As gaming moves increasingly online, a Nintendo account is your golden ticket to unlocking the full potential of Nintendo Switch. With an ever-growing list of membership benefits across Nintendo Switch Online, the eShop, and connected services, your account truly connects your gaming experience across devices.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know to create your Nintendo account, link child accounts, connect your account to your Switch, and troubleshoot any issues along the way. Whether you’re a parent setting up a kid-friendly gaming environment or simply want to access online play and cloud saves, let’s dive in!
The Rise of Nintendo Accounts
First, let’s do a quick rundown on what exactly Nintendo accounts are. Nintendo accounts first launched in 2015 alongside the accounts.nintendo.com portal as a unified account system across Nintendo devices and services.
Over the years, Nintendo accounts have become increasingly valuable as more membership perks were added. Now used to purchase eShop games, subscribe to Switch Online, rank in Splatoon leaderboards, and enable cross-device saves through cloud data storage. As of early 2023, over 140 million Nintendo accounts have been created.
Key Membership Benefits
Here are just some of the core benefits tied to your Nintendo account:
- Online multiplayer – Access online play in Mario Kart 8, Smash Bros, Splatoon 3, etc against millions of players
- Cloud saves – Backup save data securely so game progress isn‘t lost
- Exclusive discounts – Access member-only sales and unlock game trials
- Mobile connectivity – Link to smartphone apps like Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
- Digital purchases – Buy and own games through the Nintendo eShop
- Parental controls – Manage child account settings and restrictions
The chart below shows a breakdown of some of the most popular Nintendo Account perks:
| Feature | Description | Requires Purchase? |
|---|---|---|
| Online Multiplayer | Compete and cooperate in games online | Yes – Nintendo Switch Online membership ($3.99/month) |
| NES & SNES Libraries | Play classic pre-installed NES & SNES games | Yes – Nintendo Switch Online membership ($3.99/month) |
| Cloud Saves | Backup game saves to Nintendo servers | Yes – Nintendo Switch Online membership ($3.99/month) |
| Exclusive Offers | Access member-only discounts and sales | No, included with Nintendo account |
| Nintendo Switch App | Connect mobile and Switch to voice chat, game features | No, free to download |
Step-by-Step Account Creation
Ready to create your account and start accessing these features? We’ll walk through the process on both desktop web browsers and directly on your Nintendo Switch.
Method 1: Create an Account on Nintendo.com
Creating your Nintendo account over the web is fastest, especially if you plan to link to an existing Google or Apple ID.
- On your smartphone, tablet, computer, or any web browser open accounts.nintendo.com
- Select Sign Up and agree to the Terms of Service
- Fill in your personal information:
- Email address
- Password
- Birthday
- Region
- Validate your email address by entering the verification code auto-sent to your inbox
- Confirm sign up by clicking the verification link in your welcome email from Nintendo
Once created, you can immediately link this new Nintendo account credentials when adding a user profile on your Switch.
Pro Tip: Password Best Practices
When creating your password during account setup:
- Use 8+ characters containing upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols
- Avoid personal information like your birthday or name
- Don‘t reuse passwords from other sites to limit exposure if breached
- Periodically update your password for continued safety
Method 2: Create an Account Directly on Nintendo Switch
Don’t have access to a secondary mobile or computing device? Not a problem! Here is the step-by-step for account creation directly on your Switch:
- From the Switch Home Screen, navigate to System Settings (the gear icon)
- Scroll down and select Users > Add User
- Select Create New User
- Click Link Nintendo Account
- Input your email address and validate using the verification code from your email
Once verified via email, your Nintendo account will be ready to go – linked right there from your new Switch user profile!
Setting Up Child & Family Accounts
Nintendo also makes it easy for parents to create child accounts. This gives you the peace of mind to monitor gaming time or purchasing ability.
To create a supervised child account:
- On Nintendo’s website, sign-into the parent’s Nintendo account
- Under account settings, access Family Group
- Select Add Member > Create Account for Children <12
- Enter child’s name and birthday
- Child account is created and linked automatically!
Based on the age entered, restrictions are set automatically. But parents can customize as needed:
| Age | Default Restrictions | Customization Options |
|---|---|---|
| <12 years | Cannot make purchases | Screen time limits, spending limits, communications |
| 13-17 years | Can make purchases with parent approval | Remove requirement for purchase approval |
Now kids can game online safely with their friends, while parents maintain oversight through Family Account dashboards.
Linking your Nintendo Account to your Switch
You’ve created your shiny new Nintendo account, but to access those membership perks you’ll need to connect your account credentials to your Switch user profile.
Here is the quick process:
- From the Switch Home Screen, open System Settings
- Navigate to Users and select your User
- Choose Link Nintendo Account
- Input your account username and password
- Read summary prompt and click Continue
Once successfully linked, you will see your account name and icon visible on your user profile. Now you can access online multiplayer, cloud saves, exclusive member offers, and more!
Troubleshooting Account Issues
As with any account setup process, you might run into minor technical headaches along the way. Review these helpful troubleshooting tips I’ve gathered over my years gaming with Nintendo:
Can’t receive verification email?
- Check your spam folder for the email from Nintendo
- Try using a different email address in case yours blocks auto-sent verification codes
Forgot your Nintendo account password?
- Easily reset your password by selecting Forgot Password at the Nintendo sign-in screen
Getting "Account Already Exists" error?
- Use your email address to sign-in instead of creating a duplicate account
Still struggling to resolve your Nintendo account issue? Reach out directly to Nintendo Support via live chat or phone call. They are extremely knowledgeable in quickly resolving account troubles.
So don’t let account issues stop you from entering the exciting connected world of Nintendo games. With this comprehensive guide, you have all the background and step-by-step instructions needed to set up Nintendo accounts for family members of all ages.
Now – get out there and game on!
