When & how do you usually buy new Pokémon games?

I try to get them Day 1 or shortly after Day 1 if I can. I prefer to buy a physical copy if I can--while I love the convenience of downloads, there's something magical about a cartridge, disc, or game card in your hands.

 

I wish I could get them on release date... I usually get them much later after they come out. I got Sun from the eshop and it took up almost all the space on my 2DS so I can’t download games on my 2DS anymore. (Which is good, because I prefer the cartridges.)

 

I always try to get them on the release date.
I always buy my games retail (if a retail version exists), because it feels really satisfying to put a new game package on my shelf.

 

I tend to preorder games about a month in advance via whichever online retailer sells them cheapest. Getting to a store after work wouldn't be difficult, but generally I just want to get home so it'd be a pain to make the detour, and it's my policy to never pay full RRP for a video game if I can help it...and I usually can help it, because online prices are quite a bit cheaper. Pokémon is no different these days, so I'm willing to take the chance that I may have to wait until Saturday (or Monday, in the worst-case scenario) to play it. Half the time when I get the games on release day I don't play them that day anyway because I'm in the middle of something else. xD

I never buy digital when I can buy physical, not unless there is a *significant* price discrepancy...which there never is for Pokémon titles, because Nintendo think they can get away with charging full RRP for a digital copy. Let's Go Pikachu cost me £42 physical, and it's £50 digitally. Yeaaaaaah.

 

I've kinda been just getting the games the day they come out but mostly via digital download so I don't have to wait at all and with no hassle except for making sure I have enough storage space and stable internet for the download.