Budgets are tighter this time of year, and those looking for the best bang for their entertainment buck can find it in video games. With the right deal, gamers can find a title that provides endless fun or just a great weekend binge. It all depends on taste and time commitment.
Aside from games, gift-givers can also look toward peripherals. These are controllers, keyboards, headsets and mice that can make gaming a better experience, or at least, improve their performance in online competition.
Here’s a look at some worthwhile deals that will last Black Friday and over the weekend:
Nintendo doesn’t often put its games on sale, so when players find them, it’s great to pick them up. From now until Nov. 29, “Super Mario Odyssey,” “Nintendo Switch Sports,” “Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door” and “Splatoon 3” are on sale for $29.99. Newer titles such as “Princess Peach: Showtime!,” “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom,” “Donkey Kong Country Returns HD,” “Luigi’s Mansion 3” and “Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe” are selling for $39.99.
When it comes to amiibos, figures from “The Legend of Zelda” and “Street Fighter 6” will be $10 off at select retailers. On Nov. 30 at the Nintendo San Francisco store and select retailers, the company and other retailers will be offering $20 off on Samsung MicroSD Express cards, which will offer more space for games on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Sega has plenty of sales, which include the fantastic JRPG epic “Metaphor: ReFantazio,” which is 30% off at $35; and the surprisingly good “Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds,” which is also 30% off, starting at $48.99, but places like Walmart are selling it for $30. Also, “Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii” is a worthwhile purchase for fans of Goro Majima and the old-school gameplay of the original “Yakuza.” The Standard Edition is selling for $30 on Xbox and the Deluxe edition is going for $37.50 on PlayStation.
Capcom wants to prepare fans for the upcoming “Onimusha” reboot with a sale on the series’ remasters. The games feel dated, but they also possess the bizarre creativity of past eras. “Onimusha: Warlords” is selling for $9.99 and “Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny” is discounted at $23.99. The two are on sale in a bundle for $29.24.
2K Games is offering a 20% discount on the entertaining “Borderlands 4,” a 35% discount on “Sid Meier’s Civilization VII,” and a 10% discount on “Mafia: The Old Country Deluxe Edition,” but places such as Amazon are selling it for $30
Ubisoft is cutting the price on the epic adventure “Assassin’s Creed Shadows.” It will be $46.99 for the Standard Edition on PlayStation while the Xbox counterpart is more affordable at $41.99. Fans of “Just Dance 2026” will find the standard edition going for $29.99 on PlayStation, $29.99 on Xbox and $38.99 for the Switch version.
SCUF Gaming is offering its new Valor Pro Wireless controller for $159.99. That’s $30 off from its regular $189.99. The controller has excellent back paddles, adjustable triggers and connectivity for PC and Xbox. It’s one of the finest elite-style controllers on the market.
Sandbox VR has a deal for those who are curious about virtual reality, but don’t want to pay for a $299 or more headset. They can try out the experience with a holiday gift card. Customers will get a $30 bonus code for every $100 in cards they purchase.
SteelSeries has a big Black Friday sale on its headsets, keyboards and other devices. I’ve reviewed the Arctis GameBuds and they’ve become my daily drivers while the Arctis Nova 3 and its variations are a great budget wireless headset. The GameBuds are on sale for $149 instead of $199, while the Arctis Nova 3 come in at $79 or $89 instead of $109.