Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS
Also known as: iQue 3DS XL (CN) Developer: Nintendo Publishers: Nintendo (INT), iQue (CN) Released in JP: February 26, 2011 (original), July 28, 2012 (XL) Released in US: March 27, 2011 (original), August 19, 2012 (XL) Released in EU: March 25, 2011 (original), July 28, 2012 (XL) Released in AU: March 31, 2011 (original), August 23, 2012 (XL) Released in KR: April 28, 2012 (original), September 20, 2012 (XL) Released in CN: December 2012 (iQue, XL) Released in TW: September 28, 2012 (XL) Released in AS: September 28, 2012 (XL) This console has hidden development-related text. This console has unused graphics. This console has unused models. This console has unused sounds. This console has debugging material. This console has regional differences. This console has revisional differences. This console has a prerelease article This console has a notes page

This game/console's online features are no longer supported. While this game/console's online features were once accessible, they are (as of April 8, 2024) no longer officially supported and online-exclusive features may be documented as now-unseen content.

The Nintendo 3DS is the successor to the Nintendo DS, featuring greatly upgraded hardware, much better internet connectivity, a more robust operating system, migraines, and region locking. Also, way too many hardware revisions.

Sub-Pages

Prerelease Info

Notes

Unused Models

DSiWare Banner

An early design of the banner can be found in version 1.0.0-0, at romfs/3D/BannerDSiWare_LZ.bin

The text label has a shine animation that is absent in later versions. It uses the icon from the DSiWare game Paper Airplane Chase and contains a different placeholder text.

1.0.0-0	Post 1.0.0-0

Original	Translated
ここにゲームタイトル 「最大で全角17文字幅分はいるよ」 Nintendo	Game title here "Maximum of 17 characters wide" Nintendo

Software Present

The present model and its animations can be found in version 1.0.0-0, at romfs/3D/BannerGift_LZ.bin

This model is unseen as Nintendo eShop did not release at the time and SpotPass distributions did not begin yet. But it contains some differences.

1.0.0-0	Post 1.0.0-0

The colors are dull compared to later versions and lacks the text label.

In addition, there is another variant with a blue gift wrap that goes unused. Each animation uses 1 of 2 material animations that colors the gift red and blue, suffixed with "Tiger" and "Boss" respectively.

Tiger is the codename for Nintendo eShop, and Boss is the codename for SpotPass. Could be used for SpotPass advertisements since they're gift wrapped when received.

Animations

An animation that rotates the model back and forth, titled BannerGift_Loop. It is removed in later versions.

BannerGift_Loop_Tiger	BannerGift_Loop_Boss

A rough opening animation titled BannerGift_Open.

BannerGift_Open_Tiger	BannerGift_Open_Boss	BannerGift Open (Post 1.0.0-0)

Unused Textures

Dmy_00

A placeholder 2D banner can be found in version 1.0.0-0, at romfs/3D/Banner2D_LZ.bin

It was replaced with a 16x16 blank image in later versions.

Original	Translated
テクスチャサイズは256x128です BANNER 3Dモデルがない場合です	Texture size is 256x128 BANNER Without a 3D model

Unused Sounds

SE_CTR_HOME_BANNER_PRESENT

1.0.0-0	Post 1.0.0-0

The banner sound for the present. Interestingly enough, this banner sound is longer than 3 seconds.

SE_CTR_HOME_NEWAPP_DIALOG

Unused 1	Unused 2	Final

Two unused sounds when the dialogue for new software appears.

SE_CTR_HOME_POPUP_INF

Unused	Final

Unused sound when getting a new notification.

Hidden Key Combinations

There are a few key combinations hidden within the system software that are not listed in the 3DS' instruction manual.

Auto-Boot 3DS Game

There are a few requirements that have to be met for this to work:

• You must not have set up the system (i.e., brand-new system out of the box or fresh from a factory reset).
• You must have a 3DS (not DSi or DS) game card inserted.

By holding A + B + X + Y + R, you can force the inserted game card to boot directly, bypassing the initial setup and Home Menu, along with any updates on the gamecard's update partition that would otherwise be required to be installed to play the title.

The following will also occur:

• Usage of games will not be added to the Activity Log.
• You will not have any Miis, so games will resort to their defaults.
• You will not have an internet connection or be able to use StreetPass.
• Games will not be able to check the Friends List because it will be empty.
• Region lock will still be enforced.

