Hi, I'm the one who posted that Reddit thread and started making that list. Thanks for the mention; it's always cool when you're noticed positively. :) Anyway, I wanted to make some comments. Not long after I started making my list, I was approached by another person who shared the same passion in gathering this data, and we joined forces. He already had a Google Spreadsheet, so at first we sychronised our information. Some time later he suggested making a Facebook group to better coordinate our efforts, and that's when the group "Nintendo Switch Cartridge Revisions" was born. The spreadsheet has even more data, like region and download size (when there's a patch available), so it has become the main work, while my list is only a distillation of it, with the sole difference that I keep track of all revisions, not just the last one. In the video, you mention differences on the back of the case to identify revisions. Back when starting out, we also attempted to identify them using the case, but we had to realise that, unfortunately, there's no way to tell. The packaging is completely independent from the revision that it contains. Any barcode or serial number changes relate to design or text changes of the insert. As you noted, it's mostly Nintendo that makes revisions. Third-party revisions are uncommon, and most that do exist are later prints by different publishers. For example, Blazing Chrome was originally released by Limited Run Games, but years later Pix'n Love released revision 001 that was more up-to-date. You also mention releases with included DLC. While my list doesn't yet make this clear (but the spreadsheet does), sometimes there are also different 'builds' of the games. They're different releases of the same game, with their own versioning/revisions. The Japanese-only release of The Legend of Zelda: A Breath of the Wild with the DLC, and the Pokémon Sword/Shield releases that include the Expansion Pass, are examples of this. That's why their revision number is 000. Different builds don't only get created for content reasons, though. Sometimes they exist solely because a different publisher released the game. An example of that is Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia, first published by Limited Run Games, and later published by Numskull Games. How do you know if it's a different build? By the game ID. This is five-character identifier you can find on both sides of the cartridge. Thankfully, this one can also be seen the back of the box. Next to "Made in Japan", you can see a code. For The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it's "HAC P AAAAA USA". The "AAAAA" is the game ID. You'll see on the release with the DLC that it's AAAAG. Finally, a note about regions. Releases in Europe and North America have the same build and revision on the cartridge most of the time, even if they might not always have the same publisher. But that doesn't mean that every region gets every revision after the initial release. Revisions of popular games like Super Mario Galaxy and Pokémon Sword/Shield seem to be well distributed, but less popular games like Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition aren't always so lucky. Revision 003 of the latter doesn't seem to exist in Europe (only up to 002), while it's not that rare in North America.
One more thing to note about using the codes for identification, if a title changes publishers it can get an iterative letter increase using the same game ROM. There also could be a situation where a letter increase is created but never released and another is created. So going from A to C would be possible with no B existing.
Is there a database or list somewhere that indicates what the patches or new versions on carts did? For instance, I just looked up Blazing Chrome 1.0.4 on Pix'n Love cart but couldn't find what that patch provided.
Thank you so much for the in depth information! Being from Europe myself, I was very confused when looking at my game cases as I could not find similar numbers or codes as the ones showed on the Esrb versions… The design is totally different somehow. What would be the best way to recognize a revised cartridge on a PAL or USK version of a game?
@@Daniel-it1dp No, there isn't. Back when I could monitor Switch patches, I was in the process of making one, but that's on-hold now. It doesn't help that many patch notes just plain don't exist.
This is something I'd never considered, and as others have said, I don't believe anyone else is talking about this, on UA-cam at least. You just went and elevated the conversation around Switch collecting.
Was literally just thinking about this due to the issues Scarlet/Violet has been experiencing. If performance patches are ever released I definitely want a cart that includes them. Appreciate this video!
Nintendo released a statement yesterday acknowledging the performance issues with Scarlet/Violet & their plans for patch updates. So all the problems will hopefully be fixed & incorporated onto revised carts in the upcoming production runs.
@@royceburger7929 Extremely obvious and bad performance issues and graphical glitches at launch. Pretty much the only issue people had with the game(s)
I have over 200 physical switch games and I thought about this on day one. unfortunatly, when you are wheeling and dealing, you can't allways get the latest and greates. so to preserve the games, I have back ups of the micro sd cards with all the dlc and patches on them. i have two in fact and every 6 or 8 months, i revise them and go through all my games one by one, maeking sure i have all the updates. in the future, when they shut the shops down, i will have allready had the patches and dlc downloaded and ready. then it is just a matter of transfering the data to new micro sd's and so on and so forth. lots of work, but worth it. this video is very helpful as I will now be keeping a better eye out for full dlc included carts. Thanks!
@@wowgek7 as long as the update was on the sd, I have multiple switches. It works. Just need to keep up on the updates and sad cards. Also you can drag and drop onto a computer and preserve them there. Then load back onto a fresh sd card and into the switch.
@@ChuckRiosGuitar it wont though as soon as you put the sd card with the data in another switch the first thing you seel is an notificcation it neds to be formated. it was the same on the 3ds. you cna preserve them yes but as soon as your system dies its gone. many people found that out for example with their pokemon save data (you cnat put that up in the cloud)
This was my favorite thing about the 'Nintendo Selects' revisions in the past. Thanks for covering this topic, I actually didn't know that any Switch games were getting revisions.
These types of videos are very interesting to me. Hearing about the little nuances in game collecting is great. I hope you continue with other videos along this same vein.
I really like videos like this as well! Though they're heavily reliant on available source material (if you will). But I'll see if there's another similar topic that would be fun to unravel.
@@orbalology I’m sure that you have seen them, but there are switch spines if you are looking to make your collection unique visually also. I’ve been thinking about doing this with my switch collection.
I've considered printing out spines but I just worry that the alignments will look weird over time (especially if I can't get them to sit in the case perfectly straight 😅)
@@orbalology i think if each end of the binder strip had a little overhang and was bent around the actual cover art then it would hold steady. Just a thought though. I haven’t printed any myself yet.
i have been trying to seek out "complete" editions of games as a priority for collecting. since learning of the cartridge revisions from your previous video, i feel like this is something i will take into account going forward. i sought out some greatest hits versions of PS2 games over their black labels for this very reason.
Happened to me, unawarely i bought the Greatest Hits version of Silent Hill 2 when it was starting to become scarce, later found out that having Maria as a playable character was exclusive to this version.
I steer cleer of platinum / greatest hits version of games too, but for some games like Silent Hill 2 and Midnight Club LA, these are the only versions that are complete which sucks for a uniform looking shelf ;)
I don't 100% only collect physical copies, but a big portion of my Switch games are, so this is a lot of cool information that I didn't think about. Shout out to that Reddit post too that you found!
This is why I love this channel. The information is always good. I stumbled upon your channel last week and or so and have watched a few videos and each one that I’ve seen have rocked.
Another very interesting video Emily. I remember when Fangamer first released the physical version of Hollow Knight it came without the DLCs and then they released an edition that included all of them. The only way that you can tell the difference it was by looking one of the screenshots on the back of the case. It showed a different scene from the one that didn't have the DLCs.
Oh interesting! I know Fangamer also released an updated cart for Stardew Valley - I think they designated the change with a sticker though I'm not sure if they changed the back cover art as well.
That was a little different though, considering it was the plan from the start from what I remember, for all the dlc to be on the cartridge. Something went wrong and it was missing a huge update on first release, with one of the four dlc packs missing and you needed the big update to get it. After people really weren’t happy they then reprinted them and said people who’d bought the original cartridges could send theirs back in to get a replacement that was up to date. Sorry not trying to nitpick, just wanted to add context since that was more a failure on the intention to have it be complete from the start, rather than updating over time.
great tips. I haven't seen any fake switch carts yet, but its pretty prevalent in gba and gameboy collecting. so i can only imagine this information being helpful in more ways then one in the future!
Yeah I haven't seen fake 3DS or Switch carts yet. Maybe they'll start circulating at some point but for now it thankfully isn't something to worry about just yet.
I just found your channel today, and I just wanted to say thank you, binged you videos today and it got me through most of my work day lol. I can't wait to see more
One of the most useful videos I could find =D I'm not a collector, I only buy what I want to play but I'm really concerned about preservation. On PC I buy only digitally from Gog as it provides only DRM free games (and that allows to make as many working backup copies one likes), while on consoles, since backups are not an option, I buy physical copies. Alas, it's very hard to tell which games are updated and if they include DLCs, so thanks for the hints!
