This Nintendo Switch Mario Kart bundle makes the perfect gift — just $249 for Black Friday

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — (Image credit: Nintendo)

Black Friday just brought me one of the best Nintendo Switch deals I've ever seen, and the timing couldn't be better. This Walmart bundle pairs the console with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — a game that, I can tell you from experience, has the ability to turn any gathering into an instant party.

As someone who plays Mario Kart regularly (and perhaps takes those banana peel battles a bit too seriously), I can vouch for its lasting appeal. Whether you're racing family on the couch or competing with friends online, it's the kind of game that keeps things fun.

The Switch's versatility is what makes this bundle particularly good. You can play on your TV for proper multiplayer sessions, set it up in tabletop mode when traveling, or use it as a handheld for quick practice races. The included Joy-Con controllers mean you're ready for two-player racing straight out of the box.

One of our top Nintendo switch game picks for 2024, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe itself has become my go-to game for any gathering. With 48 courses and a huge character roster, there's enough variety to keep races interesting. The game scales beautifully too — newcomers can use features like auto-acceleration while experienced players can focus on perfect drifts and shortcuts.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe gameplay - Bowser and Link racing — (Image credit: Nintendo)

The included three months of Nintendo Switch Online adds extra value, letting you race against players worldwide and access classic Nintendo games. During holiday gatherings, I've found local multiplayer particularly fun — nothing brings family together quite like the chaos of the last lap.

At $249, this Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 bundle makes a lot of sense if you're gift shopping. The Switch plays everything from Mario and Zelda to Minecraft, but Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the perfect starter game. It's simple to learn, endlessly replayable, and genuinely fun whether you're 8 or 80. I've had my copy since launch, and it still gets regular play during family visits.

And if you're looking for more Nintendo savings in the Walmart Black Friday sale, the OLED model is seeing savings of $64. And for games with major discounts, Nintendo's biggest sale of the year for Black Friday is happening right now.

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Kaycee is Tom's Guide's How-To Editor, known for tutorials that get straight to what works. She writes across phones, homes, TVs and everything in between — because life doesn't stick to categories and neither should good advice. She's spent years in content creation doing one thing really well: making complicated things click. Kaycee is also an award-winning poet and co-editor at Fox and Star Books.