The 3DS eShop just got a whole lot cooler. Nintendo has announced that, beginning this August, the online store will offer downloadable versions of retail games. First on the list… New Super Mario Bros. 2.
Like current 3DS eShop downloads, downloadable retail games must be stored on an SD card and will only be playable on the handheld they were purchased on. If you’re one of those people who are still uneasy about using a credit card on the Internet, brick-and-mortar retailers will also sell download codes for 3DS digital downloads. Best of all, retailers can set the price for a download code just as they can for a cartridge game, so we might see some big sales for downloadable 3DS games.
Nintendo also announced that “Onitore,” the game more popularly known as Brain Age: Devil Training, will receive a US release and that it too will be available sometime this year as both a retail release and a digital download.
Finally, Nintendo confirmed that the same retail/digital download deal will apply to Wii U games when the system launch’s this Fall. So shoppers will be able to download any Nintendi-publisher Wii U title at the same time the game is released in stores.
Hey! Nintendo can finally say they’ve one-upped Sony and Microsoft in the online arena for something!
