Topic: New Super Mario Bros. 2, Wii U Launch Games Coming to eShop and Retail

[NWR_Neal]

The ability to download full games will be available at Wii U launch.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/29983

New Super Mario Bros. 2 won't just be coming to retail stores in August, it will also be coming to the eShop as a download. Additionally, the ability to download full games will be available at the launch of the Wii U. The news came out of Nintendo's end-of-the-year investors' meeting in Japan.

Part of the logic behind this move, according to Nintendo's Satoru Iwata, is that game life is getting shorter, and this offers a place for games to be available past their retail shelf life. Retail stores will also sell download codes, and as such, Iwata doesn't expect a big price disparity between retail and download.

Wii U will be out worldwide by the end of 2012, and according to the same report, price details won't be announced at E3 2012.

New Super Mario Bros. 2, revealed last week, is scheduled for an August release. We reported earlier today that it seemed like Nintendo would be offering full retail releases soon, and it looks like they are.

[UltraClayton]

This is great. The ability to download full games on my 3DS means less cards to carry around. That's one thing I like about iPhone games.

[TJ Spyke]

NSMB continued to sell for years after release, I have no doubt this one would to. Smart idea though.

[UncleBob]

Bonus: Downloaded copies can't be resold.  Should help the sales of this title.

If it has a Mario vs. Luigi mode that rocks as much as the original, I'll buy both versions, no questions asked.

Hell, if they released the Mario vs. Luigi mode from the original as an eShop download at $30, I'd buy it just so I could stop carrying my cart with me EVERYWHERE.

[joshnickerson]

Wow. Totally didn't see that coming. Still buying the retail copy though. Physical Media FOR LIFE!

[Halbred]

NINTENDO is embracing the Shiny Digital Future?

I'm...weeping with joy. Like the Vita, we'll see if this means wildly different prices for games.

[nickmitch]

Guess I'll be buying a bigger SD card sooner than later. At least I get to save time putting in those Club Nintendo codes.

[Kytim89]

I wonder if this digital library will include games released in the last six months, or last six years? It would be neat to be able to buy GTA IV, Dead Space 2 and the Mass Effect trilogy on launch day for the Wii U. I might even pick up Batman: Arkham City and Ninja Gaiden 3 as digital games, and maybe even Operation Racoon City if it appears on the store.

[NWR_insanolord]

The 8 GB SD card I've got in my 3DS feels more justified now.

[Karmacode]

The 8 GB SD card I've got in my 3DS feels more justified now.

I was thinking the same after I read this.

[KITT 10K]

If all of this is true everyone may wanna invest in a 32 GB SD card, (or higher), for their 3DS.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The 8 GB SD card I've got in my 3DS feels more justified now.

It will probably feel quite inadequate pretty soon.

[Kytim89]

I have an 8GB SD card in my DSi and I have used up about 4GB of it with just music. That does not include podcasts and games. It makes me shutter at how much space all these games will take up.

[NWR_insanolord]

The 8 GB SD card I've got in my 3DS feels more justified now.

It will probably feel quite inadequate pretty soon.

I hope so.

[leahsdad]

If all of this is true everyone may wanna invest in a 32 GB SD card, (or higher), for their 3DS.

Well, not higher.  The 3DS currently only supports a maximum of 32 gigs.   And if you calculate the size of each game as being anywhere between 2 and 4 gigs (let's just say 3 to split the difference) and assuming that you have absolutely no eshop games, VC, or videos, then you can only fit 10 games at any given time.

Hmm...not so shiny and rosy now, eh?

[Kytim89]

There actually SD cards that go above 32GBs and they are called "SDXC." They are relatively new and go from the minimum of 32GB to 1TB(terebyte). The best part is that the drive for these cards are backwards compatible with the older versions of SD cards. I would not be surprised if the Wii U and 3DS Lite are compatible with these newer SD cards.
 
http://www.lockergnome.com/hardware/2011/09/02/sd-card-secondary-hard-drive/
 
http://www.lexar.com/products/sdxc

[Oblivion]

I've heard from NeoGaf and GameFAQs that they do, in fact, work.

[Adrock]

Nintendo games, especially of the Mario variety, tend to have a really long shelf life.

I'll stick with the retail version but this is a good thing for people who want the download option.

[Kytim89]

People tend to steal Mario and Zelda games often, so it might be a good idea to have them stored out of sight on a console.

[Oblivion]

Who steals Mario and Zelda games? I just find that hard to believe.

[NWR_insanolord]

I will almost certainly be buying it this way. One of the big appeals of the PS Vita to me is the fact that every game is available digitally, and I'm glad Nintendo is also starting to offer the option, at least for some games.

Between this and the recent 3DS update, I'm pretty impressed by the growth Nintendo's showing in terms of online functionality. Granted, some of it should have been done a long time ago, but better late than never. I'm becoming more and more optimistic about what we're going to see with the Wii U.

[Kytim89]

A friend of mine had a girlfriend and her brother cleaned out his Mario and Zelda collection while he was gone.

[Oblivion]

Wow. That's...just about the lowest of the low. I could understand HD console games, but Nintendo? Have they no soul?

[Kytim89]

Wow. That's...just about the lowest of the low. I could understand HD console games, but Nintendo? Have they no soul? :

I had my DS Phat and all of its games along with about ten GBA games stolen from me once.

[Oblivion]

Jeez, people. The only Nintendo thing ever stolen from me was Pokemon Crystal version. My first video game.