Hello fellow, GBAtemp[ers]. I am writing this in case any of you run into the same/similar problems like I did when I was setting up my niece’s New 3DS. This post will be a mix of a general DIY tutorial and review of some of the accompanying accessories. It is mostly going to be about modifying one of those cheap, generic hand grips that you find on eBay and Amazon, but the ideas here are applicable on any 3DS and not just the N3DS. These semi-hardmods are supposed to improve the user-friendliness of the 3DS without being overtly difficult to pull off nor being too expensive.
Muh Cool Story, cuz I a Bro (Why I Did These Mods)
* Skip below to the next section if you just want to get to the actual relevant bits *
TL;DR – Teh niece no play video games. I buy her N3DSXL, Pokemon & Zelda. She no likey. Got her instead N3DS and other stuff. Hope she now likey. N3DS gets customized. Here are duh customz.
Forewarning
Just so we’re clear about what a hardmod is, hardmod is an abbreviation of “hardware modification”. The “hard” part has nothing to do with the difficulty of implementing the “mod” although most certainly many hardmods are “not easy to do”. Except for the PSP c-stick nub, the semi-hardmods I list here are called “semi-” because they’re not done onto the N3DS system but around its supporting accessories. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression or be misled in what these are.
Build of Materials, Ingredients, What you need
Not everything listed below is shown in the picture above, and not everything may be needed depending on your final build.
[Do NOT use WD-40, lithium, graphite/pencil lead, sex, motor, vegetable, or any other greases, lubes, and oils]
PSP-1000 Analogy Cap C-Stick Mod
Okay, this one is not new and has been done to death. I’m reporting that this mod also works on a N3DS (original) in case anyone has reservation of interference with the system’s smaller dimensions compared to the N3DSXL. You can actually mess up performing this mod if you’re not careful.
For North American users, check Walmart for this type of lube made by a variety of companies [CRC, Liquid Wrench, 3-IN-ONE, etc]. The kind you want should come in an aerosol spray can.
Added update - May 07, 2018
Here's a diagram showing the underside of the PSP-1000 cap. The highlighted green squares are the grooves that wear down when you press fit the cap into the c-stick peg. As mentioned above, when these grooves do not mesh correctly with the peg, you get a wobbly cap and thus the need for semi-permanent glue to fix it.
Lastly, you should not buy generic brand caps from eBay. Real factory Sony PSP-1000 replacement caps are no longer manufactured or available for purchase. I recommend purchasing the caps made by Insten as their caps are high quality and very accurate replicas.
Correct height for PSP-1000 cap when mounted. Model shown is a N3DSXL for demonstration.
A good cap sits flush and really close to the case. If you install a bad cap made with poor tolerance, it can sit too high hitting the top screen.
Credit goes to @Insomnium for his pictures provided in his thread here: New 3DS XL small dent after PSP 1000 C-STICK mod
(Bad) generic PSP-1000 cap. They look no different than (good) caps at first glance.
(Bad) PSP-1000 cap sits too high. See how the cap sits above the surface level of the X/Y/B/A buttons.
Overview of the Generic / eBay / Made in China / Crystal Case hand grip for New 3DS (original)
Before we move onto talking about the semi-hardmods done onto this specific hand grip, an explanation is helpful in listing the advantages and disadvantages of this accessory item for those unfamiliar with it.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Miscellaneous Facts and Theories about this Hand Grip
A special variant of this hand grip was once officially sold here by Nintendo UK as the Monster Hunter Generations New 3DS XL Grip. Yes, you read that right: New 3DS XL (not New 3DS original).
This is pure speculation on my part, but I believe Hori and Capcom were the original creators of this hand grip before shelving the design. Those mentioned flaws must have proven too great when they caught wind about their competitor, Cyber Gadget Rubber Coated New 3DS Grip [CYBER・ラバーコートグリップ（New 3DS用）]. The blueprints were either sold off/made their way to 3rd party, outsource manufacturers in China where the Chinese elected to produce the hand grip under their Crystal Case brand.
Some of you might ask, “But TurdPooCharger, why didn’t you buy a Cyber Gadget hand grip if that el cheapo deepo one sucks so much?”
This really nice, alternative hand grip is no longer in production or sold in the Japanese market. What makes Cyber Gadget grips stand out against Hori is the signature TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane) rubber hard coating. This makes their hand grips feel luxurious and resistant to fingerprint smudges.
On eBay, the rare occasions of those found are usually used or pre-owned. You would have to ring up a buddy in Japan to hunt down this neigh impossible to find accessory piece if you want a new one. (As of Sat Feb-3, 2018) You can still buy a new one here on eBay by the seller darumart for a cool cost of US $97 + free shipping.
If the price alone doesn’t stop you, this hand grip is very easy to break if you accidentally drop or smash the holding tab found at the top. See the weak point circled in red.
Prepping the Crystal Case hand grip
Remove the notches highlighted in green, circled in red as shown in the above picture. Those notches will no longer be needed for the mod that’ll replace them. Use an X-Acto knife or razor blade.
Scotch Restickable Mounting Pad Mod
Trace the outline of the New 3DS bottom cover plate with a measuring ruler, paper, and pen. You should get an approximate rectangular dimension of 2.5-in by 5-in. Cut the traced out shape from the paper with a pair of scissors. Place the traced out piece of paper on the hand grip where the 3DS will rest on. Trace the contours of the stylus pen port and bottom corners.
