There are plenty of anime games out there, but watching an anime series is a different beast. Nintendo Switch owners can now do both, thanks to a new Crunchyroll app that just hit the eShop.
Nintendo shared the news on Twitter, encouraging Switch owners to download the app “for free.” That’s an accurate phrase, as Crunchyroll offers the majority of its features at no cost. If you spring for a premium membership, you can watch new episodes ad-free just one hour after they air in Japan, versus the week you’d need to wait otherwise. A few series are locked behind the paywall, but the majority are not. In short, the app is free, and most of the shows are free too. A 14-day day premium trial is also available if you want to try the extended service before you buy it.
Crunchyroll’s own announcement includes some screenshots of the app, which looks perfectly in line with the versions you’d see on mobile, PC, and other consoles. Nintendo’s eShop description also recommends using a microSD card if you intend to download episodes for offline viewing (a premium feature) due to their size. We have a list of the best cards to use if you need to pick one up.
This actually isn’t the first time a Nintendo platform has offered a Crunchyroll app — there’s one on the Wii U as well. That said, Nintendo is closing the 3DS and Wii U shops by March 2023, so the Switch app will eventually be your only option.
