How to Gift Nintendo Switch Games
Giving a Switch game is easy once you know the three ways to do it — a cartridge, a download code, or an eShop card. Here's each, plus the one region catch.
Nintendo makes this simpler than it looks. There’s no “send a friend a game” button like on Steam, but you have three easy routes, and one of them — an eShop gift card— is the safest gift there is, because it lets the recipient pick whatever they want with no risk of a duplicate.
The three ways, step by step
- Decide: cartridge, download code, or eShop card. A physical cartridge is easy to wrap and can be lent or resold. A download code is instant and can't be lost. An eShop gift card lets them choose any game themselves — the safest option if you're unsure what they own.
- If you're giving an eShop card, buy the right amount and region. Nintendo eShop cards come in fixed amounts and are region-locked, so buy a card for the same country as their Nintendo Account (a US card only works on a US account).
- They open the eShop on their Switch. On their Switch, the recipient opens the Nintendo eShop and selects their user account.
- They choose 'Enter Code'. In the eShop, they select Enter Code and type the code from the card or download — it's 16 characters (Nintendo never uses the letters O, I or Z, so an 'O' is really a zero).
- The funds or game are added to their account. A gift-card code adds funds to their Nintendo Account balance to spend on any game; a specific download code adds that game directly. They can also redeem online at Nintendo's redemption page.
The one thing to double-check: region
eShop cards are region-locked. A card bought in the US only works on a Nintendo Account set to the US. This almost never causes trouble for a gift bought and given in the same country — just don’t buy an imported or foreign-region card. If in doubt, buy the card from a retailer in the recipient’s own country.
Frequently asked questions
Can you gift a Nintendo Switch game digitally?
The simplest ways are a download code for a specific game or a Nintendo eShop gift card that the recipient redeems and spends themselves. Nintendo doesn't have a direct 'send this game to a friend' button like Steam, so a code or a card is the route.
How does someone redeem a Nintendo eShop card?
On their Switch, they open the eShop, choose their account, select Enter Code, and type the 16-character code. The funds are added to their Nintendo Account balance. They can also redeem online at Nintendo's website.
Are Nintendo eShop cards region-locked?
Yes. An eShop card only works on a Nintendo Account set to the same country. A US card won't redeem on a European or Japanese account, even on the same console — so buy the card for the recipient's country.
Physical cartridge or digital — which is the better gift?
A physical cartridge is nicer to wrap, can be lent or resold, and doesn't depend on knowing their account. A digital code or eShop card is instant and can't be misplaced. If you're not sure what they own, an eShop card is safest because they pick.
Will the game work on a Switch Lite or OLED?
Standard Switch games work across the regular Switch, the Lite and the OLED. The rare exception is a game that requires detached controllers or TV mode, which won't suit the handheld-only Lite.
Sources
- Nintendo — Nintendo eShop Cards — Nintendo's own page on eShop cards: funds add to a Nintendo Account balance to spend on games and DLC in the eShop; cards are sold in fixed amounts (accessed July 22, 2026)
- Nintendo Support — How to Redeem a Nintendo eShop Download Code — Nintendo's official redemption steps: open the eShop, choose Enter Code, and enter the 16-character code, or redeem online — a Nintendo Account is required and the balance is region-locked to the account's country (accessed July 22, 2026)
- ESRB — Ratings Guide — The Entertainment Software Rating Board's official age-rating definitions: E (Everyone), E10+ (Everyone 10+), T (Teen), M (Mature 17+) and the content descriptors printed on every game box (accessed July 22, 2026)