It’s Thanksgiving Eve, everybody! Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is known for its doorbuster deals. But the deals will be a-plenty from today until Cyber Monday. But while you shouldn’t be swept up in the hype, there are some good deals to be had. I’ve rounded up the highlights below. Like previous years, this list only includes deals from big chain stores, and it’s heavy on gaming because…well, that’s what’s out there.
A couple of other points this year:
Most stores went live with at least some of their Black Friday deals really early this year, which is why in this list Friday — the actual unofficial holiday — has nothing! This is probably due to the short shopping season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, or it is a sign that people aren’t spending and stores want to put you into the fever.
I don’t recommend buying the Switch holiday bundle. It’s the old version, and that has been available for around $250 at several points this past year. Yes, Mario Kart 8 is technically a $60 game, but it’s been lower than that before. In fact, I’m sure you’ll be able to find it somehow for $50 or less, or wait and get a different Switch game until it does. Even if you consider it a $60 value, you are giving up a better processor that leads to better battery life (approximately 2 hours’ worth of gameplay).
The PlayStation 4 will be last-gen this time next year. So while the holiday bundles include some nice games and comes with a $100 discount off of current MSRP, stores will likely be having a lot of promotions in the next year as the PS5 hits shelves, and it will be backwards compatible with PS4 games. So unless you want one to play Final Fantasy VII Remake on day 1 or something, if you’ve avoided picking one up this long, no rush. It will certainly hit the $200 mark ($300 Pro model) again soon, and probably under those price points if you stack a sale with a coupon. Or you can put the money aside for PS5.
Walmart’s ad is intentionally unclear about what is in-store only and what will be available online. Last year, the media selection online was pretty slim, but I managed to grab what I wanted from Amazon thanks to price drops and Lightning Deals. Online sale prices start at 10 PM ET today at Walmart, so add what you want to cart now and wait. If the prices don’t drop, you have plenty of time to get to Walmart before 6PM on Thursday.
But enough already — let’s get to the deals!
Wednesday
Anime Games – $9.99+ at GameStop
A few titles will have been on sale since Sunday and will stay discounted until December 2nd; others will only start tonight and go through the 1st. Some of these will have been at these prices (maybe lower) throughout the year, but if you have missed them, here’s a chance to acquire them. Lots of lesser-known titles will be on sale like Umihara Kawase Fresh and Crystal Crisis along with major titles like Jump Force.
Anime Movies – $3.96-5.96 at Walmart
Hey, actual anime in an ad! We’re making progress! Pictured are the Blu-rays of Dragon Ball Super: Broly The Movie and In this Corner of the World. If you want a DVD-only copy of Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, it will be only $3.96. If available online, you can choose free store pickup or free shipping on $35+.
Buy 2 Get 1 Free Books at Target
A bizarre sale considering they had mix-and-match with games and music just a couple of weeks ago. But if you can find three manga, light novels, or artbooks around the same price, it’s like getting each book 33% off. Sometimes books match Amazon/Walmart pricing, so the discount could push into 50% off list price territory. Unfortunately, for some reason, I noticed during the last sale that they’ve pulled an enormous amount of manga preorders and even current titles. Not sure if they’re switching distributors, are just limiting their offerings, or just having logistics/tech problems. Regardless, this deal is also available in store, but the selection will be very limited. Shipping is free online to boot.
Buy 1 Used Last Gen Game Get 2nd Free – GameStop
Xbox 360, PS3, DS, Wii, Wii U, and Vita games will be buy one get a second one free. The same deal will be running on shirts. A lot of these games may be getting on in years, but it’s still a great way to round up all those hits you may have missed and that haven’t been rereleased or remastered. Of course, it’s a gamble what kind of condition you get, so while you can get free shipping on $35+ or store pickup, you may want to make a trip out starting Thursday at 3 PM. But even if you don’t get the case/manual, you may be able to get titles below what they go for on eBay.
