3Ds - basic query on loading games and starting off

Pixied

Hi

So the new 3Ds XL arrived from Amazon.fr and seems to be working well with demos.

DS is just waiting on his game to arrive. His two siblings are also getting a 3DS XL in the next month or so (saving hard!)

I don't know how the game cartridges work. Do I load the game onto the DS once and save? Or will he need to insert the cartridge every time he plays?

Also, is it possible for the siblings to share their games with each other?

Many thanks and Happy New Year!
Pix

Banjo

If you have the game on a Cart, the game stays on the cart. You need it to play. For the most part, whichever console you put that cart into, the same save game will be available as that's kept on the cart as well.

Alternatively you can buy the games from the eShop, they download to the SD card. These games are tied to the individual console you bought them on, you cannot move the SD from console to console.

Using "DS" as short hand for your son in a thread about the 3DS where you make it clear you have 3 children can only lead to confusion, BTW.

Sharing : Depends on the game.
If you have Animal Crossing : New Leaf, for example, you have 1 village and the first person to play it is the mayor. 3 more players can have their own save game on the same cart, giving them their own house in the same town, minus some of the perks of being mayor.

Pokemon, meanwhile, has a single save slot so can't really be shared.

Most games are somewhere in between, usually offering 3 save slots. So you should be ok, but they won't be able to play the same game at the same time.

Some games offer a "Download Play" option where the console with the cartridge broadcasts a limited version of the game for other consoles to download. Depends on the game, but you usually get a limited version of the full game available on all connected consoles for multiplayer hi-jinks.

CiDeRmAn

What Banjo said, pretty much covers it all.
On a brighter note those games with single saves only are getting cheaper, as the system is quite mature now, out a while.
So, an older Pokemon game will be an affordable prospect to buy twice, and as is tradition, they come in two variants Sun/Moon, X/Y, Blue/Red and so on.
If you have a 3DS you're in luck as the entire Nintendo DS catalogue is available to you as well, and they are even cheaper.
Check out Adverts, local Sunday Markets and charity shops and you'll pick up a few bits and bobs on your travels.

Pixied

Thank you both for your help. Very much appreciated.

Just want to make sure they all get the most out of the system :-)

CiDeRmAn

My DS/3DS collection is mental, it's compelling to buy the little beauties.
So many cracking games.
Your children may own the console's but there's a mountain of titles worthy of an adults attention, the Dragon Quest titles, Chronotrigger, Professor Layton, Ace Attorney, New Super Mario Bros, the Castlevania games, just mountains of great games.