Amazon’s next gaming deal as the site counts down to Black Friday is all about the music. If you’ve been waiting for prices to drop on some of Activision’s music rhythm games including Band Hero, Guitar Hero 5 or DJ Hero, Amazon is the place you want to go.

Starting November 21, 2009, until 11:59 p.m. Pacific time next Thursday (November 27, 2009) Amazon is offering a $40 store credit when you purchase either DJ Hero, Band Hero, Band Hero Super Bundle or Guitar Hero 5 at regular price.

Two business days after your order ships you will receive an e-mail confirming the $40 credit has been applied to your Amazon account.

Note that you must purchase the bundles from Amazon and not an Amazon Marketplace store in order to qualify for this offer.

Each game is available for PS2, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii consoles.

Purchase [Amazon]

Full Story » | Written by Jeremy Hill for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

The Black Friday ad for Gamestop has been leaked and it has some pretty nice deals.

It’s disappointing that some of the Nintendo DS games including Mario Kart DS and New Super Mario Bros. are still selling for $35. Since that’s how much those games usually sell for, why would they even be present in a black Friday circular?

Odd advertising aside, there are still some specials worth checking out. For example you could buy a 120GB PS3 Slim with LittleBigPlanet GOTY Edition and God of War Collection for $299. If the Xbox 360 is more your flavor Gamestop is selling a Xbox 360 Elite with Pure, Lego Batman and a choice between Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Spider-Man: Web of Shadows for $299.

Many other popular games such as Guitar Hero 5, Left 4 Dead 2, Tekken 6 and Batman: Arkham Asylum have been discounted to $39.99. Other recently released games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Assassin’s Creed 2 retain their $60 price tag. At least Gamestop guarantees those games will be in stock.

Doorbuster deals are good from 6 a.m. to 11a.m. on November 27, 2007. The other items on sale should be good while supplies last.

Here’s a list of the most noteworthy items:

Door Busters

• 120GB PS3 Slim w/ LittleBigPlanet GOTY and God of War Collection - $299.99
• Xbox 360 Elite w/ Pure, Lego Batman, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare or Spider-Man: Web of Shadows - $299.99
• Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3, 360) - $39.99
• Call of Duty: World at War (PS3, 360) - $39.99
• Dead Space Extraction (Wii) - $19.99
• Wii Sports Resort with extra Wii MotionPlus - $49.99

PS3

• Tekken 6 -$39.99 (1 day only)
• Prototype - $29.99
• Guitar Hero 5 (game only) - $39.99
• Borderlands - $49.99 (3 days only)
• GTA IV - $19.99 (3 days only)

Nintendo

• Metallica Blue Nintendo DSi Bundle w/ Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini’s March Again, WarioWare Snapped, Dr. Mario Express, Mario Clock and Mario Calculator - $169.99
• White Nintendo DSi w/ Clubhouse Games Express Card Classics, Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Express: Sodoku, Brain Age Express: Math, and Photo Clock - $169.99
• Wii/DSi 2GB SD Memory Card - $7.49
• Wii/DSi 4GB SDHC Memory Card - $14.99

Xbox 360

• Tekken 6 - $39.99 (1 day only)
• The Beatles: Rock Band - $49.99
• Left 4 Dead 2 - $39.99
• Need for Speed Shift - $39.99
• Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood - $19.99
• Prototype - $29.99
• Borderlands - $49.99
• Guitar Hero 5 - $39.99 (game only)
• Halo 3: ODST - $39.99
• Forza Motorsport 3 - $39.99

PC

• Left 4 Dead 2 - $29.99
• Guild Wars Trilogy - $24.99

Read [Black Friday Ads] Also Read [Gamertell]

Full Story » | Written by Jeremy Hill for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

The holiday shopping season is drawing near as people are preparing to pick up Christmas and Hanukkah gifts for the 2009 holiday season. This year tons of fantastic DS games were released, and it may be difficult to pick out the perfect one for your favorite DS owner.

For Gamertell’s 2009 DS game gift guide, there are 30 DS games released in 2009 that could make fantastic holiday gifts. To make your search easier, Gamertell’s DS gift guide has been sorted by ESRB rating. Just go to the section that is appropriate for the age of person you’re shopping for, and hopefully you’ll find some good DS gift ideas. If Gamertell’s reviewed the game, click the game’s title to read and see what we thought about it.

Let’s take a look at some great DS game gift suggestions:

ESRB Rating: “Everyone”

Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled
Genre: RPG
Price: $19.99
Release Date:
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Mild Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes.
Target Audience: Chrono Trigger and classic RPG fans. Old school gamers.
Description: Kairu is the only man in Bel Lenora with no magic. The last person in Bel Lenora with no magic was a general who wreaked havoc. He also has a mysterious black mark on his hand. After he is banished from Bel Lenora to the outside world, he and his friends journey to perhaps help him find magic and save the world.

Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop
Genre: Casual / Action
Price: $29.99
Release Date: October 20, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Alcohol Reference
Target Audience: People who enjoy casual games, people who enjoy cooking and fans of the Cooking Mama series.
Description: Help Mama cook once again! This time a shopping mini-game has been added and there are 80 new recipes included.

Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands
Genre: Simulation / RPG
Price: $29.99
Release Date: November 10, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Comic Mischief and Use of Alcohol
Target Audience: Men and women, probably over the age of 10, who enjoy simulation games, play Farmville or Farm Town on Facebook and are patient.
Description: You play as a young man or woman who has come to the Sunshine Islands to start life as a farmer. You can tend to crops, raise animals and explore mines to make money. You can also befriend townspeople and local animals, and even raise a family. Oh, and you may want to collect the Sun Stones to restore the Sunshine Islands that have sunk into the ocean.
Note: If the person you’re thinking of buying this for already has Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness, ask them if they’d like Sunshine Islands before buying it as a gift. They’re practically the same game.

Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
Genre: Action / Puzzle
Price: $19.99
Release Date: March 17, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Cartoon Violence
Target Audience: Fans of side-scrolling action games casual match-3 puzzle games.
Description: Henry Hatsworth is searching for treasure, and ends up on a massive adventure. When enemies are defeated in the side scrolling adventure, they fall to the bottom screen match-3 puzzle. Eliminating them in the match-3 puzzle powers up Henry. It’s a quirky combination that works.

Lego Rock Band
Genre: Music
Price: $29.99
Release Date: November 3, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Comic Mischief and Mild Lyrics
Target Audience: Anyone who likes portable music games.
Description: A DS music game that doesn’t require any peripherals, so DS lite and DSi owners alike can play. It’s essentially Rock Band, only with Lego characters, no peripherals and a more family friendly set list that includes rock songs and top-40 hits.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
Genre: RPG
Price: $34.99
Release Date: September 14, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Comic Mischief and Mild Cartoon Violence
Target Audience: Super Mario fans who want to play a funny RPG where the two characters, and Bowser, are the stars.
Description: Fawful fed Bowser a mushroom that made him inhale Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and the princess’ toad attendants and fed many of the Toads mushrooms which made them blow up to gigantic proportions. Then he decided to take over the kingdom. Mario, Luigi and Bowser join forces to stop Fawful’s reign of terror.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Genre: Sports /Mini game collection
Price: $34.99
Release Date: October 13, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Mild Cartoon Violence
Target Audience: Gamers of all ages who like sports mini-games and Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog characters.
Description: Mario, Sonic and characters from both of their respective game series take part in multiple winter Olympic events.

Peggle Dual Shot
Genre: Puzzle
Price: $19.99
Release Date: February 27, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone”
Target Audience: Casual game fans.
Description: It’s the PC Peggle game, only portable. It contains the two PC games Peggle and Peggle Nights.

Sim Animals Africa
Genre: Simulation
Price: $29.99
Release Date: October 27, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Comic Mischief
Target Audience: Children and fans of the original Sim Animals game.
Description: Interact with African animals and help keep them happy and healthy. You can also play as an animal.

Space Invaders Extreme 2
Genre: Shooter
Price: $19.99
Release Date: October 19, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone”
Target Audience: Pretty much anyone. Specifically fans of shooters, Space Invaders and classic arcade games.
Description: Space Invaders Extreme only better. There are new power ups, Super Fever Time, Fever Time, Bingo Rounds, Time Attack modes and multiple difficulty levels. There’s also a new multiplayer battle mode where you face off against a friend, shooting aliens to see who’s best.

Style Savvy
Genre: Simulation
Price: $34.99
Release Date: November 2, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone”
Target Audience: Primarily women of all ages, though men may appreciate this shop management simulation as well. I’d recommend it for ages eight and up, since younger children may have trouble attending to customers and managing the stock in their shops.
Description: Players are the newest employee at Primavera, the most popular boutique in the city. After a brief introduction and tutorial, your natural style, talent and business sense prompt Primavera’s owner, Dominic, to give you your own boutique to manage. Take care of customers, buy stock for your shop, enter fashion contests and dress up your character.

The Legendary Starfy
Genre: Action
Price: $34.99
Release Date: June 7, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Mild Cartoon Violence.
Target Audience: Gamers of all ages and genders. Since it’s pretty easy to play, it would make a good first-platformer for children.
Description: Bunston the rabbit was chased into Pufftop Palace by unknown villains, and fell into the ocean. Starfy and his friend Moe the clam followed him, deciding to help. Once they find him, they discover Bunston has amnesia and has lost crystals. Starfy, Bunston and Moe travel the ocean trying to find the crystal fragments, defeat the people who were chasing Bunston and helping ocean residents in need.

Touchmaster 3
Genre: Mini-game collection / Casual
Price: $29.99
Release Date: October 23, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Mild Cartoon Violence and Mild Language
Target Audience: People of all ages who want something they can play for a few minutes or a few hours.
Description: A collection of 20 assorted action, card, puzzle, sports and trivia mini-games.

Wire Way
Genre: Action / Puzzle
Price: $29.99
Release Date: November 3, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Comic Mischief
Target Audience: Players of all ages looking for a fun action/puzzle game.
Description: The alien Wiley Springer is on a quest to find his love, but to do so he’ll have to journey through all kinds of levels, moving along wires and propelling himself upwards towards the top of each level.

ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+”

Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island
Genre: Simulation / RPG
Price: $29.99
Release Date: October 27, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language and Suggestive Themes.
Target Audience: Men and women who enjoy games where the goal is to making items, explore areas and talk to townsfolk. People who like games with a sense of humor. I’d say it’s best for ages 13 and up, since younger gamers may not have the patience required to collect all the necessary ingredients.
Description: Annie is a lazy girl who dreams of marrying into money. So, her grandfather ships her off to Sera Island, which is in the process of being turned into a resort. Annie has three years to prove she is a capable and competant alchemist, and if she wins all the contests and successfully manages her resorts, she could end up marrying a prince.

Avalon Code
Genre: Action RPG
Price: $19.99
Release Date: March 10, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Fantasy Violence and Mild Language
Target Audience: RPG fans who like to tinker with the in-game world and build relationships with other characters.
Description: The world is ending, and only things that have been entered into the Book of Prophesy will be saved when the world is reborn. The player is the one who has been tasked with filling the Book of Prophesy with things that should be saved by smacking things with it. You can then alter the properties of items entered in the book with codes. You also will face off against the villain who is going to cause the world to end.

Bleach the 3rd Phantom
Genre: Strategic RPG
Price: $29.99
Release Date: September 15, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Teen” for Alcohol Reference, Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language and Suggestive Themes.
Target Audience: Anime fans. Strategic RPG fans who love Fire Emblem and Advance Wars style games.
Description: Two soul reapers from the past have suddenly found themselves in the present. You choose which one you’ll play as, Matsuri or Fujimaru, and their abilities, and then join with Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends to face off against Aizen, the Arrancars and hollows.

Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
Genre: RPG
Price: $39.99
Release Date: February 16, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Alcohol Reference, Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes and Simulated Gambling
Target Audience: Classic RPG fans and Square Enix fans.
Description: The most recent Zenithia Dragon Quest DS entry follows a hero through three generations - his adventures as a child as he journeyed with his father, his adventures traveling on his own and the journey he undertakes with his children. Together they attempt to save the world. The DS version adds in a new marriable character, Debora.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
Genre: Action RPG
Price: $29.99
Release Date: March 24, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Fantasy Violence, Language and Mild Suggestive Themes
Target Audience: Action RPG fans who like to work and adventure with friends. People who don’t mind level grinding to collect materials. Square Enix fans.
Description: You are a 16 year old who has just taken part in a coming of age ceremony at a village in the woods. However, when you return, you discover that one of the village children has fallen ill with the Crystal Sickness. You must go to the outside world to search for a cure, which starts a chain of events that result in you restoring your village’s crystal. Also, you can play with people who own the DS or Wii version.
Note: If the person you’re buying this for doesn’t have Wi-Fi internet or friends with the game, then don’t buy it for them. Many of the storyline quests are unplayable without assistance from other Echoes of Time players.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Genre: Action RPG
Price: $34.99
Release Date: September 29, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Fantasy Violence
Target Audience: Fans of the Kingdom Hearts series. Disney fans who are too old for the childish Disney games. People looking for a solid action rpg to play.
Description: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days takes place during the time when Roxas was a member of Organization XIII, the villains in Kingdom Hearts II. Roxas takes missions for the organization and works along its members, all while trying to figure out who and what he is.

Magician’s Quest: Mysterious Times
Genre: Simulation
Price: $29.99
Release Date: May 5, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Comic Mischief and Mild Suggestive Themes
Target Audience: Harry Potter fans. People who thought Animal Crossing was too slow and boring.
Description: Create a character and attend a virtual magic academy. Learn all kinds of magic spells you can use on neighbors, take weekly tests and interact with friends over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Phantasy Star Ø
Genre: RPG
Price: $34.99
Release Date: November 12, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
Target Audience: People who want an MMO-like experience on their DS. Phantasy Star fans. RPG players.
Description: Players are mercenaries called Hunters, journeying on an alternate version of Earth taking missions and facing off against monsters in an attempt to protect and save people. You can customize your character. You can also play with others over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or play through the single player story mode.
Note: Again, if the person you’re buying it for doesn’t have Wi-Fi internet access, ask before you buy this game because the multiplayer experience is a big part of the game.

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
Genre: Puzzle
Price: $34.99
Release Date: August 24, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Alcohol Reference and Mild Violence
Target Audience: Men and women who like to solve puzzles and think critically. While it is suitable for ages 10 and up, the difficulty of some of the brain teasers and puzzles could frustrate younger games. It’s most suitable for ages 13 and up.
Description: The sequel to Professor Layton and the Curious Village, Professor Layton, his assistant Luke and his ward Flora have another mystery to solve. Layton’s mentor, Dr. Schrader, has died of unknown causes, and everyone think the Elysian Box is behind it. Supposedly, the Elysian Box has the power to kill anyone who dares to open it. It’s up the Layton to discover the truth.

Scribblenauts
Genre: Puzzle / Action
Price: $29.99
Release Date: September 15, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Cartoon Violence and Comic Mischief
Target Audience: Creative men and women who want to solve puzzles with a wide assortment of items.
Description: Scribblenauts tasks player with solving 220 action and puzzle levels by helping Maxwell overcome challenges and retrieve the Starites. The game recognizes over 20,000 words and allows players to create and share levels.

Suikoden Triekreis
Genre: RPG
Price: $34.99
Release Date: March 17, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Language and Mild Suggestive Themes
Target Audience: Pokemon fans who love collecting items, monsters or characters in games. Fans of the Suikoden series. People who would enjoy a fantasy RPG that explores the notion of parallel universes.
Description: The One King wants to alter the Million World universe so there is only one timeline and one universe, instead of many. This means that all the other universes will be destroyed. You must collect the 108 Stars of Destiny and strike back at the One King before he destroys the universe the characters are in as well.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Genre: Action RPG
Price: $34.99
Release Date: December 7, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Mild Fantasy Violence
Target Audience: RPG fans, Nintendo fans and Legend of Zelda fans
Description: Zelda has been turned into a phantom, and Link and her must journey around the world via train to save her and Hyrule. It’s also the first Zelda game where Link and Zelda travel and work together.

ESRB Rating: “Teen”

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
Genre: Strategic RPG / Visual Novel
Price: $29.99
Release Date: June 23, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Teen” for Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Blood and Partial Nudity
Target Audience: Men and women over the age of 13 who enjoy dramatic, challenging and thought-provoking games. Also, fans of other Shin Megami Tensei games.
Description: Shibuya, Japan has been locked down. All the power is out and there is no way in, or out. To make matters worse, demons are now roaming the street and a mysterious cult whose intentions are unknown is milling around the city. The main character and his friends are given COMPs, DS like devices, from his cousin Naoya, and find they now have the power to control demons and perhaps even end the lock down.

Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
Genre: Strategic RPG
Price: $29.99
Release Date: Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
ESRB Rating: “Teen” for Fantasy Violence, Mild Language and Mild Suggestive Themes.
Target Audience: Square Enix game fans, fans of the Valkyrie Profile series and people who are interested in a game where moral decisions effect the course of the story.
Description: After Wylfred’s father died, his family fell apart. He always blamed the Valkyrie Lenneth for his death, since after he died she left a feather signifying that she had chosen him as an Einherjar, one of her soldiers. Wylfred decides that he must kill Lenneth to make things right, and Hel gives him a plume that will allow him to become powerful enough to do so. But if he uses it, there will be a price.

ESRB Rating: “Mature 17+”

C.O.R.E.
Genre: FPS
Price: $29.99
Release Date: August 11, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Mature 17+” for Blood and Gore and Violence
Target Audience: Fans of first person shooter games.
Description: The year is 2028, and communication with the C.O.R.E. lab, where scientists were investigating a meteor that crashed to Earth, has been lost. Jason Crane and his fellow soldiers have been sent to figure out what has happened at C.O.R.E.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Genre: Action
Price: $29.99
Release Date: March 17, 2009
ESRB Rating: “Mature 17+” for Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Sexual Content, Strong Language and Violence
Target Audience: Adult men and women, over the age of 17, who enjoyed going on virtual crime sprees in the console versions of Grand Theft Auto.
Description: After Huang Lee’s father is killed, he’s robbed of the sword he was supposed to take to his uncle and he’s beaten and left behind, Huang decides to strike back. He goes after the men who insulted him and destroyed his family to get revenge and power.

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

Thanksgiving (and Black Friday!) and the December holidays are nearly upon us. You know what that means - it’s the time when gamers’ thoughts turn to their holiday wish lists, eager to play the very best and brightest that the previous year has brought. If you’re a Wii owner, or you’ll be shopping for one - check out this list for the goods.

For Everyone Who Likes Fun

New Super Mario Bros. Wii - This recent release has been reviewing through the roof (see our own take here at Gamertell) - and for good reason. It brings everything that was awesome about the old-school Mario games (excellent, challenging 2D levels, wacky characters and a boatload of charm) and mixed in some excellent 4-player action. Not to be missed.

Boom Blox Bash Party - The sequel to last year’s best party game, Bash Party trimmed everything superfluous from Spielberg’s ingenious physics-based puzzler and added a ton of new modes, new “toys” and new game types to the mix. This is the most fun I’ve ever had in mixed (gamer and non-gamer) company since Mario Kart back in the day.

For Gamers Who Like to Get Their Groove On

The Beatles: Rock Band - If you have any love for the Beatles, you should definitely pick up this bad boy, which allows you to sing, play drums, or play guitar (all on an assortment of lovely plastic instruments) right along with John, Paul, George and Ringo.

DJ Hero - For music fans who like more than rock, DJ Hero is an awesome, unconventional take on the Guitar Hero formula. Complete with a “turntable” controller and 80 mash-up-able tracks.

For the Action-Adventure Set

Metroid Prime: Trilogy - A set of three truly excellent games, enhanced with Wii controls, in one definitive package, Trilogy is the best deal in gaming (pound for pound) since The Orange Box in 2007.

Muramasa: The Demon Blade - A gorgeous 2D action title with some light RPG elements, this is one of the most visually stunning games on the platform.

A Boy and His Blob - A successful “re-imagining” of the classic NES title, this platform/puzzler has amazing graphics and animation, satisfying old-school gameplay, and a metric ton of charm.

