Downloads vs Physical Copies

[keepitshay]

Sorry if this thread has been made (probably has) but I was curious to hear some opinions on games purchased straight from the 3DS eshop and physical copies.

Which do you prefer?

Pros/Cons?

Discuss!

 

[Dr J]

I'm starting to prefer Digital copies of games myself

Pros: Can't lose it so long as you don't lose the 3DS
Cons: May have to buy a bigger SD card if you download too many games(though I've got a 32GB one and its still, as far as I can tell, not even half full and I've got 15 or so games on it)

 

[keepitshay]

I'm starting to prefer Digital copies of games myself

Pros: Can't lose it so long as you don't lose the 3DS
Cons: May have to buy a bigger SD card if you download too many games(though I've got a 32GB one and its still, as far as I can tell, not even half full and I've got 15 or so games on it)

Good points! I want to buy LOZ Ocarina of Time from the eshop.. the only thing I'm iffy about is the inability to sell it if I wanted.

 

[Meloetta]

i honestly like physical copies because transaction online to buy games isn't as reliable as it is going to gamestop and talking to a person to buy it, not a computer that potentially can crash and waste all of your bucks. you may lose your game cards, but that's why they sell cases.

 

[yosugay]

i like buying physical copies more

pros: you can buy them used (this is the best for me because i hate buying a game at full price)
cons: well, you can lose them easily if you take em out and dont keep track of it or put it back in the case

 

[Bui]

Personally, I don't really have any preference. I usually buy the physical copies of games, but if I don't feel like going out to buy a game, or the game I'm looking for is sold out at nearby stores, I'll just download it instead.

 

[Alienfish]

Physical all the way, I like to collect stuff and want the case and stuff. I hate when they do download only games when they are released in other countries(I'm looking at you conception II)

 

[sn0wxyuki]

I prefer physical as I am so afraid of digital crash xD and what if one day I plan to switch to a new ds and I can't bring my digital game along =( very sucks...

 

[Farobi]

Physical because i cant buy digital in the right price ever

 

[Libra]

I'm beginning to like downloads, actually, if only because they're less expensive where I live. I get that you pay more for a physical copy, but some of the price differences are ridiculous. x_x

 

[Salem]

Physical copies, hands down. I just feel like digital is unreliable in the long run.

PHYSICAL COPY
Pros:
-less likely to corrupt
-can resell someday if I wanted
-doesn't take up space on the SD like a digital game
-can play on a future system (if it is backwards compatible)
-can buy a used copy for less
-can buy at any time, even after Nintendo has stopped selling it in it's store (or the store becomes obsolete) [think long-term like 10 or 20 years from now like what an NES game is today]

Cons: ??? I've never lost a game so that's not a problem for me. I can't think of any cons, lol. They take up shelf space?


Also a con for a digital game would be what if your DS (or other platform) or SD card breaks or stops working? Not sure how digital copies can be recovered, if at all.
A pro for a digital game is the convenience. You don't have to go out to a store to get it, or wait for it in the mail. It's basically instant, download time aside.

Arguably a digital copy IS a physical copy. It is stored on your SD card, though you could store more than one game on there I suppose.

 

[Dr J]

Physical copies, hands down. I just feel like digital is unreliable in the long run.

PHYSICAL COPY
Pros:
-less likely to corrupt
-can resell someday if I wanted
-doesn't take up space on the SD like a digital game
-can play on a future system (if it is backwards compatible)
-can buy a used copy for less
-can buy at any time, even after Nintendo has stopped selling it in it's store (or the store becomes obsolete) [think long-term like 10 or 20 years from now like what an NES game is today]

Cons: ??? I've never lost a game so that's not a problem for me. I can't think of any cons, lol. They take up shelf space?


Also a con for a digital game would be what if your DS (or other platform) or SD card breaks or stops working? Not sure how digital copies can be recovered, if at all.
A pro for a digital game is the convenience. You don't have to go out to a store to get it, or wait for it in the mail. It's basically instant, download time aside.

Arguably a digital copy IS a physical copy. It is stored on your SD card, though you could store more than one game on there I suppose.

When you purchase a digital copy of a game, that purchased information is saved to your, in this case, Nintendo Account incase something happens; such as your SD card quitting. Your data would be lost, but you don't lose the game. You can just redownload it on the new SD card.

 

[Libra]

When you purchase a digital copy of a game, that purchased information is saved to your, in this case, Nintendo Account incase something happens; such as your SD card quitting. Your data would be lost, but you don't lose the game. You can just redownload it on the new SD card.

I had been wondering about that, actually. Good to know! Thanks!

 

[Salem]

When you purchase a digital copy of a game, that purchased information is saved to your, in this case, Nintendo Account incase something happens; such as your SD card quitting. Your data would be lost, but you don't lose the game. You can just redownload it on the new SD card.

ah thank you! I wasn't sure about that. I know that Playstation has that same system where it has a database of your downloads. And amazon as well (with the kindle). That's good to know. Digital still makes me nervous though, lol. PSN & Nintendo Accounts won't last forever. Someday they'll shut them down in favor of some new fancy system. At least, that's my concern.

 

[Gizmodo]

PHYSICAL ALWAYS
i dont want to support the selling of Digital as it only brings about the day where everything will be Digital even closer and i love my boxes and physically holding a cartridge

 

[Lurrdoc]

I always prefer physical copies. It feels much safer knowing you can touch it and that it works, etc. idk

Digital seems much nicer on paper because you don't have to worry about losing a physical copy or damaging it. Plus, any games you wanna play on your 3ds are already with you. I sometimes forget I left a game I wanted to play at home while on the bus and then I end up doing nothing with my time.

 

[BungoTheElf]

Physical, but my game chip has popped out two times before and I'm getting a little paranoid that it will corrupt my file @-@

 

[juicyness]

Physical copies.

I don't know what it is about digital, but I just don't want it at all. I love having a copy that I can hold in my hands and see in real life.

 

[kite]

I prefer having a physical copy. So if I don't want a game, I can sell it. Or do game swaps with a friend.

 

[Volvagia]

i like physical copies but idk why. like i guess the boxart and stuff?
i only have one downloaded game (dual destinies) and thats only because it wasn't available as a physical copy