Retail downloads on the 3DS eShop start, for most of us, with New Super Mario Bros. 2 in mid-August. For Japanese gamers, however, it all starts in just eight days, the same day as the arrival of 3DS XL and Five Minute Demon Training, the next Brain Training entry that's also known as Onitore. A common criticism of the download option is that you're potentially paying more for less, missing out on extras and only having a download file for your purchase: Nintendo has responded with a promotional campaign to tempt gamers to the eShop.
Anyone who buys a copy of either game on eShop will receive a free copy of Donkey Kong: Original Edition from the 3DS Virtual Console, with double the normal Club Nintendo points; buying both games will also earn a bonus 20 Club Nintendo Points. The promotion will run from 28th July to 2nd September, so Japanese 3DS owners have plenty of time to decide.
Does this promotion do enough to encourage the digital option, and would you like a similar offer when New Super Mario Bros. 2 arrives in August? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and also have your say in our Facebook poll.
[source andriasang.com]
Comments 74
Nope.
I love having my physical game boxes and cartridges.
It's a good option for those who are opting for digital downloads though.
Yes. I hate having all those physical game boxes and cartridges. They take up way too much space if you have a lot of games like I used to. I just want a means to play the game and have physical storage space I can use for my action figures and other physical things. a 3DS cartridge may be tiny but I never throw away the boxes to them. I've never lost digital games I've paid for in the six years I've been doing so.
Physical is still so much better (especially when the game has a gold box).
Good for those people who actually want retail downloads though.
No way! I always love looking at the box art and showing off my collection. Ill stick to retail
I think its a good idea, still not enough to entice me to download. In fact, I still think it would be mad to download if you have the option to get a physical copy, because when you finish it you can trade it in. In house Nintendo games also keep their value more than third party games with regards to trade in values.
Plus, i already bought donkey kong
I think it would depend on the game, more than anything. There are some games that I'd just play non-stop, so a cartridge would be best. Then, there are games that are more sporadic, or in smaller doses (like Animal Crossing for me) that would benefit me to have digitally.
Well....no, of course not. I'm still not getting the option to play the game on multiple systems, lend it to someone, have a physical box for it and most importantly be able to sell it for realistically about 80% of its asking price on eBay when I'm done with it. I feel for those who dont take these factors into account before saying "but changing the game card - itsa so difficult!". Losing your 3DS also only loses one game, losing it with your digital downloads loses all of them.
Donkey Kong is worth £3.60. The Club Nintendo points are worth about £1.00 max assuming use for DSiWare. That's less than £5.00. I could easily sell the game for £20 one day once I'm finished playing it, and I dont use up space on my SD card for other eShop titles. So...I'd lose in every way.
I don't know what to do now. Pre-order the game and get a cool "gold" box t show off to mates, or get it on eshop and get a copy of Donkey Kong thrown in, which I do not already own and will no doubt be hooked on for hours on end. What to do, what to do....
I was planning on getting it digitally just to try it out. I don't want a free eShop game though because I have just about every incredible Mario based game in the eShop except for Wario Land and Super Mario Land 2.
I'm still not inclined to download games rather than buy physical copies. It all depends on the game for me. I would download Animal Crossing but I would buy Zelda or Mario. It also depends on the incentives as I already own Donkey Kong. Some games I might even end up buying twice!
I hope it will be something besides Donkey Kong, cuz I already have it on my 3DS. Either I'm downloading NSMB2 regardless'
Donkey Kong? Psssh... Give me EarthBound and I'll download all my games from the eShop from now on, lol.
After my wii got messed up I plan to DL any retail game that I want and that is available don't want another risk like that again
I always resell my games after I'm done with them, so I guess I am stuck with physical.
I like the gold case Mario Bros 2 comes in.
The only time I'd download a title,is when I can't find it.
Pretty sure there will be incentives in NA too
I need to touch or i die.
Pffff, I already have the (GB) DonkeyKong, and even if it was the the old NES, how would that convce me to buy?Not only that, NSMB games are known to be short and dull with no replay vaule.This game isn't worth downloading, its isn't worth buying,, its a good rential game at best.So nice try nintendo, better luck next time.
Not buying a direct download version of the game:
1) If you loose your 3DS you loose your game(your game is linked to your console).
