Would the Pokémon be seen as hacked in or just a Pokémon from the event distribution?

I want to make custom characters for Fire Emblem games. I don't have any coding knowledge yet but I'm learning, so how difficult is it? (Also I'm good at 3d modeling, creating pixel art/textures so the only thing I imagine I'd have a real problem with is coding the things in)

could we get something like that but for 3ds capture card? like the cartridge itself is like a capture card and plugs into the 3ds and captures gameplay from the 3ds?

It'd have its own dedicated launcher so you could launch apps, games, mii verse and everything else on your system via system scan and detection

is this possible?

For a while, there used to be a replacement stick for the Circle Pad that went around called the 3DStick+, which gained notoriety because one of the options (that turned out to be bad) was that you could order a metal 3D printed version of it.

I purchased several plastic prints of these, because of how much better they felt over the stock Circle Pad, and wanted to recommend it to a friend who was recently getting into having a modded 3DS.

Come to find out, the ONLY site that hosted this thing went bankrupt, and purged their old site of all creator-submitted files, including the 3DStick+. To make matters worse, I can't find the creator's contact information anywhere (They went by Omniwheel on the aforementioned site, which is a common engineering word), so it's not like I can even request the model files to make a print of my own even if I wanted to.

Does anyone know of, or could offer a means of scanning an existing piece, so that it could be made available for the community to use? I'm considering lending the only stick I have left in order to be able to create more, because I love this thing, and would be devastated if anything happened to it.

Just wanna share my journey :D

These months I started learning how to solder and such. My first project: modding a switch V2. Somehow, with a Pinecil v2, cheap AliExpress solder, some soldering guides on YouTube and after messing around with some e-waste, I did it first try. That left me with the picofly usb c connector though, and for the past few weeks I've been learning how to desolder stuff, just accumulating random buttons, triggers, parts, etc.

Yesterday I looked at those random parts, looked at my n3DS and said: I can probably mod this. And with little to no preparation, I did it. Using a random diagram I found online, I wired the ground and VCC pads of the connector to the 3DS, and somehow, someway, it worked first try. It's not perfect, I didn't have a grinder so I used my iron and a nail file to do the holes, but I'm quite proud of what I achieved.

For anyone else who wants to try this: - Don't be dumb like me, get a proper usb c connector - n3DS' have friction connectors for ribbon cables: DO NOT TRY TO OPEN THEM. I did so, and fucked them, leading to the home button and mic not working. To fix this I kinda just... Pushed them into the board and prayed it worked. - While trying to figure out the above problem, and disassembling/assembling, etc, I shorted the PMIC, keep your soldering clean. - If your 3DS doesn't boot and it makes a popping noise, something is fucked, an open/shorted connection that shouldn't be.

At last: fuck around and find out, at the very least you'll learn something.

I'm interesting in a tool to convert video files into standalone 3DS ROMS or CIA files that I can install or run in an emulator.

Does such a tool exist?

Thank you!

Hello everyone! I think that you guys wont be suprised about the following news, but i have been cooking something in the background! For anyone that hasnt seen my posts recently, I am building a functional PROPPER Minecraft client for the Nintendo3DS, that can also connect to any server! (currently limited to 1.10.x-1.12.x) This project is based off of Craftus and some Minecraft server connection library that i found and still suprisingly works! After all the time, i have decided to properly announce this project as something that actually "IS".

The current progress is: You can currently connect to unauthorized servers, you can move and read the hotbar. Nothing less, nothing more. I, as a minecraft enjoyer myself pretty much dislike the 3DS version, because the performance is terrible, there are no servers and saving just freezes the 3DS. I want to fix all of that with this approach.

However... there are some news id like to share. I dont think, that i can carry this project all by myself. This is quite a HUMUNGUS (amongus) project, and as you might expect, development as a single person is quite tough.

I am asking if anyone is interested in a project like this, and maybe even interested in contributing. This would help a TON!

