Trick helps you distinguish Legit Switch games from fakes

Summary

  • People can use a flashlight to check if a Switch game box has a cartridge inside to avoid buying counterfeit goods.

  • Switch games are still popular in physical form due to the portability of the system.

A smart shopper shared a simple trick with Nintendo Switch fan community to help people distinguish between legitimate and fake Switch games. The trick works to help people when shopping in a store by preventing them from accidentally buying Nintendo Switch game boxes that have been tampered with by thieves.

Although sales of physical copies of games are declining overall, the Nintendo Switch remains a relative bastion of physical game sales compared to other consoles. This is due in part to Nintendo opting to store physical Switch games on cartridges rather than discs, as well as the portable nature of the console, which encourages players to bring their games with them in physical form. Even the one Ace Attorney Investigations Collection is getting a Switch-exclusive physical release, with publisher Capcom recognizing the strength of the market for physical Switch games.

Related

Nintendo can't lay all their cards on the table with the Switch 2 Reveal

Many expect the Nintendo Switch 2 to arrive with a huge lineup of games, but they have to save a few surprises for later.

Unfortunately, physical goods can be vulnerable to theft and counterfeiting, prompting Reddit user Far-System1555 to share a simple trick to help the Switch community protect itself. The trick involves shining a bright light, such as a flashlight, through parts of the Switch's game case to detect the presence of a game cartridge inside. Since physical Switch release boxes are made of translucent white plastic, any part not covered by the label will admit light, illuminating the black Switch cartridge in its holder and verifying that the package has a cartridge inside. Thus, the technique reduces the chance that someone will receive a case for one of the best Switch games of 2024, only to open it and see a game cartridge missing.

A simple trick helps to check the real Nintendo Switch cartridges without opening the package

Commenters on Far-System1555's thread praised the trick, citing it as a potential defense against being victimized by Switch game thieves. They also wondered if the trick might work when the Switch 2 is released, given that Nintendo has announced that the Switch 2 will support game cartridges. They linked to other Reddit posts and news reports focusing on cases where the perpetrators would open Nintendo Switch games, remove the cartridges and reseal the cases for victims to buy. Others have shared tips to make the trick more effective, such as trying to identify the metal contacts that indicate the cartridge in the case is indeed a game cart, rather than a piece of plastic “decoy” that some thieves leaves in a forged interior. case to fool buyers. Some commenters advised caution, saying the trick won't work on a Switch game case that isn't translucent. They added that the trick simply checks if the cartridge is present and not if the cart matches the purchased game.

Despite the rise of digital distribution, cartridges aren't going away anytime soon. In fact, Nintendo is releasing more than ever, thanks to recent advances that allow it to put Pokemon Scarlet and Violet on a single game cartridge. With that in mind, it's good that Switch fans have come up with ways to protect themselves from theft. Then again, it's lamentable that such gimmicks are necessary in the first place.

Nintendo Switch Label Page Art

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console released in 2017, capable of being played in handheld mode or connected to a television. The Switch Lite, a portable-only model, followed in 2019, with an OLED refresh in 2021.

Leave a Comment