Pikmin - It’s not exactly action/adventure, its more RTS/Puzzle, but don’t even think about letting that stop you. Pikmin is a wildly entertaining, challenging game, made all the better by the Wii-fied new controls.

Klonoa - Another jaw-droppingly gorgeous 2D platformer, Klonoa is a beautifully re-done PS1 title with inventive levels and incredible character design.

For Athletes and Speed Demons:

EA Sports: Active - Forget about Wii Fit - if you’re serious about getting in shape with your Wii, try the “30-day Challenge” in EA Sports Active. It’ll blow your mind - and your quads.

Need For Speed: Nitro - It may not be quite as pretty as Need For Speed: Shift, but this racer is solid as they come - and about as “sim-y” as you’ll find on Nintendo’s system.

Excitebots: Trick Racing - Forget racing sims, this speedy little package is all about pulling off wacky tricks and completing in-race minigames. It’s ridiculously fun, and one of the smoothest online experiences on the Wii.

For The “Mature” Gamer

House of the Dead: Overkill - This is the funniest, goriest, most R-rated experience you can have on Wii. If you like zombie-blasting, you absolutely cannot go wrong here.

MadWorld - Does the idea of a violent comic book world come to life sound good to you? If so, you’ll enjoy the hell out of punishing baddies in Madworld‘s bloody fantasy playground.

Happy holidays everyone! And happy hunting - be sure to keep checking back with us for sales and deals throughout the holiday shopping season.

Read [Gamertell]

Full Story » | Written by Danielle Riendeau for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

Apparently, Amazon likes to play yo-yo when it comes to pricing video games.

While casually perusing Amazon for some bargain bin deals, I came across quite a few markdowns. Avid bargain hunters may find quite a few of the titles that have been reduced familiar, but there are at least a handful of new sale items. It’s hard to say how long these lowered prices will linger for, so it’d be best to nab them as soon as possible with that Christmas money you just received from grandma.

Xbox 360

Call of Duty: World at War
MSRP: $59.99
Sale Price: $34.98

Fable 2
MSRP: $59.99
Sale Price: $44.99

Prince of Persia
MSRP: $59.99
Sale Price: $49.99

The Last Remnant
MSRP: $59.99
Sale Price: $39.97

Wii

Animal Crossing: City Folk
MSRP: $49.99
Sale Price: $39.00

Playstation 2

Eternal Poison
MSRP: $39.99
Sale Price: $36.99

Persona 4
MSRP: $39.99
Sale Price: $36.99

Nintendo DS

The World End With You
MSRP: $39.99
Sale Price: $29.99

Final Fantasy IV
MSRP: $39.99
Sale Price: $29.97

Site [Amazon]

Full Story » | Written by Janine Dong for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

If you’re friends or family of a gamer who is big on PC gaming, you’re probably wondering what to get them for Christmas or their next birthday if it’s coming up. For those with the Steam client, there are always different sales, new releases and package deals that would help out your gamer’s repertoire.

Here are some ideas for the last minute shopper who doesn’t want to contend with the crowds in stores.

Strategy

There are a few options for the fans of the strategy genre on Steam. Some of the biggest games in the genre that you can get in ease are Defense Grid: The Awakening. The game costs $19.99 and is a more graphically appeasing of the normal castle defense flash games. Few strategy games actually have much in the way of replayability, but with the various modes and main storyline the replayability for this game is high. Some other things that are worthwhile at Steam are World in Conflict (a $29.99 strategy gaming rendition of Red Dawn), Dawn of War with all the expansions (DoW Platinum Edition $29.99 and Soulstorm for $29.99) and the complete pack for Civilization IV (One game and two expansions for $59.99). There are still other big names but these are just some examples.

Action/Adventure

If your gamer is a fan of action there are many different options. One of the main things they are currently advertising is a Rainbow 6 collection. This includes Rainbow 6 3: Gold Edition, Rainbow 6: Lockdown, Rainbow 6: Las Vegas and Rainbow 6: Las Vegas 2. This pack is going for $49.99 for all four games. It’s definitely something for the people who are a bit behind on the gaming times. For the action/adventure junkie who leans towards the darker side of life (or death) Steam also has Silent Hill Homecoming in its catalog. The game is still offered at its standard price for the other consoles but for the people without either of consoles this Silent Hill take on Jacob’s Ladder. Silent Hill Homecoming costs $49.99. These are just examples though there is a lot that can be done.

RPG

There isn’t much in the way of options. You have the option of games like Hinterland, Mount & Blade, Bioshock and other such games that blend the various lines between genres. Hinterland is part roleplaying game and part strategy game. Mount & Blade is a mostly horseback RPG that has some strategy aspects to it. Bioshock is partially survival horror and RPG while being a FPS game. Each games in the RPG section of the store runs anywhere between $19.99-49.99.

Developer Packages

Steam also offers quite a few different packages for gamers that cover everything that a developer might have realized that’s in the Steam stores. These usually run around $99 even though outside of Steam it would normally cost over $200. To give you some perspective, if you get the Valve complete pack, you get 22 games (including all things solid with Half Life and Half Life 2) that would normally cost you $239.81. On Steam it costs $99.99, not including tax. Another example is the THQ Collector’s Pack, which comes with 12 games (including S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl, Full Spectrum Warrior and others), would normally cost you $229.88 but Steam sells it for $99.99. One of the biggest deals that you would find on Steam is if someone gets the Eidos Collector’s Pack which runs for $99.99 but elsewhere would normally cost about $389.80.

Site [Steam Store]

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Ever want to buy something on Xbox Live Arcade that costs only 800 Microsoft points but you lack a credit card to get more points directly and dreaded spending the extra dough on a 1600 Microsoft point card that’s just 800 points too many? Never fear little precise friend.

Microsoft is beginning to roll out 800 Point cards to retailers at a reasonable (depending on what you consider the value of virtual “point” to be) cost of just $9.99.

So now you have your brick-and-mortar options between a $19.99 1600 point card and a $9.99 800 Point card.

In these trying times, it’s nice to know that the big guys are watching out for my thinning wallet. Sure they are still taking my money but at least I have the option to save a little, especially if I’m just buying a stocking stuffer (hint, hint) for a bratty nephew.

Read [Gaming Angles] Also Read [Joystiq]

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There’s only a few days left and you still haven’t bought a gift for that tech geek in your life. What do you do? Look at this handy guide to the best Geek gifts of the year that’s what.  Here are the top 7 gifts, as organized by ExtremeTech, to get to this year for the geek that has everything.

1. Sony Blu-ray player: You can get one for as cheap as $250 now!  And yes it’s still a good player. The Sony BDP-350 is available for only $224 on Amazon.com, It’s a BD-Profile 2.0 which means it a newer model, and it has great DVD up conversion.

2. MSI R4850 T2D512 Graphics Card: Cost is about $190, and is fast performing while keeping your system from over-heating. It’s double-wide cooler keeps your comp running quiet and cool. Only takes up one card slot, unlike other more expensive cards, which will save you room on your system.

3. Dead Space: Every geek likes a good Shooter. Dead Space hits the price tag at about $50-$60, and is an exciting, yet down-right terrifying third person Sci-Fi shooter. When a deep space mining platform loses it’s communication, you and your repair crew are sent out to fix the problem. What’s the problem? Huge terrifying space bugs are taking over the ship! You have to figure out why these creatures are taking over the ship and what happened to the crew. Works best on high-performing PC’s.

4. Palmsize Havoc Helicopter: Who doesn’t want an awesome helicopter that fits in your palm and only cost $29.99?  I have no idea. This high-flying heli weighs virtually nothing and comes fully assembled in the box. In only fifteen minutes you are ready to fly this bad boy all over your home or office. Just watch out for ceiling fans.

5. Zenith DTT901 Digital TV Tuner Converter Box: Let’s face it, even geeks can’t afford to have a cable box on all 12 TV’s in their house. This digital converter box is only about $20 after the $40 rebate issued by cable companies. It’s sleek and attractive, with easy set up and offers plenty of stations. Plus it comes with a universal remote!

6. Fallout 3: A must have for any computer gamer. Fallout 3 will hit your wallet hard with it’s $50-$80 price tag (because of the collectors edition) but it is definitely money well spent. When your father disappears under mysterious circumstances (is there any other kind?), you are forced to escape the fallout shelter your in and make it to DC to find him.  Fallout is a post-apocalyptic first-person RPG, by the makers of Oblivion. Great for computer gamers but also available on Xbox 360.

7. Electronic Drum Kit Shirt: Yes, even clothes can be an awesome gift. Available for $29.99 on ThinkGeek.com, this 100% cotton shirt actually plays drum beats. In fact, it plays seven different beats. Each drum part plays a different sound, you can have a jam session on your torso! The shirt requires four AAA batteries that are held in a pouch on the side of your shirt, you can even adjust the volume. Now if only it came with little drum sticks…
These gift ideas should fulfill the wants of that special tech geek in you life, and also fulfill most stockings (like what I did there?). 

Read[Extreme Tech] Also Read [Gamertell] Site [Think Geek]

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Times are tough right now, with so many people unemployed, struggling to pay off debts and mortgages and bracing themselves for hard times. It may be difficult to imagine paying obscene amounts of money for luxury gifts this holiday season, unless you’re rich or something.

It doesn’t hurt to dream though. So this gift guide may be more of a totally unrealistic wish list for people this year. Unless, of course, you’re rich. By the way, if you’re reading this and you are, I’d be totally willing to do a secret Santa gift exchange.

So, if you’ve got spare cash or a credit card with a high limit, Gamertell’s here to help you out this year. Whether you want to spend $150, or $35,165, we’re here for you.

Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard from ThinkGeek

Don’t you just hate how regular keyboards take up a valuable two feet of desk space? How dare that inanimate object! There must be a better way! Wait, there is, though it’s a bit expensive and frivolous. ThinkGeek carries a $149.99 Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard. This device projects a keyboard onto a flat surface in front of you, so you can type freely for 120 minutes without resorting to a regular keyboard. It works with smartphones, PDAs and, of course, computers. It even makes clicking noises as you tap the virtual keys.