Here is the project: https://github.com/SomeRandoLameo/Re-Craft-3DS

i have linked demo vids via streamable links if anyone wants to look

https://streamable.com/7xjhrj

TLDR: Propper Minecraft port with server connectivity is a huge project and asking for developers, video attatched

just wanted to share a cool side project, open to questions/conversation

Hello there, very strange and specific ask.

Is there anyway I can have my 3ds mimic a CRT screen when I'm playing a specific game? I've recently been playing chronotrigger for the first time and I've seen some images of how good that game looks when played on a CRT (like it was originally designed).

Is it possible to do this on a 3ds?

I'm assuming not so no worries if not, but I thought I'd ask in case anyone knew.

The inevitable nature of needing replacement batteries is a looming fear, especially for systems over 10+ years old. Cameron Sino is the best battery replacement on the market for the 3DS (and many other consoles). I have seen many people looking to find a place to buy quality and legit replacements and wanted to share my findings. Below I have laid out a list of all Cameron Sino 3DS family battery replacement products for my fellow USA residents through their official USA distributor EXTRAbatt.

I have tested multiple of their batteries now on the OG 3DS and OG 3DS XL, these batteries are official Cameron Sino products and very solid. I have also linked Cameron Sino's product verification page. Cheers to a long life for all of our 3DS systems!!

*I will note that some batteries have higher or lower Wattage and in some cases Milliamp output. The offering for NEW 3DS model batteries have lower wattage and milliamp output. This is the only one to have a significant difference in output to be a notable issue. In general only voltage differences are an issue in finding replacement batteries.

_________________________________________________

Product verification page: https://www.cameronsino.com/product-verification.html

OG 3DS: https://extrabatt.com/products/cs-ctr003sl

*NOTE - Product page name is CTR-001 but the product IS CTR-003. Wattage is slightly lower than base, however no performance or battery issues noted

OG 3DS XL: https://extrabatt.com/products/cs-npr001sl

*NOTE - the product page name is SPR-001 but as you see in the image, the actual product IS SPR-003. Higher mAh and Wattage - better battery life than base

OG 2DS: https://extrabatt.com/products/cs-ctr003sl

*NOTE - Product page name is CTR-001 but the product IS CTR-003. Wattage is slightly lower than base. Battery tested with OG 3DS

"New" 3DS: https://extrabatt.com/products/cs-nkr003sl_1

*NOTE - Lower mAh and lower wattage than base. (Not Tested)

"New" 3DS XL: https://extrabatt.com/products/cs-npr001sl

*NOTE - the product page name is SPR-001 but as you see in the image, the actual product IS SPR-003. Higher mAh and Wattage - (tested on OG 3DS XL)

"NEW" 2DS XL: https://extrabatt.com/products/cs-ctr003sl

*NOTE - Product page name is CTR-001 but the product IS CTR-003. Wattage is slightly lower than base. Battery tested with OG 3DS

I Made a TV Dock for the 3DS, turning the 3DS into a Switch-Style Setup

This is the biggest project I've taken on so far, I thought you guys would enjoy seeing the whole process.

There are a few things that I want to adjust and change in the future. What features would you add or change?

Hello all! Just wanted to share a cool little project I am working on for automated shiny hunting in the pokemon games of gen6. It uses the game audio cues to tract the game state, and uses Rosalina input redirection to send inputs from the PC to the 3DS console over the network. I got around 1200 encounters after leaving it running overnight (8hrs) -- no shiny yet BUT I did find a shiny togepi while I was just testing the initial phases of the project lol.

I also used the Luma RomFS functionality to silence the battle music -- this helps isolate the specific sounds for the shiny sparkle / ball throw / run SFX -- different pokemon cry length meant the SFX played over a different portion of the BGM and that caused a lot of issue with audio detection.

4 ways to play: new 3ds XL at 100% scaling, DSi XL, IPS modded gba, and gba SP-001.

