Open the Switch eShop, flip through three pages, and all you see are names you've never heard of. Tap in to watch a video, it seems interesting, but then you see the price and hesitate. Is this how you feel every time you want to find a new game? Too many games, reviews too scattered, sometimes a single 'Is it worth buying?' question can take half an hour of scrolling through posts.

When this happens, I usually just open Cartridge. It's not a comprehensive review site, but a tool that helps you quickly locate games among the vast library of Nintendo titles.

More Than Just a 'Ranking'

Many people's first reaction when looking for games is to check the game rankings. Rankings are useful, but the problem is: you've already played the top ones, or they're just not your cup of tea. Zelda and Odyssey at number one? You don't need me to tell you that.

The advantage of Cartridge is that it offers very granular filtering. You can filter by price range, number of players, game genre, and even 'suitable for beginners'. There are many hidden gems here, especially in the indie game recommendations section, many of which you wouldn't notice on mainstream lists.

A Complete Search Demo

Suppose you want to invite a friend over on the weekend and need a two-player Switch game. The criteria are simple: supports local two-player, not too hardcore, and preferably easy to pick up.

Step one, open Cartridge's 'Game Library' page, and directly check '1-2 players' and 'Co-op mode' in the filter bar.

Step two, filter the genre to 'Party' and 'Action'. Don't be greedy; selecting too many types will just make your eyes glaze over.

Step three, click 'Sort by rating'. The results that pop up will be much cleaner than the eShop's recommended list. At the top are not only well-known titles like Mario Party, but also acclaimed series like Overcooked! But scroll down a few pages, and you'll find games you've never heard of, like a niche two-player puzzle game with high ratings and a price of just a few dozen bucks.

Step four, click into that game's page. The useful information here is not the rating number, but the 'Who it's for' section below. It will tell you whether the game 'requires communication and coordination' or 'can be played casually', helping you judge in one sentence whether your friend today is suitable for it.

Step five, once you've seen it and decided to buy, just look at the price source it marks. Many games have significant price differences between regions. Cartridge will directly list which region's eShop is the cheapest. If you've already joined a family membership or formed a digital game group on Xingba, this step could save you the cost of a meal.

The Hidden Value of the Game Encyclopedia

Beyond searching for games, Cartridge also has an 'Encyclopedia' page that divides games into over a dozen folders by genre. For example, click on 'Story-driven' and you'll find games with high ratings and substantial text. If you like JRPGs, you can directly find a full set of classic titles from Nintendo game recommendations.

The significance of this encyclopedia is that it doesn't recommend masterpieces you've already played, but rather brings works you're unlikely to actively search for to your attention. A detective game called 'Mist Detective' was discovered by me this way.

Let's Talk About Its Limitations

Cartridge also has its imperfections. Its game library covers a wide range, but there are no player-written reviews, only ratings and functional tags. If you want in-depth analysis in long form, it can't provide that.

Also, it leans more towards 'helping you choose the right game' rather than 'helping you get the absolute best price'. Although it marks prices for different regions, you can't judge 'whether now is a good time to buy' like you would with a historical price chart. If you're solely comparing prices, you'll need a more specialized tool.

If you're just browsing and want to see what popular Switch game recommendations are out there lately, Cartridge's homepage also provides a relatively restrained curated list without the overwhelming feel of advertisements. It does only one thing: shorten the search process and reduce decision-making difficulty.

(If you've already bought a few games by following group purchases in the Xingba community, then using Cartridge to supplement the joy of 'hunting on your own' will make for an even better experience.)