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Shall I go physical only with WiiU?

I have gone physical mostly. I won't end up with hundreds of games for the U as I have alternatives in terms of a pc and other consoles. The games I do own tend to be pretty special though, so it is nice to have a box. I regret that I got a digital copy of wind Waker with the mario kart 8 promotion, as it would be nice to have a physical copy of that game.
 
Stilton Disco said:
I've gone physical only if possible for 2 reasons: firstly, their archaic accounting system, and tying purchases to hardware, and secondly, the high price of digital software.
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Purchases are connected to the NNID. But the NNID can only be present on one hardware system at a time. If you get the NNID transferred to another system, you can redownload the titles on that system.

Based on what I've read, NoA seems to be more helpful with disabling/enabling NNIDs than NoE.
 
Hasney said:
Even with the premium you would have needed an external drive. 32GB is nothing.

Going mostly physical is fine, but finding copies of some of the back catalogue stuff can be a headache, especially in Europe.

Just grab the best deals you can and not worry about the format.
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An external is nice, but it is not exactly required for the premium yet.

I have a bunch of physical games and a some digital ones (Trine 2, The Runner and bunch of the .30 classic games) along with the Mario Kart 8 DLC and I still have ~12 GB free I believe.
 
Stereogatari said:
The seal for me leaning towards physical is Nintendo's lack of a proper account system. It just gives me the heebie jeebies in case an unforseen circumstance happens and I lose all my games.
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Pretty sure you can redownload any games if they get corrupted or something.

I don't know why people let the fear stop them from buying digital when the chances of unforeseen circumstances will not happen to the majority of people. Even the threads I've seen pop up on GAF of such circumstances (such as deleting your main profile) are often chalked up to something the user had to go out of their way to do (ie. if you delete your profile, you have to agree to several pop up dialogs asking if you are sure you want to delete it and what will happen if you do as well as I think you have to reenter your password). Also if you are scared of someone stealing you console, you can provide Nintendo with a police report and they'll restore it for you (there might be other ways or circumstances where they'd be willing to help you, I can't remember for sure since I've stopped caring to check out most of those "horror story" threads at this point), but then again if someone steals your physical games, there is no getting those back.

Not that there can't be circumstances that might effect people that are due to games being tied to hardware and not an account (if you lose your console for instance, or sell it before transferring your games or calling Nintendo to transfer them), that can suck if you find yourself in that position, but for most people, I think the fears are exaggerated.

Speaking as a person with every console and handheld I own being all digital as of this generation (including a Wii U and 3DSXL with games transferred from a OG 3DS and DSi).
 
I went digital.

No boxes, forces me to be even more careful with purchases, DDP was great (and I think that's what will replace Club Nintendo), pre-load games, download games overnight and when I wake up it's there.

It's more convenient than physical, but if you like collecting things, then physical might make more sense.
 
Stereogatari said:
Fuck this is much more confusing than I anticipated haha.

Are USB powered SD cards/flash drives a definite no go then? I might just end up getting an enclosure and throwing a spare HDD into there, as there are no reasonably priced external HDDs anymore. I don't want to get a 250gb/500gb when I don't need that much space.
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Externals are nice, there are super slim ones for 2.5 that take USB power too. The one I have is just as small and sleek as almost any retail external.

Though there are reasonably priced external HDDs, just usually 3.5. I've bought a couple just because they were actually cheaper (on sale) than the bare drives had ever been. You do have to look for sales though. For some reason external drives have deeper sales than bare drives usually do--pent up stock I guess. But you're usually going to end up getting a WD Green if you go that route. Good enough for a Wii U just not a high performance PC drive.
 
I go physical for most retail console games because I like it, but I have Mario Kart 8 and Smash 4 installed for convenience.

I don't think you have to be afraid of going digital or anything, if your system fails you, you may have to contact customer service to get it restored, if you decide to get a new system you can do a system transfer, otherwise things can be easily deleted and re-downloaded etc. from the e-shop.

I use a WD Passport drive with y-cable btw. Works like a charm.
 
This:

Hasney said:
Even with the premium you would have needed an external drive. 32GB is nothing.
Click to expand...

As well as this:

jimi_dini said:
use an external harddrive with a Y USB cable. Works perfectly.
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Are all the answers you need.