With clear tape, tape the fully traced out piece of paper onto the Scotch R102 (3-in x 5-in) Restickable Mounting Pad. This product cannot be bought in store; I purchased mine from eBay here from the seller froggiejo-2009 with a bundle of three sheets for US $10.
You can also use Scotch R101 (3-in x 1-in) Restickable Mounting Strips that can be found in stores if the R102 is not available to you. This means you end up having five separate strips instead of a single pad.
After you remove the protective films from the sticky sheet, DO NOT MOUNT THE 3DS TO THE HAND GRIP WITH THE PAD JUST YET. The sheet is too sticky at its freshest. You will have a horrible time trying to pry the 3DS off the pad when it is nested in the hand grip. This can easily break the screws off the bottom cover plate when you try to pull the 3DS away from the pad. In case you mess up here, use BBQ/shish kabob wooden skewers and Popsicle ice cream sticks to poke, wedge, and separate the 3DS from the pad. Do not use any other rods or shafts made of plastic or metal as these can scratch the 3DS back plate.
Prepare the pad by making both surface sides less sticky. To do this, keep re-sticking the pad onto yourself until the pad collects enough dust from your dead skin cells. Test the stickiness of the pad with the 3DS on a clean, smooth surface (your workbench table). Use rubbing alcohol, plain toilet paper, and coffee paper to clean the table surface and 3DS bottom. If the pad is still too sticky when pulling the 3DS off, keep re-sticking the pad onto yourself until adhesive strength is dialed back to a safe level. If the pad is no longer sticky enough, rinse the pad under faucet water with a little bit of dish detergent. Take note that the 3DS sits about a 1 mm higher due to the pad.
About the Scotch Restickable series of Pads, Strips, Tabs, and Dots
Material science has come a long way in creating this class of reusable adhesive. The Scotch Restickable works much the same way as how geckos are able to climb a wide variety of surface textures including smooth glass. At the microscopic level, the Scotch Restickable has many tiny fibers that act kinda like velcro when clinging onto surface nooks and crannies. When the restickable pad gets contaminated with enough dust and dirt, it can continually be washed and made sticky again by freeing up those particulates from the tiny fibers. The pad lasts a long time but will eventually go bad as those fibers gradually get ripped out of place.
Pull String Stylus Pen Mod
Most common fishing lines are made of nylon. This family of plastic provides good durability and tensile strength. It is lightweight, chemically resistant, and safe to handle. Fishing lines can come in a hue of colors, but clear should be readily available at your local Walmart. Clear is also the least noticeable.
Make sure you obtain a fishing line with specifications stated in the Build of Materials section. If the line is too thick, it won’t go through the stylus pen hole, or the stylus won’t seat right when pressing the pen all the way in. If the line is too thin, it’ll easily snap apart, and the girth feels subjectively lacking.
A good overall length for the string should be about 1-inch (3 cm). Tie a knot at the base and a ball knot at the tip. The ball knot makes for easy catching using your index, middle, and thumb nails.
Creaking Corner Wobble Fix Mod
Tape the inner corners with vinyl electrical tape. Do this on both left and right bottom corners. Test fit the 3DS until the wobble and creaks are eliminated. Vinyl tape is great for this because it is elastic and thin enough for the job. Don’t use paper; I was trying different materials to see which one works best.
Extended Power Button Mod
Trace the outline of the power button port with note card and pen. Cut out the shape from the note card. Place the 3DS within the hand grip along with the sticky pad. The sticky pad is required to ensure proper clearance and button fitting. Position the traced out piece of note card within the power button port. Locate where the actual power button is on that note card, and mark the spot with a permanent marker.
With your note card template, cut your rubber button. Mine was from the d-pad of a GameCube controller. Your rubber button should have a contact patch about the same size as that of the 3DS power button.
Remove the 3DS and sticky pad from the hand grip. Take apart the hand grip with a Phillip screwdriver. Place the rubber button within the power button port. Wrap around the back and front of the rubber button with a single layer of electrical tape. This first layer of tape will be clasped between the two halves of the hand grip. A second layer of tape will wrap but stop short at the edge where the two halves meet. There isn’t enough clearance to clasp two layers of tape. Do not reassemble the two halves of the hand grip at this moment due to the following semi-hardmod.
Don’t bother jamming the rubber button between the 3DS and inner surface of the hand grip because there isn’t enough gap to do this. Don’t try attaching the rubber button by the back with a layer of vinyl tape and super glue or Amazing GOOP glue. The rubber surfaces won’t stick together or will be too stiff for the button to press down on. You won’t be able to get a clean looking extended button. Believe me, I’ve tried!
ALLONE micro-B to 3DS Power Adapter
This cool, little accessory is not a (semi-)hardmod... unless tying a piece of string to the 3DS counts. However, it is worth mentioning because there are users who purportedly hardmod their 3DS to replace the original charging port with a micro-USB type B due to preference or repair need. This converter allows your 3DS to use both Nintendo and micro-B standards.
ALLONE adapters cost around US $12 and come in the colors of black, white, blue, and pink. Other companies, such as GAMETECH and Cyber Gadget, make similar 3DS adapters.
Power Adapter Magnetic Holder Mod
Retrofitted Hard Case Mod
I couldn’t find a big enough hard case sold by Nintendo or any 3rd party gaming company that envelops the entirety of the N3DS with its hand grip. My niece suggested the idea of using the COLORZBOX series of pencil storage made by ZIPIT brand. This product is sold in a variety of art styles and colors. The dimensions of the box are approximately 8.2 inches (210 mm) x 3 inches (75 mm) x 5.3 inches (135 mm). You can purchase these at Walmart, Amazon, and Office Depot for about US $10 before tax. This retrofitted hard case has proven itself when I accidentally dropped the N3DS, hand grip, and AC adapter at waist height trying to hold the case in one hand while locking a house door with the other.
