Of all the state-of-the-art consoles on the market, the Nintendo Switch has by far the most diverse lineup of games available for the system. Nintendo itself has released over 130 games on the platform since it first launched, and thousands of games from third-party developers are also available. Depending on whether you buy games physically or digitally, it can be tough to find the best place to buy Nintendo Switch games at any given time.
If you’re fresh to the console and don’t know where to find games, we’ve put together the ultimate guide on everything you need to know about where to buy Switch games online or in stores. Take a look below and add some fresh games to your Nintendo Switch collection!
Where to buy Switch games online
There are many ways to buy Nintendo Switch games for your console. Buying online is usually the easiest way to buy any of the most popular Nintendo Switch games, as you can buy digital or physical versions. Since you don’t have to travel to pick up the game, you can have a physical copy shipped to your home or buy a digital key to start playing immediately. Take a look below to discover the best way to get deals on Nintendo Switch games.
Best Places to Buy Digital Switch Games Online
Definitely, The best place to buy digital games for Switch is the Nintendo eShop. It can be accessed directly from any Nintendo Switch console. The entire Nintendo Switch library can be purchased from the eShop, and many games are exclusive to the platform. Since some games are digital-only, you won’t be able to buy physical or digital copies from retailers.
By the way, you can also buy some digital games from online stores like AmazonBest Buy, Walmart, and more. These stores offer digital codes that you can purchase and that are sent directly to your email inbox after payment.
In general, it’s crucial to pay attention to prices both on the Nintendo eShop and at retailers. The eShop tends to have a lot more sales throughout the year, but stores like Amazon and Best Buy offer discounted digital games for certain sale events, which can be better than the discounts on the eShop.
Best Places to Buy Physical Switch Games Online
Nintendo Switch Games
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The best places to buy Nintendo Switch games online right now.
We recommend Amazon as the best place to buy physical Switch games. With a Prime membership, it’s incredibly basic to buy a physical Switch game and have it shipped to you in no time. You can usually get available Switch games within 24 hours. Plus, Amazon won’t charge your card for pre-orders of upcoming Switch games because the company waits until the item is in stock.
There are other solid options like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. However, you should be careful when buying from the latter, as Walmart sometimes has deals on European Switch games. They will work fine on your system, but some gamers prefer to own North American copies with an ESRB rating.
In addition to these selections, you can also find uncommon or restricted physical copies of the Nintendo Switch at retailers like Limited Run Games and Video Games Plus. Since these games are either reprints or restricted runs, you won’t find them at retailers like Amazon or Best Buy.
In addition to established retailers, you can even buy physical Switch games directly from Nintendo! The Nintendo Store has almost every Switch game the company has released, and you’ll often find titles on sale at different times of the year.
Where else can you find Switch games in stores?
As the physical market has slowly dwindled over the past few years, it’s sometimes strenuous to find Switch games in stores. Luckily, there are still dozens of stores that offer all sorts of Nintendo Switch games on their shelves. While the company has discontinued its Blu-ray collection, Best Buy still offers a ton of Nintendo Switch games. It’s basic to walk into any store and browse through a collection of over 50 physical games available, with most of Nintendo’s front-page deals available.
Additionally, GameStop is a solid option. While we don’t necessarily recommend buying from the retailer online, it’s still basic to walk into any GameStop store and find a wide variety of Switch games available. Additionally, other major retailers like Target and Walmart still offer physical games, but the offerings can vary by store.
When is the best time to find discounts on Switch games?
Collecting and buying Nintendo Switch games isn’t a budget-friendly hobby, but you can make up for it by buying games when they’re cheapest of the year. There are plenty of great times to buy video games, but we recommend waiting until Black Friday and Cyber Monday. These are definitely the best times to get discounts on Nintendo Switch games, both physical and digital. Nintendo will be slashing prices on many of its own titles, and you can grab hundreds of third-party titles from major publishers.
The only major downside to this sale event is that Black Friday falls at the end of the year, so it can almost become a waiting game during the early parts of the year. Overall, this holiday season will be a great time to buy Switch games, especially with the Nintendo Switch 2 coming soon.
While the best physical game options are restricted, digital games are a different story. The Nintendo eShop hosts countless sales events throughout the year, and it’s basic to find great deals. Our advice is to pay close attention to the news posts on the Nintendo Switch homepage, as they’ll mention any fresh eShop sales on the horizon.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, a site focused on no-nonsense Japanese games (2019), and has worked with various publishers writing about the medium.
