According to HotHardware, Nintendo just launched its new Nintendo Store app on both iOS and Android, giving fans a mobile way to browse and shop for Switch, Switch 2, physical games, accessories, and merchandise. The app specifically addresses the painfully slow eShop experience on the aging Nintendo Switch hardware by providing a much faster browsing interface. Users can search through both physical and digital games for the original Switch and upcoming Switch 2 systems. However, in classic Nintendo fashion, the app forces users to complete purchases through a web browser rather than allowing in-app checkout. The app also includes detailed gameplay statistics tracking that works across Switch, Switch 2, 3DS, and Wii U consoles, though accessing stats for older systems requires linking Nintendo Account with Nintendo Network ID.
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Browsing finally doesn’t suck
Here’s the thing – anyone who’s tried to use the Nintendo Switch eShop knows it’s borderline unusable. The interface moves at glacial speeds, searching feels like pulling teeth, and the whole experience makes you wonder if Nintendo forgot that smooth digital storefronts exist. This new mobile app actually fixes that problem. You can browse games, check prices, and see what’s available without wanting to throw your console across the room. It’s genuinely useful for discovering new titles or checking sales without dealing with the Switch’s aging hardware limitations.
Nintendo’s baffling checkout
But of course Nintendo couldn’t just make a straightforward, modern shopping app. No, that would be too easy. Once you find something you want to buy, the app kicks you out to your web browser to complete the purchase. Seriously? In 2024? It’s the digital equivalent of finding exactly what you want in a store, then being told you have to go to another building across town to actually pay for it. This seems very on-brand for a company that’s always been a generation behind when it comes to online services. They’ll give you brilliant hardware and amazing games, but the digital infrastructure always has these weird, arbitrary limitations.
The cool gameplay stats
Where the app really shines is the gameplay statistics feature. Basically, it gives you incredibly detailed logs of your playtime across multiple Nintendo systems. We’re talking daily breakdowns, total hours per game, the whole nine yards. And it works not just for Switch and the upcoming Switch 2, but even for your old 3DS and Wii U games if you’ve linked your accounts properly. That’s actually pretty impressive – being able to see your entire Nintendo gaming history in one place. It’s the kind of feature that hardcore fans will absolutely love, even if they never buy anything through the app.
So who actually needs this?
Look, if you’re someone who buys a lot of Nintendo games or merchandise, this app is definitely worth downloading. The browsing experience alone makes it better than dealing with the Switch eShop. And the gameplay stats are genuinely cool if you’re into tracking your gaming habits. But the forced browser checkout just feels like Nintendo being Nintendo – always one step forward, one step back. They’ve created a solution to a real problem, then added an unnecessary complication that keeps it from being truly great. Still, it’s free, so why not check it out? You can download the Nintendo Store app from the App Store right now and see for yourself.
