Hacking Is there any way to convert/mask eShop games (.cia) as full ROMs (.3ds)

[crimsonnight]

The title says it all really! From what I've read you can do it the other way around, so I'm hoping it's at least theoretically possible! Some flashcarts such as Sky3DS can't boot .cia files.

 

[SLiV3R]

I would like this as well! Would be great

 

[Thomas12345]

I'd like to know this too! I tried using this thread:

https://gbatemp.net/threads/is-it-possible-to-extract-from-3ds-cia-files.374909/

to convert my New Super Mario bros 2 scene release cia to .3ds but i couldn't get it to work

 

[FR0ZN]

Can you launch any of the eShop releases that have been done by BBB for example?
If not, then the answer might be no, because creating a ROM out of something that was never a ROM (eShop release) would require the capability to run unsigned code (if I'm not mistaken) and that's something that the Sky3DS doesn't offer .... but that's just my theory.

 

[tony_2018]

In order for this to work someones gotta create a convertor, and as the above post has stated as well. I'll make it sound simple, extra cia, rebuild to rom. But there is missing piece in between those 2.

 

[ubergeek77]

A converter already exists. Use Google. The conversion tool that allows you to convert a .3ds to a .cia has an option to do the reverse, and it doesn't require xorpads either. The only requirement is that the .cia is not encrypted, but I believe most/all scene .cias are not.

 

[eureca]

A converter already exists. Use Google. The conversion tool that allows you to convert a .3ds to a .cia has an option to do the reverse, and it doesn't require xorpads either. The only requirement is that the .cia is not encrypted, but I believe most/all scene .cias are not.

Nice. So can you essentially take a .3DS file that was never a .cia file and convert it to .cia? Wondering since as of now I ordered a gateway but only have a big SD card and only a 8 gig microsd. So would be cool to run most of the stuff off the SD card.

 

[ubergeek77]

Nice. So can you essentially take a .3DS file that was never a .cia file and convert it to .cia? Wondering since as of now I ordered a gateway but only have a big SD card and only a 8 gig microsd. So would be cool to run most of the stuff off the SD card.

You can convert a .3ds ROM dumped from the Gateway launcher (or obtained through other means) to a .cia, but it is a process that some may find complicated. The only requirement is that you have a 4.5 or lower 3DS in order to decrypt the ROMs you wish to convert to .cia.

In short, yes, you can convert them, but it is an involved process. Depending on the speed of your SD card(s) and computer, the conversion process can potentially take up to an hour per game, depending on size.

 

[DjoeN]

Sky3ds does not support .3ds eshop dumps or conversions!

 

[eureca]

Ok thanks for the info. I will just order a bigger microsd instead. As I am gonna be using a 2DS so you can't downgrade to 4.5 anyways.

 

[ubergeek77]

Sky3ds does not support .3ds eshop dumps or conversions!

Oh wow, really? Do they need to be signed with a common key? A lot of tools don't do that.

 

[DjoeN]

I really don't know why, it's just a fact.

 

[shinyquagsire23]

Oh wow, really? Do they need to be signed with a common key? A lot of tools don't do that.

They need to be signed and re-encrypted, that's the main issue as far as I have found.

 

[Maximilious]

I could see this being useful for eshop exclusives, but for a game you can readily find a .3ds for I don't see it being that big of a deal to find it in the medium you want. Work smarter, not harder is my motto. And if you're worried about online, dumping your own retail cart and extracting/re-adding a header to the file to make it .3dz is very easy.

 

[crimsonnight]

Thanks for the info guys - Unfortunately in Europe a lot of retails games in other regions only receive eShop releases!