Skip to main content

These Switch bundles come with one of Nintendo’s best multiplayer game for free

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Peach and Yoshi on hovering racer vehicles looking at the camera.
Nintendo

Nintendo is kicking off the holidays early with two new Switch bundles set to release “early this fall” that will basically give you a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Nintendo Switch Online for free.

Nintendo announced the bundles on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. The bundle with the regular Nintendo Switch and Neon Red and Neon Blue Joy-Con controllers will cost $300, while the one with the Switch OLED and white Joy-Cons will sell for $350. Both bundles include a console, a digital download of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and 12 months of Nintendo Switch Online.

Recommended Videos

The Switch OLED normally costs $350, while the regular Switch goes for $300, so you’re getting Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and its Switch Online subscription service, which Nintendo values at $80, for free essentially. There’s no release date just yet, and preorders aren’t available, but stay tuned for updates over the coming weeks.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

While Mario Kart 8 Deluxe released its last DLC in 2023 in the form of the Booster Course Pass, it’s still the most successful Nintendo Switch game of all time, and one of the best Switch multiplayer games. Meanwhile, Switch Online is basically required for multiplayer, so it’s an obvious choice for such a bundle. Depending on your plan, you can also share it with up to eight family members or friends and get access to cloud saves. Nintendo also releases ports of classic games to the Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and has been consistently adding new ones. You can play games like GoldenEye 007, Star Fox 64, Super Mario World, and a whole bunch of Legend of Zelda classics like Majora’s Mask.

The bundles might be one of the last times to get such a deal on the Switch. Nintendo has been gearing up for the eventual release of the Switch’s successor. We have no information on this just yet, but rumors suggest it could be released early next year.

Carli Velocci
Carli is a technology, culture, and games editor and journalist. They were the Gaming Lead and Copy Chief at Windows Central…
The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct is coming in early April
The Switch 2 next to a TV with Mario Kart.

Nintendo Switch 2 – First-look trailer

Nintendo has given us an official time for its Nintendo Switch 2 Direct: April 2 at 9 AM ET, 6 AM PT. A Direct had been promised when Nintendo first revealed the Nintendo Switch 2, but in its usual fashion, the company provided only the bare minimum details. And even though we now know the exact time of the stream, Nintendo hasn't given any more information on the console itself.

Read more
The Switch’s newest game is the next best thing to Animal Crossing
My Melody swims in Hello Kitty: Island Adventure.

When it comes to Nintendo Switch games, we’re in a bit of a holding pattern. Nintendo’s next console is right around the corner and new releases for its old one have stalled as a result. We expect Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A to be the system’s last games, but we’re only getting ports of a few older games until then. If you’re used to getting a big new Switch game every month, you might find yourself a little restless for the next few months.

Thankfully, third-party publishers are doing their part to fill that gap. This week, Switch owners just got what might be one of its last must-own games thanks to Hello Kitty: Island Adventure. The life sim is the closest thing you’ll get to a new Animal Crossing game on the Switch. Considering that Nintendo has no games of its own scheduled to launch until March, this is the next best thing.

Read more
The best open-world games on Switch
Link flying through air in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Even when the system launched, the Nintendo Switch was clearly the weakest console of the generation. While the best PS5 games and best Xbox Series X games were pushing graphics to the limit, Nintendo was more focused on delivering fun experiences you could play on your TV or in handheld mode. Despite its lack of raw power, which the Switch 2 addresses to some degree, it hasn't stopped the system from delivering amazing open-world games with vast landscapes to explore. Sure, they may not have the best graphics, but the simple fact that such massive experiences are playable on the Switch makes them technical marvels. These aren't watered-down experiences where it counts, which is the fun factor, so let's list off the best open-world games for the Switch you should be playing.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Read more