Justin Kahn

This morning’s App Store deals are now ready to roll alongside a particular notable influx of deals on Apple hardware. Joining discounts on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, Apple’s most affordable new iPad A16 just hit its best Amazon price ever at $320, we are now tracking all-time lows on the M4 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM at $849 ($150 off), the best prices to date on the M3 iPad Air lineup, and return lows on Apple Watch Series 10 from $299 ($100 off). As for the apps, highlights include Neffelheim, Terra Mystica, Botanicula, CHUCHEL, and more. Head below for a closer look. 

Welcome to 9to5Toys News Weekly – your go-to spot to catch up on the latest new product releases, features, and hands-on reviews. This weekly roundup collects all of the coolest new gadgets, the most interesting updates in the world of tech, and more from the past week, and organizes it into a single handy reading list for you to sift through every Sunday morning.

After Nintendo confirmed that it would not be raising prices on Switch 2 the way it did on the accessories, we also got confirmation that it would be holding strong on Switch 2 exclusive games and the Switch 2 Edition releases as well. Donkey Kong Bananza, Mario Kart World, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Editions, as well as Kirby and The Forgotten Land and Super Mario Party Jamboree Switch 2 Editions, both with the already announced expansion packs, are all going to be big ticket items that are going up for pre-order tonight alongside the console. 

Update 4/26: Walmart is now showing Nintendo Switch 2 and the Mario Kart World bundle pre-orders in-stock:

Walmart – Nintendo Switch 2 preorder 

• Nintendo Switch 2 Console
• Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle

Did Switch 2 pre-orders sell out? Yes, and quick too, but there might still be hope. Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and GameStop all sold out shortly after going live yesterday, as just about everyone expected. It seems as though plenty of folks were able to land one, but not everyone was so lucky. That leaves some of us waiting, wondering, and hoping that someone, somewhere might still have some stock on the way, and it appears as though some of the retailers that might not have been on the top of your list might still be readying some pre-sale options for Switch 2. 

Target is now offering a seriously notable deal on the most affordable 13-inch M2 iPad Air at $599 shipped. This was a regularly $799 configuration before the M3 models landed recently and you’re now looking at a straight up $200 price drop to deliver the best price we can find anywhere. 

The official listing for the new wireless Nintendo GameCube controller is now live on the Nintendo site and we now know when it will go up for sale. Nintendo announced its new Switch Online GameCube library for Switch 2 as part of its Direct presentation at the top of the month and, along with it, the new modern take on the GameCube Controller we know will be available for purchase starting next month. 

This afternoon’s roundup of the best Android game and app deals is now ready to go alongside all of yesterday’s Final Fantasy price drops. Hopefully you had a chance to secure yourself a Switch 2 earlier today (there’s still more stock coming by the looks of it if you didn’t), but you’ll also want to at least scope out the deals we have today on Google’s latest 45mm Pixel Watch 3 and these  FREE 2x storage upgrades on Galaxy S25/Ultra. As for the apps, highlights include Heroes of Steel, Romancing SaGa 3, Star Traders: Frontiers, and more. Head below for a closer look. 

Let’s take a look at the official Switch accessory pre-orders. Securing an actual Switch 2 console has been a frustrating process for some and an exciting one for others, whether you got one or not really, and while the big three – Walmart, Target, and Best Buy – are currently out of stock on the console, we might very well see additional units go live throughout the day and the coming weeks, not to mention some of the hold out retailers like Sam’s Club and Newegg that already have listings up that haven’t gone in stock yet. All of that said, if you did get lucky and secure one, or know you will at some point, the Switch Edition/Exclusive games are still in-stock right now and so are the official Switch accessories like the Switch 2 Pro Controller. 

Switch 2 pre-orders went live late last night at Walmart, Target, and Best Buy – it’s GameStop’s turn this morning. While it was about as frustrating as everyone was imaging last night for some folks, it does appear as though plenty of us actually did secure one – it was hit or miss here at the 9to5 offices. But if you weren’t one of the lucky ones, GameStop is scheduled to have Switch 2 pre-orders live this morning at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET online. 

