals on newer games: they're selling many of the year's best titles at just $34.99. Console bundles don't quite match up to Walmart's selection, unless you're buying a PS3 for a family; Best Buy's bundled games are more kid-friendly. Also, if you've been wondering what all the World of Warcraft fuss is about, you can pick up this PC phenomenon for under $5.

Hardware deals:

DSi bundle: buy any system, get a $20 gift card
PS3 bundle: a PS3, LittleBigPlanet, and Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction - $299.99
Xbox 360 bundle: an Elite 120GB system with six games (including Ghost Recon 2, Lego Batman, and Spider-Man: Web of Shadows) - $299.99

Games:

You might expect dedicated games retailer Gamestop to have the best Black Friday savings, but this year at least, you'd be wrong. Still, they have a nice selection of recent hits at under $40, including Forza 3, Guitar Hero 5, and Halo 3: ODST, and should have shorter lines and less chaos than the big retailers. They're also offering a buy-two, get-one-free deal on used games, which could well yield good deals if your local store has plenty of stock.

Games:

Toys R Us has a smaller selection of deals than other stores, but nonetheless there's still a few quality games going cheap -- and if you're looking for an extra Xbox 360 guitar controller, it's the place to be. They're also cutting prices on Wii, DS, and PSP accessories, although we don't yet have specific details.

Go game shopping at Target on Black Friday, and you're probably going to walk away with a pocketful of gift cards. The store's giving them away in various denominations with DSi or Xbox 360 purchases, and with a handful of the year's better games.

Hardware:

DSi bundle: buy any DSi, get a $20 gift card
Xbox 360 bundle: an Xbox 360 Elite, 2 controllers, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and a $50 gift card: $399.99