Nintendo details its outlandish process of transferring data to the New 3DS
Hope you've got a size zero Phillips screwdriver lying around.
With Nintendo's New 3DS coming out this Friday there's been some concern over how one can transfer their data from their current 3DS (or 2DS) to the enhanced hardware. Well now Nintendo has released a tutorial video detailing the process of doing this through a computer in just 15 simple steps.
Here's what you'll need:
- Your current 3DS/2DS
- Its SD card
- A New Nintendo 3DS
- A microSD card of equal or larger capacity (a 4GB one comes installed in the New 3DS)
- A size 0 Phillips screwdriver
- A computer
- An adapter to connect the SD and MicroSD cards to said computer
- Wireless broadband internet access
Okay, ready? Let's begin.
- Go through the setup on your New 3DS, download the latest software, but do not create a new Nintendo Network ID on this system as it will overwrite your old one.
- On the home menu, go to System Settings, then Other Settings, then System Transfer.
- On both systems select "Transfer From a System in the Nintendo 3DS Family." Select "send" from the old system and "receive" to the new one.
- Follow the prompts to confirm the transfer.
- Select "delete" to erase the content on the New 3DS's microSD card.
- Select "no" on the New 3DS to confirm that no other microSD cards have been used with the system.
- Select "yes" on the old 3DS to confirm that you're using an SD card (these come with the system, so you likely are).
- Select "PC-based transfer."
- Select "move" on the source system.
- Once this is complete the old 3DS will format and the New 3DS will restart.
- Power off both systems and remove their SD/microSD cards. This will require using a size zero Phillips screwdriver to remove the back panel on the New 3DS.
- Connect the SD card to your computer and copy the folder called Nintendo 3DS to your desktop.
- Connect the New 3DS's microSD card to your computer and copy the folder from step 12 into it.
- Insert the microSD card into your New 3DS, reattach the back panel and power the system on.
Rejoice! You've just transferred all your old date to your new 3DS.
There is a simpler method where you can transfer your data through wifi. Nintendo estimated that it should take roughly two hours to transfer 4GB worth of data this way, but it's otherwise more convenient. How odd that Nintendo's only tutorial video covers the most labourious method.
Nintendo noted on its support site that pre-installed games will be available for re-download on the new system once the transfer is complete.