Homebrew Guide: Fix for random eShop games crashing after 3DS Region Change mod (CTRTransfer)

[sucrose1]

*GUIDE UPDATED*


Finally, I have found a workaround for the bane of my existence with trying to region change Japan 3DSes, the infamous issue of random eShop games refusing to work after performing the region change, like Kirby's Blowout Blast. Specifically, I mean region changing from Japan to another region, then installing your eShop games after, like one normally would.

(by random, I mean there's no rhyme or reason which games will crash and which won't, there's no way to know beforehand. Sometimes even individual games within a continuing series are affected. Ninja Usagimaru: The Gem of Blessings works, but Ninja Usagimaru: The Mysterious Karakuri Castle will crash)

For those who don't know, the site 3ds.hacks.guide has a section on Region Changing, this involves installing a CTRTransfer image for the new desired region to your 3DS's CTRNAND. The guide page lists known restrictions such as no eShop access, no NNID, no system transfers to other 3DSes of the new region and no removal of CFW. What the Region Changing guide page does not mention at all is random eShop games will throw an Arm11 Exception Error (undefined instruction, current process: loader) at the red/black 3DS boot screen, if they are installed through FBI or hShop after the Region Change, like you normally would.

We all know why we like to region change, because Japan 3DSes are actually affordable, but they are stuck in Japanese language and require the homebrew app LumaLocaleSwitcher + Enable Game Patching in Luma3DS Settings, to get many games like Luigi's Mansion 1 working and not just hang on a black screen. It's a pain and a hassle.

Consider the below guide steps an addendum to the Region Change guide at 3ds.hacks.guide

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NEW GUIDE:


Step 0: You must already have Luma3DS, GodMode9, a NAND backup and your homebrew utilities already installed using 3ds.hacks.guide.

Step 1: Complete the Region Change mod via CTRTransfer using the guide at 3ds.hacks.guide, then install your eShop games as normal after.

Step 2: For your games that currently crash at the red/black 3DS loading screen, go into FBI, select Titles, choose the problem game (e.g. Kirby's Blowout Blast), then select Import Seed. This requires an internet connection or this offline method.

Step 3: Done! Your problem eShop games shouldn't crash anymore.



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ALTERNATIVE GUIDE:

Step 0: You must already have Luma3DS, GodMode9, a NAND backup and your homebrew utilities already installed using 3ds.hacks.guide.

Step 1: install all eShop games you wish to play BEFORE the region change, using hShop or manual backup .cia installs via FBI. Any game you can think of wanting to play, install it now.

Step 2: perform the CTRTransfer Region Change mod using the guide at 3ds.hacks.guide. don't worry if no transfer tickets get saved during the guide steps (like what always happens to me).

Step 3: grab faketik from GitHub, the .3dsx file, put it in your 3ds folder on the SD card, go to the Homebrew Launcher, run faketik and let it generate all your missing tickets for your now greyed out and missing games. Do not delete those games.

Step 4: done! Test your games, they should all work.

Testing for this was done on a Japan Old 3DS LL (Japan to USA change) with the notorious Kirby's Blowout Blast, also tested was Super Mario Maker to check for Extended Memory Mode games, which also works as expected.

Warning: your 3DS will still always know what its original region is, ALWAYS keep a backup of your 3DS's original region system menu firmware.

Note: Also be mindful of deleting games and trying to install them again after, this will lead to the usual random game crashing problem for games like Kirby's Blowout Blast and Ninja Usagimaru: The Mysterious Karakuri Castle. (unless you use the Import Seed method in FBI)

 

[EduAAA]

Because Japanese 3DS are affordable? How many New 3DS XL or normal as good as new for 100€ do you want? I'm Spanish, there is an app for second handed stuff, you can find all kind of stuff, I bought a Switch v1 firmware 4.0, never updated, with it's box and everything. I hacked it by software, I was lucky because didn't new you need some junk to enter into bootloader so I could hack it same day, bought it for 239€.
It had been unused about 1 year and half, then decided to mess with android, tinfoil, 500gb sd card. I was impressed how many Steam games were ported to Switch, even some of them got improvements like Baldurs Gate EE with controller support and many more. I've got 2 New 3DS XL and non XL, just for using street pass, bought a limited edition non xl one with 2 games for 100€. Also found that flashcard with a cpu better than the DS lite so games work full speed, instant safe states, for 20€.
Try searching second handed market there are treasures there. 1 Year I earned money by buying PS vitas 3.60 for 80€ and selling them for 150€, had millions of them, bought for my self a Japanese limited edition silver, precious. What was I saying, oh yeah, thanks for the guide

 

[sucrose1]

Japanese New 3DSes are affordable compared to ones here in North America, as much as half or even a third of the prices over here. It is very, very common to see folks buying Japan 3DSes for the sole purpose of region changing them to USA. Euro markets are a completely different ballgame.