The Voice Activated R2-D2 from Hammacher Schlemmer

This toy falls into not only the overpriced category, but also the incredibly silly. R2-D2 obeys 40 voice commands, is a bit of a virtual pet with different moods, can act as a guard that protects whatever room it’s in, can answer yes/no questions and even dances. He is pricey though, costing $169.95 - $178.85 after batteries. But isn’t that a small price to pay for a miniature R2-D2 that will follow your every move and instruction. Its better than a dog! And it’d be definitely easier to feed and clean up after. There, I just made it sound more reasonable.

Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess Master Sword and Shield combo from King of Swords

There is just something about a sword. Something magical. Something powerful. Something really, incredibly cool. Most people bent on owning a sword of their own probably settle for a $20 or $30 katana from a local flea market or store. But, only a truely devoted fan and afficianado would go for a $228 set that includes a replica of Link’s Master Sword and shield from Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. This set comes with a sword, shield and scabbard. Its a great option for your favorite cosplayer. Or, maybe a nice house or office warming gift. You just never know - Ganondorf could try and crash your New Years’ party this year.

Create a Home Arcade

If you love someone, really honestly and truly love someone, you’re willing to go into debt for them. What better way to tell your gamer that he or she is special than by gathering together all the necessary pieces for a basement home arcade?

Stop by The Pinball Company website and pick up all the necessary components:

• A Batman Dark Knight pinball machine for $4,495, because you have to have a pinball machine
• A Global Arcade Classics stand-up game cabinet that has over 80 classic arcade games for $3,295.
• A Skee-Ball Classic Alley for $4,695. Wait, better make it two - cause Skee-Ball is awesome. So $9,390.
• An Ms. Pacman cocktail cabinet for $1,695. You can use it as a table, or play games on it! Plus you can pick what games are in it.
• And, the final accent, a Pump It Up NX FX machine with a built-in 42” plasma screen and 135 songs for $10,995. I mean, you don’t want to look cheap.

I’d also suggest going for the $5,295 Zoltar Fortune Teller for ambiance. If you’re going to do this, you’ve got to do it right. So, with Zoltar, the home arcade’ll run you about $35,165. Unless you decide you’re a wuss and leave out Zoltar, then its $29,870. Its not like you were gonna use that money to go do something like buy a car.
Site [ThinkGeek] Site [Hammacher Schlemmer] Site [King of Swords] Site [The Pinball Company]

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Despite what certain financial analysts say, the PlayStation 3 is still a great system to own. Seriously, when is the last time you trusted a financial analyst to tell you anything? Come on, you see how the economy is faring on these people’s advice. Anyway, if you have a PS3 owner on your list this year, here’s a a list for you last minute shoppers. We cover everything from stocking stuffers to the big toys should you need to find something little or be the holiday hero. 

PlayStation Network Prepaid Card: These cards are perfect for those who don’t want to spend a lot of money this year. The values of these cards range from $20, $50 and I believe you can even a name your own value. You can find these cards anywhere games are sold. To clarify, these cards are to be used for the PlayStation Network Store and can be used to purchase games, themes or even that Summer Home in the, uh, PlayStation Home. 

A new hard drive: The great thing about the PS3 besides the Blu-ray player? The fact that the hard drive space is easily expandable without having to purchase a pricey hard drive. You can opt to buy an external USB hard drive (which run from about $85 and up for a decent upgrade) or if the person you are shopping for likes to tinker will things, there are a number of decently priced internal hard drive options to choose from as well. If you are worried about voiding a warranty, don’t be. The manual that comes with the PS3 has a section that specifically tells you how to perform the hard drive upgrade and Sony has even publicly said that it encourages doing this. C-Net and GamePro have decent lists of hard drives and step-by-step instructions for performing the PS3 hard drive upgrade.

Call of Duty: World at War: Does the person you are shopping for really enjoy war games? If so, Call of Duty: World at War is the latest game in the Call of Duty war game series. World at War goes back to the series’ roots with a World War II setting with fighting from Berlin to the Pacific. Met with favorable reviews, the game provides a healthy multiplayer experience both online and with a Co-Op campaign, that will guarantee longevity in this game’s life span.

Valkyria Chronicles: This game is aimed more at the niche audience. If you are shopping for someone who likes anime and strategy games, this is sure-fire winner as a gift. The game takes place in an alternate World War II-like setting and has the player lead the Federation’s 7th Platoon against the evil Empire. Valkyria Chronicles provides fun turn-based strategy action and mixes it with a beautiful artwork that resembles a watercolor painting in action. 

LittleBigPlanet: LittleBigPlanet is quickly becoming the must-own game for the PS3. Mixing imagination with a playful settings, LittleBigPlanet, is something that hasn’t been seen in a video game ever before. Players will explore their way through a main quest, learning how the world of LittleBigPlanet works, then, players can set out to create their own levels and share them with the online community. With already over thousands of games populating the LBP community, players will find non-stop fun throughout the holidays. 

Guitar Hero World Tour Band Kit: Another holiday season, another Guitar Hero game. These games sell like they are going out of style, yet seemingly never do. This year’s Guitar Hero release, offers up a complete rock kit including drums, microphone, bass and guitar. The game offers up 86 tracks out of the box and now, the ability to create your own tracks. World Tour also offers players the opportunity to completely customize their own characters, instruments, and band logos. Of course, if you are tired of the plastic instruments clogging the living room up, you can purchase just the game as well.

Read [C-Net] Also Read [GamePro] Also Read [GamerTell]

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Wii gamers - and those who shop for Wii gamers - you know that your task this holiday season is daunting. You see, the Wii has some fantastic, amazing games. And it has a hell of a lot more terrible, crappy pieces of shovelware. You have to sift through the gargantuan pile of complete crap to find the gems - but don’t despair. We’ve got a nice, comprehensive list of 2008’s very best Wii titles - and a few older picks for new owners.

If you’re a new Wii owner

Congratulations, you’ve got one! And that means you should experience the best of the best of the console’s first two years. Everyone should check out Super Mario Galaxy, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Metroid Prime 3. All three are fantastic entries in a respected Nintendo franchise - and must-play games. Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure is another 2007 entry - and a fantastic, if challenging, adventure/puzzle title.

If you’re new to this whole games thing
So, don’t freak out if you’re too new to try out the rather complex Twilight Princess. There’s Plenty of non-crap that you might love, like the budget priced Pinball sim Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection offers true-to-life pinball play (on classic 1980s and 1990s machines, no less), or the fun, easy-to-pick-up Cooking Mama World Kitchen. Another great suggestion is the “town simulator” Animal Crossing: City Folk, which is a low-stress title filled with shopping, decorating, and communicating with little animal buddies.

If you like to play with others

The Wii is THE system for casual multiplayer gaming, and if you’re looking for a “gateway drug” to draw in non-gamers, you’ve got plenty of choices. Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a great choice for hardcore and casual gamers, as a fighting game/brawler starring about a million Nintendo characters. Music fans will best be served by the “budget” Rock Band Special Edition (at $99 its still steep, but far less expensive than Rock Band 2) For sportos, Mario Super Sluggers offers up surprisingly deep baseball, and if you can find it, Wii Fit offers a decent workout, while Mario Kart Wii is the consummate cartoon racer. Finally, the highest recommended game for gamers who like to play with others has to be Boom Blox - which holds its own as one of the very best party games ever released. The title combines puzzle solving and action in a deceptively simple, physics-based 3D world.

If you like to play alone:

Boom Blox is also has a fantastic one-player mode (with tons of excellent action-puzzle stages) , making it a great game for just about everyone. Single gamers will also love the high-quality adventure found in Bully: Scholarship Edition, Okami and Sam & Max Season One. de Blob - a colorful platform/puzzler - is another great choice for the slightly more hardcore. Finally, No More Heroes is an awesome, meta, open-world statement on gamers. Good stuff.

So that’s all folks. Be sure to check out our list of Wii disappointments for a few ideas on what NOT to buy, and keep the Wii love strong. Merry Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa!

Read [Disappointing Wii Games] Read [Best non-game stuff for gamers]

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Duh statement of the century: gamers love to play games. However, most gamers also love to read about, watch, wear and hear about games or game-related stuff, so we put together a hot little list of non-game items that gamers will go gaga over this holiday. Besides - we can be a notoriously hard-to-shop-for bunch - so check out the following items for the elusive gamer on your holiday shopping list.

Left 4 Dead Movie Poster Pack - If you or your gamer can’t get enough of Valve’s magnificent zombie-blasting game, consider nabbing this 4-pack of posters based on the game’s 4 action-flick “scenarios”. Themed after cheesy action and B-horror movie posters, this is the perfect gift for a popcorn cinephile/gamer with braaaaains.

This Gaming Life novel - Gamers can be a very brainy bunch, and we like to encourage the reading of non-screen-based text here. This entry was praised by Crispy Gamer writer Troy S. Goodfellow, who called the work “year’s most interesting game-themed book” and deserves a read by anyone at all interested in the intersections between game culture and world culture. Fascinating stuff.

Gamer Tees at Jinx.com - We listed these in the Cheap-ass gift guide, but these awesome game-centric tees are just too awesome not to pick up for a hardcore gamer on any budget. All decked out in popular gamer-isms and graphics, these shirts are comfortable and kick-ass, a winning combination.

WarGames: 25th Anniversary Edition DVD - Oh man, if you haven’t seen Wargames (about the finest example of 1980s filmmaking about videogames, next to perhaps, Cloak and Dagger), you haven’t lived! Gamers tend to be nostalgic for this “gamer nerd who actually wields military power” flick - and it’s well worth a watch for non-gamers as well.

Megaman 9 Original Soundtrack - For retro gamers or game music lovers, this one is a must-buy. Featuring all the gorgeous, blippy tunes from the so-hardcore-it-hurts title, gamers will be excused if they do a little victory dance upon finding this one under the tree (or other holiday decoration!)

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Ok, so, here’s the unhappy truth. The economy is in the toilet, lots of folks are tightening their proverbial belts, and gamers can be a pretty expensive bunch to buy gifts for. But here’s the good news - with a little resourcefulness, you can make your gamer (or yourself) a very happy camper without blowing the holiday budget. In our handy guide to gifting gamers on the cheap, we’ve compiled some of the best under-$30 goodies for players.

