We’ve rounded up all the bundles and special deals we could find for the Switch and Switch Lite.
Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET
This marks the third Black Friday holiday shopping season for the Nintendo Switch. While there aren’t a ton of Switch bundles on the market this year, a few interesting Switch Black Friday deals have popped up in the past few days. If you’re in the market for another gaming console, we’ve also seen some major price drops on the PS4 and Xbox One.
Before we get to the deals, though, a PSA about the Switch: Keep in mind that there are two similar but different Switch models. Nintendo released an upgraded Switch back in August that cranked up the battery life by about 50% (from a possible max of 6.5 hours to about 9 hours). And there’s the new Switch Lite as well — a smaller, handheld version with a 7-hour battery life — another good reason to pick up a Switch during the sales.
Read more: Best Nintendo Switch accessories for 2019
Several Nintendo Switch game sales will hit on Wednesday Nov. 27, while a Nintendo Switch and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle goes on sale Thanksgiving day (Thursday, Nov. 28) at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target and Walmart. You’ll also be able to save 25% on select Joy-Con controllers at Amazon, Best Buy and Target, according to Nintendo’s Holiday Gift Guide.
In the meantime, here are the best deals we’ve found for you so far.
The best Nintendo Switch deals right now
There are only a few console/game bundles out there right now, but there’s already a clear advantage to two of them. Even though the price is the same, Walmart’s bundle of Nintendo Switch and Minecraft is a better deal than the upcoming Nintendo Switch and Mario Kart bundle for a couple of reasons. First, the Minecraft bundle is available now, ahead of Black Friday shopping storms, while the Mario Kart bundle won’t be available until the end of the week, at least. Better still, the Minecraft bundle comes with the new version of the Switch, which has better battery life. Meanwhile, the Mario Kart bundle only offers the older version.
The same goes for Walmart’s bundle of Nintendo Switch and Spyro Reignited Trilogy, which includes the newest version of the Switch, costs only $289 and is available right now.
If we see more console/game bundles, we’ll add them here. Also be sure to check out the best Nintendo Switch deals over at GameSpot.
Walmart
The new version of the Switch — which offers improved battery life of 4.5 to 9 hours — found in this deal usually costs $299 on its own. With this bundle, you’re getting $10 off of that price, plus a copy of Spyro Reignited Trilogy, for a total savings of $35.
Nintendo
This bundle also includes the new version of the Switch with extended battery life, which usually costs $299. That means that Walmart is throwing in Minecraft for free.
Available right now.
The best Nintendo Switch deals right now for Black Friday
Nintendo
Last weekend, I told you about a $38 deal on the newly released and super-hot Pokemon Sword/Shield combo (but you had to pick one or the other, darn it). Alas, it sold out in minutes. That was a bummer, but this deal from Walmart is similar, after a fashion. If you’re in the market for a Switch Lite, you can get the console, a carrying case and screen protector, and your choice of Sword or Shield for $239. (For an extra $10, you can get the Zacian & Zamazenta Edition of the console.)
Available right now.
Read GameSpot’s Pokemon Sword/Shield review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The Switch Lite is barely two months old, and for that reason alone, don’t hold your breath on seeing any deals for Black Friday 2019. It’s $200 everywhere right now (no waiting till Black Friday), and that’s where I’d expect to see the price stay through the end of the year. That’s not a bad price, though, and if you are a stickler for holding out for a sale on the hardware, well, you might be waiting until Black Friday 2020. That said, if you’ve been sitting on the fence, now is the time to get a Switch Lite, which CNET’s Scott Stein called “maybe the best $200 gaming portable I’ve ever used.”
Read our Nintendo Switch Lite review.
The best Nintendo Switch game deals for Black Friday
As we said, that Mario Kart bundle hits on Thanksgiving, but it’s got the “gotcha” of being the earlier hardware with lesser battery life (see below).
Nintendo
Nintendo is bundling the download code for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with the first-gen version of the Switch for $300, and throwing in a screen protector as well. That’s a solid deal, but be aware that you’re getting the OG Switch, not the new one. Since that means your battery life will be somewhere between 2.5 and 6.5 hours, you probably want to take advantage of this deal only if you mostly plan to keep it docked. For lots of away missions, you might want to pass on this and get the updated Switch. Check out this CNET article that tells you how to tell the difference between the two Switch consoles by looking at the box art. This deal starts on Nov. 28.
Read our Nintendo Switch review.
But what if you already have a Switch, and you’re hankering for some games? We have you covered — here are some awesome deals we’ve rounded up. Read the details carefully, since some of these deals start before Black Friday. Wait too long and you might miss out.
Nintendo
It’s hard not to love Breath of the Wild, which may well be the best Zelda installment of all time (sorry, Ocarina of Time). This game should be selling for $40 pretty much everywhere, but Walmart will sell it for just $30 for a limited time starting on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. PT.
Read GameSpot’s Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild review.
Nintendo
Is this a game in which you get to play against your favorite Mushroom Kingdom characters? Yes. Is this the only tennis game for the Switch? Yes. Can you play singles or doubles with up to four local or online players? Yes. Sounds like you need to grab this title, which is also available for less than the $40 it’ll cost everywhere else starting on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. PT.
Read GameSpot’s Mario Tennis Aces review.
Nintendo
If you’re a fan of paintball combat — either the real kind that nobody tells you can give you welts, or the virtual videogame kind — then Splatoon probably has a special place in your heart. Splatoon 2 is starting to get a little long in the tooth (it was released in 2017) but it’s still a blast, and the Technicolor paint-based combat is still both thrilling and charming. Starting on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. PT, you can get this at Walmart for about $10 less than just about anywhere else.
Read GameSpot’s Splatoon 2 review.
GameSpot
This game has been around the block as well, but it’s so well loved that I couldn’t help but include it in this list. Like most of the rest of the games I’ve already listed here, you’ll be able to snag it for about half price for a limited time starting on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. PT.
Read GameSpot’s Super Mario Odyssey review.
Pokemon
You don’t have to wait for Black Friday to get this deal. The highly anticipated pair of RPG titles for the Switch — Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield — both debut on Saturday, Nov. 16, for $60 each. But you can get either game for just $38 at Facebook Marketplace starting at 10 a.m. PT on Saturday, Nov. 16, while supplies last.
Read GameSpot’s Pokemon Sword/Shield review.
This article was originally published earlier this week and has been updated with new information.
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Nintendo Switch Lite: 1 month later
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CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page, and find more great buys on the CNET Deals page.