There are certainly some gamers in North America that only plan to pick up a New Nintendo 3DS when the smaller model is available, as only two variations of the XL iteration are currently available in the region. That limited release was a contentious decision from Nintendo of America, with the smaller model's charms - including interchangeable cover plates - current eluding the hugely valuable NA market.
For a small number of committed gamers happy to enjoy an offline existence but play games on the smaller model, there's now an exploit that supports the smaller Japanese New Nintendo 3DS systems and makes them region-free. It makes use of the exploit previously used for a homebrew channel in utilising physical or eShop copies of Cubic Ninja; the difference compared to other workarounds is that this does not allow any illegal copies or ROMS to be used, simply allowing NA or EU cartridge games to be played on a Japanese unit. The only additional mod is an ability to take screenshots, but aside from that this doesn't support any non-legitimate games.
Of course, making a Japanese New Nintendo 3DS region-free is also breaking the rules, yet this exploit is ultimately a limited workaround for only the most committed. It's limited to Japanese units, and in addition to requiring a copy of Cubic Ninja it'll only supports out-of-date firmware 8.1.0 / 9.1.0 / 9.2.0; no online gaming or eShop access is possible due to the need to avoid system updates.
This workaround should nevertheless prove popular with a small number of gamers - particularly in North America - that have imported a Japanese New Nintendo 3DS. It'll be of no use to the majority, but shows the ongoing desire among some to enjoy the smaller model and, in addition, get around region locking.
Thanks to Ryan Millar for the heads up.
[source tinycartridge.com]
Comments 63
cue the people saying "wow I'm going to but a N3DS now" even though it going to get patch
Hopefully Nintendo learns not to do something stupid again like region locking whatever the NX will end up being.
wow I'm going to but a N3DS now
I still would love to see the regular one released in NA. If they wait too late I'll just wait for the next handheld.
Region locking a portable console. Of all the stupid things Nintendo has done, this one ranks somewhere in the middle.
Looks like Cubic Ninja sales will spike.
"no online gaming"
That's actually wrong, you can play online as long as the games themselves are updated.
I wonder if any companies are insistent nintendo maintain the region lock, it's evident what the consumer want but maybe something else is in play.
IMO just be patient. I'm sure it'll come to US.
Aww... I probably updated my JP N3DS.
I still preordered a NA copy of Xenoblade Chronicles incase it ends up like the Wii version, even though I shall have a longer wait to play it.
I don't get this exploit, if you're buying a New 3DS from Japan anyways then shouldn't you already got region free? I mean really you got both a Japanese New 3DS and you got the New 3DS XL over here. You could already play games from both regions and without the need for that one crappy game.
Nintendo just get rid of the region lock already. omfg.
@retro_player_22 Shh. You're talking logic here.
Is there a real reason to make hardware region locked? I can't figure that one out.
I wish they would just release the standard model or, better yet, as mentioned above, get rid of the irritation that is 'region locking'.
The XL model just isn't personally worth it for the long run...and, on top of that, they couldn't even release any decent colors at that. That 'red' model...just no.
If it wasn't for the tiny bit of (probably pointless) hope that they'll release it sometime later this year, I'd probably go ahead and try this out.
This shouldn't be this complicated. Region locking is dumb and can't get them that many hardware sales, but they aren't going to change it yet. They want to sell the New XL hardware in US stores because they think it will sell better. Whatever. To the best of my knowledge, region locking is software based, not hardware based. As noisy as some of the people who would much rather buy the smaller model have been (I've stated my mind before, but I've never been furious), we probably are a minority. We aren't worth bringing a lot of stock over for. We are noisy though, and having a bunch of us shouting around the fanbase isn't great for Nintendo. If they would just let us import from Japan and Europe through NoA and get the region changed for the price of a new 3DS plus the cost of a low maintenance repair out of warrantee then NoA gets to satisfy their hardcore fans without looking foolish or having a lot of unsold systems. It isn't like faceplates are region locked, so I don't see the problem. I can't speak for everybody, but I'm willing to pay shipping and $50 to $70 for a NoA employee to switch the region in order to have comfortable hardware that I enjoy using.
@Tazcat2011 I don't know if this applies (or ever applied) to video games, but I know back in the 80s and 90s, anime in the US was really expensive to discourage people in Japan from importing anime from overseas, where the anime would be cheaper, if the US companies weren't told to jack up the prices.
So I'm guessing consoles were region locked, so game prices in the US wouldn't have to be absurdly high to prevent people in Japan from importing games from America.
Sadly... Nintendo will patch this and not move forward.
@Tazcat2011 I was thinking perhaps to help curb pirating. The DS and GBA both had a lot of Chinese pirate games running rampant. I'm guessing the pirates would be less likely to want to produce a paste for every region.