Some games may not take to this mode nicely - for example, Super Mario 3D Land will crash if you attempt to create a new save file (Likely because you don't have any Miis). Additionally, pressing the HOME button, or any software functions that would otherwise do the same as pressing the HOME button, will simply shut off the console. This mode could have been used for kiosk demos that have the Home button disabled, or for Nintendo's repair centers to be able to boot into a diagnostics card if the system can't boot into the setup for whatever reason. Trying to play a New Nintendo 3DS game (such as Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition for example) on a non-New 3DS using this feature will freeze the system at a black screen.

Some 3DS kiosk demos and other various demonstration software can also set a flag in their icon file that will cause them to auto-boot without this key combination held. The system checks for this flag before checking for the button combination.

(Source: 3dbrew)

Touch Screen and Circle Pad Calibration

After the above takes place, as the Home Menu is booting, before the menu finishes loading, you can hold down L + R + X to access the touchscreen calibration part of System Settings, and L + R + Y to access the circle pad calibration part of System Settings.

Boot Firmware from DS(i) Cart

If the system's lid is closed, or the lid close sensor is otherwise tricked into believing it is closed (a magnet on any model 3DS and the New2DS does the job nicely, while on the standard 2DS this is accomplished simply by using the sleep slider), holding Start + Select + X and pressing the power button will make the system try to boot from a DS cartridge directly before trying to boot from the NAND.

• To clarify, it will actually try to boot from the cartridge, as in execute firmware from it. It will not work with a DS game cartridge, as it is expecting a different format.
• Old 3DS models (3DS, 3DS XL, and 2DS) won't boot while "closed" unless this combination is held.
• Thanks to some flaws in the signature check done on firmware that is executed by the 3DS bootrom (through normal means or through a DS cart like this), this combination can be used along with a modified DS flashcart to unbrick a system and/or install custom firmware on it, as seen in this video.

(Source: 3dbrew, SciresM)

Home Menu Reset

To do: There's a minimum firmware this works on, somewhere between v4.5 and v10.1.

If L + R + B + Down is held during startup, a confirmation message will appear asking if you want to delete the Home Menu management information.

Promotional Videos

Right after the system's launch, there were promotional videos released through the version 1.1.0-1 update of the System Menu. The videos were all in a 3D format to allow viewing them in 3D on the 3DS' unique glasses-free 3D screen. There were three videos released: One for Japan featuring an orchestral rendition of the main Super Mario Bros. theme, which was recorded at the Nintendo World 2011 live concert, one for the NA featuring a 3D version of OK Go's "White Knuckles" music video, and one for Europe which features various nature scenes and skydivers. These videos get removed when System Menu 2.0.0-2 installs to the system, as it stubs the contents of each region's title so they no longer contain any data.

"White Knuckles" was at one point also available to watch on Nintendo Video in the US, and when it became unavailable there, it was also available for a while on the 3DS eShop as a downloadable video.

Japan	North America	Europe

Friend List "Join Game" Multi-Selection

Programmed into the Friend List applet on the Home Menu is the ability to select which version of a game you want to launch, in this screenshot's case, triggered by having two different regions of Mario Kart 7 installed to the system. This feature seems to go unused otherwise, as it is impossible to install a game from a region outside the region of your system without modding the console, and the games that you may expect to trigger the feature (Pokémon games, Animal Crossing New Leaf + the standalone Welcome Amiibo release of said game) either don't have Join Game functionality in the Friend List or do not trigger this menu.

UNITINFO

To do: Get a screenshot of how ErrDisplay acts when UNITINFO is set to non-zero. (Make sure it's not the Luma3DS crash handler! To get a picture of this will likely require a custom build of Luma or something similar to prevent the inclusion of the rewritten ErrDisp Luma uses by default)

UNITINFO CFG9_UNITINFO is a register read by the ARM9 processor of the 3DS that dictates whether the 3DS will be a retail unit or a few varying types of development/debugging unit. Normally, this register’s value is 0 on a retail unit, and 1-3 on a development unit, depending on the type of development unit, of which there are 3 that can be set by this register's value (Developer, Debug, and Firm). Using homebrew tools, such as Luma3DS Custom Firmware, the bit can be set to a non-zero value to make a retail system act like a development console.

When UNITINFO is set to non-zero, the following changes from a retail system (UNITINFO = 0) can be noted:

• The system will switch its cryptography for installable software to use development keys, meaning any software that was not installed with the system or signed with development encryption won't work (most normal games and applications fall under this category)
• The 3DS' Error Display module (ErrDisp) will print out more detailed information about the specific error that has occurred
• The eShop will not work for reasons not currently documented or understood
• Amiibo functionality will be disabled for reasons not currently documented or understood
• Various system modules will act differently, but the changes to each are not currently well documented

(Source: 3dbrew, Luma3DS' option documentation)

Version Differences

To do: Other firmware versions Are there more text changes in firmware 1.0.0?