The problem is nobody knew the horrible side effect of doing a 3DS Region Change, that is random eShop games being unusable. I can only assume nobody ever noticed because either a) people stick to cartridge games or b) they don't actually play many games on their 3DSes, much less eShop games.

I finally found a solution, you're all most welcome.

I was originally planning to start work on a list of eShop games confirmed to crash after a region change mod, but then I stumbled across this workaround instead.

 

[EduAAA]

Good I was just telling my achievements and what is it over here, really it's good you found a workaround.

 

[Bunnie]

Japanese New 3DSes are affordable compared to ones here in North America, as much as half or even a third of the prices over here. It is very, very common to see folks buying Japan 3DSes for the sole purpose of region changing them to USA. Euro markets are a completely different ballgame.

The problem is nobody knew the horrible side effect of doing a 3DS Region Change, that is random eShop games being unusable. I can only assume nobody ever noticed because either a) people stick to cartridge games or b) they don't actually play many games on their 3DSes, much less eShop games.

I finally found a solution, you're all most welcome.

I was originally planning to start work on a list of eShop games confirmed to crash after a region change mod, but then I stumbled across this workaround instead.

Thanks so much for this workaround! So i was about to region swap, was torn between local switcher and region swapping. So the games that crash are they just ones you downloaded from eshop or does any game on there crash like this?

 

[sucrose1]

Thanks so much for this workaround! So i was about to region swap, was torn between local switcher and region swapping. So the games that crash are they just ones you downloaded from eshop or does any game on there crash like this?

It seems to be just with games that were originally distributed on the eShop, I have yet to find a retail card game that crashes on a region changed 3DS.

My guide addresses the use of .CIA files of eShop games. hShop or manual .CIA backups.

 

[Kwyjor]

I thought the workaround for the "loader" error was to use Import Seed in FBI? I am a bit hazy on the details and I would certainly agree that if that is the solution, it ought to be better publicized.

 

[sucrose1]

I thought the workaround for the "loader" error was to use Import Seed in FBI? I am a bit hazy on the details and I would certainly agree that if that is the solution, it ought to be better publicized.

Hmm, it seems that also works. Ninja Usagimaru Mysterious Karakuri Castle now works after using Import Seed under Titles in FBI. thanks for sharing. (Import Seed requires an internet connection btw)

But that raises the question, why is the FBI Import Seed fix not publicized either? I have spent days searching for solutions on the Arm11 Loader error and found absolutely nothing. You are the very first person to mention it here or pretty much anywhere else.

Even at the wiki.3ds.guide site, zero solutions given for the Arm11 Loader error https://wiki.hacks.guide/wiki/3DS:Error_screens/Luma3DS_exception_screen#Arm11-0

Both the faketik and FBI Import Seed methods should be included in the Region Changing guide on 3ds.hacks.guide!

May I add the Import Seed fix to my guide? It would be listed as an alternate method.

Also, again, for others and lurkers reading, a region changed 3DS is still not like a 3DS in its native region! Always keep your original region system menu backed up!

 

[Kwyjor]

May I add the Import Seed fix to my guide?

It's public knowledge? Though evidently not as public as it could be.

It would be listed as an alternate method.

So the alternative to using Import Seed is to simply install a vast swath of the 3DS library before doing a region change, and otherwise never consider installing that software again..?

(Import Seed requires an internet connection btw)

I do believe there's a workaround for that too.

 

[sucrose1]

Alright then I'll put Import Seed in FBI as the main method in the first post and the one I found is an alternative that also works.

And how does this workaround for the internet connection work? Because that isn't publicly available knowledge either.

 

[Kwyjor]

Because that isn't publicly available knowledge either.

This took but a moment to Google. https://gbatemp.net/threads/cia-requires-seed.528884/post-8982948

 

[sucrose1]

Alright, first post has been updated with the simpler Import Seed method as the main go-to on this solution.

A big community thank you from me for helping to solve this problem for region changed 3DS. Please help get this information wider exposure. Please get 3ds.hacks.guide updated!

 

[Kwyjor]

Please get 3ds.hacks.guide updated!

You can always open an issue on the Guide Github yourself via https://3ds.hacks.guide/contribute . But I expect they put up with a lot of, shall we say, creative ideas already and I would be hesitant to suggest anything I was less than absolutely, completely certain about.

 

[sucrose1]

This is probably the only thing that will remain broken on a region changed 3DS: activating DLC. Many games need to connect to the eShop to enable DLC, even if you have already installed the DLC via FBI or hShop.

Example game shown is Gotta Protectors.

 

[MushGuy]

This is probably the only thing that will remain broken on a region changed 3DS: activating DLC. Many games need to connect to the eShop to enable DLC, even if you have already installed the DLC via FBI or hShop.

Example game shown is Gotta Protectors.

Did you manage to find a solution to that problem, especially now that the eShop closed down?

 

[sucrose1]

Nope, still haven't found a solution for it.