::Added 11:30 a.m.:: Local Play N Trades opening at midnight. See below…

One of the biggest video games ever is back The much-anticipated Halo 3 for the Xbox 360 goes on sale Monday night.

And the Best Buy store in Fullerton is one of only a handful of Best Buy stores that plan to open at midnight to sell the game to the most dedicated fans. Other OC midnight openings include GameStop and the Newport Beach Circuit City (see end of post).

Best Buy won’t say how many games each store is stocking. But a spokeswoman tells me, “We we will definitely be ready for the buying frenzy (both on Monday night and beyond)! As always, we try to maintain enough stock to make sure that anyone who wants to buy the game at anytime can do so.”

Will Halo 3 top Halo 2′s first-day sales record of $125 million?

Here’s the deal for Best Buy. Line up whenever you want, but pre-launch madness starts at 10:30 p.m. Best Buy is giving away lots of stuff, such as t-shirts, hats, glow balls and bam-bam sticks. The first 25 people in line get an “exclusive Halo blow-up game chair with built-in speakers.”

The Fullerton store is providing photo ops with Halo’s Master Chief.

Best Buy will have four versions of the game available: Halo 3, Halo 3 Limited Edition (left), and Halo 3 Legendary Edition (right) and the special edition Halo 3 Xbox 360, which I first spotted at E3 earlier this year.

All are available as pre-orders on Amazon for $59.99, $69.99 and $129.99 and $399.99.

And kids, if you’re under 17, bring someone older with you because Best Buy says it’s sticking to its policy to only sell games rated M for mature.

UPDATE 11:30 a.m.: Play N Trade at The District at Tustin is hosting a Halo 2 tournament starting after 8 p.m.Prizes include Halo 3 (all editions), t-shirts and Halo 3 mouse pads. Tournament is $10 to enter, but free if you pre-order Halo 3 by Sept. 23.

• Play N Trade Video Game Store, The District at Tustin Legacy, 2433 Park Avenue in Tustin. (714) 259-1176. More details HERE.

:: midnight launches in OC ::

• Best Buy
• Circuit City
• GameStop
• Play N Trade
  

If I hear of more local midnight openings, I’ll post here, so check back!

Best Buy:

• 120 E. Imperial Hwy., Fullerton, CA 92835

All Best Buy stores with midnight openings:

• Best Buy – Woodland Hills, 21601 Victory Blvd. Canoga Park, CA 91301
• Best Buy – City of Industry, 17545 Gale Ave. City of Industry, CA 91748
• Best Buy – San Bernardino, 888 Harriman Place San Bernardino, CA 92408
• Best Buy – Riverside, 3900 Tyler Street Riverside, CA 92503
• Best Buy – Fullerton, 120 E. Imperial Hwy. Fullerton, CA 92835
• Best Buy – Murrieta, 25080 Madison Ave. Murrieta, CA 92562

GameStop’s OC midnight openings:

• Aliso Viejo Plaza (949) 831-9980 27032-A S. La Paz Rd. Aliso Viejo
• Park Plaza At Aliso Viejo (949) 643-8570 26705 Aliso Creek Rd, Ste A Aliso Viejo
• Magnolia Center (714) 226-0934 221 S. Magnolia Ave. Anaheim
• Anaheim Town Center (714) 563-2322 2004 E. Lincoln Ave. Anaheim
• Anaheim Hills Festival (714) 974-7290 8126 Santa Ana Canyon Rd, Suite 169 Anaheim Hills
• Brea Plaza (714) 256-2343 477 S. Associated Road Suite C Brea
• Brea Union Plaza (714) 674-0922 2515 Imperial Highway, Suite B Brea
• Buena Park S/C (714) 736-0142 7540 Orangethorpe Ave, Suite C-1 Buena Park
• Buena Park Downtown (714) 821-6738 8320 La Palma Ave, Ste B-4 Buena Park
• Harbor & Wilson (949) 548-6889 2200 Harbor Blvd. Suite A-140 Costa Mesa
• Costa Mesa Square (714) 979-4420 1450 Baker St, Ste D Costa Mesa
• Foothills Ranch (949) 586-2583 26746 Portola Parkway Suite #4-B Foothill Ranch
• Magnolia & Warner (714) 841-2981 9025 Warner Ave. Suite C Fountain Valley
• Fullerton Metro (F) (714) 449-1525 126 W. Orange Thorpe Ave. Fullerton
• Promenade @ Garden Grove (714) 534-5341 9877 Chapman Ave. Suite B Garden Grove
• Trask Plaza (714)537-8389 13481 Euclid Street Suite C Garden Grove
• Landmark Plaza (714) 960-2175 8943 Atlanta Ave Huntington Beach
• Newland Center (714) 378-9243 19740 Beach Blvd. Huntington Beach
• Huntington Beach / Talbert Ave (714) 596-1150 8162 Talbert Ave, Suite 101 Huntington Beach
• Bella Terra (714) 901-2341 7821 Edinger Ave, Ste 146 Huntington Beach
• The Market Place (F) (714) 544-9975 13210 Jamboree Road Irvine
• The Crossroads (949) 551-6546 3972 Barranca Parkway, Suite B Irvine
• Woodbury Town Center (949)857-0242 6278 Irvine Blvd Irvine
• Irvine Spectrum Center (949) 450-0728 71 Fortune Drive, Suite 942 Irvine
• La Habra Westridge Plaza (562) 691-6550 1370 S Beach Blvd, Ste B La Habra
• Center at Rancho Niguel (949)349-9182 28241 Crown Valley Parkway, Suite D Laguna Niguel
• Orchards @ Saddleback (949)462-3946 23632-C El Toro Road Lake Forest
• Mission Viejo Mall (949) 347-0165 236 The Shoppes/mission Viejo Mission Viejo
• Tustin & Katella (714) 532-3470 1715 E. Katella Ave. Unit B Orange
• The Block At Orange (714) 769-3277 20 City Boulevard West, #h810 Orange
• Rancho Santa Margarita (949) 888-4981 30606 Santa Margarita Pkwy Suite A102 Rancho Margarita
• Ocean View Plaza (949) 234-0578 638 Camino de los Mares Suite D2-B San Clemente
• Bristol & Segerstom (714) 979-3590 2860 South Bristol Street, Suite B Santa Ana
• Santa Ana Square S/C (714) 568-0036 1268 E. 17th Street, Suite B Santa Ana
• Main & McFadden (714) 953-5736 1030 S. Main St. Santa Ana
• Main Place Santa Ana (714) 836-1252 2800 N. Main Street, Space 736 Santa Ana
• Westminster Mall (714) 894-6700 1025 Westminster Mall Space #2061A Westminster

For all GameStop stores, click here.

Circuit City:

• Newport Beach 1101 Newport Center Dr. 949-720-9223

For all Circuit City stores, click HERE.

Play N Trade stores

• Buena Park - 8901 Valley View Blvd.
• Tustin - 2433 Park Avenue
• Irvine - 5405 Alton Parkway
• Irvine - 4255 Campus, Ste. B-146
• Pomona - 18 Rancho Camino Drive

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