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

[Theodore24]

I would buy digital because retail stores that have the content I want could be more expensive than buying it on Eshop. Sure, it may take up more space but it is way better than having to spend more money for the games I want.

 

[EnchantedCat]

I prefer retail because really holding the game in my hands gives me a better feeling xD Furthermore, I can sell it later if I don't need/want it anymore. But actually I like the digital version, too. It's way more comfortable

 

[dilawer]

I prefer digital games. Easier to manage.

 

[Mrmariobros222]

A lot of full, $40 3DS games have made their way onto the eShop. I'd like to ask you guys - do you prefer to buy such games retail or digital if both are available?

With retail, you get to keep the game if unluckily your 3DS's system software goes awry (not that that's ever happened to me, thank God), you can sell it off if you don't like it anymore, and you have a nice cover to put the cartridge in. You can have many games even if your SD card's capacity is small.

On the other hand, the game can get physically damaged and can't be redownloaded like digital games can, and if you have many retail games it's a problem carrying them around for you adventurous travels.

With digital games, you can redownload the game if your SD card gets damaged because your eShop account is linked with the 3DS, and many early 3DS games got price drops when they came on the eShop. You also don't have to change cartridges.

But you can't sell the game off. Once you buy it, you're stuck with it. You also lose the cover, which can be works of art in themselves. If digital full releases grow, the quality of game covers is likely to deterioate, much like how digital media and e-books killed the art of music album and book covers.

Personally I'm all for retail. What about you guys?

I'm all on the retail games, i can do more things on the physical copies than digital can, i can sell games if i don't like it, i can trade a game for a new game from a friend if he wants that game and he has a game that he doesn't like to play anymore ( i like trading games with friends ) i can get my money back on a game store where i bought it like Gamestop or on Walmart and get a refund or switch to another game at the same price, reason that i don't buy digital too much is that if my console dies, i have to make a call on nintendo for repairment and to get all of my games back and i don't like that, so is better for me not waste double the money with buying a physical copy (i buy games physical unless the game is a digital copy only, i seen a lot of them and thank god there gonna make a physical copy of shovel knight )

 

[Esiar123]

I'd go with digital, especially with handhelds. You'll have all your games on the handheld itself, and that's harder to lose than a tiny cartridge (I've lost all of my physical 3DS games, but I still have my 3DS). Maybe costs too, but I'm not sure if physical games can go for any higher.

 

[Erickmtz18]

Of course it is better to get the digital games because when you turn on the 3ds, you have more options about what can you play

 

[ElectricFireball]

Both of these have advantages. Here are a few:
Retail:

• Can be shared w/ friends
• More likely to be on sale at some point
• Still available when you delete your console's data
• In some cases, comes in a bundle w/ exclusive goods

Digital:

• Won't be lost or broken
• Get it immediately the moment it releases (assuming the shop doesn't crash)
• Wherever your console goes, the game goes too
• Supports Nintendo slightly more

I usually get the retail games despite knowing the benefits to digital, mostly because I get discounts at GameStop.

 

[Nicholas Benjamin]

I think a physical copy is better because I want the game in my hands to show that i went I bought it and play it don't get me wrong a digital copy is good to because not all games are able to get unless you find it at like gamexchange or the eshop has games that you can't find or you could only get also mean emulators I guess to as a digital copy besides the fact there free and you need a certain emulator for each game also the fact of the game because you download it to your phone computer monitor ect

 

[DJFoxx84]

Ya I also enjoy the physical copy because it lets you bring the game anywhere and play it on any device and also I always love finding out what little cute artwork will be on the game card. I don't know if I'm the only one who does this but I always find myself lending my games to my friends for a couple of days or a week or something like that! All in all, I prefer buying and having the physical copy of games.

 

[Gecko]

Actually, I usually use digital (at least for my Xbox) its more convenient for me (and my poor mom) not to have to go to the store every time I want a new game. Besides, on XBL, me and my friends have one account that we download games to so that everyone can play them. But on 3DS, I prefer to buy the physical copy. I don't know why, actually because the 3DS has a really good digital store. Anyway, that's my take on the whole digital/physical game thing.

Also, digital games are more expensive.

 

[Tho]

I go mixed, if there's something i like and its the same price on eshop and retail or the retail has a bonus (eg; Omega Ruby+Steelbook), i'll get the retail, but if it's on sale online then i'll get the digital one (eg:Resident Evil: Revelations). That's what i do for MOST games, because the are some like MH3U, Virtue's Last Reward,etc. that i love and i know i wont ever get bored with them. In such cases, i go digital, so i wont have to bother switching cartridges or worry about losing them.

