Nintendo Black Friday deals: Switch 2 bundles and game discounts

2 hours ago7 min read1 comments

Alright, let's get real about Nintendo's Black Friday 'deals'—or should we say, the lack thereof. If you were holding out hope for a mind-blowing discount on the Switch 2 this holiday season, you're probably going to be as disappointed as someone who just lost a boss battle on the final hit.Nintendo just dropped their holiday offers, and in classic Nintendo fashion, the actual savings are about as common as a rare shiny Pokémon. The console itself, which launched earlier this year at that steep $449 price point, isn't getting any direct price cut.No surprise there; Nintendo has always played the long game with hardware pricing, treating their consoles like premium collectibles rather than commodities subject to the frantic discounting we see from other tech giants. This strategy isn't new—remember how the original Switch held its value for years?—but it does create a unique dynamic during the shopping frenzy of Black Friday, where every other retailer is slashing prices.So, what's actually on the table? The 'deals' primarily manifest as bundles. You've got the standard console-only option, or you can grab a bundle with a packed-in game for $499.The new Mario Kart World bundle and the freshly minted Pokémon Legends: Z-A bundle both sit at that price. When you do the math, a standalone game runs you $70, so the bundle effectively knocks about twenty bucks off the combined price—it's not nothing, but it's hardly the 50%-off doorbuster your wallet might have been dreaming about.This bundling tactic is a classic move from the Nintendo playbook, one they've perfected over generations from the NES era to now. It's a way to maintain the perceived value of their hardware while gently encouraging you into their software ecosystem, where the real long-term revenue lies.These bundles are available at all the usual suspects: Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy. It's the same curated availability, the same controlled distribution.There's a certain brilliance to it, a masterclass in brand management, but for the consumer hunting for a bargain, it can feel a bit like being offered a side of fries when you asked for a discount on the burger. For those more interested in building out their game library than acquiring new hardware, the news is slightly better, though still tempered by Nintendo's infamous reluctance to deeply discount its first-party titles.The Nintendo eShop is rolling out its 'Cyber Deals' from November 20 through December 3, promising 'holiday offers on select games. ' The vagueness is intentional; you'll have to log in to see what's actually discounted, a digital treasure hunt that drives engagement.Meanwhile, starting November 23, physical retailers will have a handful of notable games marked down to $40, including recent hits like *Princess Peach: Showtime!* and *The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom*. Older classics like *Luigi’s Mansion 3* and *Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe* are also joining the $40 club.For the truly budget-conscious, a selection of evergreen titles—think *Super Mario Odyssey*, *Nintendo Switch Sports*, *Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door*, and *Splatoon 3*—will be available for $30. These are solid entry points into some of the best experiences on the platform, but again, don't expect to see *Tears of the Kingdom* or the new *Pokémon* for a tenner.That's just not how Nintendo operates. Their entire business model is built on the sustained value of their intellectual property, a lesson they learned after the disastrous price cuts and software glut of the Wii U era.The subtext here is clear: Nintendo isn't competing on price; it's competing on prestige. The real Black Friday action for the Nintendo faithful might not be in consoles or even games, but in the sprawling universe of merchandise.From the limited-edition Lego Super Mario Game Boy set that's a nostalgia bomb for 90s kids, to the officially licensed *Zelda* Hyrule Historia book and Kirby plush backpacks, there's a whole ecosystem of collectibles, apparel, and gear. This is where the deals might actually materialize, as third-party retailers have more flexibility to discount these items.It’s a savvy pivot; if you can't get a deal on the console, maybe you'll settle for a themed tumbler or a Metroid Prime art book for the fan in your life (who might very well be you). In the end, navigating a Nintendo Black Friday is less about hunting for shocking discounts and more about optimizing for value within a tightly controlled system.The bundle is your best bet for the hardware, the $30-$40 range is your sweet spot for classic games, and the merch is your wild card. It’s a calculated dance, one that reflects a company so confident in the desirability of its products that it doesn't feel the need to participate in the same discounting bloodsport as its competitors. So, manage those expectations, set your alerts for the bundle drops, and may the odds be ever in your favor—because with Nintendo, that's what a 'sale' really feels like.

#featured

#Nintendo Switch 2

#Black Friday deals

#console bundles

#game discounts

#holiday offers

#Mario Kart World

#Pokémon Legends Z-A

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