Nintendo’s online services play a large role in many games, as they allow players to play online with others, download games, and also enjoy Nintendo’s retro library of games in the NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64 catalogs. Unfortunately, the service doesn’t always work as intended. If you’re having trouble connecting to Nintendo’s network, it’s possible there might be an issue on Nintendo’s end. Here’s how you can check the server status for Nintendo’s online services.
You should always check Nintendo’s official website first. On the network status page, you’ll be able to see the current network status, any information pertaining to ongoing server maintenance, as well as a schedule indicating when Nintendo will perform server maintenance in the future. The page will also communicate which platforms are affected by network outages. You can check this page periodically to see if the servers have come back up yet or not. Currently, the page indicates that network services are down on the Switch, 3DS, and Wii U due to an Amazon Web Services outage.
If you’re unable to connect, but the network page says the servers are fine, it’s possible the page might not have been updated yet. Network outages are frequently reported on or posted about online en masse, sometimes before Nintendo has a chance to update the network status page. You can always check social media to see if others are having the same issue as you, and if they are, there’s probably a pretty good chance something is up with the company’s servers.
