@Maple, I think you might have misunderstood me. Just as @topsekret said, if you hadn't already downloaded Octopath Traveler 0 to your system beforehand, you wouldn't have been able to play the game at all. This is the key difference. There are many circumstances where this matters, such as being somewhere without an internet connection, like on a plane, or years from now when Nintendo decides to shut down the servers or a publisher suddenly decides to remove the game the servers.
On PS5 and Xbox, the whole game is actually on the disc most of the time, so you don't really need to download anything from the internet in order to play. The game is simply installed from the disc to the system. While there are often patches today, most games don't actually need these patches in order to be playable from start to finish. This means they can be completed without an internet connection, even after the servers are shut down.
And this isn't about "who doesn't have internet today in 2026", this is about what happens when the servers are eventually turned off and your cartridge becomes nothing more than a piece of empty plastic that you can't play anymore.
When Sony or Microsoft shuts down their servers, you can still play your games. It won't be the patched version, but you can still complete the launch version of the game to the end.
If this is of no concern to you, then that's okay, but for me and many others, this is the main problem with GKC. This is why we won't buy them. I have bought 970 physical games that I can still play today. In recent years, I have had to do more research before buying, but I still try to only buy physical games that are actually on the medium and will be fully playable in the future.
My trust in Nintendo, Sony or Microsoft is not the greatest when it comes to server availability in the future.
@Maple A big percentage of PS4/PS5 and Xbox games work if you put them into a console without internet. Game Key Cards won't. For us collectors this is a problem when Nintendo eventually shut down the servers. It's about preservation. I still have my NES games from the 80s and they still work.
For reference, check out doesitplay.com 83% of PS5 games do NOT need a internet download to be played.
If it looks this close to the OG Switch, then I think they will have a similar problem that they had with Wii/Wii U. People (parents, grand parents etc) will think this is just the same machine, only slightly upgraded with a bigger screen.
I think going for something that works is okay (no need to reinvent the wheel), but it should be unique in the way it looks at least.
@Aneira No problem. I've tried to warn people about this version of Carcassonne on reddit, youtube, facebook, metacritic. As I've said, there are plenty more wrong with this version.
-No online play. At all. -The AI takes forever to "think" of a move to make. Everywhere from 5-15 seconds. -You can't move the camera at or anything at all while the AI "thinks". -Framerate issues. -I really need a top-down view as well as the isometric view. -You have to hold A to end the turn, except for when you put a piece down and you can't put on any people on the piece, because then it's just auto-end-turn. I liked how the Xbox 360 version did this, just press X to end turn, don't hold it, and never auto-end the turn. -The price point is extremely high. On Xbox 360 I paid 66 NOK (about 10 USD at the time?), and much less on iOS and android. The Steam version (that is made from the same company) is 72 NOK. The Switch version is 190 NOK. -The game feels so slow, the AI that uses so much time to "think", the framerate issues, holding A to end turn, the super slow camera... The Xbox 360 version was super snappy over 10 years ago, and in every way the superior version to play.
@Aneira There is no online in this version of Carcassonne sadly... I wish eShop had a refund policy... There are lots of other problems with the game as well imo. I've played hundreds of hours of both the board game and xbox 360 version, and they are both great. This is not.
Comments 7
Re: Review: The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Beyond The Horizon (Switch 2) - A Step Up From Daybreak II
@Maple, I think you might have misunderstood me. Just as @topsekret said, if you hadn't already downloaded Octopath Traveler 0 to your system beforehand, you wouldn't have been able to play the game at all. This is the key difference. There are many circumstances where this matters, such as being somewhere without an internet connection, like on a plane, or years from now when Nintendo decides to shut down the servers or a publisher suddenly decides to remove the game the servers.
On PS5 and Xbox, the whole game is actually on the disc most of the time, so you don't really need to download anything from the internet in order to play. The game is simply installed from the disc to the system. While there are often patches today, most games don't actually need these patches in order to be playable from start to finish. This means they can be completed without an internet connection, even after the servers are shut down.
And this isn't about "who doesn't have internet today in 2026", this is about what happens when the servers are eventually turned off and your cartridge becomes nothing more than a piece of empty plastic that you can't play anymore.
When Sony or Microsoft shuts down their servers, you can still play your games. It won't be the patched version, but you can still complete the launch version of the game to the end.
If this is of no concern to you, then that's okay, but for me and many others, this is the main problem with GKC. This is why we won't buy them. I have bought 970 physical games that I can still play today. In recent years, I have had to do more research before buying, but I still try to only buy physical games that are actually on the medium and will be fully playable in the future.
My trust in Nintendo, Sony or Microsoft is not the greatest when it comes to server availability in the future.
I hope this clarifies what I meant?
Re: Review: The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Beyond The Horizon (Switch 2) - A Step Up From Daybreak II
@Maple A big percentage of PS4/PS5 and Xbox games work if you put them into a console without internet. Game Key Cards won't. For us collectors this is a problem when Nintendo eventually shut down the servers. It's about preservation. I still have my NES games from the 80s and they still work.
For reference, check out doesitplay.com
83% of PS5 games do NOT need a internet download to be played.
Re: Donkey Kong Bananza Has Been Updated To Version 3.0.0, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
I just wish they would fix all the problems with Donkey Kong Country Returns HD on Switch version.
Re: Dbrand Seems To Have Shared Images Of Switch 2 Inside Its New Case
If it looks this close to the OG Switch, then I think they will have a similar problem that they had with Wii/Wii U. People (parents, grand parents etc) will think this is just the same machine, only slightly upgraded with a bigger screen.
I think going for something that works is okay (no need to reinvent the wheel), but it should be unique in the way it looks at least.
Re: Nintendo Updates Pikmin 4 To Version 1.0.1, Here's What's Included
My physical cart (PAL region) came with the 1.0.1 version. I didn't need to download anything.
Re: Nintendo Download: 6th December (Europe)
@Aneira
No problem. I've tried to warn people about this version of Carcassonne on reddit, youtube, facebook, metacritic. As I've said, there are plenty more wrong with this version.
-No online play. At all.
-The AI takes forever to "think" of a move to make. Everywhere from 5-15 seconds.
-You can't move the camera at or anything at all while the AI "thinks".
-Framerate issues.
-I really need a top-down view as well as the isometric view.
-You have to hold A to end the turn, except for when you put a piece down and you can't put on any people on the piece, because then it's just auto-end-turn. I liked how the Xbox 360 version did this, just press X to end turn, don't hold it, and never auto-end the turn.
-The price point is extremely high. On Xbox 360 I paid 66 NOK (about 10 USD at the time?), and much less on iOS and android. The Steam version (that is made from the same company) is 72 NOK. The Switch version is 190 NOK.
-The game feels so slow, the AI that uses so much time to "think", the framerate issues, holding A to end turn, the super slow camera... The Xbox 360 version was super snappy over 10 years ago, and in every way the superior version to play.
Re: Nintendo Download: 6th December (Europe)
@Aneira
There is no online in this version of Carcassonne sadly... I wish eShop had a refund policy... There are lots of other problems with the game as well imo. I've played hundreds of hours of both the board game and xbox 360 version, and they are both great. This is not.