If dramatic price drops and expanded software capabilities haven't convinced you to shell out for NVIDIA's Android-powered gaming machine, maybe a little free Play Store credit will do the trick. This referral link for NVIDIA's SHIELD store will net you a $25 Google Play Store credit for purchasing the SHIELD, which is still going for its reduced $199 price. C'mon, you know you want to.

You don't have to spend any of that $25 on games, but if you were so inclined, it could buy SHIELD versions of Valve's Portal and Half-Life 2, and maybe a movie and a cheap album to take advantage of the device's impressive audio. (Or you could just buy ten million frosting points in Kwazy Cupcakes. Whatever.) You'll need to go to the source link to get the credit - buying the SHIELD through the standard store page or any of its retailers won't do the trick.

In his extensive review last year, Jeremiah Rice said that $300 SHIELD was a bargain in terms of hardware, but that its niche appeal and limited range of compatible games still made it a tough sell. I've spoken to him since, and he says that the expanded library of SHIELD games, the addition of a control mapping feature, and the $100 price drop make the SHIELD a much more palatable choice. That being said, the device has been out for almost a year - hardware junkies may want to wait for a possible refresh.

NVIDIA Store - SHIELD (9) with Google Play Credit