@Dipper723 While I don't your story, I just wonder why Japanese companies would think that. Most of the anime that was sold in stores here back at that time were English only dubs.
@ikki5, It really doesn't matter if they patch this or not if you done have a japanese 3ds and use this exploit there will be nothing that nintendo could do to lock you out if you never take it online.
@retro_player_22 The whole point is playing NA games on the New 3DS.
Was happy when I saw the title, but became disappointed after reading the article. I guess it'll be a while before hackers can find a permanent fix for the region-locking issue.
@jbopatrick
Adding region-lock only promotes piracy. If people are blocked out from being able to play a game they want, some people will just steal it.
The only reason Nintendo region locks is to sell more consoles.
I'm sure they will eventually release the New 3DS in NA hopefully by Christmas time.
This is old news. The Cubic Ninja trick worked on 3DS and "New" 3DS prior to patch and wayy prior to release in the states. If you're hardcore enough to import, you might as well save yourself the headache and buy two systems.
On the other hand, breaking the tabs on my SNES to play Super Famicom games was easy as pie. No soldering or soft-modding required, and Nintendo can't patch it either.
@AVahne I call that a load of hogwash. I doubt many pirate just to get around region locking
@TingLz If they released a new Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan game for the 3DS, I would probably buy a flash cart immediately.
What version of the firmware comes installed on the New 3DS?
There's a lot more than region free going on at the moment.
The barbarians are at the gate.
https://gbatemp.net/forums/3ds-homebrew-development-and-emulators.275/
Another Cubic Ninja exploit? Not worth hunting a copy for.
I have a copy of this , but this exploit is whatever. Region lock and update would be a waste of time. The N3DS is too new. The exploits need to be realized on the older models and publishing this is just bad because it lets the Proverbial "cat out of the bag".
The region locks don't bother me. I don't speak or read Japanese so I wouldn't import their games and I don't import their systems cuz why would I? But I do feel bad for those who want the smaller new 3DS. I was happy since I like XL and MAJORA'S MASK!!!! but some people don't like to play on bricks and I respect that. Also, the faceplates are a cool idea and if the UK can get it, I don't see why we can't. I hope they do bring it here.
Also, don't buy a Japanese 3DS for this. It'll probably get patched and you'll be upset.
Just release an official patch Nintendo and stop this region lock stupidity.
I'm going to import one in a couple of weeks, but not because of this. It will be a novel experience and I'm (slowly) learning to read Japanese. Plus, I managed to snag those glow-in-the-dark Boo plates.
@mowerdude Other than require a higher firmware version and include it on the cart. Or specific checks inside the game.
If only Nintendo would just sell us New 3DS's that aren't the XL
Come on Nintendo, just remove this outdated business practice. Between your dumb region locking and Square Enix's stupid idea to not localise any Dragon Quest games we're missing out on so much.
@Franklin - Lol, you got a laugh out of me.
@TingLz - Really? Because I'd love to play some Japanese 3DS games right now, and I'm sure as hell not going to be buying the Japanese versions and a Japanese system.
If people aren't given the option to play games they want through legitimate means (without having to spend ridiculous amounts of money), then people will pirate.
@retro_player_22 - If someone is upgrading from one of the old 3DS's to the New 3DS, then they can just buy the Japanese one and still play games from all regions. Obviously this holds no benefit to those already with an NA/EU New 3DS.
@kenzo Uh... I'm not sure that means what you think it means. From the perspective of a lot of people at the time, including one of my distant ancestors, the Celts (who were among the so-called "barbarians"), the "storming of the gates" at the Roman Empire was a good thing compared to letting it go on unabated.
If modders/hackers are the "barbarians" in this case, I would probably side with them again, as my ancestors did... Then again, I'm not sure if I would compare Nintendo to the Roman Empire.
@retro_player_22 This is useful for those without enough disposable income to hand Nintendo another 200 smackers.
@TingLz Happens in Poland a lot, from what I've read. One recent example is Poland not having access to the Xbox One version of The Witcher 3 due to region locking, despite the game being made there! "Poland isn't a big market anyways," one might say? Well, I don't like segregating the world using arbitrary reasoning or even reductionist thought processes, myself.
@Chaoz It has been patched for a while....
@TingLz slowly raises hand.... I'm sorry, but I wasn't waiting for over a year for NoA to get off their butts and change like three lines of code in the PAL version of Xenoblade.
@AVahne If you were going to make this permanent you would either A)have to modify the game's code for every game you want to play or B)mess with your NAND which=an easy brick.
