[mmebane]

If you don't mind spending around $10 USD, hacking an updated 3DS is simple if you get an ntrboot-compatible flashcart [1] and a small magnet. At the moment, Ace3DS X flashcarts are available on AliExpress and work well.

If the supply of compatible flashcarts ever dries up, it will definitely get harder, though hopefully there will be more software exploits discovered by then.

[1]: https://3ds.hacks.guide/ntrboot

[spondylosaurus]

Wow, you weren't kidding about the magnet:

> The usage of this exploit, regardless of the flashing method, requires access to a small magnet if the target device is of a folding style (any 3DS family system that is not the old 2DS with a sleep switch). This is because the exploit requires your device to enter sleep mode while still having access to the buttons.

[kotaKat]

That's part of a factory recovery mechanism, basically. The system looks for Start+Select+X+Power and the magnet to be detected and it'll immediately fail over to booting from the DS slot.

[mmebane]

It pretty much has to be either a service mode or a developer back door. I'd love to know for sure. Maybe a leak some day will satisfy my curiosity.

[jtvjan]

In the presentation made when it was discovered[0] they said: “The NTR cartridge was likely meant to be used for either the factory setup or as a means of recovering bricked NANDs. However, we'll never know for sure.”

[0]: https://sciresm.github.io/33-and-a-half-c3/

[JansjoFromIkea]

hah! now I remember what that tiny magnetic that's on one of my toolboxes is! Been looking at it for years every time I go to take something out wondering what it was for

[lisbon44]

> If the supply of compatible flashcarts ever dries up, it will definitely get harder, though hopefully there will be more software exploits discovered by then.

another area of research is many flashcarts are actually obfuscation around FPGA and integrated flash perhaps if there was more interest a design could be produced in the spirit of open-hardware sans Nintendo property.

[mmebane]

Hell, the original R4 managed it with 2006 hardware. It's conceivable you could do the same thing today with an RP2040.

EDIT: I found a recent GBATemp thread where some research into flashcart design is going on. Maybe something will come of that. Link: https://gbatemp.net/threads/gathering-ds-flashcard-knowledge...