Gold Points Nintendo Switch
Image: Nintendo

One of the best things about the Nintendo eShop is that you tin can use My Nintendo Aureate Points to get a sweet discount on digital purchases, but something a lot of people aren't enlightened of is that while Gold Points are earned automatically on downloads, they have to be manually claimed on physical games.

While this procedure isn't automatic, it's thankfully quite easy to do. Just follow the steps beneath and you'll exist earning Gold Points in no time at all.

How To Earn Gilded Points On Concrete Nintendo Switch Games

Insert Your Game Card

You'll need to have the game inserted into the Switch's game bill of fare slot to perform this procedure – if you try to claim the Gilt Points without the game loaded up, y'all'll get a bulletin asking you to insert the game carte and effort once again.

Printing '+' (or 'Start', if you prefer) to open the software carte du jour for the game in question. From this menu you tin manually update the game and tinker with its save information, as well every bit other things. Nevertheless, in this example, nosotros're interested in the 'My Nintendo Rewards Plan' option, right at the bottom.

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Image: Nintendo Life

Select 'My Nintendo Rewards Programme'

Select this option and you'll observe that 'Earn Aureate Points (game card version only)' becomes highlighted. Select this to go along. If you lot accept more than than one user account registered on your Switch, you'll be asked which user account the points will be applied to.

Claim the Golden Points

You'll be shown how many Gold Points are up for grabs before you claim them. They vary from game to game; for example, Ring Fit Adventure gives you lot 70 points, while Ys Origin is only worth xviii points. This is because the amount is based on a percentage of the original retail cost.

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Image: Nintendo Life
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Image: Nintendo Life

Spend Your Aureate Points

One time you've claimed your Gold Points, y'all can spend them on the eShop. Call up, 100 points is the equivalent to £one / $1. When yous make a buy, y'all'll be asked if you lot wish to use your Gold Points residual to reduce the cost.

Tin I Claim Gold Points On Pre-Owned Games?

Sadly not. If the game you're using is pre-owned or belongs to someone else who has already claimed the Gold Points, then you volition not be able to earn Golden Points on your account.

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Prototype: Nintendo Life

Can I Claim Gold Points On Multiple Copies Of The Same Game?

Yep, you tin claim multiple physical copies of the same game on the same Nintendo Account. You tin also buy digital and physical versions of the same game on the same Nintendo Account. Nonetheless, digital titles only qualify for My Nintendo Gold Points one time per Nintendo Account.

How Long Do I Have To Merits My Gold Points?

It is believed that Gold Indicate must exist claimed within 24 months of the game's concrete release. If you try to claim later on that period, you'll get Error Lawmaking 2016-0403.

How Do I Merits Gold Points On Digital Games?

Aureate Points are claimed automatically on digital purchases – you lot don't take to do anything. They're added to your account at the betoken of buy.

My Nintendo Gold Points - Error Codes

Error Lawmaking: 2016-0401

Equally noted to a higher place, yous cannot claim Gold Points on a game which has already been registered with another Nintendo Account.

Error Lawmaking: 2016-0415

If the game in question is unavailable in a item region, y'all'll become the following error bulletin:

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Image: Nintendo Life

If you have a Northward American, European or Japanese alternate account on your Switch, endeavor using that account to claim the Gold Points. Information technology doesn't e'er piece of work, as we have discovered, but it's worth trying.

Nosotros also constitute that games which are available in more than one region can be registered on other regional accounts – for example, we had a download copy of Beast Crossing: New Horizons on our Switch and were able to merits the Gilt Points using a physical re-create of the Japanese version of the game.

Fault Code: 2016-0403

Likewise, if the game's Golden Points period has elapsed (it's believed to be around 24 months from the point of release), you'll get this fault message:

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Paradigm: Nintendo Life

Error Code: 2016-0402

Finally, you might find cases where the game isn't all the same eligible for Gold Points, fifty-fifty if it's been on sale for quite some time (the physical version of Freedom Planet gave the states this fault message on all of the regional accounts we tried):

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Paradigm: Nintendo Life

Things To Call up

In that location are some things to call up when talking about Gold Points (information taken from Nintendo'south official site):

  • For purchases on Nintendo eShop or the official Nintendo website (where available), y'all automatically earn Gold Points worth the equivalent of 5% of your total paid amount.
  • For redeeming a download code, you automatically earn Gold Points worth the equivalent of 5% of the undiscounted Nintendo eShop toll of that content at the time of redemption. Only commercially distributed download codes authorize for points.
  • For the purchase of a Nintendo Switch game card, y'all earn Gold Points worth 1% of the undiscounted Nintendo eShop price of that game. In order to receive the points, y'all need to register the game bill of fare on the Habitation Carte du jour of your Nintendo Switch console within two years (for Europe and South Africa) or one twelvemonth (for all other countries) from the official release date of the game in your country. Y'all tin confirm the release date of a game past visiting its details page on Nintendo eShop.
  • On Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, Gold Points are merely earned if your Nintendo Network ID is linked to your Nintendo Account at the time of purchase.
  • Some content may be exempt from the earning or spending of Gold Points.
  • The corporeality of points y'all can earn for a purchase tin be confirmed on the product information page on Nintendo eShop.
  • Gold Points are valid for 12 months from when they are earned, and always expire at the end of a calendar month.