Want to buy a Nintendo Switch but don’t like the price tag? You may be in luck as Nintendo has just started selling cheaper Switch bundles in Japan. However, there are a few key parts of the package missing.
It doesn’t include the TV dock, and it’s thought this is intended for those in a household that already have a Switch and the dock setup on their TV but still want to have two consoles.
It may also suit you if you only plan to play the Nintendo Switch as a handheld game system as well.
Is the saving worth it?
In Japan – the only country where the bundle is currently on sale – it originally cost 29,980 yen for the full Switch package, while the new dockless bundle comes in at 24,980.
There’s currently no word of this package coming to other countries, but we’ve put together a rough estimate in the price difference for Western countries if Nintendo did plan to launch it elsewhere.
It’d be a saving of around $45 / £34 / AU$60, so if we were to see this package come to other countries it may mean the price of the switch would drop from $300 to around $255 in the US, £280 to £245 in the UK and AU$470 to AU$410 in Australia.
The package only offers you the Switch game system, two Joy-Con controllers and the Joy-Con straps. There’s no Joy-Con grip controller, HDMI cable or AC adapter.
That means there won’t be an easy way to charge your Switch as soon as you open the box, so you’ll need to find a third-party solution if you don’t already have a charger, or you’re hoping to become a two-Switch household where the first owner already has a dock.
It’s worth noting only some third-party USB-C chargers are powerful enough for the Switch too, so you’ll have to do some research to know you’re getting the right type.
By the time you’ve bought a separate charger for the Switch, the price cut isn’t as significant as it may first seem.
There’s no official word if the console will come to other countries around the world yet, but we’ll keep you posted.
Source: techradar.com