Cyber Monday might be over, but it’s not too late to score a Nintendo Switch with a bunch of free stuff thrown in.
Walmart has a new $299 Switch bundle that includes a carrying case as well as a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online membership — two useful extras that are all but essential for anyone picking up Nintendo’s hybrid games console. A year of Switch Online and this type of carrying case will usually run you $20 a pop, so you’re essentially getting $40 worth of free extras out of the box.
It’s not quite the best Switch deal we’ve seen, as Nintendo’s Cyber Monday bundle that included Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as well as three months of Switch Online was a slightly better value. But if you’re looking to pick up a Nintendo Switch for yourself or as a holiday gift, this is a solid starter pack that includes two items you’d probably end up buying afterward anyway.
One important thing to note is that this bundle includes the standard $299 Nintendo Switch and not the $349 Nintendo Switch OLED that just launched this fall. If you plan on playing in handheld mode often, we recommend hunting down an OLED model if you can — the bigger, bolder display really makes a difference while playing games, and there are some handy quality-of-life improvements, including a better kickstand and more refined overall design.
At the same time, the Switch OLED is a little hard to find right now, and the older model is still a great piece of hardware that lets you play games both on your TV and on the go. Now’s a better time than ever to own a Switch, as the console has amassed an incredible library that includes must-play tentpoles such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Metroid Dread and countless indie games and third-party hits. There’s also plenty more on the way for 2022 and beyond, including Bayonetta 3, Pokémon Legends Arceus and the Breath of the Wild sequel, so you don’t have to worry about Nintendo’s console becoming obsolete anytime soon.
The inclusion of Switch Online in this bundle is especially key, as the service allows you to play multiplayer games online and also opens you up to a library of classic NES and SNES games. Just note that you’ll have to pay extra if you want to upgrade to the Switch Online + Expansion Pack, which costs $50 a year and throws in Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games as well as the Happy Home Paradise expansion for Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
The Switch is likely to be one of the most sought-after gifts this holiday, so if you’re cool with skipping out on the OLED model and getting the standard version, you may as well get some free stuff in this Walmart bundle while you can.