Picture the scene: you’ve suddenly had an urge to play a game involving a certain plumber, only to get hit by the Switch game card error. No sorting Bowser for you. Unless you read this article of course, where we will explain exactly what’s going on, and what you might be able to do about it.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Switch game card error.
How To Fix Switch Game Card Error
There are a number of potential solutions for the game card error. We’d recommend that you work through these in order, and hopefully one of them will resolve the problem for you.
Update firmware
First and foremost, make sure that your Nintendo Switch is running the latest system version. To check, go to System Settings, then System. Next, select System Update. If an update is available, install it, and then try again.
Check for game updates
As with the console, check for any available software updates for the affected game or games. If there are any pending updates, make sure you install these before trying again.
Clear cache
In some instances, clearing the cache on your Switch can fix the problem. To do this:
- Go to System Settings
- Select the System Tab
- Open Formatting Options
- Select Reset Cache
- It will prompt you to select the relevant user profile. Choose whichever one you wish to clear the cache for, and hit Reset.
Check the game card
This may seem obvious, but give the game card a once-over to check for any dirt or damage. If there is dirt on the card’s connections, for example, this could be preventing it from connecting properly with your console.
So check for any dirt, and clean it if necessary. It’s also worth testing an alternate game card to see whether the issue relates to a specific game card, or if it is pointing more towards an issue with the console itself.
Unplug headphones
This is slightly more left-field. However, the headphone auxiliary port is located next to the card slot, and it is possible that headphones could be interfering with the card reader.
If you do have headphones plugged in, try removing them, to see if this fixes the issue. If it does, it’s suggestive of an issue with the headphones or the headphone port.
Contact Nintendo
If none of these remedies works, or if the error arises with multiple game cards, it strongly points towards a problem with the Switch console. In this case, it is more than likely that it will need to be repaired by Nintendo.
If this is the case, you can start the process of arranging a repair by clicking here.
What Is The Switch Game Card Error?
Given the wide variety of potential solutions, there are clearly a number of potential causes for this particular problem. These include a damaged or dirty game card, or a damaged console. It could also be a software/firmware issue.
Work your way through the suggestions we’ve outlined above, and with a little luck, you’ll be back playing your game of choice in no time.