Obtaining a complete NA physical switch collection will be difficult

[eightbit]

I am one of the few (or thousands) that aspire to someday own a complete USA collection of physical Switch games. I know it is a far stretch and probably will not happen for many years after the switch has become extinct (or never) but heck, it is fun to try and the thrill of the hunt is something I have always loved.

 

In any case, with my collection now over 100 physical games I am really getting the "feel" for what will be difficult titles to obtain down the road. Heck, a lot are difficult to obtain right now. But, I am noticing something this time around with collecting for this system that I did not notice before.

 

A LOT of physical games now have sort of hiddenly become exclusive to certain vendors. I have found games that can be only found on Amazon for example. Some others only found at Walmart. Some only found at Gamestop. And so on.

 

Forgive me if I am a "newb", but I have been out of the new game collecting arena for some years. I expected to find a game at release at multiple locations...but I am quickly finding that is not the case. Games like Slain, Runbow, The Coma and Flashback seem to be found nowhere else but Amazon to give an example.

 

This is going to make collecting all physical games difficult. If only offered by one vendor it will decrease the likelihood of finding that game in the wild, and increase the likelihood of jacked up prices for titles on ebay. At least those are my thoughts. Not sure how many others here are into physical collecting for the Switch, but if you are, what is your take?

Edited August 17, 2018 by eightbit

[AMenard]

Seems to be the case, not just for the switch. I declared an interest in strating to collect RPG for the PS4 and was told to watch a lot of "boutique" retailer and PlayAsia as some of the physical releases only pop up there. It's either spend time to see what is coming out and hinting them all over the place or pay the ebay tax...

[KeeperofLindblum]

Are you including Limited Run Games?

Cause if so, good luck with their releases. They're doing like 1-2 Switch games every couple of weeks...

[Punisher5.0]

Are you including Limited Run Games?

 

Cause if so, good luck with their releases. They're doing like 1-2 Switch games every couple of weeks...

Atleast they seem to all be preorders though.

 

To go for a complete US collection is nuts. This system is going to probably have 1,000 plus games.

[atarilovesyou]

Hmmm...kinda odd, but then again maybe there is some exclusivity to video game titles, who sells what. Usually they're more upfront with where to buy titles...doesn't seem to make much sense to not state exactly where you can find them.

 

That said, I don't know anyone who has gathered a complete collection for any system while it is still in major distribution...imagine how expensive that would have been for a system like PS2 or SNES! Not only that but resale down the road...buying at full retail guarantees an overall loss. But who gives a crap, lol...at least you can say it was you who bought and played these titles NEW, not many who can make that claim.

 

Good luck!

[glazball]

To me, a full NA Switch library is a pointless exercise since some games like LA Noire do not include the whole game on the cart. Kind of goes against the whole point of having physical media, doesn't it?

[Tanooki]

Exactly there's a physical library, but not a working physical complete library. It kind of lacks merit with a partial game on a card.

[eightbit]

To me, a full NA Switch library is a pointless exercise since some games like LA Noire do not include the whole game on the cart. Kind of goes against the whole point of having physical media, doesn't it?

 

This is a good point. I personally will never consider these "half games" games that are truly physical. I mean, yeah, there is a physical cart there...but if I have to download stuff just to make it WORK then it is a digital release in my mind.

[eightbit]

Are you including Limited Run Games?

 

Cause if so, good luck with their releases. They're doing like 1-2 Switch games every couple of weeks...

 

 

The LRG games are not bad. I have all ordered to date (up to #11 as of this post) as they are giving folks a whole lot of time to preorder. My physical collection has also branched out to certain exclusive Euro titles and of course SRG exclusives as I love them So, I suppose my physical collection is just going in all sorts of directions.

 

In the end it is great to see so MANY physical games released and it pretty much solidifies the fact that people still love tangible physical stuff. And there will be tons of stuff to collect in the future for this console which is great. It is just hard sometimes to keep up with what is getting released and where. When you really want XYZ game and find that only one retailer had it and they no longer carry it...that sucks. But I guess that is the name of the game.

[eightbit]

Hmmm...kinda odd, but then again maybe there is some exclusivity to video game titles, who sells what. Usually they're more upfront with where to buy titles...doesn't seem to make much sense to not state exactly where you can find them.

 

That said, I don't know anyone who has gathered a complete collection for any system while it is still in major distribution...imagine how expensive that would have been for a system like PS2 or SNES! Not only that but resale down the road...buying at full retail guarantees an overall loss. But who gives a crap, lol...at least you can say it was you who bought and played these titles NEW, not many who can make that claim.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Thanks But I realize my goal is a pipe dream....but who knows And you touch on a good point with the game publishers not telling people where to find them. Take Microids for example. They announced Flashback 20th Anniversary getting a physical on their twitter page and someone asked if it were going to be available anywhere other than Amazon and they did not respond. Nintendo's own site initially listed a multitude of locations for it in physical form, but closer to the release removed those locations and left Amazon only. At the end of the day...yeah...it is only available on Amazon.

 

As for purchasing at full retail...that rarely happens for me. I basically monitor sales, clearance stuff and so on. I preorder what I will want from Amazon at a 20% discount in most cases and I have (the now defunct) Best Buy gamers club which gives you 20% off any game (even sale and clearance!) which has literally saved me hundreds. And, I have that until 4/2020

 

I buy when I find good deals only when it comes to the retail stuff. I sometimes buy at full price only when it is a game that I perceive will be something very difficult to find down the road, and I keep up with all of the LRG and SRG stuff. It's not breaking the bank in the least....but my collection would grow a whole lot faster if I can get rid of some vices (like smoking).

