Understanding the impact of region changes in 2023

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I don't believe this is entirely true. Before doing the region change, if you do the system transfer trick (transfer to another 3ds from the same original region) then do the region change (I do mine immediately after the transfer, don't even do the new startup steps on it) then you should be able to access the eShop in the new region and also do system transfers from the new region.

I've done this successfully multiple times...
First time I had a junker US system I wanted to use to dump Japan transfers into. So I transferred the US profile to another US system, then region changed it to Japan and now I can transfer Japan systems to it before region changing. I also have a Japanese New 3DS that I did the system transfer on, region changed to US, and then I was able to transfer the account from my US system I bought brand new years ago and all my old purchases from the US eshop still work
 

glaceonlove

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If I were to do this to a Japanese new 3DS and make it a US menu, how would I go about downloading updates for existing games I have CIA's for? From what I have gathered from the discussions on this site, it SHOULD be easy but it always sounds complicated...do I use that H-Shop app and just look for an update file? I've been looking for an easier guide for doing it and I cannot find one...
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If I were to do this to a Japanese new 3DS and make it a US menu, how would I go about downloading updates for existing games I have CIA's for? From what I have gathered from the discussions on this site, it SHOULD be easy but it always sounds complicated. Do I use that H-Shop app and just look for an update file for each game if I don't download a CIA in its most up-to-date form? I've been looking for an easier guide for doing it and I cannot find one...

ALSO while I am at it! I've been told region-altered 3DS models can STILL use Infared and Local Play! Is this true? The goal is to play through a bunch of Internet compatible Pokémon ROM hacks and trade them over to my legal 3DS attached to my existing NNID to then put them in the PokéBank Transporter. For all the other games, I'm just gonna play them locally. No online gaming really interests me now, especially with the announcement from a few days ago. Just as long as PokéBank still works!
 

Maximumbeans

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If I were to do this to a Japanese new 3DS and make it a US menu, how would I go about downloading updates for existing games I have CIA's for? From what I have gathered from the discussions on this site, it SHOULD be easy but it always sounds complicated...do I use that H-Shop app and just look for an update file? I've been looking for an easier guide for doing it and I cannot find one...
Yes, you'd use Hshop or another source to download the update file then install the CIA using FBI like you would for a game.

ALSO while I am at it! I've been told region-altered 3DS models can STILL use Infared and Local Play! Is this true? The goal is to play through a bunch of Internet compatible Pokémon ROM hacks and trade them over to my legal 3DS attached to my existing NNID to then put them in the PokéBank Transporter. For all the other games, I'm just gonna play them locally. No online gaming really interests me now, especially with the announcement from a few days ago. Just as long as PokéBank still works!
They can but local play won't work between consoles of different regions.
 
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signer-ink-beast

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They can but local play won't work between consoles of different regions.

Just for clarity, it's the local play for 3DS games that wouldn't work, right?

I'm assuming NDS download play is still possible because that's region-free. For DSi-enhanced games, would the region locking on those prevent local play between consoles of different regions?
 

Hayato213

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Just for clarity, it's the local play for 3DS games that wouldn't work, right?

I'm assuming NDS download play is still possible because that's region-free. For DSi-enhanced games, would the region locking on those prevent local play between consoles of different regions?

3DS is region free when playing DS games.
 

mrhector

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Got a new 3DS LL couple days ago and got it successfully region swapped to US. I've never owned a 3DS previously and have no existing NNID. Noticed things like Badge Arcade won't launch without have an NNID setup.

Any reason not to setup a new NNID on the 3DS? From everything I've read, this new account would still be a Japanese account based on the device, so not sure if it would even fix Badge Arcade from loading up.
 

Hayato213

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Got a new 3DS LL couple days ago and got it successfully region swapped to US. I've never owned a 3DS previously and have no existing NNID. Noticed things like Badge Arcade won't launch without have an NNID setup.

Any reason not to setup a new NNID on the 3DS? From everything I've read, this new account would still be a Japanese account based on the device, so not sure if it would even fix Badge Arcade from loading up.

There is a method to allow you to have access to eshop/nnid after region change but you need two units of the same region prior to one of the unit being region changed.
 

mrhector

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There is a method to allow you to have access to eshop/nnid after region change but you need two units of the same region prior to one of the unit being region changed.
Two units, in this economy! Thanks saw posts about that but wasn't too bothered since I didn't have an existing account. Kicking myself I never got a 3DS years ago, paid a small fortune to get an imported one from Ebay to Canada. Local prices are insane.
 

Hayato213

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Two units, in this economy! Thanks saw posts about that but wasn't too bothered since I didn't have an existing account. Kicking myself I never got a 3DS years ago, paid a small fortune to get an imported one from Ebay to Canada. Local prices are insane.

Well that is the price people pay for wanting an out of region 3ds that is able to access eshop on a different region.
 

mrhector

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Well that is the price people pay for wanting an out of region 3ds that is able to access eshop on a different region.
Ah yeah, eshop I know will never work and not worried since never had account. Was more curious about apps that require a NNID like Badge Arcade. Ended up finding an old reddit thread where they did create a new NNID on the region swapped system but it would still give an error. Guess that one requires the region to match too. I'll just use the GYTB app instead.

Just been having fun poking around with this new system. Bummed I missed out on all the little nintendo apps and services. Had a switch since launch and now that definitely seems like it was a downgrade in terms of the overall experience.
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Went ahead and created a new NNID on the device to test it out and turns out the Badge Arcade does launch. It errors out when trying to add extra paid turns but was able to do the practice and I got a few free turns and some badges wee!
 
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GalaxyCraft007

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Wait I'm screwed then. I want to change back to European from US because I was having issues booting up a cartridge. What do I do now then?
 

Kwyjor

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