While yesterday we spotted the 15-inch models and the entry-level variant dropping to a new all-time low at Amazon, this morning we are focused on the best price ever for the 13-inch 24GB M4 MacBook Air. Prices have been slowly falling below the MSRP across the lineup, but the new 13-inch 24GB model with the new 512GB SSD is now starting at $1,272 shipped. Regularly $1,399, this is $127 off the going rate, a new all-time low, and the best price we can find in new condition online. 

Update 4/24: Switch 2 pre-orders are scheduled go live again this morning at GameStop.

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are now live at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and more. Nintendo hosted its long-awaited Switch 2 Direct on April 2, 2025 after officially unveiling the new Switch 2 console back in January, and, after pre-orders were initially delayed, they are finally set to go live at (just about) all major retailers in the U.S any minute, and it might be a good idea to go get in the queue folks, just in case.

Nintendo hosted its latest Direct showcase today – it was (mostly) good times all around, with a closer look at the big Switch 2 launch title, Mario Kart World. But after all of the sweet wall riding, drive-thru costume pickups, Mega Mushrooms, and gigantic P-Switches, there’s still no pre-order date and I couldn’t help buy be fixated on the fact that the new Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle is actually a limited-run offer. 

What time do Switch 2 pre-orders start in Canada? Walmart Canada has now confirmed exactly what time Switch 2 pre-orders will begin. We have already reported on exactly when pre-orders will begin at Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and GameStop here in the U.S., but we also want to make sure our friends up north are ready to go as well. Nintendo officially delayed pre-orders in Canada to fall in-line with those in the U.S. and that is indeed what has happened as they will begin early morning on April 24 north of the border as well. 

We are now under 12 hours out from the launch of Switch 2 pre-orders and it’s going to be a total free-for-all in quite potentially the worst way possible. Will there even be close to enough Switch 2 units to go around tonight? Probably not. Will everyone who actually goes to pre-order one at midnight tonight actually get one? Almost certainly not. But while everyone is refreshing like ravenous dog at Best Buy, Target, and Walmart, there are some other sources of Switch 2 pre-orders to consider if you don’t have any luck later tonight. 

Update: According to an official Best buy listing, we can now confirm the price of the Kirby and The Forgotten Land Switch 2 Edition upgrade packs – it is listed at $19.99 to upgrade from the base Switch 1 version to the Switch 2 Edition with the expansion packs. Most folks believe this will also be the case for Super Mario Party Jamboree Switch 2 Edition

Update: Nintendo has now officially confirmed (via IGN) the upgrade pack price for the Switch Edition versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is $9.99 – they are still FREE for Switch Online  + Expansion members

How much will Switch 2 Edition games cost? How much will it cost to upgrade to the Switch 2 Edition version of the Switch games you already own? Nintendo has released some official details that give us a very good idea of the prices we will be getting here. We have been seeing gamers asking a lot about all of this, so let’s dive into the details. 

Update: Pre-orders for the upcoming Ghost of Yōtei are now live at Best Buy for $69.99 – the $250 Collector’s Edition is live at PS Direct. 

Back in September 2024 Sony hosted a PlayStation State of Play showcase and the new Ghost of Yōtei completely stole the show. It was honestly hard for just about to care about any other mention in the show and the game has gone mostly dark since then, but Sony just took to the official PlayStation Blog to officially announce the 2025 release date. 

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are going live tonight at just about all major retailers across the U.S. and Canada. Nintendo has announced that pre-orders will begin on April 24 – they will actually start late tonight on April 23 if you’re on the west coast (more details below on this) – and at the same price it initially announced in early April. Despite the delays and market uncertainty in the wake of global tariffs, Nintendo has held firm on the June 5 releases date as well as the price both of the standard Switch 2 console and the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle, and pre-orders will go live in well under 24 hours now. 

Nomad’s Glow Apple Watch bands can be hard to score in-stock, and it is officially bringing the Icy Blue glow treatment to its Rocky Point variant today (starting right now). These bands tend to sell out very quickly when they do come back (or debut), so there’s no telling how long this might stick around for. Check it below. 

