Looking to get into NVIDIA's SHIELD ecosystem, perhaps before the launch of the GRID service? Perennial video game retailer Gamestop is offering the base model of the SHIELD Tablet with a discount, bringing down the price to $249.99. The SHIELD Controller, which is compatible with the original SHIELD Portable, the SHIELD Tablet, and the upcoming SHIELD Android TV set-top box, is also discounted. You can grab it for .97, a bit more than $20 off.

The SHIELD Tablet is easily the best 8-inch Android tablet available at the moment, thanks to its plentiful power and quick software updates from NVIDIA. It's currently running Android 5.0 with an update to 5.1 coming soon. The exclusive games are something of a bonus, though the SHIELD Tablet does make a pretty decent set-top box all on its own if you add in a micro-HDMI cable and the controller (which includes Android navigation controls and a touchpad).

This is also a great time to stock up on said controllers if you plan to use the SHIELD Tablet or SHIELD set-top box to play local multiplayer games - the cost for four of them can add up quickly. Keep in mind, however, that the SHIELD Controller uses Wi-Fi Direct, not Bluetooth; it's not compatible with any other Android devices or PCs. Both items qualify for free standard shipping.

Source: Gamestop 1, Gamestop 2