The gaming industry is going digital. Chants of "it's easy," "it uses less plastic," and "it's cheaper... sometimes," fill the streets and, after dark, tempting eShop sales let out their siren song to pull in any weary traveller after a boxed copy with sweet calls of "Oooh, ahh, up to 80% off".
The times may be a-changing, but within this (potentially) download-only future, there sits a brave group of stewards who wish for a simpler time. A time when games came in boxes and were bought from stores. A time when all of those boxes contained a cartridge and on that cartridge was a full game. A time when those cartridges were made of brightly coloured plastic and looked even more edible than they do now.
Note: Do not eat your game cartridges. Please.
"We used to be a real country," the boxed brigade cries as they wait an extra year after the launch of critically-acclaimed indie before getting their hands on the promised physical release. The cases are still adorned with gorgeous art. Some special editions even come with game manuals (ask your Dad). But the carts themselves are dull and grey. What has become of us?
We are just about to arrive at the 20th anniversary of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, two titles that were by no means the first to receive the coloured-cart treatment, but are surefire star players of the lineup.
The Game Boy Advance's cardboard boxes were not the sturdiest storage method on the market, so for many of us, the carts themselves rattled around in a shoebox, small bag or dedicated carry case. In large collections, you'd be rooting around for minutes at a time to find your copy of Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow or Metroid: Zero Mission, flipping the grey rectangles like a professional dominoes player. But not with FireRed and LeafGreen, their vibrant casing leaping out at you as if to say, "it's me you're after! I'm here!"
And this wasn't just the case for the odd GBA / Game Boy release. As long as Nintendo has produced cartridges, there have been some swanky colour variations. The gold editions of various Zelda titles (NES original, Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask on N64), Kirby's Adventure's pink Famicom copy, the yellow Donkey Kong 64. Not everything got the tinted treatment, but at least the offer was there.
And then we have the translucent carts. The cream of the crop. Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald and a whole host of Game Boy Color-only games. Most of us have no idea how a game cartridge works. You stick it in your GBA, turn it on, turn it off, remove it, blow into the bottom, reinsert, turn it on again and play. But these beauties made the whole event feel a bit more technical. No, we are not children dislodging dust with the power of our breath alone, we are computer engineers, examining a motherboard before putting it to the test by catching a Pidgey and naming it "Bum".
If these were 'simpler times' then why have things become so bland today? The DS ushered in an era of grey cartridges that Nintendo hasn't been able to shake. Yes, the 3DS opted for a lighter grey, but there was still no variation to be seen. Sure we could just look at the unique stickers that adorn each of these cartridges, but where's the fun in that? Let's not pretend that we wouldn't have lapped up a sparkly red or blue square with Pokémon X / Y written on it if we were given the chance.
For the past seven years, the Switch has continued this trend. Of course, the cartridges themselves are now smaller than they have ever been, with a sticker and connectors taking up the majority of the colouring-in real estate. But who says that little stars can't shine brightly? Okay, maybe astrophysicists, but who else says that? If there's room for Micro SD cards to have a splash of colour, could our game cartridges maybe do the same?
The answer could be right around the corner. All the signs point to new hardware in the year ahead and most of the time this comes with a new cart design too (even if that is just a little 3DS nub added on to stop us from showing 'Switch 2' games in our old consoles). What if, for special occasions, colourful carts made a comeback?
We can see it happening with vinyl right now. Why would you pick up a boring black copy of the Barbie soundtrack when you could get one in green, pink and white? The gauntlet has been laid down, so it's up to Nintendo to pick it up.
As we look to the company's future and the possibility of more 'deluxe,' 'ultimate,' 'plus' and 'super duper editions,' does it not make sense to have these stand out from the crowd as Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen once did?
It's not a case of dropping the M&M magic in with every single upcoming title, but a gold Breath of the Wild 'Remastered' cart? The Pokémon Company moving on from the dark days of Gen IX with a little bit of sparkle? It sure does sound appetising.
But what do you think? Would you like to see coloured Switch cartridges make a comeback on the next Nintendo console or do you think that variation like this is a thing of the past? You can fill out the following poll with your thoughts and then take to the comments to tell us some of your favourite colour cart memories.
Comments 146
I just want to see ANY cartridges return for Switch 2.
Physical Forever, baby.
At this point and time in the digital age I’d just like to see the return of cartridges and backwards compatibility.
