The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 is nearly upon us. The specs on the console have us excited about it, and the new features and game upgrades are nothing to sniff at either. One thing that is important, though, is that you have all the extras you need on top of the console itself.

One great pickup is a good carrying case, and we’ve found a decent deal on one for you today. The Tomtoc crossbody bag is currently down by 10% if you use the on-page coupon. That means it’s just $45, and it’s an excellent way to keep your Switch 2 with you while also keeping it safe. We don’t know how long the deal will last though, so make sure you grab it quickly if you like the look of it.

This handy bag goes across your body for both comfort and security, and it’s designed specifically for the Nintendo Switch 2’s dimensions. This helps eliminate any damage that could occur while you’re carrying it around, and it has an EVA hard shell to make sure that any external forces don’t make their way into the Switch 2 itself. It also has space for a controller, charger and has eight built-in game slots as well.

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

This bag is a great way to add to any of your Switch 2 accessories, or even be the first one you get. After all, a new console is a great excuse to treat yourself to a few more goodies. We don’t know how long this discount will last though, so don’t forget to use the on-page coupon and act fast to avoid missing out.

Why this deal matters

The Nintendo Switch 2 is literally coming out this week, so being able to grab your accessories now is a must. This pouch is going to make it far easier to carry around with you, and if you’re all about handheld gaming, that’s well worth the cost.

Mario Kart World on the Switch 2 is a lot more interesting when you can see your friend’s face floating over the kart you’re trying to beat. I’m sitting with some folks from CNET’s sister site IGN and someone from Nintendo as I’m desperately trying to hang in a Knockout Tour competition, and we’re playing with the Switch 2 Camera connected and tracking our faces. Each of our four faces ends up broadcast into the game, floating over our respective vehicles. It’s live video, too: You can stick out your tongue or roll your eyes. Or, as one person did, zoom in on just your ear.

Nintendo is trying its best to show off how its new console is better than the first-gen Switch models. After a full day playing the Switch 2 a couple of months ago, I recently got a second full-day dive ahead of its June 5 launch — more time with Mario Kart World and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, Nintendo’s only exclusive first-party Switch 2 games at launch. And I finally used GameChat, the console’s new multiperson audio/video chat feature.

I don’t have a Switch 2 to review yet, so I can’t really nail down my feelings about the full experience just yet. But in these early looks, I’m getting a sense that the Switch 2 is a console that, while showing promise, is something you can also easily wait on. That said, GameChat’s a welcome new feature; camera-connected play is surprisingly addictive (and sort of magical), and Mario Kart World is a blast, especially in wild multiplayer matches. After trying 24-player multiplayer, I don’t know if I can go back.

GameChat: Nintendo’s audio-video hangout zone

My 12-year-old tends to play games by starting a FaceTime chat with his friends, and then playing games while keeping his chat on. Sometimes they’re playing together, sometimes they’re not. I kept thinking about that when getting a brief chance to try Switch 2 GameChat at a Nintendo demo event, which basically aspires to do the same thing.

GameChat, which you start by pressing the right Joy-Con’s new C button, connects up to 12 players via audio (or four with video) into a little group. Friends have to be preinvited to GameChat via your own friends list on the Switch 2, making it a deliberate process that’s parent-friendly but not that spontaneous-feeling. Once that’s done, though, chats are fast to start up. 

You can control turning your microphone, camera feed or game feed on and off while in chat. You can also hide your menu screens and just show your game once you’re playing it. You’re either just hearing friends, or seeing split-screen views of up to three others showing their faces, or the games they’re playing, or both.

The $55 Switch 2 Camera is sold separately, and it adds your face. There are a few clever modes that can either show your whole background in a picture-in-picture, cut out your face and body to overlay onto the game footage or zoom in to frame your face (or another part of your face/body you want to track) in a circle. 

Video quality for both your face and game footage isn’t great, but it’s enough to feel connected to see what your friends are doing (and emoting). No one has to be playing the same game together, so it’s more of a way to just share what you’re up to at the same time. It’s really more of a hangout room where you can chat and maybe also play games together.

I got a second demo of camera-connected multiplayer in Mario Kart World, which we did in the same room, but it shows the possibilities of GameChat and multiplayer in other ways. Cleverly, the camera could track and zoom in on all four of our faces at the same time, displaying them separately on-screen as overlays on our karts. It almost felt like augmented reality magic, and reminded me of some of the other tricks I saw in Mario Party Jamboree, which is getting a camera-focused update over the summer.

Mario Kart World: Multiplayer is a blast, so is wandering

I still don’t know if any new Mario Kart game can truly top Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s 96 courses (including DLC), but Mario Kart World is a lot of fun… and something I can’t wait to explore more.

