Nintendo fans rejoice - even during price hikes, these Switch 2 games have never been cheaper

Image of a selection of Switch 2 game boxes sitting on a light green GamesRadar+ background. — (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.

Raidou: Remastered – The Mystery of the Soulless Army Launch Edition (Game-Key Card) | $49.99 $39.99 at Amazon
Save $10 - This is the first discount of its kind for the action RPG, taking its $49.99 MSRP down to $39.99 and saving you $10 in the process. Sure, a saving of $10 isn't a lot, but the remaster has only been out two months, so any price drop at all is worth making a fuss about.

Buy it if:

✅ You have a soft spot for ATLUS RPGs
✅ You never played the original
✅ You have space for the full 17GB game download

Don't buy it if:

❌ You aren't a fan of Game-Key Cards
❌ You prefer turn-based RPGs

UK: £44.99 £37.49 at Amazon

Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut (Game-Key Card) | $49.99 $39.99 at Amazon
Save $10 - The director's cut of Yakuza 0, the definitive prequel of the iconic Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, saw some discounts shortly after launch, but it shot back up to its full $49.99 MSRP in no time. Now its' returned to just $39.99, saving you $10 off one of my favorite games of all time. Just in time for both Yakuza Kiwami games releasing on the new handheld later this year.

Buy it if:

✅ You want to start the Yakuza game series
✅ You agree that Majima is the best boy
✅ You love games set in the 80s

Don't buy it if:

❌ You prefer the turn-based RPG gameplay of Yakuza Like a Dragon
❌ You'd rather just get the game from the eShop
❌ You can't free up 47GB for the full game download

UK: £40.96 at Amazon

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S (Game-Key Card) | $39.99 $29.99 at Amazon
Save $10 - Just like Yakuza 0, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S has seen a discount in the past, although only up to $2 was dropped from its $39.99 MSRP. Now, the Switch 2 version is down to its lowest ever price so far at just $29.99, saving you $10 in the process.

Buy it if:

✅ You're a nerd for puzzle games
✅ You want to try out the Joy-Con 2 mouse controls
✅ You enjoy competitive and casual play

Don't buy it if:

❌ You aren't a fan of Game-Key Cards
❌ You don't want to free up 4GB
❌ You don't like puzzle games

UK: £30.47 £40.21 at Amazon

Sid Meier's Civilization VII – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Code In Box) | $69.99 $64.99 at Amazon
Save $5 - There's no Game-Key Card to be found here, and instead this version of Civ 7 is a download code in a box. If you're happy with that fact, then you might be happier to know the game is down to $64.99 right now, saving you $5 off its $69.99 MSRP. This marks the lowest ever price for the Switch 2 version of the game so far.

Buy it if:

✅ You want to put the mouse controls to work
✅ You want to play a Civ game on the go

Don't buy it if:

❌ You'd prefer the physical Switch version
❌ You only buy physical games

UK: £59.99 £39.99 at Amazon

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 (Code in Box) Standard Edition | $49.99 $39.99 at Best Buy
Save $10 - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 has barely been out for over a month, but already the Switch 2 version is seeing a discount of $10 off right now. This current sale price takes the $49.99 game down to $39.99, its lowest ever price on the new Ninty handheld so far. It is a download code in a box, which is a bit of a bummer for you, physical game fans, but you're still saving cash on two games in one.

Buy it if:

✅ You want to relive a ton of nostalgia
✅ You want two games-in-one
✅ You want skating games to play on the go
✅ You want the HDR support of the Switch 2 port

Don't buy it if:

❌ You want the full original game soundtrack
❌ You only play physical Switch 2 games
❌ You prefer the Skate series

UK: £24.99 at Argos

Sonic X Shadow Generations (Game-Key Card) | $39.99 $49.99 at Amazon
Save $10 - In case you missed it on the original Switch, Sonic X Shadow Generations has returned on the Switch 2 and is down to just $49.99 right now. The OG Switch version has been cheaper, but if you're keen for those crisper visuals, you can grab this version for the new handheld and save $10 in the process.

Buy it if:

✅ You never played the OG Sonic Generations
✅ You love classic and modern Sonic gameplay
✅ You're a big Shadow the Hedgehog fan

Don't buy it if:

❌ You already own the game on the OG Switch
❌ You aren't into Game-Key Cards

UK: £42.99 at Argos

Should you buy Switch 2 Game-Key Cards?

Photo by Rosalie Newcombe of a close-up of the Game-Key Card of No Sleep For Kaname Date sitting on its physical Switch 2 game box. — (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 Amazon
Nintendo Switch 2 + Pokémon Legends: Z-A Bundle: $499 at Walmart
Donkey Kong Bananza: $69 at Amazon
Mario Kart World: $79 at Amazon

Our 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.