While I agree it was a bit shady to announce a physical version shortly after offering the free digital options, some people are getting really whiny about Nintendo, as of late. - and I don't mean on this forum, but the internet as a whole.
I'm no Nintendo fanboy (if anything, I qualify as an Xbox fanboy), but Nintendo is really moving past its competition in a lot of ways and i think people are getting spoiled by it. No one else offers the rewards system Nintendo does. Sure, Xbox live and PSN have their Gold and Plus accounts, but Nintendo actually rewards you for buying it games. The other two give you older games for free, but you pay $60 a year for it, and in PSN and Xbox One, if you cancel your membership, those games go away. I would LOVE if Nintendo gave away physical copies of their games, but that means production costs. Digital is cheap, and therefore can provide more options. I, for one, was thrilled to get a free copy of a $40 game. Digital or not. People gripe about not being able to get a small plastic mushroom, and I understand some people want TANGIBLE items, but to say Nintendo is slipping is just the anger talking.