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MacMall is bundling a 20GB hard drive with this refurbished Xbox 360 Arcade.

(Credit: MacMall)

The Xbox 360 Arcade comes without a hard drive. That's bad.

The Xbox 360 Arcade bundle at MacMall comes with a 20GB hard drive. That's good! Especially considering the price: $134.99, plus about $12 for shipping.

The only catch: It's a refurb, meaning you get a 90-day warranty. I have no idea if Arcade models have the same red-ring-of-death gene as other Xboxes; someone more knowledgeable on the subject will undoubtedly speak up in the comments (hint, hint).

In any case, I'd be surprised if this didn't sell out quickly, so I'm just going to leave it there. If you're looking for an Xbox on the super cheap, you've found it.

(If it does sell out, check back later for another deal. You know I won't leave my cheap-peeps hanging!)

Backup deal (sort of): Happy Free Shipping Day! Over 700 merchants are offering free shipping today, and promising delivery no later than Dec. 24. (Alas, MacMall isn't among them.)

(Credit: Gamespot)

Another year, another laundry list of video games. This year saw thousands of titles released, but only an elite few are worthy enough to be labeled as "year's best." It was undoubtedly another year of sequels, though a few new franchises do appear on our list.

We already know what to look forward to in 2010, but as we conclude another year of gaming, let's look back at the best video games of 2009.

Don't see your favorite video game of the year on our list? Let us know in the comments section.

The best video games of 2009 (photos)

This woman is clearly thrilled with her decision to use a kiosk instead of a tiny photo printer.

(Credit: Kodak)

If you look at our 2009 holiday gift guide, neither the camera nor the printers sections have recommendations for little, standalone photo printers. This probably wasn't intentional, but the fact is, they've become sort of niche products that I'd be hard-pressed to recommend these days. With so many other ways to get prints and enjoy and consume digital photos, it seems like these single-function printers, regardless of size, are just more tech clutter. I say this because I own two that have done nothing but collect dust this year.

This doesn't mean I don't make individual prints (though lately I've been making more photo books) or regularly view my pictures, because I do. There's just much better ways of freeing the photos trapped online or on a hard drive.

1. Online printing
   The Web has roughly a gazillion ways to view and share digital photos as well as order prints or various other products. So, the first step is to find one you like and will use, and sign up. It's been, um, awhile since CNET examined the topic of online printing services, but DigitalPhotos101 and TopTenReviews have current reviews on the subject. According to both sites, HP-owned Snapfish comes out on top. Snapfish does mail-order, but its retail partnerships allow you to do in-store pickup. It, too, is where you can get my favorite photo gift, the giant $50 wall clock (there's a smaller $20 version as well). Also, while it's going to seem like I'm a rep for Kodak by the end of this post, I've been a longtime user of its printing services. Its new professional print options yield particularly nice results.
... Read more

So you've finally purchased a gaming console and you've already loaded up on some of the best games. In order to get the most out of your hardware, we recommend checking out some of our top-rated must-have accessories.

It's a safe bet that you'll need at least one extra controller, but there are also plenty of first- and third-party items that will complement the system of your choice. Whether it's rechargeable battery packs, controller attachments, or HDMI cables, you're definitely going to want to take a look at what we recommend for each video game console.

Click on your gaming console below for our top picks:

The economy may seem bleak, but the game lineup in 2010 looks promising.

Say what you will about the gaming industry in 2009. Yeah, it was a little rough, with consumers tightening their belts and only a few megahits. However, we did see price drops for all the major consoles, a gazillion new iPhone games, and a smattering of amazing titles, some of which we're still playing.

But forget about the past, it's time to look ahead and search out the most anticipated games of next year. Our list nearly doubles 2009's, so there is a lot to get excited about.

While most of the titles on our list are scheduled for a 2010 release (and yes, several were supposed to come out in 2009), needless to say some release dates are more iffy than others. Check out our slideshow to see if your picks match up with ours.

Click on an image to start the slideshow. (Titles are listed in order of release date.)

The 30 most anticipated video games of 2010 (photos)

Don't see the game you're looking forward to in 2010? Make sure you let yourself be heard by mentioning it in the comments section.

