List of Nintendo Switch game cartridges which do and do not require downloads

[JEDGAR1000]

I maintain a similar thread for PS4 games, so I thought I'd create one for switch games.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=316998

The reasoning remains the same, games that contain all content on a disc or cartridge will be able to still be played after Nintendo abandons the switch. Nintendo previously abandoned the Wii store in January of 2019, and when the same happens someday with modern consoles, many games will be left unplayable if not already installed. Additionally, people with slow or no internet access will prefer to have as minimal downloading required for games.

This list will include game cartridges that have everything on the cartridge, no downloads required (updates excluded), and ones that require updates to play part of the game.

Please suggest any you know as well.

Cartridges that do not require a download to play



Open spoiler to see details

[Show spoiler]
* Atari Flashback Classics - All 150 games are on the cartridge.

* Bayonetta Nonstop Climax Edition (Japanese Release) - Bayonetta is included on a cartridge, rather than a download code as is the case with the U.S. release.

* Bomber Crew: Complete Edition - Game + DLC on cartridge

* Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy - All 3 games installed on the cartridge

* Doom (2016) - Single player campaign on the cartridge, multiplayer has to be downloaded.

* Final Fantasy VII & Final Fantasy VIII Remastered Twin Pack (Import) - Both games installed on the cartridge, English compatible.

* Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster (Japanese Release) - Both games installed on the cartridge, unlike the American release. English compatible.

* Lego Harry Potter: Collection - Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4 + Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 + Spell Pack DLC on the cartridge.

* Metro Redux - Metro 2033 + Metro: Last Light + DLC on the cartridge.

* Sniper Elite 3: Ultimate Edition - Game + DLC on the cartridge

* The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition - Game + DLC on the cartridge

Also check out the following site for more release info

https://switchlegacy.wixsite.com/project/games-index

[JEDGAR1000]

Cartridges that require downloads



Open spoiler to see details.

[Show spoiler]
* Assassin's Creed III Remastered - Assassin's Creed III and Liberation are both on the cartridge, but the DLC must be downloaded via a free update in order to play.

* Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection - Assassin's Creed: Black Flag is included on the cartridge, Assassin's Creed: Rogue must be downloaded (8.3 GB download size).

* Bayonetta 2 - Bayonetta 2 is installed on the cartridge, but the bonus Bayonetta 1 is included as a download code.

* Bioshock: The Collection - Game will require a 31 GB download at launch, the opening acts of each of the three games is on the cartridge, but the latter levels & add-ons must be downloaded. No game in its entirety is available off the disc.

* Borderlands Legendary Collection - Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition is included partially on the cartridge, but requires a 6.6 GB download before it can be played. Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel must be downloaded from a code, 35 GB in size. So none of the three games can be played without updating.

* Dead Cells: Action Game of the Year Edition - Same base game launch cartridge, DLC content must be downloaded.

* Final Fantasy X|X-2 Remaster (U.S. Release) - Final Fantasy X is on the cartridge, Final Fantasy X-2 must be downloaded. Japanese release has both games on the cartridge and is English-compatible.

* L.A. Noire - Requires a Day one 14 GB download, only part of the game is accessible without it.

* Mega Man Legacy Collection - Mega Man Legacy Collection (Includes Mega Man 1-6) is included on the cartridge, Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 (Includes Mega Man 7-10) is included as a download code.

* Mega Man X Legacy Collection 1 + 2 - Mega Man X Legacy 1 (Includes Mega Man X1-X4) is included on the cartridge, Mega Man X Legacy 2 (Includes Mega Man X5-X8) is included as a download code.

* Mortal Kombat 11 - Requires a Day one 16.1 GB downloaded, without it only local multiplayer and AI battles are available. Additionally, most of the game's single player content with a few exceptions (Story mode without rewards, Classic Towers without rewards, and local multiplayer), requires a constant internet connection.

* NBA 2K18 - Requires a day one internet download before you can play the game.

* NBA 2K19 - Requires a day one internet download before you can play the game.

