Nintendo makes great games. But Nintendo also makes one of the most locked-down gaming ecosystems in the industry — no emulators, no homebrew, no game backups, no themes, no file management. A modded Switch changes all of that.
Modding your Switch — specifically installing a mod chip or using the built-in RCM exploit on V1 models — opens up a completely different world of possibilities. Here's what's actually possible, and why so many Switch owners make the switch (pun intended).
⚠️ Heads up: Modding voids your Nintendo warranty. Using a modded Switch online can result in a ban. We install mods for personal, legitimate use — we don't encourage piracy. That said, the vast majority of reasons people mod their Switch have nothing to do with piracy.
1. Run Homebrew Software
Homebrew is software made by independent developers — not Nintendo. The Switch homebrew scene is massive and includes:
- Homebrew games — indie titles and ports never available on the eShop
- Emulators — play NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy, GBA, DS, PS1, and more
- Media players — play video files, music, and stream content
- Game mods and cheats — trainers, level editors, fan-made content
- Dev tools — if you're a developer, build and test your own Switch games
2. Play Your Own Game Backups
This is the feature that gets the most attention — and the most misunderstanding. With CFW (Custom Firmware), you can dump your physical game cartridges to your microSD card and play them without inserting the cartridge. This is legal when done with games you own — you're making a backup of something you've already paid for.
The convenience alone is worth it to many people: all your games in one place, no cartridges to carry, no risk of losing them.
3. Themes and Customization
Nintendo's Switch UI is notoriously bland — you get two themes (light and dark) and that's it. With a modded Switch running NXThemes, you can apply custom themes, icons, and backgrounds from a massive community library. Make your Switch look exactly how you want it.
4. Save Game Management
Nintendo makes it surprisingly difficult to manage your save data. With CFW and tools like Checkpoint or JKSV you can:
- Back up your save files to microSD
- Transfer saves between consoles
- Restore saves after a system failure
- Share saves with other Switch owners
For games without cloud save support (like Pokémon games, ironically), this is invaluable.
5. Region-Free Gaming
The Switch is region-free for eShop purchases but physical cartridges from Japan or Europe can sometimes have language or content differences. With CFW you can run cartridges from any region with full functionality.
6. RetroArch — A Gaming Time Machine
RetroArch is an emulation frontend that runs on modded Switch and supports dozens of retro systems. Play your entire childhood game library on Nintendo's handheld hardware with a proper controller. The Switch's performance is more than capable of running anything up to PS1 flawlessly, and many N64 and PS2 titles as well.
V1 vs Mod Chip — Which Do You Need?
If you have an original Switch (2017–2018, serial starting with XAW1, XAW4, or XAW7): you may have the RCM vulnerability which allows CFW without any hardware modification. It's free and reversible. We can set this up for you.
If you have a V2, OLED, or Lite: you need a mod chip. We install Hwfly and compatible chips for all models at our shop on the Danforth. The installation involves precision soldering and takes 2–3 hours.
💡 Stay safe online: We set up emuNAND as part of every mod — this keeps your modded environment separate from your system so you can still go online safely with your normal Nintendo account.
Ready to Mod Your Switch?
We install mod chips and CFW for all Switch models at 876 Danforth Ave. V1 CFW setup from $40. Mod chips for V2/OLED/Lite from $120.