Edited August 19, 2018 by eightbit

[KeeperofLindblum]

 

 

The LRG games are not bad. I have all ordered to date (up to #11 as of this post) as they are giving folks a whole lot of time to preorder. My physical collection has also branched out to certain exclusive Euro titles and of course SRG exclusives as I love them So, I suppose my physical collection is just going in all sorts of directions.

 

In the end it is great to see so MANY physical games released and it pretty much solidifies the fact that people still love tangible physical stuff. And there will be tons of stuff to collect in the future for this console which is great. It is just hard sometimes to keep up with what is getting released and where. When you really want XYZ game and find that only one retailer had it and they no longer carry it...that sucks. But I guess that is the name of the game.

 

I know they did the preorder ones now, but I thought they still had some of the "lot" releases on Fridays. I keep thinking that's the case with Switch, but I guess they're all PS4 and PSVita titles.... The small lot releases that is.

[eightbit]

 

I know they did the preorder ones now, but I thought they still had some of the "lot" releases on Fridays. I keep thinking that's the case with Switch, but I guess they're all PS4 and PSVita titles.... The small lot releases that is.

 

 

With the Switch releases they release two variations of the game. One is game only, and that is open pre-order for two weeks. The other is Collectors Edition (game with swag) and those typically sell out in a few minutes. They sell half at 10AM EST and the other half at 6PM EST.

 

I am generally only into game only (although I did buy one CE) and giving two weeks to place my order really takes the stress off. I get paid bi-weekly.

Edited August 20, 2018 by eightbit

[spacecadet]

 

This is a good point. I personally will never consider these "half games" games that are truly physical. I mean, yeah, there is a physical cart there...but if I have to download stuff just to make it WORK then it is a digital release in my mind.

 

I'd love it if someone would publish a list of which cartridge games are really self-contained physical games and which are digital games with a download code on a card. Then I'd know which ones I'd feel safe picking up a few years down the road. Hopefully someone does that someday.

[eightbit]

 

I'd love it if someone would publish a list of which cartridge games are really self-contained physical games and which are digital games with a download code on a card. Then I'd know which ones I'd feel safe picking up a few years down the road. Hopefully someone does that someday.

 

 

Right now you do not need that. Thankfully the switch titles that require an internet download make it quite evident on the box. And, there are very few of them (maybe four so far?). The rest are truly physical.

[spacecadet]

Right now you do not need that. Thankfully the switch titles that require an internet download make it quite evident on the box. And, there are very few of them (maybe four so far?). The rest are truly physical.

 

Guess I'm unlucky then - I seem to own two of those four (Zelda and Bayonetta 1&2)

[eightbit]

 

Guess I'm unlucky then - I seem to own two of those four (Zelda and Bayonetta 1&2)

 

 

Huh? Zelda does not require a download to function. The entire game is on the physical card. I think you may be confusing updates with internet required titles. Most physical games you buy will have an online downloadable update, but they are not required in order to play the game. They could patch something or add additional functionality, but again, the game will still work without them. Zelda has a downloadable update of course, but it is not needed. You can grab an offline switch and the Zelda cart and just play it 20 years from now if you want.

 

I don't count Bayonetta 2 as one of these either...because the game you are buying is "Bayonetta 2"...which is completely on the physical cart that is in the game box. Bayonetta 1 is considered a "bonus" and that is a digital code.

[Tanooki]

Umm NIntendo doesn't require or mandate that games have the big ugly white banner up top with the warning.

 

Capcom seems to enjoy being shady about hiding the fact. With MML1+2 it was there, and they caught all kinds of hell for it knowing they cheaped out as the games are small and easily could have fit on a 8GB space which is what a blu ray (which they did for the others with both games) cost.

 

But with Mega Man X Collection they removed it, and they put some small white print about XL2 being a download between mega man x's legs maybe hoping a few people won't notice so it's definitely not required. This may be a new tactic that'll get used to confuse people who look rapidly for the white banner of cheaping out and move on. Now it requires actually stopping and looking/reading for it somewhere on the box art.

[eightbit]

Even with the Megaman games the physical game cart inside of the box does not require a download. Granted, it only contains one half of the collection (which sucks of course) but it is a stand alone physical title that can work without any downloading. It is the second half of the collection that you need to download.

 

But the games with the white banner are physical titles that REQUIRE a download to work. That is a very different beast. And I do believe when they are released in this fashion (where the physical cart included needs a download to work) that they do need to use the white banner. I am not aware of a single physical title like this that does not have the banner. LA Noire, Wolfenstein, 2K18 are some.

 

Even Megaman Legacy Collection has it...but they didn't have to do that because just to be clear the game cart inside does not need a download...it is the first half of the collection (the NES titles). You only need a connection to download the second part of the collection. Yeah, Capcom makes some stupid moves anyway. They do this yet can fit all of the 30th Anniversary Street Fighter stuff on one cart...

Edited August 28, 2018 by eightbit

[Tanooki]

It's Capcom or (how I've unaffectionately since their Gamecube contract breaking days called them), Crapcom behaves naturally. They do stupid stuff to aggravate, annoy and troll the base system by system for years now, it just has to be expected to never trust them until you can hold it in your hand. I'm glad I had no interest in some of the stuff, but others pissed me off. Stuff like RE1+2 I wanted, MML because of 2 I did too, but they did that. I said I'd buy the stuff on Steam, and if I do decide I ever want them I will, but it will be one hell of a steep cut as a response. Odds are there will be more than enough non-re-released games anyway I could put money towards for my time so odds are they get nothing. Nothing personal but I can't support that stuff so if they do release a game I want, and it's intact, I'll get it.