You kids and your colors. Back in my day, everything was in black and white, and we were happy with just those.
Scented cartridges, however, are what we’re truly missing out on.
My guess is that it’s easier to manage supply fluctuations when everything is kept standardized. I think Nintendo has moved away from a lot that kind of boutique hardware. One reason maybe being that there’s more third parties, official and otherwise, making customized hardware stuff for everything these days, for that (probably) minor portion of the customer base keen on aesthetics like that.
But of course, unique hardware is always cool
The old carts were enormous, so you’d see them in the machine. You don’t see the mini cartridges, so I’m not sure what the point would be.
Yes please, cause it’s fun & wynaut?
As long as they taste as good as the current ones, why not?
In my opinion, colored carts don’t make much sense now that they’re so small. They were much more impactful on the NES, SNES, N64 & GB.
I'm all in.
We also need Switchi 2 to include transparent cartridge port to make it look more like GBC
Of course YES. If rumours say the machine is a a bit bigger, I would prefer cartridges like Evercade ones, which probably are even cheaper than the switch ones.
And easier to swap. I totally hate to change the switch ones and that’s an important reason why I’m more digital than ever these days (for retro it’s just the opposite)
Some color variations would be cool. But TBH we need more flavors. I want the snozberry cartridges to taste like snozberries!
Yes, This would be so fun. But I don't think it will happen simply because of the cost. Also, Nintendo has started to become more uniform in their packaging.
While I'd like to see colored carts again, this is the first cartridge-happy system I've used where you don't see them at all; the dust cover hides them. So I'd view them all of ten seconds when switching carts, which doesn't happen often in my case.
I’m confused: Switch cartridges are black, not grey, right? Same with DS cartridges (black), and 3DS were white. Does “grey” have a different meaning in the UK?
Quick question. People who own a switch, is there anyone who owns more switch cartridges than digital downloads. The answer to this will tell us gamings future xx
Considering there's now a cover for cartridge slots, I just don't see the point in and giving them color, but for special editions, sure why not
Different colored cartridges are much more fun than uniform grey ones… with that said I’m forever done with physical media and would go 100% digital for Switch 2 no matter what the cartridges will look like.
Please just give me a golden Zelda cartridge to put next to my ocarina of time
Color, yes! Larger, YESSER!
all 2mm of it?
Removed - unconstructive
Hmm….Id prefer to see digital games be playable by other family members on their switch so long as that game isnt in use by the primary acct holder.
I have had to buy games multiple times so my daughter can play while i play something else.
Despite being digital only, id say yes, add more variation and keep carts. Never hurts to have options and in my youth before practically took precidence over coolness, I loved collecting games and consoles. Every person should be able to do that.
Reducing the cost of production wouldn't be achieved by adding colors in the polymer process. Keep the prices low.
id like to see color carts, AND larger carts.
I think GBA just about nailed the right balance of compactness, ergonomics, and aesthetics. I see zero point in making the carts smaller, particularly in the era of the DS, when every system had a GBA slot ANYWAY 😂 why didnt they just make ds games fit in the gba slot, and do away with an entire slot and new proprietary format?
anyhow i think itd be cool if switch 2 had GBA sized carts, and also Id like to see the end of the "little sh*tty door" era for game carts. I like a cart I can see, and grab to pull out of the system. and, it's cool to see the little bit of plastic if you are playing a game with a different color cart 👍
even better still if the dock had a cart slot or two (it just seems obvious to me) and you could see what games are in there from the front somehow, like a snes or 64.
Look at music and movies. No one buys those anymore. Except for a few holdouts, everyone streams those. Unfortunately, that will be the future normal for video games, whether it is Nintendo, Sony or Microsoft.
Why? The cartridge is the size of a Nintendo DS cartridge, and those never had any color variation, because you never actually see them.
Unless you want Nintendo to return to toploading console designs there's no point to it. Even less considering that 90% of a Switch cartridge's real estate is the game's title art.
What you should actually be advocating for is more diverse clamshells, which are currently all homogenized to fit the plain red/white aesthetic of the switch. I'd like them to fatten the spine a little so games can have unique art on the side.
I'd rather see other things back first even when it comes to "extras", game manuals for example, and some comments made good points about how you barely see them when inserted, the increased cost etc. so no, I'd keep them as they are or at most have colored ones for special editions.
No. I couldn’t care less. I’m buying a game, not a colour.