Space Invaders Extreme (DS or PSP, $20 or less) - this little retro fantastic gem was budget priced at $20 the day it came out, so finding this one for even cheaper shouldn’t be a problem. The game offers twitch shooter action that most gamers (at least those who were around in the ‘70s and ‘80s) love, with an audiovisual overhaul and deep, upgraded gameplay.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters DVD ($19.99 or less) - The King of Kong is an incredibly entertaining documentary that delves deep within the world of retro-game world championship. The core conflict centers on nice-guy Steve Wiebe and hilarious egomaniac Billy Mitchell as they contend against each other for the world record score in Donkey Kong. Every gamer should have this one.

Burnout Paradise (PS3 or Xbox 360, $30 or less) This gorgeous open-world racer came out early in the year, and developer Criterion has since released a ton of free downloadable content for it. Yes, there’s paid DLC in the future as well, but this game still delivers so much bang for it’s buck that not recommending it to value-starved gamers would be a crime. It’s fast, it’s furious, and it’s more than worth it’s sticker price.

Mega Man 9 (WiiWare, Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, $10) - Megaman 9 is the consummate gift for hardcore gamers raised in the glory days of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Tough as nails, and totally satisfying, Megaman 9 will provide hours on hours of gameplay (and frustration!) for it’s $10.

Gamer Tees at Jinx.com ($19.99-20.99) - Jinx has the very coolest in geek and gamer-related t-shirts, which any true gamer would be thrilled to rock. They’ve got girls and guys covered - so this is the perfect gift for any gamer.

Read [Gamertell]

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Amid all the holiday scrambling to sites like Amazon, GameStop, and even eBay you may have overlooked Overstock.com. Yeah, the site’s commercials neglect to mention the fact the company also sells video games, as if it’s some dirty secret. In any case, Overstock’s dirty laundry is your gain.

Overstock.com is currently running a “4-Day Video Game Super Sale” that covers everything except the PlayStation Portable and lasts until December 16, 2008.

The deals are actually surprisingly good and cover a lot of demographics from kids to those young adults and even the matures. Here’s a few game savers from the sale:

• Guitar Hero Aerosmith for Xbox 360 and PS3 - $52.88 and on PS2 for $47.88
• Mario Super Sluggers - $24.95
• Soul Calibur IV for PS3 and Xbox 360 - $29.98
• Madden NFL 2009 for PS3 - $29.98
• Grand Theft Auto IV for PS3 and Xbox 360 - $24.88

That’s just a taste of what you can look forward to saving on. So if you have any gamers left on your shopping lists, now’s the time to last minute save and remember, shipping is just $2.95.

Site [Overstock.com] Read [CAG] Via [PS3 Fanboy]

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So what do you get the gamer who has everything? The real question is, what shouldn’t you get him?

For those of you who are worried about getting the wrong gift for that hardcore gamer you love, here is a quick list that should help point out some bad gift ideas.

Top Ten Worst Gift Ideas for the Hardcore Gamer

10. A Book. They do enough reading during the game, especially if playing a good role-playing game. Frankly what gamer has any extra time to dedicate to A Tale of Two Cities?

09. Nice clothes. A Hardcore gamer never goes out on the town, more or less out of his room. Besides, they have an image to keep up.

8. Mittens or boxing gloves. They restrict the movement in your fingers and are bulky. You can’t possible hold a controller and press buttons while wearing them so they are, in turn, useless.

7. Board games. The only people hardcore gamers know are either busy playing games themselves or are people they only talk to online. So unless the board game is on the computer, they would have no one to play with.

6. A needlepoint kit. With both hand (and sometimes feet) being used at all times, this wonderful craft would just go to waste.

5. A gym membership. All the exercise a hardcore gamer needs can be done with either Wii Fit or Dance Dance Revolution. Plus they never leave their house.

4. DVD player. Almost all the new systems can play DVDs and the PS3 can play Blu-rays. Besides, games take up most of their time so the hardcore gamer does very little DVD watching.

3.  Gift cards - ...to a store that doesn’t sell video games or accessories. Lets be honest, that would just never get used.

2. A salad spinner. It’s a lame gift, don’t buy it. Ever. For anyone.

And the worst gift idea for the hardcore gamer,

1. Tea. Tea is simply never hardcore.

There you have it. A little gift guide that you might want to print out and carry along with you when you shop, thus avoiding any embarrassment or angry gamers this holiday season. When in doubt, always remember; gift receipts are your friends!

Read [Chris.Pirillo.com] Also Read [N4G.com]

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ThinkGeek has released its December 2008 holiday catalog and few familiar items have returned including the Grow Your Own 1UP Mushroom, Halo and World of Warcraft action figures, Halo 3 full-size weapon replicas, Tetrius magnets, Zelda Ocarinahttp://www.gamertell.com/gaming/comment/thinkgeek-promotes-music-with-ocarinas/, Mana Energy Potion, R/C Mario Racer and the 8-bit Tie.

New kewl stuff includes:

• Sega Pekoppa Robot Plant - $29.99. This faux plant responds to voice commands. Yes, talking to your plants will yield an immediate response.
• Mario & Luigi 10 in. Vinyl Figures - $17.99. Name says it all. Plastic and looking dashing.
• Tuttuki Bako Virtual Finger Game -  $49.99. Put you finger ion a box and pet pixelated pets. No, really.
• Mario Kart WiiMote Projection Light - $5.99. a keychain that shines Mario. it’s the best way to blind your buddies.

Other kewl stuffs on the web site include:

• Electronic Drum Kit Shirt - $29.99. Beat your own chest like a fiend or let the ladies give it a go.
• Hello Kitty Ornament Set - $7.99 on sale. Hang a little Japanese pussy from your tree. The kids will love it.
• Mario Galaxy Super Ball - $3.99. Bouncy, pouncy fun fun fun.  rubber balls with Nintendo goodies inside.
• Zelda Phantom Hourglass Mini Plush - $6.99. Cute, plushy and Zelda-y.
• Dragon Ball Z Sound Drops - $4.99. I hope they don’t shout all the time.
• Mario Galaxy Sound Drop Set - $29.99. Yep, the whole set of little sound makin’ keychains.
• Mario Galaxy Mini Figure Set - $17.99. Tiny PVCs are Weee! (or should that be “Wiiiiiii?”)
• 8-Bit Dynamic Life Shirt - $11.99 - $24.99. Your lifebar (pixelated hearts) get brighter as you get warmer for his or her form. Unfortunately, you need two shirt for this to work properly.

Spend $40 or more and use the code SHIPFREE for free shipping on orders placed through Sunday, December 14, 2008.

If you do order, tell ‘em Gamertell sent ya. Maybe they’ll send us a free shirt or a coupon or something. Or not.

Read [Gamertell] Site [ThinkGeek]

NOTE: Images borrowed from the ThinkGeek web site.

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Product: dreamGear’s Wii Dual Glow Sabers (aka Dual Glow Lightsabers for Wii)
Price: $34.99 (usually $19.99 or less)
Rating: One thumb sideways, one thumb down; 67/100; D+; * 1/2 out of five.
Pros: You get two in one package. Light construction does not interfere with motion. Hilt is very shiny.
Cons: Does not make any of the great Star Wars lightsaber noises. Uneven illumination. A bit chintzy.
Overall: Like most lightsaber toys, a bit of a letdown since it does not make any sounds of its own. My almost-two-year-old loves to swing one around (sans WiiMote, of course). Only get this if it’s deeply discounted.

Intended to be used with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (and suggested to go with No More Heroes and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) for Wii, dreamGear’s Dual Glow Sabers are WiiMote holsters that are intended to provide the illusion of wielding a lightsaber while gaming

Unfortunately, the idealized wonder of an actual Lightsaber meant this accessory had too much working against it before it was even made.

The Power of Plastic

The set contains two sabers, one that glows red and the other that glows blue.

The Glow Sabers are all plastic and ship in two pieces each: the shiny hilt (aka cradle) where you insert your WiiMote and the saber. The hilt is 7 3/8 in. tall and slightly larger in all dimensions than the WiiMote. The saber that has 4 1/2 in. of silver and the rest,  12 3/8 in., is opaque plastic. To power the light in the Saber, 2 AAA batteries go into a battery slot in the silver section of the saber (and is covered by a standard snap-on cover).

Each fully-constructed Saber with 2 AAA batteries, sans WiiMote, weighs only 4.4 oz (125 g). A WiiMote is inserted into the hilt of the Saber which also has an open area for your WiiMote’s strap and another for the controller’s trigger button. There is a small button on the silver section of the saber to turn the light on and off so it does not drain the WiiMote’s battery and can be illuminated whether or not the WiiMote is inserted in the cradle.

To see the Sabers in action, check out this YouTube video from dreamGear:

The Dark Side

Lightsabers are long, metallic, brightly glowing marvels that makes dern cool noises. In order to accomplish all of that, dreamGear would have had to have made a larger, more expensive device that would have required more batteries which, in turn would have made it pretty much unwieldy for a video game accessory.

In order to keep the accessory super light so you aren’t weighed down by it and the WiiMote together, the plastic has to be super light which, in turn, gives each Saber a cheap, chintzy toy feeling. The slight rattling the battery cover makes while you shake and the uneven glow in the saber portion also don’t help maintain the illusion.

In the more positive side,  the Sabers are not especially heavy so they don’t impede game play or cause much more exhaustion than playing with only a WiiMote. Also, due to the Sabers’ relatively short length (which also does not help with the illusion), they should not cause too much damage when swinging them around your family room. (Remember kids, keep those WiiMote straps tight. Just not too tight.)

Play or Play Not?

dreamGear certainly did not have an easy task in creating a Lightsaber cradle. I give the company credit for creating a cradle that is light enough to not hinder gameplay while maintaining some of the look of a lightsaber.

There are a few “ifs” that will determine whether or not you should buy this: If the gamer primarily playing with this is younger than 10, if you are getting or already own Star Wars: Unleashed for Wii (and your 10-year-old likes it), if you have zero breakables or valuables in your gaming room and if you can find this at least half the retail price (which may already be possible), then go ahead and stuff this in your kid’s stocking. Otherwise, this will likely collect dust in your bin of cooler-in-the-store-than-in-actuality game accessories.

