Hardware Buying a 3DS soon, very confused about R4 usage.

[MRnightmuffin]

Hello,

I'm incredibly sorry for my lack of knowledge, but soon I will be going to a foreign country to study and I want to bring a gaming system with me.

Thus I have decided to buy a 3DS so I can play the countless great titles that have released on it over the years.

However, I'm a complete noob when it comes to using R4's with the system. Obviously playing games for free would be in my best interests, but I don't want to spend money on a 3DS only to find out an R4 card won't work with the current hardware version etc.

So, can someone please point me in the direction of a complete guide for new 3DS buyers?

 

[RCJayce]

Hi! first of all, the R4 card works only for DS games not 3DS.

To play "backup" games you will need a CFW (Custom Firmware) or a Sky3DS (a Card like the R4 but for 3DS games).

Please, check here https://gbatemp.net/forums/3ds-flashcards-custom-firmwares.201/ for more information about CFW and in what System Version your 3DS needs to be in order to use a CFW (actually anything below 11.0 that is the lastest version)

And finally, some models of the R4 works in all the 3DS firmware versions/HW revision, Just search for one that it says that it is compatible with the 3DS.

Have fun!

 

[Deleted-379826]

Hello,

I'm incredibly sorry for my lack of knowledge, but soon I will be going to a foreign country to study and I want to bring a gaming system with me.

Thus I have decided to buy a 3DS so I can play the countless great titles that have released on it over the years.

However, I'm a complete noob when it comes to using R4's with the system. Obviously playing games for free would be in my best interests, but I don't want to spend money on a 3DS only to find out an R4 card won't work with the current hardware version etc.

So, can someone please point me in the direction of a complete guide for new 3DS buyers?

Yep what was said above and about the CFW follow "plialects guide"(Google search that)

 

[MRnightmuffin]

Thank you very much for the response!


So, would I have to downgrade in order to use a CFW? If so, how easy, safe and guaranteed is downgrading?

I was also wondering, how often do new games become available? For example the new Monster Hunter game.

Edit: What do you mean by "backup" games? Does that mean I wouldn't necessarily need a type of card to play games?

 

[Deleted-379826]

Thank you very much for the response!


So, would I have to downgrade in order to use a CFW? If so, how easy, safe and guaranteed is downgrading?

I was also wondering, how often do new games become available? For example the new Monster Hunter game.

Edit: What do you mean by "backup" games? Does that mean I wouldn't necessarily need a type of card to play games?

Downgrading is extremely safe! Less than 1 percent chance of something going wrong for sure and games always are available early with CFW and by backups he means technically it's illegal (but everyone does it) to download games for free but not so much when you back them up. So he's trying to not promote piracy

 

[MRnightmuffin]

Again, thank you for your response!

I believe I understand now. However.... I was going to buy a 3DS second hand (from Ebay), but I heard this could be risky as it could be running the 11.0 (Stock?) Firmware, which would need to be hard-modded I believe in order to revert to a firmware which can run a CFW.

If so, what advice could you give to me?

Thanks.

 

[.:drk_drgn:.]

Again, thank you for your response!

I believe I understand now. However.... I was going to buy a 3DS second hand (from Ebay), but I heard this could be risky as it could be running the 11.0 (Stock?) Firmware, which would need to be hard-modded I believe in order to revert to a firmware which can run a CFW.

If so, what advice could you give to me?

Thanks.

You could send the seller a message asking which version the FW is on and to ask him not to update it. Otherwise you could look to buy new, pretty sure (correct me if I'm wrong) most come with a hackable firmware

 

[MRnightmuffin]

Thank you for your response.

Right, I'll start messaging some sellers.

As I've come to understand, I don't need to purchase an R4 or Flashcart to play 3DS or DS games?

So after I downgrade, I can get a CFW then download games onto my 3DS? What is the advantage of an R4 or flashcart?

 

[Deleted-379826]

Thank you for your response.

Right, I'll start messaging some sellers.

As I've come to understand, I don't need to purchase an R4 or Flashcart to play 3DS or DS games?

So after I downgrade, I can get a CFW then download games onto my 3DS? What is the advantage of an R4 or flashcart?

An R4 flashcart is ment for pirating or "backing up" DS GAMES a CFW will only let you get 3ds also all 3ds except the monster hunter generations bundle 3ds has something lower than 11.0

 

[RCJayce]

Downgrading is extremely safe! Less than 1 percent chance of something going wrong for sure and games always are available early with CFW and by backups he means technically it's illegal (but everyone does it) to download games for free but not so much when you back them up. So he's trying to not promote piracy

Yeah, no Piracy guys. [emoji57]

 

[MRnightmuffin]

I think I understand fully now.

So I can run both an R4 flashcart and a CFW for 3DS games on my 3DS?

And I shouldn't have to worry about the version as it's most likely not a monster hunter generations system?

Also... Is Monster Hunter generations available for download yet?

 

[vb_encryption_vb]

I think I understand fully now.

So I can run both an R4 flashcart and a CFW for 3DS games on my 3DS?

And I shouldn't have to worry about the version as it's most likely not a monster hunter generations system?

Also... Is Monster Hunter generations available for download yet?

R4 is useless. Every console can be downgraded regardless with a hardmod. Being on 10.7 just makes things easier.

 

[MRnightmuffin]

I understand, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with hard modding.

How is an R4 useless, surely I need one to play DS games once I downgrade the firmware?

 

[Swiftloke]

Actually, with cfw you're able to use the original r4(!) With some special software. They can be picked up for ~$7, and I can confirm it works like a charm.
As for 3ds games, follow the Plailect guide all the way to the end. Once complete, you'll have instant, 100% boot rate into cfw with arm9loaderhax. If you'd like more info about a9lh, you can find some info on how it works at my thread here: http://gbatemp.net/threads/why-cant-i-dump-my-otp-from-emunand-and-other-good-a9lh-questions.422212/
Also, please use the noob paradise thread next time. Us regulars find it annoying that GBATemp noobies make new threads asking the same question daily.

 

[Deleted-379826]

I understand, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with hard modding.

How is an R4 useless, surely I need one to play DS games once I downgrade the firmware?

He got confused don't worry you are on the right track. Buy the original dirt cheap 7 dollar R4 for DS games and follow that guide for cfw and free 3ds gamss