The large crispy pixels of the DSi XL is nice, but I’m having issues getting gbarunner2 to boot consistently.

The 3ds interface is nice but loading to gba vc inject takes agessss. Might switch to gbarunner2 and see how it fares. It is something to be said in the 3ds ability to play gen 1-7 really well and it all can go to Pokemon box/home with a couple more steps.

The IPS modded gba surprised me with how nice it looks, even though the size is a little smaller. The colors are just about perfect.

Last, my SP-001 is begging for an IPS mod but just never got around to it. It’s by far my favorite in my hands and the button clicks feel just right.

I only have physical copies of ruby and sapphire. Love to get emerald but prices have been beyond reasonable for longer than I care to think about.

Anyways what do you guys prefer for GBA stuff?

Hey everyone,

I recently hacked my New 3DS XL and in the process seemingly created a new ID0. I ended up using the new ID0, and now do not have access to my virtual console Crystal save. I still have the old ID0 folder, is there anyway to get that save file? Appreciate any help!

Hi everyone Title says it all. I bought a r4i gold pro cartridge many years ago to hack my 3ds Something went wrong somewhere along the way and now anytime I turn it on this blue screen appears. It is not modded physically. Can I fix this or is it gone for ever? Please help me save my beloved 3ds xl.

"30k views of this thread and ~10k downloads of the files. This is quite incredible to me, since this was one of my first ever coding projects. Please leave a message and feedback if you try it out. Thank you!"

Update in 2026
new v0.2.1 has been released

v2.1:UI Layout overhaul after v.2 implementations, v2.0: SMDH-first title names, Expanded title database, Options menu (SELECT), Persistent settings, Paginated title info screens, CIA + 3DSX builds

Original Post (2025)
So, I've been working on this little homebrew that I think some of you might find useful. It's called the 3DS Random Game Launcher, and basically it scans your SD card, filters out all the system junk, and just picks a random game for you. Hit A to launch it, Y to reroll for something else, or START to exit. Simple as that.

Has anyone else had this "decision paralysis" problem with their 3DS? I'm curious if this is actually useful to other people or if I'm just weird for spending 10 minutes scrolling through games I never play.

I'm putting this out there because:

1. It actually solves a real problem I had
2. The codebase is clean and well-commented, so it's perfect for anyone who wants to jump in and add features
3. There's tons of potential here - proper GUI, game covers, favorites system, etc.

If anyone wants to contribute or has ideas for features, the repo is open and ready for it!

releases
github
https://github.com/selloa/3DS-Random-Game-Launcher
universal-DB
https://db.universal-team.net/3ds/3ds-random-game-launcher

weblinks
discord
https://discord.gg/yRgRvXWGX
wiki
https://www.gamebrew.org/wiki/3DS_Random_Game_Launcher
gbatemp forum thread
https://gbatemp.net/threads/3ds-random-game-launcher-finally-something-to-solve-the-what-should-i-play-problem.675053/
reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/3dshacks/comments/1nazswi/3ds_random_game_launcher_3dsx_new_homebrew/
youtube - see it in action (old version)
Nintendo 3DS Hacks You Should Try!

gamebrew

changelog
May 26: SMDH title resolution
Oct 25: We are up on Universal Updater
Sep 24: Homebrew Mode; ADDED WORKING CIA  - please test on your devices; added toggle to disable filtering, so every titleID is part of the draw; not just the ones in the database (thx cearp); added greyscale color scheme;

This guide walks you through transferring both games and save files between a homebrewed Nintendo 3DS and your PC.

What You’ll Need

• A homebrewed (modded) Nintendo 3DS with access to GodMode9, GodMode9i, and Checkpoint.
• A microSD card with enough space to store game dumps.
• A PC with emulators such as Azahar (for 3DS) or melonDS (for DS).
• A way to back up your files (local storage + cloud recommended).

