Black Friday may be over, but that doesn't mean holiday deals have ended. Quite the contrary, especially for the ever elusive but ever popular game console. Every parent hopes a present will inspire as much adulation and excitement as the Nintendo 64, but even if the kids might not have a YouTube-worthy freakout, we'll nevertheless help you find the right console and save a few bucks in the process.

Xbox360 deals

Microsoft is really trying to make the Xbox360 the most attractive game console deal to date. If their Black Friday sales are any indication, shoppers seem to be taking a liking to the bundles Microsoft is doling out.

Official bundles

Microsoft has taken an aggressive tact by including a packed-in game with every console shipped this holiday season. On the low end, the Xbox 360 Arcade comes with seven Xbox Live Arcade games and Sega Superstars Tennis. It's available everywhere at $200. Meanwhile, the Pro packs in a 60GB hard drive, Lego Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda, and costs $299. The high end Elite also includes the same two games as the Pro, but with a roomier 120 GB hard drive.

Store bundles

Official bundles are great and everything, but what about the real deals? For those, we've got to head to the big retailers.

Costco

Costco packs in the Xbox 360 Pro with the aforementioned pack-in Lego Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda, but then also offers a choice of Call of Duty 4, or Gears of War 2, two of the hottest games this holiday season, and bundles in an extra controller. The package costs $390, which saves about $20 if someone were to buy a controller and game separately.

Sam's Club

The other national warehouse-club retailer has two Xbox 360 bundles. First, primarily targeted at what we call the "bro" gamer, who's into Madden and racing games, Sam's Club packs together an Xbox360 Elite console with Madden '09, Forza Motorsport 2 racing, Marvel Ultimate Alliance and another controller for a $486 bundle. It's a fair bang-for-the-buck, as a buyer would spend around $550 for the separate package contents normally. Second, the retailer offers the 60GB Pro model (including the two pack-in games) with Guitar Hero 3 and a guitar for $349. Not a killer deal, seeing how Guitar Hero 3 was last year's game, but couple this with a Rock Band or Guitar Hero World Tour combo and you've got yourself a music game player approved bargain.

PS3 deals

While it might be more pricey than the Xbox 360, Sony has crafted a great home theater component disguised as a game console. The PS3's Blu-ray playback, DLNA compatibility and bevy of outputs make it a great option to stick into a home theater rack, and it can also play games too.

Official bundles

Sony's pricing isn't as aggressive as the Xbox360's price, but that doesn't mean there aren't some deals around. For example, the high-end 160GB PS3 is bundled with Uncharted, one of the highest rated PS3 games, and costs $500. The bundle includes a free PlayStation Network membership, though you'll need to supply your own HDMI cable to connect it to an HDTV at high definition resolution.

Store bundles

If Uncharted isn't your thing and you're looking for better bundles, check out these deals from some of the big retailers.

Sam's Club

The aspiring game-playing soldier should check out Sam's Club's SOCOM deal, which includes the 80GB PS3, a headset, two controllers, remote control and the new SOCOM game, which costs $496 together. Players who prefer the Metal Gear franchise to Navy Seal action can check out Sam's Club's MGS4 bundle, which ditches the extra controller, headset and SOCOM game in favor of Metal Gear Solid 4 and a $454 pricetag.

Costco

Meanwhile at Costco, their main PS3 deal is the 80GB PS3 and Resistance 2: Fall of Man. The bundle includes an extra controller, an HDMI cable and the free PSN membership. The retailer also has a bundle which swaps out Resistance for Little Big Planet for the same price.

Which bundle for me?!

On the Xbox 360 side, the bundles are more plentiful. Younger gamers will definitely dig the simple Xbox 360 Pro bundle that's available everywhere, while older gamers might go for Costco's Gears of War 2 bundle. Hard core gamers into Madden might appreciate the Sam's Club Elite bundle more than any of the others.

On the PS3 side, they're all a bit spendy, but Little Big Planet is perfect for the true gamer, so we'd be inclined to go with the Costco bundle of that game. SOCOM is right for the shooter fan in your life, and that bundle has the best bang for the buck.

You might have noticed we ommitted Nintendo Wii bundles from this list. The truth is, every place we checked for Wii bundles was sold out. It's the same story this year as in years past, Wii shortages abound. The best bundle for the Wii is the one you can find, as they'll still be in short supply. If you do manage to get your hands on one, be sure to check out our guide to the essential Wii accessories to go along with your console.

Have you seen a bundle we didn't have listed here? Which bundle catches your eye? Sound off in the comments and help everyone out.