I just want more flavors. That battery acid bitter gets old after a while.
I would love it, for special editions/pre orders etc.
Well I wouldn’t want a price hike for sure but I don’t see why it would since it didn’t increase price in the past. I’d like it but these cartridges are so tiny I doubt I’d give it much notice. I loved the old game boy and bg color varieties the most. They looked like little sticks of gum or starburst.
I’m sure some gamers would complain about it being kiddy.
I don’t care either way
That would be pretty nice to have colourful cartridges again.
Sure why not? I'll take some golden Zelda, red Mario, yellow DK, and orange Metroid carts.
Just wondering what carts they'll go with for games most likely resembling PS4 era....
Hell yeah, I'd love to see the comeback of colorful cartridges!
Absolutely yes. Plus, they'd be easier to find when I drop them on the floor.
I don't mind either way. Personally I never payed much attention to them growing up. Though looking back, I can appreciate the small details Nintendo put into their finishing products.
I don't mind either way. I do like them.
While cool, having colored physical media isn't needed. Digital only era is on the horizon. No need for such an old school format.
I would probably say yes as long as it doesn't hike up the prices. I think colorful cartridges made the Nintendo 64 a more enjoyable system to play. As an example, popping in a yellow cartridge for Donkey Kong 64 made that game stand out in comparison to some others. The same goes for Spider-Man 64. One of my all time favorite games, and I adored the red cartridge on that one.
@Divide_and_Wander @Munchlax @KayFiOS @Kingy Like the article points out, colored carts are easier to identify quickly. Since the Switch carts and labels are so small, colored carts would actually serve a practical purpose. It would help identify games quickly in a carrying case. I am older now and my eyes are getting worse.
May have less prestige as will be so much smaller (while arguably can’t even be considered ‘cartridges’).
@Shade_Koopa I can't wait for that utopian future where corporations own every single thing you purchase with your own money.
That way, they can give and take at their leisure, while all we can do is sit back and accept it.
@Dpullam Yes, but by and large won’t be seeing any card / cartridge inserted into a modern day console.
@Duffman92 this guy gets it.
Hell ye, doubtful though. I'd settle for the console just having physical Media at all.
In an era where hardware manufacturers are actively killing off physical like the leaked 2024 "adorably all digital" Series X replacing the existing disc Series X (recent Microsoft news corroborates the leak) and the potential for Sony to make the PS5 detachable disc drive artificially rare, I'm really not fussed about the colour of Switch cartridges.
If grey cartridges is what makes physical versions possible then that's fantastic but if Nintendo chooses to go for colourful cartridges, that's also fantastic.
1: "only" if they taste flavorful. Red watermelon, blue raspberry, green apple, ect
2: "only" if they taste the same or worse!
P.S.
I have yet to taste a Switch cartridge. I'm too "scared" it'll taste like envelope glue or "alas, earwax!"
Maybe alternate colours are too difficult to justify due to the size. But if it is easy to implement then why not. Maybe just for special editions.
For a recent release, the special edition of Full Void on the Evercade got a blue cartridge.
People talk of a digital only future as a step towards a streaming only future. We can already see pushback against that with studios not wanting to be on Game Pass. Pendula swing back, y'all. Fortunately the limited run companies are ensuring supply meets demand rather than the other way around.
@Dman10 The music industry is also not profitable because of it--except for concerts. What is the video game equivalent of a concert tour which can replace revenue from sales?
@Dragonslacker1 Most people are willing to pay a lot less for a digital only game that they can't resell and that's easier to return if need be. It's also easier to gift. A game I buy for $4 on deep discount on a lark isn't the same for the studio as a game I buy at retail.
Only mattered when the cartridge was visible while playing, like in the Game Boy, SNES and N64. For the Switch it's about as meaningful as those memory cards with icons on them.
This is my favorite NL article yet.
and yes, gimme the pretty colours, but it wouldn't have the heft of those old cars would it :'(
We don't even know if there are going to be cartridges for the upcoming S2. For all we know Nintendo may take a page out of Sony's PS5 Playbook and have a Digital Only version. They could use discs like they did for Gamecube.
@XiaoShao here in the uk, the ds cartridges were dark grey and the 3ds ones are light grey.
There isn't much point if they aren't visible in use. I do hope we get more colourful cases. A shelf of harsh red looks awful. Now a shelf full pf PAL SNES games was a glorious sight
@Dragonslacker1 yes, I only have fortnite and rocket league as digital. The rest is cartridge.
