For those that have bought a 3DS bundled with a digital game before - how does that work? If I swap out the SD card, will I be able to re-download the game? I normally wouldn't have to ask, but with Nintendo you never know.

My question is simillar: if I buy the Majora's Mask bundle, and I port over all the stuff from my current 3DS to that new one with their System Transfer tool (or whatever it's called), will I keep Majora's Mask or will it be gone?

The Majora's Mask 3DS doesn't come with Majora's Mask.

Uhh... odd. The Ocarina of Time 3DS came with Ocarina of Time didn't it? Anyway, my question still stands - suppose I buy a bundle that actually comes with a game, what happens in the situation I described?

No clue, just felt I should inform you of that.

Sometimes the game comes preinstalled, other times I think they give you a code? If it's preinstalled, it means the license is already tied to that 3DS' serial number, so I think it would basically be a separate account from your old 3DS. You'd probably have to contact Nintendo support about somehow combining the preinstalled game license with your existing purchases.

See, this junk right here is why I don't like Nintendo's 3DS bundles. Put the friggin' cartridge in there, stop being so stingy!

Just wanted to point out that this isn't anything new. The Smash Bros. 3DS XLs didn't have Smash Bros. It seems they do this for their bigger releases, not including the game with the 3DS. If you notice, it's the same price as the regular N3DS.

@yukoasho: Yeah, I'd much prefer it that bundles just give you a physical copy, because A) no messiness with combining it with your existing account, and B) you can lend it to people or whatever.

But now that just about every major game is available digitally on all the consoles and handhelds, I expect most bundles will give you the game digitally whenever possible.

I don't mind getting bundles with digital games, my issue is with Nintendo's crazy policy of linking purchases to hardware instead of account. I'm hesitating on buying a New 3DS bundle because it's unclear what will happen if I upgrade the memory card and transfer my stuff from my current 3DS.

Just to clarify, only the US version does not have MM pre-installed. The UK version does have the game pre-installed.

The US version of the Monster Hunter 4 bundle does come with MH4 installed,though.

Well, I guess it's as good a way as any to get you to buy the "bundle" game again in a format for ownership rights...

I bought the 2DS/Pokemon X bundle for my fiancee last year. The game came preinstalled on the 2DS, but I wanted to transfer it to my 3DS since the 2DS was basically going to be an Animal Crossing machine. Unfortunately, Nintendo would not let me transfer the game to another account.

So this how pre-installed games work. Their license is tied to the system so you'll need to do a system transfer to move the license over, otherwise you wont be able to redownload the game.