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Best Xbox 360 gifts

Getting the best Xbox gifts at Christmas can be a hard task, especially if you're shopping for the gamer that has all the latest titles. But it doesn't have to be that way, as there are loads of cool Xbox gifts for every type of gamer.

There are tonnes of Xbox 360 accessories which make gaming easier, keep peripherals charged, and even open up areas of the Xbox experience that they've never been able to exploit.

So call off the search and put your feet up, as we've found 12 of the best accessories and cool Xbox gifts, so you don't have to.

1. Kinect, $110

Kinect has been a huge success, and there's a good range of games out now, so there'll be something to satisfy anyone. If you've been living on another planet the last couple of years, then let us explain the appeal: Kinect lets you play a range of games using your body to control your character, much like the Wii, but without any actual controllers.

It's an amazingly futuristic way to play games, and you'll be astonished at how accurate it can be. The only possible downside is that it needs quite a big space to work - unless you pick up the Nyko Zoom, that is. This add-on lets Kinect work in a much smaller area, so is great for bedrooms or small living rooms.

2. Microsoft Media Remote, $20

Microsoft has been making big strides to turn the Xbox into a fully fledged entertainment centre, with HD movies rentals, iPlayer, Netflix, Sky and other services – but you're still stuck controlling your videos with the normal Xbox pad. The makes it a little easier, giving you the controls you need a more familiar package.

3. 4Gamers Play and Charge kit, $20

Any Xbox 360 owner will know the pain of running out of AA batteries in their controller. Save them the inconvenience of interrupted sessions, and the environmental impact of wasted AA batteries by buying a charging pack. They can even play and charge simultaneously, so there's no need to come out of their room on Christmas Day to watch The Great Escape.

4. Microsoft Wireless Speed Wheel, $40

If you're going to enjoy the likes of Need for Speed: Most Wanted and Forza Horizon to their fullest, the Microsoft Wireless Speed Wheel is a great choice. It may not have quite the precision of a fixed wheel, but it offers the same convenience as the normal wireless Xbox controllers.

5. Gioteck AC-1 USB Ammo Clip, $20

There's something a bit clever about this charging kit, and we're not talking about its cool metal jacket. Opened, it can charge two controllers when plugged into a USB port. Once you're done, close it up and it folds into a box about the size of an Xbox game case, so it can slot next to your games and stay hidden.

6. Microsoft Wireless Headset with Bluetooth, $40

The more active gamer might enjoy the convenience of a wireless headset more than a pair of beefy cans, and this makes the perfect stocking filler. The headset looks like a Bluetooth mobile type sported by city types in Starbucks, but means there will be no tangled cables in the pursuit of Xbox Live domination.

Six more great Xbox 360 gifts

7. Xbox 360 Quick Charge Kit, $30

No one likes to have their gaming session interrupted by a dead battery, but it happens. The Quick Charge Kit at least keeps the disruption to a minimum – connecting directly to the mains, it charges your Xbox controller's battery pack much faster than connecting it over USB would. It can also do two at once, so you can make sure you've always got a pack ready to go.

8. Elgato Game Capture HD, $170

While some games now have built-in ways to share videos of your most audacious feats online, that's certainly not true for all of them. The Elgato Game Capture HD can capture footage from any game to your computer, and can even live-stream it to the web, if you want people to watch as you play. You don't even need to remember to record the whole time – as long as it's connected, it'll store your gameplay, and you can go back and find the moment you want to record.

9. Afterglow Xbox 360 Controller, $40

Let's start with the downside of this controller: it has to be plugged in to work. But let's focus more on the upside: it's filled with awesome green LEDs. You can have it on all the time, or they can pulse when the pad vibrates. The controller doesn't do anything else, but if being filled with green LEDs isn't enough to convince you it's brilliant, we don't know what will.

10. Orb Magnetic Induction Charger, $35

What's the coolest way to charge your Xbox controller? Wireless power, of course! The Orb Magnetic Induction Charger pack contains everything to make your controllers totally wireless – insert the included battery packs into your gamepad and then, when you need to charge, just pop them on the mat (which will need to plugged into a power source). No fiddly connections, no extra mess.

11. Xbox Live 2100 Points Card, $27

If you don't know what to get your Xbox addicted loved one, then play it safe with a gift card. Xbox points can be spent on amazing games from the store, and even movie rentals too. 2100 points gets you two good Xbox Live Arcade games, with some left over for downloadable content.

12. Xbox Live 12 Month Gold Membership Card, $60

Xbox Live is one of the greatest parts of the Xbox experience, but the $60 a year fee puts many people off. Treat your pet gamer to a year's online gameplay, with access to a world of multiplayer action, rentable movies and great extras like Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm from the console.

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Also check out these last minute gifts from Future, publisher of TechRadar.