Navigating Nintendo Accounts: A Parent’s Guide to Managing Multiple Kids
Yes, you can absolutely have multiple kids on one Nintendo Account, and it’s designed with family use in mind! Nintendo provides a robust system for managing family members and their access to the Nintendo Switch console and its online services. The key is understanding the structure of Nintendo Accounts, child accounts, and Family Groups. Read on to find out how.
Understanding Nintendo Account Structure
The core of Nintendo’s ecosystem revolves around the Nintendo Account. Think of it as your central hub for all things Nintendo. From purchasing digital games to accessing online services like Nintendo Switch Online, your Nintendo Account is essential.
What is a Nintendo Account?
A general Nintendo Account can only be created by users age 13 and older who have an email address. It is this account that controls purchasing and manages all settings.
The Role of Child Accounts
For children under the age of 18, Nintendo offers child accounts. These accounts are linked to a parent or guardian’s Nintendo Account and allow you to manage your child’s activity, including:
- Purchase restrictions: Control what your child can buy on the Nintendo eShop.
- Game restrictions: Set age ratings to prevent them from playing inappropriate games.
- Online features: Manage their access to online play and communication features.
Child accounts cannot be linked to Google accounts or Apple IDs, only a Nintendo Network ID.
Family Groups: Connecting Everyone
The Family Group feature is where everything comes together. A Family Group allows up to 8 Nintendo Account users to connect together. This includes:
- One admin account: Typically the parent or guardian, responsible for managing the group.
- Up to seven child accounts: Allowing you to easily manage multiple children.
A Family Membership for Nintendo Switch Online is the main benefit of utilizing this feature. With this single membership, every user in the Family Group can access online play, cloud saves, and other online features.
Setting Up Your Family Group
Here’s how to create a Family Group and add child accounts:
- Sign in to your Nintendo Account on the Nintendo website.
- Select “Family Group.”
- Click “Add Member.”
- Choose “Create a child account.”
- Enter the required information for your child.
- Confirm the information and select “OK.”
Managing Child Accounts
Once your child accounts are set up, you can manage their settings through your Nintendo Account:
- Sign in to your Nintendo Account on the Nintendo website.
- Select “Family Group.”
- Select the account you want to manage.
- Adjust the desired settings and restrictions.
This allows you to easily customize each child’s experience to ensure they are playing safely and appropriately.
Multiple Users on a Single Nintendo Switch Console
Even with multiple kids on your Nintendo Account, you’ll still need to set up user profiles on your Nintendo Switch console. This is separate from Nintendo Accounts. Think of it this way:
- Nintendo Account: Your online identity and access to the Nintendo ecosystem.
- User Profile: How you are represented on the console itself.
You can create up to 8 user profiles on a single Nintendo Switch. Each user profile can be linked to a Nintendo Account, or it can be a standalone profile for local play only. Save data is stored per user profile.
Purchasing Games: Digital vs. Physical
Understanding how game ownership works is crucial for managing multiple kids.
Digital Games
Digital games are tied to the Nintendo Account that purchased them. If you purchase a digital game with your Nintendo Account, all users on your primary console can play it.
You can designate one Nintendo Switch console as your primary console. Other consoles that are signed in using the Nintendo account that purchased the game will be able to play the game, but with different limitations.
Physical Games
Physical game cartridges can be used by any user on any Nintendo Switch console. This offers more flexibility for sharing games, especially if you have multiple consoles.
FAQs: Multiple Kids and Nintendo Accounts
Here are some frequently asked questions to help you further navigate the world of Nintendo Accounts and family management:
1. How many child accounts can I have on my Nintendo Account?
You can manage up to seven child accounts through a parent or guardian’s Nintendo Account.
2. Does each child need their own Nintendo Switch?
It depends on how you want them to play. If they each have their own console, they won’t have to share. However, if you have a single console, they’ll need to take turns playing single-player games.
3. Can my child and I share a Switch account on different Switches?
You can play digital games on any console linked to your Nintendo Account. However, you can only designate one console as your primary console. Anyone that uses your primary Nintendo Switch console will be able to play games you’ve purchased with your Nintendo Account.
4. What happens when a child account turns 13?
When a child turns 13, they can change their Nintendo account email address to their own, as long as they have parental consent.
5. What happens to a Nintendo child account when they turn 18?
Once a child account is created, it will not automatically turn into a general Nintendo Account even once the user turns 18.
6. Can a Nintendo child account buy games?
The parent/guardian account can restrict Nintendo eShop purchases on the child’s Nintendo Account. You can also add funds to the child’s account for them to use.
7. Why does Nintendo charge a small fee for creating a child account?
A one-time fee of $0.50 is charged to verify that a parent or guardian has provided consent. This is a parental control method.
8. Can you share Nintendo Account with family?
A Nintendo Account family group allows up to 8 Nintendo Account users to connect together into one group.
9. Does each family member need their own Nintendo Account to use Nintendo Switch Online?
If the parent account purchases an Individual Membership, then only the parent account can use Nintendo Switch Online. However, if the parent account purchases a Family Membership, any Child Accounts that are added to the Family Group can then use the services.
10. Can two Nintendo accounts share games?
Digital games are tied to the Nintendo Account that purchased them. All users on a system will be able to play games purchased by any Nintendo Account that has registered the system as their primary console.
11. Can multiple accounts play the same game on switch?
Anyone that uses your primary Nintendo Switch console will be able to play games you’ve purchased with your Nintendo Account.
12. Can I link my son’s Switch to my Nintendo account?
In order to use all the features offered on Nintendo Switch, a Nintendo Account must be linked with a user account on your console. Only one Nintendo Account can be linked to each user, and once linked, you cannot change your user account to link to a different Nintendo Account.
13. Can you be in two family groups in Nintendo?
All general accounts can leave and join a different group. All supervised accounts (usually aged 12 and under) can be transferred directly to a different family group.
14. Can I have two Nintendo accounts on one email?
No, only a single email address can be linked to one Nintendo Account.
15. Should I get my 7-year-old a Nintendo Switch?
Nintendo Switch offers a variety of games for everyone of all ages to enjoy. We recommend that you make sure a game is appropriate for your child prior to playing. Consider also researching more about games and education at GamesLearningSociety.org.