I’m deeply interested in the gaming industry, and I’ve come across a cool design solution from Nintendo.
Games for their ultra-popular mobile console (110+ mil sold units!) are physically published using cartridges. These are small, plastic objects, with dimensions of 35mm x 33mm x 3.8mm. They mostly resemble an overgrown SD card.
Because the console’s popularity among children, there was a huge possible risk concerning accidental swallowing or chewing on cartridges. It’s not hard to imagine, as the cartridges are small, colorful – a perfect eye candy for all the children. Of course, consumption of such device might cause severe health consequences.
The design solution was to cover every cartridge with a thin layer of denatonium benzoate This substance is “(…) is the most bitter chemical compound known”2. Its atrocious taste discourages children from “trying out” games outside the console’s slot.
IGN writers tried their luck and tasted the cartridgespróbowali swoich sił3, showing a video as a proof. Warning, not for the faint-hearted!
Nintendo – great job!
1 A Nintendo Game Card. (2022, November 7). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Game_Card
2 Podręczny słownik chemiczny, Romuald Hassa (red.), Janusz Mrzigod (red.), Janusz Nowakowski (red.), Katowice: Videograf II, 2004, s. 56,
3 Nintendo Switch Cartridges Taste Terrible