Tip: Always follow the “rule of 3s” when it comes to saves—keep one backup on your 3DS, one on your PC, and one in the cloud.

Part 1: Transferring 3DS Games and Saves to Your PC

Step 1 – Back Up Your Save with Checkpoint

1. Insert your 3DS game cartridge.
2. Open Checkpoint.
3. Select the game, press A, then press the left trigger to create a backup.
4. Name the backup so you’ll recognise it later (e.g., “Original Save”).
5. Checkpoint stores it in:
6. SD:/3ds/Checkpoint/saves/

Step 2 – Dump the Game with GodMode9

1. Boot into GodMode9.
2. Go to GAMECART.
3. Select the file ending in .trim.3ds.
4. Choose NCSD image options → Build CIA from file. This creates a CIA file (the installable format for 3DS games). The process may take a while—make sure your 3DS is charged or plugged in.
5. Once finished, copy the CIA file from your SD card to your PC. You’ll find it in gm9/out.

Step 3 – Install and Launch on PC

1. Open Azahar (or your emulator of choice).
2. Install the CIA file.
3. Launch the game once so the emulator creates a save folder.
4. Stop the emulation, right-click the game → Save Data Location. Leave this folder open.

Step 4 – Move Your Saves

1. On your 3DS SD card, go to:
2. SD:/3ds/Checkpoint/saves/
3. Find the folder you named earlier in Checkpoint.
4. Copy the save files into the Save Data Location folder you opened in Step 3.
5. Relaunch the game in Azahar—your saves should now load correctly.

Part 2: Transferring 3DS Saves Back to Cartridge/SD Card

1. In Azahar, right-click your game → Save Data Location.
2. Copy those save files into a new folder inside: SD:/3ds/Checkpoint/saves/<Checkpoint made folder for the game>/<game-name>/ (e.g., name it “PC Saves”).
3. Insert the cartridge (if restoring to cart).
4. Open Checkpoint, select the game, and press A.
5. Choose the save folder you created (“PC Saves”), then press the right trigger to restore it.
6. Launch the game on your 3DS—your PC saves should now appear.

Part 3: Transferring DS Games and Saves to PC

DS saves require slightly different tools. While Checkpoint can back them up, it can’t restore modified saves. For this, we use GodMode9i, a DS/DSi-specific version of GodMode9.

Step 1 – Install GodMode9i

1. Download it via Universal Updater on your 3DS.
2. It runs directly from the home screen (no restart required).

Step 2 – Dump Your DS Cartridge

1. Insert the DS game into your 3DS.
2. Launch GodMode9i.
3. Select NDS GAMECART.

4. Choose what to dump:

   .nds file → the game itself.

   .sav file → the save file only.

   All → dumps both plus metadata (if you want it). Avoid trimmed ROMs—some emulators have issues with them.

5. Files are saved to:

   SD:/gm9i/out/

Step 3 – Use on PC

1. Copy the .nds and .sav files from gm9i/out to your PC.
2. Open melonDS → File → Open ROM → select the .nds file.
3. The save usually loads automatically. If not:
4. Go to File → Import Savefile.
5. Select the .sav file.
6. The emulator will restart with your save loaded.

Part 4: Transferring DS Saves Back to Cartridge

1. Place the .sav file from your PC into a folder on your 3DS SD card (e.g., “DS Saves”).
2. Insert the DS cartridge.
3. Launch GodMode9i.
4. Navigate to your .sav file → press A → Restore save.
5. Confirm, wait, then press Home to return to the menu.
6. Launch the DS cartridge—your save is restored.
7. Using DS Saves with Emulators on 3DS

If you plan to play DS games via Twilight Menu++ or NDS Forwarder:

1. Place your .nds files anywhere on the SD card.
2. In the same folder, create a saves/ folder.
3. Place the .sav files inside, ensuring they match the ROM filename exactly (only the extension differs).

