Methodology

Data Sources

Every figure on Green Pipe traces back to one of three sources: the Nintendo eShop, the Steam Store, and HowLongToBeat for completion-time estimates. We do not blend in third-party deal aggregators or community-submitted prices.

Update Cadence

Nintendo eShop prices are fetched once daily across 48 countries. Steam prices are fetched on a separate daily cycle. Game metadata and HowLongToBeat estimates sync weekly. The site itself is rebuilt and redeployed once a day, so every page reflects the most recent fetch.

Currency Conversion

Each eShop charges in its own local currency. To let you compare prices across regions, Green Pipe converts every local price into your selected currency using exchange rates that are refreshed daily. The conversion is for comparison only: you always pay the local currency amount shown on the row, not the converted figure.

All-Time Low (ATL) and Matched Price Low (MPL)

All-time low (ATL) means the lowest price recorded for that game, in that country. It is calculated per game, per country: a title can be at an all-time low on one eShop and at full price on another, because Nintendo prices every region independently.

Matched price low (MPL) marks a game that has returned to a floor it has reached before, without setting a new low. Both badges are seed-verified before they appear: a game only carries an ATL or MPL tag once its recorded low has been confirmed, not estimated.

Rankings and 'Best' Lists

Deal and country rankings are ordered by discount percentage off the regular price. Category pages such as "Best Metroidvania" rank games tagged with the matching genre by current discount depth. Value-per-hour figures divide the sale price by HowLongToBeat's main-story completion estimate, where available.

Switch vs. Steam Comparisons

Where a game is available on both platforms, we match the Nintendo Switch listing to its Steam counterpart and show both prices side by side, along with the cheapest available region for each. Regional SKUs of the same game are merged into a single row rather than listed separately.

Corrections

Every page on Green Pipe is reviewed by Lynch. If you spot a wrong price, a misclassified game, or a stale figure, tell us at the About page and we'll correct it.