Gamer shot parents after they took away his Halo...

... and has been judged sane.

A US gamer shot his mother dead and left his father grievously wounded after they took away his copy of Halo 3.

In a Ohio court, defence lawyers for Daniel Petric, 17, argued his addiction to Halo 3 had made him insane.

But local Common Pleas Judge James Burge decided Petric was sane enough to have planned the attack for weeks.

The judge found Petric, who tried as an adult, guilty of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and tampering with evidence over the October 20, 2007, shootings.

The kid's lawyer, James Kersey never denied that Daniel shot his parents in their home, but argued he was not guilty by reason of insanity because at the time he was addicted to Halo 3.

The court heard that on that October evening, Petric found the confiscated game in his father's strong box, alongside a 9 mm pistol. He subsequently walked into the living room and said: "Would you guys close your eyes? I have a surprise for you," and shot his father Mark, a pastor of the New Life Assembly of God Church, once in the face and his mother, Sue Petric, 43, twice in the arms and once in the head.

He then tried to put the gun in his father's hands, saying: "Dad, hey, here's your gun. Take it."

The judge agreed the kid probably had a few issues. But decided he wasn't insane enough to be innocent.

He ordered more psychological testing to be carried out before passing sentence in the spring. The hapless killer faces a minimum sentence of 23 years, to life in prison and a maximum of life without parole.