iClone 3 is a streamlined CGI film-making suite that puts user-friendliness and quick results at the forefront. While not exactly ‘3-D Animation for Dummies’ it has one of the most intuitive and easy-to-grasp interfaces on the market — provided you have plenty of time to tinker.

Fast, feature-rich and endlessly versatile, LightWave 3D v9 is one of the best 3D animation suites on the market. No other complete package offers the same level of professionalism at this price.

If you're a disciple of machinima who requires more control over your facial animations, CrazyTalk5 Pro offers fast and effective results. However, if you just want to make funny animations of your friends and family, stick to the cheaper standard edition.

Storyboard Pro is a user-friendly program that allows you to draw, animate and distribute professional looking storyboards with very little know-how. Filmmakers and artists within the industry should find it to be well worth the asking price.

Cool 3D Production Studio is probably the most user-friendly 3D animation software on the market, but that isn't saying much really. Thankfully, the included templates and pre-made animations are almost worth the purchase price on their own.