Nintendo is still thriving. The name “Nintendo” has been a cornerstone of the video game industry since 1974 (you read that properly). The company has been around far longer than the introduction of the Nintendo system.
In 1974, the company was granted the rights to distribute the Magnavox Odyssey, an early video game system.
And before the original NES came into existence, the company created the Color TV-Game. The company would move into arcade games, then handheld games, and eventually, release the Nintendo Entertainment System. NES was released in 1985 globally, but the basis for the system was released in 1983.
Today, people are flocking to buy Nintendo eShop gift cards to purchase games that span generations.
Nintendo, while it may seem like the company has taken a backseat to the industry compared to its competitors, sold over 36.8 million Nintendo Switch consoles, matching the pace of PS4.
The company is still thriving, and there’s a lot of fun to be had if you get a Nintendo eShop gift card.
1. 1,000 New, Classic and Indie Games to Enjoy
Why get a Nintendo eShop gift card for your friend or family member? You’ll be giving them more than just a gift card. There are over 1,000:
[list style=’regular’]
[list_item]New games[/list_item]
[list_item]Classic games[/list_item]
[list_item]Indie games[/list_item]
[/list]
And when you get a Nintendo eShop gift card, you’re able to use it for:
[list style=’regular’]
[list_item]Nintendo Switch[/list_item]
[list_item]Wii U[/list_item]
[list_item]Nintendo 3DS[/list_item]
[/list]
Nintendo allows you to use your gift card across their entire catalog of systems. You’re not limited to one console.
There’s a lot to know before getting your eShop gift card.
But what’s nice is that you gain access to over 1,000 game options and can purchase cards in the denomination that you prefer. You can purchase these cards in $10, $20, $35, $50 options.
That’s impressive.
You don’t have to spend a bundle. You can buy a modest gift for yourself or someone else with these gift cards.
If you’re into vintage or classic games, you’ll find a lot of classics in Nintendo’s lineup. After all, Nintendo has been around longer than PlayStation or any other console maker. I am not saying that there weren’t others before Nintendo, Atari was around in the 70s.
It’s just that Atari no longer competes in the console war, and Nintendo has been able to outlast the competition and still competes against the top consoles in 2020.
2. Rapid Growth, with Over 40M Switch Sales
The Switch is booming, allowing for new generations of gamers and older generations to collide in a world of fun, immersive gaming. Nintendo Switch sold over 40 million units globally, according to figures from September 2019.
Nintendo has strong sales in China, and we’re also seeing that the console’s growth rate remains strong.
When you log into the console, you’ll have the ability to:
[list style=’regular’]
[list_item]Make new friends[/list_item]
[list_item]Find friends that already play[/list_item]
[/list]
Online gaming is stronger when there’s a large community, and 40 million users means that the community is as big as PS4’s community. People are online at all times, so you’ll always have someone to play your games with online.
Nintendo Switch is also going to be a major gift given on Christmas.
The console had its best sales week ever in the United States starting on Black Friday. The console sold more than 830,000 units in the United States in the span of a week. Total U.S. sales climbed to over 17.5 million Units.
Switch has added 2.5 million US users since October.
Nintendo’s move to offer the Switch Lite and other lower-priced options for the holiday season have really paid off for the company.
Bundles, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe one of them, have allowed the Switch to be one of the best-selling consoles this year. The console is also going to finally launch in China, allowing the console to expand its reach drastically. Analysts are predicting that China sales of the console could reach 4 million units by March – that’s huge.
The Switch has blown away the Wii U in sales, but it’s still catching up to the 3DS, which has sold over 75.5 million units across the globe.
Increased, rapid sales allow all gamers to hop online and play games with current and future friends.
3. Nintendo eShop Gift Cards Don’t Expire
Expirations for gift cards do not make sense to me. Why would something that you buy expire? Gift cards expire all the time, and it leaves the consumer scratching their head as to why the card expired.
Companies can choose to allow their gift cards to expire or not.
When you buy a Nintendo eShop gift card, you can be confident that the card will never expire. There’s no fear that the recipient will go to add the balance of their card to their account and be hit with an error stating that the card expired.
Ever.
Nintendo has a great policy in place for all eShop gift cards.
When you go on the Nintendo customer support page, you’ll find that someone asked: do download codes expire?
The company clear states that the codes do not expire when you purchase them. But if the codes come from a special promotion, they will usually have an expiration date. The special promotion codes that do expire are often part of a big game release or a DLC purchase.
There was a time when Hyrule Warriors DLC pack offered a specific promotion. You would buy the pack and get a Nintendo eShop gift card. But this was a special gift card. Promotions like this, where special gift cards are distributed, can and do have expiration dates, which will be listed for you. Keep a close eye on these expirations because they can be rather short.
4. Quick and Easy to Exchange
You’re taking a chance. You buy a Nintendo eShop gift card for someone, but what happens if this person never actually uses it? Perhaps the person has moved on to Stadia or is becoming a PC gamer rather than sticking to Nintendo.
