Nintendo Switch for a transatlantic traveller - what factors to consider?
As a family, we are expecting to spend the next few years traveling between the UK and the US, spending extended periods in each country.
My son has a birthday coming up and a Nintendo Switch seems like a great option, on the face of it at least. Being able to play the same games on a TV screen as on an aeroplane is a big attraction.
I'm concerned however, that international compatibility will be an issue. Personal experience has taught me its not always as simple as it appears... When I previously lived in Australia, I bought a PS4, which I later brought back to the UK. All the main features work fine in the UK, but the DVD player is region locked.
I've read that Switch games are not region locked, but I'm apprehensive about less obvious "gotchas".
What problems should I anticipate with a pond-hopping Switch?
Best Answer
I would like to expand a little on Nolonar's answer. I too bought a Nintendo Switch while living in Japan and frequently took it to Europe. Last year, I moved back to Europe taking my Switch with me.
I prefer buying games physically rather than digitally (i.e. the cartridges in shops, not from the eShop). I have bought games in Europe and in Japan although off the top of my head I can't positively confirm that both work (although they should).
This won't directly affect your use case as both the US and UK are English-speaking, but the games auto-detect the console language and try to play in that language. Meaning that although I bought Pokémon Shield in Japan, it detected my Switch being set to German and I play the game in German. For games purchased in Japan where German is not available, it falls back to English (e.g. Tales of Vesperia, iirc) and finally there are some which only play in Japanese (Atelier Rorona, iirc).
I rarely use the official Nintendo-supplied charger on the go. I find that a simple USB-C cable plugged into any USB charger will do the trick just fine. Instead, the original charger is connected to the dock under my TV. As it takes 100–240 V and 50/60 Hz, I only bought a cheap passthrough adapter to be able to plug the Japanese plug into an EU socket.
The dock connects to the TV via HDMI. As far as I am aware, that is a worldwide standard. I have used the dock in Japan, Sweden and Germany on different TVs with zero issues.
You mentioned the PAL/NTSC difference in the comments under Nolonar's answer. This was important on older TV systems, especially CRT's which may have been only able to understand one set of colour instructions. Also, in the olden days the TV screen size was different on both sides of the pond. However, nowadays TV's have become much more like computer monitors, able to accept a wide range of input resolutions and framerates; furthermore, all modern standards are digital in nature rather than analog. Essentially, since HDMI you don't need to worry about those two.
Pictures about "Nintendo Switch for a transatlantic traveller - what factors to consider?"
Can Nintendo Switch be used internationally?
Can Nintendo Switch play games from a different region? Although Nintendo Switch software sold in regions outside of the Americas may work with Nintendo Switch systems sold in the Americas, we have not tested all overseas software with systems from all regions and cannot guarantee full service and support.Is Nintendo Switch good for travel?
Check! Nintendo Switch is designed to go wherever you do\u2014even on long, boring road trips\u2014so be sure to pack it for that long drive to your summer-vacation destination. After passing the time with so much fun gameplay, you might not even want to get out of the car!Does region matter for Nintendo Switch?
The Switch IS NOT region locked, and in fact you can swap your console region ANY TIME YOU WANT. Furthermore, you don't need your console to be the same region as your game, to play the game. Your console region can be America for example, and you can still pop in a Japan cartridge and play it no problem.Are Nintendo switches allowed on planes?
Airport Security In July 2017 the TSA updated their screening procedures. All electronics larger than a smartphone need to go into a bin, not stay in your bag. This includes the Nintendo Switch and larger power banks. Put your Switch in a bin between your stuff (your bag and another bin to either side of it).Nintendo Switch Travel Tips - Nintendo Minute
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Lucie Liz, Polina Tankilevitch, Polina Tankilevitch, Michael Adeleye