Nintendo Switch Cartridges Are Getting Licked Again, And Yes They Still Taste Awful

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It has been eight years since the Nintendo Switch launched and kicked off one of gaming’s stranger trends with people licking game cartridges. That trend is apparently making a comeback, and a Japanese user’s comment about cherry blossoms is to blame.

The renewed interest started when a Japanese user claimed that Nintendo Switch 2 cartridges taste similar to sakura buds, the cherry blossom tree shoots that are currently in season in Japan. That comparison was apparently all the motivation some people needed to track down a nearby cartridge and take a lick.

父親が「桜の新芽美味いからお前も食ってみ」とか言い出したから食ってみた
ガチで苦い、タンニン酸アルブミンかSwitchのソフトの裏の味がする pic.twitter.com/wVkmfY3Tm8

— ダルタニアン奥義 (@D_tniann2236) April 5, 2026
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The verdict? Exactly the same as it was in 2017. People who tried it reported an intense, long-lasting bitter flavor, with many turning around and warning others not to bother.

The bitterness is not a coincidence or a manufacturing quirk. Back in March 2017, a Nintendo representative confirmed to Polygon that Switch cartridges are intentionally coated in a bitter substance called Denatonium Benzoate.

おえええええええええええええええええ
まっっっっっっっっず！！！！
にっっっっっっが！！！！
にっっっっっっっが！！！！！ https://t.co/6a9YcNuGs5 pic.twitter.com/0emDetyZOR

— はつねさん (@vxh9q) April 5, 2026

The coating is designed to stop people, especially young children from putting the cartridges in their mouths or swallowing them. Denatonium Benzoate is non-toxic, but it is widely known as one of the most bitter compounds around, and Nintendo applies it to both the original Switch and Switch 2 cartridges.

As for the sakura bud comparison that started all of this, there is no actual connection between the two. Denatonium Benzoate is a synthetic compound, so cherry blossom shoots cannot naturally contain it. That said, sakura buds are notably bitter on their own, which may be where the comparison came from in the first place. Either way, neither the cartridges nor the shoots come particularly recommended as a snack.

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