I spent some time with Nintendo’s big Switch 2 launch game in April, but got hours more to dive into wandering around, trying out all the modes, and playing online with 23 others. I got hooked.

Mario Kart World’s best feature is its wandering style: Everything is spread across a huge land, and you can just tool around and discover secrets or suddenly end up on other courses, or parts of courses. In its Free Roam mode, I just kind of tried to find things, mainly P-Switch challenges, which start up little timed events to earn awards, similar to challenges in Super Mario 3D games. 

The courses I tried looked to be unique from lap to lap, unfolding over territory that eventually can lead to other courses if you’re playing in Versus or Knockout Tour modes. Once a race is done, your trip to the other course is still part of the race. It adds variety and changes up how some races even feel, depending on which one you’re heading to next, but also feels like it’s a departure from the more static lap-based courses from older Karts. It’s a lot more like Forza Horizon games in style, which I actually love.

Multiplayer in 24-player modes is total chaos. Many of the courses are wider than previous Mario Kart games to accommodate all those karts, and it can get pretty Mad Max. It also makes surviving feel even more victorious. Knockout Tour is the star of the show. This new mode, which I tried in April, is a survival race that eliminates a certain percentage of players every course. It feels like a 99-player-type survival game, but I like this even better. I once made it to sixth place among a bunch of game journalists, which was enough of a win for me.

Also, the characters? I love them. I played as a cow. I played as a dolphin. I played as a crab. There are so many weird options. It’s lovely.

I also tried Battle Mode, where 24 of us zoomed around pretty large course maps to either collect coins as fast as we could, or try to pop each others’ balloons. It was fun too, but felt more random, less purposeful than the races.

I mostly played in TV-docked mode, which showed off the Switch 2’s graphics quality: clearly better than Switch 1, but not shockingly so. I also tried handheld mode, and I’m impressed by the quality of the Switch 2’s LCD 1080p display, even if it isn’t OLED. 

As good as it all is, though, I don’t think it’s enough on its own to justify a Switch 2 purchase. Not yet. Still, if you’re getting a Switch 2, this game is obviously your must-get, and it feels like it earns that label.

Switch 2 Welcome Tour: It should’ve been free

I spent more time in the weirdly charming Welcome Tour (about an hour and a half), and still can’t tell how much content this «game» has in it. Welcome Tour is literally a walk-through of the Switch 2’s features, accompanied by quizzes, demos and some minigames to try. It clearly should’ve been included on the Switch 2, much like Astro’s Playroom on the PS5. Instead, Nintendo is charging $10 for it — that’s absurd.

Then again, I’d be tempted to get it at launch just to have some things to play with that show off the Switch 2 extras, like mouse mode. Welcome Tour also has lots of weird facts about the Switch 2’s construction and design, like how its speakers are designed and housed. Lots of deep, nerdy stuff, and why is this presented in an app like this? I don’t know, and I wish Nintendo had just made a weird collection of mini-games like 1-2 Switch instead. 

I unlocked some of the areas in the game, finished some quizzes, tested Joy-Con haptics, looked at frame-rate and HDR demos, and did some arcade-ish minigames using the Joy-Con as a mouse. I want to play it more, but I can’t justify the existence of this as a standalone paid game at all. Neither should Nintendo. There’s still time to change course and make this a free download.

Switch 2 still seems great, but not necessary yet

One final note: I walked away from my day of play feeling like I’d be happy to carry around a Switch 2, but unable to justify to friends why they should get one now. It doesn’t feel like a console that demands to be bought yet, and it’s too much of an «enhanced Switch» type of experience at the moment. That will certainly change once more exclusive and enhanced games emerge, but that could take another year. I’ll have more thoughts when I review the Switch 2 soon, but I do see more potential in GameChat and the connected camera than I expected.

You probably already know that an Amazon Prime membership gets you free two-day shipping and access to events like Prime Day. But there are plenty of other perks that fly under the radar, including discounts you can use beyond Amazon.

One unexpected benefit? You can actually save money on gas with your Prime subscription. From grocery deals to streaming extras, there’s a lot more value packed into your membership than most people realize.

Sure, a 30-day free trial lets you take advantage of limited-time deals, but it only lets you scratch the surface of all that a membership has to offer. It might surprise you to learn what else you can get by being a Prime member. Below, we’re going to break down some of the best perks you may not know about.

Spoiler: Some of them are bangers.

For more, don’t miss out on the best Amazon tech deals and how to get great savings on Amazon right now with coupons.

1. Watch HBO or other premium TV channels without cable

You probably know about Prime Video and Amazon Music Prime, but you might not know all the special details. Amazon Prime members have access to a large number of feature-length movies and hit original TV shows like The Boys and The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, as well as an Amazon Music Prime library featuring 2 million songs and thousands of curated playlists. 

