The Zelda chess gift deal: what Amazon’s “buy two, save 50% on one” really means

The Legend of Zelda collector’s chess set turned up in November 9 coverage of an early Amazon Black Friday promotion. The reported deal takes half off the cheaper of two qualifying items. That can make sense if you’re already buying two gifts. The cart will tell you whether the exact Zelda listing and the second item qualify.

Do the math on the pair

Two $40 items would cost $60 after the discount, before tax and shipping. That’s $20 saved on an $80 purchase. Pair a $60 item with a $20 item and the discount drops to $10. The numbers are examples, but the difference is worth remembering when you’re deciding what to put in the cart.

If you only wanted the $60 item, that second item still raises your bill to $70. The promotion saves money only compared with what you’d otherwise spend on the items you actually want.

A gift that doubles as a chess set

For a Zelda fan, the figures are part of the appeal. If the recipient wants to play regularly, look closely at the pieces as well. Can someone who doesn’t know the characters identify a bishop or a knight across the board? Is there enough room between the pieces to pick one up without brushing another?

The answers matter more for a weekly practice set than for a collector who wants to put it on display. If you’re buying it for a new player, consider whether the two of you could sit down and start a game right away.

Check the offer before ordering

The November 9 IGN coverage, available in syndication, describes the deal. We haven’t tested it with a cart. Check the seller, delivery date, and discount line on the order summary, especially if Amazon shows more than one listing for the set.

You can also compare the deal with the same item sold on its own elsewhere. Suppose the qualifying set costs more than a listing that’s outside the promotion. Even when the discount applies, the other seller might offer the better total. Use the same delivery date and return terms in the comparison if it’s a gift you need by a particular day.

A second item from a different seller may also arrive separately. Check both delivery estimates before counting on the pair as a single gift.