2) If your 3DS dies completely Nintendo can't help you rescue your games.
3) Those online titles are not going to be available forever. After 1 of 2 generations you will not be able to download those titles again. I'm still able to play my first NES cartdrige.
4) There is no economic value on a direct download. You can't resell your games if for personal reasons you need money.
5) The only benefit on direct downloads is time and space. I don't think 3DS cartdriges can create that much of a space problem in your house and it takes me 3 seconds to change from one game to another one. Are really getting this lazy?
Not good. If people see no difference between an illegal game or purchased one, this will be the beginning of the end.As i speak for myself; I like to save some money, then go to a shop, or search online for the best price, and be happy as a child when my new game arrives.Boxes are nice to build up a well-earned collection...it's a psychical thing, i suppose?
I'm not too interested in Donkey Kong, but that seems like a decent enough incentive.
@CouchPotato Good to know I'm not the only one like that
Still retail for me. I love boxes too much.
That's a great idea! I'll stick to retail, though. The box art is great and something tells me that the game will take up a lot of room on my SD card (I need to upgrade it).
i like my sd card space and my box collection and I like having the little instruction booklets that come with them and having a physical copy incase something happens to my 3ds and etc. and etc.
there's too many good reasons to stick to retail
It's donkey kong ORIGINAL edition. Now you want it? I just want it in NA because we never got the original edition.
Meeeeh. Not nearly enough incentive for me. Plus I won't be buying into this whole.. digital download thing. Nothing like admiring my shelf of lovely game boxes.
They should let you pick a VC game, even if it's only out of three or five different games. If they do this same promotion in NA, I already own Donkey Kong, as I imagine plenty of others do, as well. I like the idea of download. I wouldn't mind a price advantage, too. Why not make it $10 cheaper from the start. They're already saving money from no physical product cost and a percentage of the sale isn't going to some random store.
Not Enough for me to get it. First of all, got Donkey Kong from Club Nintendo for free and then I like the Physical boxes with colorful artwork and folded manuals.
I'll stick to using Nintendo's download services for VC games and 'ware games. I like having the boxes and discs/cartridges so I'll never download retail games.
I was gonna download it anyway. But, cool, I guess.
Free games are nice, except that most people probably either don't want that game or already bought it. As someone else mentioned, the ability to choose from a few games would be a lot more appealing. A few extra Nintendo points also aren't all that enticing. These days I tend to only buy games when they go on sale or after a price drop, so I'm sticking to physical copies. (Although, I will admit that Nintendo's first party games only rarely get price drops/sales.)
Ok like a year ago people were complaining that Nintendos retail games arnt downloadable and they finally listen and you guys say you arnt going to.... MAKE UP YOUR MINDS, Reggie was totally right
Well for consoles I don't see the point of digital downloads if there is a physical copy. But for handheld I can see it being a benefit. I don't mind getting a Downloaded copy of a game I really want and would want to have it on the move without the cartage.
@LordOtakWiiU These fans are never satisfied! I'm personally goinging to download it because I'm going to be in Disney World when it comes out and I'm not going to play it until the plane trip.
The NA offer is just to get 50 extra coins, lol. I'll keep my $10 pre-order discount instead.
Digital is the future people come on! What´s wrong with you, if you like the cover of a game you can have it on your computer. Is to much space, unless you have a really big home. Also is a lot more comfortable to play a game that´s right there in your console instead of changing the disc or the cartridge.
CHOOSE DIGITAL !
Also most 3DS games have the manual in digital form as well, MK7 does
The less boxes in my house the better. After unpacking a month or two ago, I'm going to have to go digital. It's a freaking pain!
@TwilightPoint Agreed. Physical cartridge for me, as well. If the offer were better or if they offered a game I didn't have, I might bite, but I still want/need the physical cartridge!
@Sosa Yeah....seems nice that I would possibly lose the ability to get my games back if I lose my 3ds/it goes completely dead. They definitely aren't going to keep all of the games up forever. I kind of agree with emiru69 on this one. It would be one thing with newer consoles having decent VCs and all, but none so far have an entire collection for the systems they have on offer.
