Frenchman seems to have cracked Nintendo 3DS for homebrew software

A French hacker promises to publish an exploit that seems to make all versions of the Nintendo 3DS and 2DS suitable for running homebrew software. The exploit requires an internet connection, memory card and the game Cubic Ninja.

Until now, the Nintendo 3DS has seemed resistant to attempts to run homebrew games, third-party applications, and emulators. That may have changed with the exploit that Frenchman Jordan “Smealum” Rabet published on the GBATemp forum together with Ryukouki. The makers promise to activate the exploit, named SSSPwn, on November 22, but are already publishing some details.

Users would be able to click on a link from November 22, after which they must enter the firmware version of their 3DS. Further instructions require the 2011 game Cubic Ninja, which, according to Polygon, has immediately become popular again and difficult to obtain.

After installing the exploit, users would have a Homebrew Channel. Homebrew applications could then be launched from sd card as a boot.3dsx file. The crack is comparable to that of the Wii, the makers claim, but they emphasize that through their specific method no backups of 3DS games, or illegal copies, can be played. There is a chance that Nintendo will counteract the exploit with a firmware update.