Why Nintendo Games are Physical Games

I just played a Luigi’s mansion game for the first time this past weekend, I bought a physical copy not because of any stand I wanted to take or because its cheaper than digital, but because I want this game, much like every Nintendo first party game to be accessible decades from now.

Whether Nintendo want it or not(and they very much do), many of us are attached to the IP they have developed and built since the dawn of the company itself. My first game, much like many, was a Nintendo game. I might never have been interested in the medium of Video games were it not for the individuals and teams of people who created the stories and worlds that we are lucky to have now.

The essence of this brand and their collection of games are intertwined with physical media, going back to the way their consoles have been developed and designed. Their games are meant to be collected and shared, that is the identity and individuality that has taken decades to build and now more than ever sets them apart. Some of my favorite franchises were crafted well before I was even alive, its something many of us share and that doesn’t happen without physical media. For some, its come in the form of family handing down older generations of consoles + games, that's a tradition that many of us want to keep despite this generation of gaming’s best efforts. Some of my earliest memories are of swapping different Pokemon games with friends during lunch back in middle and elementary school.

If I’m being honest, I buy digital games, I am not a collector of every game I’m interested in, and I don’t intend on going back to every game I play. Yet, Choice is the most important part of the equation, its something that should always be preserved especially when it comes to first party Nintendo titles. These are experiences that I know I want to come back to and have done so multiple times throughout the Switch 1’s and now the Switch 2’s life. If anything, I regret not keeping my DS and Wii, I want the option of coming back to Pokemon diamond, Mario odyssey, Animal crossing, Zelda, Mario kart, etc... If I’m lucky enough to have kids, I’d love to give them that same option of experiencing some of the best that gaming as a medium has to offer. If the cost of this means that buying physical is more expensive, so be it, physical, for me, when it comes to Nintendo is non-negotiable. Whether that means paying a premium, preserving these adventures and worlds should be a priority now and for future generations.

Nintendo have shown a willingness to erode aspects of what makes physical games so special through game key cards. Sony is more than happy to completely remove that option, but regardless of why you personally care, Nintendo needs to be reminded at every opportunity that physical media + Nintendo go hand in hand. That is the history of this company, this art form, and us as gamers and fans. May that continue to be the history and future for many, many years to come.