Homebrew How to claim Pokemon Serial codes from other regions

[Jair]

So my friend had an European 3DS that he bought on a trip, I installed A9LH on it. Some time ago he purchased a Pokemon Y cartridge locally that is US, which didn't boot before because of the region. Now it boots and everything, but when he tries to claim a Pokemon serial code (code is compatible with US Pokemon Y Version btw) that was given to him in a local store he is given an error message that the code is invalid. I assumed this had to do with the region and tried launching it through HANS and setting the region to USA, but I get a message preparing to load game and it hangs there. Any ideas on how to claim the code? I've also tried region changing using Luma Region Emulation and nothing.

I should note I am using the HANS release included in the starter.zip linked in Plailect's guide.

I could probably claim the code on my US 3DS, but I would prefer something he could do of his own since I think he has more than one code.

 

[Posghetti]

Doesn't matter if the game and the code are of the same region, if the 3DS' region doesn't match the code's region, it won't work.

EUR (3DS) -> US (Game) -> US (Code) = Not gonna work
EUR (3DS) -> EUR (Game) -> EUR (Code) = Will work
EUR (3DS) -> JAP (Game) -> EUR (Code) = This is a half/half scenario. Not sure if it would work, but I'm guessing no as well.

 

[Jair]

Doesn't matter if the game and the code are of the same region, if the 3DS' region doesn't match the code's region, it won't work.

EUR (3DS) -> US (Game) -> US (Code) = Not gonna work
EUR (3DS) -> EUR (Game) -> EUR (Code) = Will work
EUR (3DS) -> JAP (Game) -> EUR (Code) = This is a half/half scenario. Not sure if it would work, but I'm guessing no as well.

I understand that, I am looking for a workaround. I tried Hans but it doesn't work for me.

 

[Posghetti]

I understand that, I am looking for a workaround. I tried Hans but it doesn't work for me.

There is no other work around for that besides actually region-changing the 3DS to USA, but it's not worth it for a Pokemon serial code lol.
Pretty soon what ever event your friend is grabbing will have a .pk7 out anyways, unless he prefers them legitimately obtained with video to it then I also understand as well.

 

[Queno138]

Luma's region emulation should work.
If it doesn't, you're likely doing something wrong.

If it still fails when you're sure you're doing the right steps,
NTR language and region emulation also works.

I've gotten both to work for me in the past,
So no reason why it shouldn't work now
(Unless there's a new type of region detection, but I doubt that)

 

[Jair]

Luma's region emulation should work.
If it doesn't, you're likely doing something wrong.

If it still fails when you're sure you're doing the right steps,
NTR language and region emulation also works.

I've gotten both to work for me in the past,
So no reason why it shouldn't work now
(Unless there's a new type of region detection, but I doubt that)

I have a file called "0004000000055E00.txt" (which should be the Pokemon Y Code" in luma/locales with the following contents:

USA ES

The ES language shouldn't matter, right. Also when you did this, did you ever did it with a cartridge or only for CIAs?

 

[Queno138]

I have a file called "0004000000055E00.txt" (which should be the Pokemon Y Code" in luma/locales with the following contents:



The ES language shouldn't matter, right. Also when you did this, did you ever did it with a cartridge or only for CIAs?

I did on both.

Also, just to be sure.

Right when you boot your 3DS, hold down the Select button to Luma Config,
and is enable region/language and external .code checked/enabled?

 

[Sketchy1]

But if you both have a9lh, why not claim his code, clone the resulting pokemon with pksm, then trade it to him?

Both of you even get an unlimited supply of them from 1 code.

 

[Jair]

I did on both.

Also, just to be sure.

Right when you boot your 3DS, hold down the Select button to Luma Config,
and is enable region/language and external .code checked/enabled?

Yes, this was the issue. I told him over the phone to change this setting and then inspected it in person when I could. I forgot to check if he changed the setting when I inspected it first and took me a while to realized this was what was missing. Sorry I didn't update the thread.

But if you both have a9lh, why not claim his code, clone the resulting pokemon with pksm, then trade it to him?

Both of you even get an unlimited supply of them from 1 code.

I don't really care to clone the Pokemon for myself. I preferred a method for him to do alone so that he didn't need me everytime he got a code.

 

[Sketchy1]

Yes, this was the issue. I told him over the phone to change this setting and then inspected it in person when I could. I forgot to check if he changed the setting when I inspected it first and took me a while to realized this was what was missing. Sorry I didn't update the thread.



I don't really care to clone the Pokemon for myself. I preferred a method for him to do alone so that he didn't need me everytime he got a code.

OK then.
But i don't think it's possible because their region locked too, like their eshop cards. Which is why we see a lot of japan-only event pokemon

 

[Wilsonec]

Luma's region emulation should work.
If it doesn't, you're likely doing something wrong.

If it still fails when you're sure you're doing the right steps,
NTR language and region emulation also works.

I've gotten both to work for me in the past,
So no reason why it shouldn't work now
(Unless there's a new type of region detection, but I doubt that)

I can vouch for this. I used Luma to region change my EUR console/game to JPN so I could redeem a code from Japan. The setting obviously needs to be turned on in the Luma config screen. For the .txt file you can use Luma Locale Switcher instead - both worked fine for me.

Don't forget to turn it off afterwards! I spent a good 30mns wondering why I couldn't receive a local event pokemon

 

[Sketchy1]

I can vouch for this. I used Luma to region change my EUR console/game to JPN so I could redeem a code from Japan. The setting obviously needs to be turned on in the Luma config screen. For the .txt file you can use Luma Locale Switcher instead - both worked fine for me.

Don't forget to turn it off afterwards! I spent a good 30mns wondering why I couldn't receive a local event pokemon

Savage

 

[Majickhat55]

Just a heads up doing this results in a sub-region mismatch in the hidden data. Meaning if you have a US 3DS, and change the language and/or region to say Japan; The received pokemon will have your original country as a location. So it will turn into something like Lang: JPN, 3DS Region: JPN, Sub Region: (Somewhere in Japan/blank) Country: United States. Not that you can tell outside of PKHeX or anything but, it will be illegal due to wrong geolocation. (Still trades and everything).

 

[Zidapi]

Just a heads up, serial codes have an expiry date of around four months. This may explain the invalid code error message.

The only codes compatible with X/Y that were released in the past four months were the 20th Anniversary Event Pokemon.

Not sure about the US, but the only serial code released here in the past four months was the Genesect one. The rest were distributed online.