Technically, there's no reason the Zune couldn't have a huge game library.

(Credit: Microsoft)

While there's no shortage of handheld game systems on the market--the Nintendo DS and DSi are still selling well and the PSP continues to hang in there, while the App Store expands its catalog every minute--one of the seemingly no-brainer bets in the mobile gaming realm hasn't happened yet: the Zune.

We say "no brainer" for several reasons:

• Microsoft has a successful gaming platform in the Xbox 360, emphasizing online and downloadable gaming.
• Microsoft, compared with Sony and Nintendo, is best able to take on Apple in terms of a media-management software store and the ability to build an equivalent music/games/movies catalog, and making that product PC compatible.
• The Zune HD now plays games.

The first point is obvious. The second is debatable, but we say this because Sony, while having a decent media library on PSN, just isn't historically great at building cross-platform software for syncing the PSP, and Microsoft's global software reach is simply stronger. The third is technically true--Microsoft launched a small collection of completely free-to-play, ad-supported games for its OLED-screened Zune HD last month, and one of them happens to be an adaptation of Project Gotham Racing.

It's an interesting prospect (and one we've wondered about before) because the Zune HD processor, an Nvidia Tegra, has both HD processing muscle and 3D graphics capability. We downloaded and played with all the Zune HD games currently available--all 12 of them--with some curiosity to see if the Zune could compete as a game device.

The Xbox Wireless N Adapter is still overpriced, but at $79.99 it's slightly less outrageous.

(Credit: Newegg)

Microsoft has some nerve charging 100 bucks for its new Wireless N Xbox adapter, what with virtually identical Wi-Fi gear selling for as low as $20.

Yeah, I'm mad, and not just because today's earlier deal sold out in 27 seconds. (And then the backup deal went 27 seconds after that.) Well, OK, that's the main reason--but come on, Microsoft! $99.99?!

If you're really itching for one of these adapters, look to Newegg. It's got the Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter for $79.99 shipped. Not a huge bargain, but the lowest price I've seen.

CNET hasn't reviewed it, but you can get some hands-on feedback from Gizmodo. Bottom line: It's way faster for video streaming, but doesn't offer much of an impact on gaming.

Of course, if you really want a cheap way out, you can turn a cheap router into an Xbox Wi-Fi adapter. Cheaper still, use your laptop's Wi-Fi connection to feed your Xbox.

Me, I'd love to have the Wireless N adapter for my 360. But it'll be a cold day on the sun before I drop $100 on one. Or, for that matter, $80. Get a clue, Microsoft.

It's episode 59 of the Digital City, and if our cast looks a little different today, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. Joey, Julie, and Scott all called in sick, so we recruited some of our CNET colleagues to step in and offer their holiday shopping advice.

David Katzmaier, John Falcone, and Matt Fitzgerald weigh in on Black Friday tips for big-screen TVs, home theater equipment, and digital cameras, and we go over some of the best and worst laptop deals around.

Also discussed was the high-concept Tony Hawk: Ride skateboard video game, the surprise popularity of Assassin's Creed 2, and Dan showed off his new Forza-3-branded Pumas.

Added bonus: we've got a handful of beta invites for MAG, the massive 256-person PS3 shooter to give away. Ping me on Twitter , or e-mail us at digitalcity@cnet.com, and we'll hook the first five people up.

Related links:
>>Are these Apple's Black Friday laptop deals?
>>Rating Black Friday laptop doorbuster deals
>>Review: the ColcaSac hemp MacBook sleeve
>>Hands on with 15th-century Italy in Assassin's Creed II

>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter!

Before you shell out hundreds of dollars on holiday hits like Modern Warfare 2, Assassin's Creed II, and Uncharted 2, you could easily be enjoying some of this generation's classics for a fraction of the price.

Console games are expensive and this holiday season everyone is watching their budget. So when Black Friday arrives, resist the urge to go straight to the new releases rack and instead pick up a few of these gems for yourself or the gamer in your life. Besides, if you haven't played these epics before, they're new to you!

Click on over to our slideshow to see our top-rated picks for holiday gaming on the cheap. Most titles featured can be had for well under $30.

Holiday gaming on the cheap (photos)