Nintendo Game Card

A Nintendo Game Card is a physical flash storage card produced by Nintendo that contain video game software for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS line of handheld game consoles as well as the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 line of hybrid game consoles. They are the successor to the ROM cartridge-based Game Boy Game Paks used in Nintendo's previous handheld game consoles.

Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS Game Card

Game cards for the Nintendo DS range from 64 megabits to 4 gigabits (8–512  MB) in capacity. The cards contain an integrated flash memory for game data and an EEPROM to save user data such as game progress or high scores. However, there are a small number of games that have no save memory such as ''Electroplankton''.

It has been mentioned that larger 128 MB cards have a 25% slower data transfer rate than the smaller, more common 64 MB cards; however, the specific base rate is unknown.

Nintendo DSi Game Card

Many Nintendo DS titles released after the launch of the Nintendo DSi in 2008 include features that enhance gameplay when played on the Nintendo DSi console. Most of these games are compatible with the older DS models. However, a select few retail game titles were released that worked exclusively for the Nintendo DSi consoles for reasons such as requiring camera functions. These titles have game cards with white-colored casings. All DSi-exclusive games are region locked. Examples of DSi-exclusive game cards include ''Picture Perfect Hair Salon''. While these white game cards can be physically inserted into original Nintendo DS consoles, their software does not function due to the missing hardware features and will display an error message. These DSi-exclusive game cards are fully compatible with the Nintendo 3DS family.

Prior to the release of the Nintendo DSi, Nintendo encouraged developers to release DSi-exclusive games as DSiWare downloadables instead of retail game cards that would not function on older Nintendo DS consoles.

Infrared support

Despite all iterations of the Nintendo DS line lacking native infrared support, certain titles made use of this type of communication function using game cards with their own infrared transceivers. These game cards are generally glossier and darker than common Nintendo DS game cards, and reveal their translucency when exposed to light. Examples of such game cards include '' Personal Trainer: Walking'' and '' Active Health With Carol Vorderman'', which connect to the included pedometers, ''Pokémon HeartGold'' and ''SoulSilver'', which connect to the included Pokéwalker accessory, and ''Pokémon Black'' and ''White'' and ''Pokémon Black 2'' and ''White 2'', which connect DS systems facing each other.

Although all iterations of the Nintendo 3DS family support native infrared functions, Nintendo DS games still use the infrared-enabled game cards themselves when played on a 3DS system, reserving the native infrared for Nintendo 3DS-specific software.

Nintendo 3DS recovery mechanism

All iterations of the Nintendo 3DS family used a recovery measure to boot into specific Nintendo DS/DSi flash cartridges instead of the handheld's built-in firmware. This mechanism can be used to restore bricked systems with corrupted and/or damaged firmware / corrupted NAND flash. The programming community has used this exploit to allow homebrew to be run on the system reliability independent of software version.

Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS Game Card

Game cards for the Nintendo 3DS are from 1 to 4 gigabytes in size, with 2 GB of game data at launch. Though it was reported storage options range up to 8 GB, no games using an 8 GB game card were ever released. They look very similar to DS game cards, but are incompatible and have a small tab on one side to prevent them from being inserted into a DS, DS Lite, DSi or DSi XL/LL.

New Nintendo 3DS Game Card

While the New Nintendo 3DS accepts all game cards for the 3DS, there are a small number of game titles that were released on game cards that took advantage of the handheld's upgraded hardware. They looked identical in appearance to standard 3DS game cards and can be physically inserted into original 3DS/3DS XL systems, but are incompatible and will display an error message, similar to DSi-exclusive game cards.

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch uses non-volatile flash memory technology similar to SD cards that are officially called ''game cards.'' These are distinct technologies from volatile game cartridges that are similar to RAM boards. This iteration is smaller and has a larger storage capacity than its previous versions. Despite its similarities, the Switch is not compatible with DS and 3DS cards. The game cards used in the Switch are non-writable and save data is stored in the console's internal memory, unlike DS and 3DS game cards, which are writable and able to store save data.

Because of their small size, Nintendo Switch game cards are coated with denatonium benzoate, a non-toxic bitterant, as a safety precaution against accidental consumption by young children. Videos of users intentionally tasting game cards and reacting with disgust at the taste became a meme prior to the console's launch, which originated from Jeff Gerstmann's actions on a ''Giant Bomb'' webcast.

Game cards for the Nintendo Switch range from 1 to 32 gigabytes in capacity. It was reported that 1 GB cartridges were an option, but no games with 1 GB cartridges were ever released. Nintendo had planned to introduce 64 GB game cards by the second half of 2018, but had to push this back several times throughout the Switch's lifespan. 64 GB game cards would never be available for the Switch, but did end up being available for the Nintendo Switch 2, its successor nearly eight years later.

Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 Game Card

The Nintendo Switch 2 has the same game card system as the Nintendo Switch, utilizing the same non-volatile flash memory technology. The console also has backward compatibility with original Switch game cards, though some games are not fully compatible with the console's hardware. Switch 2 game cards share the same size and dimensions as Switch game cards, but are colored red instead of dark gray and have a small notch on the bottom right of the rear portion to distinguish them. While this notch does not prevent the game card from being inserted into the original Switch console, only game cards for "Nintendo Switch 2 Edition" titles are compatible with the previous system due to consisting of a Switch game and a Switch 2 "upgrade pack" containing various gameplay additions and/or graphical enhancements, in a similar vein to color-enhanced Game Boy game paks. There is no physical distinction between Switch 2 exclusive game cards and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game cards beyond the codes on their respective labels.

Because of their small size, Nintendo Switch 2 game cards are coated with denatonium benzoate, a non-toxic bitterant, as a safety precaution against accidental consumption by young children, utilizing the same approach that was used on the original Switch's game cards. Game cards for the Switch 2 will have improved read speeds over its predecessor, and allegedly only come in capacities of 64 GB.

Game-Key Card

On top of the standard game cards, the Switch 2 new format called Game-Key Cards allows publishers to only sell a digital license to download the full game instead of storing the game's data directly on the card. The game card itself will still be used as a validation measure to launch the downloaded software via Game-Key Cards. Game-Key Cards are not tied to a specific Nintendo Account and would still work on any system regardless of whether or not a Nintendo Account is used, allowing used copies to function.

References

{{Nintendo hardware

Nintendo DS
Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo hardware
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch 2
Products introduced in 2004
Video game distribution
Video game storage media