Topic: Mario Kart 8 region free local multiplayer

Hello, I have a US Switch and bought a European copy of Mario Kart 8. I just found out I can’t challenge my friends who bought the US cartridge in local multiplayer. Is there any way to do this or do I have to buy a US cartridge all over to play my friends locally on our own Switches?

? is that a thing? Interesting - does it display an error message?

@Bronson
Local Multiplayer ?
Have you registered your friend Switch Friend Code ?
Both of you and your friend must regiester Switch Friend Code first.
Try it.

Yup error says that they need to be the same region game. Haven’t tried friend code yet has anyone done this with local multiplayer and people with different versions? My friend is someone I don’t see often anyway and literally discovered him because we were playing in the same cafe.

That's very strange. Does the U.S. eShop page for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe list the European languages as well? (e.g. French, German etc.)

Perhaps changing the system language might help if the two consoles are in different languages.

We are both using English.

Confirmed today from store that regional lockout prevents my European cart from joining local play with my American friends and their carts. Time to sell this and buy a new one.

That is extraordinarily stupid. I thought that the contents of the cartridge would have been the same internationally. Let us know how you go with your American cartridge.

Perhaps this is an issue you could raise with Nintendo and they can work to patch the software. It may not serve your purposes, but it could help others who are in the same situation as you are in now.

I just don't understand why it is prevented to play with someone locally who ones another regional copy? I mean, it is not uncommon to meet people - let's say at Gamescom or E3 who own a different copy of the game.

Very strange.

I will have to call Nintendo of America later as my timezone is 15 hours ahead and contacting them via e-mail for tech support isn’t really something I’ve found on the site since the last time I asked them for help via e-mail was when Electroplankton came out!

Update: Nintendo was confused about it because they said I absolutely should be able to connect on local multiplayer regardless of regional differences for cartridges. We updated to the latest system update, we updated Mario Kart to use Labo, and yet we couldn't connect. They're having the research team work on it now and may or may not get back to me, but at least it's good to know that they want us to connect regardless of different region cartridges.

@Bronson
Have you added the Switch Friend Code from player you want to play ?
It might be you haven't registered their code and your Switch FC hasn't registered yet by them.

@Anti-Matter

I haven't yet because I haven't run into my friend, so next time I see him we can certainly try, unless Nintendo gets back to me and updates me on what the research team says. They have been remarkably fast and eager so far, so let's see.

Cool - let us know. Interesting case.