Product Page [Wii Dual Glow Sabers]

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As a counterpart to my earlier list of disappointing Wii games, I’ve put together a year-end list of the best unexpected surprises on Nintendo’s handheld. Like the last list, these aren’t just notable games - they’re titles that weren’t looking so hot (or they arrived under the radar), and they turned out to be awesome. See gamers? Happy endings are possible.

Keep these puppies in mind for holiday shopping - everybody loves a good handheld game in their stocking.

5. Legend of Kage 2
A game that came out of nowhere, Kage 2 is a sequel to a so-so arcade and NES game from the mid 1980s. This sort of description usually doesn’t bode well, but Kage 2 was incredibly fun, with tons of old-school ninja ass-kicking action and challenging boss battles. Pick this one up if you’re craving seriously meaty action on the go.

4. Professor Layton and the Curious Village
This game may have gotten a bit more exposure than many others on the list, but I personally wasn’t expecting it to be so good - or so challenging. Blending adventure with seriously tough puzzles, Professor Layton proved the perfect fit for brainy gamers weaned off of all the sudoku and crossword games on the DS.

3. Sonic Chronicles: Dark Brotherhood
The idea of a Sonic The Hedgehog turn-based RPG is diametrically opposed to all things holy in Sonic games - speed and platforming. Lo and behold, Bioware was able to step it up, and Dark Brotherhood turned out to be the best Sonic game in years.

2. Space Invaders Extreme
This game came out of nowhere and blew critics away with its smart, intuitive, and totally revolutionary gameplay. Despite it’s stupid name and budget price, the title represents one of the very best retro-revival games I’ve ever seen, taking the 1977 classic and updating it with a deep power up system, tons of new enemy types, and a hyper, techo-neon aesthetic.

1. Ninjatown
I beat Ninjatown weeks ago, and I’m still planning strategies for later maps - I’ve got this game on the brain. I certainly wasn’t expecting much from this humble, super-cute little “desktop-defense style” strategy title, until I literally couldn’t put it down. It’s really that good.

Read [disappointing Wii games]

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The holiday shopping season is in full swing - and retailers are only too happy to offer deals this year, since consumer confidence is… shall we say, not what it used to be. Toys R Us has one of the coolest deals we’ve seen in awhile, with hefty discounts on the good stuff.

From Cheap Ass Gamer, we have the details via an ad scan:

Buy one game (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, or PS2) $29.99 and up, get $20 off a second $29.99 or up game
Buy one game (DS/PSP) $29.99 and up, get $10 off a second $29.99 or up game
Buy any game $19.99 or less, get 50% off a second $19.99 game

That’s right - this isn’t just a discount on some fourth-rate Wii game knock-off, this is serious money-saving on good games. Looks like you can easily net yourself a copy of The Orange Box and BioShock on the 360 for around $40 - imagine that! If you’re going for some of this fall’s heaviest hitters (like Gears 2 and Left 4 Dead) it’ll still get you a solid discount.

Read [Cheap Ass Gamer] Read [Toys R Us Ad]

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You know a company is hurting when, on the inside of one of its print adverts, an executive for the company is essentially begging for your business.

In a half-page segment printed to look like a lovely letter sent just to you from Circuit City Stores, Inc.‘s Vice Chairman, Jim Marcum, the company admits that it “lost sight of what is important - you, our customers,” and promises a “much better store experience” and that you “can continue to shop with confidence.” It also goes on to promise that “[r]eturns and exchanges will be done quickly and easily and gift cards and Circuit-City-branded credit cards will be honored at more than 500 locations nationwide.” You can check out the full letter in the Photo Gallery.

On to the game deals. The prices in this advert are effective December 7 through December 13, 2008.

• Free mini purse or travel case with purchase of and DS system ($10 value). DSes are $129.99 each.
• $15 off ($44.99) Quantum of Solace (PS3, Xbox 360), Saints Row 2 (PS3, Xbox 360), Left for Dead (Xbox 360), Fallout 3 (PS3, Xbox 360) and Farcry 2 (PS3,  Xbox 360)
• 25% off Nerf N-Strike ($44.99) and a three-pack of games (looks like Viva Pinata, Shrek the Third and a Sonic game for $22.99, reg. $29.909)
• 25% off Madden NFL 09 ($44.99, PS3, Xbox 360), NCAA Football ($44.99, PS3, Xbox 360), NBA Live 09 ($44.99, PS3,  Xbox 360) and Tiger Woods PGA Tour All Play ($37.49, Wii)
• $10 off ($89.99) Rock Band Bundle for Wii or PS2.
Xbox 360 and PS3 version for $129.99. Wii system for $249 and Wii Fit with Balance Board for $89.99 with a note that “vouchers will be handed out 1 hour prior to store opening.” Datel Wired Controller for Wii for $12.00
• Nyko Charge Station for $29.99. Includes a free extra battery.
• $5 off Wii Fit accessories including the Verge cover ($14.99) and Nexxtech rechargeable battery ($14.99).
Four Wii games listed for $24.99 each: Block Party, a Shrek party game, Little League World Series Baseball and Monster Jam: Urban Assault.
• On the back page is a Guitar Hero World Tour bundle (“Complete Guitar Game” meaning it includes the guitar) for $99.99 that includes a free $10 gift card.
• $10 Verge 2-in-1 adapter for DS.
• $18 wired headset for Xbox 360.
• $45 Xbox 360 wireless controller (reg. $50).
• Xbox 360 Pro bundle with two free games for $299.99 (Lego Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda - hey,  we saw that same deal at Dell, too!)
• Super Mario DS for $23.99 and Star Wars: Clone Wars for DS for $34.99.
• Free copy of Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 when you buy Endwar for $59.99 (PS3 or Xbox 360).
• There’s also 1 GB iPod Shuffles for $46.99 and select Blu-ray movies for $14.99 each.

Site [Circuit City: Gaming] Photo Gallery [Gamertell] Read [Gamertell]

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Oh Dell, just when we thought you had gone the way of the Wii for your console relations, you sneak in a little something extra.

In Dell’s printed Holiday Gift Guide for December 2008, hidden under an extra flap from the front cover adhered with sticky goo is a deal called the “Xbox 360 60GB HD Holiday Bundle. The bundle includes a 60 GB Xbox 360 Pro and two free games, Lego Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda. Priced at $299, it’s an OK deal since it includes two free games (which is essentially $100 off).

If you didn’t bother to peal back the flap you’d completely miss it, especially since it’s surrounded by Dell small print babble and eclipsed by a giant image of the Dell Inspiron 1525 notebook ($599 for $225 in savings) on the same page

In searching the Dell site, turns out there is much more Microsoft and Sony console stuff there than previously thought. To make the above bundle seem sweeter, Dell is also selling the same bundle with Madden NFL 09 for $358.99.

Read [Gamertell] Site [Dell]

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I’ve stumbled upon some price drops on Amazon for some games that don’t seem to be connected to anything. They could be leftover stock from the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales but it really doesn’t matter. Lower prices on games means more money in our wallets for more games.

This isn’t a particularly big list but it’s useful to have when trying to figure out what to buy that special someone (or yourself) for the upcoming holidays. Most of the games on this list are for the PS3 or Xbox 360 as no Wii deals really stood out all that much. I have no idea how long these prices will stay as they are so start clicking and spreading the word:

Various Game Deals

• Grand Theft Auto IV Xbox 360 ($35.99)
• Grand Theft Auto IV PS3 ($39.99)
• Fallout 3 Xbox 360 ($49.99)
• Fallout 3 PS3 ($54.99)
• Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar Bundle Xbox 360, PS3, Wii ($69.99) PS2 ($59.97)
• Resistance 2 Collector’s Edition PS3 ($59.96)
• Far Cry 2 PS3 ($49.96)
• Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction PS3 ($33.99)
• Brother’s in Arms: Hell’s Highway PS3, Xbox 360 ($19.99)
• Midnight Club: Los Angeles PS3 ($38.99) Xbox 360 ($39.99)
• BioShock PS3 ($44.99)

Site [Amazon]

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Amazon is keeping the holiday cheer coming with its 15 Days, 15 Deals offer. Amazon will have one exclusive videogame deal every day until December 24, 2008, that is sure to make someone very happy this holiday season.

The deal for today is for those who have yet to own a PS3. Amazon has 500 160GB consoles that include a copy of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, a voucher for the PSN title PAIN and a Dualshock 3 controller for the pretty standard price of $499.99. The deal here is that Amazon is throwing in LittleBigPlanet for free with each order. This offer is only good while supplies last and is limited to one console per household.

The 160GB model is the largest Sony has ever offered. As with other models that were released after the first batch of 80GB units, it does not include backwards compatibility with PS2 games nor does it have built-in flash card readers. It does have 2 USB ports that can easily be expanded through a third party accessory.