1.0.0-0

Message Boxes

1.0.0-0 - 1.1.0	2.0.0-2 - Present

On firmware 1.0.0 there were no button controls for dismissing message boxes. The only way to do so was to tap the option on the touch screen. This was changed in firmware 2.0.

Power Menu

To do: Upload the Nintendo 2DS variant of this screen.

1.0.0-0 - 1.1.0	1.0.0-0 - 1.1.0 Sleep Mode Screen	2.0.0-2 - Present

On firmware 1.0.0-0 the screen that is opened when you press the power button had a different design that featured a larger Power Off button along with a Sleep Mode button. Pressing the sleep mode button switches to a screen that says sleep mode has been activated and you can now close the system. In all other firmware versions the sleep mode button was removed and text was added to the top screen saying that you can close the system (or the Sleep Slider on Nintendo 2DS) to activate sleep mode. This was most likely very quickly removed as it serves no purpose since you can put the system to sleep by just closing it at any time without going through this menu.

The second lines of the bullet points on the top screen "Count your steps and collect Play Coins" and "Receive various content via SpotPass" are misaligned from the first lines.

Internet Browser Placeholder

The Internet Browser was not included in firmware 1.0.0-0 but the icon to launch it still exists. Attempting to launch it displays a popup saying that the Internet Browser will be enabled in a future system update.

Friends List

1.0.0-0 - 1.1.0	2.0.0-2 - Present

The description of the friends list is slightly different between 1.0.0 and later firmwares.

Old/New 3DS

amiibo Settings

The amiibo Settings app on the old 3DS has an option to update the NFC reader/writer.

Old 3DS	New 3DS

Initial Setup

To do: Get a photo of this.

The old 3DS does not give you the opportunity to perform a System Transfer during the inital setup, while the New 3DS does.

Regional Differences

Besides the region lock that each system implements, there are a few differences between each region.

Console Models

To do: I'm not sure this is 100% correct, N3DS updates are for whatever reason still released for all 6 regions

• In Japan, the old 2DS was not sold for many years, eventually being available in limited edition bundles.
• In America, the small New 3DS received a limited, delayed release.
• In China, only the old 3DS XL was launched, with iQue being absorbed by Nintendo in 2013. Some Taiwan-region games can also be played on China-region consoles in Simplified Chinese.
• In Taiwan, only the original 3DS and XL were released... twice!

2nd Taiwanese Version

As the 3DS was not initially launched in Hong Kong/Taiwan/Macao, those countries resorted to Japanese imports.

By late 2012, the "Traditional Chinese" model was launched, featuring a red rectangular "Ct" logo on boxes. It predictably failed, according to precedent, to the above. These are the Taiwanese consoles as documented hereafter.

In 2015, these products were superseded by another range sporting a round green "Jp" logo, which are fundamentally different from true Taiwanese systems:

• As the logo suggests, these consoles run Japanese software.
• The near totality of online services (Nintendo-provided and otherwise) and some more features are visible but blocked:
  • StreetPass Mii Plaza, Nintendo eShop (including game update download), Nintendo Zone
  • Friends List, Internet Browser, Miiverse, Theme Shop, Nintendo 3DS Image Share
  • NNID Settings, System Transfer, EULA
  • StreetPass
• The only language is Japanese - except for the error displayed when selecting one of the above, which is in "English" only: This is not available to this Nintendo 3DS.
• Updates for some Japanese games are preinstalled on the bundled SD card. With no direct or in-app eShop access and per-console encryption of SD titles, they could not officially be reobtained if lost or uninstalled for any reason!

(Source: [1] [2])

Home Menu + Revisions

US/JP/EU 1.0.0-0	US/JP/EU/KR 6.1.0 - 9.0	US/JP/EU Post 9.0

Korea Post 9.0	China (iQue 3DS XL)	Taiwan

The Miiverse applet and "Change Theme" + "Save/Load Layout" option under the Home Menu Settings are absent from the Korean version of Home Menu even if it has theme code handler, whereas the Chinese/Taiwanese version of Home Menu layout remains unchanged despite being on system version 9.0 and higher. The Taiwanese version of the Home Menu has an amiibo settings button as an applet button due to the Home Menu Settings button not being present.

