Nintendo’s Switch 2 console launched last month in two distinct purchasing configurations: One was a vanilla base package, priced at $449.99, which only contained the device itself and no extras. The second option was a bundle that contained the Switch 2, plus a digital copy of Mario Kart World.
I’m sure the base offering will stick around for the foreseeable future, but it seems there’s already another unique bundle on the horizon, perhaps deploying to replace the current Mario Kart World variant.
Nintendo has announced that you can now pre-order a brand new first-party Starter (apropos, given the pack-in software here) kit: A shiny Switch 2 with a fresh copy of the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Switch 2 Edition. The bundle is priced at $499.99, just like the MKW version, and is due to release alongside the new Pokémon game on October 16.
Interestingly, Z-A is simultaneously launching on the legacy Switch, but apparently there isn’t an OLED or Lite bundle arriving for either. It’s not like the Switch needs any more damn sales, however. Still, I do worry about the performance of this last-gen version, given the track record of Pokémon titles on the Switch 1.
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The copy of Z-A included with this new bundle will be digital in nature, so if you’re wanting a physical copy, it might be advisable to buy these products separately. That said, you’re getting a discount with the bundle, seeing as Pokémon Legends: Z-A is separately priced at $69.99. You’re saving $10 less than with the Mario Kart World bundle, though, which is currently going for $79.99. But it’s better than nothing.
From a financial perspective, I think these bundles are great, but I do wish Nintendo would make the consoles themselves more compelling. At the end of the day, you’re really just buying a standard Switch 2 and saving some money on a single game.
It would be cool if these systems boasted limited edition paint-jobs to match the particular game they’re shipped with. Perhaps a rainbow, Earth-themed Switch 2 for Mario Kart World, or a Switch 2 with a Poké Ball aesthetic for Pokémon Legends: Z-A. We’ll no doubt see special edition Switch 2 consoles down the road, though.
I’d have considered pre-ordering this new bundle had I not literally snagged a Mario Kart World edition of the Switch 2 on Target’s website late last night. That said, you can reserve the Pokémon edition from the My Nintendo Store and various other retailers today.