It's not just cartridges mind you.
They had found a way to transition this idea to the cd era even though it was even less frequent. GC boxes all look pretty much the same if you look at their spines lined up on your shelf. They all have the same GC logo and then some sort of continuation of the boxart on the front. BUT Wind Waker tried something a little like the good old coloured cartridges by having the whole box being actually made of gold plastic. Even the inside with the extra cd holder if you own the special edition. That makes it stand out a bit.
Then Wii and WiiU went even further. Since they started to use unified box spines that all used the same color, respectively white and blue, they could make a game really stand out by changing the color of the plastic AND the base color of the cover. And boom, magic. New Super Mario Bros Wii uses a bold red box and Pandora's Tower a super edgy black box that suits the style of the game. On WiiU, New Super Luigi U uses mandatory green and Super Mario Maker is all yellow.
Now I know it's not exactly the same as colored cartridges but it's close enough and it definitely was a way to do the same thing with cds. But anyway, your point still stands since the Switch completely abandoned even the colored boxes. Sure there are some alternate covers for some titles but it's definitely not as cool. Pandora's Tower didn't need no alternate cover to rub it in your face how cool and dark and edgy it was!
I haven't cared about colored cartridges since the end of the GBA days. I doubt I'll care again.
I'd rather have colored boxes for special editions. Maybe then I'd like to see colored cartridges.
@CharlieZee also on the DS, there were DSi-exclusive games (no first-party games, though) in a white cartridge and games with IR communication (Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver, Black/White and Black2/White2 as well as Personal Trainer: Walking) in black cartridges.
@LadyCharlie This right here. More new and classic in physical even though my wallet cries every single time
Nope. Absolutely don’t care. Just want games. I do miss manuals though.
@GrailUK @JohnnyC @sd7232 I keep my carts in a carrying case. Switch cart labels are smaller than a postage stamp and my eyesight is getting older and weaker. As the article points out, colored carts would help identify game carts quickly.
All zelda carts need to be gold.
Don't care. It's all about the taste 😀
#PhysicalForever
Yes, colored carts would be fantasitc!
It's going to be white
They are so small to be irrelevant but I would like it.
Will they taste pippa or ***** again 💀😂
@DwaynesGames Fair point. I keep mine in their cases on a shelf. Love me some box art each time I select a game.
I want my collection to look like the sky on Fourth of July!
So to answer the question, yeah I do!
It would be cool, but most importantly just emphasizing on physical games being the rule, instead of digital. If this encourages physical game purchases, that would be a huge benefit. Plus they would look cute in a multi-game case. Not that there is much plastic to see on switch games, assuming they’d be about the same size on the new system.
@JimNorman
I really, really enjoyed how this was written — and illustrated! A wonderfully vivid article!
I was going to comment saying just that, but I also spotted a typo: “even if that is just a little 3DS nub added on to stop us from showing 'Switch 2' games in our old consoles”
Let colour be free!
@DwaynesGames I get that. The labels have always served me well so I'll have to concede I'm not the best person to appreciate that. But yeah, I'm not against the idea by any means! Especially if it helps folk. I love colour.
@Frailbay30 Exactly. Couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you for understanding my point. ^^
honestly I think we're all getting to excited over a leak. there is a chance it may not happen.
I want colourful spines instead of the wall of red.
I really miss cartridge variation whether different colors, clear, metallic, it made each game feel a little more unique. Could be a cool incentive for collectors editions or preorder bonuses
It's a fine feature, but not a necessity.
Besides, we don't even know what software medium the next Nintendo platform is going to use, whether it uses cartridges, small disks or whatever.
I have a lot of digital games on my Switch, but aside from Animal Crossing, all the first party games are physical.
It just doesn’t feel like the push towards digital is for the right reasons. “It saves plastic” may be true but the sentiment is greenwashing. The reason just feels like it’s another way to exert absolute control over the market, to remove consumer options and then consumer rights.
I know it sounds a ‘slippery slope’ argument but given the track records of these large corporations over the last few years it’s hard not to see this as the future they’re pushing. They’ll just stop making physical and we’ll be annoyed but buy it anyway like Alan Wake 2. Then the digital will become a subscription like GamePass and we won’t own any of the games we’re playing and we’ll be annoyed…but do it anyway. Then they will insert ads at the start of your playtime like NowTV. Then there will be “ad-free” subscription tiers like Netflix is bringing in. Then, games being games, you’ll only get some of the game on the subscription, the rest is paid DLC. And so-on and so-forth.