If Digital is the future of gaming, I'd rather stay back in this current age; have fun all who move on. It's just more fun to have physical copies + the safety of having your games always available(if you take care of them obviously).
It's not possible to loose your games and 3DS too right? They're give you your games back. I have ton of people get their missing/broken VC games back on the Wii as long as you have your account tied to Club Nintendo.
Its easier to have it on the 3DS than to have to take a case of games along with me when out & about since I play by what I feel like playing at the time. & a free game to come with it? Awesome! Hope they do this promotion for us in Australia, it's definitely something to consider.
It's DONKEY KONG ORIGINAL EDITION . The NES mod euros got with the red mario wii. Now do you want it?
@Sosa He hates these boxes! I agree though.
@rayquaza_master Actually, they include Donkey Kong: Arcade Edition. It was an edit of the NES version on Donkey Kong that included the pie factory stage. The game was included in European versions of the 25th anniversary Mario red Wii.
As long as they dont force us with exclusive features for downloaders, I think its a fair compensation if downloads will be priced the same as retail copies, still I prefer physical copies whenever avialable. I really like to take part in the NL facebook polls
The only way I would buy New Super Mario 2 digitally is if it were cheaper than the retail version by more than $10, or if they gave me a REALLY good reason to buy it from the eshop. A $4 Game Boy game and a few extra Club Nintendo points wouldn't be enough. I already have Platinum status this year (or I will once I finish the post play surveys) and I got Donkey Kong free from Club Nintendo when it was available anyway. They're gonna have to do better if they want my digital funds.
I like the Boxes and what not and I almost never trade in my 3DS games because I lose all my data -____- so digital would be nice but if I lose my 3DS ill be extra upset
What if one day I wanna sell the game or my 3DS stops working? What am I gonna do then? No digital downloads for me
Well I'm buying hard copies of things for the foreseeable future so I'm glad to see that the "bonus" is nothing I really care about. Donkey Kong is nothing special and extra nintendo points are nice but not that amazing of a bonus, plus that part sounds more like a one-time-thing just to get the ball rolling. Now if it was swag you could send away for that would be different. I'll take the physical swag with the hard copy of the game this time. Not to mention, downloads are system-locked so you can't share or trade them with friends, heck, you can't even trade them in one day if they suck. Can't see how a download is worth the same amount of money as the hard copy, but, at least they are trying to sorta balance things out.
Now if buying the hard copy let you also download a copy if you wanted, that would be totally great. No reason they shouldn't include a download code with the hard copy, well, except for greed! So I guess that won't be happening ;p
I am an avid student of philosophy and Nintendo asking me to 'Place all my eggs in one basket' (electronic download) does not sit well with me. How will you deal with a trade in of your handheld? Once traded you've lost. Much of that could have been resolved if N had a better transfer plan in place. You lose on trade, Unless you sell the original 3ds after trade/transfer. What if water gets spilled on it? It's all gone. Lost? It's ALL gone. Stolen? ALL gone. ANYTHING that violates your warantee? ITS ALL GONE. Murphys law states it's far too big a risk for MY wallet. I'll take mine in a sack to go thank you very much.
Nah. I don't really want Donkey Kong over wonderful boxes and paper manuals. Though I do say kudos to them for doing this.
that trick wouldnt work on me
To me, It's a strong matter of "Do you wanna get up and take a trip to Gamestop?" or lay in bed and begin downloading it.
I still choose physical over download, for many different reasons but the most important is that if you ever want to sell it you can. If you want to trade it, you can. You can also let a friend or family member borrow the physical game, not with the downloaded copy. And plus, if you ever lose memory or your 3DS gets bricked, say good bye to your downloaded retail games!
@chewytapeworm buy both. lend your physical copy to a friend when he/she come over and play co-op.
I'm going to download. Here's why:
I don't really sell/trade-in my games. Nintendo only maintains backwards compatibility for one generation. If I buy the physical copy of the game, I know I'd be able to play it on the 4DS, but I probably wouldn't want to for the nostalgia hit until the 5DS (or whatever).
Software emulation is generally possible for games 2 systems behind. Theoretically, I could be able to transfer the digital game indefinitely into the future. This is by no means confirmed - but I know for sure the physical copy will be useless once backwards compatibility for the 3DS dies.
