Its roots were firmly planted on United States soil, but Black Friday has spread throughout much of Western Europe and numerous other countries. Depending on whom you ask, this is (broadly) considered to be either a consumer-savvy economic blessing, a symptom of the terminal illness known as late-stage capitalism, or “leave me alone, Target just made me work 12 hours straight so the rest of you can laugh it up with your cheap TV sets.” I suppose, for some, there’s also considerable overlap.
Needless to say, Nintendo of America would likely prefer us to focus on one of those three outlooks above the rest. To prove its conviction, the company has announced its intentions for Black Friday 2021. They may or may not surprise you, depending on how familiar you are with their 2019 and 2020 sales. Hint — much of this is going to feel familiar.
A traditional (non-OLED) Nintendo Switch, bundled with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and three months’ worth of standard-edition Nintendo Switch Online, will cost you a cool $299.99. You can expect to find this bundle in stores and online beginning on November 21st at select retailers.
But for preexisting Switch owners, the real deals rest with $20 discounts on several popular games. Since this is Nintendo we’re talking about here, seeing sales that are even half that steep is uncommon; a temporary slash like this only happens a few times a year. Those games include:
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
- Splatoon 2
- Super Mario Maker 2
- Kirby Star Allies
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses
- Astral Chain
I’ve heard good things about those Zelda games, if you’re seeking recommendations.
Each of these is typically on the market for $60, making them $40 from November 21st through the 27th. Also worth mentioning is that Ring Fit Adventure will drop down to $55, rather than its regular $80 mark, and Mario Kart Home Circuit will be $60 instead of $100.
What are we thinking, Club Nintendo? Are these some solid sales? Bear in mind, there should be plenty of eShop-related Black Friday deals as well — but mum’s the word on those until further notice.
