Target wants you to pre-order popular video games from their stores so badly, they’re willing to pay you $5.

Here’s how the new Target reservation program works. First, you pay $1 to receive a collectible reservation card, featuring the logo of the game you wish to reserve. Upon the game’s release, you bring in your reservation card, pay for the game, and get a $5 Target gift card for your trouble. In effect, reserving a game at Target puts you either $5 or [[link]] $4 ahead of most retailers, depending on whether or not the initial $1 is taken off the game’s price or simply used to secure the reservation.

Unfortunately the final fate of that initial $1 fee is still in question. We’ve contacted Target for comment, and expect a call back later today. [[link]] If the $1 is towards the purchase, then getting a game for regular price plus a $5 gift card is a pretty good deal. If not, you’d be paying an extra $1 for the game. It would still put you $4 up, but you’d be limited to spending the extra at Target.

The first batch of games to utilize the new program [[link]] includes Punch Out!!, EA Sports Active, Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings, and UFC 2009 Undisputed.

Update: Target has confirmed that the initial $1 reserves the game but does not count towards the game’s purchase. This means you will be paying $1 for the collectible reservation card, then paying full price for the game when you pick it up, receiving a $5 gift card as long as the game is purchased within seven days of release. Still not a bad deal, but that $5 gift card might as well be a $4 one.