Yes, You Can Definitely Share Switch Game Cartridges!
As a lifelong Nintendo fan and content creator focused on Switch gaming, I‘m happy to confirm that you can absolutely share physical cartridges across multiple Switch consoles and user profiles. While digital games may seem more convenient, cartridges enable valuable benefits for passionate multiplayer gamers on a budget.
How Cartridge Sharing Works on Switch
The Switch platform allows seamless cartridge sharing thanks to its "primary/secondary console" system tied to your Nintendo Account. Here‘s a quick overview:
- You designate one "primary" Switch console where anyone can play your games
- On "secondary" consoles, only your account can launch shared titles (needs online check)
- Local wireless multiplayer requires each Switch to have its own game copy
- Game saves are stored on the internal memory, not the cartridge
So in a family with 3 Switch consoles, Mom and Dad could mark the living room unit as primary to grant the kids access to their library. The parents‘ bedroom and office units remain secondary for their exclusive use.
Real-World Primary/Secondary Setups
To take real advantage of cartridge sharing for multiplayer gaming, most households aim for this ideal setup:
- Living Room Switch: Primary console for the family, hooked up to the big screen TV
- Kids‘ Switch(es): Secondary portables that can play the shared games
- Parents‘ Switch(es): Secondary console(s) for mom/dad‘s personal gaming
With this arrangement, the kids can play the family games on their portables as long as WiFi verifies the licenses. Meanwhile the parents retain exclusive access to their secondary devices for after-hours gaming.
Local Multiplayer Limitations
The one big limitation is that only one console at a time can access a shared physical cartridge. So you can‘t use a single game card for wireless local multiplayer between multiple Switches simultaneously.
The console enforces this by requiring each local Switch to have its own license. That means to race friends in Mario Kart or brawl them in Smash Bros, you will unfortunately need multiple game copies.
Workarounds for Local Multiplayer
However, families and friend groups have found creative workarounds:
- Time-share the cartridge – pass it between Switches for different matchups
- Designate a "multiplayer" primary Switch that co-op gaming friends can access
- Split the cost of a 2nd cartridge with your best gaming buddy
- Go all-digital when games are on-sale (~$30-40 each)
Over time you can hopefully score enough multiplayer licenses to game with all your friends!
Game Saves Stay on Your Console
One common misconception is that save data is stored directly on the game card – that is not the case! The Switch platforms keeps all game saves, DLC, and updates on the console‘s internal storage rather than the cartridge.
So you don‘t have to worry about family members overwriting your progress. But it also means that if hardware fails or gets lost/stolen, you could lose hundreds of hours of gameplay.
My personal recommendation is invest in a Nintendo Switch Online membership. For just $3-4 monthly, you get cloud backup protection for game saves on all primary/secondary consoles. For less than one new game a year it is absolutely worth safeguarding your progress!
Cartridges vs. Digital – Which Is Better for Sharing?
Now you may be wondering – if digital game licenses fully unlock sharing, why even bother with physical cartridges? It‘s a fair question!
Each format has pros and cons for sharing games across family and friends:
| Format | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Digital | Accessible from any profile Game sharing without card swapping Frequent eShop sales | No ability to resell Large file sizes Requires microSD card |
| Physical | Resellable for cash/credit Collections feel tangible Small install footprint | Inserting card whenever switching games Risk of losing cartridges No license sharing for multiplayer |
Speaking from personal experience, I recommend fans go half digital, half physical for the best of both worlds:
- Buy family/party digitals during sales to share
- Buy favorite single-player physical games you eventually want to display
This balances affordability with tangible collecting!
Keep Your Shared Cartridges Safe!
For family shared games, I highly recommend investing in protective cases to prevent lost or damaged cartridges:
- Hard shell carrying cases to prevent snapping games internally
- Universal game holder cases like the Switch Game Traveler Pack
- Moisture protecting silicone skins for accident-prone kids
Trust me, after seeing a friend‘s dog chew up their Mario Odyssey cartridge, I vowed never to let that happen to our family‘s shared library! Having organized storage goes a long way.
Embrace Cartridge Sharing to Save Money!
Hopefully this gives you a detailed overview of how sharing physical cartridges works on the Nintendo Switch!
- Take turns playing single-player games with the family
- Go half digital, half cartridge for the best library balance
- Protect those game cards once multiple people start sharing access!
Embracing cartridge sharing is hands-down the most affordable way to build an awesome Switch library among friends and family. Never feel locked out from playing the latest releases just because buying copies for everyone isn‘t realistic.
What game are you most excited to share on your next Switch night? Let me know in the comments!