* Resident Evil Origins Collection - Resident Evil 0 is included on the cartridge, Resident Evil must be downloaded via a code.

* Resident Evil Triple Pack - Only Resident Evil 4 is included on the cartridge, Resident Evil 5 & 6 must be downloaded.

* Resident Evil Revelations Collection - Resident Evil Revelations is included on the cartridge, but Resident Evil Revelations 2 must be downloaded from a code.

* Spyro Reignited Trilogy - Spyro the Dragon is included on the cartridge, but Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! and Spyro: Year of the Dragon must be downloaded.

* Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - Requires a day one internet download to access the full game.

No Cartridge included, digital code only

[Scarface32]

Mega Man and Mega Man X also require a download.

[JEDGAR1000]

Originally Posted by Scarface32

Mega Man and Mega Man X also require a download.

Thank you, both have been added.

[Heapashifter]

Bayonetta 2 comes with Bayonetta 1 as a full game download. It does say it on the cover.

Wolfenstein 2 needs a download to play.

NBA 2K18 and NBA 2K19 both require downloads.

[neo_reloaded]

The Japanese collector's edition of Bayonetta 1+2 is the only version to have Bayonetta 1 on a physical cartridge. In that set, Bayonetta 1 is on a separate cartridge.

https://www.blu-ray.com/Bayonetta-No...Switch/894271/

I assume that makes it eligible for the first list, since it's in contrast to other Switch releases of the same game that are lacking that content on physical cartridge?

[neo_reloaded]

Also, there's a broader issue with Switch games and patches, but I'm not sure if this is the list for it, or if a separate list should be made. Surely if there were a 'Game of the Year' re-release of a game with new cover art and a new UPC/SKU that included all the patches on cartridge, that would qualify for this list, yes? However, with some Switch games, they are silently being reprinted with the latest patches on the cartridge all the time!

I've only confirmed this with first-party Nintendo games - I've yet to see a single third-party game do this, but I haven't thoroughly investigated that so I could be wrong. But first-party Nintendo games seem to be updated very regularly. I have in my possession a Super Mario Odyssey cart with the latest 1.3 update (released in April 2019) already on the cartridge, a Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild cart with the latest 1.6 update (also April 2019), and a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe cart with the latest 1.7.1 update (January 2019). I'm waiting on purchasing some other games to make sure that the flow of patches has stopped because I don't want to keep rebuying things. Smash Bros. definitely has more patches coming, for example.

The back of the actual Switch cartridges has a serial number that increments by 1 for each new revision. The cart revisions don't directly map to the game patch numbers; I think they just increment the cart revision number every time that sales have justified a new batch and there is a new latest version available at that point in time. This cart revision information and the correlated patch number could be maintained in a list if others were interested.

First-party 3DS game carts are also updated in this manner, though there are much fewer 3DS games with updates.

[SillyG]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

I've only confirmed this with first-party Nintendo games - I've yet to see a single third-party game do this

I don't think third-parties give a damn. Even Hasbro Game Night, which includes Monopoly (previously released separately) included version 1.0 on the cartridge even though the latest (and still current) version, being 1.4 had been available for about a year at the time that the compilation was released! The fact that it was a pretty lofty patch as well (over 1GB, from memory) added further insult to injury, but Ubisoft just sucks in general. The other two games (Trivial Pursuit Live and Risk) both had day one patches as well.

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

But first-party Nintendo games seem to be updated very regularly.

While I have heard anecdotally that this was the case, I hadn't actually been able to experience it myself as I usually buy first-party games at launch. I ended up buying from among the second or third print of Ring Fit Adventure which came with a more recent version on the cartridge (although it was already out-of-date by the time that I had popped it in my console).

It should be worth raising, though, that even if you do have a more recent version of the game on cartridge, if a patch is released after the fact, then you will need to download the bulk of ALL updates.