After nearly two full years of rumors, Bethesda has finally now confirmed the existence of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered and today is the day it will finally give us an official look at it. That is providing you don’t count the seemingly official images that were uncovered on the developer’s site last week, but either way Bethesda is set to host what appears to be a livestream or to at least launch some sort of trailer/showcase for the game this morning and you can check it out below. 

This morning’s collection of iOS game and app deals is now ready and waiting below. While much of the gaming world is entirely focused on the Switch 2 pre-orders about to go live this week, not to mention the official reveal of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, there are some notable App Store deals today including MEGA MAN X. Just be sure to also scope out the price drops we spotted on Apple’s M4 MacBook Air lineup, the new 11-inch iPad (A16), and these Apple Watch band discovery box deals (buy one get two FREE). Head below for all of today’s best iOS game and app deals. 

Now just 24 hours away from go time, we now know what time Switch 2 pre-orders will go live at Best Buy. Up until now, only Target, Walmart, and GameStop had officially confirmed exactly what time pre-orders would begin for Switch 2 on April 24 this week, leaving Best Buy as the last major hold out to confirm the go time. 

Arc finally expanded its horizons, reaching beyond the aerospace-grade metal smartphone bumper cases it cut its teeth on (and made a name for itself with) by releasing its all-new Arc Pulse AirPods Pro 2 case. Leveraging a similar design and installation process, I love its iPhone 16 Pro Bumper Case and couldn’t wait to see if it could bring that magic to AirPods – spoiler alert…it totally did. My complete hands-on impressions await below. 

I guess it won’t come as much surprise to anyone who has been following our coverage and the near endless number of rumors and leaks over the last few months, but Bethesda has now officially confirmed The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered release. 

Is Walmart open today? Is Target closed for Easter Monday? Is Costco open on Easter Monday? The short answer is yes, just about all major retail chains are open today for what many refer to as Easter Monday. Unlike yesterday where we did see a number of store closures, reduced hours, and so forth, Easter Monday is not a proper federal holiday and leaves just about all major retailers, banks, and so forth open for business. 

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is coming to Nintendo Switch 2, according to a recently spotted PEGI rating. We already have a good idea of the games that will be launching for Switch 2 starting right from day 1 on June 5 through to holiday 2025 and even beyond – FromSoftware’s Switch 2 exclusive The Duskbloods has been slated for a 2026 launch. On top of a slew of all new Switch 2 exclusive titles from Nintendo, the Switch 2 Edition enhanced titles, and a collection of third-party ports, after Ubisoft confirmed the release date for its latest AAA Start Wars release last week it looks as though the latest entry in the long-running and beloved Assassin’s Creed series will be following along shortly. 

Welcome to 9to5Toys News Weekly – your go-to spot to catch up on the latest new product releases, features, and hands-on reviews. This weekly roundup collects all of the coolest new gadgets, the most interesting updates in the world of tech, and more from the past week, and organizes it into a single handy reading list for you to sift through every Sunday morning. This week it’s all about the official new Switch 2 pre-order start times, details on the price hikes, the all-new LEGO Star Wars lineup ahead of May the 4th, and our latest batch of hands-on reviews

Let’s take a look at all of the new Mario Kart World characters now that Nintendo has fully revealed its new flagship Switch 2 game. The Mario Kart series has been one of the most popular Nintendo releases for years and the new Mario Kart World is going to get off to a serious Boost Start if the Switch 2 bundle sells out as fast as it seems like it’s going too. This year Nintendo is not only taking its mascot racer open-world, but it is also introducing some new Drive-Thru costume mechanics, a host of new courses, new items to throw at your friends, and a sizable expansion to the roster of racers. 