To make the 3DS with hand grip fit snug within the box, line the bottom with window weatherstripping. This stuff is made of PVC foam and is sold in-store at Home Depot. The one you want is 1.25-in (width) by 0.38-in (thickness) x 10-ft (length) with the model # 43154; it’ll cost about US $8 before tax.
To create the foam wedge piece found on the inner top half of the box, you’ll need high-density PVC foam. I bought mine in-store at JOANN fabrics & craft from the Airtex brand. The needed foam pad has a thickness of 1-in.
Cut and saw the wedge piece out of a foam block with the dimensions of about 5-in x 3-in x 1-in.
Add two strips of 3M extreme mounting tape onto the surface of the longer side from the triangle’s right angle.
Place the wedge’s hypotenuse surface on the 3DS top LCD. Check that the sticky surface of the wedge is horizontally straight. Slightly slide back the wedge to level the surface. Close and reopen the box. Hand press the wedge against the top half of the box to secure mounting the two.
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The following (semi-)hardmod ideas were considered or brainstormed but not implemented.
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Rubber Coated Hand Grip Mod
This idea isn’t new or unique as modders have been plasti-dipping game controllers, home consoles, car rims, and everything you can imagine under the sun for ages. This is brought up for those who would like to rubberize their hand grip to be similar to a Cyber Gadget hand grip. This spray paint has the nice feature of being easy to peel off if you mess up under/over coating or don’t want the rubber coat on anymore.
Accessible Game Cart Cover Mod
This mod requires a Dremel to cut along the green perimeter, separating and making the cover piece. A miniature hinge attaches to the cover and main body of the hand grip. Ledges with magnets within the interior of the palm bulb holds the game cart cover closed. The cover can be swung open by prying the top edge with your finger nail.
Accessible Micro-SD Card Reader Mod
Not a novel idea. This mod requires careful flex cable management. You use a micro SD extension cable and reroute the new card port to jut out where the red slice is shown in the picture found in Accessible Game Cart Cover Mod.
Micro-B Charging Port, Secondary Battery, and Qi Charger Mods
Internal Bluetooth Transmitter Mod
Not a novel idea. A Bluetooth transmitter, such as the TaoTronics TA-BA12, is stripped of its casing and nested inside the hand grip. The transmitter draws its power from the second battery mod. The buttons and switches controlling this module are rerouted to the hand grip’s exterior. Shown in the picture found in Accessible Game Cart Cover Mod, a free hanging 3.5 mm audio jack takes audio input from the 3DS audio port.
IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad Pointing Stick Nub C-Stick Mod
N2DSXL Style Home Button Mod
Internal Bluetooth with Dedicated Button Mod
Rerouted Micro-SD Card Reader Mod
Money + Time + Skills + Manufacturing Resources = This
The red c-stick helps you to super smash three times faster.
Picture Galore
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BONUS: 200 GB SanDisk micro SDXC card for $48 [limited time offer as supply last] Deal ended June 06, 2018
Muh Cool Story, cuz I a Bro (Why I Did These Mods)
* Skip below to the next section if you just want to get to the actual relevant bits *
It all started one day when my niece was staying over at my house. School was out, and she was dropped off. This was a typical arrangement I had with her mother whenever work conflicted with looking after the kiddo, until she becomes old enough to be at home by herself.
My niece and I would spend time watching movies and Cartoon Network shows like Steven Universe, The Amazing World of Gumball, and We Bare Bears whenever new episodes aired, but for the most part, Niece keeps to herself with her laptop and tablet. On this occasion, she tried staving off boredom without either. Forgot to pack them.
I lent her one of my tablets and came back later to check how she was doing. Noticing she was playing one of those fan-dangled mobile app games, I asked her what it’s like. “This is Temple Run. You avoid obstacles and traps. It’s a really fun video game! Here, you try.”
Not taking her word at face value and letting myself be the judge of what constitutes a video game and if it is a fun one to boot, I came away sorely disappointed. If you don’t know what Temple Run is, the best way to describe this “video game” is that you have to mash a combo of buttons within a set time limit whenever the action sequences pop up. This is in order for your character, who is running in maze-like cut scenes, to progress pass whatever that pops up and tries to stop him. It may be fun for the first few combo inputs, but this quickly becomes a chore as those combos aren’t randomized at their event time nor seem to increase that much in difficulty as you get further in the game (prove me wrong as I didn’t play past the 1st stage).
My disappointment quickly turned into anger over the sad state of her childhood lacking REAL video gaming experience. This is partially due to her mother’s (loose) no video games parental philosophy but also mostly myself to blame for having retired playing and selling off most of my game collection. I, the one person who reasonably & possibly could have introduced her to all those cool series like Pokemon, Mario Bros., and Legend of Zelda, failed to uphold the sacred duty of being an awesome uncle by doing none of that before.
In a fearful reactionary response believing she should start playing legit video games right at that instant and not a moment to lose, we went down to our local Target Store and picked up a New 3DS XL Galaxy edition along with a first regiment treatment of Pokemon Y and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. A crisis that should have been prevented right there and then turned worse.
