Nintendo has a long history of launching products and services in its home country before releasing them to the rest of the world. Heck, the NES launched in 1983 in Japan, more than two years before it ever made its way to the US in 1985.
That tradition lives on today, as Japanese users have had access to a Nintendo Store app called My Nintendo for more than five years, while other users have been forced to make mobile purchases via browsers on laptops, PCs, and smartphones.
Fortunately, those days are officially over, with Nintendo finally launching an app that is currently available for users that don’t live in Japan.
Nintendo Store app is finally available for (most) users
And it can do (almost) everything you need
Mobile purchasers rejoice, the Nintendo Store app is now available on Android and iOS through the Play Store and App Store, respectively. The app allows users to purchase games, consoles, accessories, and even merchandise. There’s also a News tab that can help you stay up-to-date on news games and features and even watch Nintendo Direct.
If you want a bit more functionality, you’ll have to sign in with your Nintendo Account. This will unlock some additional tabs, including the Wishlist, which shows the games you’ve marked as potential future purchases, and the Account tab, which features options like Purchase History, Payment Methods, and Points.
You’ll also find the Play Activity option within the Account tab, which shows all the Switch and Switch 2 games you have played and recent gameplay time totals. Even better, if you link your Nintendo Network ID, you’ll be able to get information about your Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games too, all in one place.
The only downside I’ve noticed from the app so far is that you can’t actually purchase games, consoles, accessories, or merchandise directly on the app. Instead, clicking the “Continue to Product Page” brings you to an in-app browser that’s just the Nintendo.com website. Even worse, if you click the purchase button there, you’ll have to log in again, which is certainly a hassle.
As far as dealbreakers go, though, this is far from a massive problem. It still provides a convenient way to make purchases from Nintendo, while also checking out the latest news and personal gaming data. All in all, this is a win for all those avid Nintendo fans that wanted another way to interact with their favorite brand.