Prime members can also download movies and TV shows for watching later offline.

If a show or movie you want to watch is not included as part of your basic Prime subscription, you can subscribe to premium channels such as HBO, Showtime and Starz for $5 to $15 a month, with no need for cable or satellite service.

Music lovers can upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited to get a library of 90 million songs that can be streamed to multiple devices for $9 a month or $89 a year.

2. Get money back by choosing no-rush shipping

If you don’t need your purchase to be delivered quickly, you can opt out of two-day or shorter delivery options by selecting «no-rush shipping» and receive your package in about six days. In return for your patience, Amazon will give you rewards.

There’s no standard for no-rush shipping rewards — they vary from item to item — but they generally provide discounts on products and services that you might buy from Amazon.

Some common rewards are $1 credits for Amazon digital services like movies, music and ebooks, $3 coupons for Amazon’s Happy Belly-branded snacks, $10 to $20 off TV or furniture purchases and $10 to $20 off Amazon Home Services.

The value of no-rush shipping will depend on whether you’ll use any of the rewards. It might not seem like much, but a few no-rush shipping selections could easily earn you the $3 to $4 you need for a free movie rental from Prime Video.

3. Whole Foods grocery discounts

If you’re a frequent shopper at Whole Foods, an Amazon Prime membership can reap serious dividends. Prime Member Deals available in physical Whole Foods stores give members discounts of 10% to 20% on selected items marked with blue Amazon stickers. 

Yellow tags indicate even further savings, usually at least another 10% off an already discounted price. Prime members who scan the Whole Foods Market or Amazon app at checkout get an extra 10% off storewide sales. Prime membership also gives you access to special online deals.

4. Exclusive access to Thursday night NFL football games

It’s the second year that Amazon Prime has had exclusive rights to air Thursday Night Football, and Prime seems to be killing the game. It received five Sports Emmys nominations for its 2022 coverage and boasts a stacked cast of experts, commentators and former players. 

If you are a Prime subscriber, you can stream 2023-2024 Thursday Night Football games on Prime Video, NFL +, Amazon.com or Twitch. There is also a Spanish-language broadcast available on Prime Video. TNF pregame coverage begins at 7 p.m. EST each Thursday.  

5. Free same-day Amazon Fresh delivery

Whole Foods isn’t the only grocery option available to Amazon Prime members. Subscribers also have access to the online grocery store Amazon Fresh, which provides free deliveries to some locations. Amazon Fresh has some similar products to Whole Foods but generally focuses on a broader range of groceries and home products at lower prices. 

Anyone can purchase products from Amazon Fresh, but only Prime members get free same-day delivery. Amazon Fresh also has 44 physical locations that offer special weekly deals for Prime members.

6. Try on clothes and shoes before you buy them

It’s almost impossible to size clothing correctly online — to know if it fits, you have to try it on. Prime members get that chance with Amazon’s Try Before You Buy service. In specific personal shopping categories like clothes, shoes and accessories, you can order items and keep them for seven days without paying for them.

Return what you don’t want before the trial week is over, and you’ll only pay for the items that you keep. Eligible products are indicated on Amazon with a «Try Before You Buy» icon. Several online reports have indicated a limit of six products for Try Before You Buy, but the Amazon site doesn’t specify a maximum.

7. Borrow unlimited books, magazines and comics

Amazon Prime members gain access to Prime Reading, a service similar to Kindle Unlimited with a different collection of materials. You can borrow as many books as you like, and many include audible narration, so you can switch back and forth between reading and listening. The electronic downloads don’t require a Kindle or Fire device.

Amazon First Reads gives Prime members access to editors’ selections of early book releases. Anyone with a Prime membership gets one free Kindle book a month, as well as regular discounts on selected titles.

8. Prime-exclusive deals and promos

Amazon offers Prime-exclusive deals all-year round on top products meaning you can make back the cost of your membership in savings. For big shopping seasons like Black Friday or Prime Day, there are even more member-only prices to shop. 

Plus, Prime subscribers often get early access to Lightning Deals. These are sort of like Amazon’s version of a fire sale, featuring very low prices for a limited number of products that usually sell out very quickly. The good news for Amazon Prime members is that they get access to these deals earlier than everyone else. The bad news? There are a lot of Amazon Prime members.

9. Exclusive Zappos deals, faster shipping and a test month for running shoes

Amazon acquired the online shoe giant Zappos back in 2009, and it now provides a number of benefits for Prime members who link their accounts on Zappos.com. Prime members get faster shipping, bonus reward points for shopping and exclusive deals on certain products. 

Zappos also lets Prime members participate in Runlimited, a 30-day guarantee program for running shoes.