Because Niece lacked prior gaming history and never had a chance to hone in on her skills and intuition, Pokemon and Zelda were deemed too advanced as shit. What made matters worse was that the N3DSXL was too big for her hands. In order words, she wasn’t having fun and was coming away with a bad impression of it all. Not having fun defeats the whole purpose of video gaming. She stops playing. I cry inside for having inadvertently broken what should have been this kid’s magical and joyful moment in discovering the world of video games.
After trying to entice her with some other possible titles, Niece says she is willing to give it another shot with the Style Savvy series and if it is with a different 3DS system that is smaller. For several months, I go about researching, purchasing, collecting, building, and testing a New 3DS Super Mario Black edition to a set of specifications that I think best suits her.
I get the A-OKAY with her mother that she may receive, keep at hand, and use her N3DS to her liking without impedance so long as school grades don’t suffer. Points were made such as her deserving the chance to enjoy them like her friends and school peers and that it helps make her a more rounded individual. The genre of video games is an art medium that rivals the likes of novels, films, T.V. shows, and music.
What I hope her N3DS will accomplish:
My niece and I would spend time watching movies and Cartoon Network shows like Steven Universe, The Amazing World of Gumball, and We Bare Bears whenever new episodes aired, but for the most part, Niece keeps to herself with her laptop and tablet. On this occasion, she tried staving off boredom without either. Forgot to pack them.
I lent her one of my tablets and came back later to check how she was doing. Noticing she was playing one of those fan-dangled mobile app games, I asked her what it’s like. “This is Temple Run. You avoid obstacles and traps. It’s a really fun video game! Here, you try.”
Not taking her word at face value and letting myself be the judge of what constitutes a video game and if it is a fun one to boot, I came away sorely disappointed. If you don’t know what Temple Run is, the best way to describe this “video game” is that you have to mash a combo of buttons within a set time limit whenever the action sequences pop up. This is in order for your character, who is running in maze-like cut scenes, to progress pass whatever that pops up and tries to stop him. It may be fun for the first few combo inputs, but this quickly becomes a chore as those combos aren’t randomized at their event time nor seem to increase that much in difficulty as you get further in the game (prove me wrong as I didn’t play past the 1st stage).
My disappointment quickly turned into anger over the sad state of her childhood lacking REAL video gaming experience. This is partially due to her mother’s (loose) no video games parental philosophy but also mostly myself to blame for having retired playing and selling off most of my game collection. I, the one person who reasonably & possibly could have introduced her to all those cool series like Pokemon, Mario Bros., and Legend of Zelda, failed to uphold the sacred duty of being an awesome uncle by doing none of that before.
In a fearful reactionary response believing she should start playing legit video games right at that instant and not a moment to lose, we went down to our local Target Store and picked up a New 3DS XL Galaxy edition along with a first regiment treatment of Pokemon Y and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. A crisis that should have been prevented right there and then turned worse.
Because Niece lacked prior gaming history and never had a chance to hone in on her skills and intuition, Pokemon and Zelda were deemed too advanced as shit. What made matters worse was that the N3DSXL was too big for her hands. In order words, she wasn’t having fun and was coming away with a bad impression of it all. Not having fun defeats the whole purpose of video gaming. She stops playing. I cry inside for having inadvertently broken what should have been this kid’s magical and joyful moment in discovering the world of video games.
After trying to entice her with some other possible titles, Niece says she is willing to give it another shot with the Style Savvy series and if it is with a different 3DS system that is smaller. For several months, I go about researching, purchasing, collecting, building, and testing a New 3DS Super Mario Black edition to a set of specifications that I think best suits her.
I get the A-OKAY with her mother that she may receive, keep at hand, and use her N3DS to her liking without impedance so long as school grades don’t suffer. Points were made such as her deserving the chance to enjoy them like her friends and school peers and that it helps make her a more rounded individual. The genre of video games is an art medium that rivals the likes of novels, films, T.V. shows, and music.
What I hope her N3DS will accomplish:
- Lead her to Super Smash Bros, so I may get a chance to kick her ass as Pikachu.
- Provide hours of fun and cherish-able stories from whichever games she play and can share talking about among her friends.
- Serve her well in the years to come. Possibly get her to become a casual girl gamer for her generation.
Forewarning
Just so we’re clear about what a hardmod is, hardmod is an abbreviation of “hardware modification”. The “hard” part has nothing to do with the difficulty of implementing the “mod” although most certainly many hardmods are “not easy to do”. Except for the PSP c-stick nub, the semi-hardmods I list here are called “semi-” because they’re not done onto the N3DS system but around its supporting accessories. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression or be misled in what these are.
Build of Materials, Ingredients, What you need
Not everything listed below is shown in the picture above, and not everything may be needed depending on your final build.
- Scissors
- X-Acto knife
- toothpick
- flossing string
- mini- or junior hacksaw blade
- Measuring ruler, pen, and paper
- Phillip screwdrivers [electronic sizes]
- Super glue [gel type with slower cure rate is preferable]
- Scotch Restickable adhesive sheet [R102 is recommended if you can still find them]
- rubber button pads [mine was from the d-pad of a GameCube controller]
- vinyl electrical tape [the rubber one that’s usually black]
- Scotch 1/2-in clear transparent tape [Not Magic, semi-transparent, hazy, fuzzy tape. That stuff is yuck.]
- 8 lb (3.6 kg), 0.11-in (2.8 mm) diameter fishing line [Only need a little. Clear is preferable]
- ALLONE micro-B to 3DS power AC converter adapter
- (4x) neodymium disc magnets [6 mm diameter, 1 mm thickness]
- PSP-1000 analog stick cap nub [They come in colors of black, white, blue, etc.]
