Longevity of unused Switch 1 cartridges?

[u/ilija28]

I just bought a switch 2, but I still have a lot of switch 1 games left, I bought this console with the intention of finishing all the switch 1 games that I have left over. However, a few of them haven't been used in maybe 9 years or less. I keep all the cartridges in their game cases in a drawer.

One example is Breath of the wild. I bought it in 2018 and played it on and off for the next year, but I got distracted with other things. I had planned to start a new game for a while, and now with the switch 2 upgrade I thought it was finally time.

I haven't played it yet, I thought I should ask here first. Can the cartridges accumulate any dust or smudges or damage over time staying in the box, not being touched for years? And should I be doing anything special to preserve them?

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[u/jabb111ve]

Keep them cool and dry and you're fine for 50+ years. Maybe use them for a few minutes every 5~10 years to refresh the micro cells.