And you might think “we’ll we just won’t buy that then” but time has already shown they don’t care they can hold out for a generation for whom that is the norm and it all pushes ahead.
But yeah I would love more colourful cartridges!
No thanks. I want to see just digital. Physical media is just a waste.
To think we still have a games industry that thinks its OK to put a digital code in a plastic, fully non recyclable, box. It's embarrassing at this point. Our kids will look back in shame.
Honestly at this point I'd settle for any cartridge. Physical media dying is loathsome and I hate the modern console situation where your disc just contains a lisence to download and play a 50-100gb game via the internet...
I like the colors but the cartridges are so small it will be barely noticeable. Back in the NES and SNES and N64 days I'd just have cartridges all over, but Switch games are so small I'm afraid I'll lose them if I don't keep them in the case.
Cartridges are fine the way they are right now, but honestly I am not going to buy cartridges on the next gen at all. They take a lot of space even though they are small. And I really can't be bothered switching them all the time.
I want some kind of QR code or a bit of AR on the back so I can scan them with my phone and make out what the hell each card is, because them labels are HECKIN MICROSCOPIC.
I'm digital only, but sure...why not?
It's a real shame a Pokemon games haven't continued the trend of gens 1-3.
It would put a smile on my face, though I'm not sure we would see that now. You saw it more in the good old days when the SNES or N64 and cartridge was in front of you, sitting next to the CRT TV. Yes, I'm old.
I wouldn't care if there was no cartridges at all on Switch 2, but I know I'm the minority here and that wouldn't sell well even now in Japan (they still remember PSPgo fiasco)
I'm happy about any cartridges as long as they games are fully on them. its going to get worse for sure than on the switch but it's likely going to be the last system where you can own your games...
I almost entirely buy digital so really doesn't make a difference.
@Buizel If I would be digital only I would need several 1tb sd cards since I have something between 200 and 300 physical games...
Yes and I would also like them bigger.
@nocdaes to be fully honest I think physical video games are not the issue that solves global warming. I'm pretty sure for every SUV car that drives a year you produce more wast than with 100s of switch game boxes... and for some reason people still need those big cars even they live in the city... just one example... if you want i can give you dozens more like having a new phone every 1-2 years etc...
I’d like coloured cartridges as long as there’s not a cost associated with it (or it’s in the region of cents). I don’t know what the production processes looks like for cartridges and whether there’s significant cost savings to doing all one colour due to efficiency and reduced logistics, or whether switching in other pigments would have relatively low impact on production costs.
The fact most people are fine going all digital is pretty...um...disturbing. Well, the Age of Ownership is coming to an end.
Let's hope people are happy with that future. Am I blunt while saying that? Yes. Yes I am. Of course, SD cards are laughing at us...
Hell ya baby the video game world needs more color. I would love to see colored switch games.
In one's dream. We're more lucky to get color buttons and color trigger and different Switch 2 colors or theme sounds more plausible.
@DanijoEX-the-Pierrot - Not sure where your info comes from but that divide is split among Switch. Other platforms forces Digital only they don't give you a choice.
@Runex2121 [b]Never hurts to have options]/b]
The digital OPTION is why we are losing physical.
Absolutely I would. More color more funzies.
I've never had any coloured cartridges, but I did like it when the odd Wii, Wii U, and 3DS game box was a different colour (New Super Luigi U in green, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire in red and blue, etc). I'd be up for that again, and sure, do coloured cartridges too!
I’m surprised we didn’t get colored carts this gen.
Well actually, I’m not surprised and here’s why:
After the Wii U, I feel like Nintendo played it real safe with the Switch as in, very focused, very bare-bones, plays games, plays them well. They made a simple basic cartridge, a simple system UI, basic features, one cart color, etc.
I think the next system will be a fully realized Switch. Perhaps the next will have those extra features like StreetPass, more USB peripherals for the dock like maybe a sensor bar to allow light guns or the ability to plug in 3DS carts or stuff like that, and colored carts.
Nintendo doesn’t have to play it safe anymore in other words: the Switch is crazy successful so they have more room to play now as opposed to trailing the Wii U which I’m sure made them take a hit financially.
