Hacking Region Free Question

[Imahkinusa]

Sorry to sound really noobie here!!!

I'm planning to get a 3DS to play the upcoming Monster Hunter 4G or ultimate if your in the states and I'm planning on buying the gateway with it. I'm also buying the retail cart of the 4G and not gonna rom it or anything.

Here is the problem. I would like to play the Japanese version of it which is 4G, but I don't know if I should buy the 3DS XL(The American version) reason being that I'm not sure will it play on Classic mode with Gateway 3DS. I have searched up for around 3 days and everyone seems to be doing the region free on the ROM and not the retail carts. I do want to play some american games and not just Monster Hunter 4G since I'm at it, because I do live in the states. It is also really hard to find a Firmware 4.1-4.5 Japanese 3DS LL, but I know if I get the Japanese Version (3DS LL) I'm 100% sure I can play MH4G with no problem even at the cost of an update.

The Question is:
Will the American 3DS XL with Gateway 3DS running on firmware 4.1-4.5 able to read and play the Japanese carts on classic mode? Or I'm just better off buying an imported Japanese 3DS LL?

Thank you very much for you help!!!
Brian

 

[gamesquest1]

pretty sure MH4 requires an update to play online, as its a japanese game you can only get the update from eshop on a japanese 3DS

so yeah you could play it in classic mode but you couldn't get updates

 

[Pedeadstrian]

On their website, they stated that they were working on Classic Mode Region Free, but since I haven't seen anything like that in their news posts, it would seem Classic Mode still isn't region-free. Why not just use a ROM of Monster Hunter 4G? You might not be able to go online (I've heard conflicting reports on .3dz in different regions), but you'll still be able to play.

Damnit, ninja'd again. If that's the case, ROMs would be the best NA console solution.

 

[Imahkinusa]

pretty sure MH4 requires an update to play online, as its a japanese game you can only get the update from eshop on a japanese 3DS

so yeah you could play it in classic mode but you couldn't get updates

sigh.. but yet again it is so hard to find a 4.5 Japanese 3DS T___T. I would like all the updates, but I guess i'm better off getting the newer models of the 3DS LL if I really can't find the 4.5 ones.

 

[cearp]

sigh.. but yet again it is so hard to find a 4.5 Japanese 3DS

what is your budget? you are probably looking in the wrong places

 

[Imahkinusa]

what is your budget? you are probably looking in the wrong places

I would say around USD 200-250$, I could go for 300$ if It is absolute last one

 

[cearp]

I would say around USD 200-250$, I could go for 300$ if It is absolute last one

you're in luck, i'll send you a pm

 

[cearp]

hmm, why do you want to play the japanese version of mh4g? won't the international release be the same?
or you just want to play it sooner?

 

[justln]

The Question is:
Will the American 3DS XL with Gateway 3DS running on firmware 4.1-4.5 able to read and play the Japanese carts on classic mode? Or I'm just better off buying an imported Japanese 3DS LL?

Thank you very much for you help!!!
Brian

Yes, Monster Hunter 4 will run in classic mode on a US 3DS XL. However, if the game requires an update like Monster Hunter 4 or Japanese Smash Bros, you can't go online on a US XL even with a cartridge.

My suggestion? Buy a 4.5 US XL and get the 4G ROM in Oct. 6 months should be enough time to test 4G out until 4U releases.

 

[Steena]

Do you plan on playing online? Online is dodgy with gateway and a firmware update will likely take that out for a month or two.

If a new firmware releases together with the game (or shortly after the game release) and you want to play it online, you're fucked.

 

[cearp]

Do you plan on playing online? Online is dodgy with gateway and a firmware update will likely take that out for a month or two.

dodgy? not at all. you can still play online even if you are not on the latest fw.

 

[Steena]

dodgy? not at all. you can still play online even if you are not on the latest fw.

Uh, how? Didn't online stop working when firmware 8.0 released, until GW released 2.3?

 

[gamesquest1]

Uh, how? Didn't online stop working when firmware 8.0 released, until GW released 2.3?

no, you can play online on any FW...the issue some faced was with games like pokemon that needed a eshop update to play online, if you didnt have it already downloaded you couldnt play pokemon online

 

[Steena]

no, you can play online on any FW...the issue some faced was with games like pokemon that needed a eshop update to play online, if you didnt have it already downloaded you couldnt play pokemon online

Ah, wow, my bad.

Even then you are hoping that no updates are released after a new firmware is made. What if a big name game releases on the same day or a day after a new firmware, and it requires a patch? I can see devs releasing a pointless update solely to block flashcard users, doesn't seem like a difficult thing at all.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

Ah, wow, my bad.

Even then you are hoping that no updates are released after a new firmware is made. What if a big name game releases on the same day or a day after a new firmware, and it requires a patch? I can see devs releasing a pointless update solely to block flashcard users, doesn't seem like a difficult thing at all.

Apparently Nintendo hasn't been doing a good job at that, because it's been over a year since Gateway released and after many firmware updates, they still haven't blocked it permanently. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Mikecrowfone]

Apparently Nintendo hasn't been doing a good job at that, because it's been over a year since Gateway released and after many firmware updates, they still haven't blocked it permanently. I wouldn't worry about it.

They did block it permanently (above 4.5 FW). Since they can't block 4.5FW at all, it stands to reason there is a good chance GW will be allowed to work indefinitely, likely till the end of its lifespan.