It’s nice when carts include patches and DLC! Reminds me of Animal Crossing New Leaf and how the Welcome Amiibo update was also released as a new game cart along with a digital update.
Yeah! I know a lot of people don't like to collect the Nintendo Selects or the PlayStation Greatest Hits but those are often the only way to get the updates on certain physical games.
Again with the information helpful videos! Yay! I love it and keep 'em coming! These are super unique too - you are becoming the go-to person for this stuff!!!
Altough I already knew this before watching the video. (Also know about the revision list on the internet) I really enjoyed this. I like the fact people are at least making other people aware of this. As a physical collector who owns all revised version of his games and the importance of preservation, and how digital is being forced on us, I find it baffling how few people are actually aware. I remember going to the store trying to find the revised version of Metroid dread, I asked the shopkeeper to look at the back of the cartridge of the used games they sold. They were flabbergasted. Thry did not know. Funny.. as when these servers for switch go down these revised copies will be worth a lot more. Just weird to think even shopkeepers don’t know about this.
I collect for PS1, PS2, PS4, PS5, N64, NES, SNES, Gamecube and the Switch. I really went full swing with the Switch and started collecting for it day one when the Switch launched in 2017. I have bought most of my games day one so I have the first edition of most games and the last time I counted, I have over 1,400 physical games for Switch..and that was this past February lol.
@@orbalology Thank you. Yeah I kinda just went fully in from the start so it was a bit easier to manage that way and didn't have to backtrack on releases or pay double, triple the price later on.
It is interesting, and now somewhat helps 'validate' my decision to wait for certain titles to go on sale a year or so after launch before I pick them up 😅
One super underrated feature of the switch is that you can download updates/patches by connecting with a switch that has them downloaded. Not only does this help people without access to internet, but it will also make preservation slightly easier as you can get updates after the servers go down by connecting with somebody locally who has the updates you want
You're right, not enough people mention this feature! It's something that has a lot of potential especially for retro game stores to help out their local community.
I came to the Switch late, so I ended up getting that Japanese reissue of Breath of the Wild with the Expansion Pass on the cart as my one and only copy of the game - one of the highlights of my collection to be sure. And just wonderful that it also has the English version of the game on the cart. However on the exact same day Nintendo also reissued Splatoon 2 with the Octo Expansion on the cart, but that release does not include English. So you have to remain vigilant 🧐
Been looking forward to this video Emily as this is a very interesting and even important topic moving forward! With what you said and just seeing games being made post pandemic as opposed to pre (though some games still released broken pre pandemic lol) moving forward it would be nice if publishers / developers moving forward (for re-prints) actually do this, specially for us physical collectors. I mainly collect for Playstation, be it the 4/5 physically and it's cool knowing Nintendo does this but i am not sure if Sony does this, regardless, stellar work as always Emily! :)
From what I've seen online I haven't seen revised discs release on the modern platforms (except when they repackage a game with the DLC, etc.). I think it may be more expensive to change the format on disc vs. cart during production perhaps? Though I'm not entirely certain.
Great content, glad to see more folks talk about this! As someone with 500+ physical switch games in their collection, this has only made me realize how lazy some companies can be especially when there is a day one patch or they add content like it’s a “bonus” when it should have been included at launch (looking at you Nintendo with your Switch Sports, Strikers, Tennis & Golf titles). For preservation sake it would be nice if Nintendo offered an upgrade program so you can have the final cartridge when all is done with updates as Japan did with BOTW (even though glitches are still present)… then again it’s nice having a V1 cart to access those glitches. 😅
Yeah it's become a weird environment to navigate for physical game collectors. It's interesting seeing the differences across the carts without updates, but the few game breaking bugs never should have been printed to begin with (as seen in a few of the indie titles sadly).
@@orbalology exactly! The Bite The Bullet situation was an odd one, you couldn’t even inflict damage on the 2nd boss, oh boy. Do you happen to have a list of broken physical games as well? I only know of three (Bite The Bullet, Evoland Legendary Edition [specifically Evoland 2] and now Gato Roboto).
@@nintendro64 I haven't come across a specific list for that but the spreadsheet that's linked in the video description indicates which titles contain game breaking bugs on the cart in the additional comments column.
a tip for anyone trying to future proof their collections is to go for DLC package editions of any game you get, this goes for PS4 games as well. Those will always be latest patch which usually has all major kinks ironed out. This also goes for the "game of the year" editions for PS4. Go for those instead of the day one ones. But hey it's pretty cool to have a first revision too and they rarely have any really serious issues (they were good enough to launch after all). Enjoy your games! :)
In a way I wish Nintendo did more repackages with the DLC and/or hits/favorites like you see with PlayStation and Xbox. They did some for previous consoles but we haven't seen it for the Switch. I guess they've decided to replace this practice with revised carts (but rarely with the DLC included).
I didn't know you also collect alot of action games. Very nice. Do you play horror games? I took a long break5,6 years after the playstation 4 ,trying to play all the left over games from older consoles/handhelds, read the mangas, watch the films, that are stacking up in my room. I don't really have the urge to buy anymore stuff , hoarding is never on my mind, but end up buying them,because I'm afraid the prices will go up in the future , just like it did with "Lost in the rain - Hong Kong version" on the ps3 a few years ago. I enjoyed Deadly Premonition on the ps3/xbox360 and was eager to play part 2 on the Switch but not ready to collect for the handheld. I don't even own a switch. Maybe I should grab the game for now, and go back when I'm ready in the future? I don't know :(
@3:18 so lucky. I definitely have experience with the Nintendo revision mismatches as well. I have all sorts in my collection, boxes that are first print with revised carts inside, cartridges marked as revision but have the first print of the game inside the cart, and vice versa. All sorts of mismatches. It even happens in games I personally purchased when I was a little kid, definitely from Nintendo that way. It's usually a match, more than 99% of the time but I figure Nintendo carried stuff from the end of one print right into the start of another. Sounds like they are still practicing this to this very day haha.
A curious example is the "Eternal collection" edition of Diablo 3. The Switch version is the only one which has all the relevant content on its physical edition, in the case of PS4 the discs are just "Reaper of souls" edition discs with different art and an automatic update download including the last character added, which is not included on the disc. On the other hand, the "Collector's edition" of Darkest dungeon is the opposite. The Switch physical edition comes with the "Ancestral edition" cartridge with an automatic download, and is the PS4 version which really has all the content on the disc. There are even cases in which the same edition on the same platform can differ. The "Game of the year" edition of Dead cells for Switch has, actually, two versions. In one of them the "Rise of the giant" dlc is included via downloadable update and in the other it is just included on the cartridge.
For BOTW they changed the cover colors slightly, I know because I bought another copy much later and after seeing them side to side then liked it better.
Nowadays I have to do research before I buy a physical copy since I’ve been burned before. For example, Doom Slayers Collection only comes with Doom 2016 on cart and the other games are digital codes. The $200 God of War Ragnarok Collector’s Edition only comes with a digital code for the game. This hurts the resale value and preservation of the game which is disappointing. You also brought up a good point on Pokémon Scarlet/Violet. I bought the double pack for collection but I wonder if I’m better off waiting for a patched cart that may help with performance/bugs. But you also wonder if first print games has more value or not. I don’t know. Game collecting gets so complicated sometimes
It's hard to say what will happen in the future but for me personally I would rather have a completely patched game that works vs. getting the original print version.
the only good thing about first print cartridges i can think of is that i can use glitches to cheat/duplicate items like in tears of the kingdom. i never updated my game so i can use glitches. i don’t know if totk has revised cartridges though
What a great topic and video !!! And yes I feel the worry about my games needing DLC, but when that support is gone will my carts be unplayable messes , revised carts are a MUST , LONG LIVE PHYSICAL MEDIA
@@orbalology please keep making any videos about this as it evolves, love to see them as the gaming industry forgets us more and more (physical lovers )
Darn, this is a bit frustrating given that this is just another factor to take into consideration when buying physical copies. It takes a lot of time to research what editions are the definitive releases. Oh well, I'm glad that i was made aware of this by you BEFORE starting my Switch collection!