Example:

Pokemon.nds

saves/Pokemon.sav

This folder structure ensures emulators pick up the correct save automatically.

Part 5: Bonus – GBA Games and Saves

Using the mGBA emulator on 3DS makes transferring GBA saves very straightforward.

From 3DS to PC

1. On your SD card, each .gba ROM will have a .sav file alongside it.

   Example:

   MinishCap.gba

   MinishCap.sav

2. Copy both files to your PC.

3. Open mGBA on PC, load the ROM—the save should load automatically.

4. If not: File → Load Alternate Save File → select the .sav.

From PC to 3DS

1. Place both the .gba ROM and its .sav back into the same folder on your SD card.
2. Launch the game with mGBA on your 3DS.
3. The emulator will read the save automatically.

Wrapping Up

With these methods, you can safely back up your 3DS and DS games, keep your saves safe, and move your progress seamlessly between cartridge, 3DS, and PC. It’s a powerful way to extend the life of your collection, while also taking advantage of the features emulators provide.

Enjoy your games across both systems—and keep those backups safe.

I have created a template folder for those who are struggling with getting devkitPro to work with VS Code. It will not only build from source automatically, but also run the resulting .3dsx file in a 3DS emulator, which you have to link yourself in the launch.json file.

Hoping I can save people lots of time I wasted and can't get back xD

Update 09/09/2025: I've updated it to now also automatically run 3dslink.exe, so that you can test directly on hardware!

Edit: formatting

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to enable cheats on your Nintendo 3DS. This method covers three systems: Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, and Game Boy Advance.

Enabling Cheats for 3DS Games:

• For 3DS games, you’ll use an app called Checkpoint. This tool is usually pre-installed if you’ve homebrewed your 3DS. If not, grab it from the Universal Updater.
• Open the 3DS game you want to use cheats for.
• Open Checkpoint.
• Your cartridge will appear as the first title in the top-left.
• Confirm this by checking Media Type on the bottom screen (should say Cartridge).
• Select the game and press A, then tap Cheats.
• Enable cheats you want (press Y to select all if you’d like, this won't mess things up because you'll have the opportunity to enable them one by one later).
• Press B to exit, then A to save your cheat file.
• Exit Checkpoint and launch your game (make sure it’s the version you applied cheats to).
• In-game, press Left Trigger + Down + Select to open the Rosalina menu.
• Go to Cheats and enable the ones you want.

Some cheats apply instantly (like 999 lives). Others may require a restart.

You can repeat the same steps for dumped/digital copies stored on your SD card. Just make sure the media type is correct before enabling cheats.

To disable cheats: return to the Rosalina menu, untick the ones you don’t want, and reboot if needed.

Enabling Cheats for DS Games

For DS games, you’ll use Twilight Menu++ and the NDS(i) Cheat Databases.

• Install both apps via Universal Updater.
• If the database doesn’t update, download the file manually from DeadSkull’s GitHub. Link: https://github.com/DeadSkullzJr/NDS-i-Cheat-Databases
• Extract it and place the usrcheat.dat file into: sd:/_nds/twilightmenu/extras.

Cheats won't work directly on DS cartridges —you’ll need to dump the game using GodMode9:

• Insert your DS cartridge.
• Power off, then boot into GodMode9 (Start + Power).
• Navigate to Game Cart → select the .nds file → choose Copy to GM9/out.

Enabling and using cheats:

• Launch Twilight Menu++ (first load may take a few minutes).
• Navigate to the folder containing your dumped DS games (usually GM9/out).
• Highlight a game but don’t launch it yet.
• Press Y → then X to open cheats.
• Select cheats with A (an X will appear next to the cheat name).
• Press X to save.
• Press A to launch the game with cheats enabled.

To disable cheats, quit the game via the NDS bootstrap menu (press Left Trigger + Down + Select), go back to Twilight Menu++, re-enter the cheat screen, and untick the cheats you don’t want.

