The UK Nintendo Store is giving away two games for free this weekend, and all you have to do is buy one of the Nintendo Switch OLED consoles from them.
On Friday, December 9, My Nintendo Store UK (opens in new tab) is running a limited-time offer that lets customers claim either The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD or Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit for absolutely free. To qualify for this deal, you need to buy a Nintendo Switch OLED console in either White or Neon Blue/Neon Red from the official store between 7am on Friday, December, 9 and December 31, 2022.
For those who missed these games when they were released: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD was released back in 2021 and is a remaster of the same game (minus the HD) which launched on the Nintendo Wii in 2011. With this deal, instead of paying £49.99, you’ll be getting the game for absolutely free.
In our review, we said the remaster “plays fantastically with standard controls” and has “incredible dungeon design” and “inventive boss battles.” We did also point out, however, that the game had pacing issues, the “camera can be finicky,” and some elements of the original have aged poorly. But hey, for free, it’s worth trying this Zelda out at least once.
As for Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, you’ll be saving £100 by purchasing it with the Nintendo Switch console. If you aren’t familiar, this real-life AR Mario Kart game allows Mario or Luigi to literally race around your living room. The game itself is actually a free digital download, so what you’re actually paying for (or not paying for, in this case) is the racer in his toy kart, as well as some cardboard stands to place around your room to make a looping course.
In our Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit review, we said it had “a hell of a lot of magic for $100.” It’s got bags of content, is available at a great price point (not that it matters if you’re getting it for free), and has functionally endless replayability. Unfortunately, the AI isn’t always totally responsive and, wanting to play multiplayer will cost you.
While we wait for this deal to officially begin, take a look at our upcoming Switch games list to find out what else you’ll be able to play on your shiny new Nintendo Switch OLED.