Nintendo Portable Region
From SDA Knowledge Base
Nintendo Portables
With the notable exception of 3DS, Nintendo portable consoles are way less restricted.
Game Boy (Original to GBA)
| Similar cart sizes? | Yes |
| Modifications required to play imports | None, it's really simple. |
| Method | As simple as playing an import copy into your native system. There is no region lock for all Game Boy related portables from the Black & White original to the colourful Game Boy Advance. |
DS
| Similar cart sizes? | Yes |
| Modifications required to play imports | None, it's really simple |
| Method | As simple as playing an import copy into your native system. Generally there is no region lock but there are a few limitations for both DSi enhanced games (Pokémon Black/White games) and DSiware games. |
| DSi related restrictions | A DSi enhanced game is region free when playing the game on a DS Phat/Lite but it is region locked when playing it on a DSi (XL) and 3DS. DSiware games are download only titles that can be bought from DSi Shop and 3DS eShop. As of 2016, there is a way to play pirated DSiware files including imported versions by abusing a Arm9LoaderHax (A9LH) which works on old 3DS models ranging from 1.0 to 11.1 and New3DS models ranging from 9.0 to 11.1 Although it's a lot easier to exploit it on a new3DS model under version 11.0 because it has an easier time to downgrade to 9.2 for the A9LH installation and it can skip the 2.1 OTP part which is mandatory for old 2/3DS models. |
List of DS games with DSi enhanced features.
3DS
This is the first notable Nintendo portable system that isn't region free by default.
The Regular 3DS, XL and 2DS are listed as OLD 3DS
The new 3DS and new XL are listed as NEW 3DS
| Similar cart sizes? | Yes. |
| Modifications required to play imports | Yes, both of them are software related exploits but even with the exploits, there are some games that will not function properly. See 3DS Notes below. |
| Method 1 RegionTHREE | The internet browser exploit called RegionTHREE supporting firmwares 4.0 to 9.5.0-22. Only OLD 3DS systems can use this exploit as the NEW 3DS uses a different internet browser |
| Method 2 RegionFOUR using Cubic Ninja | Cubic Ninja's infamous QR code exploit has a new use recently and it enables to bypass region lock, this method is compatible to both OLD and NEW 3DS models and it is called RegionFOUR or Ninjhax2.0 which works on the range of firmware 9.0 to 11.2 Click here |
| Method 3 | Buy an imported 3DS, try and get a NEW 3DS model if you can. If not get one of the oldest models as they are becoming really cheap now, UK can get a (near) New condition original 3DS for ~£60 |
3DS notes
Newer carts (late 2015) have an extra layer of security and will fail to load if run through homebrew programs like RegionFour and Hans, a common solution is to find the game's .XML file and load a more recent homebrew launcher to launch newer games outside the native region.
Online patches are also a pain because some are required to be played online and as of May 2015, 3DS eShop is region locked so it is impossible to download patches of physically imported games.
Region free exploit compatibility list.
