What does "partial on cart" mean?
The base game is on the chip. Some of what the box advertises isn't.
What it means
The game boots and plays from the cartridge, but part of what's promoted on the box lives on a server. This shows up as bundled DLC that's really a download code, a "complete edition" whose extra chapters aren't on the chip, or compilations where only some of the included games shipped physically.
It's a real middle ground, and the one publishers are least clear about. The base game survives — you can play it in twenty years. The advertised extras probably won't.
Before you buy
- Check what's actually missing. Losing a cosmetic pack is not the same as losing half the campaign.
- Compilations are the common trap: read which titles are physically on the cartridge.
- If the missing part is what you wanted, the physical copy may not be worth its premium over digital.
How we know
Community reports plus Nintendo Revised, the cartridge-revisions sheet. Where we know which content is missing, it's listed on the cartridge page.
Browse games that are partial on cart →Common questions
Is partial on cart the same as needing a day-one patch?
No. A patch updates content that's already there. Partial means content was never on the chip.
Will the missing content stay available?
Only as long as the publisher keeps serving it.