Nintendo of America

International Compatibility

General Information:

Products made by Nintendo for use in other countries are not designed for use in the U.S. for a variety of reasons, including:

• Different electrical standards in different countries
• Different TV broadcast standards (e.g. PAL, NTSC, SECAM...)
• Different languages (This is a significant issue for operational instructions, precautions, and warnings)
• Different government regulations (e.g. warranty, safety, electrical, etc.)
• Different marketing requirements (e.g. game ratings, packaging, advertising, etc.)

Because of the many differences, the products are made specifically for each country or region, and there is no way to ensure compatibility. Games and systems purchased for use in other countries will often not function properly in the U.S. or with made-for-U.S. products, or will be difficult to use because of language issues (manuals, warnings, screen text, etc.).

Nintendo recommends only purchasing products within the country where it will be used. We are also not able to repair or modify products made for use in other countries. If you are having problems with such a product, try our international distributors list for repair information, or return to the retailer where purchased.

Additional Information:
Need info on charging the Game Boy Advance SP, Game Boy micro, Nintendo DS or a Nintendo DS Lite in a foreign country? If so, click here.