Yesterday I reported that Nintendo released a patch for the 3DS which targetted hacks designed to run homebrew on the console. Now, some 24 hours later, the scene has come alive to see what is and isn’t still possible.
As noted, one of the casualties of the patch was the Bannerbomb3 exploit. But, after speaking with members of the Nintendo Homebrew Discord, there are still some options available.
User Smol tells me just the Bannerbomb3 exploit has been patched and that there’s currently no way to work around the patch yet. Other methods, like super-skaterhax, still work on New 3DS models.
“The 3DS has multiple exploits; one of them has been patched by the latest system update. That patch cannot be worked around, but there are other methods,” says Smol.
“Sadly there is only a free working, different method available for the New [3DS] Series (super-skaterhax), so Old 3DS users either need another hacked 3DS, special games – some R4 [cards] also count – or good soldering skills to hack their 3DS.”
That’s not ideal news for original 3DS owners. While R4 cards are still in circulation, it means there’s now an extra step when it comes to modding. Although it’s worth noting, “special games” means specific titles that can be used to launch unsigned code. One of those games is Mario Kart 7, which is a game many who purchase physical games are likely to have in their collection ready to go.
As always, I’ll be keeping an eye on this as it progresses. It’s safe to say, though, the patch isn’t anywhere near as troublesome as originally expected. If you’re picking up a 3DS console to dump games on to play them on Steam Deck, it’s good to know there are still options available.
Thanks to Time Extension for the heads up and the Nintendo Homebrew Discord for further information.