Is Walmart open on Easter Day? Is Costco open today? Are Best Buy locations closed for Easter? Are Target stores closed for Easter? Let’s take a look and find out. Easter Day 2025 is upon us and whether you’re staying at home with family hunting for Easter eggs, taking the day off for yourself, or readying celebrations for this afternoon, this evening, or even tomorrow, Easter Sunday is one of those holidays where you’ll want to do a quick search online before you head out and about. If you need to hit up the shops at all today for whatever reason, browsing through the list of store closures below will be a good idea. It, as per usual, is always a good idea to also check with your nearest location for specifics – store hours and closures can vary by location, like those within malls and so forth – we have tracked down some details for you below on which major retailers are open and closed for Easter Day 2025. 

Update 4/21: Confirmed Switch 2 pre-order start times as of today:

• Best Buy April 24 at 12 a.m. ET online
• Target April 24 at 12 a.m. ET online
• Walmart April 24 at 12 a.m. ET online 
• GameStop April 24 at 11 a.m. ET online (and when local in-store opens)

Nintendo has officially announced the new April 24 pre-order date for its highly sought-after next-generation console, but what time will Switch 2 pre-orders begin that day? It’s hard to imagine there actually being enough consoles to go around next week, but only time will tell and being ready to pull the trigger in a timely fashion is likely going to be very important.

Let’s-a-go! Nintendo has now officially announced that Switch 2 pre-orders will begin next week in the U.S. No more leaks, no rumors, no maybes, this is it…the real thing (again). And on top of that, pricing will remain exactly the same as was initially announced. 

Nintendo has now finally announced the official new pre-order date for Switch 2 in the U.S. – they go live in one week’s time! The other great news, Nintendo is not raising the price on either the base console at $449.99 or the Mario Kart World bundle at $499.99 – whoo! It has also announced that it is holding firm on the pricing for Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza at $79.99 and $69.99, while also making some “pricing adjustments” on the official Switch 2 accessories – pricing is unfortunately going up on these folks. You can see the actual numbers below. 

We are all still, of course, awaiting official word from Nintendo on when pre-orders will finally go live for Switch 2 – dataminers are still suggesting it could go live sometime next week based on dates from retailers – but we do have an update on the launch window games. May the 4th, or Star Wars Day, is fasting-approaching now, we have already got an official announcement from LEGO on its plans and, just as we expected, we do have a Nintendo announcement from a galaxy far, far away – Star Wars Outlaws is coming to Nintendo Switch 2. 

The Nintendo headlines have been overrun with the fear of price hikes and potential new pre-order date rumors, but we are taking a short and sweet reprieve in the form of the official Mario Kart World Direct showcase today. As we reported shortly after the game’s debut, Nintendo has had an official, dedicated Direct show set for weeks and today is the day. 

Thursday afternoon’s roundup of the best Android game and app deals is now ready to go, as per usual down below. On your way to scope them out, be sure to check out the deals we have on the new 165Hz Hisense U8 mini-LED Google smart TVs at up to $800 off as well as discounts on Galaxy Watch 7 models and this rare deal on the Google TV Streamer (4K) down at $79. As for the apps, highlights include titles like Little Big Workshop, SpongeBob SquarePants, Chicken Police – Paint it RED!, No More Buttons, and more. Hit the fold for more. 

The internet is ablaze with theories and rumors then the new Switch 2 pre-order date will land, but another far better and more reliable date has now surfaced. Yesterday April 30 was spotted hidden within some Target wishlist data, and then an April 23 date in Canada surfaced suggesting we could see the same in the U.S., but now a reliable leaker is targeting a third date. 

Here we go again folks, it looks like we might have a new pre-order date for Nintendo Switch 2 in Canada – this might very well indicate what we see here in the U.S. too. Pre-orders were still set to go live in Canada after they were delayed in the U.S. only to have Nintendo confirm that it wants to have the pre-sale begin at the same time north of border and delayed those too. But a new, typically reliable source is suggesting Canadian pre-orders could go live next Wednesday. 

Update: After just about all signs pointed to The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered dropping some time in late April and as soon as next week, reports are now suggesting that Xbox support is allegedly claiming it will release on Monday. This could be a mistake, but users reaching out to Xbox support were told it is releasing on April 21, 2025 release date. 