Language Selection

• American systems, also sold in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, offer (American) English, French, Spanish and (Brazilian) Portuguese.
• European systems, also available in Oceania, have English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese and Russian.
• Taiwan systems, have traditional Chinese by default and unused English language with most of the system apps translated, it lack a language selection option.
• Japanese, Korean, and Chinese systems are monolingual and completely lack a language selection option.

Furthermore, only the appropriate countries and their subdivisions are selectable as residence area.

Keyboard

EUR/USA	Russian (EUR)	Japanese	Korean

Taiwan with hidden English language	EUR/USA numpad	Russian (EUR) numpad	Japanese numpad

Unlike the Nintendo DSi, the 3DS keyboard has regional differences.

• Japan/Korea/Taiwan/China all have the symbols and accents on the same section and Europe/USA have a separate section for accents and symbols.
• Japan and China have a 50-key Japanese keyboard (and a button to toggle hiragana/katakana).
• Japan is the only region to have a space button on the numpad.
• Japan and China can type hiragana/katakana using the QWERTY keyboard.
• Korea, Taiwan and China don't have a numpad.
• Russia is the only language to have an extra Russian keyboard as a different section.

Console Revisional Differences

Nintendo 3DS XL

The first revision is a step up from the original model, with its main selling point being larger screens. There are also some changes, such as the relocation of the stylus holder to the right side of the system (similar to the Nintendo DS), rubber bumpers on the top part of the system to mitigate scratches and marks on the top screen and the removal of the 3D slider's indicator light.

The 3DS XL was released in Europe and Japan (as the 3DS LL) on July 28, 2012, in North America on August 19, 2012, and in Australia on August 23, 2012.

Nintendo 2DS

The next revision was the 2DS, which is as its name suggests, a 3DS without the 3D for those who didn't care for the feature. Unlike the folding 3DS systems, this one had a slate form factor, and its two screens are actually two sections of a larger one-piece screen. It sold at a lower price point and also had some interesting changes: a mono speaker, a switch to toggle Sleep Mode, and the lack of a Power Saving mode. Other than that, the 2DS is the same as the 3DS, and has the capability of playing all regular 3DS screens in 2D mode.

The 2DS was released in North America, Europe and Australia on October 12, 2013 alongside Pokémon X and Y, followed by Korea on December 7, 2013. Japan did not receive it until February 27, 2016, in a bundle that came with the Virtual Console re-releases of Pokémon Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow.

New Nintendo 3DS/3DS XL

The New Nintendo 3DS line is a major upgrade from the standard 3DS. It includes more system memory and a faster CPU, an enhanced 3D screen with camera-based face-tracking, built-in NFC support, support for MicroSD cards in lieu of standard SD cards, ZL and ZR shoulder buttons, and an analog nub above the ABXY buttons that acts as a right analog stick. The system software also is enhanced further, with support for video playback in the Internet browser, enhanced multi-tasking and an SD File Manager that can connect to your computer via Wi-Fi to manage the files on the MicroSD card.

The enhanced CPU and memory of the system resulted in certain titles being made exclusively for the New 3DS, such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3D and Minecraft.

The New 3DS does boast a slightly larger screen than the original 3DS and has interchangeable cover plates on the outer parts of the system. The New 3DS XL lacks this feature but boasts bigger screens (the same size as the 3DS XL). On this version, certain units come with IPS screens, while others come with TN screens; naturally, Nintendo did not provide an easy way to distinguish between them.

The New 3DS line launched in Japan on October 11, 2014, in Australia on November 21, 2014, and in Europe on January 6, 2015 (an early launch with a special Ambassador model) and February 13, 2015 for the general public. For the North American launch, only the New 3DS XL model was available on February 13, 2015, with the New 3DS model eventually launching on September 25, 2015. This was also the case for Korea, which received the New 3DS XL on May 1, 2015, and the New 3DS on September 10, 2015.

New Nintendo 2DS XL

The final iteration of the 3DS line is the New 2DS XL. It retains the same clamshell design as the 3DS line and lacks 3D stereoscopic support, but otherwise adopts the same button layout, size, functionality and internal upgrades that are present in the New 3DS XL model. The slots for game card and MicroSD card have a cover over them, and, unlike the New 3DS systems, it no longer requires the removal of the battery to access the Micro SD card. However, the battery is not user-removable, and there is no switch, physical or in system software, to turn off wireless communications.

This system was released in Japan (as the New Nintendo 2DS LL) and Korea on July 13, 2017, in Australia and New Zealand on July 15, 2017, and in North America and Europe on July 28, 2017.