A Black Friday Gamers and Geeks Guide for 2020

/ Dustin Murphy

Black Friday is here and this year, it’s anything but normal. In order to help you navigate this week’s sales, we’ve built a quick guide to help you get around, and, of course, have some fun with those in the house both on the screen and off the screen.

This year, it seems that Black Friday is all over the place. Businesses such as GameStop, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, Amazon, and select others have already started their running their specials. For some of you, this means it is a bit harder to get out and about, obtaining the few things you can in order to complete your shopping experience.

Now, we know that this year, things are going to be formatted slightly differently than our guide in previous years where we split up multiple vendors into several articles. This year, we aren’t doing that and we’ve worked tirelessly for the past couple of days in order to find the deals we think will give you the biggest bang for your buck both online and off.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you might find that some of these offers are online-only or some are not available until Black Friday itself. We highly suggest checking out some of the off-the-screen items, which we’ve added this year, for the first time ever.

To help spread the games and tabletop stuff out, we have opted to split them up a bit, so, let’s get started!

Tabletop Gaming and Off-The-Screen Entertainment

If you are looking for something to do off-the-screen, this starting list is just for you and we’re going to highly suggest a few things before you get to the actual list itself. So let’s take a peek at what we’ve found that we HIGHLY suggest that you give a shot.

Pandemic and Pandemic: Hot Zone – North America

Now, when it comes to games, we love games that require teamwork, communication, and thinking two steps ahead of the game you are playing. Anyone who has ever played Plague Inc. will have some idea of what’s going on when you first jump into Pandemic and its stand-alone expansion, Pandemic: Hot Zone.

Both games put you in the place of specialists that are working to curb the next major outbreak. Your job is clear: Find a way to slow the spread, work with your partner(s) to curb the spread, and ultimately, put an end to it reaching a catastrophic state.

You’ll end up with unique character cards that work independently from one another. Each character coming with their own unique capabilities whether its multiple actions a turn and of course – travel across the country/world in order to stop the spread of the disease.

The game is also easy for children to pick up at ages 8 and up, which for some, is just what the doctor ordered in order to have some fun and also allow for some heavy critical thinking.

While the timing for this game – to some – could be unfortunate, it’s actually a fun little game, which believe it or not, provides a perfect distraction in the 2020 course of events. With its current price on both Amazon and Target, we can’t really help but suggest either title.

Spot It!

Now, if you want to put your hand-eye coordination skills to the test, Spot It!, is right up your alley. It’s a game that comes with five possible mini-games for fans to enjoy. The game itself offers a minor learning curve, allowing every one of almost any age to enjoy the game, mostly in part due to its minimal rule sets and allowing for anyone to jump in, play, and have a blast.

There’s even the option to make-up games, allowing for a more unique twist to the game and challenge your family and friends in an entirely new light.

Gunpla and mecha model kits for your mecha fans

One hobby that we’ve come to enjoy during the pandemic isn’t one you would actually think of off the top of your mind. It’s one that, sometimes, has to be mentioned so that it comes to the forefront, which just happens to be building model kits.

For us, this comes as a unique expression of craftsmanship, freedom, and a reason to put on display your hard work at hand. Whether it’s Gundam, Frame Arms Girls, Megami Device, or otherwise, there’s a wide selection out there and we can’t help but mention these due to how long they can take, but also, the fact that they require time, patience, and attention to detail.

Want to check out more? Here’s a few sites worth browsing:

Don’t forget, the nippers, plastic cement, sanding pads, etc. There’s plenty of items to choose from and consider as potential gifts. Just remember, each site has its own loyalty programs and it’s worth seeing who has the best offers for you to take advantage of.

Gaming Peripherals

Now, it’s time to consider moving towards the hardware and software side, and to do this, we want to begin moving towards what we specialize in, which just happens to be gaming related. Now, if you are looking for some of the best items on the market, but on a budget, here’s what we have found worth your attention and consideration.

Save $10 on Xbox One Controllers at any major retailer

No matter where you go right now, it looks like all major retailers have Xbox One Controllers and Xbox Series X controllers on sale for $10 off of their original prices. Because of this, it’s worth noting the type of benefits you will get depending on where you are shopping.

For those wanting a decent rewards program, you can head over to either GameStop or Best Buy and score points for your purchases. It is worth mentioning as well, that prices are only while supplies last during the holiday shopping season.

If you’re wanting to upgrade your controllers, especially when snagging that 3-Month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, it’s something worth considering so you can play your Game Pass Cloud library on the go.

Gaming Headsets

Now, if you are wanting to save big on some of the best headsets on the market, we can’t help but recommend the headsets we are about to. This is because of Razer, Corsair, and the SteelSeries Arctis 5 headsets are we absolutely enjoy.

Since there are quite a few of each, we’ve decided to give you the suggestions we think would give you the biggest bang for your buck without breaking the bank. Why? We know financial burdens have happened and we want to give you a way to know your money is going the distance.

