3DS XL System Transfer Discussion!

[Jake]

IMO it's still stupid.

So many people buy digital Nintendo games and none of them have had a problem.

At least do what Toritox suggested, try the digital out for a few weeks and then see if you're going to buy the physical. I mean if you back up your save data regularly you're not going to lose anything.

"I'm noticing some of you talking about wasting/spending money have more than one console" we're not saying it about the console, we're talking about the game itself. You're honestly getting two copies of the game, just so one can sit there and not be used as you 'don't trust it' how do you know the physical copy wont have the same problem? It's entirely possible. The game literally costs like $10 when included in the bundle yet you're actually going to ignore that and go out and buy the game full price when you already have it anyway. Having two games is understandable if you actually plan on playing both, but the fact you're not going to play one is just 'second hand irritation' (is that even a word?)

Ask people who have a digital copy of a game - and they'll gladly tell you it's totally fine. I have MH on digital and when I play the game I totally forget the fact that it's even a digital, it works exactly the same as a physical copy. Unless you actually remove your SD card regularly, and fiddle around with it on your computer, then you have nothing to worry about.



I'm sorry if I'm coming off as rude but I honestly don't understand why you're buying the game twice and not using one just because you don't trust it - and i'm a pretty understanding person.

 

[Punchyleaf]

Jake pretty much said what I was going to say.

I plan on buying 2 copies. One digital, one physical. Both will be put to use though. The digital copy is mine while my fianc? will play the cartridge. I don't manhandle my console nor SD Card so I have no fear of it magically becoming corrupt or my console spontaneously combusting and having to be sent in and receiving a refurbished console as a replacement

 

[milkbun]

I'm pretty sure I will be upgrading from my pink 3ds to this bundle come June.

Just to double check because I'm paranoid about this:
I do a system transfer from the 3ds to the AC 3ds XL to transfer all my data which should take about 45 mins. So even though data was transferred, the AC 3ds will still know I had a digital copy of ACNL and I simply have to redownload it which should take about 30 mins?

I'm considering not even moving the SD card over from the old to new so does that mean I won't have to redownload?

 

[Rainy Day]

Hello.

Some of you posters are saying you can back up your SD card and so we shouldn't worry about losing data from a digital game.

Is it even possible to back up the SD card? Isn't there something in place that renders the data you backed up useless so you're not making copies of games for others to use?

Edit: I can understand backing up the data. Maybe it will allow you to copy the data from the SD card to your computer. But can you actually use that data? If you get another SD card and copy this data onto it, can the games actually be accessed? If so...what is stopping people from making and selling dozens of copies of one purchased game?

Edit 2: Another thing I thought of. Digital games purchased are tied to the 3DS itself. If the 3DS breaks, dies, etc, you can't transfer them to another 3DS. (Please correct me if I'm wrong!) I realize we're only talking about one game here though. Not dozens.

Breakdown: Can someone tell me if I can back up AC:NL digital game saves and, if so, are they usable? Can you put the game save back onto a different SD card and still have the digital game recognize the save?

 

[Punchyleaf]

Because it doesn't work like that. The game is tied to the SYSTEM. Not the SD Card is also tied to the system. It's why each system formats the SD Card whenever you do a transfer or anything. The SD Card just stores the save files for the actual game itself.

What is "stopping people from making and selling dozens of copies" is the fact that if I take out my SD Card from 3DS #1 which has a digital copy, and try to place it in 3DS #2 which doesn't have the digital copy, the SD Card is rendered useless since it is tied to 3DS #1 and I have to physically buy another digital copy of the game for 3DS #2

 

[Rainy Day]

Because it doesn't work like that. The game is tied to the SYSTEM. Not the SD Card. The SD Card just stores the save files for the actual game itself.

What is "stopping people from making and selling dozens of copies" is the fact that if I take out my SD Card from 3DS #1 which has a digital copy, and try to place it in 3DS #2 which doesn't have the digital copy, the SD Card is rendered useless since it is tied to 3DS #1

Ah I understand! Thank you for the explanation! So the games and SD card content is tied to only one 3DS.

I'm still confused on one point though. Is it worth backing up your SD card's game saves? Let's say your 3DS w/ the digital games breaks/dies and you weren't able to do a system transfer. Are those saves you backed up rendered useless? Or can you use them in another 3DS, you would just to re-purchase the games?

 

[Punchyleaf]

They're rendered useless if you manhandle your 3DS to the point were its literally broken and your only option is to buy a new one. Since the SD Card is tied to the Now broken (hypothetical) 3DS, and you're not able to do a system transfer, you would have to format the old SD Card before you could use it in the new console. So everything would be deleted from it

 

[MadamSpringy]

I love how everyone was dancing around tigereyes86's original question, which they've even restated:

...if I lose my data should my 3DS break and I have to redownload the game to a new 3DS, I'd want to know that my save data would remain should I need to download the game again and this is the point that no-one can answer.

According to Loviechu, if 3DS #1 (which has the digital copy of the game) breaks and you have to re-download the game to a new 3DS (aka 3DS #2), you would not be able to access the save files on your SD card because that SD card is tied to the broken 3DS #1, and trying to put that SD card into 3DS #2 would erase all the data on it (aka, your save files) so that it can be re-formatted and now tied to 3DS #2. Correct? This is all very confusing.

