Unpack NDS ROMs

[YoshiMoshi]

Can anyone provide a tutorial on how to unpack? Also can you please provide information on content found on the pokemon distribution ROMs for NDS ? Any hidden distributions?

 

[InsaneNutter]

You can extract a rom using NDS Header Tool.

Click the "File System Info" tab then "Extract Rom Contents", like so:

If you extract various distributions such as the Winter 2011 Celebi or GameStop Deoxys you will find a file called decchi.bin in the roms file system.

This is a Japanese GBA prototype of the original Pokemon Ranger game, you can load this in a GBA emulator and it will show a title screen with a serial number.



However if you load the rom in Slot-2 on a NDS emulator, then then load a Japanese Pokemon Diamond or Pearl game you will find out that decchi.bin is also a prototype slot 2 distribution rom used for testing in the early days of Diamond and Pearl.

This is documented pretty well in this thread: Unreleased Pokemon Slot 2 Distribution [decchi.bin] Azure Flute / Arceus Distribution Download along with a couple of videos showing it working.

I've not personally explored all the distribution roms we have in great detail, however that's the most unique thing found in the file system of these distributions that i'm aware of.

 

[YoshiMoshi]

Thank you, I'll have to take a look after my exam