Yup it's something I think is very worth discussing especially among those who collect. Hopefully this information will be more widely known soon. It's a bit too hush hush atm.
From my understanding the disc consoles don't change the game data during production but they do apply the changes when they go to reissue games in the PlayStation Hits or DLC repackage releases. I think it's because of cost (disc data changes are more difficult than cart data changes in the middle of production maybe?) but I'm not sure.
I put in 'mortal kombat 11' it was a broken unplayable mess. They didn't even fill the capacity of the cartridge. When nintendo chooses to cancel support for the switch, this game and thousands of others will become worthless plastic shelve ornaments.
Not necessarily. The Switch has little know function called 'match local system user' that let's you update your game using another person's update data. Now this is not perfect, as you need to find someone else who has the game and the update you want, but it is more then any other console has.
Good to know about Breath of the Wild - I still have my launch copy, but I might have to seek out a later revision that is patched. I really wish we'd get a full edition release that has the DLC content included on the cart, like that one Japanese release. Sadly, I suspect that will be a thing that will happen whenever the "Switch 2" happens, much like how we got Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the Captain Toad re-release, or the updates for NSMBU, Super Mario 3D World, and other games coming from Wii U to Switch with enhancements and other content. I'll still buy it, but I'd sure like to have it sooner.
I bought the Japanese complete version of BotW when it launched in Japan; I refused to wait xD I can confirm that it works in my European Switch and it has all patches and DLC already installed. It came in my language (Spanish) and in English, also in French, so I guess it has all languages. It also uses my save files so after a year having it I recommend you to buy one if you can. Don't wait for Nintendo because that Western launch may not happen.
After seeing the video about video game preservations, especially the physical media, do I regret buying games in day one where the number is “000”? For example I have Pokémon Scarlet that has “000” which is outdated base patch, now that they’re version is 1.2.0. I mainly play Pokémon especially for online competitive battles, and events too etc. I’m starting to think I should wait instead of buying it on day one?
If you want to play day 1 then buying the game right away makes sense. You can always sell & rebuy the game if you want to trade up for the most recent revised cart :)
On a personal level, I'm not doing much in the way of game preservation other than using my Analogue Pocket to make save states. I do support the video game history foundation though. I feel like they have the right tools to really make sure this stuff lasts.
For sure, I think that foundation is great too. But I guess I was thinking of more on a personal basis when it comes to collecting, and wanting to have a complete physical game in a collection vs. relying on other means to play.
I have some hope that unlike the Wii and DS is that Nintendo will keep the eShop as their main online store for the long-term (like Steam). I still seek physicals for lower storage, preservation, box art, etc!
Hopefully this also means the Switch’s successor will be on the same ARM architecture as the Switch and maintain backwards compatibility with legacy Switch software. If the new system (be it a direct Switch successor or otherwise) is largely incompatible with Switch software, we could see a repeat of the 3DS/WiiU eShop situation all over again as early as 2028.
@@TurboPikachu Agreed. I guess my hope with the Switch compared to the Wii and DS is that the system (and the position in which the next one will be in) is set in a different market where competitors like PS and XBox (and Steam/PC) are creating a consumer expectation of backwards compatibility or at least stable digital purchases that stay with the user. I'd say it's more desired and expected than ever and hopefully Nintendo realizes that.
I pre-order Tetris Effect for NS from Limited Run on July (the digital version was already out), it arrived at the end of November and it still required an update 😵💫
Great research 👍🏽👍🏽 Appreciate the resource you found and shared and your insights. Makes me rethink my Switch collecting or how I want to collect moving forward. I’m now in crisis jk 😅 haha Keep the vids coming.
I know this is an older video but these Revisions have been around since the NES. The first two Zelda games had Rev-A versions of the cart. The non-Rev A versions are still very playable without the patches. SNES and N64 followed suit with patch updates, making the Player's Choice versions the ones with the least amount of bugs but usually, the OG carts work just as well. Ocarina of Time for the N64 is a great example but the Gold Cartridge 1.0 version is still the most sought out one, even if its the buggiest version of the game. The Red Blood and the chanting in the Fire Temple makes it the better version in my book. Nintendo games with patches aren't necessarily mandatory to get, unless there's an extreme amount of bugs, which are rare outside Scarlet/Violet (not a Pokemon fan but shame on you, GameFreak) or has game breaking bugs to it that you need (Link's Awakening with Marin or Metroid Dread's final boss) or has an update that came out on cart. Although, those bugs can be avoided pretty easily. I'm currently looking for the 001 cart for Link's Awakening myself just to have. I usually don't have much issues with pre-patched versions of Nintendo games like Skyward Sword on Wii. There's a game breaking bug that soft locks your game but I haven't encountered it in my 5 run playthroughs (never got the update at the time because I didn't have the internet). Also, Speedrunners will most likely look for those 000 versions in the future, as they need the bugs to do their glitch runs. They are good to keep a hold of as well. Tears of the Kingdom fans would also prefer the 000 version because of the item glitch that got patched with an update, which to me will remain the best version. Also, every Special Editions of games are 000 versions of the cartridges. They will be sought after because its a Special Edition. Nintendo really needs to do a Nintendo Player's Choice/Selects versions for Switch games already. They will have the most updated version. I wouldn't mind double-dipping for Link's Awakening and Metroid Dread for the latest patch cart. Breath of the Wild too if it came with the DLCs on cart. However, in the meantime, I will be picking up that Japanese Breath of the Wild complete version since Doug Bowser sucks (Miss you Reggie) and refused to bring it to the states, and keep it sealed until I need to actually open the case, since I already have the DLC for the Switch version downloaded. Thank gosh the Switch is not Region-locked and it has English Subs and VA.
Hi Orbalology/Emily, apologies this is off topic but its a question that i need clarifying.. if i applied cologne on my hands and it dries off..do we still need to wash our hands before touching a switch cartridge? im asking because cologne is still oil based.
I had been thinking about this since I watched a video about Immortals Fenyx Rising from Switchup that talked about it being a lot better after patches and wanting those patches on cart. I might end up trying to upgrade to more patched cart versions of games I own. I worry a lot about the fate of my games after support for them ends. Most recently I've been thinking about what will happen with portable play when support for joycons ends and drift continues.
Oof yeah I haven't thought about future drift issues yet. I know some people have found some DIY hacks but I guess it may come down to buying some backup joycons in case something goes wrong :(
I havent played any video games since my ps2. I just got myself a PS4 on a whim, it was cheap, $100, I went to the game store and asked them for the best cheap used ps4 game and they handed me something that blew me away, Ghost of Tsushima. Im almost at a loss for words. Nintendo was always my favorite as a kid. I never got to play any Zelda games after A Link to the Past, im looking forward to either picking up a N64 or download the 2 Zelda games on there… unless there are better versions/releases of Ocarina of Time + Majora’s Mask I should play instead? Im pretty sure there was a handheld version of Ocarina?
