Nintendo Switch Game Region (Physical Game Cartridges)

For physical cartridges, it is easy to tell the regions they are from as the region will be printed on the cartridge code and case.

Here is a list of codes:

• USA: North America
• EUR: Europe
• JPN: Japan
• AUS: Australia
• CHT: China / Hong Kong / Taiwan
• KOR: Korea
• ASI: Asia

You can also tell by the ratings system displayed in the lower-left corner of the game box cover art insert.

• USA: E for Everyone, T for Teen, M for Mature, etc.
• PAL: Green label with the number 3-7, Yellow label the number 12-16, Red label with the number 18, etc.
• JPN: Cero A, Cero B, etc.
• KOR: 12, 15, etc.

For those of us living in South East Asia, Maxsoft and Convergent are our official distributors. They are the ones who import the games from Nintendo. The covers are for the MDE(Middle East Region) are basically the US carts with the E rating on the front but a slightly different back cover (with the MDE one mentioning the Middle East Region). The game cart itself is indistinguishable from the US one as it is the same -USA. Of course, you would still be able to get other covers as games from other regions are also imported (or you could just buy it online).

Fun Fact: Did you know that the spine title alignment for EUR and USA are different?

USA versions are more aesthetically aligned while EUR versions are centralised.

Sometimes physical game cartridges are cheaper when there are sales, and for those of us familiar with Amazon, Shopee and Lazada, they do have pretty good sales from time to time. 

 

If you want it a little more affordable, because let’s admit it Nintendo games are not exactly cheap, you can get them second hand come Carousell or Facebook Marketplace for slightly less then retail price. However, prices hardly drop much for Nintendo games, so you may manage to get a good deal for second-hand games or you might have better luck with brand new ones.

Do remember to do your research before buying, especially if the price is too good to be true. If the retail price is around S$69.90 or on the e-Shop USD$59.99, and you see it going for less than 1/3 of the price do check if they are selling second-hand physical cartridges or a digital version of the game. If it is a digital version, then it’s against Nintendo’s terms and conditions.

One advantage owning a physical game cartridge is that when you are done with it or are no longer interested in playing you could always resell it off on the second-hand market. 

 

As mentioned earlier, the prices for pre-loved games do not drop that much so the loss is minimal and you can use the monies to fund your next gaming adventure.

[Nintendo Getting Started Guide]

What has do you know about the different game regions? Share it with us below in the comments below!

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