 

[Artisan]

Both of these have advantages. Here are a few:
Retail:

• Can be shared w/ friends
• More likely to be on sale at some point
• Still available when you delete your console's data
• In some cases, comes in a bundle w/ exclusive goods

Digital:

• Won't be lost or broken
• Get it immediately the moment it releases (assuming the shop doesn't crash)
• Wherever your console goes, the game goes too
• Supports Nintendo slightly more

I usually get the retail games despite knowing the benefits to digital, mostly because I get discounts at GameStop.

Personally I would go with retail copies because there are only a select few digital copies out there that could potentially lead to pirating and no one wants trouble so yeah stick to the classics. Odds are if your cartridge doesn't work/gets broken you'd already have enough money to replace it however you should take care of it so the dog you have doesn't break it as well as psycho relatives etc.

 

[ESP]

Digital sounds like a better option, especially if you have a eShop account. The thought of having your games in one spot is great and being able to redownload them should anything happen to your system or SD card is amazing. I've had an issue with my Mario Kart 7 and in the end, I destroyed the cartridge. So yeah, I'm all for digital. Thing is however, one time I saw how much blocks of space SSBF3DS took up and it was much more than my SD card could handle (I used a 4GB at the time). But now that I use a 16GB and I would definitely start getting digital games. But with retail/physical, you could get a cheap used game since most games on the eShop are at full price.

 

[Hayleia]

Digital sounds like a better option, especially if you have a eShop account. The thought of having your games in one spot is great and being able to redownload them should anything happen to your system or SD card is amazing.

What will you do when the 3DS servers will be down ? And don't tell me they won't, Wii and DS servers are.

I've had an issue with my Mario Kart 7 and in the end, I destroyed the cartridge.

Backup your cartridges ? This way, you'll get the chance to still be able to play your game though you'll have to figure out how to get your old save linked to your backup somehow.

Or at worst, the stupidest solution of all : buy cartridge, backup them and play on backups. This way, you have the advantages of digital and of retail without the drawbacks.

 

[Ramphy]

Well... Although Digital makes the 3DS a portable it's the same price as a retail and that's ridiculous, seeing as the retail comes with a box and a physical cartridge. If it was cheaper I'm all for that. Also you can't use it on another 3DS. This is terrible if you have two 3DS' and you want to, in my case SR for shiny pokemon. The Retail copy also has downfalls. It can be lost or damaged and never be playable again- See my Pokemon Black losing thing in Pokemon Universe... But. I made trackers so I don't mind physical. The only games I have on my 3DS that are installed are either given for free (Super Mario 3D world-Came with 3DS and Pokemon Art Academy) or they were on discount (MH4U). I do like Demo's though. I would never handle cartridge demo's...

 

[Adam3044]

Physical for sure. I don't really feel like I actually have the game if it's digital. Not to say digital is bad, I just love getting a new game and putting into my little shelve full of 3DS games.

 

[Ramphy]

I also forgot to mention.
If you had imported consoles digital is the way to go because of stupid region lock. Importing games is ridiculous.

Digital sounds like a better option, especially if you have a eShop account. The thought of having your games in one spot is great and being able to redownload them should anything happen to your system or SD card is amazing. I've had an issue with my Mario Kart 7 and in the end, I destroyed the cartridge. So yeah, I'm all for digital. Thing is however, one time I saw how much blocks of space SSBF3DS took up and it was much more than my SD card could handle (I used a 4GB at the time). But now that I use a 16GB and I would definitely start getting digital games. But with retail/physical, you could get a cheap used game since most games on the eShop are at full price.

Lol. I got 124GB SD

 

[Neofang64]

Call me old-fashioned, but I always opt for physical, as I prefer to have at least something tangible when I shell out $30+ dollars on a videogame, as opposed to an infinitely available series of 1's and 0's.

 

[NoticeBurns]

I know the convenience of buying digital, but this is me personally, I would go all over a Physical Copy of the game. I can go to a store's video game bargain bin, I wouldn't need to worry about Storage, and like Marc said, losing ALL the games and game data (which would suck, SO MUCH.) and, as a bonus, I can let my friends borrow my cartridges, which obviously cannot be done with digital games, but I know that some of the things I pointed out won't matter much to some people, as everyone has different wants and needs :]

 

[The Amazing Rayman]

Retail, it's just nicer to open up a box and pop in a cartridge than just waiting for something to download.