I intentionally went with the Basic I was able to grab very cheap since 32GB (of which some space is already blocked) is barely enough anyway. A few Demos, a few DL only games and depending on the size maybe one downloadable full game is about all the "Premium" can take which is laughable.
I got myself an HDD with a Y-Cable which is pretty common and it works as it should. The only problem you'll get is with having enough free USB but only if you want to use the Gamecube adapter and the LAN adapter for example. The Wii U only has 4 USB ports and 2 will be blocked by your HDD. But even then it is possible to use self-powered USB hubs to get around this issue.
 
YianGaruga said:
This is the best advice. Going "physical/digital only" has always been a weird concept to me.
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I'm pretty much digital-only with my Wii U. Last gen I had 3 book shelfs full of just Wii, DS and 360 games. That doesn't include all the controllers, peripherals, special edition trinkets, and more.

This time around? I have 5 discs sitting in the corner and the rest is all sitting on a hard drive attached to the console. It's cleaner and neater.
 
Interceptor said:
Shhhh. (There is a proper account system and you won´t lose your games - but it´s a secret to everyone)
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Because it's a pain in the ass.

Normally I do whatever is cheaper on both the PC and all of my consoles, but with Nintendo I refuse to buy any game digital because their account system is garbage and I'm not going to jump through hoops to deal with it.
 
Rafterman said:
Because it's a pain in the ass.

Normally I do whatever is cheaper on both the PC and all of my consoles, but with Nintendo I refuse to buy any game digital because their account system is garbage and I'm not going to jump through hoops to deal with it.
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What hoops exactly? Have you been robbed? Or sold your 4th Wii U? The hoops are vastly exaggerated for a normal user.
 
Yes absolutely. Aside from lack of space without external drives no one should support their archaic digital distribution system.
 
Though some tips if you go digital:
-On the Data Management screen, press down, + and - at the same time to disable USB sleep mode. It is enabled by default, which many assume is causing some errors after updates 5.0 to some.

-Some are also reporting, in case you use a self-powered USB HDD, to plug them in the front ports, as apparently 5.0 started directing less energy to the back USB ports, causing some corrupt data and saves. Nothing official though.

-You won't lose your games in case your unit is stolen, lost or damaged. Granted, it requires a call to support and in some regions, it may vary by the representative you talk to, but a call and some verification should be enough. And in case you send it for repair, you can even get them to download your stuff to the new unit (if there's anything inside). Though if you have it on an USB HDD is just a matter or inserting it onto the repaired/replacement.
 
Get a Y-cable and a USB-powered external harddrive and you're good to go. The Wii U has plenty of USB ports and you can just use the back two exclusively for your 1TB or smaller drive.
 
PC - Digital
PS4 - Digital
XB1 - Digital
Wii U - Physical

I wish I went digital with the Wii U. I realized I wanted to make the jump to all digital a few months before the XB1 and PS4 launch. With the Deluxe and Club Nintendo programs ending, it's only a matter of time before the Nintendo ID account system is set up the way people want it.

Buying VC games shouldn't be a worry either. I'm fairly sure that those will all carry over to the Nintendo 7.
 
I've saved over $150 with the DPP.

I've saved over $160 from the Best Buy 20% off eShop cards deals they've had a couple times in each of the last 2 years.

That's not including the deals on retail as well as indie games I've gotten. I've got games like MH3U and Resident Evil: Revelations for over half off (Capcom may not have much on Nintendo platforms but they love their deals). Just picked up Teslagrad on the Wii U from a 60% off indie sale they are having on the eShop. There are many more deals than people would have you believe. Maybe not on par with Steam or as frequently as retail or even as numerous as other consoles, but they exist, sometimes even for 1st party games (their character sale before Smash released had lots of good deals on retail as well as VC games).

Wasn't going to point it out before but there is an awful lot of FUD in this thread.
 
Physical seems to have had better deals then the digital side for just about everything it seems. But as was said let the deals guide you more than anything else.
 
fernoca said:
Though some tips if you go digital:
-On the Data Management screen, press down, + and - at the same time to disable USB sleep mode. It is enabled by default, which many assume is causing some errors after updates 5.0 to some.

-Some are also reporting, in case you use a self-powered USB HDD, to plug them in the front ports, as appsrently 5.0 started directing less energy to the back USB pots, causing some corrupt data and saves. Nothing official though.

-You won't lose your games in case your unit is stolen, lost or damaged. Granted, it requires a call to support and in some regions, it may vary by the representative you talk to, but a call and some verification should be enough. And in case you send it for repair, you can even get them to download your stuff to the new unit (if there's anything inside). Though if you have it on an USB HDD is just a matter or inserting it onto the repaired/replacement.
Click to expand...
Never have had any problems with plugging into the back USB ports for me since launch. I use a Y cable though and I've read lots of people were having problems with USB powered HDD from day one if they were only trying to draw power out of one port.
 