The two games that are included are some of the brightest jewels the PS3 library has to offer and are must have titles for any avid gamer. Remember this sale will only be available today (December 4, 2008)

Purchase [Amazon]

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Wal-Mart’s Cyber Monday deals are now in full effect. There is no shortage of games here at all. Granted a lot of them are titles a lot of us have never heard of before, but the list is so expansive you’re bond to find something to pick up. The best deals have to be for Xbox 360 bundles that include Guitar Hero World Tour for $269. The game deals for DS, PS2, Xbox 360, Wii and PSP come in pairs for one price. With the exception of the PSP, you can choose two games for $30. The list in it’s entirety follows:

Xbox 360

• Xbox 360 Arcade Console w/ Guitar Hero III & World Tour Wireless Guitar Bundle ($269)
Xbox 360 Pro 60GB Console w/ Guitar Hero III & World Tour Wireless Guitar Bundle ($369)
• Rock Band 2 Special Edition Bundle w/ Bonus AC/DC LIVE Track Pack (Xbox 360) ($189)
• Select 2 for $30: College Hoops 2K8, MLB 2K8, FIFA Street 3, NCAA Football ‘08, Superman Returns: The Videogame, Moto GP 2007, NCAA March Madness 2007, Virtua Tennis 3, NCAA Football ‘07, World Series of Poker 2008, Kameo: Elements of Power, Dead Rising, NBA Live ‘07, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Blitz: The League, Samurai Warriors 2: Empires, History Channel Battle Pacific, Spider-Man 3, Fuzion Frenzy 2, Jumper, Bomberman: Act Zero, Need for Speed Carbon, Sonic the Hedgehog

PS3

• Rock Band 2 Special Edition Bundle w/ Bonus AC/DC LIVE Track Pack ($189)

PS2

• PlayStation 2 Limited Edition LEGO Batman Bundle w/ $30 Gift Card ($139)
• Playstation 2 Limited Edition Ceramic White w/ SingStar Pop Bundle ($99)
• 2 for $30 Sonic Riders, MVP ‘06 NCAA Baseball, Blitz: The League, Dynasty Warriors 4, Harley Davidson Motorcycle, Dancing With The Stars, Bloody Roar 3, Fantastic 4, Shrek 2: The Game, Star Trek: Conquest, State of Emergency 2, Heavenly Guardian, Midnight Club 2, Zathura, Gran Turismo 3, Sly Cooper, Ratchet and Clank, Ratchet and Clank 3, Disney’s Kim Possible: What’s the Switch, Monster House, Micro Machines V4, Funkmaster Flex’s Digital Hitz Factory with microphone, Super Pick Ups, Mountain Bike Adrenaline, Legend of the Dragon, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon 2, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, Mystic Heroes, Rise of the Kasai, Dragon Ball Z Budokai, Godzilla Unleashed, Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminous, Aqua Teen Hunger Force Zombie Ninja Pro-Am, Cabelas North American Hunter, Cabelas Big Game Hunter, BUZZ: The Mega Quiz, Reservoir Dogs, Timesplitters, Viewtiful Joe 2, NCAA March Madness ‘07, Endgame, Crash Bandicoot: Twinsanity, Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows, LA Rush 2, Cabela’s African Safari, History Channel: Battle for the Pacific, Madagascar, Gun, Malice, Falling Stars, Pinball Hall of Fame Williams, Ford Off-Road Racing, Codename: Kids Next Door, WWE: Smackdown vs. Raw, Shifters, Garfield: Lasagna Tour, Summer Athletics, Fatal Fury Battle Archives V2, Speed Kings, C.A.R.T. Fury: Championship Racing, Killzone, V-Rally 3, Warriors of Might & Magic

Wii

• Select 2 for $30: Alien Syndrom, Alone in the Dark, Anubis II, Artic Tale, Avatar: Burning Earth, Balloon Pop, Balls of Fury, Battle of the Bands, Ben 10: Protector of Earth, Blast Works: Build, Fuse & Destroy, Bratz Movie Stars, Cabelas Big Game Hunter, Cars, Chicken Shoot, Cocoto Kart Racer, Crash of the Titans, Defendin’ de Penguin, Dewey’s Adventure, Emergency Mayhem, FIFA ‘08, Freddi Fish, Game Party, Golden Compass, Harvey Birdman, History Channel Battle Pacific, Hot Wheels Beat That, Igor, Indy 500, Jenga World Tour, Kawasaki Quad Bikes, Legend of the Dragon, Let’s Off Road, Loony Toons Acme Arsenal, M&M’s Kart Racing, Mercury Meltdown Revolution, Mini Desktop Racing, Mirra BMX Challenge, Monkey King, Monster Trux Arena, My Word Coach, Myth Makers, Trixie in Toyland, Ninja Reflex, Off Road Extreme, Petz Catz 2, Pool Party, Prince of Persia: Rival Swords, Rapala Tournament Fishing, Red Steel, Resident Evil 4, Rock And Roll Adventures, Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure, Showtime Championship Boxing, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, Spy Fox In Dry Cereal, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, Surf’s Up, Ten Pin Alley 2, Ultimate Board Game Collection, Wild Earth African Safari

DS

• Nintendo DS Lite, Limited Edition Ice Blue w/ 2 Games & Carrying Case ($158)
• Nintendo DS Lite, Limited Edition Mario Red w/ 2 Games ($158)
• 2 for $30: 1 vs. 100, Animal Genius, ATV/Monster Truck Mayhem, B-17 Flying Fortress, Babysitting Mania, Barbie Island Princess, Barnyard Blast, Bleach The Blade of Faith, Boogie, Brain Challenge, Bratz Ponyz, Cake Mania, Championship Pony, Chicken Shoot, Code Lyoko, Danny Phantom Urban Jungle, Drake & Josh, Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends, Godzilla Unleashed, Golden Compass, Gourmet Chef, Guitar Rock Tour, Homie Rollers, Hot Wheels Beat That, Indy 500, Interactive Story Books 2,3, Left Brain Right Brain, M&M’s Kart Racing, Mahjong Quest, Margot’s Word Brain, Master of Illusion, Mind Quiz: Your Brain Coach, My French Coach, Napoleon Dynamite, Orcs & Elves, Professional Fisherman’s Tour, Puzzle de Harvest Moon, Puzzler Collection, Scurge Hive, Showtime Championship Boxing, Snood 2: On Vacation, Sonic Rush, Suzuki Superbikes, That’s So Raven: Psychic on the Scene, Uno/Skip-Bo/Uno Freefall, Wiffle Ball Advance, Zoey 101, Zoo Hospital

PSP

• 2 for $20: Virtua Tennis 3, Alien Syndrome, Capcom Classics Collection Remixed, Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, Mega Man Powered Up, Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded, Crash Team Racing, Marvel Trading Card Game, Twisted Metal: Head On, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, Hot Wheels Ultimate Racing, Ultimate Board Game Collection, Mercury Meltdown, Rainbow Islands Revolution

Purchase [Wal-Mart]

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Amazon is doing a great job of turning me into an every day lurker because it just keeps surprising me with its unbelievable deals on video games. In what I assume is an ode to Cyber Monday, Amazon is currently offering some great role-playing games (including brand new releases and pre-roders) at rock-bottom prices. This means that in addition to taking advantage of these thrifty sales tags, shoppers will also save on sales tax and receive free shipping so long as the order totals $25 or more.

It’s hard to say how long these prices will stay up, so you had better act fast and take advantage of these bargain bin finds. It looks like RPG fans will be able to stuff themselves full of something else besides just turkey this holiday season.

Nintendo DS:

Chrono Trigger
MSRP: $39.99
Amazon Sale Price: $36.99

Luminous Arc 2 (includes soundtrack CD)
MSRP: $39.99
Amazon Sale Price: $33.99

Rune Factory 2 (includes gift w/ purchase)
MSRP: $29.99
Amazon Sale Price: $14.95

Sony PSP:

Star Ocean: First Departure
MSRP: $39.99
Amazon Sale Price: $29.95

Playstation 2:

Eternal Poison
MSRP: $39.99
Amazon Sale Price: $19.95

Shin Megami Tensei Persona 3 FES (includes soundtrack CD and artbook)
MSRP: $49.99
Amazon Sale Price: $19.95

Shin Megami Tensei Persona 4
MSRP: $39.99
Amazon Sale Price: $34.99

Xbox 360:

Infinite Undiscovery
MSRP: $59.99
Amazon Sale Price:$18.95

The Last Remnant
MSRP: $59.99
Amazon Sale Price: $29.95

Nintendo Wii:

Tales Of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
MSRP: $39.99
Amazon Sale Price: $36.99

Site [Amazon] Read [Gamertell]

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Still looking for perfect stocking stuffer ideas for that gamer guy or girl in our life? Well, The Denver Video Game Examiner has a list of the top ten most ass-kicking game-related T-shirts you’ll ever see. Seriously, these are fantastic, and any gamer worth his/her salt would be proud to rock any of them.

My personal favorites have to be the “Bioshocker” Tee (since I may be a bit unhealthily obsessed with that game, and the graphic is just perfect!) and the very pretty, very artful Tetris shirt. They’re incredibly inappropriate/funny and beautifully understated, respectively. I’m not exactly sure what that says about me, but hey, it’s all good. All the info needed to purchase the shirts is on the site, so get shopping if you’re interested.

Read [The Denver Video Game Examiner] Via [Kotaku]

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By now we’ve licked our wounds and recovered from the madness that’s known as Black Friday. Even though waiting in long lines in blustery cold weather is over, deals on games are still running strong.

Amazon still has some pretty amazing deals that will last until Monday (December 1, 2008). For example, how would you like to own Far Cry 2 for $17.95 or Infinite Undiscovery for $18.95? Say what you will about some reviews but these games are certainly worth one Andrew Jackson. There are steals like these spread out across all consoles and this list will cover some of the most notable. Most of these games are eligible for free shipping if your total purchase exceeds $25. These bargains won’t be around for much longer so get to it.

Xbox 360

Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway ($17.95)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed ($29.95)
Alone in the Dark ($11.95)
Infinite Undiscovery ($18.95)
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe Collector’s Edition ($44.95)
PURE ($29.95)

PS3

Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway ($17.95)
Resistance 2 Collector’s Edition ($59.99)
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Wireless Bundle ($49.95)
PURE ($29.95)
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe Collector’s Edition ($44.95)
WWE Smackdown vs. Raw ‘09 Collector’s Edition ($39.95)

Wii

Trauma Center: New Blood ($14.96)
Wii Fit Balance Board Mat ($4.95)
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Wireless Bundle ($49.95)
Top Spin 3 ($19.95)
Wario Land: Shake It! ($29.95)

PC

PURE ($4.95)
Far Cry 2 ($17.95)
Spore Creepy and Cute Parts Pack ($4.95)
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Expansion ($25.95)

PSP

Star Ocean: First Departure ($29.99)
God of War: Chains of Olympus ($19.95)
Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops Plus ($9.95)

DS

Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 ($14.96)
Touchmaster ($4.95)
Guitar Hero: On Tour ($29.95)
Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff ($14.95)

Site [Amazon] Read [Cheap Ass Gamer]

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Over at Crispy Gamer, writer Troy Goodfellow recently posted a fantastic list of the best books about gaming (all published within the last year), which make perfect stocking stuffers for gamers. On the list is the oldster-friendly Wii for Dummies and the incredibly intriguing sounding Rogue Leaders: The Story of LucasArts. Everything on the list is totally worth a read, especially for brainy gamers who like to know a bit more about their hobby of choice.

