Memory Card

Memory cards are distinctly thinner but lack the expandability of cartridges. Japanese platforms in the 1980s saw a range of card formats including Hudson’s BeeCard (MSX) and HuCard (PC Engine), and various Sega My Cards. Although cost-effective to manufacture, their lack of storage capacity ultimately saw their demise to cartridges. In comparison, modern solid-state storage has orders of mangitude greater capacity and performance at greatly reduced volume. Consequently modern, non-optical disc based software distribution – predominantly Nintendo handhelds and hybrid consoles – have returned to using a card format.