Nintendo Switch game cards taste bad, but why is everybody licking them?
A game cartridge not offering the same dining experience as a steak dinner is not surprising, but when it's so bitter that it urges a lot of people on the internet to give it a taste, it becomes an interesting phenomenon.
The Internet Reacts With Taste Tests Of Their Own
As is the nature of the internet, the news of Switch game cards being bitter spurred a series of personal taste tests.
For those who don't have cartridges of their own to savor, everyone's reactions give a good idea of what's in store.
I put that Switch cart in my mouth and I'm not sure what those things are made of but I can still taste it. Do not try this at home.
— Jeff Gerstmann (@jeffgerstmann) February 25, 2017
I tasted a Nintendo Switch cartridge. Don't taste the Nintendo Switch cartridge. — Jason Petitjean (@J_Petitjean) March 6, 2017
While the case seems to be heading toward a Switch-cartridges-taste-terrible situation, some apparently don't think it's that bad.
Nintendo Switch cartridge doesn't taste that bad
— Paul Kinlan (@Paul_Kinlan) March 5, 2017
So I tasted the #nintendoswitch cartridge when I unboxed. People making the taste seem way worse than it is lol #Twitch - Has a slight tang. — JasixGaming (@JasixGaming) March 5, 2017
Why Switch Game Cartridges Taste Bad
First off, Nintendo didn't design these game cards to reach anybody's mouth, so anyone in their right mind won't point the finger at the company because of the unpleasant flavor.
Thinking ahead in a way, Nintendo coated the cartridges with a chemical compound called Denatonium Benzoate as a preventative measure of sorts to keep children — or anyone who fancies plastic, for that matter — from swallowing or choking on them. A safety feature, of course.
"To avoid the possibility of accidental ingestion, keep the game card away from young children. A bittering agent (Denatonium Benzoate) has also been applied to the game card. This bittering agent is non-toxic," Nintendo tells Kotaku.
Denatonium Benzoate is apparently used in products such as liquid soaps, shampoos, animal repellents, antifreeze, and solutions to prevent nail biting, according to Wikipedia.
To reiterate one big takeaway from Nintendo's statement, the chemical compound on the Switch cartridges isn't toxic, so parents can pretty much rest easy.
Moral Of The Story
Put simply, when something is not made for consumption, don't put it in your mouth. That's probably what Nintendo is trying to tell everyone with the bittering agent.
Also, just to be clear, all the Switch cartridges more or less have the same bitter taste, so no, there isn't a Breath of the Wild or Super Bomberman R flavored variant. No word on how Nintendo-branded microSD cards taste, though.
Have you given your Switch game cards a taste? If so, feel free to hit us up in the comments section below and let us know your experience.
