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Must-play Nintendo Switch games are almost half off

Must-play Nintendo Switch games are almost half off

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Snag Super Mario Odyssey or Fire Emblem: Three Houses for $35 each

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A pair of hands holding a Nintendo Switch console with neon red and blue Joy-Con controllers, playing Super Mario Odyssey in handheld mode.
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Nintendo finally announced the Switch with an OLED screen that comes out in October, but right now, GameStop is hosting a big one-day discount on two must-have Switch games: Super Mario Odyssey and Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Each game is going for $35 (usually $60) for the physical or digital versions, and if you have the means, I suggest getting both. Super Mario Odyssey is the latest (delightful) installment in the long-running Mario 3D platforming franchise, while Fire Emblem: Three Houses has strategic, turn-based battles interspersed with team- and friend-building elements you’d usually find in a Persona game.

A screenshot of Mario twirling his hat on his finger in Super Mario Odyssey.

Super Mario Odyssey

$6018% off
$49

The keystone Mario title for the Nintendo Switch, Super Mario Odyssey, doesn’t disappoint. The latest installment in the Mario franchise brings plenty of fun, new mechanics, and ample charm. Perhaps the most interesting and prevalent twist is Mario’s ability to possess just about anything in the game world, thanks to his new companion, Cappy. Inhabiting creatures and objects isn’t just hilarious — it also plays a big role in solving the Odyssey’s numerous challenges and puzzles.
Super Mario Odyssey is a game with a firm understanding of what the franchise has done well in the past and builds on it in some interesting and unexpected ways. It’s an absolute must for fans of Mario, platformers as a whole, or just about anyone who owns a Switch. Read our review.


Fire Emblem: Three Houses
$40

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a remarkably deep, turn-based strategy game. While most games in this genre treat your units as disposable pawns, Three Houses forces you to become attached to these units by having specific characters lead them into battle. These characters each have their own distinct strengths, weaknesses, and personality quirks that become more apparent as you build relationships with them between missions.
This can make some missions extremely tenuous as you try to balance the benefits of bringing characters into battle, each with their own unique strengths while risking their potential death. This option can be switched off for a more relaxed experience, but this is one of the features that sets Fire Emblem apart from its peers. This latest entry in the Fire Emblem franchise is excellent for first-timers or returning fans. Its turn-based battle has never been sharper, and the characters and plot are memorable. Read our review.

If you’re looking for more Switch games, Best Buy has a selection of discounted titles (physical, not digital) that cost $45 each, down from $60. This includes Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, New Pokémon Snap, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury.

Microsoft’s Surface Duo keeps falling in price. Woot is hosting the best deal — by far — right now on the AT&T-locked version of the two-screened device in new condition. The base model with 128GB of storage costs just $410, while doubling the storage space bumps the price up to $510. It still might be a little ridiculous to invest in this phone since Microsoft hasn’t delivered any major updates recently, but at least you won’t have to pay as much as early adopters did to try it out.

$398

The Microsoft Surface Duo is the company’s first Android phone, and it features two full-size screens attached by a 360-degree hinge.


Last week’s excellent deal on the Dell G15 Ryzen Edition for $1,078 (usually $1,458) is still happening. You can head over to Dell to get this deal on a capable but affordable gaming laptop that has a 15.6-inch 1080p display with a 165Hz refresh rate, with AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800H processor, and Nvidia’s RTX 3060 graphics chip. It has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage (both of which can be upgraded after purchase). One caveat, though, is that shipping is currently scheduled for early August.

Dell G15

Dell G15 Ryzen Edition

$145926% off
$1078

Dell’s G15 for 2021 features Ryzen 7 processors and capable RTX 30-series graphics chips without breaking the bank. The speckled paint design tops it off.


The OnePlus 9 has received its first big price cut. Usually $729, it’s $649 now. As my colleague Allison Johnson wrote yesterday, you won’t be missing much by not opting for the more expensive 9 Pro. The 9 and 9 Pro share the same processor, a 120Hz refresh rate display, and a great 50-megapixel ultrawide camera, though, the 9 has slower wireless charging, and a plastic build instead of aluminum. The OnePlus 9 can work via 4G and 5G on Verizon and T-Mobile, but just 4G with AT&T’s network.

OnePlus 9

$73048% off
$380

The OnePlus 9 is a strong option, with a 6.55-inch 120Hz display, Hasselblad-branded triple camera system, and Snapdragon 888 processor.