What's the first thing you did when you opened up that launch copy of Breath of the Wild nearly three years ago? Before you popped it in your brand new Switch and lost 300 hours of your life to it, we mean. Could you resist giving it a little lick? Just us?
Well, if you managed to ignore the fact that each cartridge is coated in a bitter agent to discourage children, dogs, cats, guinea pigs and other pets from eating your games, you're stronger than us! Having recently launched in the Chinese mainland thanks to Nintendo's partnership with Chinese giant Tencent, it has now been independently confirmed by @zhaochen0507 that Chinese cartridges taste just as bitter and awful as they do in the rest of the world.
Interestingly, it has been suggested that the reason it took so long for the physical games to appear in the region was due to the bitter coating itself being scrutinised by the powers that be:
The launch of Nintendo's console in the territory has generated interest thanks to a 'bespoke' roll-out that has means the choice for Tencent Switch owners is rather slim at the moment. Going against the precedent in all other markets, games in this territory are also region locked to the Tencent Switch, so importing Rabbids Adventure Party isn't an option at present.
Still, with all these irritating differences it's pleasant to hear that regardless of where you live in the world, an official Switch cartridge will taste terrible. As opposed to those delicious 3DS cartridges we used to munch down like After Eights.
We've raised a few eyebrows by encouraging friends and family - perhaps a little too strongly - to give their games a shifty lick. Rumours that Denatonium Benzoate is the main reason we refuse to go all-digital are totally unfounded.
[source twitter.com, via twitter.com, gonintendo.com]
Comments 30
"So why can't we stop licking them, then?"
Because it's such a bitter-sweet experience...
(badumm-tchsss)
Cartrigdes aren't meant for putting in the mouth in the first place or licking. Why taste the cartrigde when you can taste a chocolate bar.
@Rpg-lover But then how would you get the whole Switch experience if you do not lick the damn cartridges!!!
I'll be honest I did lick it but only because this very website bought it to my attention.
I guess I wanted to see what all the fuss was about
I never licked my cardridges.
I can live with out the whole experience.
@KitsuneNight you should try it just to experience the bad taste 😂
Cartridge is not an Oreo biscuit that we can twist, lick the cream and dunk into a milk. 😅
I tried licking one once just to see what all the hype was about and i didn't taste anything. It was just as gross as putting any other piece of plastic in my mouth. I bet an old Nes cart would taste worse. Those things have been around for 35 years and god knows who's nasty hands have been all over them in that time or what dust ridden filth they've collected.
Thank you for the close up image of your tongue, Gavin.
Much appreciated.
Any other parts of your anatomy better left concealed within the confines of your body that you'd like to share?
I can never buy a used Switch game knowing that there could have been some idiot that tried to French it.
No-one wants a Switch cartridge with mono... or syphilis.
Licking a Chinese Switch cartridge??
I don't want lead poisoning, thanks.
I did a challenge with my friend in smash. The looser licks a cartridge.
Important Note: we got 2 cartridges, one for me and one for him XD
@Kitchener
...thanks i can't unsee that now.
@Silly_G
And now I want to clean my used games with rubbing alcohol.
@Rpg-lover Curiosity ;P If Nintendo didn't do this, then we'd have headlines like, "Nintendo Switch killed child/pet, are we safe?" I'd rather have quirky headlines like this article.
I was going to say what a dumb article this is. But it turns out i ended up learning something from it. Who would of guessed that Switch game carts are covered in a bitter coating. Not me lol!!!
Wait licking the cartridge, is something people do?
OK then.
@DannyMac 😁😁 i knowww!!
What a shocker!
Slow Friday I bet.
@Lony85 The bad taste is to avoid, babies, or pets to swallow the cartridge by accident, since the switch's cartridges are so small. Think about it, little john puts cartridge in mouth, then little john spits it out automatically. But, yeah there are people out there who licks the cartridges for dumb things like challenges and other stupid things ,whats wrong with people?
New look, same great taste!
I was once swapping games in my Switch. Totally forgetting about the stories I'd read about the cartridge test, I foolishly put the new game between my lips temporarily whilst I took the other game out and put it in its box. This was fine, until the next time I licked my lips. Yuck!
I could imagine someone ironically chocking on their cartridge, because they went to check if it really does use that toxin agent (that nintendo put on to specifically stop putting in peoples mouths)
What led to this idiotic fad in the first place?
Imitates Ernest P. Worrell disgust expression
Tbh I forgot all about this special coating. XD Though I'm not in the habit of licking cartridges and other physical media to begin with.
Fascinating.
l was dared to do it long ago when l first got botw and it was nasty
You have to wonder about those lickers and if they lick anything else as well.
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