We ask Nintendo about Mario Kart & Animal Crossing Switch bundles, Switch successor

As talk heats up about a new Switch successor, Nintendo continues to support its popular hybrid console with several new bundles for the holiday season.

Nintendo officially announced two new Nintendo Switch Lite Animal Crossing bundles plus a return of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle starting on Oct. 6.

“Holiday for us is really about variety and value this year,” said Devon Pritchard, executive vice president of sales, marketing and communications for Nintendo of America, during a sitdown interview with the Reno Gazette Journal and USA Today Network at Nintendo Live 2023 last Saturday.

“The bundles will play a large part of that and we think those bundles provide additional ways for people to come into the Nintendo family.”

Where to get the Nintendo Switch Lite Animal Crossing and for how much

The Animal Crossing bundles will be available exclusively at two retailers.

• Nintendo Switch Lite Isabelle’s Aloha Edition – Animal Crossing: New Horizons Bundle: This variant of the Animal Crossing bundle will only be available at Target. The Isabelle version will come in a coral color. Unlike the standard coral Nintendo Switch Lite, however, The Isabelle bundle will come with a special leaf logo at the front and several white leaf patterns in the back.
• Nintendo Switch Lite Timmy & Tommy’s Aloha Edition – Animal Crossing: New Horizons Bundle: Walmart will be the exclusive seller of this Animal Crossing bundle variant, which sports a turquoise color. Like the Isabelle version, this one also comes with the same special leaf logo and patterns at the back.

Both bundles will come with a digital version of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The Animal Crossing Nintendo Switch Lite bundles will also retail for $199.99, which represent $60 worth of savings, according to Nintendo.

What do you get with the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Switch Bundle and how much does it cost?

The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Switch bundle should be familiar to many folks.

Nintendo typically offers this bundle close to Black Friday, Pritchard said. This year, however, the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle will be available throughout the holiday season.

The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle will come with a regular Nintendo Switch with the neon red and neon blue JoyCons. It will also include a digital version of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Game and a 3-month individual membership to Nintendo Switch Online.

The price will be $299.99 and represent just under $70 in savings, according to Pritchard.

“We’ve had this bundle for a number of years and there’s a reason for it,” Pritchard said.

“Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is one of the best-selling titles on the Switch platform (and) it is an excellent way for families who are new to the Nintendo Switch platform to come in.”

So what about Nintendo’s next console after the Switch?

While Nintendo continues to support the Switch, the fact that the console is more than six years old understandably raises questions about what comes next.

Pritchard declined to provide specifics when asked about potential updates regarding the successor of the Nintendo Switch during the Nintendo Live 2023 interview.

Instead, Pritchard pointed to Nintendo’s recent quarterly financial announcement, noting that sales for hardware and software saw increases. The company credited the “Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” for fueling the rise in sales. Nintendo saw 3.91 unit sales for all types of Switch consoles, a 13.9% improvement year-over-year. Nintendo also sold 52.21 million units for software, which is up by 52%.

“What we’re seeing is really a disruption of what the traditional life cycle of a system looks like,” Pritchard said.

“So we are excited to continue support of the Nintendo Switch and we’re really looking forward to the holiday season.”