- Amazing GOOP glue, Hot Glue, or semi-permanent liquid adhesive
- silicone dry lube [spray can]
[Do NOT use WD-40, lithium, graphite/pencil lead, sex, motor, vegetable, or any other greases, lubes, and oils]- cookie sheet, baking wax paper [only need a tiny strip of it]
- generic/eBay hand grip for the New 3DS (N3DS)
- micro-SD to standard SD flex cable card adapter (or micro-SD extension cable)
- Dremel -or- high speed rotary cutting handheld tool
- more magnets & miniature cabinet (10 mm x 10 mm) hinge
- Plastidip rubberized spray paint
- isopropyl rubbing alcohol [for cleaning, either 70% or 95% is fine]
- toilet paper [The dry ones that hurt your butthole. Not the soft ones impregnated with lotion.]
- coffee cup paper [The white, thin ones. Not the thick, brown ones.]
- ZIPIT COLORZBOX pencil storage box
- high-density PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) foam [kinda like those car washing sponges]
- PVC foam weatherstrip for windows
- 3M extreme mounting tape
- clean workbench table, good lighting, time, and money to buy missing stuff
PSP-1000 Analogy Cap C-Stick Mod
Okay, this one is not new and has been done to death. I’m reporting that this mod also works on a N3DS (original) in case anyone has reservation of interference with the system’s smaller dimensions compared to the N3DSXL. You can actually mess up performing this mod if you’re not careful.
- Some tutorials may instruct you to use a small, flat head screwdriver to pry off the rubber nub. Don’t do this as you have a high chance of scratching the case or screens. What you should do is pull straight up and rip off the nub with your index finger and thumb. You will need finger nails to get a good grip.
- Installing the PSP cap onto the c-stick peg has a high chance of failure. If you’re one of the unfortunate ones to get a wobbly cap, that’s because the grooves in the cap’s mounting hole wore down and did not mesh correctly to the grooves of the c-stick peg. You will have to try again with more caps or resort to using Amazing GOOP glue, hot glue, or some other semi-permanent liquid adhesive. I don’t recommend super glue because you might not be able to remove the cap in case of a mess up and a do over is needed.
- Only a very tiny amount of glue is needed to fill the cap’s mount hole. Use a toothpick to transfer glue into the hole. Fill the hole less than half of the total height.
- When press fitting the PSP cap onto the c-stick peg, make sure you do not apply more pressure than you normally would during play use. The c-stick works through strain gauges that are very delicate. These can be stretched/stressed with permanent damage/deformation when pushed down too hard.
- After mounting the cap onto the peg, you will need to lightly hold it down with your right thumb for a while as the glue cures and sets. Make sure that while the glue dries, adjust the cap so that it sits as evenly level or flush to the case. It is possible to make the underside of the cap touch and rub against the case surface. This will make the c-stick very resistant in directional input.
- In case the c-stick is non-responsive or not smooth to operate, try wedging the cap with flossing string to gain more clearance. You can also use a thin strip of baking wax paper coated by the tip with silicone lube. Probe the underside of the cap with the wax paper to transfer silicone lube. This will provide a long lasting film that reduces friction between the cap and case surfaces.
For North American users, check Walmart for this type of lube made by a variety of companies [CRC, Liquid Wrench, 3-IN-ONE, etc]. The kind you want should come in an aerosol spray can.
Added update - May 07, 2018
Here's a diagram showing the underside of the PSP-1000 cap. The highlighted green squares are the grooves that wear down when you press fit the cap into the c-stick peg. As mentioned above, when these grooves do not mesh correctly with the peg, you get a wobbly cap and thus the need for semi-permanent glue to fix it.
Lastly, you should not buy generic brand caps from eBay. Real factory Sony PSP-1000 replacement caps are no longer manufactured or available for purchase. I recommend purchasing the caps made by Insten as their caps are high quality and very accurate replicas.
Correct height for PSP-1000 cap when mounted. Model shown is a N3DSXL for demonstration.
A good cap sits flush and really close to the case. If you install a bad cap made with poor tolerance, it can sit too high hitting the top screen.
Credit goes to @Insomnium for his pictures provided in his thread here: New 3DS XL small dent after PSP 1000 C-STICK mod
(Bad) generic PSP-1000 cap. They look no different than (good) caps at first glance.
(Bad) PSP-1000 cap sits too high. See how the cap sits above the surface level of the X/Y/B/A buttons.
Overview of the Generic / eBay / Made in China / Crystal Case hand grip for New 3DS (original)
Before we move onto talking about the semi-hardmods done onto this specific hand grip, an explanation is helpful in listing the advantages and disadvantages of this accessory item for those unfamiliar with it.
Advantages
- Excellent ergonomics. This makes the N3DS comfortable to use in the hands of anyone, children and adults alike.
- Very affordable and readily available. This grip costs about US $4 at the cheapest. It can be bought on eBay, Amazon, and aliexpress.
Disadvantages
- The hand grip attaches to the N3DS through a pair of notches. The notches can scratch the 3DS when trying to remove the system. Taking the 3DS out of the hand grip is stupid, almost impossible. These notches are easy to break off, rendering the hand grip useless.
- The 3DS wobbles and creaks at the bottom right corner near the LED lights. This makes using the grip very annoying and distracting when playing intense, button mashing games.