10. Save money on prescription drugs online or at your local pharmacy

Amazon Prime Rx Savings program gives Prime members discounts on prescription medicine, whether it’s purchased at Amazon Pharmacy or in-store at a physical pharmacy. An Amazon Rx savings card can be printed out or saved digitally and used for discounts at more than 60,000 participating pharmacies, including CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid.

Amazon says that members can save up to 80% on common prescription drugs using Prime Rx, but it’s important to note that Amazon’s Prime Rx savings program does not work with health insurance. You’ll need to be sure that any savings you get from the program are more than you’d get from insurance coverage.

For more about Amazon Prime, learn about what to expect from this year’s back-to-school deals. 

11. Access to Prime Gaming

Prime Gaming is a fun feature that is included with both Amazon Prime and Prime Video. Eligible subscribers are able to download content in-game for their favorite games, free games and even a free monthly Twitch channel subscription. 

Prime Gaming is included with annual and monthly Prime subscriptions, Prime Student subscriptions, Amazon Prime free trials, and Prime Video memberships. It’s important to note that only one member per household may claim an offer, and if you have a Prime Video monthly free trial you will be unable to claim a free Twitch subscription. If you are using a free trial of Student Prime, your free Twitch membership will expire when your free trial expires. 

12. One Medical membership discounts

One Medical is a membership-based health service that provides primary in-person and virtual health care. Its concierge-like medical service is designed to allow members to easily schedule appointments and care using the company’s mobile app or website.

Amazon acquired One Medical in February and is now offering a major discount for Prime members. Instead of the usual price of $199 a year, Amazon Prime members can subscribe for $99 a year, or $9 per month. To activate the discount, Prime members should visit this page. Existing One Medical subscribers who are Prime members can also take advantage of the discount starting with their next payment.

13. Unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos

With a subscription to Amazon Prime, you can store unlimited photos and 5GB of video on Amazon Photos. Without Amazon Prime, you’re limited to a total of 5GB of videos and photos total. 

You can view or share your photos and videos on Amazon Photos using the iOS or Android app, or on a computer with the desktop or web app. Your photo and video files are both fully encrypted, so they’re only visible to people with whom you intentionally share them.

14. Get discounts on Shutterfly

Amazon has partnered with photography company Shutterfly to offer Prime members 45% off most regular-priced products. Shoppers can also get free shipping on orders of $35 or more. To get the discount, you’ll have to link your Shutterfly and Amazon accounts.

If you store your photos with Amazon, you can now access your Amazon Photos directly from Shutterfly. This makes it extra convenient for Prime members to share images from their extensive photo library.

15. Get a Grubhub Plus membership for free

Don’t feel like cooking tonight? There’s a perk for that, too. 

When Amazon announced it would offer Grubhub Plus free for a year in 2022, it was a solid, but temporary, perk added to Prime. In 2023, Prime members were treated to another free year. For 2024, instead of renewing the food delivery service’s premium membership again for another year, Grubhub Plus became a permanent Amazon Prime perk. 

Grubhub Plus typically costs $9.99 a month, and provides unlimited free delivery for all orders over $12 in over 4,000 cities nationwide. 

16. Save on Amazon Kids Plus 

If you have Amazon Prime, you also get access to discounted Amazon Kids Plus. The subscription service features a wide range of ad-free content, including books, games and videos for children ages 3 to 12. Parents can limit the amount of screen time available to their children and manage up to four profiles on iOS and Android. 

The Amazon Kids Plus subscription is normally $79 a year, but Prime members can get it for $48 a year.

17. Get your package delivered on the day you want it with Amazon Day

If none of the usual delivery dates work for you, you have one additional option as a Prime member. Amazon Day is a free perk that lets you schedule your packages to arrive on your day of choice. Next time you’re on vacation, you don’t have to arrange for the neighbors to help you bring in your boxes, and you won’t have to worry about porch pirates stealing your delivery on days when you’re not home.

Amazon Day is also a great option to cut down on the number of boxes for your packages, since you can schedule multiple purchases to arrive as a single delivery.

18. Save money on gas

Do you spend several hours each week driving to and from work? If you’re an Amazon Prime member living in the US, your dollar will now stretch a little farther at the gas pump. You can save 10 cents per gallon at BP, Amoco and AM/PM gas stations — there are about 7,000 locations across the 50 states. Amazon estimates that this perk will save the average American nearly $70 per year.

This June, you can save even more: Prime members can get 20 cents off a gallon every Friday.

Prime members who want to take advantage of this perk must first activate the offer. After the one-time activation, you can simply go to the pump and input your phone number or linked payment method for instant savings.

For more, check out these Amazon deals on tech and home goods and tips for getting the best Amazon deals.