The Nintendo Switch is a phenomenon. Since its release in 2017, it’s become one of the best-selling consoles of all time, with its compelling game catalogue and hybrid design appealing to audiences of all ages and gaming tastes. Wonderfully disregarding the trends set by Sony and Microsoft with their awe-inspiring next-gen machines, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo keeps doing things its way - and audiences can’t get enough. That’s why Nintendo Switch deals are some of the most sought-after for Black Friday 2023.
Whether you want to play the console’s established classics, like Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, or the latest releases, like Super Mario Bros. Wonder or The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, this is the article for you. And remember - some of the best Black Friday deals on Nintendo Switch games are hitting the virtual shelves as we speak, so you can be sure of some top-quality titles at much lower prices, too.
The best retailers for Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals UK:
• Amazon: Up to 70% off Switch games
• Currys: £10 off Switch OLED at Currys
Here, we highlight the best Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals available in 2023. These include all iterations of the Switch console - standard, Lite and OLED - and some deals on the best games and peripherals. Read at the end of the page to learn about the Switch, its place in Nintendo’s history, and the wider gaming community. However, if you’re all about the deals, scroll down and shop to your 8-bit heart’s content.
Best Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals 2023
save £10
www.argos.co.uk
If you are interested in the Nintendo gaming catalogue - why wouldn't you be? It's ace - but if you only want the handheld gaming experience, this Nintendo Switch Lite Black Friday deal has you covered. Full Switch functionality is found here, but you save money by stripping out the Joy-cons and dock. Extra money is saved this time of year too, with the Agros discount of £10.
save £40.99
www.very.co.uk
This bundle deal grabs you the bestselling console with the iconic Neon Joy-cons and The Legend Of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the critically acclaimed follow-up to Breath of The Wild.
bundle deal
www.game.co.uk
GAME is offering customers a great bundle deal on the OLED Switch. In addition to the console, you'll grab a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe digital code and a boxed copy of the all-new (and frankly excellent) Super Mario Bros. Wonder. A voucher for a Switch Online membership is also included.
Save £10
www.currys.co.uk
The discount isn't huge, but Nintendo isn't known for letting the machine's price drop too much - so this isn't a terrible saving by any means. The OLED is an upgrade to the base machine, giving a larger OLED screen with improved brightness and awesome colour pop. It also has 64GB internal memory, improved speakers and a LAN connection when docked for speedy downloads. this model is a fetching Marion red, perfectly toned to match the little plumber.
Big savings
www.game.co.uk
The world's most unlikely companions, Mario and Rayman's Rabbids, join forces to do tactical battles with swathes of enemies in stunning, bright arenas. It's a ridiculous game that is nonetheless huge fun. A relatively new Mario game at this price is unheard of - a great buy this Black Friday.
22% off
The best Rayman platformer - don't @ us. Full of joy, challenge and style, this game is a must-have for any Nintendo Switch owner. Here, you're getting a discount on a digital code - while less exciting than a boxed copy, the digital download would cost you nearly £30 through the Nintendo eShop, so this is a real get.
43% off
www.argos.co.uk
The smash-hit dancing game has a 2023 refresh, complete with a new tracklist including BTS, Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa. Perfect for making a fool of Dad at Christmas.
27% off
Vintage-inspired side-scroller Cuphead is a true gem - here you get the game, plus the DLC "Delicious Last Course". Cuphead is further celebrated with a Ms. Chalice fall-down figure. One for the hardcore fans.
20% off
Marking the extent of the Switch library is cult-hit Dredge, a fishing game with a horror edge. All aboard, Captain - it's 20% off now.
Save £17
www.currys.co.uk
Sonic returns with Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose in toe. Use their distinct abilities to traverse the Northstar Islands. Together, they race to thwart Dr. Eggman - classic.
24% off
This game does what it says on the tin - you play as Turnip Boy and commit tax evasion. This is worth your time with its charming pixel art, witty dialogue, and entertaining gameplay that combines action and puzzles.
save 27%
PowerA is an official partner of Nintendo, tasked with making affordable peripherals that work flawlessly with the Switch. This is perfect for those wanting a more traditional controller experience. Also available with a Zelda finish.
51% off
This card gives your Switch 128GB of storage, which is ideal for ensuring you have your digital library to hand whenever you want to play.
Save 20%
Styled on the iconic Pokedex, this case from third-party brand FUNLAB keeps your game carts safe on the move.
