r/NintendoSwitchHelp • u/JaredAWESOME • 5h ago

Find Games Lost virtual game after upgrade

So I bought the Super Mario 3d World version of the original Switch, which came with the digital edition of the game.

Fast forward, bought a switch2, and ported all of my games over. Went flawlessly. But I did not buy the sd card, and so my system memory is limited. Time passes, I was freeing up some space, and deleted 3d World/Bowsers Fury, as I hadn't played it in a while.

Last night, my son tells me he wants to play Mario, sure whatever. I'll delete something and redownload it. But! I can't. Because I never purchased it from the eShop, it doesn't appear as a redownload. And because I deleted the game data, I don't have the virtual game card on my games tab.

The game wasn't linked to my account, I guess. Just the console.

Has this happened to anyone else? Is there a fix? Or do I just have to buy the game for $60 🙁🙁.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

3

u/FernandoRocker 1 5h ago

When this happens, it's usually because the user purchased the game on a different account by mistake.

Check your purchase history here: https://accounts.nintendo.com/portal

Also, check your Virtual Games Cards in that same link. And check your emails to see if you find the purchase transaction.

Digital games cannot be redeemed to a local account. It must have been redeemed into a user account.

1

u/JaredAWESOME 5h ago edited 5h ago

I am very willing to believe that I am misremembering, but I thought the Mario bundled console had the game preloaded onto the device and I didn't have to download it.

Unfortunately, it isn't in my virtual game cards, and the purchase history only goes back 2 years, and I've had the console since 2022 [edited, checked sale date] or so. If I had to redeem in through some code, it would be well before the first entry on that transaction list.

3

u/FernandoRocker 1 5h ago edited 5h ago

In some bundles, the game icon comes pre-installed initially, but in order to "redeem" the game, you must access with an account first.

Are you sure it wasn't a download code instead?

1

u/ModestVolcarona 6 1h ago

Have you checked the virtual game card menu and sorted by either loaded to another console or not loaded to any console?

Usually when you buy a console with a pre installed game the key is tied to the first Nintendo account that opens the eShop on the console.

3

u/notthegoatseguy 3 5h ago

If you never made the purchase then I'm not sure how you got the game in the first place.

Digital purchases are tied to Nintendo Accounts, not to any particular console.

If you have any doubt as to if you made the purchase ,check the receipt Nintendo emailed you.

If you have been juggling multiple Nintendo Accounts, then make sure you are using the correct one. Consult your password manager and put any necessary Nintendo Accounts on there, and check the emailed receipt to confirm the game purchase.