The Nintendo Switch 2 was officially revealed last week, with the console expected to hit shelves later this year. Of course, this leaves those on the cusp of picking up the original Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, or Nintendo Switch OLED in a bit of a predicament. After all, is it worth waiting a few months longer to grab the new machine, or is now the time to strike?
I was recently asked by a friend if it’s a good idea to invest in a Nintendo Switch at the moment and, in my eyes at least, it’s a bit of a no-brainer. If you’re a casual player and haven’t yet owned a Nintendo Switch system, you shouldn’t hesitate to buy at least one of the current versions.
Whether it’s the console’s vast library of fantastic software, top-notch value proposition, or just the ability to buy pre-owned, right now could very well be the best time to pick up a Nintendo Switch.
The Nintendo Switch has never been more affordable
The first and most compelling reason to pick up the Nintendo Switch at the moment is its price. The console has never been cheaper, with savings on the console itself and loads of fantastic bundles to choose from.
The Nintendo Switch Lite is routinely on sale for $179.99 / £180 (around $20 / £20 cheaper than its retail price) at online retailers such as Amazon or even in brick-and-mortar stores like Walmart or Best Buy in the US and Currys and Argos in the UK. I think these retailers are likely to put on limited-time discounts in order to clear older stock in the coming weeks making prices even better, too.
On top of this, Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Currys, and Argos all stock a range of bundles. Grabbing a Nintendo Switch OLED with a copy of a top game like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online membership for the $349.99 / £309.99 cost of the console on its own offers an incredible amount of value out of the box.
The second hand market is flooded…
The prices are even better when you look at the second-hand market.
With a new system on the way, lots of owners are starting to sell their old gear. If you don’t mind picking up a console that’s already been well-loved, you can save much more. Head over to online auction sites like eBay and you can easily find consoles in near-mint condition that have sold for about $130 / £100 below list price. Of course, bidding in online auctions is a bit more effort than heading to a store but the potential for a bargain is massive.
Still, you won’t get the same warranty protection as buying from a regular retailer and it can be hard to determine which listings are genuine. Luckily, that’s where refurbished, or renewed, consoles come in.
At the time of writing, Amazon sells renewed Nintendo Switch OLED units in ‘excellent’ condition (which means no visible screen scratches or obvious cosmetic damage) for $289 / £259.99 – a $60.99 / £50 price cut compared to new.
Here’s my favorite deal right now.
Those in the US can also consider refurbished systems from Best Buy, which have been reliably discounted for major sales events like Black Friday.
Grabbing a cheap used system could tide you over for the next few years, avoiding the Nintendo Switch 2 buying rush and having the knock-on effect of meaning you might be able to find a good deal on that system if you eventually decide it’s time to upgrade.
If you’re buying for a child, this is going to be a very tempting option. After all, there’s not much point investing lots in a shiny new console if it’s only going to pick up bumps and nicks almost straight out of the box!
The Nintendo Switch 2 likely won’t be cheap
It can be quite hard to judge whether a Nintendo Switch will represent better value, as we don’t know the retail price of the Nintendo Switch 2 quite yet.
That said, I think that it is almost definitely going to be more expensive than the original Nintendo Switch was. The prices of everything have risen a lot since 2017 and, paired with the potential for improved specs, I would brace for a figure that could seriously hurt your wallet.
My personal prediction is that it will come in around $399.99 / £349.99, and bear in mind that that’s likely without any included games. Our friends at Tom’s Hardware have even reported that the retail price could be as high as $499 / £400, but honestly, I really don’t think Nintendo would go for a figure quite that steep.
It’s not outside the realm of possibility though, especially when the system’s biggest competitors, handheld PCs like the Steam Deck OLED, start at the $549 / £479 mark. Either way, it will most likely be a big jump up from the cost of even the premium Nintendo Switch OLED, so you best start saving if you’re really committed.
Games have received big price cuts too
The relative age of the Nintendo Switch also means that you can save a fortune on games. I’ve been on a bit of a Nintendo Switch game-buying spree of late, as even the usually extremely pricey first-party Nintendo titles have come down quite a lot. Most recently, I managed to grab Bayonetta 3 and Super Mario RPG for just under $25 / £20 each at Amazon, which was unheard of back when the console launched.
The cost of third-party has also plummeted, with many quality physical releases available for well below the $15 / £15 mark brand new at Amazon including Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered, Assassin’s Creed Rebel Collection, Overcooked 2, and Fitness Circuit to name just a few.
Even digital releases get massive discounts every few weeks. I’ve spotted loads of great games for as little as $5 / £5 each on the Nintendo eShop and just this week added Jurassic World Evolution: Complete Edition, Blasphemous, and Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter to my collection for less than the price of a sandwich each.
This makes it cheaper than ever to build out a well-rounded game library and, no matter what genres you’re interested in, you won’t struggle to save some cash on the software front.
You can see the latest prices on some top games below.
As with the consoles, you can save even more by buying second-hand. Many game stores offer used stock and, while you might have to deal with the odd uncomfortably sticky game case, it’s a gold mine for thrifty shoppers.
Your software library will carry forward
Game purchases are also decidedly future-proof. Nintendo has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 supports most Nintendo Switch software, which presumably means the vast majority of games will be fully playable. If you buy a Nintendo Switch and love it so much that you want to grab the Nintendo Switch 2 once it becomes available, you won’t be leaving your library of favorites behind.
There are also plenty of Nintendo Switch games still on the horizon, including the highly anticipated Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. For the first few years of the Nintendo Switch 2’s life, I also wouldn’t be shocked if many publishers, including Nintendo, continue to support the original Nintendo Switch with cross-generation releases that are compatible with both.
Backwards compatibility also means that your physical releases won’t immediately tank in value when the new hardware drops, as Nintendo Switch 2 owners will still have a reason to come back to older games. Some will likely even increase in value, especially those that are a little older and now out of print.
Even accessories are abundant and inexpensive
Finally, there’s the matter of Nintendo Switch accessories. The Nintendo Switch has been out for almost eight years now, so there is no shortage of peripherals.
Whether you’re after a microSD card for a storage upgrade, a new controller for when you’re playing on the TV, a robust carrying case and screen protector to fend off scratches, or even a handheld dock that makes the portable experience that much more enjoyable, there are so many options that you won’t struggle to find what you need.
Many of the best Nintendo Switch accessories like the superb CRKD Nitro Deck handheld dock, 8BitDo Ultimate controller, and HyperX Cloud Alpha gaming headset receive frequent discounts now too, even further increasing the savings that you can make by going for the more mature system.
Here are some of my personal picks.
Although it is too early to say for sure, I think there’s a strong possibility that the majority of Nintendo Switch headsets and controllers will also work with the Nintendo Switch 2, saving you from having to rebuy your favorite gear if you upgrade – just bear in mind that existing carrying cases, screen protectors, or docks won’t fit its larger dimensions.
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dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood)