Also on the list are the season’s best game-related flicks, from the long-awaited DVD release of Wargames to the very, very awesome The King of Kong. Again, this is prime stocking stuffer country for gamers. Hint, hint.

Read [Crispy Gamer]

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Crispy Gamer has put together one of the most innovative Holiday gift lists I’ve ever seen. Pairing gifts that not-necessarily-gamers might want, with games that go along with the subject matter, they’ve made a very handy reference guide to gaming “gateway drugs”. For example, say your loved one is asking for golf clubs. Pair that up with Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds and viola! - you’ve made a gamer.

My personal favorite on the list (and the one I believe makes the most sense) is the pairing of running shoes with Mirror’s Edge. Clearly, any runner worth his/her sweatband will appreciate the feeling of speed, velocity, and superhuman physicality in the innovative title (and I say that as a runner myself). Also awesome is the suggestion of adding LEGO Batman: The Videogame or Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe with a gift of superhero action figures. Genius!

Check out the rest of the list for more great game pairings.

Read [Crispy Gamer]

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Even if you didn’t get up at the crack of dawn this morning to participate in the mass hysteria that is Black Friday, you can still get some amazing buys all day online. For Mac gamers (and yes, we exist) the Apple store is offering some kick-ass buys on popular games - today only. You can pick up Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare for $44 (which is a discount of $10.95). Age of Empires III is also $44 (same discount) while more casually-oriented fare like The Sims 2 is going for $38 (at a discount of $11.95). Music fans can snap up a copy of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith (with a guitar controller) for $68.00 (this one’s $11.95 off).

There are also some sweet deals on iPods and other software, so head to the Apple store (or better yet, the online apple store) to snag the deals.

Read [Apple]

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Last week, we went over some import PSP games that might make a special someone’s holiday just a little more merry. Now, to sort of round things out, we’ll look at import DS games people might love to get as gifts this year. Since both the handheld systems are region free, an import game can be an extra special gift.

All of these games are already released and should be immediately available through any online import store. So hopefully you’ll have no trouble finding and ordering the ones that interest you.

Title: Sigma Harmonics
Price: $54.90
Genre: Adventure/Action RPG
Import Friendly?  Its a mystery adventure with RPG elements, so for the most part - no. You could get it and stumble your way through, but it may be easier to wait and see if Square Enix announces a localization in 2009. If you’re fluent, you’ll be fine and you’ll enjoy it.
Perfect for…? Phoenix Wright, Time Hollow and Square Enix fans.
What’s it about? Somehow, the Great Clock, a giant grandfather clock which seals away Ouma (demons), was tampered with, and the Ouma got out and altered the past. So Sound User Sigma Kurogami, whose family is charged with protecting the Great Clock, and his Card User friend Neon Tsukiyumi have to find out where things went wrong, banish the Ouma and restore the rightful timeline.

Title: Princess Maker 4 DS Special Edition
Price: $48.90
Genre: Simulation/Daughter raising
Import Friendly? If you’ve played Princess Maker games before, you’ll have no problem. If you haven’t, you still shouldn’t have much trouble.
Perfect for…? People who enjoy pet raising sims, girl gamers and quite possible otome (girl’s life sim/dating sim) game fans.
What’s it about? You’re a former war hero, who is charged with raising the half demon/half human daughter of a former associate. You then raise the girl from age 10 to age 18. Depending on how you educate her and raise her, she will end up getting one of 50+ endings.

Title: Daigasso! Band Brothers DX
Price: $48.90
Genre: Music
Import Friendly? After some initial trial and error, there shouldn’t be any problems. You may need to consult a guide online when choosing which additional songs to download over the Nintendo WiFi Connection or when making your own songs.
Perfect for…? Music game fans who want the games to feel more like playing an actual song. JRock and JPop fans would also love this title.
What’s it about? You basically play songs on your DS using the touch screen, face and shoulder buttons. You can also do karaoke for songs that have lyrics. If you get tired of playing songs included, you can download new ones from the Nintendo WiFi Connection or create your own.

Title: Ketsui Death Label
Price: $58.90
Genre: Sh’mup/Shoot ‘em up
Import Friendly? Yes, since its a shooting game. You should have no problems playing it.
Perfect for…? Bangai-O fans.
What’s it about? Its 2054, and the world has flooded duet to global warming. As a result, a war starts over remaining land. The EVAC Industry helps fuel this pointless struggle with massive weapon exports, and so the United Nations forms a “rebel” group of four fighters who will have their wishes granted if they’ll sacrifice their lives to fly in and destroy EVAC Industry.

Title: Densetsu no Stafi: Taiketsu! Dire Kaizokudan
Price: $48.90
Genre: Action/Platformer
Import Friendly? Very. There is text between levels, but you can ignore it.
Perfect for…? Super Mario or Kirby fans.
What’s it about? Basically, there’s this little space rabbit named Rampa who needs the help of Stafi and his friends to collect jewel shards that were lost when Rampa was being pursued by faceless villains. So its up to Stafi, with occasional assistance from his sister Stapi and Rampa, to go through the various stages to collect the pieces.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Portables reviews some import products designed to save your PSP’s screen.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables offered some import PSP gift ideas.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop]

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Tech and computer retail store Micro Center has a whole bunch of stuff on sale starting Black Friday (November 27, 2008) through the whole weekend. It begins at 8 a.m. on Friday and ends 6 p.m. Sunday, November 30, 2008.

Sale items include Acer PCs for $299, 22 in. flat screen monitors for $199, 1GB MP3 player for $0.99, a min tripod for $0.99, cameras,  computers, printers,,  RAM, video recorders, hard drives and more. Some deals may also be availabel on the web site, though not likely the one-day in-store sale items.

There’s a lot so I’ll stick to the game deals for now:

• Friday only, $50 gift card for any Xbox 360 console purchase (Xbox 360 Arcade for $199,  Pro for $299 and Elite for $399)
• Friday only, World of Warcraft for $39.99 and Battle Chest for $19.99 (reg. $39.99)
• Friday only, free $10 gift card with full-price ($59.99) purchase of Fable II, Halo 3 or Gears of War for Xbox 360.
• Two DS bundles, the Cobalt blue with Flash Focus for $139.99 and the Crimson red DS with Mario Party DS for $149.99.
• Build Your Own Wii Bundle for $249.99 - Includes the system, any game and choice of one of three controllers. Appears to be all weekend.
• Free $10 gift card with Mario Kart for Wii purchase for $49.99.
• PS2 Lego Batman bundle for $149 (system, Lego Batman game and Justice League DVD.
• Guitar Hero Aerosmith bundles for all three current consoles for $84.99 each. $74.99 for PS2.

They also always have a great deal on USB thumb drives and SD cards - such as the 8GB for $14.99 - and they rarely run out of those. They store susually have discount bins (including returned items) near the entrance or yellow-tagged on racks between sections.

Strangely, the store in my area has an Apple department and not one Apple-related sale is listed in the print ad.

Read [Micro Center]

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Yeah, you read that headline right. Discount electronics site eCost has an awesome Black Friday offer appropriately named the Outrageous Offer.

According to the graphic, the site will be offering one Wii each hour for US$99 starting at 8:00 a.m. (EST), November 28, 2008. The Wii comes with Wii Sports, sensor bar, stand, a WiiMote and a Nunchuck. The graphic indicates that eCost estimates that only 10 Wiis will be sold at that price.

Update: eCost has changed the deal “due to overwhelming response.” Now, the site’s graphics indicates it will offer one Wii for $99 each day for 10 days, beginning Thanksgiving night (November 27, 2008). The first will be sold some time between 8 and 10 pm, November 27, 2008, while rest of the Wiis will be sold at random times, 1 Wii per day, over the following 9 days (10 Wiis total). (end update)

The s-Wii-t deal (sorry, had to do it) will be available in the Bargain Countdown section of the site. Deals on eCost are often limited by either the amount of items and time, thus a countdown for bargains.

The site has had some decent deals over the years including many free items (I’ve “purchased” a multicard reader and USB WiFi adapter for $0.00 - or “free-ninety-nine, as I like to call it - from eCost in the past). Right now, for example, there’s a 2GB DDR2 SDRAM for $10 (regularly $39.99). The site does charge shipping on top of special offers so be sure to check the details when ordering.

The site also promises to have other Outrageous Offers as indicated by a tiny icon: The Wii deal has yet to be promoted on the site’s home page but was sent to newsletter subscribers today (November 25, 2008).

Product Page [eCost] Read [Gamertell]

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Looking to score an Xbox 360 this Black Friday? There are a number of incredible deals on all of the units - from the basic $199 Arcade, to the $299 60GB HD-inclusive Pro model, right up to the $399 Elite package. While you won’t find a console for less than the listed price, you will find a ton of extra goodies (like games and accessories) thrown in for the asking price - it’s definitely the best time to become a 360 owner.

If you’re looking for extra games:
Just about all of the deals are coming as a “holiday bundle” so most of the units available are already including Lego Indiana Jones and Kung-Fu Panda. On top of this, Best Buy is offering a Pro console bundle with NBA 2K8 and Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground, so that’s 4 games free with the usual price of the console. Dell is offering Rock Band 2 with the Arcade bundle, Gamestop is offering a free copy of Rainbow Six Vegas 2 with any holiday bundle, and Gamecrazy is throwing in Guitar Hero 2 for free with any Pro or Elite Bundle. All of the bundled games are certifiably awesome (with the possible exception of Kung-Fu Panda, but hey, free is free), so go with whatever genre tickles your fancy the most.

If you’d prefer accessories:
Circuit City has a truly kick-ass deal on Arcade units - you’ll get a headset and 20GB refurbished HD for free. Sears also has a sweet deal - any bundle will net you a free wireless controller (that’s a $50 value). If it’s Xbox Live You’re looking for, go with K-Mart’s Pro bundle, which comes with a card good for 12 months of Gold membership.

If you’re more interested in gift cards:
Circuit City’s offering a $30 card with Pro bundles, Radio Shack’s giving away $50 rebate cards with Pro bundles, and Target has the best of the bunch, with a $60 gift card on Pro bundle purchases.

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Full Story » | Written by Danielle Riendeau for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »