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Black Friday 2012: Your one-stop shop for video game deals

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Black Friday is nearly upon us, its yearly sales ready to coerce our money away from us like so many plucked Turkey feathers. The sales are great, but the ubiquity of Black Friday deals can be overwhelming. So we went about making the complexities of Black Friday simple. Welcome to your one-stop destination for a veritable cornucopia of Black Friday deals.

Below, you'll find our roundup of nationwide video game and consoles sales. The best of them are open to interpretation, but rest assured that there are many, many deals and likely more to come.

This is a living document, so be sure to check back for more links and more deals as they're announced. And if you've found a sale or a deal that doesn't appear here, friends and Polynauts, feel free to let everyone know in the comments below.

Organization

We've organized things first by console, then by three easy sub-categories:

    Hardware deals, where you'll find some amazing sales on consoles, which is this season's biggest savings theme.

    Software deals, where you'll find sales on games and services like Xbox Live.

    Accessory deals, where you'll find sales on accessories like controllers.

Whenever possible, we've linked to each product's listing or the ad in which it appears. Unless otherwise noted, each sale begins on Black Friday, though we should note that several retailers begin offering sales before then, while other sales last through the weekend or begin on Cyber Monday, Nov. 26. If a deal is timed, we note it.

And, just so you know how good any particular deal is, we've also noted each retailer's non-sale price when available.

Finally, a note of caution: Just about every sale is only good as long as it's in stock. The ads we've combed through tend to declare "no rainchecks," so generally if you're looking for deals, you'll have to get ‘em quickly. That might mean getting up early and making a day of it.

Jump to: Nintendo 3DS | PS3 | PS VITA | Wii U/ Wii | Xbox 360

Sale hours by retailer

Turns out that Black Friday doesn't necessarily start on Friday, Nov. 23, so here's the breakdown of when Black Friday sales start at each retailer:

  • Amazon's deals run daily, and they've already begun. Most are timed to take place on certain hours during certain days. Everything's listed by console below, and you can get the online giant's rundown here. We've corralled the biggest deals on the most relevant games below.
  • Best Buy's Black Friday sales last from Nov. 22 through Nov. 24. You can get the lowdown on how Best Buy distributes its in-store limited quantities in an FAQ from the company available here. Best Buy is also advertising Cyber Monday deals, but is keeping quiet about them for now. According to the company's Black Friday and Cyber Monday website, those deals will be available online on Nov. 26.
  • GameStop will open nearly 3,000 stores at 12:01 a.m. on Black Friday (check here to see if your local store is among them). That's when the sales start. Some of them continue through the weekend. Others die after Black Friday. We've noted the Black Friday sales where applicable.
  • Kmart starts its myriad sales at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Stores stay open until 3 a.m., and then close for two hours. They reopen at 5 a.m. and have "doorbuster" sales that last until 11 a.m. Other sales last from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday. Still others last from 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. We've noted them as applicable.
  • RadioShack's doors open at 6 a.m. on Black Friday.
  • Target starts Black Friday at 9 p.m. on Thursday. All deals are listed as available "while quantities last."
  • Toys R Us opens many of its stores at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving. You can check here to see when your local toy store opens its doors.
  • Walmart's sales begin in the store at 8 p.m. on Thursday. It's also running deals online Thanksgiving day, and you can check those and more out here.

Nintendo 3DS

Hardware deals

Best Buy

Kmart

  • Flame Red Nintendo 3DS bundle with Super Mario 3D Land pre-installed for $169.99 (regularly $169.99, but Kmart members get a $30 discount coupon). Sale good from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Black Friday.

GameStop

  • Fire red Nintendo 3DS bundle with Super Mario 3D Land pre-installed and buyers' choice from one of three games - Nintendogs + Cats, Nintendogs + Cats: Golden Retriever and New Friends and Nintendogs + Cats: French Bulldog and New Friends - for $169.99.

Target

  • Nintendo 3DS bundle with Super Mario 3D Land (preinstalled) for $149.99 (would cost $209.99 regularly). Sale runs from Nov. 18 - 21.

Toys R Us

  • Nintendo 3DS bundle with $20 gift card and the "Super Mario Starter Kit," which includes a carrying case, for $169.99.

Software deals

Best Buy

GameStop

  • Angry Birds Trilogy for $24.99 (regularly $29.99).

Kmart

Origin Store

  • FIFA Soccer 13 for $19.99 from now 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24

Toys R Us

  • Buy one of the following games for $19.99 - $39.99 and get one for $1: Angry Birds Trilogy, Wipeout, SpongeBob Squarepants 3D, WWE All-Stars and Kingdom Hearts 3D Dream Drop Distance. (Offer good through Nov. 24.)
  • Skylanders: Giants Starter Pack for $49.99.

Accessory deals

Toys R Us.

PlayStation 3

Hardware deals

Best Buy

  • 250GB console bundle with the Uncharted Dual Pack that includes Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and the Infamous Collection that includes Infamous and Infamous 2 and Infamous: Festival of Blood for $199.99 (regularly $299.99).

GameStop

  • 250GB console with Infamous, Infamous 2, Infamous: Festival of Blood, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and 30 free days of PlayStation Plus for $199.97.
  • 250GB console with Uncharted 3: Game of the Year Edition, Dust 514 and a 30 day trial for PlayStation Network for $269.99.

RadioShack

  • 250GB console bundle with Infamous, Infamous 2, Infamous: Festival of Blood, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and 30 free days of PlayStation Plus for $219.99.

Sony

  • 250GB PlayStation 3 bundle with Uncharted and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Infamous, Infamous 2 and Infamous: Festival of Blood as well as a 30 day subscription to PlayStation Plus for $199.99 at participating retailers.

Target

Toys R Us

  • 250GB console bundle with Uncharted, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Infamous and a free Air Flow third-party controller for $199.99.

Walmart

  • PlayStation 3 Uncharted Dual Pack Bundle with the Infamous Collection for $199.

Software deals

Amazon

Best Buy

GameStop

  • Assassin's Creed 3 for $49.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Battlefield 3 Premium Edition for $29.99 (regularly $59.99). Black Friday.
  • Borderlands 2 for $29.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Dishonored for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim for $29.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • FIFA Soccer 13 for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • LittleBigPlanet Karting for $29.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Madden NFL 13 for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Max Payne 3 for $19.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Medal of Honor: Warfighter for $29.99 (regularly $59.99). Black Friday.
  • NCAA Football 13 for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Need for Speed: Most Wanted for $29.99 (regularly $59.99). Black Friday.
  • NHL 13 for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale for $39.99 (regularly $59.99) with the purchase of any new PlayStation 3 system. Black Friday.
  • Rocksmith (game only, guitar and bass) for $49.99 (regularly $79.99).
  • Sleeping Dogs for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).

Kmart

Origin Store

  • Battlefield 3 for $19.99 from now until 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24
  • FIFA Soccer 13 for $29.99 from now until 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24
  • Madden NFL 13 for $24.99 from now until 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24
  • Medal of Honor: Warfighter for $29.99 from now until 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24
  • Need for Speed: Most Wanted for $29.99 from now until 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24

Toys R Us

  • Buy one of the following games for $59.99 and get one for $1: Dishonored, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Sleeping Dogs and Need for Speed: Most Wanted. (Offer good through Nov. 24.)
  • Buy one of the following games for $59.99 and get one for $1: Madden NHL 13 and Medal of Honor: Warfighter. (Offer good through Nov. 24.)
  • Buy one of the following games for $39.99 and get one for $1: Angry Birds Trilogy and Lego Batman 2. (Offer good through Nov. 24.)
  • Buy one of the following games for $19.99 - $49.99 and get one for $1: Plants vs. Zombies, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Lego Star Wars 3, Avengers Battle for Earth and Wipeout. (Offer good through Nov. 24.)
  • Buy one of the following games for $19.99 - $39.99 and get one for $1: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Batman: Arkham City, Dead Island. (Offer good through Nov. 24.)
  • Skylanders: Giants Starter Pack for $49.99. (Offer good through Nov. 24.)