Here's a hypothetical...
Version 1.0

Version 2.0 (Requires 2GB download to upgrade from 1.0)

Version 3.0 (Requires 200MB download to upgrade from 2.0)

To upgrade from version 1.0 to 3.0, you will need to download 2.2GB of data, but even if you have a cartridge with Version 2.0 (which includes the 2GB update on it already), you will still need to download 2.2GB to upgrade to version 3.0, which defeats the purpose somewhat unless the software is absolutely complete and no longer being updated.

I would like to double-dip on first party games so that I can have cartridges with the latest versions on them, but Nintendo has a bad habit of coming out with patches LONG after release, as we have seen with Splatoon 2 and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. The fact that so many first-party games have paid DLC also somewhat negates the benefit of owning a more recent version of a game on cartridge.

[neo_reloaded]

Yeah, the paid DLC does irk me in this regard, but I'd still rather have the patched version on cart.

In terms of Nintendo doing late updates - yes, very possible. I'm being VERY conservative about when I rebuy so I don't get burned on this too much.

[darkness2918]

The Japanese release of the Phoenix Wright trilogy (Gyakuten Saiban 123 Naruhodo Selection) has all 3 games on the cart. Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection also has all the games on cart if im not mistaken.

[JEDGAR1000]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

Also, there's a broader issue with Switch games and patches, but I'm not sure if this is the list for it, or if a separate list should be made. Surely if there were a 'Game of the Year' re-release of a game with new cover art and a new UPC/SKU that included all the patches on cartridge, that would qualify for this list, yes? However, with some Switch games, they are silently being reprinted with the latest patches on the cartridge all the time!

I've only confirmed this with first-party Nintendo games - I've yet to see a single third-party game do this, but I haven't thoroughly investigated that so I could be wrong. But first-party Nintendo games seem to be updated very regularly. I have in my possession a Super Mario Odyssey cart with the latest 1.3 update (released in April 2019) already on the cartridge, a Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild cart with the latest 1.6 update (also April 2019), and a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe cart with the latest 1.7.1 update (January 2019). I'm waiting on purchasing some other games to make sure that the flow of patches has stopped because I don't want to keep rebuying things. Smash Bros. definitely has more patches coming, for example.

The back of the actual Switch cartridges has a serial number that increments by 1 for each new revision. The cart revisions don't directly map to the game patch numbers; I think they just increment the cart revision number every time that sales have justified a new batch and there is a new latest version available at that point in time. This cart revision information and the correlated patch number could be maintained in a list if others were interested.

I would count that, is there any distinction in cover art between the re-releases, or just serial numbers? Also, if possible, could you provide an example of the serial numbers for the updated versions (or older ones to avoid).

[BlueberryWaffles]

DOOM (2016) has the main game on the cartridge, but requires the multiplayer part to be downloaded.

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by JEDGAR1000

I would count that, is there any distinction in cover art between the re-releases, or just serial numbers? Also, if possible, could you provide an example of the serial numbers for the updated versions (or older ones to avoid).

There's a slight update on the back cover art. First-party Nintendo games have an additional barcode separate from the main UPC that seems to be a revision number of some kind - but even that seems different from the cart revision number on the back of the physical cart, so it's all a bit confusing. I will post some pictures and examples this week.

[jimidini]

Starlink - requires a 6-7 GB (now it's almost 10 GB) download (it's an update) to play despite cart

What would also be interesting to mention is if a so called physical release even has a cart included. Wolfenstein Youngblood for example doesn't even seem to have a cart included.

It's a mess :/ And I would have wanted Nintendo to not allow all this nonsense in the first place.

There are also multiple "physical" releases on Syberia 1+2. The original releases had a cart included with everything on it (these were also patched, but the patch is kinda small). The new releases are download codes and no cart.

Bioshock: The Collection - Game will require a 31 GB download at launch, the opening acts of each of the three games is on the cartridge, but the latter levels & add-ons must be downloaded

What is even the point of such a "physical" release?

[jimidini]

Here is a very long list, mentioning all sorts of releases and details per region:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...qF0/edit#gid=0

[darkness2918]

WWE 2K18 requires a 24gig download to play.