We only see this Nintendo Switch bundle over Black Friday but it's available to pre-order now

Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 bundle on a blue background with 'best deal' badge

(Image credit: Future)

We'll admit it, pre-ordering deals is a novel approach to the upcoming discounting season but we'll give this Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Nintendo Switch bundle a pass. If you've been holding out for the return of this $299.99 package, bundling in a standard edition console, a copy of the classic kart racing game, and a three month subscription to Nintendo Switch Online, your Black Friday dreams have come true early. We're seeing the bundle up for grabs at Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart right now - ahead of an October 6 shipping date.

That's bags of value - $367.97 all told - with a saving of nearly $68 on both Mario Kart and the membership together. Not only is that an excellent discount now, but it's about as good as we see from Nintendo Switch bundles in the US. There's a reason this package only ever appears during Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals - it's by far the best stateside shelves ever see.

Nintendo Switch | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | 3 months Nintendo Switch Online | $299 at Amazon
We typically only ever see this bundle on the shelves over Black Friday, and it sometimes runs out fast. However, Amazon is getting well ahead of the action, listing pre-orders for this Mario Kart 8 Deluxe package ready for an October 6 release. You're getting both the game and three months of Nintendo Switch Online for free here.

Buy it if:

✅ You've been waiting for this bundle to return
✅ You play 50/50 handheld and docked mode
✅ You won't be upgrading any time soon

Don't buy it if:

❌ You're holding out for the new console
❌ You mostly play handheld

Price Check: Best Buy: $299.99 | Walmart: $299

Should you buy the Nintendo Switch Mario Kart bundle early?

If you've been waiting for this bundle to reappear then we would absolutely jump on this chance. Even though last year's November sales saw the same offer running all the way through Cyber Monday it's still a competitive arena and we could see stock falling off the shelves after a while. This is the perfect early chance at a discount for anyone looking to maximize their value while picking up a cheaper standard edition console.

If however, you're likely to upgrade to whatever Ninty is planning on releasing in 2024 (rumors abound that Nintendo Switch 2 is on its way next year) then we'd recommend holding off. We're still talking about $300 here, after all, and with Nintendo itself suggesting that the new release could be backwards compatible with the full Switch catalog that cash could be much better spent in the new year.

Nintendo Switch OLED on a matte black background — (Image credit: Future)

Whether or not we're waiting on a Nintendo Switch OLED bundle of the same proportions when November finally does roll around is another matter as well. Such an early jump with this Mario Kart 8 bundle could suggest that something similar is heading our way for the newer device. If you're likely to be playing in handheld mode more than 50% of the time, we'd recommend opting for that boosted built in screen. However, if docked mode reigns supreme you might as well opt for the cheaper standard edition - they're pretty much identical under the hood after all.

More of today's best Nintendo Switch deals

Whether you're after straight discounts on the console itself or some of the best Nintendo Switch accessories, we've got you covered with all the latest Nintendo Switch deals from across the web.

We're also rounding up all the latest cheap Nintendo Switch game deals as well as the best Nintendo Switch cases and best Nintendo Switch headsets for more kit as well.

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Managing Editor of Hardware at GamesRadar+, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards, headsets and mice that come with them), PS5, and trying to find the perfect projector.