Switch 2 will be the Switch fully realized — with colored special edition (gold Zelda) carts — mark my words.
It would be nice, but IDK, I don't think it'll happen again.
Why not! I'm just glad all things point to the Switch 2 still being a console with Physical media. I think it's sad it looks like Physical media is dying, but I think it's great Nintendo are not following the pack. I hope along with ideas like Nintendo also maybe bring back paper manuals? Always nice to open the box and find something, even if it's just a little manual with some nice artwork. If Physical is on the way out them Nintendo please make this Switch 2 one last defiant roar for the old skool!
I'd rather see manuals come back as standard than different colour cartridges, at least for first part titles.
Funny how something as simple as multiple color options can attract people to your product. It's something I don't think MS and Sony ever really figured out. So simple, yet very effective.
Unpopular opinion, but I hope that Nintendo will opt for digital only for so called Switch 2. Two benefits that I can think of :
1. By using catridge, we will never be able to use faster storage speed like UFS or SSD, so far we can only use microSD for catridge (correct me if I'm wrong), or proprietary storage like PS Vita (expensive and not practical).
There's no way that Nintendo will use SSD or UFS for internal storage, and much slower speed for catridge. Performance difference would be quite massive. Without faster storage speed, we can only dream of faster processor and bigger RAM as well.
2. Avoid leak from physical catridge dump before official release
@JimNorman "Kirby's Adventure's pink Famicom copy" That's just the entire Famicom library. Colors were a standard option to publishers in Japan. While some publishers stuck to a certain color (such as Konami always choosing black for the carts they didn't produce themselves, and Kemco always choosing blue), many publishers chose a color that accented each game.
@XiaoShao DS carts were a dark gray, the difference from black is only clear if you have an actual black card to compare it to (Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver or the Black/White series).
I still buy carts for all of the BIG games I want to play like Zelda, Mario, Splatoon, etc. I mostly download indie games and games that are on deep discount on the eshop that I would have never bought physical anyway. I think if it is done sporadically, it's a great idea. Splatoon carts should be in color. So should pokemon. But I do not need all games coming in colors.
@Dragonslacker1 I absolutely do. Don't need to take up precious storage space (unlike PlayStation and Xbox, they actually run off the game and don't install... usually), I can look for more deals and sell them when I'm done, and I can share them with my kids who each have their own Lite. I have some digital but mostly small indie ones or something I got on sale but those are the minority.
@SwitchForce I have plenty of PlayStation 4/5 discs, I'm not sure what you're talking about. Other consoles do not require digital only.
I really hope the new Switch is more like a toy and less like a tablet. The 3ds radiated with joy. Make the os fun. Make it silly. Transparent colored plastic all the way.
@koffing
You're speaking my language. This is exactly what I want, too. Switch is great, but lacks the fun look of old. Bring on the transparent colors!!!
Don't really care. Digital all the way.
@jojobar You're right, of course, there's a long list of things we should cut back on to protect the environment. Not putting a piece of paper with a download code in a big plastic box seems like a no brainer.
It's not so much the impact of those particular products... it's more the mindset of those people doing it, and the mindset of those allowing it to continue.
Once it's in your console, appearances rarely matter, but I miss the novelty of a golden Zelda cart
@XiaoShao they're actually dark grey
@nocdaes
ah maybe this is a missunderstanding. I think your totally right on the code in a box thing. I thought you meant physicals cartridges.
I'll be really happy if cartridges keep costing 60 dollars. Their color is just a small detail in comparison with how much they might cost
Y'all are gonna be lucky to have much physical media at all, let alone this kind of thing.
Besides, its not even something you see, so what's the point? The NES (left open or toploader), SNES, n64, Game Boy line....you saw those cartridges when they were in the system and they were a lot bigger, so the snazzy colours made sense. Seems pointless for a cart that is tiny and you never see except when swapping.
I just want Nintendo to say the thing even is in production.
Call me old-fashioned, but I miss cartridges being complete (and are increasingly rare given publishers wanting to release glorified beta builds to shelves).
Coloured cartridges would be nice and all, but coloured plastic doesn't maketh the game.
Yeah I miss those days I want colored carts.
@Grumblevolcano
Yeah for me im just hoping that they do keep physical media alive (along with physical BC)
I dont mind digital but much preffer to have physical as an option.
definitely hope they don't lean more into subscription based stuff at least not the kind where its the ONLY way to play the game on the system, it was ironic that the whole Ubisoft thing about getting used to not owning your games was around the same time there was a bunch of hype about golden sun hitting NSO
@Crono1973
I personally dont believe they are incompatible. However, if you believe you can only have one or the other, then my hat would be with digital. I dont want the clutter.
