Gaming 3DS Virtual Console Save Conversion

Jademalo · Jan 25, 2016

I've recently been playing Shantae on the 3DS virtual console, and have just managed to get my hands on a flash cart for the Game Boy. I've written a patch for the ROM that forces GBA mode while keeping the GBC palette, and I was hoping to be able to somehow convert my 3DS save to the original GBC format. I assumed it would be fairly simple since the virtual console is just an emulator after all.

I was able to get a file that I'm positive contains the game's save information somewhere, which was the save backup option thing. I backed it up, checked the SD card, and the save was indeed there (it's definitely the right one, since it's the only one with today's date).

The problem is that it's pretty much nonsense. After comparing it to a save from the original Shantae, there isn't anything in the hex that even remotely resembles the actual save data.

So ultimately, I've got no idea where to go from here. Does anyone know how to grab and convert a 3DS Virtual Console save file into an original GBC save?

Thanks!

Apache Thunder · Jan 25, 2016

The save on the SD card is encrypted. You need to dump it with SVDT or SaveDataFiler first. CFW is required to do this. If you don't have an exploitable console you can't transfer the save. Note that the process for exporting GBA saves is different and a bit more complicated.

Jademalo · Jan 25, 2016

Ah damn, that's a shame. I had a feeling that would be the case.
I don't really want to put CFW on my main 3DS either... Never mind.

After a bit of research there are a lot of people saying something like 3DSfuse can do something, but there's literally no documentation or information on it.
EDIT: Figured it out, and obviously I need the xorpad which I don't have. Bugger!

Thanks!

Bubsy Bobcat · Jan 25, 2016

Svdt doesnt require cfw. You just need an exploitable game to access the homebrew launcher. Im assuming youre on 10.4, so youll need Ocarina of Time 3D or Cubic Ninja.

Jademalo · Jan 25, 2016

Oh, I've got an OoT3D cart. Any chance you can point me to the right place for what I need to do?

Bubsy Bobcat · Jan 25, 2016

Jademalo said:
Oh, I've got an OoT3D cart. Any chance you can point me to the right place for what I need to do?

Yup, just search "OoT3Dhax Powersaves". If you aren't on 10.4, you can use Browserhax instead.

Jademalo · Jan 25, 2016

Perfect, thank you!

Jademalo · Jan 25, 2016

Apache Thunder said:
The save on the SD card is encrypted. You need to dump it with SVDT or SaveDataFiler first. CFW is required to do this. If you don't have an exploitable console you can't transfer the save. Note that the process for exporting GBA saves is different and a bit more complicated.

Bubsy Bobcat said:
Svdt doesnt require cfw. You just need an exploitable game to access the homebrew launcher. Im assuming youre on 10.4, so youll need Ocarina of Time 3D or Cubic Ninja.

Bubsy Bobcat said:
Yup, just search "OoT3Dhax Powersaves". If you aren't on 10.4, you can use Browserhax instead.

Holy shit, it worked!
It worked PERFECTLY!

Turns out my 3DS was on 10.3, so I just used Browserhax. It took a few attempts, but it eventually booted into the Homebrew Launcher. I also installed OoTHax on my Ocarina cart for future use. I didn't install cfw, just used the normal userland exploit.
Loaded up svdt using Shantae, it dumped 3 files one of which was sav.dat. I then wrote sav.dat to my flash cart, and boom! There was my save exactly as I left it.

That was a lot easier than I was expecting, I didn't even need to use a hex editor, lol. Thanks again!

Bubsy Bobcat · Jan 25, 2016

Jademalo said:
Holy shit, it worked!
It worked PERFECTLY!

Turns out my 3DS was on 10.3, so I just used Browserhax. It took a few attempts, but it eventually booted into the Homebrew Launcher. I also installed OoTHax on my Ocarina cart for future use. I didn't install cfw, just used the normal userland exploit.
Loaded up svdt using Shantae, it dumped 3 files one of which was sav.dat. I then wrote sav.dat to my flash cart, and boom! There was my save exactly as I left it.

That was a lot easier than I was expecting, I didn't even need to use a hex editor, lol. Thanks again!

Yay! Off-topic, but since you're on 10.3, you should consider downgrading your sysnand so you can create an emunand and always have access to homebrew without using an exploit game.

Jademalo · Jan 25, 2016

I've had a quick look into it, but I'd rather not do that on my main 3DS. I've got an old one that's definitely on lower than 10.3 though, so if ever I wanted to I could just use ocarina and that.

Thanks again!

NoneGiven · Feb 1, 2016

Bubsy Bobcat said:
Yup, just search "OoT3Dhax Powersaves". If you aren't on 10.4, you can use Browserhax instead.

Jademalo said:
Holy shit, it worked!
It worked PERFECTLY!

Turns out my 3DS was on 10.3, so I just used Browserhax. It took a few attempts, but it eventually booted into the Homebrew Launcher. I also installed OoTHax on my Ocarina cart for future use. I didn't install cfw, just used the normal userland exploit.
Loaded up svdt using Shantae, it dumped 3 files one of which was sav.dat. I then wrote sav.dat to my flash cart, and boom! There was my save exactly as I left it.

Is it possible to use svdt (or another tool) to import an unencrypted save file backup (for example, from an emulator) back to the 3DS? This is definitely the only way I can unlock the extra characters in Mario Tennis (GBC), and I have the save and everything... but can svdt format/encrypt it properly for the 3DS?

EDIT: IGNORE ABOVE:
In case anyone else finds this thread like I did and has the same question: yes, it possible to import .sav (battery) files from emulators using svdt! You can export from the 3DS game (disable save states first with Start+R+X on the game's VC menu), rename |sav.dat| to |gamename.sav|, play it in an emulator, use GameShark, whatever. Then just rename back to |sav.dat| and import with svdt. When I did it, the game told me save data was corrupted and needed to be initialized, but then the save with the changes I made was still loaded and worked fine!

Jademalo · Feb 3, 2016

Nice, good to know!
I didn't have the chance to test personally, but I was assuming it was possible. Thanks for the confirmation!

Gaming 3DS Virtual Console Save Conversion

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