[Guide] A Detailed and Beginner Friendly Walkthrough Guide for Installing BrowserHax, MenuHax, and Downgrade New 3DS LL/XL from Firmware 9.9J to 9.2J


Prelude 

Why I Upgrade from Original 3DS to New 3DS LL

tldr; Skip to the next section <Guide Start> to jump straight into my ordeal of downgrading my 3DS LL v9.9J firmware into v9.2 and booting into Gateway Mode

Having played on the Original 3DS (yes the small clamshell one that Nintendo first released back in 2011) for quite some time now, I finally decided to purchase a New 3DS LL (also known as New Nintendo 3DS XL outside Japan). As opposed to what others had complained about the LL/XL for its huge size, bulkiness and unportability, I actually found it to be pleasing to my play style. Main reason that I purchased it is its large 4.88 inch screen size. If the number seems meaningless to you, think of it being almost the same size as the PS Vita. Sure you wouldn't see much crisp image like the O3DS or the New 3DS regular edition due to its larger PPI, but frankly, for me that is negligible and it's the 3D immersion that really benefits from such a big screen. Not that 3DS console is known for its HD like image for gaming on-the-go.

Mind you that I had an average sized hands as well and holding it definitely helps to prolong my play time until I start to feel hand cramp.

Another reason for choosing the New 3DSLL over the regular size one is I think the 20% screen estate increase from my O3DS wouldn't be that much noticeable after all.

So there you have it.


Nintendo 3DS mini product review

What's up guys. Here's my first product review just to kill some free time of mine. Frankly speaking, I had intended to do product review since I started this blog but alas, I just couldn't find the proper digital camera, experience, and time to do it.

After long time of hesitation I finally get ahand of Nintendo latest portable gaming console, the Nintendo 3DS. At first I had been juggling between PS Vita and 3DS. So what make me choose 3DS over the PS Vita? For me, the primary factor in choosing a console is the games library. As PS Vita is just launched in JP and HK few weeks ago, the game library is still in its infancy and the current game title is countable by fingers! Even the future release games list doesn't appeal much (to me at least), with the exception of probably Persona 4 and Disgaea. For 3DS, a list of promising titles had been announced, in development, and in my wish list. To name a few, Harvest Moon, Etrian Odyssey, Pokemon, Mario, Zelda, Resident Evil, Kirby, and Phoenix Wright.

Another issue is the pricing, as of now the price is a bit pricy and only after it is released in MY/SG can we expect to see a price drop. But for the time being, purchasing it doesn't seemed to be a wise choice, not if I had a limited budget at hand. 3DS, on the other hand, had seen a price drop and it had helped Nintendo to rise up the sales target once again. Previously, many had speculated that the sales number for 3DS is not so promising and will never compete against the sales record of PSP. But look at the chart now, it is without a doubt that 3DS leads the number among other portable handheld gaming device. Only time will tell whether PS Vita will triumph over 3DS.

Another factor that leads me to choose 3DS over PS Vita is the 3D effect. As you might probably aware of, a majority of people had said that 3D is just a hype of the moment while some are still standing on the fence, hesitating. Yea one can live without 3D but 3D will enhance the gameplay even more.

Hardware spec for PS Vita is definitely overpowered, with 4 cores (only 3 cores are usable), touch front and back screen, dual analog control, and the massive 5 inch OLED screen, what's not to like. But at the end of the day, it's the games that matters, not the hardware. Given the most powerful handheld device in the world, if there are no popular games to unleash its potential, what good will it be?

Speculations had it that 3DS Lite might be announced in E3 but I highly doubt so as it took 18 months for DS Lite to emerged and another 12 months for DSi. It is CNY and I thought why not having a 3DS to spur the moment for this festive season.

Enough talk. My 3DS package consist of crystal case by FunBox, Hori Screen Protector, Acekard 2i and a 3DS game, Super Mario 3D Land! The console is Flare Red color and it is MY/SG set, which is also a US set.

More pictures after the break.

Nintendo DSi

Upcoming Games for NDS

I believe Nintendo DS/Lite user may have been expecting some new games for this year. Here's some upcoming games titles that will totally make your NDS worthy :-

R4DS - The Next Generation for Slot-1 Solution for NDS


I believe R4DS is a term that is not uncommon to hear for Nintendo DS/Lite users. If you had visited their website, you'll come across the following features that will certainly take your immediate attention. Finally, your mind will tell you to buy it!