They do have an account system. Everything you buy is tied to your account. If you ever switch your NNID to another Wii U, you just have to unlink it (not delete it) from the original and call Nintendo to link it to your new one. All of your licenses and eShop funds will be there once the switch is complete.
 
I do.

Their first party titles hold value extremely well going back generations. With digital eshop titles available, they'll print less physical versions.

I also dont really trust their account system to buy $60 games. You dont have to call support for access to your stuff with anyone else. I'll wait to see how their account system turns out on their next consoles.
 
Digital on the Wii U is more streamlined than the PS3.

There is a small chance that I'll go mad and delete my NNID, that's the only way I could lose all my games I think.
 
Just go physical with everything. The 32GB is plenty for saves, updates, and eShop games. Don't bother with external storage, it's just another 50+ bucks you don't need to spend, not to mention more wires and margin for error. I am an obsessive digital purchaser with everything (tiny apartment), but when it comes to Nintendo there are two things to keep in mind:

A) No easy account system - you have to call and send in your console if it breaks and you want to transfer stuff to a new one.

B) HUGE resale value of games - used Nintendo games are like AT MOST $5 less than new ones, almost forever. So if you don't plan on keeping the games, you can basically play them for just a couple bucks.
 
Projectjustice said:
No installations on the system, buying physical is just better.
Click to expand...

Pre-load some games prior to release.

Don't have to drive to the store and can have game exactly at midnight EST in the US the day it releases.

Quick start menu you can quickly jump into any game you've recently played without having to change discs or even turning on the TV.


The benefits have greatly outweighed the downsides for me. There is no way I'm going back.
 
Interceptor said:
What hoops exactly? Have you been robbed? Or sold your 4th Wii U? The hoops are vastly exaggerated for a normal user.
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They flat out won't transfer my old 3DS content. I don't know what the serial number was, and I won't file a police report for a device that I have sold (not lost or had stolen), so I'm screwed. They can see the digital titles I own through my Club Nintendo account (which is linked to my NNID), but they won't let me have them back.

So, that's a pretty big hoop. I'm hoping by the time I buy another Wii U, things will have changed (as my original 3DS content predated the NNID stuff).
 
SmokyDave said:
They flat out won't transfer my old 3DS content. I don't know what the serial number was, and I won't file a police report for a device that I have sold (not lost or had stolen), so I'm screwed. They can see the digital titles I own through my Club Nintendo account (which is linked to my NNID), but they won't let me have them back.

So, that's a pretty big hoop. I'm hoping by the time I buy another Wii U, things will have changed (as my original 3DS content predated the NNID stuff).
Click to expand...

But you could have transferred it prior to selling it, could you have not?

It's definitely unfortunate since it seems some people under the assumption they can just sign into another system and get their games might sell their console without transferring it, but if you make sure your games are secure before you sell it to someone, it shouldn't be a problem.

I hope you at least got some extra money for all the games preloaded on that 3DS.
 
Physical.

- I like to collect

- Tons of buy 2 get 1 free deals from retailers

- Nintendo's Account system is behind

The only reason I have a Steam library of 400+ games is because of the deals. We don't see that with the console manufacturers. Yet.
 
Cuburt said:
Pre-load some games prior to release.

Don't have to drive to the store and can have game exactly at midnight EST in the US the day it releases.

Quick start menu you can quickly jump into any game you've recently played without having to change discs or even turning on the TV.


The benefits have greatly outweighed the downsides for me. There is no way I'm going back.
Click to expand...

I sold a old Saturn game for $200 bucks on amazon.

I win.
 
I've gone all digital.

To me, being able to lay in bed and have access to my entire collection of Wii U games is worth the downsides of going all digital. Play Mario Kart, feel like playing Mario 3d World? just press some buttons without getting up and disturbing my wife.

I recognize that there are downsides to going all digital, but so far I've done it on the Wii U and the Bone, and I really don't regret it. The convenience is worth paying a bit extra.
 
Stereogatari said:
Fuck this is much more confusing than I anticipated haha.

Are USB powered SD cards/flash drives a definite no go then? I might just end up getting an enclosure and throwing a spare HDD into there, as there are no reasonably priced external HDDs anymore. I don't want to get a 250gb/500gb when I don't need that much space.
Click to expand...

