Topic: Switch Game Card Default Software Version

Is there a way to see what Switch Game Card Default Software Version is without putting the card in a fresh Switch?
As the Switch will update the software to whatever the latest update is, but it would be interesting to see what version the Card is natively rocking, as opposed to the patched updated version.
Does this version change and get updated over time as more Game Cards are produced for popular games, do the software publishers bother updating the default Game Card software?

@Ruthven Do you mean find out what game version is on a game card before buying it, without opening it?

Otherwise, you can disable switch internet, and plug the game card in and see what version it says (press (+) button on the game's tile on home screen to see update number). You can also disable Auto Update in switch settings.

Regarding retail physical games being sold with newer versions of the game on the card: I don't know if it's that common. Someone else here probably knows this answer better than me. I mean, when they make a run off of a game, I have no idea how many they make, but I think it's a lot. You can still find Mario 3D All Stars physical, I think. Or maybe thats not a good example. I think it might take at least 2+ years before they make a new run off of physical games with updated version on it. Correct me if I'm wrong anyone. Actually, @Magician is a smarty pants. Maybe @Magician knows.

@Ruthven
The only way I know of is the good old trial-and-error. And that's what a group of people have done:
https://www.doesitplay.org/switchCartsRevisions

@Dimjimmer Thank you for that!

@Ruthven Switch cartridge revisions vary from publisher to publisher. If a game sells well enough, sometimes you'll find newer versions of first party games out in the wild. Occasionally boutique publishers will offer replacements if they shipped a first iteration that was busted. LRG with the Doom: The Classics Collection, Strictly Limited with Bite the Bullet, Special Reserve with Gato Roboto, Super Rare with Hell Pie, etc.

Fangamer changed the Hollow Knight box art to help discern between a first print and a subsequent print.

The subsequent print has all DLC on cartridge.

But best indicator is the code stamp on the back of the cartridge itself.

However, with roughly 3,000 physical games available for the Switch, it's a tall task to track multiple cartridge revisions for each game.

Varies from publisher to publisher but yeah on the cartridge or the back of the physical case.

I like they do this for revisions (not just stock) but the bug fixes. I don't seek them out but still cool.

Didn't know about later screenshots on the back of cases that's interesting to see (intended to tell the difference then misprinting reasons that would usually be the reason to do so) but didn't alternate box arts when it came to different platforms or definitive editions or something.

Thanks for all the replies.
I was mainly curious to see how much effort publishers put into physical carts to keep them up to date.
But it looks like not much, publish once and rely on online updates to patch/fix & add latest features.
So even with a physical Cart library of switch games, if you had no online availability you would be missing out on features &/or have broken games.
I suppose its the same for all modern games consoles if you had no internet and only physical disks/Carts.