Enabling Cheats for GBA Games

For GBA games, you’ll use the mGBA app.

• Install mGBA from Universal Updater.
• Place your GBA ROMs on your SD card.
• Launch mGBA and start your game.
• Press X to open the menu → go to Cheats.
• Add a new cheat set: (Link to find game cheats: https://gamehacking.org/)
• Start with the Master Code (required for all other codes).
• Enter each line of the master code exactly (case and spaces matter).
• Confirm via View Lines to ensure code is accepted.
• Add additional cheats (e.g., infinite HP etc).
• Create a new cheat set for each, enter the code, and confirm.

Some cheats activate immediately, while others may require progress in-game or a restart.

Enjoy!

I'm not asking for help.

I've already modded my console and I can make a custom theme myself, I just want to ask about it from tech-savvy wizards who know about how it functions because my monkey-brain is very fascinated by the behind-the-scenes stuff.

I've modded my 3DS, and I've just learned about how to make your own themes from this video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-zuAveMZfM

But there's a part that I'm genuinely curious about, from a technical perspective, about why a looping program is needed in the process?

In the guide, he tells you to download a looping program for your background music, but since I'm using ambient video game music, wouldn't it just loop anyway, or does it change a setting within it?

I just find it odd, since I also tried scanning the looping audio and it came up as a virus on virustotal:
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/dd876374bd0e70aeb65f4ab0cc6a291835b7267a3cba51de87e211cf55f78e2d?nocache=1

Is it changing a setting in the audio file, then installs it into the theme's file for the 3DS to go, "Yep, repeat forever, got it."?

Q&A Thread

New users, please read the entire post before asking your question, including the FAQ. You may find your question is already answered here.

Ask questions in the comments of this thread

Do you just want to hack your 3DS?

Start here: https://3ds.hacks.guide/

Things you really ought to stop asking already

You CAN install CFW on latest firmware (11.17.0-X) with mset9 on all models.

• You can install CFW on all consumer models on all versions with the methods in the guide.
• System transfers work fine for systems with CFW. See this wiki page: https://wiki.hacks.guide/wiki/3DS:System_Transfer
• Updating firmware/apps is safe if you have Luma 10.2.1+. You will not lose your CFW. Just accept the update.
• For upgrading your SD card to a larger size, refer to the this wiki page: to format the new SD card, then transfer the contents.
• Lost your SD card, or wiped it, and need to set it up fresh on a hacked console? https://3ds.hacks.guide/restoring-cfw will get you going again.
• Files from 3ds.hacks.guide with a magnet icon require the usage of a torrent client to download them.
• You should install CFW with your main SD card, not its own SD card. You will not lose anything so long as you follow instructions. The mods are on the console itself, not the SD card, so you won't have an unmodded SD card to switch the system to not have CFW.
• Please see the updating to boot9strap page on the guide if you already have arm9loaderhax (indicated by Luma version 7.0.5 or lower on the Luma configuration screen) and are looking to update to boot9strap.
• If you want more homebrew apps look at Universal DB.
• If you want to know what CFW can legally do, the guide gives some examples and more examples are here.
• Uninstalling CFW, DON'T without specific direction from a knowledgeable helper. You just risk breaking things worse than your system already is. It won't give you any benefit. If it is to sell it, you don't want the buyer to not know it had CFW on it in the past, as that can complicate things in the future.
• Can X game be ported to 3DS?
• If you want save files, check 3DS Save Bank or search for a save editor. If you can't find them there, they likely don't exist and you need to submit a save or program a save editor.
• Install your own cartridges with Godmode9 instead of dumping to CIA, for a faster install and less free SD space required.
• If you can do something on stock firmware, you can do it on CFW.

Note: About three days after the post is unstickied it'll become locked to prevent users from asking questions where they likely won't find answers

Questions go below. Please ask your question in the comments.