It has taken a bit longer than usual, but Nintendo is now selling games directly from its website. Until today, the only way to get digital purchases was through the Nintendo eShop, which is not exactly the best solution for online shopping. The website also offers the option of buying a download code instead of directly linking it to a Nintendo account, allowing people the option to actually buy games for each other; a feature that other systems take for granted.
Nintendo has taken to listing the file size of the game in traditional megabytes, while the eShop for the 3DS still curiously makes reference to blocks. The difference is a matter of semantics, but it does require some translating when shifting between online stores.
Owned games are thankfully associated with a registered Nintendo account, although the Japanese game maker still insists on tying each account to a single console. Which for practical reasons means that owned games are also tied to that particular console. Switching or upgrading requires a call to the customer service helpline asking for the account to be transferred. Something that most users will find to be tedious and inefficient in the current gaming era.
It should be noted that not all games are available on the website. While all the titles are listed, it appears that Nintendo is content with simply linking to a third party retailer for games that it doesn’t sell. This is a step in the right direction for the company, but there is still a long way to go before it can catch up with the robust and intuitive online stores offered by other platforms.
