Topic: Nintendo switch Game Card Storage

I was wondering what is the "Best Way" to store the Nintendo Switch Game Cards for long term storage?

I had been throwing away the cases that comes with them (due to lack of storage space in my room).

I had been putting my games inside a unlicensed "Cloth" cases that can store up to 138 games (the case has slots for each Cards so they are secured.

However according to AI (and possibly from Nintendo) the AI says to store them in a Travel Plastic game card case that is licensed by Nintendo (like the Hori Case that can store 24 Cards in it).

I was wondering if I should store the cards in Hori Game card cases or if a cloth 3rd party ones are safe?

I basically spent way over $500 on Physical games for the Switch and I don't want to get them damaged.

Especially since the Nintendo switch 2 can play some of the Switch 1 games.

Does anyone have suggestions?

@Tay32111 To get the most life from a game card, I think ideal conditions would be steady indoor temperatures, partly because that minimizes large temperature swings, extreme heat, humidity swings, or day/night cycles hitting dewpoint conditions that could create condensation in/on the game card, possibly to corrosion. What's good for your smartphone is probably also good for electronics or game card storage. I suppose a plastic case could help with minimizing humidity & temperature swings, but I think a large box & plastic bag could perhaps do a similar job.

@WoomyNNYes what do you think is best plastic cases (Like the Hori Case that holds 24 games that's also licensed by Nintendo) or a cloth case that holds 120+ games that's unlicensed.

I'm just so confused because AI is telling me to get plastic cases when a co worker mentioned just a cloth case is fine.

I have over 110+ physical switch Games that's worth over $500 and I just don't want any of the games to be damaged especially since the Switch 2 can play most of the games

But I just didn't know which storage method is better for long term storage

@Tay32111 You could put your cloth case in a plastic bag + a box or drawer, or any plastic case you may already have, tupperwear. There's nothing that special about the the plastic hori case that holds 24 game cards other than looking nice - Amazon has their own version that's also highly rated, although it's only about a dollar cheaper than Hori's.

Hori game card case: https://www.amazon.com/HORI-Game-Nintendo-Switch-Officially-L...
Amazon Basics switch game card case: https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basics-Console-Enclosure-ninten...

Obviously, don't put all your faith in google AI. It's still a program, made by people, and computers & programs can still yield stupid things.😉

@WoomyNNYes that's good to know.

I saw where Nintendo posted on their website only to use a Licensed Nintendo product (such as the Hori Case) as they don't recommend 3rd party cases as they are not tested by Nintendo.

Here is the cloth case I ordered recently it's from a company called Heystop:

https://www.amazon.com/HEYSTOP-Switch-Compatible-Nintendo-Sto...

Do you think this case is good?

It has a very soft cloth fabric inside

I just don't know if it's the safest way

@Tay32111 I think that's fine.👌

@WoomyNNYes do I really need to put it in a plastic bag and a box?

Because I don't keep my blinds and curtains open that much and I keep the Switch Game cards away from direct sunlight anyway.

I have old DS games that I know went through "Abusive conditions" and been stored loosely inside a zip lock bag (no protection at all) and they still work to this day.

What made me worried about my switch collection is because I just got a PS5 and few of people (and Google AI) told me to store the PS5 discs in their cases and lay the disc cases flat instead of upright on a self.

Then some told me to store PS5 disc cases upright on a self.

So that made me think twice about how I store my Switch collection

@Tay32111 Should be no difference stacking PS5 games horizontally instead of vertically unless you're stacking loads of them - the weight on the bottom case will eventually be an issue, but you'd need an awful lot to get to that point. Just keep them in the cases so the discs don't get scratched

Something that my brother has started doing with his larger collection of Switch games, is using a coin collection album with coin pocket pages, like these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BGKJJL2F
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VC134HJ
It's something that someone else online tried when the Switch first launched.

Since my collection has gotten pretty large now, it's something I want to do so I can put the original game cases in storage.
In particular, I was looking at this coin collection album binder since it has a slip case for added protection, and I may need more than one binder.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0899CYYQX/
I was wondering if there might be any reason this could actually be a bad idea, since the coin pockets aren't air-tight and might expose the contact pins to air more easily.

I would be paranoid, straight terrified of those cartridges slipping out.

@Magician
Afraid of the coin page pockets idea? Each pocket has a fold in it that encloses the coin (or Switch game cartridge).
Another size of the coin pages would probably work well for DS and 3DS cartridges as well.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VC26XZZ

@dmcc0 ya I thought about getting some towers that has single racks to put the PS5 discs in (so they're are no problems).
But I had decided to just put them upright as a lot of people on Qura.com suggested that putting the games upright won't cause issues.

I just hate spending ton of money then 3 years down the road, the disc (or Switch Game cards) become unplayable due to damage.

@Tay32111 how on earth are your 110+ games worth only over $500? That's less than $5 per game. You must mean they're worth over $5k

Well first I obviously had lost count on how much money I had spent total.

But some of the games (30% of my physical copies) was under $25-$40 (was on sale from Amazon, Walmart, or best buy).

Just get the Card Pocket 24s from Japan (also available via Play-Asia).

There are plenty of themed variants available (Mario, Pikmin, Minecraft, Pokémon etc.), and they'll keep your cartridges safe, clean, and accessible.

I looked up the Card Pocket 24 on Playasia, looks pretty good! I currently keep all my physical Switch cartridges in the cases they come with, but I might get a storage thing for all of them when I have my own house someday, since I'm always worried about the cartridge cases breaking on me. One of them already has a crack on the front even though it's one of my less used games and I take good care of all of them, I think that one was caused by my younger brother who played that game quite a bit a few years ago 😞.