- The kickstand that holds up the 3DS is a bad design and basically nonfunctional. The kickstand swings open downward instead of swinging outward. The weight of the 3DS sitting on a flat surface will collapse the kickstand back to closing.
- Pressing the power button to turn the 3DS on and off is a hassle as your fingers can’t easily reach in to press the already flush button.
- The same issue of short reach is also apparent when removing the stylus pen. There’s too much bulk surrounding the pen port making it difficult for the index finger to dig in and pull the pen out.
- Swapping the game carts requires removing the 3DS from the hand grip as that port is blocked off. Those notches make changing games and accessing the micro SD card a nightmare.
Miscellaneous Facts and Theories about this Hand Grip
A special variant of this hand grip was once officially sold here by Nintendo UK as the Monster Hunter Generations New 3DS XL Grip. Yes, you read that right: New 3DS XL (not New 3DS original).
This is pure speculation on my part, but I believe Hori and Capcom were the original creators of this hand grip before shelving the design. Those mentioned flaws must have proven too great when they caught wind about their competitor, Cyber Gadget Rubber Coated New 3DS Grip [CYBER・ラバーコートグリップ（New 3DS用）]. The blueprints were either sold off/made their way to 3rd party, outsource manufacturers in China where the Chinese elected to produce the hand grip under their Crystal Case brand.
Some of you might ask, “But TurdPooCharger, why didn’t you buy a Cyber Gadget hand grip if that el cheapo deepo one sucks so much?”
This really nice, alternative hand grip is no longer in production or sold in the Japanese market. What makes Cyber Gadget grips stand out against Hori is the signature TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane) rubber hard coating. This makes their hand grips feel luxurious and resistant to fingerprint smudges.
On eBay, the rare occasions of those found are usually used or pre-owned. You would have to ring up a buddy in Japan to hunt down this neigh impossible to find accessory piece if you want a new one. (As of Sat Feb-3, 2018) You can still buy a new one here on eBay by the seller darumart for a cool cost of US $97 + free shipping.
If the price alone doesn’t stop you, this hand grip is very easy to break if you accidentally drop or smash the holding tab found at the top. See the weak point circled in red.
Prepping the Crystal Case hand grip
Remove the notches highlighted in green, circled in red as shown in the above picture. Those notches will no longer be needed for the mod that’ll replace them. Use an X-Acto knife or razor blade.
Scotch Restickable Mounting Pad Mod
Trace the outline of the New 3DS bottom cover plate with a measuring ruler, paper, and pen. You should get an approximate rectangular dimension of 2.5-in by 5-in. Cut the traced out shape from the paper with a pair of scissors. Place the traced out piece of paper on the hand grip where the 3DS will rest on. Trace the contours of the stylus pen port and bottom corners.
With clear tape, tape the fully traced out piece of paper onto the Scotch R102 (3-in x 5-in) Restickable Mounting Pad. This product cannot be bought in store; I purchased mine from eBay here from the seller froggiejo-2009 with a bundle of three sheets for US $10.
You can also use Scotch R101 (3-in x 1-in) Restickable Mounting Strips that can be found in stores if the R102 is not available to you. This means you end up having five separate strips instead of a single pad.
After you remove the protective films from the sticky sheet, DO NOT MOUNT THE 3DS TO THE HAND GRIP WITH THE PAD JUST YET. The sheet is too sticky at its freshest. You will have a horrible time trying to pry the 3DS off the pad when it is nested in the hand grip. This can easily break the screws off the bottom cover plate when you try to pull the 3DS away from the pad. In case you mess up here, use BBQ/shish kabob wooden skewers and Popsicle ice cream sticks to poke, wedge, and separate the 3DS from the pad. Do not use any other rods or shafts made of plastic or metal as these can scratch the 3DS back plate.Prepare the pad by making both surface sides less sticky. To do this, keep re-sticking the pad onto yourself until the pad collects enough dust from your dead skin cells. Test the stickiness of the pad with the 3DS on a clean, smooth surface (your workbench table). Use rubbing alcohol, plain toilet paper, and coffee paper to clean the table surface and 3DS bottom. If the pad is still too sticky when pulling the 3DS off, keep re-sticking the pad onto yourself until adhesive strength is dialed back to a safe level. If the pad is no longer sticky enough, rinse the pad under faucet water with a little bit of dish detergent. Take note that the 3DS sits about a 1 mm higher due to the pad.
About the Scotch Restickable series of Pads, Strips, Tabs, and Dots
Material science has come a long way in creating this class of reusable adhesive. The Scotch Restickable works much the same way as how geckos are able to climb a wide variety of surface textures including smooth glass. At the microscopic level, the Scotch Restickable has many tiny fibers that act kinda like velcro when clinging onto surface nooks and crannies. When the restickable pad gets contaminated with enough dust and dirt, it can continually be washed and made sticky again by freeing up those particulates from the tiny fibers. The pad lasts a long time but will eventually go bad as those fibers gradually get ripped out of place.
Pull String Stylus Pen Mod
Most common fishing lines are made of nylon. This family of plastic provides good durability and tensile strength. It is lightweight, chemically resistant, and safe to handle. Fishing lines can come in a hue of colors, but clear should be readily available at your local Walmart. Clear is also the least noticeable.
Make sure you obtain a fishing line with specifications stated in the Build of Materials section. If the line is too thick, it won’t go through the stylus pen hole, or the stylus won’t seat right when pressing the pen all the way in. If the line is too thin, it’ll easily snap apart, and the girth feels subjectively lacking.
