After buying a Switch, the first thing many people do is open the eShop. And what happens? The interface is all in English, game lists are密密麻麻, and there are a bunch of discount tags—you get dizzy but still don't dare to buy. Worse yet, after browsing for half an hour, you end up buying a game that doesn't support Chinese, or the discount price is higher than the regular price in another region.

If you've ever experienced this, then this article is for you. We won't waste words—let's get straight to the common pitfalls in the eShop.

Don't Just Look at Price; Language Support Is the Real Trap

Game prices vary greatly across eShop regions. The Mexican region is often cheap, and the Japanese region frequently has exclusive discounts. But many beginners only focus on price and forget to check language support. Some games claim to have Chinese in all regions, but specifically the Japanese or US region doesn't support it—only to find out after buying that you can't play.

For example, some Japanese RPGs—even if they're cheap in the US region—don't bother. They might only have English or Japanese. Before buying, it's best to check a Nintendo game recommendation community or directly use a game database to look up language versions, so you don't waste money.

Also, don't assume the same game offers Chinese in all regions. Some developers lock languages: the Hong Kong and Japanese regions have one set, while the US and European regions have another. Confirm first before paying—getting into this habit can save you a lot of wasted money.

Discounts Aren't Really Cheap—Those Who've Been Burned Know

The eShop sends a push notification every few days about "XX game at XX% off." It looks tempting, but many older games have already had their discounts several times. If you're not in a hurry, you can just wait for the next one.

An even more subtle trap is that some indie games are permanently listed at "-90%" but their original price was already low. After the discount, it's just a few bucks, but the game quality is questionable. Instead of jumping on that price, look for highly rated similar games in the game charts.

Speaking of indie games, there are actually many recommended indie games worth trying on the eShop, but they get buried by discount posters of big titles. Spend a little time browsing categories other than "offers"—you'll often find surprises.

Blindly Buying Two-Player Games Ends Up Collecting Dust

Many people, wanting to play with friends or partners, rush into the eShop and search for two-player Switch games. Then they come home and find out—some games require one pair of Joy-Cons per person, and you need to buy another set of controllers; others are called two-player but actually require online play—local co-op doesn't exist.

The most typical example is certain cooperative games where the eShop page is vague, only listing 1-2 players but referring to online multiplayer. If you only have one console, it's best to check the game database or ask the community before buying—otherwise you'll regret it as soon as you open the package.

The Gray Area of Family Membership Carpooling

Xingba itself provides family membership sharing services, which is fine. But if you go on certain forums or second-hand groups to find strangers to split a family plan, the risks are significant. The most common issue is that someone takes the money and then changes the password to kick you out, or oversells family group slots. There's also a hidden problem—if one member buys a banned game, the entire family group's account could be banned.

If you plan to use a family membership long-term, it's best to find acquaintances or a trusted platform. Also, a reminder: some eShop discounts require you to be the family group administrator to enjoy them; group members only get the online play slot—you still buy games individually.

How to Avoid These Pitfalls?

Actually, the solution isn't complicated. Before placing an order, do two more things: check the language in a game database, and check the game's rating in the game charts. If you want to save even more, regularly follow community Switch game recommendations and indie game recommendations—many people have already taken the hit for you.

The eShop is a great place, with many games and many discounts, but the information is too scattered. Those who know how to scavenge can save half the cost; those who don't end up with ten game cards, five of which collect dust. Don't get carried away by the red "-XX%"—stay calm, do your homework before buying, and that's lesson one of saving money on Switch.