Less than 24 hours remain until the busiest shopping day of the year, when bargain hunters everywhere descend upon retail stores and huddle in front of their computers in the hopes of picking up just the right thing for themselves or those special people on their list.

Finding the perfect gift for a gamer can be a bit overwhelming, what with three popular consoles on the market and hundreds of software options from which to choose.

Luckily, we're here to help.

This handy gift guide to recently released games will provide some suggestions to ensure that the video-game enthusiast on your list gets just what they are wanting this holiday season.

The essentials

These are the best-of-the-best, games that transcend genres and should appeal to players of all tastes:

"The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" (Bethesda, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception" (Sony, Playstation 3, $59.99)

"The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" (Nintendo, Wii, $49.99)

"Batman: Arkham City" (Warner Bros., Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Gears of War 3" (Microsoft, Xbox 360, $59.99)

Shoot to thrill

The first-person shooter has become the most popular genre in the industry, and these are the ones you should have in your sights:

"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3" (Activision, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Battlefield 3" (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Resistance 3" (Sony, PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Rage" (Bethesda, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary" (Microsoft, Xbox 360, $39.99)

The sporting life

These games are sure to be a home run with the sports fan on your list:

"NBA 2K12" (2K Sports, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"MLB 2011: The Show" (Sony, PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"FIFA Soccer 12" (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Madden NFL 12" (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"WWE 12" (THQ, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

For the kids

These games may be geared toward younger players, but they offer plenty of fun for all ages:

"Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension" (Disney, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $39.99)

"Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster" (Warner Bros., Kinect for Xbox 360, $49.99)

"LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars" (LucasArts, Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3, $19.99)

"Disney Universe" (Disney, Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3, $49.99)

"Kinectimals: Now with Bears!" (Microsoft, Kinect for Xbox 360, $49.99)

"Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure" (Activision, Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3, $69.99)

You gotta move this

Gaming is no longer a stationary activity, and these games are guaranteed to get players off the couch:

"Dance Central 2" (Microsoft, Kinect for Xbox 360, $49.99)

"Country Dance 2" (GameMill, Wii, $39.99)

"The Black Eyed Peas Experience" (Ubisoft, Kinect for Xbox 360 and Wii, $49.99)

"Zumba Fitness 2" (Majesco, Wii, $39.99)

"Just Dance 3" (Ubisoft, Kinect for Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3, $39.99)

We are family

The family that plays together, stays together, and these are a few games sure to entertain kids and parents, alike:

"uDraw Game Tablet" (THQ, Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3, $79.99)

"Family Game Night 4: The Game Show Edition" (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3, $39.99)

"Twister Mania" (Majesco, Kinect for Xbox 360, $49.99)

"Kinect Sports: Season 2" (Microsoft, Kinect for Xbox 360, $49.99)

"Go Vacation" (Namco Bandai, Wii, $39.99)

Gentlemen, start your engines

These racing games are sure to get the motor running of any gamer on your list:

"Forza Motorsport 4" (Microsoft, Xbox 360, $59.99)

"Need for Speed: The Run" (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Mario Kart 7" (Nintendo, Nintendo 3DS, $39.99)

"Cars 2" (Disney, Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3, $49.99)

"Driver: San Francisco" (Ubisoft, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

Lights, camera, action

From open-world crime capers to medieval assassinations, the action genre is jam-packed with quality games. Here are few that shouldn't be missed:

"Saint's Row: The Third" (THQ, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Assassin's Creed: Revelations" (Ubisoft, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Rayman: Origins" (Ubisoft, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Lord of the Rings: War in the North" (Warner Bros., Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $59.99)

"Dead Rising 2: Off the Record" (Capcom, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, $39.99)

Not all gaming gifts need to be software. Accessories like controllers and headsets are always welcome, as are Microsoft Points cards (which are used to buy items via the Xbox Marketplace) and Xbox Live subscriptions. There is also a wide selection of gaming-related books, toys and clothing available to purchase through many online retailers.

And since it's never too early to start planning for next year, Nintendo and Sony each have new hardware ready to launch in 2012 - the Wii U and PlayStation Vita, respectively. Expect to see both of those items on plenty of wish lists next fall, but for now, kick back and enjoy the holidays.