Latest 3DS update tightens the clamps on eShop regional switching

Nintendo’s latest update to the Nintendo 3DS is a big old double edged sword. Granted it brings combined eShop balances and the excellent Miiverse community is now available.

However for Aussie and even European gamers who usually region jump their console on the eShop things are about to get a lot harder. Firstly, region switching up until today was possible on the Nintendo 3DS to an extent. Australian and European Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL and 2DS consoles are essentially the same and we’re blessed that we can import games from Europe, use their store and vice versa. All that was needed was a simple option to be switched in the Settings on your console and away you went. Purchasing games earlier and cheaper from Europe, downloading games and demos we never got and more.

Today things get a little bit harder.

With the latest update to the 3DS this is no longer as easy. The latest 3DS update is mandatory to get back onto the eShop, so there’s no way around it.

Once you update your 3DS you’ll be given the option to link or create a Nintendo Network ID (NNID). If you have a Wii U already you can link your NNID from that (assuming its of the same region)  and share your balance with your 3DS. If you don’t have a Wii U you can create a NNID and start from there.

The system will create a NNID based currently on what your system is set to. So if yours is set on Australia, you get an Australian NNID, Europeans get their local country etc.

Once that NNID is setup on that console there is no way currently to unlink it. You can perform a factory reset of course and we’d recommend it if you ever sell the console. But doing that just to switch NNID and stores is a bit extreme, you’ll lose all your Activity Log, Friends List and everything on your SD card effectively becomes useless.

There are also now concerns for imported consoles. If you bought a Limited Edition Zelda 3DS XL from Europe recently and put in your AU NNID first, can you redeem the code for the game? What about if you already have code redeemed, lock it to a AU NNID can you redownload the game if your SD card is lost or corrupt?

What about if I own Shantae or the number of indie games that are available in Europe but not Australia, can I still redownload that if my eShop is now locked to Australia?

We in the media get sent download codes often from (mostly) independent developers, we won’t be able to download their review games anymore as their codes often only work on the European store.

Say you’re a Spaniard, your eShop offers your game in your local language. But perhaps the local dubs are rubbish and you prefer English? Well if you’re NNID gets created and you’ve selected the UK you’ll only be able to buy games in English from now on, same goes the other way around.

So what can you do?

Well you’ll be forced into the update at some point if you ever want to able to access the eShop. Linking an NNID is completely optional, but you can’t download any demos or free applications (like Youtube, Netflix) without one now.

You can still buy and switch your regions as long as you never link a NNID to your system. You’ll miss out of Miiverse too without it.

The choice is yours.