Nintendo DS / Nintendo DSi

(See this page for an overview of all known hardware.)

If you need help, please come chat with us on the VGPC Discord.

Important Notes

• If you have an unused/sealed game, you should dump ROM and save data from the physical media before using it, and note in your submission if the physical media was new or sealed when you got it. This is to avoid inadvertent modification of the data and to help preserve the data in its unused/“factory” state. Its also a good idea to photograph the cart/packaging in its sealed state, in order to help with verifying it.
• If the dump hashes don't match an already existing item in the relevant database, you should try and verify that the dump is correct before submitting it as a new dump or new version. You can do that by cleaning the contacts (or equivalent) and dumping again.

1. 3DS console
2. DSi console
3. DS console via Wi-Fi
4. DS console via slot-2 flashcart

• A Nintendo 3DS (including New 3DS/2DS/New 2DS) with a method to run “bare-metal” ARM9 software. Methods include having a custom firmware installed or using a DS flashcart with ntrboothax.
• SD card
• GodMode9 (v2.0.0 or later)

• Turn off the console
• Insert the game
• Boot your console into GodMode9
• Navigate into “GAMECART”
• Copy the .nds.enc file and the .txt file to the SD card.

Follow the instructions over at DSi CFW Guide for more details on how to get your handheld ready to handle homebrew, and make sure the latest stable GodMode9i is installed on your SD card.

Dumping

• Launch GodMode9i by using TWiLight Menu++.
• Navigate to NDS GAMECARD, press A.
• You'll see the following menu:

Dump NDS card ROM to
"s:/gm9i/out"?
(<A> yes, <Y> trim, <B> no,
 <X> save only)

• Press A to dump the cart to your SD card.
• Once it's finished, you can turn off the console and copy the files to your computer from the gm9i/out folder on your SD card.

Using the Wi-Fi version of the wooddumper homebrew, you can dump DS carts over FTP using a DS or DS Lite.

Requirements:

• DS or DS Lite console
• A way to run homebrew (if you don't have a flashcart, you can run homebrew using Download Play if you have certain hardware)
• Wi-Fi connection that can be set to WEP security or unsecured
• PC/smartphone/tablet that can connect to said network
• FTP client software on said PC/smartphone/tablet (you can often use the built-in browser or file manager by entering the IP address and prefixing it with ftp://).

• Create a WEP or unsecured hotspot using your router, smartphone/tablet or PC. There's no need to have it connected to the internet.
• Make sure you have a device connected to the hotspot. There's no need for this to be connected to the internet via another connection either.
• Use a Wi-Fi-enabled DS game (or this free Nintendo Channel demo) to setup the Wi-Fi connection on your DS. It'll say that the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service is discontinued, but this doesn't matter, as we don't need Nintendo's online service or any internet. If the auto-setup (“Search for an Access Point”) option doesn't work, try the manual one.

• Run wooddumper.
• Follow the on-screen instructions regarding inserting you cart.
• Open the on-screen ip address in your FTP client.
• Copy the .nds and .txt file to your computer.

• A Nintendo DS or Nintendo DS Lite with a slot-1 flashcart
• A slot-2 flashcart compatible with your slot-1 flashcart.
• wooddumper

• Run wooddumper
• Follow the on-screen instructions regarding inserting the cart
• Insert your slot-2 flashcarts SD card to your PC's SD card reader / connect your slot-2 flashcart to your PC
• Copy the .nds and .txt files to your PC.

android_chrome_ftp.png	cart_back.jpg	cart_front.jpg	wifi_1.png	wifi_2.png
wifi_3.png	wifi_4.jpg	wifi_5.jpg	wifi_6.jpg	wifi_7.jpg
wifi_8.jpg	wifi_9.jpg	wifi_10.jpg	wooddumper_1.png	wooddumper_2_btm.jpg
wooddumper_2_top.jpg	wooddumper_4.jpg

Below are examples of txt files generated by wooddumper. The second one includes CRC32 as the wooddumper's checksum was used for that session.

A2DPv00.txt

wooddumper r89
rom:
	code:	A2DPv00
	size:	33554432 bytes
	card:	00001fc2
save:
	status:	00000000
	id:	00ffffff

A2DPv00 (1).txt

wooddumper r89
rom:
	code:	A2DPv00
	size:	33554432 bytes
	card:	00001fc2
	crc32:	f443f9bf
save:
	status:	00000000
	id:	00ffffff

todo: add info on box serials (and non-standard carts if relevant)

Front of cart serial
SSS-CCCC-RRR
e.g. NTR-A2DP-EUR

S = System (NTR = DS, TWL = DSi-exclusive/DSi-enhanced)
C = Gamecode (see the first four characters in the “back of cart serial” section, although sometimes the gamecode here is incorrect and won't match that)
R = Region

Region Codes:

Back of cart serial
TGGRUVXMM
e.g. A2DPN0J08

T = Type (A/B/C = Normal, D = DSi-exclusive, DS/DSi-enhanced with infrared hardware, T = Unknown, U = Tool/Utility, V = DSi-enhanced, Y = Unknown)
GG = Game code (e.g. 2D = New Super Mario Bros.)
R = Region (J = Japan, E = USA, P = Europe, K = Korea)
U = Unknown (“N” in all known cases)
V = Version (starts at 0)
X = Unknown (“J” in all known cases)
M = Production site/factory ID?

Easy way to remember where the version number is: fourth character from the right - this works for 3DS carts too.

PCB serial
Meaning is unknown
e.g. ▼ CS A-1 C01-10
sometimes a dot character (•) is used

ROM chip serial (first line)
XYYWW…
X = Unknown
Y = Manufacturing year?
W = Manufacturing week?

See this page.