People jump from one console to the next often.
But there’s a lot that can be done when this happens. Nintendo is in a really good spot in the industry. There are tens of millions of people playing Nintendo consoles every day. China’s market is now open for business, so we expect to see even more people selling their gift cards to this market.
Nintendo gift cards can be sold or exchanged for another gift card.
You have to know the right sites that will exchange the card for you, but they are out there and will help you offload a card that you or someone else doesn’t want.
Since Nintendo is such a big name, there’s never an issue with swapping cards for another one. People will always buy Nintendo gift cards or exchange others for them.
But if you plan on exchanging, make sure that you do your own due diligence here. A lot of sites will scam you out of your gift card. You’ll give them the code, they’ll redeem the card, and you’ll never see a penny of the card’s worth.
Research any exchange site that you plan to use to make sure that you’re not falling for one of the many scams that lure consumers in with no recourse.
5. Super Convenient and Easy to Redeem Around the World
Nintendo makes it as easy and convenient as possible to use their gift cards. If you have received gift cards in the past, you know that some sellers make it very difficult to even redeem your card.
I remember going into a restaurant, presenting a gift card that was still wrapped and being told that the balance was zero.
Evidentially, even with a receipt and the server watching me open the gift card, it had no balance on it. When trying to talk to the manager, it became evident that they could not or would not help me.
Customer service was completely useless, too.
My brother, who was the one that gifted me the card, had lost all of the money that he spent. The good news is that this hassle never happens with a company like Nintendo that is known for standing behind their products.
Nintendo allows you to use your card to:
[list style=’regular’]
[list_item]Purchase games from Nintendo.com[/list_item]
[list_item]Purchase eShop items[/list_item]
[/list]
You’re not going to be blocked from using your card. It’s fast and easy to redeem your gift card and start playing the games that you want to buy.
6. Get My Nintendo Points and Exchange Them for Extra Rewards
Nintendo does a very good job at rewarding players for sticking with the Nintendo consoles that they offer. The company has exceptional customer service and appreciation, and one way that the company actually rewards their followers is through My Nintendo Points.
My Nintendo Points are part of a points system that rewards consumers.
When you go to Starbucks and use their Rewards program, you’ll be able to receive free products and items. You continue going back to the store in hopes that you’ll be able to earn enough rewards to get a free coffee or something else.
It pays to be a rewards member.
Well, Nintendo offers something similar with the company’s My Nintendo Rewards. A person can receive rewards for making purchases, and it keeps the consumer coming back to make future purchases.
Rewards also encourage players to go digital.
Going digital is:
[list style=’regular’]
[list_item]Convenient[/list_item]
[list_item]Simple[/list_item]
[list_item]Smart[/list_item]
[/list]
You can have games sent directly to your Nintendo system. You get started on your official Nintendo Account, link up your consoles, and you’re good to go.
When logged into an account, you’ll be able to receive points for all of the purchases you make. You have to be logged into your account when making the purchase, and all games will supply you with free points that you earned.
DLCs and passes do not qualify for free points, so keep this in mind when making your purchase.
If you want to be able to view all of the points that you have available, you’ll have to sign into your account at: http://my.nintendo.com.
Signing into your account allows you to view all of your account history and your account balance. There are also missions that allow you to earn your points. The challenges must be completed to earn your points.
It’s actually genius when you think about it.
You have to effectively play a “game” to finish earning all of your points.
You can also go to the rewards page to be able to view all of the games and rewards that you can redeem. These rewards change, but we’re seeing a 7-day trial of Nintendo Switch Online and a wallpaper option for Pokémon.
But if you have Gold Points, you can use these gold points to purchase Nintendo Switch games. The gold points are not available for all purchases, but they’re fairly easy to earn and use to purchase actual games with for free.
We’re seeing a lot of different categories available for rewards, including:
[list style=’regular’]
[list_item]Super Mario Run[/list_item]
[list_item]Fire Emblem Heroes[/list_item]
[list_item]Smart device / PC[/list_item]
[list_item]Nintendo 3DS / Wii U[/list_item]
[/list]
Gold rewards are given for 5% of the amount that you pay when purchasing DLCs or games on the Nintendo Switch. For example, let’s say that you spent $100 on downloadable software, you would earn $5 in points.
You can apply these points to your next game purchase.
One point equals one cent. Physical purchases only reward a 1% reward, so you’re always better off making digital purchases. Nintendo really knows how to reward their consumers, and it is one of the reasons that the company has been able to maintain such a strong following for decades.
Nintendo eShop gift cards are making a splash this year. Gamers of all ages have remained loyal to the Nintendo brand, and the introduction of newer, lower priced Nintendo Switch consoles will allow even more gamers to enjoy the fun of Nintendo. Nintendo has done well to make classic games available that older generations will love and has introduced several new versions of the iconic Super Mario Bros.
