Nintendo Switch Starter Pack games: Everything you need to know

Nintendo Switch Breath of the Wild
Nintendo Switch Breath of the Wild (Image credit: iMore)

Nintendo recently announced "Starter Packs" for three of their highly popular Switch games: Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Splatoon 2. While these games are not new, Nintendo has decided to drop in some bonuses to entice players who have yet to play these games.

Do you want to get in on this action? Here's everything you need to know.

What do they include?

Each of these Starter Packs comes with the game (of course), a unique strategy guide that's themed after the game itself, and a cardboard sleeve to hold everything together.

Super Mario Odyssey comes with the "Traveler's Guide," Breath of the Wild has the "Explorer's Guide," and Splatoon 2 features the "Splategy Guide."

While I'm sure you can find the information from these guides online somewhere, they are nice bonuses for those who enjoy collecting strategy guides or who want an extra, physical copy of whatever game they choose.

How much do they cost and where can you buy them?

All of these Starter Pack games cost $60 each. You can find the Starter Pack editions at retailers like Best Buy and Amazon.

How are these different from previous bundles?

Two of the three new Starter Packs aren't entirely new. Back in 2017, Nintendo released The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Explorer's Edition, which included everything in the Starter Pack, along with the Explorer's Map. In 2018, Nintendo also came out with the Splatoon 2: Starter Edition, which includes everything in the Starter Pack but with the added bonus of Splatoon-themed sticker sheets.

The only brand new bundle that Nintendo is releasing this time around is the Super Mario Odyssey Starter Pack, since that title has only been sold by itself. However, this starter pack opportunity allows you to get in on the action if you missed Breath of the Wild and Splatoon 2 the first time around.

Are you getting any Starter Packs?

While most of us who have had our Switches for a while may not be interested in these Starter Packs (we've probably already beaten the games at this point), these are great for new Switch owners.

Are you getting any of these Starter Packs? Let us know in the comments!

Christine Chan

Christine Romero-Chan was formerly a Senior Editor for iMore. She has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade at a variety of websites. She is currently part of the Digital Trends team, and has been using Apple’s smartphone since the original iPhone back in 2007. While her main speciality is the iPhone, she also covers Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac when needed.

When she isn’t writing about Apple, Christine can often be found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, as she is a passholder and obsessed with all things Disney, especially Star Wars. Christine also enjoys coffee, food, photography, mechanical keyboards, and spending as much time with her new daughter as possible.