Home Gaming How to bypass the 3DS’ region lock

How to bypass the 3DS’ region lock

2 min read
21

3dslock

Nintendo’s decision to region lock its handheld system, the 3DS continues to baffle me. IT’s the sort of thing that, being portable, would be perfect for being exempt from silly things like artificially imposed restrictions. Not being able to buy a new game for your portable system while travelling? That’s more than an oversight – it’s a damned tragedy. There’s a shiny new exploit that lets you bypass the region restriction – even letting you play your imported games in your own language if it’s available. Best of all? You won’t need a flashcart, you won’t need to modify your system and you won;t need to sacrifice a baby goat to Reggie Fils-Aime. All you need is an internet connection.

Here’s what you need to do to run games from other regions:

  • Download Launcher.dat from the repo (or compile it yourself) : https://github.com/smealum/regionthr…r/Launcher.dat
  • Copy Launcher.dat to the root of your SD card
  • Insert the game you want to run into your 3DS and power it up
  • Open the “Download Play” application
  • Hit the home menu button, but do not exit the Download Play application (keep it running in the background)
  • Open the Web Browser applet
  • Browse to http://go.scmods.com/
  • Wait a few seconds; screen should turn black and after a bit your game should boot up

It works on the most recent version – 9.4 – of the 3DS firmware. As it requires browsing to an exploit site, you will need an active internet connection whenever you intend on playing your imported games. The exploit does not allow for any of the dodgy stuff; No dumping of carts, no piracy, no backdoors and hacks. Unfortunately, it seems like something Nintendo could patch out with ease if they liked. It’s safe and it’s legal – games you play this way don;t even show up in your activity log. Unfortunately it doesn’t work on the New 3DS – which, for some reason, is still region locked.

Still, if there are any crazy Japanese games you’ve been aching to play, here’s your chance…for now.

Last Updated: January 19, 2015

21 Comments

  1. Admiral Chief

    January 19, 2015 at 15:06

    SKANDAAL!

    Reply

  2. Mandom (Umar)

    January 19, 2015 at 15:07

    WOOOOOOW…2 things I wish Nintendo would change. End region locking and link games to an account, not system.
    http://media.giphy.com/media/u2dI2h52gAzNS/giphy.gif

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief

      January 19, 2015 at 15:08

      Man, that gif looks like they are witnessing a power fart from me after eating a dodgy garage pie (like what happened this weekend)

      Reply

      • ToshZA

        January 19, 2015 at 15:10

        That’s from me taking my shirt off outside. Yes, I’m that pale.

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief

          January 19, 2015 at 15:13

          So pale the dogs go blind?

          Reply

          • ToshZA

            January 19, 2015 at 15:19

            ToshZA: making guide dogs useless since 1986!

      • Mandom (Umar)

        January 19, 2015 at 15:13

        You ate a dodgy garage pie? EWWWWWW

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief

          January 19, 2015 at 15:16

          I know, bad call, but I was working Saturday, simple 3 hr supervision job that became 9hr madness, by hour 5, I was visibly showing signs of malnutrition.

          On the plus side, I ate the most glorious thing that accompanied that dodgy pie….

          CHOCOLATE HOT CROSS BUNS!

          BLISS

          Reply

          • Mandom (Umar)

            January 19, 2015 at 15:17

            Yum, warm that puppy up and let it melt in your mouth!! SO DAMN GOOD

          • Admiral Chief

            January 19, 2015 at 15:17

          • RinceThis

            January 19, 2015 at 15:34

            Damn, this with ice cream would be my undoing!

          • ToshZA

            January 19, 2015 at 15:18

            That’s what she said?

          • Admiral Chief

            January 19, 2015 at 15:30

            They were so good, I thought they were illegal!

  3. ToshZA

    January 19, 2015 at 15:09

    Another week, another Nintendo scandal.

    This is why third party devs don’t support your consoles. Because consumers can’t.

    Reply

  4. Admiral Chief

    January 19, 2015 at 15:13

    PLEASE USE OUR HANDHOLDS

    but

    YOU BUY CHARGER OK?

    and

    DON’T TRAVEL WITH THE HANDHOLDS

    Reply

  5. Hammersteyn

    January 19, 2015 at 15:24

    Header win

    Reply

    • Skyblue

      January 19, 2015 at 15:39

      Never even saw that until you mentioned it. Geoff seems to be pretty good at this Photoshop thing and he always has fresh idea’s.

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        January 19, 2015 at 15:46

        Darryns also pretty good. Did you see what he did with the Watchdogs header?

        Reply

        • Skyblue

          January 19, 2015 at 21:20

          I know, all good. It’s cool how you always know who’s written the article by the header and esp the writing before you even look at the author. Love this site, even after a tough day like today.

          Reply

  6. RinceThis

    January 19, 2015 at 15:34

    Nintendo, stopping the spread of their product to a new generation, BECUS!

    Reply

  7. RedAgent14

    June 17, 2015 at 06:17

    This better work, ’cause I’m gonna rely on this for playing Dai Gyakuten Saiban on my 3DS (Old 3DS XL).

    Reply

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