If it's a quality SD card, sure. However, they tend to cost a lot more per GB than regular hard drives. I think Nintendo generally doesn't recommend such flash devices because of all the slow, horrible crap you can get for cheap. I'd definitely recommend doing like you suggested: buying an inexpensive enclosure, preferably DC-powered, and throwing whatever spare drive you have in there.
 
Interceptor said:
What hoops exactly? Have you been robbed? Or sold your 4th Wii U? The hoops are vastly exaggerated for a normal user.
Click to expand...

Anything past logging in with my account and all of my stuff just being there is "hoops". When I sold my old Wii U I formatted the system and didn't realize I couldn't use that account on this new Wii U. I had to call support to get it fixed. If I go to a friends house I can't log into my account on their system, and vice versa. Their account system is stupid as hell.
 
Being only physical is the best way to not be disappointed the day where something bad happens, or when you resell your console.

I go digital only when I don't have the choice, and only with two consoles (3DS and Vita).
 
I'll tell you my advice:
- if you want to keep the Wii U games and don't care for reselling, powered external HDD or external HDD with Y USB cable is the way. I am using an 1TB Seagate and I think I will never ever need a bigger one. Plus, the game disc changing is a pain in the ass.
- if you want to sell your games after completion don't hesitate to buy game discs. They are very nice to look at too.

I see the SD card option as the worst solution. That's for photo devices and shit, not for gaming...
 
Ugh people are still defending Nintendo's shitty account management.

It's better than it was two years ago, but it's still garbage.

I'm 100% digital on 3DS for convenience's sake (don't want to carry physical media for a portable console), but I still hate their broken system.
 
Cuburt said:
Pre-load some games prior to release.

Don't have to drive to the store and can have game exactly at midnight EST in the US the day it releases.

Quick start menu you can quickly jump into any game you've recently played without having to change discs or even turning on the TV.


The benefits have greatly outweighed the downsides for me. There is no way I'm going back.
Click to expand...

I'm currently 100% digital with the xbox one. Digital is convenient and Bing rewards is great for stocking up on MS points. I also trust MS's account system after all my 360 RRoD's and having no issues with migrating all my content over to new consoles or even at a friends house.

I'll wait for nintendo to get with the times.
 
OP, make sure that you get an HDD for your Wii U as soon as you can.

By all means go physical for the big games that you've been anticipating BUT YOU'LL NEED AN HDD FOR THESES TWO REASONS.

1) Indie games, eShop exclusives and Virtual Console, there's plenty of download only games on the eShop that you will end up needing an HDD for.

2) eShop discounts and sales of good games that weren't necessarily your priority at release. For example, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is now around £6.50 in the eShop right now. I'm a Dead or Alive player but at that price, I'll cop TTT2 as well (approx 18GB needed for it).
 
Interceptor said:
Shhhh. (There is a proper account system and you won´t lose your games - but it´s a secret to everyone)
Click to expand...

Sure if you live in the US, but then again when do most American's think of any other country than their own?

NOE does not make it easy at all to transfer Nintendo ID's. Plenty of countries don't even have official Nintendo support.

Until Nintendo's account system works the same as every other account system in the world then it's broken.
 
I've bought everything physical for the Wii U, but I don't mind going digital (for example, all of the VC stuff). I've also done that largely because of constraints. I traded in a bunch of last gen stuff for pretty good trade in prices at this local mom and pop video game shop around where I live. But they don't sell eShop cards, so I'm stuck with having to buy physical games for the Wii U.

I also want to keep my games for the future, as I've recently learned a lesson with trying to get into GameCube stuff: it's easy to find consoles, but very difficult to find software (at reasonable prices, anyway). Non-waggle GameCube Twilight Princess will set you back a pretty penny...
 
Always go physical only with Nintendo systems. Their account system is garbage and you risk losing your purchases otherwise.
 
Stereogatari said:
Fuck this is much more confusing than I anticipated haha.

Are USB powered SD cards/flash drives a definite no go then? I might just end up getting an enclosure and throwing a spare HDD into there, as there are no reasonably priced external HDDs anymore. I don't want to get a 250gb/500gb when I don't need that much space.
Click to expand...

Let me help. Nintendo has the worlds worst digital account policy of any major company. Not worse by a little. Worse by miles and miles. Until they address that properly, physical should be the only way you buy their games.
 
I've gone for both. Mainly physical for 1st Party but I've managed to fill my 32Gb with Wonderful 101 (my MK8 freebie) + a bunch of eshop and VC titles.

So I've just bought a Samsung M3 500Gb + Y cable for like 40 quid and it works a treat so far.
 
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