As stated in their official site,
The R4DS Cartridge is the current top-of-the-line in DS SLOT-1 flash carts. It is just an amazing little device like original DS cart size, it is a complete solution with no need to purchase any additional components or deal with any messy software and truly the easiest media enhancer you have ever done; To simply put it, this is a must have peripheral for any regular DS/DS lite owner.

I couldn't agree more with it as I'm also one of it's customer. Unless you're willing to spent every single penny on every single game that you wanted to buy or try, go ahead, I wouldn't stop you. It's your money anyways, not mine. However, if you are short of cash and want to play games that your financial doesn't allow you to, you can definitely try R4DS.

R4 Functinality (adapted directly from R4DS official site)
-2nd generation storage device (no booting tool required)
-Flush fitting slot 1 card
-Uses MicroSD card, FAT16 or 32
-Supports any MicroSD card speed with no lag in game
-Supports Clean ROM, drag and drop. Works on any OS
-Built in NoPass
-Automatically detect save type
-Save directly to MicroSD card, not to onboard chip
-Supports Moonshell and other homebrew. Open I/O interface
-User friendly skinnable interface. Touchscreen or button operation
-Supports rumble pak and memory pak
-Supports the WiFi game, DS Rumble Pak, DS Browser
-Supports changes of the background of Operation Interface
-Support Skin DIY by setting background and font colors on Main Menu and Game Menu manually and automatically
-Supports 4-scale-lightness adjustment ( DS Lite only )
-Supports the Soft Reset.
-Supports Action Replay cheat
-moonshell 1.6 support Software Reset function( Press START key back to the R4 menu)

*See -> Read -> Think -> Discuss -> Buy R4DS

Well, you will probably follow the sequences above if you had not heard of R4DS before. What can I say! It's a number one flash cart solution available on market for now. If you had heard of M3Simply before, just to let you know that R4DS shared the same features as M3Simply. In other terms, how to data read and process is just about the same between those two.

Why choose R4DS instead of other flash cart?
Simply spoken, R4DS does not require the user to bypass or flash their NDS. Thus make it easier and safer to use compared with other flash cart.

So why choose R4DS in the first place over M3Simply?
It's simple. In fact, R4DS is always updated and till now, the kernal had been updated to v1.08. For those who not known, kernal is like OS for your computer. In R4DS case, the kernal is the brain behind it. The latest version had fixed a lot of bugs that occured in the older version and support Cheat function for your games. I doesn't prefer that though... Rumored had it that M3Simply does not updated much so may newest roms may not playable.

What's good about R4DS?
Like other flash cart, R4DS does support a wide range of homebrew (applications that used in NDS/L, in NDS, applications is known as homebrew) such as ComicDS, Moonshell. Moonshell is a homebrew that allow user to play mp3, watch video (in .dpg format) and even reading .txt on the fly. ComicDS is yet another homebrew that allow user to read comics in .cbds format.

So I had heard of R4DS now, where are these data stored?
Well, all data are stored in a microSD card. Beware of the word 'micro' as there are other kind of card such as miniSD in market now. microSD card range from 512MB to 4GB. Of course, the higher amount of the space is, the more files you can store. If you had installed Moonshell and ComicDS, with just a simple method of drag and drop, you can paste a wide range of files format such as .cbds, .dpg, .mp3 inside the microSD card. It's pretty simple to use.

What's the best microSD card available so far?
Grad you're asking. There are many microSD card such as KingMax, Kingston, Motorola, Sandisk and the list just goes on. I would prefer you to buy Kingston 1GB/2GB that start with SD-C01G JAPAN as a serial as many games does work with this microSD. Many other microSD card has failed to provide a smooth play with the game Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin. In other words, the games will sometimes freeze or lag with those microSD. However, with Kingston, this game runs smoothly.

-> So why does Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin will freeze when played with other microSD brand?
As stated from someone else in the Internet, this game does require a microSD card with high speed transfer rate as the game read data rather faster than other games. I couldn't find out why though..

How should I know which game is playable with R4DS?
Check out this link. It mentioned clearly in that site so you won't have any problem finding your answers. Just use the 'Search' function and you'll get used to that long list. To make the user ease, all games are sorted by number.

Are you a customer for R4DS?
You bet I am. Or else, I wouldn't even bother to write a review regarding this product in the first place, would I?