Accessory deals

Amazon

  • DualShock Ultimate Combo Pack, including Infamous and Infamous 2 Dual Pack plus a blue DualShock 3 for $49.99 on Cyber Monday, Nov. 26, from 4:10 p.m. - 8:10 p.m. ET (regularly $59.96).
  • DualShock Ultimate Combo Pack, including Ratchet & Clank and Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando plus a blue DualShock 3 for $49.99 from 4:10 p.m. - 8:10 p.m.on Cyber Monday, Nov. 26, from 4:10 p.m. to 8:10 p.m. ET (regularly $59.96).

Best Buy

GameStop

  • Gold DualShock 3 controller for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).

RadioShack

Sony

  • DualShock 3 controllers for $39.99 "at select retailers nationwide."

Target

Toys R Us

  • DualShock 3 controller for $32.99.

PlayStation Vita

Hardware deals

Best Buy

GameStop

  • Crystal White PlayStation Vita with Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation. $199.99.

Target

Sony

  • PlayStation Vita limited edition white WiFi, Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation, 4GB memory card for $199.99.
  • PlayStation Vita black WiFi, Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified, 4GB memory card for $199.99.
  • PlayStation Vita black WiFi, Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes for $199.99.

Toys R Us

Software deals

GameStop

  • Army Corps of Hell for $19.99 (regularly $39.99). Black Friday.
  • Lego Batman 2 for $14.99 (regularly $39.99). Black Friday.
  • Lego The Lord of the Rings for $19.99 (regularly $39.99). Black Friday.
  • Lego Batman 2 for $14.99 (regularly $39.99). Black Friday.
  • Mortal Kombat for $14.99 (regularly $19.99). Black Friday.

Origin Store
  • Madden NFL 13 for $19.99 from now 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24
  • Need for Speed: Most Wanted for $19.99 from now 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24

Wii U (and some Wii, too)

Hardware deals

Old Navy

  • Throughout Black Friday, customers will get a "special game card" that could win them one of 1,000 Wii U Basic consoles.


Software deals

Best Buy

GameStop

  • Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition for $49.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Scribblenauts Unlimited for $49.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • FIFA Soccer 13 for $49.99 (regularly $59.99).

Old Navy

  • Customers who spend $40 at the clothing retailer will get a free copy of New Super Mario Bros. U (regularly $59.99) while supplies last.

Origin Store

  • FIFA Soccer 13 (Wii) for $24.99 from now 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24
  • Madden NFL 13 (Wii) for $24.99 from now 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24

Toys R Us

  • Buy any Wii U game, get one at 40 percent off, including Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition, Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, FIFA Soccer 13, Just Dance Disney, Just Dance 4, Lego The Lord of the Rings, New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendoland, Scribblenauts Unlimited, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and Wipeout.
  • Skylanders: Giants Starter Pack (Wii) for $49.99.


Accessory deals

Target

Xbox 360


Hardware deals

Amazon

  • 4GB console bundle with Kinect Adventures and Disneyland Adventures for $199.99 from 12:10 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. ET on Nov. 22 (regularly $249.96).

Best Buy

  • 250GB console bundle with The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and Forza 4: Essentials Edition, and a one-month trial for Hulu, EPIX and Xbox Live for $199.99.

Fred Meyer

  • 250GB console bundle with Skyrim and Forza 4: Essentials Edition for $199.99.

Fry's

  • 250GB console bundle with The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and Forza 4: Essentials Edition for $199.99.

GameStop

  • 250GB console bundle, including The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and Forza 4: Essentials Edition plus a free copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 for $249.99.
  • 320GB Xbox 360 system bundle, including Kinect Star Wars for $349.99 (regularly $379.99).

Kmart

  • 4GB console for $199.99 (regularly $299). After 4 p.m. on Black Friday, the price becomes $219.99.

Newegg

  • 250GB console with The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim and Forza 4: Essentials Edition for $199.99.

RadioShack

  • 4GB console with a wired headset (a $17.99 value) for $169.99.

