Topic: Playing friends online (cartridge)

Hello,

Sorry for this very newbie question…..

Is it possible to play against online friends on NS when you only ever purchase cartridges?

My son has had a switch for a few months and I always bought cartridge games. I’ve now purchased an online account for him so he can play against his friends.

My only problem is, can he actually do this when his game is on a cartridge? And does the other player need to have the same game too (cartridge or digital)……

I’m a 51yo man so all this is very confusing for me, without my old man tablets 😂

There's no difference between a cartridge or digital game other than whether it's on a cartridge or downloaded from the internet. The game itself is exactly the same and can do the same things, including playing online. Anyone that you're playing online with will also need to own the game, but it doesn't matter whether it's cartridge or digital.

Thank you…….I wasn’t sure so that’s a relief. Someone had said that if you have the game you can invite a friend and they can play on your version…..I suspected that wouldn’t be correct.

@StevieGG3033 Some select games on Nintendo 3DS had a "download play" feature which would allow a friend to download a free version of the game so you could play multiplayer wirelessly with 2 consoles, but Switch games haven't had that feature.

@WoomyNNYes There is actually one Switch game that has that feature, which is Clubhouse Games. They made a Guest Pass version that lets folks play all the games that support local play with someone who has the full version. (Plus a test drive for four of the included games.) So you'd have one Switch that has the full version, and another Switch that has the Guest Pass version, and they'd be able to play together via local wireless.

Edit: I did realize that it's not exactly how download play works, since the Clubhouse Games example requires that you'd need to download the Guest Pass from the eShop for that. So yes, the Switch doesn't have a download play feature on the console itself. I remember that Mario Party: Star Rush on the 3DS had that Guest Pass download, too.

Thank you, much appreciated. Think I can sort it now....

@MarioLover92 : The only other game that I am aware of that has a similar feature is Pacman Vs. via Namco Museum (or Namco Museum Arcade Pac). One full plus three players with the freely downloadable software (allowing one to play as Pac-Man with up to three others as ghosts).