Very interesting detail. New here very well done video. Never focused on it (not into revision strict collecting but I appreciate people that do go that far I just collect the version I can get ahold of the time, even live services just questioning the storing of the disk and on the console when they go down and if others back then up and patch them/have private servers later like old games with online services down and I assume also removing server side saving too not a fan of that) of or noticed that number among the serial and so on as I never know what all of them mean. But I would have assumed region or stock shipment wave or something but good to know it's likely revisions. The DLC Zelda one is annoying when they do that for few regions but then again Asian English releases are always great for outside Asia player to play in English no idea for other countries if Asian and other language released exist but of course English speaki audiences do want to play them more so I assume. Even then Spyro reignited revisions (PS4, Switch I forget if it was all or not on the card) are annoying to me I keep my original revision on my console do I don't have to re-download the lacking content that was annoying to me. Besides the many games with the banners and multiplayer/singleplayer/takes up too much of the system's internal storage too so SD card for sure. It's always one of those things where compared to the Wii (firmware updates on the games not with your console connected to the Internet as the only means which happened for me with Metroid Other M my console was not connected to the internet and it push my firmware up and I got a few other channels with it too so that was a surprise) or prior for lack of updates. You'd think revisions a lot more then now because updates are so common in games (even if yes people do have offline situations of course but better time on fixes having more time put into them then too many revisions, 6 is too many I think especially for how many they need to do in each revision wave). Many would go for that and re-releases at particular times because less reproducing games just for minor or major bugs unless they are sure (at least I theorise why waste the money doing that when more wisely at smarter re-release periods and how bad the bugs, graphics issues and so on are) so I'm surprised it's more a revision thing however often who knows and maybe as plentiful. More or less than the days before update via the internet like we do now then more a 1.0 to maybe a definitive edition or major update release like with ongoing games like No Man's Sky had on PS4 (a survival game with ongoing updates or live service) a revised box art and release to line up with a certain update. I get with something like Mario Kart the Inkling gesture sure I can see reason for and like Ocarina of Time the symbols on the cubes to push and the music as an old game example and I assume some for nausea or visual bugs or something but still I wonder with physical releases how many revisions they need or do when they could have less than 6 that's a bit too many I think than more thorough checks when fixing the game and pushing physical games out again. That's the closest example I can think of though for major revisions is ongoing games with common updates like live services or survival games even though they are multiplayer based most live services and require internet so only skins and such and chapter relevant content I can see reason for compared to survival games with singleplayer options but also having content updates however many times of the year/whenever they can. Of course besides the more offensive, graphical issues, gamebreaking bugs, distractions and more that games face and pushing them out for those offline or it just being whenever a customer picks it up then the definitive edition having all fixed besides DLC. But definitive editions don't exist as all bugs done editions only, just for games with DLC so revisions make sense but I think some box art/cartridge or other solutions/indications would make it clear besides revision numbers or make it a thing then content focus as the only games with Definitive editions but got to sell you on something I guess then what's fixed. XD Then again I know collectors focus on revisions with box issues like the Zelda BOTW controller icons for the Wii U version (US Box at least) or the Resident Evil 3DS misprinted spelling of the title on the spine (I assume also US boxes). Have had the Darksiders 2 PG eating instead of MA15 rating box art which is funny and so they put a sticker over the top (which many do here whether a different region import or otherwise they out a small rating sticker for my country even if EU disks I think have all ratings from EU/AU on them but the boxes don't of course) (like the GalGun Double Peace one I saw in a video once on US copies, I can't get the game physical in my region because retail restrictions so).
I don’t really get why we’ve all accepted Nintendo’s statement (for the 3ds/wiiu) “This is part of the natural lifecycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time.” It really is unacceptable. The switch is the first console you can go all digital on. So it’s not the normal lifecycle even with the 3ds/wiiu. Not to mention they are the retailer enjoying the retailer profits and not having to press and ship out as many games. Personally I think patches should be updatable forever, and we should accept nothing less as consumers.
Yeah it's disappointing that we can't expect maintenance & updates for games we purchase in the long term. I can't think of many companies that guarantee this actually in the digital age, there's always some expiration date.
Hi Orbalology or anyone who can answer, Just have a question regarding patches. Is it really necessary to wait for revised game cards? Don't patches/updates gets saved on your console anyway so even if Nintendo closes the website where you get patches from, you won't need to download them coz they're already saved on your console, provided you don't delete them?? Thanks
Excuse my ignorance I am still trying wrap my head around this and I’ve seen it brought up more and more online. I get the importance for one collecting a revised copy of a game but if you have a game already with no revisions but still patch while we have the eshop active and all that, won’t both copies of the game be the same then? (Both copies being the patched version you have and a revised version). Or am I wrong in understanding how patches work and no patch and dlc is actually on the cart and it only works in its most up to date state while having a connection to the eshop?
Right now with an active eshop there isn't any issues, unless you don't have internet access. But the problems come down the line in a few years if you ever want to play some of these games when the eshop is no longer running. If you didn't already download the patches or have your old system break you won't be able to access the patches/dlc (unless you're in the proximity of someone else's Switch console that has the patches you can tap into, but idk how effectively that works).
Rivisions are definitely a weird thing to me since games are mostly fine at least. I usually appreciate them but don't actively seek them out. I am definitely a lot more interested in copies that have the DLC on cart though. Things like Streets of Rage 4 and that Pokemon Sw/Sh w/ Expansions on cart are super cool. Download codes definitely shy me away from games even if I do enjoy what is on the cart like the Resident Evil/DMC collections.
Hi, I'm the one who posted that Reddit thread and started making that list. Thanks for the mention; it's always cool when you're noticed positively. :) Anyway, I wanted to make some comments.
Not long after I started making my list, I was approached by another person who shared the same passion in gathering this data, and we joined forces. He already had a Google Spreadsheet, so at first we sychronised our information. Some time later he suggested making a Facebook group to better coordinate our efforts, and that's when the group "Nintendo Switch Cartridge Revisions" was born.
The spreadsheet has even more data, like region and download size (when there's a patch available), so it has become the main work, while my list is only a distillation of it, with the sole difference that I keep track of all revisions, not just the last one.
In the video, you mention differences on the back of the case to identify revisions. Back when starting out, we also attempted to identify them using the case, but we had to realise that, unfortunately, there's no way to tell. The packaging is completely independent from the revision that it contains. Any barcode or serial number changes relate to design or text changes of the insert.
As you noted, it's mostly Nintendo that makes revisions. Third-party revisions are uncommon, and most that do exist are later prints by different publishers. For example, Blazing Chrome was originally released by Limited Run Games, but years later Pix'n Love released revision 001 that was more up-to-date.
You also mention releases with included DLC. While my list doesn't yet make this clear (but the spreadsheet does), sometimes there are also different 'builds' of the games. They're different releases of the same game, with their own versioning/revisions. The Japanese-only release of The Legend of Zelda: A Breath of the Wild with the DLC, and the Pokémon Sword/Shield releases that include the Expansion Pass, are examples of this. That's why their revision number is 000.
Different builds don't only get created for content reasons, though. Sometimes they exist solely because a different publisher released the game. An example of that is Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia, first published by Limited Run Games, and later published by Numskull Games.
How do you know if it's a different build? By the game ID. This is five-character identifier you can find on both sides of the cartridge. Thankfully, this one can also be seen the back of the box. Next to "Made in Japan", you can see a code. For The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it's "HAC P AAAAA USA". The "AAAAA" is the game ID. You'll see on the release with the DLC that it's AAAAG.
Finally, a note about regions. Releases in Europe and North America have the same build and revision on the cartridge most of the time, even if they might not always have the same publisher. But that doesn't mean that every region gets every revision after the initial release. Revisions of popular games like Super Mario Galaxy and Pokémon Sword/Shield seem to be well distributed, but less popular games like Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition aren't always so lucky. Revision 003 of the latter doesn't seem to exist in Europe (only up to 002), while it's not that rare in North America.
Hello! Thanks so much for reaching out and providing more information on the good work you've been doing! I went ahead and pinned your comment 😄
One more thing to note about using the codes for identification, if a title changes publishers it can get an iterative letter increase using the same game ROM. There also could be a situation where a letter increase is created but never released and another is created. So going from A to C would be possible with no B existing.
Is there a database or list somewhere that indicates what the patches or new versions on carts did? For instance, I just looked up Blazing Chrome 1.0.4 on Pix'n Love cart but couldn't find what that patch provided.
Thank you so much for the in depth information! Being from Europe myself, I was very confused when looking at my game cases as I could not find similar numbers or codes as the ones showed on the Esrb versions… The design is totally different somehow.
What would be the best way to recognize a revised cartridge on a PAL or USK version of a game?
@@Daniel-it1dp No, there isn't. Back when I could monitor Switch patches, I was in the process of making one, but that's on-hold now. It doesn't help that many patch notes just plain don't exist.
I’ve never seen anyone talk about this before. You earned yourself a subscriber
Thanks, I'm glad to hear you found this interesting too :)
This is something I'd never considered, and as others have said, I don't believe anyone else is talking about this, on UA-cam at least. You just went and elevated the conversation around Switch collecting.
Thanks! I hope this video can help spread awareness about this topic. It's one that I think is quite important.
Was literally just thinking about this due to the issues Scarlet/Violet has been experiencing. If performance patches are ever released I definitely want a cart that includes them. Appreciate this video!