Nintendo and the Switch
Deals are all good, but how did Nintendo get to this point? For a long time, Nintendo has had a strange and contentious relationship with broader gaming trends. The Japanese brand’s machines have always bucked against convention, often being far less powerful but far more inventive than their rivals, leaving Sony and Microsoft to battle it out over graphical and processing might, while Nintendo has been more than happy to do their own thing.
The company’s attitude paid dividends with the Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, and even the Nintendo Wii (for a while, at least). Still, it proved to be comparatively disastrous with the Wii U. Some wrote Nintendo off as a has-been, trading only on Mario and Zelda nostalgia from the SNES, N64 and GameCube era. But how wrong these neigh-sayers proved to be.
In 2017, the Nintendo Switch launched. Combining the two sides of Nintendo’s hardware - portable handhelds and home console - into one hybrid machine, the game console had a slightly slow start, despite the critical success of The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and Mario Odyssey. Yet, year after year, the Switch has gained traction and is now one of the best-selling consoles of all time - it recently surpassed 132 million units sold.
The Nintendo Switch has had a few hardware changes in its life. One is that the standard console got a battery boost, while Nintendo has also released the handheld-only Switch Lite. Most recently, the Switch OLED, with a larger, brighter screen and some other quality-of-life improvements.
Undoubtedly, the pandemic had a significant effect on its prevalence. God-tier cosy game Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched in 2020 and saw the Switch catapulted into incredibly high demand. This, plus everyone having a lot of downtime in lockdown, saw the gaming community garner a newfound love for the machine, its flexible playing options and its inventive and characterful game selection.
Despite being released in 2017, there are plenty of reasons to grab a Nintendo Switch this Black Friday. Check out the deals below - when you see a reasonable price, act quickly; who knows when the deals will end!
Are Nintendo Switch consoles worth it?
Yes. Nintendo Switch consoles are worth it. The hardware allows you to play on TV or handheld, and the price of the machines is very fair - especially compared to a PS5 or Xbox Series X.
The Switch is also home to countless excellent games. Mario and Zelda’s games are always a joy, but it goes beyond this by quite some distance. Pokemon fans are well catered for, as JRPG fans. Classic games are regularly ported to the system - from Nintendo’s back catalogue and others, such as Sony, Sega and more.
The Nintendo Switch is a hugely influential machine - it has changed how we play games. In my case, that’s the case - it changed my gaming habits and tastes so much that I ended up selling my PlayStation 5 to get a Series S and access to Game Pass, which is loaded with games more like Switch experiences. You can read more about it here.
Is the OLED Switch worth it?
The OLED Switch is a great machine - it takes what makes the standard Switch great and injects it with increased brightness, colour pop and dramatic contrast. Other quality-of-life upgrades include increased internal storage, better speakers and improved kickstand. It also has a LAN plug for the TV dock.
If you are keen on visuals and want to play the Switch handheld most of the time, then the OLED may be worth the extra cost. However, spending extra on an OLED screen is more challenging to justify if you plug it into a TV for most games.
Is the Nintendo Switch being discontinued?
Nintendo has not announced that the Switch will be discontinued. Consoles are being produced, and demand is high. Nintendo is also releasing new games for the machine - most recently, the mascot Mario got a new outing in Wonder. Even if a Switch 2 launched in early 2025, the Switch will likely be around for the foreseeable future.
Additionally, Nintendo has a good track record of supporting online and eShop features for consoles. Granted, it recently shut some of its older stores, but due to the popularity of the Switch, it will likely be supported with updates for years to come.
Is Nintendo going to make a Switch 2?
There are plenty of rumours floating around regarding a Switch 2. Couple that with the fact that the Switch is one of Nintendo’s best-selling machines; there is a good chance that, yes - a Switch 2 is going to be released. However, when that will be, what it’ll look like and how much it will cost remains a mystery.
William Lobley is the Deputy Tech & Fitness Editor for What's The Best. Here, he oversees, curates and researches listicles and reviews as many products as his home office can handle.
He has spent nearly five years writing about tech, audio, outdoors and fitness and has reviewed everything from smartphones to ice baths. In addition, he's well-versed in sniffing out the best deals and savings the internet offers.
When not at his desk writing, reviewing or deal-hunting, he'll be relaxing with Japanese crime novels, bingeing some classic anime, strolling the countryside or at the gym listening to the heaviest metal Spotify has to offer.
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