The Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 have been in stores since winter 2013, the Nintendo Wii U since 2012, so it's a stretch to keep calling them "next generation" or new consoles. Nevertheless, they are both newer than and still vastly outnumbered by the now ancient Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Wii consoles they are designed to replace. People seem to have been waiting for killer games, or for price drops among other reasons to jump in and buy. The holiday shopping season offers up another strong incentive to buy.
But here's a pro tip: If you're looking to purchase a console for the video gamer on your list, the best deal is usually to snap up a "bundle," which includes the hardware as well as a game – or even two – for the same price you'd pay for the console itself. Often the bundled consoles have a special colour or design that sets them apart from others. There's a variety of games and packages available this holiday season and they are available from your choice of major retailers – Amazon, Toys R Us, Best Buy, etc. – with one exception).
Here's the ones we like:
PS4: Destiny
The PS4 and Dualshock 4 controller included with this bundle are Glacier White in colour, as opposed to the black of the standard hardware. Also included is the first-person shooter Destiny (rated Teen), a science-fiction adventure which has single- and multi-player modes to keep gamers playing for days. At $470 it’s not a bargain, but it is white.
PS4: The Last of Us Remastered
With a PS4 and a wireless Dualshock 4 controller, this $450 bundle also includes a download copy of The Last of Us Remastered (rated Mature). Originally created for the PS3, this version of the adventure game, a story about humanity struggling to survive a viral apocalypse, features higher resolution graphics and enhancements to take advantage of the PS4. The remastered edition comes with Left Behind, a short prequel that was released as downloadable content a few months after the main game.
PlayStation TV
PlayStation TV is a tiny device, the size of a deck of playing cards. It’s also a cheaper option at $140, but there’s plenty of gaming to be had with it. The bundle comes with a Dualshock 3 controller, a copy of the Lego Movie Videogame, and an 8 GB memory card. PlayStation TV can also play dozens of downloadable games from the Vita and PSP handheld platforms, as well as PSOne classics, that can be purchased or rented through PlayStation Now. It can even be used to connect to a PS4 elsewhere in the house for remote play.
Wii U Deluxe bundles
There are three bundles from Nintendo available this year, each costing $300. They all feature the Deluxe version of the console, which includes the system in black with 32 GB of hard drive space, the tablet-styled GamePad, and the sensor bar. The Mario & Luigi set includes the games New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U. The Mario Kart 8 bundle (exclusive to Wal-Mart) and Super Mario 3D World packages each include Nintendo Land. (All the games are rated Everyone, except Nintendo Land which is rated Everyone 10+).
Xbox One: Sunset Overdrive
This raucous open-world game is an Xbox One exclusive, and the $400 bundle includes a Cirrus White console and controller. The game is the Day One Edition of Sunset Overdrive (rated Mature), which gives your character a couple of weapons and a special outfit.
Xbox One: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
For $500, an extra $100 over the cost of a standard Xbox One, this system packs a 1 terabyte hard drive, double the normal capacity. The console itself has a special Advanced Warfare design which includes unique sound effects. The bundle includes a download copy of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (rated Mature) and all in-game bonus content.
Xbox One: Assassin’s Creed Unity
This Microsoft bundle packs more games than the others, and at a bargain price. For $400 you get a Kinect-less Xbox One, two games (both rated mature): Assassin’s Creed Unity, this year’s edition of the annual Ubisoft franchise, as well as last year’s pirate adventure, Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag. For an extra $100 you can add a Kinect to the bundle, which comes with a token to download Dance Central Spotlight (rated Teen), one of the games that uses the hands-free, motion-sensing interface.
That's it for now, If any more deals break between now and Christmas we’ll update our list.