The Nintendo Singapore eShop is Finally Here… But is it Worth Using?

Nintendo finally launched the Singapore Nintendo eShop on 18 November 2023. It seems that this was the kind of news we’ve been waiting years for. Finally no more switching between regions, or no more pretending our accounts live in the US or Japan!

Well, that excitement lasted about five minutes because the moment you click into the store, reality hits:

Limited games.
Higher prices.
Blocked payment methods (on other eShops).

Basically… we got an eShop, but not the eShop we actually wanted.

Let’s break it down.

What Countries Is the Singapore eShop Available For?

Nintendo quietly confirmed that the new eShop rollout covers:

Singapore
Malaysia
Thailand

Each country gets its own region-specific eShop with its own pricing and catalog. So yes, finally we have our own official local SG store.

And once your account is locked to this region, it becomes a lot harder to buy from other regions' eShops… which used to be the main way we got affordable games.

The Big Reality Check: A Local eShop With a Lot of Limits

Right now, the Singapore eShop feels like an early-access build:

The game selection is noticeably small.
Many first-party and third-party titles are missing entirely.
The game prices we do have aren’t exactly wallet-friendly.
Credit card and PayPal payments are blocked in the other regions eShops.

And because we now have a local storefront…We also lose access to cheaper foreign eShops unless we jump through even more hoops. Win-Lose

So yes, we finally have an SG eShop, but at the cost of everything that made region-hopping worth it. I don’t think I’ll be buying from the Singapore eShop anytime soon; it’s really not worth it right now.

Pros of the Nintendo Singapore eShop

Surprising there are some some pros... although most of them are in the (near) future.

We finally get local pricing in SGD: No more guessing exchanges rates.
A proper local storefront = proper regional support: Great for warranty, updates, and customer support.
Nintendo Switch Online becomes easier to access: No region mismatch, everything in one ecosystem.
Future potential for local sales & bundles: As the shop matures, publishers may start pricing for SG’s market.
No need for multiple Nintendo accounts: Casual players get a more straightforward experience.

Cons of the Nintendo Singapore eShop

These are the real dealbreakers and very much happening now.

Extremely limited game catalog: Many popular games are missing, delayed, or not searchable at all. Also you are only about to get the games via the console, no option to purchase or prices are shown if you go to the website.
Prices are not competitive: US, Japan, Argentina, South Africa, Hong Kong still offer better pricing.
Credit card & PayPal payments are blocked: Even legitimate cards from local banks often fail if you are trying to purchase from other regional eShops.
Locked out of other regional eShops: Switching regions + payment restrictions = headache.
Forced reliance on gift cards (at a markup): You’re almost guaranteed to spend more just to top up, but even then it might still be more cost-effective.

Nintendo has already blocked most direct payments on the other regions eShops. That means as long as your card is not issued locally you cannot purchase any games from the other eShops. Well, unless you use gift cards which, ironically, often cost more than the game itself.

Spotlight

Live price comparison: Tears of the Kingdom

SG vs US vs JP vs HK eShops (prices tracked from public price tracker).

Quick glance: here’s what The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is currently showing at launch trackers for each region. Prices below are the region-listed amounts. They do not include possible gift-card markups, currency conversion fees, or reseller premiums. Use as a baseline when deciding whether to use the Singapore eShop or keep buying from other regions.

Region	Price (Local)	Price (Approx in SGD)	Notes
Singapore (SG)	SGD 66.90	≈ SGD 66.90	New SG eShop listing (catalog & payments are limited; gift-card top-ups often required).
United States (US)	USD 69.99	≈ SGD 95–99* (varies with FX & top-up fees)	Large selection & frequent sales; straightforward card/PayPal historically.
Japan (JP)	¥7,900	≈ SGD 70–85* (depends on FX)	Payment restrictions for overseas cards; often requires JP-region gift cards.
Hong Kong (HK)	HKD 399	≈ SGD 68–78* (varies with exchange/gift-card markup)	Reasonably competitive if you can source HK eShop credit at face value.

Notes:

Prices were pulled from public price trackers and typical eShop listings, actual checkout costs may vary by seller/gift-card markup and exchange fees.
Japan’s eShop has tightened foreign payment options: buying directly with overseas cards may fail; rely on region-specific gift cards if needed.
SG eShop is newly launched and currently has a limited catalog.
Payment methods (credit card / PayPal) may be blocked or inconsistent for the other e-Shops, so expect to use gift cards from PlayAsia / Shopee / Lazada or third-party sellers.

➡️ View price tracker

So What Are the Alternatives?

Here’s what Singapore players are currently doing to get around these issues:
1. Nintendo eShop Gift Cards (from the Region you want e.g. US, Japan etc...)

Buy from:

Playasia
Shopee
Lazada

These work, but they’re usually sold at a markup. However, they may still be more cost-effective than the actual pricing on the Sinapore eShop. It’s not as convenient as using a credit card, but it works.

Final Thoughts: Should You Use the Singapore eShop?

Right now? No.

Not unless Nintendo:

Expands the catalog
Fixes payment methods
Improves pricing
Makes the store more competitive
Makes it easier to move our games catalog over (if possible).

The Singapore eShop right feels like a soft launch and not complete: a “beta version” with all the limitations and none of the benefits we hoped for.

For now, it looks like gift cards might be the way to go. At this moment, there’s little incentive to fully commit to the SG eShop unless things change big time.