Do you prefer to buy full games retail/physical or digital?

[Hayleia]

But wish I could turn all my carts to digital ..

That's exactly the kind of moment when I want to say that hacking a console doesn't lead only to piracy. Because your wish is definitely a possibility. That's why I buy retail, so I don't have problems with the eShop (like in 5 years, when the eShop closes, I technically bought games but I can't download them...) but with hacked consoles I don't have the disadvantages of retail (like cart swapping).

 

[PrimordialMew24]

I used to be all about physical copies for my games. After a while I realized I had too many games to carry around everywhere. I decided to go digital. I did however buy digital versions of physical games only when a major sale was on that particular game. The only physical games I will buy are the Pokemon games or games that aren't in the eShop.

I understand that there are risks for both digital and physical games. For instance the game carts aren't very big and can get easily lost of go through the wash in a pocket (which could happen to any game cartridge). I might just be lucky but I haven't had any problems or glitches with downloaded digital copies of games. I did however upgrade to a 64 GB Micro SD card for my New Nintendo 3DS.

 

[RaeSyndrome]

I like having physical copies if possible so I may go for those first, but I also go digital. Really depends on the game I guess. Digital has easier access though.

 

[The Flame of Vengeance]

I'm a huge fan of digital games, because they can't be lost as easily as the small physical cartridges. The physical cartridges are smaller than a GBA cart and therefore much easier to lose. This is why I prefer digital by just a tiny margin. Digital games take up SD card space, but are much easier to find than physical cartridges.

 

[epik1000]

I am already used to buying digital games since ive been buying games on Steam. I go with Digital for my 2DS since Gamestop is shut down in here in Puerto Rico, so all i can do is go to my local pharmacy and get a card.

 

[The Flame of Vengeance]

I'm used to buying digital games with my Eshop money. I purchased Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, Darksiders II, Ninja Gaiden (NES), etc. I've easily lost physical retail copies of games such as Mario Kart 7, and Pokemon Rumble BLast. I now prefer digital games by a wide margin, especially with Gamestops closing all over Puerto Rico.

 

[-_Roberto_-]

I prefer digital, easier to keep track of.

 

[Exsception]

There are numerous aspects to deal with when I make this decision. A lot if it has to do with what the game is, and what console it's for. If it's a 3DS game, I usually get the physical copy, especially if it's a game I plan to use a lot. The last thing I need is to lose all of my 300 hours of play time if something were to happen to my 3DS.

If it's a sturdier home console, like a Wii U, then I usually don't have a preference as to digital or physical. I'm not too worried about my Wii U breaking.

Digital copies are more efficient, but are more risky and take a good chunk of your data as well. Which is why I prefer physical copies overall.

 

[BlackTheDude]

Physical
I love physical versions of games because I can use the cartridges and put them in my videogame shelf. (BTW it looks awesome). The Bad thing is that Gamestop recently moved away from Puerto Rico and Walmart is our only saviour. Walmart is not the best place to get games, 1 it has limited supplies and the games dont come on their release dates. I remember going to walmart a few months ago to purchase a copy of FE Fates Birthright, the bad thing is, it wasnt there.... I waited months.... never came.... but Zelda Twillight Princess HD came and I bought that of course... I mean
<---------------------- my pic...

Anyways its a better way to store games. But u can lose them.
On retail/digital u can access them anytime, but then again, u can lose them.

 

[CheeseFlavouredCake]

I prefer Physical copies. Although they can often be a little harder to get your hands on, the shops that I can get them from have better prices than the eshop, and I can price-match to bring it down even more. Bonuses come with physical copies a lot of the time, such as Linkle's compass and the Twilight Princess Amiibo. Along with that it's easier to brag, because you can show all your friends your fabulous copy that you can touch, with your hands! The only real downsides are 1) If you are travelling, you need a case or box or whatever to carry them and 2) They get lost really easily if you're like me and 3) If you want to change games you have to close the game then take out the cartridge then put it away then put in the other cartridge then open the game, whereas with the digital copy you simply close the game and open the other one.

 

[oshul]

I prefer downloading it fro the eshop then you don't need to look for toughs pesky card's when there all stored on one card. also a plus for download only game like ace attorney duel destiny's and flip note studio. and some of the ds i ware games and snes and all the older game boy Pokémon games

 

[28142]

Physical, mainly because I love how all the cases look on my shelves

It does get highly annoying though because there's some games I just can't find litually anywhere but I'm still refusing to buy them digitally. Another perk for retail copies is that even if you loose your NNID, or any other accounts you have digital games tied to, then you've lost the game untill you go through some kind of support and sometimes that's not guanenteed unless you can prove you owned it (I know people who that's happened to before). Whereas with retail copies you can just put in the hard copy of the game again and play on without any hassle (Well, maybe the loosing your data part is annoying, but even then some games save their data on the disk/cartridge).

Also like I said at the begining of my post, I love collecting games and I have shelves full of all my nintendo and PC games so having all the colourful and different sized cases looks really look along with all the gaming merch I have on them

 

[kinghearts]

Im 75% physical 25% digital, like many have said it doesn't get damaged and you can get the game back if lost or worse but Im REALLY and i mean REALLY careful with my games so that's not and issue, love how the look on my shelve and some bring some rather good items so yeah i like physical more but im not against digital.

 

[Hayleia]

I'm still for physical over digital but someone on another forum gave an argument so interesting in favor of digital that I thought I'd share

He said that he liked to buy digital better because he thinks that's how he rewards developers best. Carts and digital cost the same price, let's say 40€, but when buying physical, you have to split that between physical cost, delivery to the store, a share for the store, etc. While when you get it digital, developers get a bigger share so that's why he buys digital.

I don't know what are the percentages devs get from physical or digital games but still, I think that's the best argument I've ever heard in favor of digital

 

[DrMoo101]

I would prefer a physical copy instead of a digital. Digital copies load up a little bit slower then physical copies. That's pretty much the only reason why I would choose a physical copy. Well I guess that I like having the physical and being able to see my full collection.

 

[Good for nothing]

I mainly prefer to buy physical copies of games for two main reasons.

1. When you buy the game as a physical copy, you can start playing it right away (or at least when you get home from the store or black market you bought it from). When you buy games digitally, you have to wait for them too download, which usually takes a long time

2. to put it simply, physical copies don't eat up your SD card memory.

 

[Major]

I prefer the retail unless you can only get it digitally . I like to feel like I actually own the game, I don't feel that way when it just a digital thing. So many things can happen and you lose that digital copy as to where the retail you always have it around as long as you take good care of it. It's just a nit pick for me when it comes to owning a game, I feel better with the retail copy.

 

[faustine]

I prefer retail copies! They are cheaper in our local game store for like, 2-3 bucks for initial release. I do have digital full games in my 3DS tho. I guess there are games that are better digital than physical copy. One of them is Animal Crossing.

 

[Kld6445]

I like it digitally because all my games in my 3ds .....
About retail ....
I like it too much especially
if it is special editon

 

[Apollo]

I prefer retail copies of my games. My SD card cannot handle all the games I want. Plus, I hate swtching between sd cards. You can also share your carts when you have the physical copies.