Nintendo's Black Friday Deals Are Here, and They're... Pretty Okay, Actually
It's that magical time of year when first-party Nintendo games are almost reasonably priced.
The holiday sales announcements are flying, and Nintendo has finally opened the kimono. This is our first Black Friday with the Nintendo Switch 2, and the deals are... well, they're Nintendo deals. No one is giving the farm away, but if you've been holding out, you can save a few bucks.
Here's the full breakdown of what's coming.
The Games: From 'Good Deal' to 'Actually Good Deal'
The main event for physical games kicks off on November 23. This is when the real-world deals hit retailers. As usual, they're split into two main tiers.
First is the "$40 Club," which is Nintendo's standard "sale" price. This includes some heavy hitters:
Princess Peach: Showtime!
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
Luigi's Mansion 3
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
The real value, though, is in the second tier. A few must-have games are dropping to $29.99. This is the one. The new Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake is on this list, which is a fantastic price. Super Mario Odyssey is also in this bin, which is a steal if you still don't own it. Nintendo Switch Sports and Splatoon 3 are also getting the $30 treatment.
If you're a digital-only person, the eShop "Cyber Deals" sale runs from November 20 through December 3.
The Switch 2 Elephant in the Room
Let's be real, this whole sale is built around the Switch 2. Nintendo is pushing the new $450 console and the $500 Mario Kart World bundle hard.
The most interesting part? Nintendo is confirming "free Nintendo Switch 2 updates" for Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Super Mario Odyssey, and Splatoon 3. This means buying those $30-$40 games actually gets you a next-gen-ready title. That makes the Odyssey deal look even better.
The other interesting part: a deal on MicroSD cards. Not just any card, but the new Samsung MicroSD Express Cards. Starting November 30, they're $20 off. A 256GB card will be $39.99. This is Nintendo's subtle way of telling you "your old SD card is too slow, and you're going to need more space."
Amiibo, Demos, and Other Holiday Fluff
If you still collect plastic statues, select amiibo are "$10 off" starting November 23. This just brings the Zelda Sages down to $19.99 and the Street Fighter 6 figures to $29.99. It's... a discount.
Nintendo is also doing a bunch of in-store events at Best Buy, GameStop, and Walmart, mostly to let people play Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. So if you want to try the new hotness before you buy, that's your chance.
And, of a-course, the Nintendo Stores in NY and SF are getting a "Winter Collection" of new merch. Because what's a holiday without a $60 character-themed hoodie?
So, that's the list. It's not a fire sale, but $30 for Paper Mario and Odyssey is a solid deal. Just save some of that cash for the new MicroSD card. You're gonna need it.
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