A good overall length for the string should be about 1-inch (3 cm). Tie a knot at the base and a ball knot at the tip. The ball knot makes for easy catching using your index, middle, and thumb nails.
Creaking Corner Wobble Fix Mod
Tape the inner corners with vinyl electrical tape. Do this on both left and right bottom corners. Test fit the 3DS until the wobble and creaks are eliminated. Vinyl tape is great for this because it is elastic and thin enough for the job. Don’t use paper; I was trying different materials to see which one works best.
Extended Power Button Mod
Trace the outline of the power button port with note card and pen. Cut out the shape from the note card. Place the 3DS within the hand grip along with the sticky pad. The sticky pad is required to ensure proper clearance and button fitting. Position the traced out piece of note card within the power button port. Locate where the actual power button is on that note card, and mark the spot with a permanent marker.
With your note card template, cut your rubber button. Mine was from the d-pad of a GameCube controller. Your rubber button should have a contact patch about the same size as that of the 3DS power button.
Remove the 3DS and sticky pad from the hand grip. Take apart the hand grip with a Phillip screwdriver. Place the rubber button within the power button port. Wrap around the back and front of the rubber button with a single layer of electrical tape. This first layer of tape will be clasped between the two halves of the hand grip. A second layer of tape will wrap but stop short at the edge where the two halves meet. There isn’t enough clearance to clasp two layers of tape. Do not reassemble the two halves of the hand grip at this moment due to the following semi-hardmod.
Don’t bother jamming the rubber button between the 3DS and inner surface of the hand grip because there isn’t enough gap to do this. Don’t try attaching the rubber button by the back with a layer of vinyl tape and super glue or Amazing GOOP glue. The rubber surfaces won’t stick together or will be too stiff for the button to press down on. You won’t be able to get a clean looking extended button. Believe me, I’ve tried!ALLONE micro-B to 3DS Power Adapter
This cool, little accessory is not a (semi-)hardmod... unless tying a piece of string to the 3DS counts. However, it is worth mentioning because there are users who purportedly hardmod their 3DS to replace the original charging port with a micro-USB type B due to preference or repair need. This converter allows your 3DS to use both Nintendo and micro-B standards.
ALLONE adapters cost around US $12 and come in the colors of black, white, blue, and pink. Other companies, such as GAMETECH and Cyber Gadget, make similar 3DS adapters.
Power Adapter Magnetic Holder Mod
This mod keeps the power adapter from dangling and smacking into your fingers while holding the 3DS.
Position and center the power adapter as shown such that your index and middle fingers will not be able to reach and touch it. Use the 1/2-in clear tape to mark off where the power adapter will end up resting.
Here comes the tricky part as you only get one shot at correctly doing this. Study the arrangement of the magnets in this diagram:
If you can recall from physics class and not from ICP, magnets have polarity where north is attracted to south and two poles of the same kind will repel one another. You can arrange the four magnets such that the power adapter will always reattach to the hand grip one way only. Keep track of the magnets by using clear tape to separate and label which sides are north and south. Be EXTREMELY cautious that you don’t arrange all four magnets repealing one another.
Pick up a single magnet with a Phillips screwdriver. Super glue the exposed side of the magnet. The super glue I used is a gel type by Loctite brand that has a slower cure rate than regular super glue. Place the first magnet on the underside of the power adapter. Adjust the magnet as needed and hold it down with the screwdriver until the glue sets. There are internal ferrous parts inside the adapter that can attract and shift the magnet while the glue cures. Repeat the process for the 2nd magnet on the other end of the power adapter.
Use clear tape to cover the magnets on the power adapter. This tape will serve as a protective film, preventing super glue from seeping in between the four magnets. Place the other two magnets onto the power adapter’s tape covered magnets. Super glue the exposed sides of the two magnets that will eventually attach to the hand grip. Place the power adapter onto the hand grip and adjust the position as needed. Level the hand grip with something so that the power adapter can lay on the magnets without sliding off. Press down on the power adapter once and let go of holding the setup. Allow the super glue to fully cure without disturbance. Once the glue finish drying, remove the protective clear tape and reassemble the two halves of the hand grip.
Don’t bother substituting the magnets with either Velcro or Scotch Restickable mounting pad. These don’t work so well because your fingers will frustratingly fumble trying to find and remount the power adapter to that sweet spot.
Position and center the power adapter as shown such that your index and middle fingers will not be able to reach and touch it. Use the 1/2-in clear tape to mark off where the power adapter will end up resting.
Here comes the tricky part as you only get one shot at correctly doing this. Study the arrangement of the magnets in this diagram:
If you can recall from physics class and not from ICP, magnets have polarity where north is attracted to south and two poles of the same kind will repel one another. You can arrange the four magnets such that the power adapter will always reattach to the hand grip one way only. Keep track of the magnets by using clear tape to separate and label which sides are north and south. Be EXTREMELY cautious that you don’t arrange all four magnets repealing one another.
Pick up a single magnet with a Phillips screwdriver. Super glue the exposed side of the magnet. The super glue I used is a gel type by Loctite brand that has a slower cure rate than regular super glue. Place the first magnet on the underside of the power adapter. Adjust the magnet as needed and hold it down with the screwdriver until the glue sets. There are internal ferrous parts inside the adapter that can attract and shift the magnet while the glue cures. Repeat the process for the 2nd magnet on the other end of the power adapter.
