Update, 7:02 p.m. PT: Well, that went as expected. The Switch bundle at Walmart sold out in less than a minute. But you can check the links here to see it’s in stock at major vendors. The earlier story continues below.
Here we go: The new Nintendo Switch Mario Kart bundle has only been available since last Sunday, but it’s already as difficult to get as the PS5 and Xbox Series X. But Walmart is swooping in to the rescue: Walmart is pledging an online “availability window” for this bundle today, Wednesday, Nov. 25, at 4 p.m. PT (7 p.m. ET). That’s the same time Walmart’s big Black Friday sale officially kicks off, and two hours before its next PS5 and Xbox inventory drop.
Walmart/Screenshot by John Falcone/CNET
Here’s what you get in the box with the new $299 Switch bundle:
- The “version 2” hardware with red and blue controllers (this has better battery life than the original 2017 Switch)
- A download code for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (a $50 to $60 value)
- A download code for three months of Nintendo Online (an $8 value, this enables online multiplayer and access to dozens of free retro classic games from the NES and SNES library)
In other words, you’re getting the same great hardware that can connect to a TV or be played in your hands, with some free games thrown in. Even if you’re brand-new to the Switch, you can grab a Joy-Con controller and jump into a Kart race right out of the box. Then, because much of the Switch library is digital, you can download a digital version of any game your heart desires.
Nintendo
In addition to Walmart, the bundle became “available” at most major retailers — Amazon, Target, Best Buy and GameStop — on Sunday, Nov. 22. But it immediately went out of stock everywhere (at least online), and will likely continue to be so. (We say it’s “out of stock” if you can’t get it at the normal $299 price; there are plenty of third-party resellers happy to sell it to you for hundreds more.) To that end, we’re also keeping tabs on the inventory on the “regular” Nintendo Switch — same exact hardware, but no bundled digital codes. And keep in mind that Walmart and others are now offering some of the biggest Switch games for $15 to $30, so you could put together a nice gift bundle of your own.
We’ll continue to update this story as inventory changes.
Nintendo Switch Black Friday Bundle
As mentioned above, Walmart is pledging to restock this bundle today, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. ET, just before it does the same for PS5 and Xbox.
Best Buy had the bundle as of Sunday morning, but it immediately went out of stock.
Amazon finally has a product page for the bundle, but it’s currently upselling third-party resellers charging outrageous premiums.
GameStop has a product page for the bundle, but we haven’t seen it in stock there.
Yep, Target has a page for it too. You may have better luck with curbside pickup if your local store has it in stock.
Nintendo Switch consoles (not the Black Friday bundle)
These come with the same Switch hardware, but without the bundled digital codes in the versions above. The Switch is available with red and blue controllers, gray controllers or in an Animal Crossing edition (a design based on the game, but without that title included).
Amazon
Best Buy
GameStop
What’s a good price for the Switch?
The Mario Kart bundle is the best deal on the Switch. Otherwise, you should consider yourself lucky if you find it at its normal list price of $299. With bundles and used consoles selling for $400 or more, paying “only” the suggested retail price is a win on this product. The Switch Lite is $199, but that model can’t be connected to a TV for big-screen gaming.
Read more: The best Nintendo Switch games for 2020
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