Nintendo Switch Online: how to play Japanese Famicom games

In order to access the Japanese eShop, you'll first need a Japan-specific account. To do this, head over to accounts.nintendo.com and create ... Skiptomaincontent clock menu more-arrow no yes Tech Video Amazon Apple Facebook Google Microsoft Samsung Tesla AI Cars Cybersecurity Mobile Policy Privacy Scooters AllTech Reviews Phones Laptops Headphones Cameras Tablets Smartwatches Speakers Drones Accessories BuyingGuides How-tos Deals MorefromVergeReviews Science Video Space NASA SpaceX Health Energy Environment AllScience Creators YouTube Instagram Adobe Kickstarter Tumblr ArtClub Cameras Photography What’sinyourbag? AllCreators Entertainment Film TV Games Fortnite GameofThrones Books Comics Music AllEntertainment Video Features Podcasts Newsletters Store ✕ Filedunder: How-to Gaming Reviews HowtoplayJapaneseFamicomgamesthroughNintendoSwitchOnline New, 11 comments It’sworthitfortheboxartalone By AndrewWebster Sep19,2018,10:05amEDT Sharethisstory SharethisonFacebook SharethisonTwitter Share Allsharingoptions Share Allsharingoptionsfor: HowtoplayJapaneseFamicomgamesthroughNintendoSwitchOnline Linkedin Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email Thisstoryispartofagroupofstoriescalled Itisn’tenoughtohavegreatnewdevices,apps,andgames—youalsohavetoknowhowtousethem.HereatTheVerge,weofferstep-by-stephow-tosforexperiencedandnewuserswhoareworkingwithonline,macOS,Windows,ChromeOS,iOS,andAndroidapps,services,phones,laptops,andothertools.Fromsimpleinstructionsonhowtoinstallandusenewdevices,tolittle-knownstrategiesonhowtotakeadvantageofhiddenfeaturesandthebestmethodsforaddingpowerorstorage,we’vegotyourtechnologicalback. Lastnight,NintendoofficiallyrolledoutitsonlinesubscriptionservicefortheNintendoSwitch,andoneofthebigsellingpointsistheinclusionofclassicNESgames.For$20ayear,yougetaccesstoagrowinglistof8-bittitles;thereare20availableatlaunch,withmoretobeaddedonamonthlybasis.AllofthegamesarehousedinasingleSwitchapp,andthey’vebeenupdatedwithfeatureslikeonlinemultiplayer. Butoneofthegreat,largelyunheraldedfeaturesoftheSwitchisthatitdoesn’thaveanyregionlocking.Fromoneconsole,youcanaccessNintendo’sdigitalstoreinmultiplecountries.Forthepurposesofclassicgames,thismeansthatyoucanactuallyaccessboththeNESandJapaneseFamicomappswithasingleSwitchOnlinesubscription.Anditdoesn’ttakeallthatmuchwork.AllyouneedisaSwitchOnlinesubscriptionandaJapaneseeShopaccount. Step1:settingupanaccount InordertoaccesstheJapaneseeShop,you’llfirstneedaJapan-specificaccount.Todothis,headovertoaccounts.nintendo.comandcreateanewaccountfromscratch.Therearereallyonlytwothingsyouneedtodo:setyourlocationtoJapananduseadifferentemailaddressfromyourmainaccount.Oncethat’sdone,you’llbepromptedtocreateanewprofileonyourSwitchforthenewaccount. Step2:theJapaneseeShop Oncetheaccountissetup,you’llthenbeabletoaccessNintendo’sJapanesestore;allyouhavetodoisselectyournewJapaneseprofilewhenheadingtotheeShop.Fromhere,thingscangetatinybittrickybecause,well,you’llbenavigatingastorethat’smostlyinJapanese.Luckily,theappyou’relookingforisintheveryfirstsectionofthestoreunderthe“new”header.Theappiseasytofind:theiconisabrightredrectanglewiththetitle“FamilyComputer:NintendoSwitchOnline”andapictureofapairofgoldFamicomcontrollersonit.(Normally,I’dincludeascreenshotheretomakeiteasiertofind,but,unfortunately,Nintendodoesn’tallowscreengrabsinitsdigitalshop.)It’sfreetodownload,whichyoushouldgoaheadanddorightnow. Step3:accessingtheFamicomapp Aftertheappisdownloaded,openit—butbecarefulwhichaccountyou’reusing.Inordertoactuallyplaythegames,you’llneedtoselectaprofileassociatedwithaSwitchOnlinesubscription.Thankfully,thisdoesn’tmeanyouneedtosignupforasecondsubscriptionforyourJapaneseprofile.Instead,youcanstillplaytheFamicomappusingasubscriptiontiedtoyourNorthAmericanorEuropeanSwitchaccount.Fromthere,you’refreetoplay. Now,youmaybeaskingyourselfwhyyou’dwanttogothroughallofthistrouble.Atlaunch,theNESandFamicomappsfeatureanearlyidenticallineupof20games.Butthereareafewreasonstohaveboth.Forstarters,theJapaneseversionsofthesegamescanbenotablydifferentthantheirUScounterparts;SuperMarioBros.3,forinstance,wasmadesignificantlyeasierforaudiencesoutsideofJapan.It’sinterestingtohavethetwoversionsofthegamesidebysideonthesameconsoleandbeabletoexperiencethosedifferencesfirst-hand. Butthisisalsoafuture-focuseddecision.IfNintendo’shistorywiththeVirtualConsoleisanyindication,eventuallytheFamicomappwillprobablybehometoanumberofgamesnotavailableoutsideofJapan,exceptyou’llnowhaveeasyaccesstothem.Oneday,youmightbeabletoplaythelikesofDokiDokiPanic(whichSuperMarioBros.2wasbasedon)orFamicomWars(theprecursortoAdvanceWars)onyourSwitch. Ofcourse,youmightalsowanttoinstalltheFamicomappforpurelyaestheticpurposes.Nintendo’sJapaneseboxartisjustthatmuchbetter. NextUpIn Gaming Signupforthe newsletter VergeDeals SubscribetogetthebestVerge-approvedtechdealsoftheweek. Justonemorething! PleaseconfirmyoursubscriptiontoVergeDealsviatheverificationemailwejustsentyou. Email(required) Bysigningup,youagreetoourPrivacyNoticeandEuropeanusersagreetothedatatransferpolicy. Subscribe Loadingcomments... Sharethisstory Twitter Facebook