Nintendo released a statement yesterday acknowledging the performance issues with Scarlet/Violet & their plans for patch updates. So all the problems will hopefully be fixed & incorporated onto revised carts in the upcoming production runs.
What was the issue of pokemon scarlet/violet? Im having issues with my octopath traveler 2 always crashing
@@royceburger7929 Extremely obvious and bad performance issues and graphical glitches at launch. Pretty much the only issue people had with the game(s)
Nothing is going to save the performance of those crappie games.
I have over 200 physical switch games and I thought about this on day one. unfortunatly, when you are wheeling and dealing, you can't allways get the latest and greates. so to preserve the games, I have back ups of the micro sd cards with all the dlc and patches on them. i have two in fact and every 6 or 8 months, i revise them and go through all my games one by one, maeking sure i have all the updates. in the future, when they shut the shops down, i will have allready had the patches and dlc downloaded and ready. then it is just a matter of transfering the data to new micro sd's and so on and so forth. lots of work, but worth it. this video is very helpful as I will now be keeping a better eye out for full dlc included carts. Thanks!
Glad to hear this was helpful 😊
that wont work though if your system dies all that date is useless
@@wowgek7 as long as the update was on the sd, I have multiple switches. It works. Just need to keep up on the updates and sad cards. Also you can drag and drop onto a computer and preserve them there. Then load back onto a fresh sd card and into the switch.
@@ChuckRiosGuitar it wont though as soon as you put the sd card with the data in another switch the first thing you seel is an notificcation it neds to be formated. it was the same on the 3ds.
you cna preserve them yes but as soon as your system dies its gone. many people found that out for example with their pokemon save data (you cnat put that up in the cloud)
This was my favorite thing about the 'Nintendo Selects' revisions in the past. Thanks for covering this topic, I actually didn't know that any Switch games were getting revisions.
My pleasure! :)
This is by far the most important info for us collectors. Thank you very much.
My pleasure! I'm glad you found the information valuable :)
These types of videos are very interesting to me. Hearing about the little nuances in game collecting is great. I hope you continue with other videos along this same vein.
I really like videos like this as well! Though they're heavily reliant on available source material (if you will). But I'll see if there's another similar topic that would be fun to unravel.
@@orbalology I’m sure that you have seen them, but there are switch spines if you are looking to make your collection unique visually also. I’ve been thinking about doing this with my switch collection.
ua-cam.com/video/VBsjyR3Nhrk/v-deo.html
Here’s a link on it.
I've considered printing out spines but I just worry that the alignments will look weird over time (especially if I can't get them to sit in the case perfectly straight 😅)
@@orbalology i think if each end of the binder strip had a little overhang and was bent around the actual cover art then it would hold steady. Just a thought though. I haven’t printed any myself yet.
i have been trying to seek out "complete" editions of games as a priority for collecting. since learning of the cartridge revisions from your previous video, i feel like this is something i will take into account going forward. i sought out some greatest hits versions of PS2 games over their black labels for this very reason.
Oh I didn't realize that about the PS2 greatest hits games, but makes sense.
I hated the red labels more than wanting the most current version of the game, loll
Happened to me, unawarely i bought the Greatest Hits version of Silent Hill 2 when it was starting to become scarce, later found out that having Maria as a playable character was exclusive to this version.
I steer cleer of platinum / greatest hits version of games too, but for some games like Silent Hill 2 and Midnight Club LA, these are the only versions that are complete which sucks for a uniform looking shelf ;)
I don't 100% only collect physical copies, but a big portion of my Switch games are, so this is a lot of cool information that I didn't think about. Shout out to that Reddit post too that you found!
The reddit OP is doing a lot of the heavy lifting on this topic - their list is an invaluable resource that I hope they keep maintaining!
Incredible coverage on a lesser-known but important detail with Switch games. Thank you so much!
I feel like I’ve probably said this before, but wow there’s a lot more to this than I ever would have thought. Thanks for doing the research!
My pleasure! I enjoy nerding out over things like this 😂
Wow absolutely amazing! I had no idea. Thank you for making this video. Time to rethink my collecting for preservation!!
I'm glad you found this topic interesting! Best of luck with your collection :)
Sometimes I regret what the UA-cam algorithm recommends to me. This is not one of those times. This was a great video.
Thanks for sharing about the game card revision. I didn't know that before. Great content.
My pleasure! :)
This is why I love this channel. The information is always good. I stumbled upon your channel last week and or so and have watched a few videos and each one that I’ve seen have rocked.
Thank you so much! I'm glad to hear you've been enjoying the videos so far :)
I’m not a collector but this was very interesting to know about!
I'm glad to hear you found it interesting even as a non-collector :)
Another very interesting video Emily.
I remember when Fangamer first released the physical version of Hollow Knight it came without the DLCs and then they released an edition that included all of them. The only way that you can tell the difference it was by looking one of the screenshots on the back of the case. It showed a different scene from the one that didn't have the DLCs.
Oh interesting! I know Fangamer also released an updated cart for Stardew Valley - I think they designated the change with a sticker though I'm not sure if they changed the back cover art as well.
That was a little different though, considering it was the plan from the start from what I remember, for all the dlc to be on the cartridge. Something went wrong and it was missing a huge update on first release, with one of the four dlc packs missing and you needed the big update to get it. After people really weren’t happy they then reprinted them and said people who’d bought the original cartridges could send theirs back in to get a replacement that was up to date.
Sorry not trying to nitpick, just wanted to add context since that was more a failure on the intention to have it be complete from the start, rather than updating over time.
great tips. I haven't seen any fake switch carts yet, but its pretty prevalent in gba and gameboy collecting. so i can only imagine this information being helpful in more ways then one in the future!
Yeah I haven't seen fake 3DS or Switch carts yet. Maybe they'll start circulating at some point but for now it thankfully isn't something to worry about just yet.
I just found your channel today, and I just wanted to say thank you, binged you videos today and it got me through most of my work day lol. I can't wait to see more
yes, valuable infos, thank you! my first time seeing orbalology
first impression I find you adorable in your nerdy caffeinated-seeming delivery
Thanks, haha. I actually don't drink caffeine so it's funny to hear you say this 😂
@@orbalology Oh, funny thing about impressions x) ...Maybe it's just the caffeine I drank speaking. Anyway I look forward to hearing more
btw, congrats for not drinking caffeine, most of us are hooked and it's really damn hard to quit imo
One of the most useful videos I could find =D
I'm not a collector, I only buy what I want to play but I'm really concerned about preservation.
On PC I buy only digitally from Gog as it provides only DRM free games (and that allows to make as many working backup copies one likes), while on consoles, since backups are not an option, I buy physical copies. Alas, it's very hard to tell which games are updated and if they include DLCs, so thanks for the hints!
It’s nice when carts include patches and DLC! Reminds me of Animal Crossing New Leaf and how the Welcome Amiibo update was also released as a new game cart along with a digital update.
Yeah! I know a lot of people don't like to collect the Nintendo Selects or the PlayStation Greatest Hits but those are often the only way to get the updates on certain physical games.
Love your video. There's few people that cares for revised cartridges, is nice to feel Im not the only one caring about this.
Really glad I found your channel the other week. Very relaxing and informative content. Keep it up!
Thank you! :)
Again with the information helpful videos! Yay! I love it and keep 'em coming! These are super unique too - you are becoming the go-to person for this stuff!!!
Thanks!! It's been fun to talk & nerd out over these types of topics on YT :)
Altough I already knew this before watching the video. (Also know about the revision list on the internet) I really enjoyed this. I like the fact people are at least making other people aware of this. As a physical collector who owns all revised version of his games and the importance of preservation, and how digital is being forced on us, I find it baffling how few people are actually aware. I remember going to the store trying to find the revised version of Metroid dread, I asked the shopkeeper to look at the back of the cartridge of the used games they sold. They were flabbergasted. Thry did not know. Funny.. as when these servers for switch go down these revised copies will be worth a lot more. Just weird to think even shopkeepers don’t know about this.
Awesome video! As a collector this is great to be aware of. Thank you algorithm for putting this in my suggested videos 👍
Thanks, I'm glad that more people are becoming aware of this :)
Thank you for providing an excellent resource! I had been looking for something like the revision list for a while.
My pleasure, I'm glad to see a lot of interest in their project!
These videos have been very helpful! Didn't know most of this, thanks for putting them together.
My pleasure! Glad to hear that you found this helpful 😄
I collect for PS1, PS2, PS4, PS5, N64, NES, SNES, Gamecube and the Switch. I really went full swing with the Switch and started collecting for it day one when the Switch launched in 2017. I have bought most of my games day one so I have the first edition of most games and the last time I counted, I have over 1,400 physical games for Switch..and that was this past February lol.
Oh wow, that's an impressive number!
@@orbalology Thank you. Yeah I kinda just went fully in from the start so it was a bit easier to manage that way and didn't have to backtrack on releases or pay double, triple the price later on.
i dont have that problem but its cool to know :) , cool video!
Ohhh I’ve never heard of this before, that’s really interesting and I’ll be sure to keep it in mind in the future
It is interesting, and now somewhat helps 'validate' my decision to wait for certain titles to go on sale a year or so after launch before I pick them up 😅
Just....wow!!
you just blow my mind
Thanks for the info, Em! You truly shine when you can flex those research muscles. Thanks for another great video!
My pleasure, haha :)
I freaking love your channel. You are so easy to listen to. Very informative content!
Thank you so much 😊
youre so awesome! just the video i was looking for. Thank you!
I started paying attention to this a few months ago. I love thr facebook group.
One super underrated feature of the switch is that you can download updates/patches by connecting with a switch that has them downloaded. Not only does this help people without access to internet, but it will also make preservation slightly easier as you can get updates after the servers go down by connecting with somebody locally who has the updates you want
You're right, not enough people mention this feature! It's something that has a lot of potential especially for retro game stores to help out their local community.
I came to the Switch late, so I ended up getting that Japanese reissue of Breath of the Wild with the Expansion Pass on the cart as my one and only copy of the game - one of the highlights of my collection to be sure. And just wonderful that it also has the English version of the game on the cart.
However on the exact same day Nintendo also reissued Splatoon 2 with the Octo Expansion on the cart, but that release does not include English. So you have to remain vigilant 🧐
Yeah I always have to double check PlayAsia's listing to make sure something has English on the cart or not before buying 😅
How does it not have engkish??
Glad someone is speaking on this. Subbed!
😊
Been looking forward to this video Emily as this is a very interesting and even important topic moving forward! With what you said and just seeing games being made post pandemic as opposed to pre (though some games still released broken pre pandemic lol) moving forward it would be nice if publishers / developers moving forward (for re-prints) actually do this, specially for us physical collectors.
I mainly collect for Playstation, be it the 4/5 physically and it's cool knowing Nintendo does this but i am not sure if Sony does this, regardless, stellar work as always Emily! :)
From what I've seen online I haven't seen revised discs release on the modern platforms (except when they repackage a game with the DLC, etc.). I think it may be more expensive to change the format on disc vs. cart during production perhaps? Though I'm not entirely certain.
@@orbalology That actually makes sense, specially at a high volume reprint i doubt they will "waste" money, production etc etc just to do it.
FINALLY! someone on youtube finally mentions the Gato Roboto Sh*tshow. Thank you.
It's good that they're apparently willing to replace the carts with the full game but we'll see how that goes down :/
Great video! Good info for a physical game collector
Thanks! :)
Great content, glad to see more folks talk about this!
As someone with 500+ physical switch games in their collection, this has only made me realize how lazy some companies can be especially when there is a day one patch or they add content like it’s a “bonus” when it should have been included at launch (looking at you Nintendo with your Switch Sports, Strikers, Tennis & Golf titles).
For preservation sake it would be nice if Nintendo offered an upgrade program so you can have the final cartridge when all is done with updates as Japan did with BOTW (even though glitches are still present)… then again it’s nice having a V1 cart to access those glitches. 😅
Yeah it's become a weird environment to navigate for physical game collectors. It's interesting seeing the differences across the carts without updates, but the few game breaking bugs never should have been printed to begin with (as seen in a few of the indie titles sadly).
@@orbalology exactly! The Bite The Bullet situation was an odd one, you couldn’t even inflict damage on the 2nd boss, oh boy. Do you happen to have a list of broken physical games as well? I only know of three (Bite The Bullet, Evoland Legendary Edition [specifically Evoland 2] and now Gato Roboto).
@@nintendro64 I haven't come across a specific list for that but the spreadsheet that's linked in the video description indicates which titles contain game breaking bugs on the cart in the additional comments column.
a tip for anyone trying to future proof their collections is to go for DLC package editions of any game you get, this goes for PS4 games as well. Those will always be latest patch which usually has all major kinks ironed out. This also goes for the "game of the year" editions for PS4. Go for those instead of the day one ones. But hey it's pretty cool to have a first revision too and they rarely have any really serious issues (they were good enough to launch after all).
Enjoy your games! :)
In a way I wish Nintendo did more repackages with the DLC and/or hits/favorites like you see with PlayStation and Xbox. They did some for previous consoles but we haven't seen it for the Switch. I guess they've decided to replace this practice with revised carts (but rarely with the DLC included).
I didn't know you also collect alot of action games. Very nice. Do you play horror games? I took a long break5,6 years after the playstation 4 ,trying to play all the left over games from older consoles/handhelds, read the mangas, watch the films, that are stacking up in my room. I don't really have the urge to buy anymore stuff , hoarding is never on my mind, but end up buying them,because I'm afraid the prices will go up in the future , just like it did with "Lost in the rain - Hong Kong version" on the ps3 a few years ago. I enjoyed Deadly Premonition on the ps3/xbox360 and was eager to play part 2 on the Switch but not ready to collect for the handheld. I don't even own a switch. Maybe I should grab the game for now, and go back when I'm ready in the future? I don't know :(
Nice! I was wondering about it since I bought Zelda BOTW like 4 months ago. And the version is 1.6! I was very surprised.
@3:18 so lucky.
I definitely have experience with the Nintendo revision mismatches as well. I have all sorts in my collection, boxes that are first print with revised carts inside, cartridges marked as revision but have the first print of the game inside the cart, and vice versa. All sorts of mismatches. It even happens in games I personally purchased when I was a little kid, definitely from Nintendo that way. It's usually a match, more than 99% of the time but I figure Nintendo carried stuff from the end of one print right into the start of another. Sounds like they are still practicing this to this very day haha.
Very sweet channel
Good To Know my friend collects Physical and I well play them so I guess I have a knew thing to talk to him about.
Oh I hope you're friend finds the topic interesting as well!
A curious example is the "Eternal collection" edition of Diablo 3. The Switch version is the only one which has all the relevant content on its physical edition, in the case of PS4 the discs are just "Reaper of souls" edition discs with different art and an automatic update download including the last character added, which is not included on the disc.
On the other hand, the "Collector's edition" of Darkest dungeon is the opposite. The Switch physical edition comes with the "Ancestral edition" cartridge with an automatic download, and is the PS4 version which really has all the content on the disc.
There are even cases in which the same edition on the same platform can differ. The "Game of the year" edition of Dead cells for Switch has, actually, two versions. In one of them the "Rise of the giant" dlc is included via downloadable update and in the other it is just included on the cartridge.
For BOTW they changed the cover colors slightly, I know because I bought another copy much later and after seeing them side to side then liked it better.
Informative as always, thank you!
My pleasure! 😊
I found this video really informative thank u
My pleasure! Glad to know you found this helpful :)
Very informative. Thanks 👍
Thanks! 😊
Great video - Thanks for sharing :)
I found this video through you - thanks Ryan !!
My pleasure! Thanks for watching :)
Nowadays I have to do research before I buy a physical copy since I’ve been burned before. For example, Doom Slayers Collection only comes with Doom 2016 on cart and the other games are digital codes. The $200 God of War Ragnarok Collector’s Edition only comes with a digital code for the game. This hurts the resale value and preservation of the game which is disappointing. You also brought up a good point on Pokémon Scarlet/Violet. I bought the double pack for collection but I wonder if I’m better off waiting for a patched cart that may help with performance/bugs. But you also wonder if first print games has more value or not. I don’t know. Game collecting gets so complicated sometimes
It's hard to say what will happen in the future but for me personally I would rather have a completely patched game that works vs. getting the original print version.
the only good thing about first print cartridges i can think of is that i can use glitches to cheat/duplicate items like in tears of the kingdom. i never updated my game so i can use glitches. i don’t know if totk has revised cartridges though
What a great topic and video !!! And yes I feel the worry about my games needing DLC, but when that support is gone will my carts be unplayable messes , revised carts are a MUST , LONG LIVE PHYSICAL MEDIA
Thanks! I really hope physical media is here to stay in the next console generations.
@@orbalology please keep making any videos about this as it evolves, love to see them as the gaming industry forgets us more and more (physical lovers )
Darn, this is a bit frustrating given that this is just another factor to take into consideration when buying physical copies. It takes a lot of time to research what editions are the definitive releases. Oh well, I'm glad that i was made aware of this by you BEFORE starting my Switch collection!
Yup it's something I think is very worth discussing especially among those who collect. Hopefully this information will be more widely known soon. It's a bit too hush hush atm.
You are doing the good work for physical collectors
I’m wondering if games from other consoles read the same
From my understanding the disc consoles don't change the game data during production but they do apply the changes when they go to reissue games in the PlayStation Hits or DLC repackage releases. I think it's because of cost (disc data changes are more difficult than cart data changes in the middle of production maybe?) but I'm not sure.
Great video as always!
Thank you!! 😊
I put in 'mortal kombat 11' it was a broken unplayable mess. They didn't even fill the capacity of the cartridge. When nintendo chooses to cancel support for the switch, this game and thousands of others will become worthless plastic shelve ornaments.
This is the sad state of affairs in gaming. However, this isnt exclusive to Nintendo unfortunately.
Yup it's the unfortunate direction the entire industry is heading towards it seems :(
Not necessarily. The Switch has little know function called 'match local system user' that let's you update your game using another person's update data. Now this is not perfect, as you need to find someone else who has the game and the update you want, but it is more then any other console has.
That's why I don't buy the games that isn't fully on the cartridge
@@redcrimson1028 Same here. I pay for it,i want to own it.
Super helpful. Thank you!
My pleasure! :)
Awesome video! 😃👍
I love ur content. This is great information. Also ur eyes are gorgeous.☺️
Damn i had no idea about this ☠️ this is why you’re the 🐐 thx for the information
Haha thanks 😂, and my pleasure!
Thanks for this!
My pleasure! :)
I appreciate the info keep up the good work
My pleasure, and will do :)
I really like these videos always was courious about this stuff
I'm glad to hear you find these things interesting too :)
I just ordered a revision 4 copy of Metroid Dread. It's supposed to have Dread Mode difficulty and Boss Rush mode on the cartridge.
Cool info, cool video! *goes off to check all the switch game carts* Wow, all the carts I have ends with zeroes.
Haha I guess you picked up a lot of your games close to launch (at least for the Nintendo titles)?
@@orbalology Correct! Or games that are not popular and I picked them up at a bargain.
Good to know about Breath of the Wild - I still have my launch copy, but I might have to seek out a later revision that is patched. I really wish we'd get a full edition release that has the DLC content included on the cart, like that one Japanese release. Sadly, I suspect that will be a thing that will happen whenever the "Switch 2" happens, much like how we got Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the Captain Toad re-release, or the updates for NSMBU, Super Mario 3D World, and other games coming from Wii U to Switch with enhancements and other content. I'll still buy it, but I'd sure like to have it sooner.
@@JB-mm5ff you're probably right about that. But it would be nice to have a patched copy as well.
I bought the Japanese complete version of BotW when it launched in Japan; I refused to wait xD I can confirm that it works in my European Switch and it has all patches and DLC already installed. It came in my language (Spanish) and in English, also in French, so I guess it has all languages. It also uses my save files so after a year having it I recommend you to buy one if you can. Don't wait for Nintendo because that Western launch may not happen.
@fq4580 Yes my friend. It has German too. I checked it.
After seeing the video about video game preservations, especially the physical media, do I regret buying games in day one where the number is “000”? For example I have Pokémon Scarlet that has “000” which is outdated base patch, now that they’re version is 1.2.0.
I mainly play Pokémon especially for online competitive battles, and events too etc. I’m starting to think I should wait instead of buying it on day one?
If you want to play day 1 then buying the game right away makes sense. You can always sell & rebuy the game if you want to trade up for the most recent revised cart :)
On a personal level, I'm not doing much in the way of game preservation other than using my Analogue Pocket to make save states. I do support the video game history foundation though. I feel like they have the right tools to really make sure this stuff lasts.
For sure, I think that foundation is great too. But I guess I was thinking of more on a personal basis when it comes to collecting, and wanting to have a complete physical game in a collection vs. relying on other means to play.
I have some hope that unlike the Wii and DS is that Nintendo will keep the eShop as their main online store for the long-term (like Steam). I still seek physicals for lower storage, preservation, box art, etc!
Hopefully this also means the Switch’s successor will be on the same ARM architecture as the Switch and maintain backwards compatibility with legacy Switch software. If the new system (be it a direct Switch successor or otherwise) is largely incompatible with Switch software, we could see a repeat of the 3DS/WiiU eShop situation all over again as early as 2028.
@@TurboPikachu Agreed. I guess my hope with the Switch compared to the Wii and DS is that the system (and the position in which the next one will be in) is set in a different market where competitors like PS and XBox (and Steam/PC) are creating a consumer expectation of backwards compatibility or at least stable digital purchases that stay with the user. I'd say it's more desired and expected than ever and hopefully Nintendo realizes that.
Great video, gave me some good info👍 thanks.
My pleasure 😊
I pre-order Tetris Effect for NS from Limited Run on July (the digital version was already out), it arrived at the end of November and it still required an update 😵💫
oof I really dislike the 'forever physical' marketing that some of these companies lean on but don't follow through with.
Great research 👍🏽👍🏽
Appreciate the resource you found and shared and your insights. Makes me rethink my Switch collecting or how I want to collect moving forward. I’m now in crisis jk 😅 haha
Keep the vids coming.
The creator of the revised list made a comment with a little more info that I pinned on here if you would like to learn more :)
@@orbalology definitely. I looked through the list and there are a few games I might hunt down for the latest cartridge version.
I know this is an older video but these Revisions have been around since the NES. The first two Zelda games had Rev-A versions of the cart. The non-Rev A versions are still very playable without the patches. SNES and N64 followed suit with patch updates, making the Player's Choice versions the ones with the least amount of bugs but usually, the OG carts work just as well.
Ocarina of Time for the N64 is a great example but the Gold Cartridge 1.0 version is still the most sought out one, even if its the buggiest version of the game. The Red Blood and the chanting in the Fire Temple makes it the better version in my book.
Nintendo games with patches aren't necessarily mandatory to get, unless there's an extreme amount of bugs, which are rare outside Scarlet/Violet (not a Pokemon fan but shame on you, GameFreak) or has game breaking bugs to it that you need (Link's Awakening with Marin or Metroid Dread's final boss) or has an update that came out on cart. Although, those bugs can be avoided pretty easily. I'm currently looking for the 001 cart for Link's Awakening myself just to have.
I usually don't have much issues with pre-patched versions of Nintendo games like Skyward Sword on Wii. There's a game breaking bug that soft locks your game but I haven't encountered it in my 5 run playthroughs (never got the update at the time because I didn't have the internet). Also, Speedrunners will most likely look for those 000 versions in the future, as they need the bugs to do their glitch runs. They are good to keep a hold of as well. Tears of the Kingdom fans would also prefer the 000 version because of the item glitch that got patched with an update, which to me will remain the best version. Also, every Special Editions of games are 000 versions of the cartridges. They will be sought after because its a Special Edition.
Nintendo really needs to do a Nintendo Player's Choice/Selects versions for Switch games already. They will have the most updated version. I wouldn't mind double-dipping for Link's Awakening and Metroid Dread for the latest patch cart. Breath of the Wild too if it came with the DLCs on cart.