 

[Rainy Day]

I love how everyone was dancing around tigereyes86's original question, which they've even restated:


According to Loviechu, if 3DS #1 (which has the digital copy of the game) breaks and you have to re-download the game to a new 3DS (aka 3DS #2), you would not be able to access the save files on your SD card because that SD card is tied to the broken 3DS #1, and trying to put that SD card into 3DS #2 would erase all the data on it (aka, your save files) so that it can be re-formatted and now tied to 3DS #2. Correct? This is all very confusing.

I have the same question as you and Tigereyes86. I'm assuming you're correct so I'm just going to stick with the physical copy because it would minimize damage in a couple scenarios.

 

[Punchyleaf]

I don't think anyone was dancing around it. Probably didnt know the answer so instead of giving false information, they may have thought it best to ignore it.

And no no no you messed up what I said a bit at the end lol
If you put the SD Card (from hypothetical broken 3DS #1) into the new system (3DS #2) and you weren't able to do a System Transfer due to 3DS #1 being broken, if you were to put SD Card #1 into 3DS #2, the data would show up as either nothing, so blank, or corrupted. Your data does not get deleted from putting the SD Card into another system. You physically have to put the SD Card into the computer, reformat it to FAT 16 or FAT 32 (which is what the 3DS uses) and then that is what deletes the information on SD Card #1, which untied it from 3DS #1.

So, to simply recap.
If your 3DS with a digital copy becomes broken and you can't do a system transfer:
Your SD Card is rendered useless until reformatted
Reformatting it deletes its contents
You have to re buy the digital version on a new 3ds
You can not pop in the old SD Card and expect it to give you back your town and save files. You will be started anew.

The only exception to this is if you prove to Nintendo that your console broke by itself. They can then take your Nintendo account and have it transferred to another 3DS. Of course, this works .5% of the time because Nintendo only does this if your system decided to one day implode for no reason or if your system was stolen.
BUT if the system is stolen, it is the same as above. You lose your saves and progress. If it implodes or has internal soft/hardware issues, it is sent in and then Nintendo transfers it to a new 3DS and the new 3ds becomes tied with the SD Card.

It's why they tell you to send in your SD Card whenever you have a repair done, just in case

 

[Rainy Day]

Edit: I read your edited post. Thanks Loviechu!

 

[Punchyleaf]

Rainy Day read my edited in part before you quote me c:

And just to reiterate;
If you manhandle your SD Card, like forceably remove it without turning off the system, give it to pets as chew toys, lick it, play sports with it, or any other thing that defies common sense, then do NOT get the digital copy.
But if you do things right, like take care of your 3DS and SD Card, then by all means, do go digital.

 

[Rainy Day]

Rainy Day read my edited in part before you quote me c:

And just to reiterate;
If you manhandle your SD Card, like forceably remove it without turning off the system, give it to pets as chew toys, lick it, play sports with it, or any other thing that defies common sense, then do NOT get the digital copy.
But if you do things right, like take care of your 3DS and SD Card, then by all means, do go digital.

Thank you!!

So in the end, the absolute only pro to going digital would be you don't have to carry a physical copy around? Because you can't back up saves or digital games.

 

[MadamSpringy]

Ahh, okay. Thanks for clearing that up. I think I'll still stick with a physical copy and just let my brother have the digital copy. He's always losing DS cartridges.

 

[Punchyleaf]

You can back up saves though. And it is recommended you do if you deal with digital ^~^

But to make it simple; yes, the main reason to go digital is to have a 24 hour access to it. That way it isn't forgotten if you travel somewhere or able to get lost. :3 unless you lose the system itself but I've never lost a console myself since I keep them in obvious places haha

 

[Rainy Day]

You can back up saves though. And it is recommended you do if you deal with digital ^~^

But to make it simple; yes, the main reason to go digital is to have a 24 hour access to it. That way it isn't forgotten if you travel somewhere or able to get lost. :3 unless you lose the system itself but I've never lost a console myself since I keep them in obvious places haha

The only reason to back up those saves would be in case the SD card died right?

 

[Punchyleaf]

Yes.
The point of a backup is in case the SD dies or becomes corrupted for some reason.

 

[Rainy Day]

Yes.
The point of a backup is in case the SD dies or becomes corrupted for some reason.

Thanks again!!

 

[tigereyes86]

Lol thank you . The whole losing data thing is what I was worried about. (Jake, you weren't coming off rude, you were stating your point, this is fine, I appreciate a discussion such as this rather than the name calling I'd experience elsewhere so this is all fine )
I have come across some scare stories surrounding the digital versions and I'm only trying to fully research all the pros and cons before making a decision. I always try to find as much as I can about something before committing so I'm sorry if my questions ever bother any of you, I just love to be informed!!

And it's OK, I do not plan on giving anything to a dog/cat/hamster or otherwise to chew on (the ones I know seem to prefer stealing clothes, weeeeird) so I'll go and upgrade my SD Card in the meantime and have a think about all of this. Thanks to those who got there in the end, much appreciated.

 

[tanuki]

i think i might actually be an idiot. could someone just explain the process step by step? also, when you do a transfer, what exactly goes from one 3ds to the other?

do all of these things transfer? coins, steps, friends, friend code, street passes, saved info in street pass game, mii's...umm... i dunno what else.

i understand that games downloaded from the shop will only transfer if you switch the sd cards, right? if i choose NOT to switch the sd card and leave my old downloaded games behind will i STILL have to re-download NL?

it all seems like SUCH a hassle. it would suck to lose my street passes and have to get a new friend code to trade, but it might be worth it so i don't have to go thru this nonsense.

ugh. i dunno.