Can I play Japanese Nintendo Switch games on a US or Europeon switch?
The short answer is yes but read carefully.
Japanese Nintendo Switch imports can be a great addition to any collection but there are a few things to know before buying. Here’s what we’ve learned from importing and testing games from multiple regions.
The first generation of Nintendo Switch consoles are not region-locked, which means you can play Japanese Nintendo Switch games on a US, European or other regional Nintendo Switch system without issues.
We have independently verified this information. We have tested some of our Japanese games in our collection and find that they are working on the consoles we were able to test, including Japanese, Australian, Southeast Asian and American Nintendo Switch systems.
However, whether the game is actually playable for you is a different question. The biggest factor is language support and compatibility.
Many Nintendo first-party games such as Mario and Pokémon titles are multi-language and can automatically display text in the language set on your console. Unfortunately, this is not guaranteed for every game. Even some popular Japanese titles and JRPGs may only include Japanese texts, menus and audio.
Many collectors and import gamers learn this the hard way after purchasing a game that doesn’t support their preferred language. That’s why it’s always important to check a game’s supported languages before buying.
Unlike older Nintendo systems like the entire Nintendo 3DS family—including the original 3DS, 3DS XL, 2DS, New 3DS, and New 2DS XL—which were strictly region-locked, Nintendo Switch family systems are largely region-free. This has made the platform especially popular among collectors who import games from Japan.
The standard versions of the new Nintendo Switch 2 consoles and physical game carts are also not region-locked but the Japanese-market Nintendo Switch 2 consoles are a more complicated story. If you’re considering a Japanese Nintendo Switch 2 console, there are a few additional restrictions and account-related differences worth knowing about. We’ll cover those in a separate guide.
Need help checking if a Japanese Nintendo Switch games supports English? Read our complete guide here:
