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Is Nintendo Bringing Back the Cartridge?

Is Nintendo Bringing Back the Cartridge?

Nintendo likes to do things differently. Think about the GameCube, with its tiny discs and compact design that made the console pretty portable. No one ever even thought about a handheld with two screens until the DS came along. And we can’t forget about the Wii, with its uniquely shaped controllers and use of motion controls. Not every idea has been a hit, as the Wii U never really picked up, but the experimentation is always important.

Which is why Nintendo should do the same with the NX. While all indications suggest it’ll already take chances with an unconventional controller that may allow people to play at home or on the go, it should also be a little riskier when it comes to the main hardware. The NX should take the console full circle and head back to cartridges. After all, l eaks are already appearing to suggest it could happen. Nintendo is buying more ROM chips from Macronix, which could be used in NX cartridges.

That may sound a bit weird to say, especially since we’re entering a digital era, but relying on some sort of cartridge, or even memory card, for physical games would be a smart move for many reasons. Nintendo is going to want the NX to stand apart, for one, and being the only system on the market to use cartridges is a good start.

It’s also pretty practical. Let’s think about data storage lifespans. We know that CDs and DVDs with data recorded on them have an expected lifespan of between two to five years, if you believe the US National Archives, and ten to twenty years, if you trust the people making them. We’re getting to about the age where we’ll be able to see this for ourselves with PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Dreamcast, and Xbox games. Blu-ray discs are supposed to have a lifespan of 100 years, but there’s no way to test that.

Original NES, Master System, Genesis and SNES cartridges still work. I have Atari 2600 and Intellivision carts still kicking. All of my Game Boy, WonderSwan, and Neo Geo Pocket games are still okay. The DS cartridges are going strong too. Going back to some form of cartridge could give us a sense of reliability, while simultaneously allowing it to stand out. Especially if the 32GB ROM chips Macronix is working on are put in NX games.

Is Nintendo Bringing Back the Cartridge?

It’s easier to care for and protect cartridges too. While there’s always a risk of stepping on a 3DS or Vita cartridge, that’s really the only problem you face. Blu-ray discs and DVDs break easily. They’re susceptible to scratches and you also are supposed to keep them away from high temperatures and sunlight.

But really, the practicality is a bonus. Making the NX work with small cartridges would give people an option. In all honesty, this is looking like it could end up being an all-digital console. Which would be great, but backups are always appreciated. Especially since HDDs and flash storage’s lifespans can be five to ten years, give or take, depending on how often data is being written to them. Let’s hope Nintendo gives us some sort of physical option with the NX and, if it does, that they’re adorable little cartridges.

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