Kingdom Hearts III – $14.99 at Best Buy
This long-awaited game has been on sale throughout the year, but here it is at the lowest price. A big DLC scenario is due out this winter, so it is possible that in a year or so, there will be a repackaged game with the DLC on board, but if you don’t want to wait, it’s a good time to pick this up. Also, since the other games have been recently announced for Xbox One, it’s a good excuse for Xbox players to collect the whole series. Free shipping on all orders at Best Buy, or you can find it at Target for a penny more. Also consider The Story So Far set for $19.99, which gets you all the previous games (or cutscenes), which even if you played them originally on PS2/PSP/DS, they’ve undergone some changes.
Nintendo Switch Games – $25-30 at Walmart
While Walmart will have a lot of video games on sale, for anime fans, the best deals appear to be on Switch games. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2, and Ni no Kuni: The Wrath of the White Witch Remastered will be $30. Final Fantasy games will be $25. If available online, you can choose free store pickup or free shipping on $35+. Some of these are a penny more than at other stores, but overall, Walmart has the most at or below competitors’ prices.
Pokémon Trading Card Box Triple Pack – $29.99 at GameStop
There’s currently no listing for this online, so you may have to go to the store on Thanksgiving. But with this three box set, you get three EX cards (Snorlax, Gengar, and Dragonite), a regular card of each Pokémon, a supersize version of the EX card, and four boosters per box. As a comparison, most stores are selling each box for about $20 each. Even if you want just the boosters, since most packs retail for $4, even if you get them during the buy one get one 50% sale during their Black Friday sale, that would still be $36. Yes, the boosters are from various sets, but combined with the promo cards, it’s a great way to add to your collection.
Thursday
Apple Products + coupon at Meijer
For my fellow Midwesterners, Meijer is going to offer you coupons off a future purchase good in December until Christmas Eve with the purchase of select Apple products, perfect if you want to watch anime, read manga, and listen to J-Pop. You can use these coupons off of just about anything, besides usual exclusions like alcohol and gift cards. These deals are available on Thursday and Friday only and starts at 6 AM on Thanksgiving, so you probably will have to hang around the electronics department in line hours before that if you want to get any of these deals since they won’t be available online:
Apple TV $149.99 + $50 coupon
AirPods Gen 2 with Charging Case – $159 + $50 coupon
iPad Air $499 + $150 coupon
iPad Mini $399 + $125 coupon
iPad 7th Gen $329 + $50 coupon
But if you don’t have a Meijer around, try Staples or Best Buy for their iPad deals.
Funko POP Figures Buy 2 Get a 3rd Free – FYE
For you POP collectors out there, stock up at FYE where you can get three figures for the price of two. I’m presuming this offer will be available online so you can get free shipping on $40+ orders, but if not, you have until December 1st to get to the store and browse their selection.
New Nintendo 3DS XL – $99 at The Exchange
Most of you won’t have heard of The Exchange. That’s because it’s restricted to current and former military only. But if you or someone you know has served in any of the armed forces, online on Thanksgiving, you can get a New Nintendo 3DS XL for just $99. Great price considering the New 2DS XL barely hits that price. Online only, so you can get one in your pjs. Free shipping, no tax.
Nintendo Switch, Case, & Controller Charging Dock + $90 coupon – $319.99 at Kohl’s
While I can’t say with 100% certainty, because Mario Kart 8 is not mentioned, chances are, you will get a new model Switch. This newer model hasn’t been discounted much, and so for $20 more than MSRP you get a case and controller charger plus a $90 coupon to spend at Kohl’s between November 30th and December 9th. The best use of Kohl’s Cash is to spend it on items you normally don’t get discount on, like video games, so you can pick up Mario Kart 8 or whatever afterward, and you end up with a better version of Nintendo’s holiday bundle. Be fast, since this will be available online starting at 12 AM CT on Thanksgiving morning or 5 PM at stores.
Saturday
Luigi’s Mansion 3 or Pokémon Sword/Shield – $49.99 + $10 coupon at Meijer
The entire week of the 24th, buy a select recent release game and get a $10 coupon to spend on your next purchase. However, if your store has some still in stock on Saturday, the 30th, you can use a $10 off $49.99+ Santa Bucks coupon (flyers available instore or with Mperks account) to get the price down to $49.99 and still get the checkout coupon. These coupons are usually good for two weeks, and you can use them on groceries or whatever else you need. This deal will also work with other big-name titles like Death Stranding.