Black Friday 2012 Deals

OK, normally I do a Black Friday video game deals post, but for various reasons, this year -- No.

A lot of other fine folks have you covered:

• CheapAssGamer.com (Deals, and their take on the best deals)
• VentureBeat (Deals, and store opening and sales schedule)

Xbox 360

If I were looking for a 250GB Xbox this year, I'd probably track down a "Holiday Bundle" (250GB console, Forza 4 (racing game), and Skyrim (best RPG evahr) -- and I'd probably look at Fry's "order at 11 a.m. Thursday at Frys.com, and pick up at your leisure after 9 a.m. Friday".

For the 4GB Kinect console, it really depends what you want. There are several sales on the Holiday Bundle (Disneyland Adventures & Kinect Adventures), cheaper for non-bundle 4GB Kinect consoles, and Walmart's white 4GB Skylanders Starter Pack Bundle for $149.99 is pretty cool, if you're looking to get into that franchise. Or want a white Xbox 360.

PS3


You can find the PS3 250GB Holiday Bundle (with Uncharted 1 & 2 and Infamous 1 & 2) for $199.99 at a bunch of places -- with TRU throwing in a free 2nd party controller for the same price.

Wii U

Nintendo's just-launched console is selling like hotcakes, so no deals on the console.

A few of the multiplatfrom games also have the Wii U version on sale (like FIFA Soccer 13), and there's the I-doubt-it-will-last Old Navy free Super Mario Bros Wii U game (with $40 purchase, doorbuster with "very limited quantities").

TRU is doing buy one, get one 40% off all games, and it doesn't look like they're excluding Wii U titles.


PS Vita

For the PS Vita, again, it depends on your game preference.

• Action/Adventure game? Find an Assassin's Creed III Liberation system bundle at Amazon or GameStop.
• Shooter fan? the Call of Duty: Black Ops bundle $199.99 at Best Buy, or at TRU or Fry's for extras (an essentials pack or storage card, respectively, for the same price).
• Family fare? The LEGO Batman 2 bundle at Target.

3DS

Best Buy has the best deal for the 3DS Holiday Bundle (flame-red 3DS and Super Mario Land 3D) for $150.

Wii

Nintendo's previous console can be found for $89 for the basic white, or $99 for the sexy black version that includes Wii Sports and Sports Resort.

Games

Games-wise, there are a ton of great deals, depending on your preference. New games like Assassins Creed III, Borderlands, XCOM, and Dishonored can be found at Walmart for $25, the Microsoft Store is selling a ton of $25 games, and I'm hoping snag a $15 copy of Forza Horizon (also at Walmart).

Keep in mind, Amazon is matching most of the big game sales at various times throughout Thursday and Friday.

And don't miss Steam's daily PC games sale now through Monday (new games each day, including 4-packs) -- Ridiculously awesome discounts.

Look at that; I kind of did do a Black Friday post.

More than just CoD

Full disclosure: I dig the Call of Duty / Modern Warfare franchise. I own all of them. I play through the single-player campaigns and multiplayer slaughterfests in each of them.

But there are other games.

My clan has a newsgroup that started years ago as a regional Halo clan (we still have twice yearly, massive linkfests), evolved to a Modern Warfare clan, and now has directed offshoots into Borderlands, Earth Defense Force, and other team-based forays.

Today, someone asked if he could be taken off of non-CoD messages. I piped in that there are other games out there.

His (tongue-in-cheek) response?

"There are other games than cod?"

My (more tongue-in-cheek) response?

"I've heard tell of games -- other games -- that exist in the Wilds of Gameslanderz.

"Games with stories. With characters you believe in. Games not all 'bout killin', and cussin', and being pwned by 12-year-olds.

"It's probably a myth. But, [muted], it's a beautiful myth."

There are other games. Go play them.