Nintendo DS Save Game Backup Using The Nintendo 3DS [Easy Offline Solution]

InsaneNutter

InsaneNutter

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This tutorial will teach you how to backup Nintendo DS save games from original game cartridges using an Nintendo 3DS. Using an Nintendo 3DS to backup Nintendo DS games is a lot easier than using an actual Nintendo DS.

You do not need to mess about with legacy WEP secured wireless networks, Firewalls, FTP's servers and GBA / DS flashcards. This is a simple offline solution anyone with a 3DS running the Homebrew Launcher or a Custom Firmware can use to backup Nintendo DS save games from original game cartridges in a matter of seconds.

Requirements:

You will either need a Nintendo 3DS running custom frimware or the Homebrew channel to follow this tutorial.

1. Getting started backing up your Nintendo DS game with the Nintendo 3DS:

First you need to download TWLSaveTool, this is the app we will use on the Nintendo 3DS for DS save game backup and restore.

  • If you have a 3DS running custom firmware you can use the CIA version.
  • If you have a 3DS which only has the Homebrew Launcher you require the 3DSX version. Please note the 3dsx version requires you to have either PokéTransporter or Pokémon Dream Radar installed on your 3DS. In both cases you'll need to pay to be able to download them from the Nintendo Eshop.

2. Installing TWLSaveTool:

To install the CIA version:

Simply copy the TWLSaveTool.cia to the Nintendo 3DS sd card then install using your favorite CIA manager, I personally use BigBlueBox.

To install the 3DS version:

Simply copy the TWLSaveTool folder to your SD Card > 3ds folder

3. Backing Up Nintendo DS save games:

This is the easy bit, either load TWLSaveTool from the 3DS home screen if your using Custom Firmware:

nintendo-ds-save-backup-3ds-cia.jpg

Or from the Homebrew Launcher depedning on which version of TWLSaveTool you installed:

nintendo-ds-save-backup-3ds-homebrew.jpg

TWLSaveTool should display the DS game currently in your 3DS:

nintendo-ds-save-backup-3ds-app.jpg

You can then press:
B - To backup the Nintendo DS save
A - To restore the Nintendo DS save
X - To erase the Nintendo DS save from the game cartridge
Start - exit the app
Y - To re start the app and backup / restore from a different game cartridge
Left / Right - allow you to change the file name of the savegame you are backing up (adds a number to the end of the save)

Backed up save games will be on the 3DS's SD Card inside the TWLSaveTool folder:

nintendo-ds-save-backup-3ds-1.png

If you downloaded a save game from the internet you wish to restore to your original NDS cartridge simply name it what TWLSaveTool identifies the game title is, then add a number at the end.

For example POKEMON W.0.sav

Red = Game title as displayed in TWLSaveTool
Blue = File name, can just be .0 if you dont have any other saves for that game on the 3DS's SD card.
Green = File extension should be .sav

Congratulations you can now backup / restore Nintendo DS games in less than 20 seconds!
 
Do you have save data present on your cart? I think I remember this causing issues with other save backup/restore utilities in the past so maybe this could be a factor here.

Otherwise what are you using to run this? and, if applicable, which CFW/version?
 
UnknownRespected said:
Do you have save data present on your cart? I think I remember this causing issues with other save backup/restore utilities in the past so maybe this could be a factor here.

Otherwise what are you using to run this? and, if applicable, which CFW/version?
Click to expand...

I use homebrew with Freakyhax. I also have the Savemanger for Ultra Sun on the card
 
Do you have Pokémon Dream Radar or Poké Transporter installed? You need to have either of those for it to work (says so in the first post.)

If you have them, make sure TWLSaveTool.xml is properly present in TWLSaveTool folder.
 
Pokemon Dream Radar is installed. I can also do Saves of SoulSilver and Platinum only others can not
Look that is in the folder
cx_SqFVvSyCGB2J7IrzPCA.png
 
That's not the error code. That's the line at which the error occured.

That was from version 1.0, you're using version 1.1. Code has been added/moved around/etc so the line at which the error occurs may change.
 
UnknownRespected said:
That's not the error code. That's the line at which the error occured.

That was from version 1.0, you're using version 1.1. Code has been added/moved around/etc so the line at which the error occurs may change.
Click to expand...

How can I see at Homebrew if my DS game was accepted? How i can see if my DS game was accepted? Im starting Homebrew with Freakyform Deluxe

Edit: The exploit caused the error
 
Sorry if i'm in the wrong place but i need help with something.
I've recently bought a New 3DS XL and i've been playing Pokemon games since gen 1 from emulators. Recently i have finished Platinum on emulator and successfully migrated my gen 1 2 3 pokemons to Platinum.
The real trick starts from here that i want to play Gen 5 (specifically Black 2) on my legit 3DS by buying a original cartridge and somehow importing my emulator pokemons (all legit no gameshark or any other cheating involved) to the legit cartridge and after that to the Pokemon Bank to play the other generations.I am really new on 3DS itself and i have read so many guides about it but i couldn't find the exact thing that i was looking for. Basically i want to import my emulator pokemons that in Platinum save to legit Black 2 cartridge and from there to newer generations. (The save files contains the distribution pokemons that this website posted and i really really thank you for those :) )
My 3DS is brand new and never cracked. (version 11.6.0-39E) and i want to keep it legit as possible and removing the cfw and homebrew after i'm done with them to prevent a ban from nintendo (so what i need is just save editing tools i'm guessing)
Can someone point me to right direction please ? I'd really appreciate it because i don't even know where to start..
Thank you :)
 
Anything you have migrated from Gen 1 to 3 is not legit, just so you know. You can go from Gen 1 to 7 on the 3DS however thanks to the Virtual Console games on the 3DS.

First you want to hack your 3DS, If you follow this tutorial from start to finish: https://3ds.hacks.guide/ you will have a fully hacked 3ds capable of following my above guide.
The above guide also has a section about uninstalling hacks / cfw: https://3ds.hacks.guide/uninstall-cfw that is not something i've ever done however. I just be careful online and only play my legit games and never use homebrew apps when the 3ds is connected to the internet, theirs obviously some risk there though.

Once you have a hacked 3DS you can follow this guide here: Pokemon GameBoy / Rom Save Transfer To 3DS for Gen 1 and 2.

You can even play GBA Games on your 3DS if you decide to keep hacks, meaning you can create your own GBA Pokemon games for use on the 3DS: Nintendo 3DS GBA Game Injection

To write any emulator saves from the Gen 4-5 DS games to real cartridges, your looking at the correct tutorial. Simply scroll to the top of this page and follow my tutorial.

Hopefully that gets you started anyway :)

I think you will enjoy your 3DS for Pokemon as with hacks it's capable of playing all the core games from Gen 1 to 7.
 
Thank you for your respond :)
I tried to keep gen 1-2 pokemons legit as possible with their iv and ev stats, went on and studied the gen 3 system and did cross multiplications from gen 1-2 to 3. When i did that gen 1-2 games wasn't even on 3ds yet :D (so i did that a while ago)
So back on topic, currently the pokemons i want to transfer to a legit copy is in a Platinum rom. Turns out i have to finish Black 2 in order to get those pokemon from platinum to black 2 save and this tutorial shows how to backup the save files and restore them. But my question is do i need to hack into the cartridge as well to modify saves ? And if i do that would that get me banned later ?
 
If you want to do this legit on real hardware your going to need 2x DS or 3DS consoles to transfer from Platinum to Black 2, it doesn't really matter which, it can be a DS and 3DS or 2x DS consoles or 2x 3DS consoles.

Your also going to need a legit Platinum DS game and a legit Black 2 DS game.

You would restore your Platinum save game to the Platinum cartridge and the Black 2 save to the Black 2 cartridge (or start a game and finish it on the Black 2 cartridge)

When you finish the Gen 5 games you unlock the Poke Transfer Lab on Route 15. When you visit that your Black 2 game will send a program via the DS download play application, on your other DS with your Platinum game in you will select download play on the homescreen to load the transfer app. This allows Pokemon to transfer from Gen 4 to Gen 5 over Wireless using 2x consoles.

You don't need to hack your DS games, save edit or anything, you simply need to restore the save games to your DS game cartridges. The only thing you need any sort of hacks for is to have an easy way of getting your emulator saves on to the DS game cartridges. I personally think using hacked 3DS is the most easy way of doing this in 2018 although other ways do exist.
 
Thank you :) I'll try and post the outcome if i succeed, might make a tutorial video as well and credit you all in it.
Cheers :)
 
I get a black screen with TWLSaveTool 1.1 by TuxSH at the top and nothing else. I have heartgold in the gameboy. I have to restart to leave the screen.

Anyone seen this?
 
What custom firmware do you have on your 3DS? I also presume Pokemon HeartGold and other DS games play on the 3DS as normal?
 
Homebrew(through Steelhax), and Save Manager (for 3ds games). The nintendo update is 11.8.

UPDATE: I think it is because unfortunately my heartgold is a bootleg copy (damn you ebay!), cause fire emblem, it worked fine.
 
Last edited:
Is there a way to download PokeTransporter or DreamRadar on a 3ds without updating the software ??
I have Ver. 11.1.0-34E and I enter homebrew with Pokemon AlphaSaphire
 
If you have CFW installed you can install the CIA, however based on what you have said not without updating.
 
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