What does the latest 3DS firmware update really do?
A few days ago, 3DS firmware update V9.5.0-23U/E/J was released. It is a small update as the last firmware update before it was V9.5.0-22U/E/J. Changelog says “Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user experience.” as most of the other updates. Whenever i see this, i am sure that a) There is no new feature b) Some exploits are now blocked.
As you can guess, i am right. This new update blocks RegionThree which lets users play their retail cartridges from different regions. Even though Nintendo declared region-lock may be considered to be removed in the future, there is no further info at the subject. According to Smealum, it might still be possible to use region free in the future though.
fwiw getting region free going on latest firmware through another entrypoint (say cubic ninja) should still be possible.
— smea (@smealum) March 3, 2015
This update also blocks web browser based exploits like this one. There are lots of web browser exploits for save editing, item unlocking etc. for several games. As in most Nintendo consoles, Pokémon series are the most hacked one. Now, this kind of hacks does not work.
What about flashcarts? Interestingly this update is same as the last one considering the flashcarts, meaning Gateway is still blocked (though EmuNand can be updated to latest firmware) and Sky3DS still works. It is really saddening that Nintendo targets RegionThree and web based exploits while doing nothing major to block flashcarts.
The Pokemon Shuffle exploit is worse for Nintendo than even Sky3DS because it results in an immediate loss of profit. At least someone who pirates a dozen games probably wouldn’t have bought them all, but each use of the Pokemon Shuffle exploit means Nintendo makes less money, on a one for one basis.
So pirating games is maybe ok since you would not buy them anyway (arguably) — but using the pokemoon shuffle hack is worse than rom piracy because everyone who uses it would have paid the microtransactions? (I doubt that…)
i’m an anti-nintendo so that’s good to hear :p
is the browser exploit to load other gbc roms thru gbc vc still working, or was that removed as well (don’t know if it’s the same deal as the pokemon exploit)
Yes, all browser-based exploits were patched AFAIK.
yup, they were patched.
How do you manually update firmware to 9.5.0-22? I just picked up my NEW 3DS, it’s on 9.0.0-20U.. Can’t access the Nintendo Store 🙁
Why do you want to update the firmware? New games dont require you to use the latest firmware as far as I know. Gateway flashcard is blocked on 9.3 – 9.5 sysNAND firmware, only Sky3DS works with all firmwares.
BTW where do you live?
Why? I believe if you read his comment he explains why he wants to update.
As for how: Open settings, go to ‘other settings’ and choose ‘system update.’.
I dont own a 3DS. So, he meant eShop?
U.S., picked it up from Best Buy online (assuming this was your next question..)
Well its kind moot at this point, I just upgraded to 9.5.0-23, I was just curious if there was a way to MANUALLY update to a specific software version (without having to go all the way to 9.5.0-22), and yes it was in my comment, I just needed to access the Nintendo eShop, but didn’t necessarily want to block all the web exploits..
I weighed it out, and only needed the sky3ds to work, and at this point i don’t really care about regionthree or any other web exploits.. not to say that might not change in the future, but for now.. I’m good
*kind of
and I meant ..all the way to 9.5.0.-23
sorry, i know.. confusing
I just bought a “new” 3DS two days ago…. havnt had a 3ds since paper mario came out, so Im way, way, way out of date. Offhand, anything working on these new models?
You can use the sky3ds card on the new 3ds.
Thankyou good sir…. that saved me some time!
Whats your firmware version and where do you live? (EU, USA, AUT, JPN)
Us, and the newest… havnt messed with it much.
You meant, your new 3DS came with the latest firmware or you updated your new 3DS to the latest firmware?
The webkit exploit although allows homebrew, it is also a security risk. You might visit a website which uses the exploit to do something in the background without you knowing it. They can steal your personal info or hardware info/keys etc. I think it was important to patch it.
I agree with you there…. I have enough paper weights all ready as much as it is, so thankyou for the warning.
because nintendo is too stupiid to patch their system.
“It is really saddening that Nintendo targets RegionThree and web based exploits while doing nothing major to block flashcarts.”
Seriously ? I’d say cheating is more of an issue than flashcards.
I am not saying they shouldn’t block these. Of course it will be a cat-and-mouse game. But it really irritates me that the piracy only flashcart isn’t blocked for several new firmwares and the legitimate use only RegionThree is blocked.
Don’t blame flashcarts, blame region lock.
i figured it out what my last thought did.
a possible way into a psvita exploit or running software would be at …
first making a backup with cma manager via wifi from vita to ps3
(full backup not just a game)
then backup the ps3 to a usb hdd
then on a pc trying to write tools to acces the psvita backup inside the ps3 backup.
then im prolly clueless
iwas just thing LOUD lol
I’m curious as well. This is very interesting.
If I am on ver. 9.5.0-22U I should still be able to use the GB hack, and Region hack right? Because I am having troubles getting the GB hack to work, I have Metroid II, and have downloaded the hack to the root of SD card, and put Pokemon red, titled as rom.gb to the root as well. I open the game, go to web browser, it loads with a black screen errors out of webbrowser, and when I reset game, it just resets to metroid II again.
Anyone know what I am doing wrong?