Escapists! Do you use the Nintendo eShop?

[ResonanceSD]

I've been debating the Nintendo eShop with myself for a few days now, wondering whether to use it or not.

Pros: Games delivered over the air, whenever you want with no "out of stock"

Cons: Pay Full Retail Price for a data file with questionable permanency, can you re-download games if you lose an SD card?

So, do you guys use it for the 3DS or WiiU? If so, why, if not, why not?

 

[MajorTomServo]

I don't really, I like physical copies better. Not only does it look prettier on a shelf, but it's yours forever, and no one can take it away.

Unless someone breaks into your house and physically takes it away...

 

[ResonanceSD]

I use it, bought 3 Virtual Console titles (soon to be more) and Pokemon Dream Radar.

Virtual Console I can kind of understand, but I'm not sure if I'd get 3DS releases on the eShop.

 

[Auron]

Isn't that the virtual shop that's attached to the machine and not the account making it so if it breaks gets stolen or spontaneously combusts you lose it all? I'm all for digital media and delivery systems but if this information is correct I'd probably stay away from it.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

No I buy hard copies of games for handhelds I don't know why it just feels weird not to.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Isn't that the virtual shop that's attached to the machine and not the account making it so if it breaks gets stolen or spontaneously combusts you lose it all? I'm all for digital media and delivery systems but if this information is correct I'd probably stay away from it.

I think it's updated to the account now

Nope. I always go for physical copies. Might get the non-3D Cave Story off of there though.

I'm hearing good things about Cave Story.

 

[Scott Rothman]

I get tons of VirtualConsole games and other Wares. For full games I typically prefer a hard copy.

 

[SlaveNumber23]

I bought a few cheap games from it for my 3DS, Picross, Pullblox, Fallblox and A Link To The Past, I wouldn't buy any titles that I could get a physical copy of for several reasons:

1. The download service is fairly buggy and the download seems to restart itself every now and then.

2. The file sizes will be pretty large, which makes the problem above a lot worse.

3. The prices are significantly higher than buying a physical copy.

4. Not many titles are available for digital download (at least last time I checked.)

5. If I remember correctly, downloading a game disables your 3DS from performing other tasks while the process occurs.

6. Download speed is fairly slow as far as I can tell.

7. eShop is very poor at informing you on the status of your download (the size of your download in bytes, download speed etc.)

Basically the eShop on the 3DS at least is only really useful for smaller titles which you can't buy physical copies of. I would not recommend using the eShop for the 3DS unless it is impossible to get a physical copy of the game you want.

 

[Yopaz]

can you re-download games if you lose an SD card?

Yes, and if you get a new DS you can use the transfer program to transfer all purchased titles to the new 3DS and remove access from the previous one.

OT: I use it quite a bit. Not so much on the Wii U because I've got a slow internet connection so ordering it online is more likely to be quicker. I wish I was kidding.

On the 3DS I have New Super Mario Bros. 2, Professor Layton Mask of Miracles and Monster Hunter 3.
Added to that I got the ambassador club games (10 NES 10 GBA) some other NES games, some GameBoy Colour games and a few 3DS ware games. I am also going to buy Fire Emblem from there when I get the time to play it.

As far as I can see the biggest advantage of it is that when I am going somewhere I don't have to bring the entire game collection with me. I got one 32GB memory card that currently hold more than 30 games.

Isn't that the virtual shop that's attached to the machine and not the account making it so if it breaks gets stolen or spontaneously combusts you lose it all? I'm all for digital media and delivery systems but if this information is correct I'd probably stay away from it.

I'm not sure about the Wii U, but it used to be like that at least, hopefully that's fixed now. The 3DS doesn't have this though. It's strange how they seem to get worse at this rather than improve...

 

[Toilet]

Yeah I use it, most of my games for my 3DS are digital. I only get retail now days if there is a nice special edition, if I can get it significantly cheaper or if I want a used copy.

 

[sextus the crazy]

I'm only going to use it for DLC for Fire Emblem. Otherwise, I prefer hard copy.

 

[natster43]

Sometimes yeah. I bought Pokemon Dream Radar and some DLC for Fire Emblem Awakening. I'm gonna probably be some more DLC and maybe Animal Crossing on my 3DS.

 

[McMarbles]

I've bought Pushmo and Link's Awakening off the shop. No issues so far.

 

[Kotaro]

Oh yes, for games that I can't get physical copies of, anyway. I have bought a metric butt-ton of stuff off the eShop for my 3DS, and have been playing the crap out of HarmoKnight recently.

 

[TheLastTatlFan]

I suppose you're not counting Fire Emblem: Awakening's DLC or the Ambassador Program games?

I use it to download demos and not much else, because I can rarely be arsed to go out and buy a pre-paid card when I could just get a physical copy of the game.