Let’s take a look at those headsets:

  • SteelSeries Arctis 5 headset | Best Buy: $69.99 – $99.99
  • Corsair HS60 Pro Surround Set Headset | Best Buy: $39.99 – $69.99
  • Corsair Void RGB Elite Wired Headset | Best Buy: $59.99 – $79.99
  • Razer Kraken Ultimate Wired Headset | Best Buy: $69.99 – $129.99
  • Razer Kraken Wired Headset | Best Buy: $49.99 – $79.99
  • Turtle Beach Recon 200 Headset | Best Buy: $29.99 – $59.99
  • Turtle Beach Stealth 300 Headset | Target: $39.99 – $79.99

All the headsets mentioned are compatible with most, if not all, current-gen platforms, which includes Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

PowerA MOGA Gaming Clip for Xbox One Controllers

With the rise of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, it’s no surprise that at least 15m users are looking for a way to enjoy their Game Pass Cloud streaming where they can. For some, it is a bit of a hassle having to carry a controller around then finding a way to prop your phone up where you need to.

For us, we’ve solved this issue more than we’d care to admit with the MOGA Gaming Clip (review coming soon) and using it to play the Xbox games we love while on the go. That’s where this nifty little accessory comes into play since it can be used with both Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S controllers on both iOS and Android.

The clip itself, in our experience, has worked great with devices including the Samsung S10+, Note 20 5G, and of course, the iPhone 12. For a small bang for your buck, it’s well worth the consideration and you won’t be disappointed when you start playing games with your faithful Xbox controller.

Nintendo Switch Bundles

While this one is more than likely a Nov. 27th, availability, it is worth noting that this bundle will be available at almost all, if not literally, all major retailers starting this Friday. The bundle includes a Nintendo Switch 32GB console, Blue and Red Joy-Cons, 3 months of Nintendo Switch Online as well as a digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch.

It is worth noting that while these bundles are available during the sales, availability could be limited due to limited resources and high demand.

Nintendo Switch Games

Now, if you are looking for Switch games for and where to save money on them, don’t be worried about who, what, and where. Believe it or not, this time around, Nintendo is doing a solid job at ensuring that everyone has planety of games available for the specials going on.

It is worth noting that most of these sales are taking place at almost all major retailers and will be happening until the end of the day on Monday, Nov. 30th, 2020. Thankfully, Nintendo has also set up a digital guide to their specials and you can save huge on select games, including $20 off of some of their heaviest hitters yet, taking them down to a total of $39.99 and some as cheap as $29.99 at GameStop.

Switch games for $39.99:

  • Fire Emblem: Three Houses
  • Luigi’s Mansion 3
  • Mario Tennis Aces
  • New Super Mario Bros. U
  • Pokemon Sword and Shield
  • Splatoon 2
  • Super Mario Maker 2
  • The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
  • Yoshi’s Crafted World

PlayStation Game Deals

If you are looking for some of today’s biggest and hottest hits ranging from Days Gone, Ghost of Tsushima, to Nioh 2 – then look no further. After digging through countless websites and trying to find the best deals, we’ve done the digging and, well, we’ve decided to give you the biggest bang from your beck and where you can buy it.

You can also check out the Black Friday ads on the individual websites for each retailer to find the best deals near you and where to obtain them, if, you decide to go into a store.

While there are dozens of games out there we could choose from that are exclusives, these are the ones that stuck out to us the most and ended up making the cut. Don’t forget, however, to still check to see what each and every store has to offer through their websites.

Xbox Game Deals

Just like above, we’ve dug through each and every website. We’ve dug through it just to see what vendors had to offer and what their offers actually were. The deals will be available at most major retailers, but, at a slightly different cost.

Just to save you some money, we’ve, yet again, dug through big box retailers and online stores, seeing who has the best sales to offer and just where you can get them. Of course, we also will always advise getting what rewards you can, unles you are saving a buck or two.

Multi-Platform Game Deals

Now, with this list, it is a bit harder to link where to buy them and their individual platforms. So what we are doing here? Giving you the price, popping you into the search page and making it so you can buy the version of your choice.

Juust as it is above, you know the drill, so let’s get this show on the road!

  • DOOM Eternal | GameStop: $16.99 – $59.99
  • FIFA 21 | GameStop: $26.99 – $59.99
  • Madden 21 | GameStop: $26.99 – $59.99
  • PGA Tour 2K21 | Best Buy: $27.99 – $59.99
  • Red Dead Redemption 2 | GameStop: $24.99 – $39.99
  • Star Wars: Squadrons | GameStop: $16.99 – $39.99
  • The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope | Best Buy: $19.99 – $29.99
  • Watch Dogs: Legion (PlayStation and Xbox) | Best Buy: $29.99 – $59.99

Closing Statements

While there are plenty of options out there and we hope you do give them a gander, we have listed our top picks for Black Friday this year, and in all honesty, we hope you shop around and definitely give the following Black Friday ads a chance. Here’s the few places we actually found to be the best of the best, for both online and local listings.

It is worth staying tuned to their sites, social media, etc, if you are trying to get your hands on a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X.

About the Writer(s):

dustin_murphy_about_the_writer

Dustin is our native video game reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the borders from across the big pond. His interest in JRPG’s, Anime, Handheld Gaming, and Pizza is insatiable. You can find him over on Twitter or Facebook today.

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