However, in the meantime, I will be picking up that Japanese Breath of the Wild complete version since Doug Bowser sucks (Miss you Reggie) and refused to bring it to the states, and keep it sealed until I need to actually open the case, since I already have the DLC for the Switch version downloaded. Thank gosh the Switch is not Region-locked and it has English Subs and VA.
Hi Orbalology/Emily, apologies this is off topic but its a question that i need clarifying.. if i applied cologne on my hands and it dries off..do we still need to wash our hands before touching a switch cartridge? im asking because cologne is still oil based.
Any information on this occurring for disc based releases? In a different video you covered Spyro (PS4). Are there others?
I had been thinking about this since I watched a video about Immortals Fenyx Rising from Switchup that talked about it being a lot better after patches and wanting those patches on cart. I might end up trying to upgrade to more patched cart versions of games I own. I worry a lot about the fate of my games after support for them ends. Most recently I've been thinking about what will happen with portable play when support for joycons ends and drift continues.
Oof yeah I haven't thought about future drift issues yet. I know some people have found some DIY hacks but I guess it may come down to buying some backup joycons in case something goes wrong :(
thank you that was very informative
My pleasure! Glad you found it informative :)
I havent played any video games since my ps2. I just got myself a PS4 on a whim, it was cheap, $100, I went to the game store and asked them for the best cheap used ps4 game and they handed me something that blew me away, Ghost of Tsushima. Im almost at a loss for words.
Nintendo was always my favorite as a kid. I never got to play any Zelda games after A Link to the Past, im looking forward to either picking up a N64 or download the 2 Zelda games on there… unless there are better versions/releases of Ocarina of Time + Majora’s Mask I should play instead? Im pretty sure there was a handheld version of Ocarina?
Really wish Spyro trilogy got the treatment like the ps4 did. If you got the 2020-2021 disc its all on the disc no download required.
It's a real shame they couldn't fit all those games onto the cart :(
Very interesting detail. New here very well done video. Never focused on it (not into revision strict collecting but I appreciate people that do go that far I just collect the version I can get ahold of the time, even live services just questioning the storing of the disk and on the console when they go down and if others back then up and patch them/have private servers later like old games with online services down and I assume also removing server side saving too not a fan of that) of or noticed that number among the serial and so on as I never know what all of them mean.
But I would have assumed region or stock shipment wave or something but good to know it's likely revisions. The DLC Zelda one is annoying when they do that for few regions but then again Asian English releases are always great for outside Asia player to play in English no idea for other countries if Asian and other language released exist but of course English speaki audiences do want to play them more so I assume.
Even then Spyro reignited revisions (PS4, Switch I forget if it was all or not on the card) are annoying to me I keep my original revision on my console do I don't have to re-download the lacking content that was annoying to me. Besides the many games with the banners and multiplayer/singleplayer/takes up too much of the system's internal storage too so SD card for sure.
It's always one of those things where compared to the Wii (firmware updates on the games not with your console connected to the Internet as the only means which happened for me with Metroid Other M my console was not connected to the internet and it push my firmware up and I got a few other channels with it too so that was a surprise) or prior for lack of updates.
You'd think revisions a lot more then now because updates are so common in games (even if yes people do have offline situations of course but better time on fixes having more time put into them then too many revisions, 6 is too many I think especially for how many they need to do in each revision wave).
Many would go for that and re-releases at particular times because less reproducing games just for minor or major bugs unless they are sure (at least I theorise why waste the money doing that when more wisely at smarter re-release periods and how bad the bugs, graphics issues and so on are) so I'm surprised it's more a revision thing however often who knows and maybe as plentiful.
More or less than the days before update via the internet like we do now then more a 1.0 to maybe a definitive edition or major update release like with ongoing games like No Man's Sky had on PS4 (a survival game with ongoing updates or live service) a revised box art and release to line up with a certain update.
I get with something like Mario Kart the Inkling gesture sure I can see reason for and like Ocarina of Time the symbols on the cubes to push and the music as an old game example and I assume some for nausea or visual bugs or something but still I wonder with physical releases how many revisions they need or do when they could have less than 6 that's a bit too many I think than more thorough checks when fixing the game and pushing physical games out again.
That's the closest example I can think of though for major revisions is ongoing games with common updates like live services or survival games even though they are multiplayer based most live services and require internet so only skins and such and chapter relevant content I can see reason for compared to survival games with singleplayer options but also having content updates however many times of the year/whenever they can. Of course besides the more offensive, graphical issues, gamebreaking bugs, distractions and more that games face and pushing them out for those offline or it just being whenever a customer picks it up then the definitive edition having all fixed besides DLC.
But definitive editions don't exist as all bugs done editions only, just for games with DLC so revisions make sense but I think some box art/cartridge or other solutions/indications would make it clear besides revision numbers or make it a thing then content focus as the only games with Definitive editions but got to sell you on something I guess then what's fixed. XD
Then again I know collectors focus on revisions with box issues like the Zelda BOTW controller icons for the Wii U version (US Box at least) or the Resident Evil 3DS misprinted spelling of the title on the spine (I assume also US boxes).
Have had the Darksiders 2 PG eating instead of MA15 rating box art which is funny and so they put a sticker over the top (which many do here whether a different region import or otherwise they out a small rating sticker for my country even if EU disks I think have all ratings from EU/AU on them but the boxes don't of course) (like the GalGun Double Peace one I saw in a video once on US copies, I can't get the game physical in my region because retail restrictions so).
I don’t really get why we’ve all accepted Nintendo’s statement (for the 3ds/wiiu) “This is part of the natural lifecycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time.”
It really is unacceptable. The switch is the first console you can go all digital on. So it’s not the normal lifecycle even with the 3ds/wiiu. Not to mention they are the retailer enjoying the retailer profits and not having to press and ship out as many games.
Personally I think patches should be updatable forever, and we should accept nothing less as consumers.
Yeah it's disappointing that we can't expect maintenance & updates for games we purchase in the long term. I can't think of many companies that guarantee this actually in the digital age, there's always some expiration date.
Do the new revisions have a different taste to the old ones???? Should I pick up another Super Mario Odyssey copy to taste it?? (I love Miyazaki)
I'm about to get kicked out of my family's lake house. Is there room available at your place for my massive collection?
Too many people collect games nowadays and life is too short so just play them guys!
thank you for the video
My pleasure! 😄
This is not a critcism but me trying to learn english. Can a card be spelled as "cart" as shown in the thumbnail?
Great video and thanks for the info Emily 🙂 Now excuse me while I go individually check all 400 of my switch carts 😅
My pleasure! 😆
Love this video. That little extra info
Thanks! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed :)
Hi Orbalology or anyone who can answer,
Just have a question regarding patches. Is it really necessary to wait for revised game cards? Don't patches/updates gets saved on your console anyway so even if Nintendo closes the website where you get patches from, you won't need to download them coz they're already saved on your console, provided you don't delete them?? Thanks
Excuse my ignorance I am still trying wrap my head around this and I’ve seen it brought up more and more online. I get the importance for one collecting a revised copy of a game but if you have a game already with no revisions but still patch while we have the eshop active and all that, won’t both copies of the game be the same then? (Both copies being the patched version you have and a revised version). Or am I wrong in understanding how patches work and no patch and dlc is actually on the cart and it only works in its most up to date state while having a connection to the eshop?
Right now with an active eshop there isn't any issues, unless you don't have internet access. But the problems come down the line in a few years if you ever want to play some of these games when the eshop is no longer running. If you didn't already download the patches or have your old system break you won't be able to access the patches/dlc (unless you're in the proximity of someone else's Switch console that has the patches you can tap into, but idk how effectively that works).
Rivisions are definitely a weird thing to me since games are mostly fine at least. I usually appreciate them but don't actively seek them out. I am definitely a lot more interested in copies that have the DLC on cart though. Things like Streets of Rage 4 and that Pokemon Sw/Sh w/ Expansions on cart are super cool.
Download codes definitely shy me away from games even if I do enjoy what is on the cart like the Resident Evil/DMC collections.
Yup I try to avoid the download code games as well, or the ones with the large download warning on the box :(
a few months ago I got Mario Party Superstars and it already had the latest patch (which came out in March of this year I think)
Does this mean I should buy my games brand new, straight from nintendo?