Topic: Using a cartridge after a digital download?

Hi, I have a question I was hoping someone might be able to help me with. I'm a little bit of a physical game collector and one of my favourite switch games had a physical release long after it initially came out digitally through the e-shop.

So I originally bought this game on the eshop and I proceeded to 100% it. However some time later it released physically and I am tempted to purchase this for my collection. If I do so and I put the cartridge in my switch, will it still use the save data I accrued on the digital copy or will it treat it as a separate entity? Will I need to archive that original eshop version first?

Many thanks,
Thom

@ComradeThom If both physical and digital copies are the same version of the game from the same region then I believe they should both share the same save data.

The save should carry across, as far as I know the saves are stored separately from the game files.

@ComradeThom
Both physical and digital download version shares the same Save data as long they are exactly same region. Exception was for ACNH that every region shares same Save data no matter what region you put, so for example if you have created Save data of ACNH Japan version, when you put the other region, you can continue your current Save data despite you have inserted different region cartridge.

@ComradeThom Game progress is stored on switch internal memory, not on the cartridge, and maybe you know that. The Switch doesn't care if you play digital, or stick the cartridge in. You could switch back and fourth between digital and physical, and it will always be the same game progress.

And, you can always go onto eshop and redownload the game.

If you wanted to save space on your switch, you could delete the digital game, insert the cartridge, then update the game, and I suppose it will only download the patches that aren't on the cartridge.

Thanks for the help everyone.

@ComradeThom : If it's the same version as what is in your region's eShop, then yes.

You should be okay for the most part, but there may be some (likely to be very rare) exceptions to the rule if the two versions are somehow different. Some of the Mega Man Legacy collection releases are one such exception, for example. Even though the Japanese and international editions support English, some of these releases will spawn separate icons (and therefore have their own save data) if one has bought the international editions via the eShop and later imported the Japanese physical copies.

I also strongly suspect that the Asian exclusive Atelier Dusk Trilogy cartridge, while supporting English, will be considered to be separate units of software from the Western digital-only releases.

@Silly_G Yeah, when it comes to buying across regions then it's going to vary from game to game. Some are the same across all regions but a lot aren't, especially when it comes to Japanese/SEA versions. Even European and NA versions aren't always the same as each other though. The NA/Australian version of Splatoon 2 is different than the European one for example.

@ComradeThom Can't tell from your post whether you want to use the existing save data or not. If you don't want to use it, but don't want to delete it either, you could just play the physical version under a different user account, as that will create its own save data.

It might be helpful to know specifically which game you mean. Like everyone is saying, most likely you’ll be fine. There are some rare cases though where a physical game and a digital game are technically different versions, even within the same region. For example, I had Snipperclips digitally, but I also got the physical when it came later and it put a separate icon on my home screen (yeah, technically the physical was Snipperclips Plus, not just Snipperclips, but it’s still the same game just with DLC included). I’ve also heard that physicals by companies like Limited Run are treated differently, but I don’t have any to confirm.

As long as the same game the save data will work for both but let's say one is Japan and one english then they might be different save data. But if I were you I delete the Digital game and use the Physical cart to save on space.

I just ran into this issue and found this post because of it. The save data does not transfer for Snipperclips. The digital version of the game is called Snipperclips. The game on the cartridge is Snipperclips Plus.