@Sisilly_G Games were not really complete, they just didnt have a way to add onto them or fix bugs.
Pretty much every game had bugs on the older consoles. And the complexity of those games was far lower.
Im happy we have a means now to patch and update/add content to games. Id say rarely does it feel like a game is incomplete these days.
My old copy of 'Donkey Kong Land 2' for the Game Boy was missing its label, but I could always tell it apart by the yellow cartridge.
I have a copy of 'Star Wars Episode 1 Racer' for the Game Boy Color. Not only did it have a translucent cart, but it also had built-in rumble feature. So far the only game I know of that had one. The game itself was mediocre, but it sure was a unique experience.
An interesting thing about NES carts is that if you had an odd-colored one, it was typically bootleg.
Be it the black, angular Tengen carts or the robin's egg blue Wisdom Tree carts. Aside from 'Zelda' all of the official NES carts were the same old grey. Only the Famicom tended to get any unique colors.
Physical media has been the preserve of hobbyists for a while now. Movies, music and video games. Time waits for no man.
I think it is only books that continue to outsell their digital equivalents.
I almost went down the rabbit hole of collecting vinyl and special edition physical video games. Thanks god I did not.
It is a shame that the RRP of digital games is not significantly less than their physical equivalent. Market dynamics may mean they'd sell more copies and digital delivery is better for the planet.
But, we MUST build a pyramid of possessions before we leave this place. A rented masonry skip takes care of that when we are gone.
it's been proven that e-shops do not exist forever, cartridges do
Make them taste better.
What I really want to see return is rewritable memory for save data.
@Runex2121 If nothing could be added to them, they were complete.
@a_brave_new_geek I buy physical so I can resell it to recoup some of the cost later. Use the money to buy new games and then to later resell those. It isn't always about collecting.
Think about it, if digital and physical are the same price but only physical gives you a return on your investment, why would you choose digital?
@Crono1973 TBF Crono, that's what I do too with physical games that hold their value.
Heck yes. One of the reasons I LOVE collecting Famicom games is all the color.
Definitely not happening, though.
@Susurrus Already missed the point already.
@Crono1973 lol, until you have lock on tech and remasters.
@Crono1973 For me atleast, Im at a place in my life where recouping is more effort than the return i get.(ie the opportunity cost of losing my time is worth more than the $20-$50 id get trading in a game)
However, I fully understand the logic with your statement and that everyone is in a different position and point in their lives.
@KayFiOS easily. I've got about 40 physical switch games and only 3 digital. And I only have those cause there's no physical option. Of course, I have a pretty firm stance of pro physical, so I'm probably an outlier
@Shade_Koopa gross. Have fun never actually owning anything, lol
@Corvus96 Most gamers have short attentions spans. Once they beat a game, they rarely go back. So the fact that games won't be "owned" anymore is irrelevant.
Sides, digital only era is upon us. It will happen whether we like it or not.
@Shade_Koopa
I don't know any gamers like that. All my friends have favorites that they go back to over and over.
Just cause something is inevitable doesn't mean I have to like it or accept it. Digital only is just one more way for corporations to take control and withhold stuff from us. I'm not paying the same amount for a game to not own it....and if I can't resell it, I don't own it.
@Corvus96 PC gaming already does digital only and hardly anyone complains about it. Once console goes digital, we'll have some big complains for a few months, then everyone will get used to it.
Like or it not, it's gonna happen. There's nothing we can do about. Makes me wonder why complain about it in the first place. If you can't beat em, join em. Simple as that.
@Shade_Koopa I prefer "if you can't beat em, screw em"
As in, the day a company takes away our option for physical, and forces us into not owning games anymore, is the day I stop supporting them. Rolling over to let them do whatever they want makes no sense to me. Corporations are not our friends
@Corvus96 I don't believe I ever said they were friends. All I'm saying it's going to happen. Hell, it's already happening. PC is all digital, console WILL follow suit. It's just a matter of time.
People say they won't support company, but that only last for so long. Especially in the gaming industry where greed is king. Both for the corporations and for the gamers.
Feel free to screw them. There is never enough people screwing the corporations to matter.
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