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion remake is real, it’s likely releasing very soon, and we have the first leaked images down below. At this point, we have all patently awaiting an official remade return to the province of Cyrodiil for more or less years now, and here it is.

The new Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order date might have been leaked by Target, but there is something suspect about this time and date. Nintendo was initially scheduled to start taking pre-orders in the U.S. on April 9 before it officially announced a delay to give it time to assess the potential impact of Trump’s tariffs that were announced just hours after. We are still awaiting official word from Nintendo for the new date, but Target might have just given us an idea of when this could happen…maybe. 

Update: 4/16: Nintendo has now confirmed tomorrow’s Mario Kart World Direct showcase will be a relatively short and sweet 15-minute broadcast.

With the full official reveal of Nintendo Switch 2, the release date, the announced $450 starting price, and the debacle that immediately followed after pre-orders were officially delayed in the U.S. (and Canada), one thing that might have raced under your radar was this week’s official Mario Kart World Direct showcase. It has been a busy couple weeks for Nintendo to say the least, and while it officially debuted the new Mario Kart game during the Switch 2 Direct alongside some Treehouse gameplay footage thereafter, it still has more to show us on the keystone Switch 2 launch game and it is set to go live later this week. 

Your Monday morning collection of the best App Store game and app deals is now ready to go down below. On your way down, be sure to scope out the now live Best Buy Spring Sale with loads of deals on iPads, AirPods, Macs, and more, as well as the ongoing all-time low on Apple’s most affordable new iPad A16, this morning’s Apple Pencil price drops, up to $465 off Apple’s 1TB 13-inch M4 iPad Pro, and this deal on Twelve South’s TimePorter Apple Watch band organizer. As for the apps, highlights include The Bonfire 2 Uncharted Shores, Riptide GP: Renegade, Not Another Weekend, Refind Self, and more. Everything awaits below. 

Amazon is now offering various color options of the latest Bose Ultra Open Bluetooth Earbuds, including the sweet Diamond 60th Anniversary Edition set, down at $229 shipped. Regularly $299, this is $70 off, matching the price you’ll pay for a refurbished set right now straight from Bose, and the lowest we can find. This deal is also matched as part of the now live, weeklong Best Buy Spring Sale – details on that await right here. 

Sony has now announced an official price increase on PlayStation 5 in Europe and elsewhere. While the U.S. remains safe (for now anyway), the value on that new Astro Bot bundle is looking better and better everyday. 

Welcome to 9to5Toys News Weekly – your go-to spot to catch up on the latest new product releases, features, and hands-on reviews. This weekly roundup collects all of the coolest new gadgets, the most interesting updates in the world of tech, and more from the past week, and organizes it into a single handy reading list for you to sift through every Sunday morning. Down below you’ll find the latest on Nintendo Switch 2 as we await pre-orders, hands-on reviews of some new Find My gear, Samsung’s all-new wireless 144Hz The Frame Pro smart TV, the kick-off date and details for the massive 2025 summer Xbox Games Showcase, and much more.

The official debut of Nintendo Switch 2 has been a tumultuous one, rife with emotional highs and lows – some might even suggest Nintendo has thus far botched what was widely expected to be the biggest console launch in history. I’m going to give it about as much of a temporary pass on the disastrous pre-order situation as the rest of the world is getting on Trump tax, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that Nintendo has managed to go from delivering what was the most affordable console gaming platform to one of the most expensive in a matter of weeks. 

The Switch 2 situation is well, a situation. We all know Trump has now, at least temporarily, backpedaled on some of the new tariff levies directly affecting the pre-order and likely launch of Switch 2. This prompted financial analysis firms to present a potential price hike situation only to they themselves course correct the supposedly incorrect deductions of this data to suggest it is unlikely we see major price hikes on Switch 2 at launch. This sounds like good news to me and a recent report courtesy of Bloomberg suggests Nintendo has been stockpiling Switch 2 units in the U.S. for months now to help soften the blow Trump might (will likely) have on its bottom line.