Toys R Us

  • 4GB console with a $50 gift card for $179.99 (per Microsoft).
  • 4BG console bundle with Kinect Adventures and Disneyland Adventures plus a free Air Flo third-party controller (regularly $39.99) for $249.99.

Walmart

Software deals

Amazon

  • Dishonored for $25 Nov. 22 from 4:10 p.m.. - 8:10 p.m. ET.
  • Darksiders 2 for $29.99 Nov. 22 from 4:10 p.m.. - 8:10 p.m. ET.
  • FIFA Soccer 13 for $25.00 Nov. 22 from 8:10 p.m. - 12:10 a.m. ET.
  • Halo 4 purchased on Nov. 22 and 23 gets a $20 Amazon gift card and a $10 Amazon instant video credit.
  • Madden NFL 13 for $25.00 Nov. 22 from 8:10 p.m. - 12:10 a.m. ET.
  • Max Payne 3 for $15 on Nov. 23 from 4:10 p.m. - 8:10 p.m. ET.
  • Medal of Honor: Warfighter Limited Edition for $25 Nov. 22 from 12:10 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. ET.
  • NBA 2K13 for $25.00 Nov. 22 from 8:10 p.m. - 12:10 a.m. ET.
  • NCAA Football 13 for $25.00 Nov. 22 from 8:10 p.m. - 12:10 a.m. ET.
  • WWE 13 for $25 Nov. 23 from 12:10 p.m. - 4:10 p.m. ET.

Best Buy

GameStop

  • Assassin's Creed 3 for $49.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Borderlands 2 for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Rocksmith (game only, guitar and bass) for $49.99 (regularly $79.99).
  • The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim for $29.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Sleeping Dogs for $39.99 (regularly $49.99).
  • FIFA Soccer 13 for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Madden NFL 13 for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • NCAA Football 13 for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • NHL 13 for $39.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Battlefield 3 Premium Edition for $29.99 (regularly $59.99). Black Friday.
  • Dead or Alive 5 for $29.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Fable: The Journey for $29.99 (regularly $49.99). Black Friday.
  • Forza Horizon for $29.99 (regularly $59.99). Black Friday.
  • Max Payne 3 for $19.99 (regularly $59.99).
  • Medal of Honor: Warfighter for $29.99 (regularly $59.99). Black Friday.
  • Need for Speed: Most Wanted for $29.99 (regularly $59.99). Black Friday.
  • Three-month Xbox Live Gold subscription for $12.99 (regularly $24.99).

Kmart

Microsoft

  • Dance Central 3 for $29.99 (regularly $49.99) at "participating national retailers."
  • Kinect Sports Ultimate for $29.99 (regularly $49.99) at "participating national retailers."
  • Fable: The Journey for $29.99 (regularly $49.99) at "participating national retailers."
  • Forza Horizon for $39.99 (regularly $59.99) at "participating national retailers."
  • A three-month Xbox Live Gold subscription will be $12.99 (regularly $24.99) at "participating national retailers."

Microsoft Online Store

  • Kinect Nat Geo TV, Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure and Kinect Disneyland Adventures for $9.99
  • Forza Horizon, Kinect Sports Ultimate Collection and Fable: The Journey for $14.99
  • Assassin's Creed 3, Borderlands 2, Dishonored, FIFA 13, Just Dance 4, Madden NFL 13, Medal of Honor Warfighter, Need for Speed Most Wanted, NBA 2K13 and Resident Evil 6 for $24.99

Origin Store

  • Battlefield 3 for $19.99 from now 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24
  • FIFA Soccer 13 for $29.99 from now 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24
  • Madden NFL 13 for $24.99 from now 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24
  • Medal of Honor: Warfighter for $29.99 from now 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24
  • Need for Speed: Most Wanted for $29.99 from now 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24
  • The Sims 3: Pets expansion for $6 from now 2:59 a.m. ET Nov. 24

Target

Toys R Us

Walmart

Xbox Live Marketplace

Xbox Live Games on Demand


Accessory deals

Best Buy

Kmart

  • Xbox 360 controller for $39.99 (regularly $49.99) from 8 p.m. Thanksgiving through Saturday Nov. 24.

Target

Toys R Us

Walmart

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