Nintendo uses a bitterant called denatonium benzoate applied to its Nintendo Switch cartridges to dissuade people from putting cartridges in their mouths. Its a substance that tastes absolutely foul, often used in similar situations — to keep people from consuming things they shouldnt be, like antifreeze. While a Nintendo Switch cartridge might not be poisonous, you could choke on it. Children, especially, are at risk; they put all sorts of things in their mouths.
A Nintendo spokesperson confirmed to Polygon in 2017 that it uses this non-toxic coating to “to avoid the possibility of accidental ingestion.”
With the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement, its natural to wonder, What does a Nintendo Switch 2 cartridge taste like? Probably quite the same. Nintendo technical director Takuhiro Dohta didnt confirm that its denatoium benzoate, but he did say that its designed so that if you put it in your mouth youll spit it out. He advised not to try tasting it in an interview with GameSpot.
“We dont want anybody to be at risk of any unwanted consumption,” Dohta said. “We have indeed made it so that if it enters your mouth, youll spit it out.”
Nintendo wasnt offering taste samples of Switch 2 cartridges during Nintendos console preview event, and its unclear yet if anyone has tasted the cartridge. Well all likely have to wait until the console is released on June 5 to consider for our selves if we want to find out by putting one of the $80 cartridges in our own mouths. It sounds like Dohta hasnt — and wont — be salivating at the chance to lick Mario Kart World, though: “When the Nintendo Switch was being developed, I did lick it once, but never again. I cant believe that other people are trying that.”