Nintendo Black Friday 2025: Real-World Prices, Storage Advice, and What’s Missing

Nintendo has outlined its Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025 plans, and the headline is clear: no hardware discount for Nintendo Switch 2, but meaningful cuts on a handful of first-party games and a small break on storage. The sale window runs November 23–29 across the Nintendo eShop and participating retailers (think Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, Walmart), with physical and digital copies included where stock allows.

Here’s the nuance that matters for your wallet: marketing materials say “from $29.99”. In practice, that means select titles – like The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Luigi’s Mansion 3 – hit $29.99, while others sit at $39.99. It’s a familiar Nintendo pattern: the company rarely deep-discounts evergreen hits, so a $10 spread between tiers is common and varies by retailer. Before you check out, open the product page and confirm the exact price for the platform and format you want.

Confirmed themes: a short, curated list – not a fire sale

Nintendo’s seasonal promos have shifted from blowout bins to curated spotlights. If your wishlist includes mainline crowd-pleasers, you’ll probably see a price you can live with, not a clearance sticker. If you’ve waited on Echoes of Wisdom or finally want to vacuum some ghosts in Luigi’s Mansion 3, $29.99 is about as low as Nintendo lets first-party go outside rare bundle anomalies. Expect some fan-favorite platformers and adventures to hover at $39.99. Meanwhile, a few conspicuous absences – Pikmin 4, for instance – underscore that this is a selective rollout, not a catalog-wide markdown.

Storage: microSD Express discount is handy – just not for everyone

The other headline: $20 off a 256GB microSD Express card. Because Switch 2 uses microSD Express (different from the standard microSD used by the original Switch), most upgraders will need a new card. If you mostly buy physical games and dabble in the eShop, 256GB can be a smart low-risk add – especially if you’re stretching a tight holiday budget.

But heavy digital buyers should think bigger. File sizes for modern releases can nudge past 60–80GB, and more third-party carts ship as game key cards that require sizable downloads. In that world, 256GB fills up surprisingly fast. A 512GB or 1TB card is the realistic sweet spot if you rotate multiple large titles, keep DLC local, or love digital convenience. Bottom line: the $20 discount is welcome, but value depends on your library habits. If you’re already juggling space, hold out for aggressive 1TB pricing later this season.

No Mario Kart bundle this time – and no Switch 2 discount (yet)

One tradition that’s ending: the annual Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle isn’t returning. With Switch 2 established, those familiar Black Friday starter packs have slid into history, and Nintendo isn’t replacing them with a new console bundle – at least not in this announcement. That said, retailers sometimes spring their own promos: a gift card here, a game voucher there, or a regional accessory deal (keep an eye on Pro Controller sales if you missed last year’s price drop).

How to shop smart in a “from $29.99” world

• Verify the tier: Look for the exact price on the game’s listing; many headline pages show ranges.
• Compare digital vs. physical: Physical copies sometimes undercut eShop pricing – or vice versa – during weekend flash promos.
• Stack perks: Add retailer rewards, store credit, or credit-card offers to nudge borderline deals into no-brainers.
• Think long-term storage: Casual players can snag the 256GB microSD Express; library builders should target 512GB–1TB.
• Watch restocks: Popular $29.99 titles sell out; set alerts and check multiple retailers.

What readers are (rightly) debating

There’s a healthy skepticism around Nintendo’s “sale” pricing. Many fans note that first-party hits rarely drop below $30–$40, even years after launch, and some wish for a return to the old “Player’s Choice”-style budget labels. Others argue that a 256GB card discount is too modest given modern file sizes and prefer to wait for 1TB to hit around the price of a standard microSD. And yes – several readers are still holding out hope for deeper cuts on staples or a surprise Switch 2 bundle.

Quick picks if you’re on the fence

• At $29.99: Grab a polished evergreen (Echoes of Wisdom, Luigi’s Mansion 3) you’ve been meaning to play; you likely won’t see much lower soon.
• At $39.99: Aim for newer platformers or adventures you’ll finish over the holidays – value grows if you actually complete them.
• Accessories: If you missed the Pro Controller last year, watch for retailer-specific drops; Nintendo didn’t headline it, but doorbusters happen.

The bottom line: This is a pragmatic Nintendo sale, not a paradigm shift. Expect select first-party gems at $29.99, a wider ring at $39.99, and a practical – if modest – storage discount. Shop deliberately, verify the price you’re actually paying, and plan your storage like you plan your playtime. That’s how you turn a “from $29.99” banner into real savings.