@Monado_III "If Brits Then Flog
If Yanks Then Blockade {Because no more tea parties for you}
End"
@PlywoodStick I want Puyo Puyo Tetris but I want it as a download not cartridge. (If there becomes a way I can do that by faking my region (temporarily) somehow I will - accepting the risk involved).
Shame that they blocked homebrew and real piracy still work.
And region free for Japan? This made me laugh. Japan got most games.
So we need learn their language or dont really bother.
If it weren't for the region lock, you would be able to import a standard New 3DS and play all your games there. But of course, that just makes too much sense to Nintendo. So they locked it instead.
Unfortunately, because it is a pain for consumers, Nintendo does see region-locking as one of its tools against piracy. Piracy is still massive for Nintendo. That's part of the reason that some companies don't like to develop games for Nintendo systems. Back in the days of GTA: China Town Wars, there were millions of players online and yet only a few hundred thousand copies of the game sold. All the rest were on those illegal flashcarts. Now everybody has to pay. Yay!
Does anyone want to team up and use the smash bros codes for mewtwo? I have the 3ds code that has not been used, if someone has the wii u verson who hasnt used it, i would like to to use it to register both, i will email you the wii u version code, my email is [email protected], i really want mewtwo lol
wow I'm going to but a N3DS now
In all seriousness, though, anything that can't / doesn't allow / is not for running ROMs is OK in my book. Especially region free related stuff.
@retro_player_22 Because you'd want to play your games on a smaller, more comfortable system with a screen that isn't so giant and blown out.
Look! I just want those cool ass cover plates! So ditch region locking or release the smaller 3DS to us this year.
@retro_player_22 Because not everyone wants to buy two units. Instead of using two units, I can just use the small japanese one for both.
It's been a headache for NA customers. My fix was to just buy a used white ds lite and catch up on a bunch classics while I wait. BIS is amazing btw.
I skimmed over the article. Is he talking about KARL3DS by any chance?
Still having region lock enabled on their consoles is just another way of showing that Nintendo is so far behind the times that it's ridiculous. Hopefully this will just bring them to the point where they Patch The new 3DS and make it region free to begin with the fact that imported games are such a threat at this point makes no sense whatsoever.If people want to play imported games they always find a way. It has been that way since the 90's, and it will probably always be that way.
Still having region lock enabled on their consoles is just another way of showing that Nintendo is so far behind the times that it's ridiculous. Hopefully this will just bring them to the point where they Patch The new 3DS and make it region free to begin with the fact that imported games are such a threat at this point makes no sense whatsoever.If people want to play imported games they always find a way. It has been that way since the 90's, and it will probably always be that way.
Still having region lock enabled on their consoles is just another way of showing that Nintendo is so far behind the times that it's ridiculous. Hopefully this will just bring them to the point where they Patch The new 3DS and make it region free to begin with the fact that imported games are such a threat at this point makes no sense whatsoever.If people want to play imported games they always find a way. It has been that way since the 90's, and it will probably always be that way.
Still having region lock enabled on their consoles is just another way of showing that Nintendo is so far behind the times that it's ridiculous. Hopefully this will just bring them to the point where they Patch The new 3DS and make it region free to begin with the fact that imported games are such a threat at this point makes no sense whatsoever.If people want to play imported games they always find a way. It has been that way since the 90's, and it will probably always be that way.
Can anyone actually explain a good reason for still having region lock when everyone else doesn't bother with it? Perhaps next console of DS, Nintendo will remove the region lock.
There are two reasons for it region-locking. The first being to limit the effects of piracy, since the idea is if your console can't play it you won't pirate it.
The second is actually to prevent people importing cheaper products, this is mainly for Japan and is actually a pretty common practice for Japanese companies. Its not just due to exchange rates either, a lot of it for price gouging, and trying to keep the money circulating within their own country.
That's how it was anyway, since only Nintendo are doing it still.
@TingLz
That's actually a big reason for movie and TV piracy, people pirate to get shows that aren't available in their region. I can't see why it'd be any different for games. People actually make foreign accounts just to download games, and even use VPNs or fake accounts to bypass IP blocks for online games.
If piracy is deemed cheaper and more convenient than the legal way then people will go that route. Yes, that includes hacking and using CFW to bypass regional restrictions.
Don't newly released 3DS games install firmware updates themselves if you don't already have it on your system?
This region-locking crap bugs me, because I live in Japan now and have both US and JP games and systems...and I really REALLY hate the XL now and wanna play my US games on the smaller New 3DS. But I can't, because the JP model is region-locked and the US model DOESN'T EXIST. It amazes me that Nintendo doesn't seem to want me to buy their games/systems anymore.
Second time Cubic Ninja exploit has been useful.
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