With the Nintendo Network coming, hopefully getting my 3DS lost or stolen won't be an issue anymore. However, there are lots of reports of people getting their games back with a police report and everything registered to Club NIntendo, so I'm not worried.
@TheDreamingHawk - oh man, what a rip! I thought it was the game boy Donkey Kong since that's what they linked to in the article. NL you should correct the article since it is not the gameboy version but the Red Wii EUR version of Donkey Kong, definitely getting a retail NSMB2 if that's the offer in Australia!
I prefer to have a physical copy of the game, not something intangible....
Imagine losing that card, or the 3DS which has the downloaded game. You will need to buy another of those card to download it again.
@Token_Girl Hmm, you've made an excellent argument on reasons to download. I do like the idea of playing the download version on a future 5DS or whichever console. I do keep all my consoles and gameboys, but I rarely use them when a sparkling new gameboy/ds comes out, and I really don't play old games because I'm so consumed with the current generation games. I've been thinking about digging out New Super Mario Bros DS to play while I wait for the new one, but I'd rather explore new 3DS games and I'm too lazy to dig out my DS storage.
Well, I find retail downloads nice, for games like Tetris Axis for tetris anywhere, etc. I fully plan on buying games like SSB4 in Cartridge form
My only worry is that Digital Downloads will "cheapen" the game to me because I have quick access to it, whereas a physical copy has more weight to it. I have a lot of iPhone games that I never play, some I've bought and never synced to my phone, because they felt disposable. And I think 3DS digital downloads would be the same. I've bought a couple games from the eShop and I played for a few minutes and have no desire to replay. Whereas having a physical cartridge in my 3DS "demands" my attention because it has more VALUE to me.
Also, I'm super lazy when it comes to swapping out games. Once a game is locked and loaded into my 3DS, it's there until it has been 100% complete and I have a new game lined up to replace it.
There are certain throw-away games that I'd buy via download. If I had an itch for something new and quickly available. Typically the $5 "indies". But certainly never a major release like NSMB2. The box, instruction manual and even the "Nintendo instruction manual smell" are all part of the experience. LOL!
The only way to make it close to enticing would be to provide an eShop download voucher for like $10 off of anything. Specifying a free title is too limiting to your audience as many people may have already downloaded the title being offered. I do like the offer of double Nintendo Club points. That's a great idea. But not enough. Nintendo saves so much in overhead and logistics in not having to pay for packaging, transportation and margin at retail by offering download. $10 voucher is fair, I think.
So, offer double the Nintendo Club Points and $10 eShop digital voucher and I'll be happy to go sniff my Super Marioland 3D game manual instead
'Now if buying the hard copy let you also download a copy if you wanted, that would be totally great. No reason they shouldn't include a download code with the hard copy, well, except for greed!'
So what if I download a copy and then sell the hard copy?
Retail is for me
Retail is the way for meh
I just like the idea of having it forever on my 3DS. I love stocking my system up with games that I always have. For example right now I'm at a hotel for a week and I didn't pack any cartridges because I knew I'd have plenty of downloaded games to last me a week or longer!
@ryanthehedgehog "And plus, if you ever lose memory or your 3DS gets bricked, say good bye to your downloaded retail games!"
Not really. My memory card was bangjacks and I just bought a new one and I downloaded everything again with no problem and if your 3ds breaking well you can just contact customer support and just ask them to transfer your games to the new system since your games are kept track on your Nintendo account.
Download for me for this game and probably most of the upcoming 3DS (and WiiU games), no matter how lengthy and good arguments the posters here make. First of all, I'm simply running out of room for physical game cases, and already have to cram them in different places, and downloads are gonna save me from that problem. Secondly, no more cartridge swapping needed, which sounds great to me. And also, I just like the idea of getting these games on download.
Definitely a win-win situation for me.
As a note, I've updated the article as it's actually Donkey Kong: Original Edition that Japanese buyers would get free, previously only available with a limited edition Wii console, for example. I think this was pointed out in some comments as well, so apologies for the error.
Oh Donkey Kong ORIGINAL EDITION! Meh, less levels than DK 94'.
Donkey Kong original edition i hope its the arcade version cause thats the original. I already got gameboy version.
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