NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- "Yo baby, this is the line for Toys 'R' Us," said a Times Square tourist on Thanksgiving.

"This is insane!" her friend exclaimed.

She could scarcely believe the line of shoppers stretched in front of the facade of the Toys "R" Us flagship store. They were waiting for the gates to open at 9 p.m., when Black Friday would officially begin.

But Jamel Anderson of Jamaica, N.Y., who was the first person in line, would be the last person to agree with the tourist's condemnation. Sure, he'd been standing there for four hours. But by his own estimate, he was saving $200, or $50 per hour.

"Call of Duty," said Anderson, when asked what was on his mind. He figured he could buy one of the special Sony (SNE) PS3 packages that include the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 game -- one of the hottest commodities of the 2011 holiday shopping season -- for $200, about half of what he'd normally pay.

Toys 'R' Us broke with tradition and opened its doors at 9 p.m. Thursday compared to its customary opening at midnight at the end of Thanksgiving, three hours ahead of what is otherwise known as Black Friday.