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Forums - Nintendo - My friend is close to convincing me to buy a 3DS but... I need help/info on Nintendo's account system.

Sensei on 12 April 2013

@ the_dengle: thanks again for the comments, very appreciated. I'll likely wait til October (Pokemon release date) to get the console, who knows by that time we have some news/improvements. Otherwise I will just avoid going digital and buy the physical games - by that time of the year, who knows there's some price drop, and I will find Fire Emblem Awakening in retail at a low price. Thanks.

@Bajablo: thanks, that's some useful info!



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cbarroso09 on 12 April 2013
Sensei said:

@ the_dengle: thanks again for the comments, very appreciated. I'll likely wait til October (Pokemon release date) to get the console, who knows by that time we have some news/improvements. Otherwise I will just avoid going digital and buy the physical games - by that time of the year, who knows there's some price drop, and I will find Fire Emblem Awakening in retail at a low price. Thanks.

@Bajablo: thanks, that's some useful info!


More likely is that you won't find Fire Emblem at all. This kind of games: Fire Emblem, Xenoblade Chronicles and many others are not found in retail at all after 1-2 years of release. I won't say that will happen for sure, but i won't like to see you forced to buy used game at double of the cost when released. Xenoblade Chronicles is right now at $180 used. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is at $100 new. So i suggest you, just to be sure, to buy Fire Emblem Awakening now. Nintendo games, especially the good ones, never drop on price.

I suggest you to buy the 3DS XL, you have the time to save $30 until pokemon x&y. It looks better and feels better. Waiting to buy the hardware is a good desicion, but pay attention to sales, because with the worldwide release of Pokemon, hardware and software could rse by that month and we could see shortages depending on the area yo live.

Have fun with your 3DS, get Monster Hunter 3Ultimate is you have a friend, that game local multiplayer rocks. You will put mre than 100 hours on that game.



BlkPaladin on 12 April 2013

The Nintendo network is meant to be a unified account based system. But they are taking it in baby steps. The 3DS was their first move away from friend codes, the Wii U moved to a bound account system, and I'm guessing once they introduce MiiVerse onto the 3DS, they will start moving away for the bound account system and make it unified. It almost as excruciating as watching someone slowly inch into cold water.



S.Peelman on 12 April 2013

I'm not exactly sure how, but all your stuff should be tied to an account or at least known at Nintendo's to be yours in some way...

My Club Nintendo account knows that I got digital software at least .



BuckStud on 12 April 2013
Lyrikalstylez said:

simple....don't buy digital games
Judging by the complaints I heard of digital games on the Wii transferring to Wii-U
I suggest you wouldn't!

To answer the OP's question, games are tied to a system. You CANNOT log into an account on another system to play the games you've purchased.

In response to this reply, I also agree that if a physical copy is available, you should buy that instead, however, I've had no problems at all transferring my DSi purchases(downloads) to my 3DS and then again from that 3DS to my 3DS XL. I also had no problems at all with my Wii downloads to my Wii U. The biggest problem I see is if your system was ever stolen...I don't think that there's a fix for that. If your system breaks, Nintendo is very helpful with repair/replacement and transferring your purchases to the new system.

I have heard that Nintendo is working on an account system that would be more like PSN & Live in that regard, just not sure if/when that might happen.

As for me, I always buy physical unless it's not available that way as if you ever wanted to sell/trade/let your friend barrow it, you can.



Stop hating and start playing.

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BlkPaladin on 15 April 2013
BuckStud said:
Lyrikalstylez said:

simple....don't buy digital games
Judging by the complaints I heard of digital games on the Wii transferring to Wii-U
I suggest you wouldn't!

To answer the OP's question, games are tied to a system. You CANNOT log into an account on another system to play the games you've purchased.

In response to this reply, I also agree that if a physical copy is available, you should buy that instead, however, I've had no problems at all transferring my DSi purchases(downloads) to my 3DS and then again from that 3DS to my 3DS XL. I also had no problems at all with my Wii downloads to my Wii U. The biggest problem I see is if your system was ever stolen...I don't think that there's a fix for that. If your system breaks, Nintendo is very helpful with repair/replacement and transferring your purchases to the new system.

I have heard that Nintendo is working on an account system that would be more like PSN & Live in that regard, just not sure if/when that might happen.

As for me, I always buy physical unless it's not available that way as if you ever wanted to sell/trade/let your friend barrow it, you can.

Actually they are currently tied to the system because the account is tied to the system. This will change once they untie the account, probally after they finished rolling out the other NN function onto the 3DS. There have been rumors that once that is done, the games you bought for the 3DS will be availble to use in some way for the Wii U (of course sans the 3D).

And the "problem" with used Wii U games having "free" games because of the orginal account being tied to that system.



nuckles87 on 15 April 2013

Nintendo has no account system. I have heard stories of people recovering the worth of their library if they had their Nintendo Club account linked, but that's hardly convenient.