Use clear tape to cover the magnets on the power adapter. This tape will serve as a protective film, preventing super glue from seeping in between the four magnets. Place the other two magnets onto the power adapter’s tape covered magnets. Super glue the exposed sides of the two magnets that will eventually attach to the hand grip. Place the power adapter onto the hand grip and adjust the position as needed. Level the hand grip with something so that the power adapter can lay on the magnets without sliding off. Press down on the power adapter once and let go of holding the setup. Allow the super glue to fully cure without disturbance. Once the glue finish drying, remove the protective clear tape and reassemble the two halves of the hand grip.
Don’t bother substituting the magnets with either Velcro or Scotch Restickable mounting pad. These don’t work so well because your fingers will frustratingly fumble trying to find and remount the power adapter to that sweet spot.Retrofitted Hard Case Mod
I couldn’t find a big enough hard case sold by Nintendo or any 3rd party gaming company that envelops the entirety of the N3DS with its hand grip. My niece suggested the idea of using the COLORZBOX series of pencil storage made by ZIPIT brand. This product is sold in a variety of art styles and colors. The dimensions of the box are approximately 8.2 inches (210 mm) x 3 inches (75 mm) x 5.3 inches (135 mm). You can purchase these at Walmart, Amazon, and Office Depot for about US $10 before tax. This retrofitted hard case has proven itself when I accidentally dropped the N3DS, hand grip, and AC adapter at waist height trying to hold the case in one hand while locking a house door with the other.
To make the 3DS with hand grip fit snug within the box, line the bottom with window weatherstripping. This stuff is made of PVC foam and is sold in-store at Home Depot. The one you want is 1.25-in (width) by 0.38-in (thickness) x 10-ft (length) with the model # 43154; it’ll cost about US $8 before tax.
To create the foam wedge piece found on the inner top half of the box, you’ll need high-density PVC foam. I bought mine in-store at JOANN fabrics & craft from the Airtex brand. The needed foam pad has a thickness of 1-in.
Cut and saw the wedge piece out of a foam block with the dimensions of about 5-in x 3-in x 1-in.
Add two strips of 3M extreme mounting tape onto the surface of the longer side from the triangle’s right angle.
Place the wedge’s hypotenuse surface on the 3DS top LCD. Check that the sticky surface of the wedge is horizontally straight. Slightly slide back the wedge to level the surface. Close and reopen the box. Hand press the wedge against the top half of the box to secure mounting the two.
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The following (semi-)hardmod ideas were considered or brainstormed but not implemented.
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Rubber Coated Hand Grip Mod
This idea isn’t new or unique as modders have been plasti-dipping game controllers, home consoles, car rims, and everything you can imagine under the sun for ages. This is brought up for those who would like to rubberize their hand grip to be similar to a Cyber Gadget hand grip. This spray paint has the nice feature of being easy to peel off if you mess up under/over coating or don’t want the rubber coat on anymore.
Accessible Game Cart Cover Mod
This mod requires a Dremel to cut along the green perimeter, separating and making the cover piece. A miniature hinge attaches to the cover and main body of the hand grip. Ledges with magnets within the interior of the palm bulb holds the game cart cover closed. The cover can be swung open by prying the top edge with your finger nail.
Accessible Micro-SD Card Reader Mod
Not a novel idea. This mod requires careful flex cable management. You use a micro SD extension cable and reroute the new card port to jut out where the red slice is shown in the picture found in Accessible Game Cart Cover Mod.
Micro-B Charging Port, Secondary Battery, and Qi Charger Mods
These mods remove the kickstand and render the power adapter nonessential. A micro-B charging port is retrofitted into where the kickstand would be. This micro-B port with a voltage regulator charges a second battery placed within the hand grip. The battery routes electricity to a Qi charger. This Qi charger transmits energy to a Qi receiver pad placed inside the 3DS behind the bottom cover plate. Finally, the Qi receiver pad passes the energy to the 3DS main battery. These mods effectively double the battery capacity without physically connecting the second battery to the 3DS. The hand grip can also serve as a power bank for Qi compatible devices.
Internal Bluetooth Transmitter Mod
Not a novel idea. A Bluetooth transmitter, such as the TaoTronics TA-BA12, is stripped of its casing and nested inside the hand grip. The transmitter draws its power from the second battery mod. The buttons and switches controlling this module are rerouted to the hand grip’s exterior. Shown in the picture found in Accessible Game Cart Cover Mod, a free hanging 3.5 mm audio jack takes audio input from the 3DS audio port.
IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad Pointing Stick Nub C-Stick Mod
N2DSXL Style Home Button Mod
Internal Bluetooth with Dedicated Button Mod
Rerouted Micro-SD Card Reader Mod
Money + Time + Skills + Manufacturing Resources = This
The red c-stick helps you to super smash three times faster.
Picture Galore
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This product isn't a mod at all, but you'll be damn if you can find a better deal for an micro SD card at this size and cost. At $48.50 for continental United States, free shipping (whoops, shipping cost added in the $48), and tax free outside of New Jersey, this is 2017 Black Friday level of price. (Sorry to those in the Garden State and outside of the USA).
Check my signature for more information about the card and where to purchase. Don't let the bland, black exterior fool you into thinking this card is fake. I can rest assure you I bought and tested one against H2testw; this card is very much real.
Check my signature for more information about the card and where to purchase. Don't let the bland, black exterior fool you into thinking this card is fake. I can rest assure you I bought and tested one against H2testw; this card is very much real.
Last edited by TurdPooCharger,
