Nintendo fans rejoice

(Image credit: Future/Nintendo)

The Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t even been around for longer than three months, yet already some Switch 2 games are seeing price cuts. At a time when Nintendo hardware price hikes are rife, that’s exactly what I want to see, but there are some things you need to know first.

For one, it’s not first-party Nintendo games that are seeing discounts. Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza remain firmly at full price, which makes sense given how new they are. Additionally, it’s mainly Game-Key Card titles and digital codes in a box type releases that have some crash shaved off them right now, which not everyone is a huge fan of, understandably.

If you don’t care about not having the full game on a physical cart and just want to save some cash, then stick with me as I lay out all the discounts I can currently find below.

Should you buy Switch 2 Game-Key Cards?

(Image credit: Future/Rosalie Newcombe)Game-Key Cards are new to the Switch 2 Nintendo generation, and not everyone is a fan. These cards are physical game carts, and are exactly the same dimensions as any other physical game on the new handheld, but they don’t contain the full data of a game. Instead, Game-Key Cards act as a ‘key’ to grant you access to a digital game download of whatever title you own.

Essentially, it’s like having a digital code in a box on a physical game cart. You still need to have space for the full game to download on your handheld, so you’re losing some of the benefits of owning a typical physical game.

With that in mind, they’re not for everyone. I’m a physical game girlie, and I feel uneasy knowing I own No Sleep for Kaname Date as a Game-Key Card and not the full physical version that’s available on the original Switch. Yes, there’s still a physical game involved, which I could re-sell if I needed to, or let a friend borrow, but I much prefer knowing the entire game data is all on one cart.

If you’re in the same boat, a lot of the discounts above won’t be for you, and that’s okay. In some spots, you can grab the original Switch versions of games like Civilization 7 for $77.79 at Amazon, and grab the Switch 2 upgrade pack on the eShop to get the best of both worlds. However, these discounts on Switch 2 games, even if they are game-key cards, are a sight for sore eyes when Nintendo tech is getting pricier every day.

View all Switch 2 game deals at AmazonNintendo Switch 2 + Pokémon Legends: Z-A Bundle: $499 at WalmartDonkey Kong Bananza: $69 at AmazonMario Kart World: $79 at AmazonOur ultimate Switch 2 starter pack is full of the best accessories, from the best Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Express Cards, to the best Nintendo Switch 2 cameras, that can help unlock the full potential of your new Ninty handheld.

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Ever since I first held a NES controller in my hand I’ve been obsessed with gaming, and the hardware it runs on. I could hook up a NES and SNES to a telly, without instructions, before I could walk. Even now, nothing is more exciting then taking a console, or handheld, out the box for the first time and setting it up. This obsession transformed into a love of games and game music, which lead to my music degree and dream of becoming the Scottish Nobuo Uematsu. After sharing my love of games through music, I began to share my love through words on sites like TechRadar and iMore. This lead to becoming a Hardware staff writer for PCGamesN, and later the Senior Tech Writer for Dexerto, covering all things Steam Deck, PlayStation and Nintendo. With that experience, I was able to level up as Hardware Editor for GamesRadar+, where I’m still just as Nintendo, PlayStation and gaming tech obsessed as ever.