Update 10/09/24: With the final day of Prime Day dawning on us, we’ve gone through this article and updated all the deals to the latest pricing, as well as added a couple of new deals that you should check out. Given that today is the last day, be sure to snag any deal you like now since a lot of these tend to be limited and will likely be gone soon.
Between getting a console itself and then a decent games collection, it can be difficult to get into gaming on a Nintendo Switch. Luckily, today is the last day of Prime Big Deal Days, so you still have a chance to grab yourself something you like, especially since we’re seeing deals on everything imaginable. Whether you want to get Nintendo Switch consoles, games, and accessories (like you’ll see here), a Big Deal Days TV deal to get a better view of your game, or even a Big Deal Days soundbar deal so you can finally hear everything with utmost clarity, they’re all here. For Nintendo Switch, here’s the best of what we’ve found so far.
If you already own a Nintendo Switch, then you know how fragile it can get and that it’s not a good idea to carry it around without a case. Luckily, the Orzly Carry Case is not only quite sturdy, but it’s going for only $15, rather than the usual $28. It comes with enough space for eight different game cartridges, two sets of joy-cons, and a cable as well, so it’s perfect for taking to parties and playing with friends.
If you’re the type of person who doesn’t quite like having dozens of cartridges laying around, then maybe a MicroSD card to expand the internal storage is the way to go. It has read of up to 100MB/s and write speeds of up to 90MB/s, so it’s more than quick enough to handle running your games. It’s also licensed by Nintendo, so we know it definately works, and with a $28 price tag for 256GB of storage, it’s well worth grabbing.
Octopath Traveler II is a gorgeous pixel art-style RPG and well worth it if you’re a fan of the genre, with a deep narrative system to explore. Even better, you get a solid 20% off the game so it’s worth grabbing if you’ve had your eye on it for a while.
Dave the Diver is a fun little game and actually an award-winning game, so it’s well worth grabbing if you haven’t played this game yet. It also has a nice $8 discount on it, which isn’t a ton, but it’s great for how good the game is.
While the standard JoyCon controllers are pretty great, they can be a bit tricky to use long-term, and a more traditional controller like the PowerA wireless controller for the Switch might be a better option. While it’s usually quite pricey, you can snag it now with a considerable $21 discount.
If you have larger hands than the general population, then you know the struggle of playing on the smaller joyscons, even when attached to the Switch, which is why these Hori Split Pad Pro controllers are a great alternative that gives you a lot more purchase. You can also get a nice 16% off the price, which isn’t a ton, but it’s still worth it if you’d like the extra grip.
If you’re a big fan of racing games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and play them often, then you’ll really want to grab yourself a proper set of wheel and peddles, like this Hori Mario Kart Racing Pro Deluxe set. It has a solid $19 discount, so while it’s not exceedingly cheap, it’s a nice cherry on top.
If you don’t care that much about the dock and want to save yourself a little extra, grab yourself this Nintendo Switch Lite with a 6% discount. After all, contributing reviewer Felicia Miranda found that “For handheld gamers, the Nintendo Switch Lite is a small triumph. Its compact body makes it more portable than the original Switch, and its ergonomic design feels great to hold during long sessions of gaming.”
The Nintendo Switch is probably one of the best gaming handhelds out there, so much so that we found that”the Switch manages to blend Nintendo’s penchant for weird, gimmicky hardware with the high-quality design we’ve come to expect of consoles in the modern era. From a hardware perspective, it is the best console from the company in generations — possibly ever.” While you only get a 7% discount, that’s not bad given the Switch is worth grabbing even without one.
If you’re after the console, there are typically two kinds of deals that you will be looking at. The first is for an individual console with little else extra involved. These are pretty easy to shop — just find the console you want and tap ‘Buy.’ If you aren’t sure if you want the console, you can also check our review to see a first-hand account of what playing with it looked like. However, you’ll also encounter plenty of deals that come with game bundles, possibly also including collectibles. These are typically cheaper on an item-per-item basis, but aren’t really worth it if you aren’t into the game that comes with the deal. We’ll try to pick bundles that include popular games only, of course, but you’re still going to have to assess your own taste.
You should also be able to find games and controllers on sale during this time. While official Nintendo-made controllers are easier to decide on buying or not (do you need it or do you not?) games are always tricky. Again, games listed here are typically going to be the ones that people like or are iconic, but game taste is very subjective. Try to watch a trailer or catch a stream with someone playing it before you buy.
The methodology was alluded to above, but let’s go over the basics again.
When we find straight up console deals — no games attached — the product and price can just shine for itself. We have reviews of many Switch editions, made in house, to verify the product passed the quality test. When games are attached, the math changes somewhat, however. If the price is exceptionally low, for example, and even without the game it’d be considered a good deal, that deal is a throw in. If not, but the bundle is still a good deal, we’ll make sure the game will appeal to enough people that you might like it.
Deals on the best Nintendo Switch controllers and accessories follow a similar thought process as for consoles, while game deals will typically only focus on popular games or games that deserve a second look at an incredibly low price.
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.