This article will be permanently flagged as inappropriate and made unaccessible to everyone. Are you certain this article is inappropriate? Excessive Violence Sexual Content Political / Social
Email Address:
Article Id: WHEBN0031055925 Reproduction Date:
Nintendo 3DS system software is a set of updatable firmware versions and software frontend on the Nintendo 3DS video game console. Updates, which are downloaded via the system's Internet connection allow Nintendo to add and remove features and software. All updates also include all changes from previous updates.
The current version of the system software, 9.3.0-21, was made available on December 9, 2014.
The Home Menu is a graphical shell similar to the Nintendo DSi Menu and Wii U Menu for Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 2DS systems. It is used to launch software stored on Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS Game Cards, applications installed on a SD card and DSiWare titles installed in the system's internal memory. Application icons are set in a grid navigable with the touchscreen or D-pad, and may be re-arranged via drag-and-drop. The amount of icons per column can also be changed, from 1 icon up to 6. The menu can display up to 120 application tiles. On the upper screen, a special 3D animated logo is displayed for each individual app, as well as system information such as wireless signal strength, date and time, and battery life, while on the bottom screen, application icons are displayed. It is also possible to change the screen's brightness while in the menu.[1] Using the Home button, users can suspend the current software that is running and bring up the Home Menu, allowing the user to launch certain multitasking applications, such as the Internet Browser and Miiverse.
Similarly to the Nintendo DSi, the menu has upgradeable firmware. Game cards can also be hot-swapped while in the menu. The power button prompts the user to either put the console into sleep mode, or shut it down. On April 25, 2012, a system update brought the introduction of a folder system.[2] Up to 60 folders can be created. Applications can be dragged on top of a folder in order to move it, and from then on, more apps can be added to the folder using the same procedure, up to 60 apps per folder. A title for the folder is automatically created in order of creation (from "1" to "60"), but the name can also be edited by the user. Only the first character of the title will be displayed on the folder's icon. When apps inside folders receive StreetPass or SpotPass notifications, a notification icon will appear on top of the folder[2] On June 20, 2013, a system update brought the introduction of the Save Data Backup feature.[3] This feature allows the user to back up save data from downloadable Nintendo 3DS software and most Virtual Console games. Creating a backup of save data allows users to delete software from the SD card without losing save data. The backup created will then be automatically restored when the user re-downloads software from the Nintendo eShop. A total of 30 save data backups can be stored at a time. It is not possible to back up save data from retail versions of Nintendo 3DS software, DSiWare, and Game Boy Advance software.[4]
Nintendo 3DS Camera is a built-in photo and video recorder with an integrated media gallery and photo editing functionality. The app uses the system's two front facing cameras to take 3D photos, and the user-facing camera to take regular 2D photos. All photographs are taken at a resolution of 640 x 480 pixel (VGA), or 0.3 megapixels. In addition to manual recording controls, timers can also be set to take a photo three or ten seconds after pressing the Take button, or by means of voice commands such as saying "OK!" when wishing to take a photo.[5] There are various options and filters available when taking photos or recording video. In addition to the Normal mode, there is a Low-Light option, which is useful when taking photos and recording video in dark lighting conditions. Other options include manual controls such as the color type (normal, black and white, sepia, negative or solarize), sharpness, contrast and brightness. Real-time photo filters are also available including Sparkle, which adds moving stars to the photo, Dream, which adds a dream-like bright light to the photo, Pinhole, which lightens the center of the screen and darkens the edges and Mystery, which adds a random finish to the photo. There is also a special mode called Merge, which takes a photo of the user facing the inner camera and merges the photo from someone facing the outer cameras.[5] On December 7, 2011, a system update added the ability to record 3D video along three special recording options. Interval Shot allows sequences of images to be recorded in short-timed intervals to create time-lapse photography; Frame Pick edits still images together to create stop motion animation; and Montage let's the user pause and resume recording seamlessly.[6] However, all recording modes only allow a single video to be up to ten minutes long.[7]
Nintendo 3DS Sound is a built-in music player and sound recorder. Supported audio codecs include MP3 audio (with .mp3 filename extensions) and AAC audio (with .mp4, .m4a, and .3gp filename extensions). Audio files can be played from an SD card, with visualizations displayed on the upper screen. Music can be played while the console is in Sleep Mode, using the system's headphone jack. When using headphones with an included mic and button, the button can toggle play/pause and skip to the next and previous track. A set of sound manipulation options are available, as well as several audio filters. Ten-second voice recordings can be also be recorded, edited with audio filters, and manipulated through modulation and playback speed. Users may save and modify up to 18 of these in the console's memory and up to 180 on an SD card.[8] These can then be used throughout other applications such as Swapnote. There is a StreetPass function built-into the app. When the user StreetPass's someone who also has StreetPass enabled, both users exchange song data such as the song's name, artist, album, release year, and how many times it has been played. There is also a compatibility chart between the users involved. Depending the amount of matching songs from both users a score will be displayed, ranging from 0% to 100%, with the latter being the most compatible.[8]
The Nintendo 3DS is capable of suspending an application and run one of six multitasking applications. Once a game or application is running, the user can press the Home button to suspend it and temporarily open the Home Menu. It is then possible to open another specially designed multitasking application built into the system without closing the currently suspended software. Attempting to open a game or application while another is already running will result in a warning prompt.[1] These multitasking applications include:
Miiverse and the Internet Browser cannot be loaded while certain software are suspended, due to that software's high usage of the 3DS's resources. However, this is not the case with the New Nintendo 3DS.
The Nintendo 3DS firmware can run in four different modes. NATIVE_FIRM is the native running firmware for Nintendo 3DS software (including the Home Menu). SAFE_MODE_FIRM is used for safe mode applications, such as the System Settings and System Updater. TWL_FIRM is the Nintendo DSi's native firmware and it is used for Nintendo DS/DSi backward compatibility. Finally, AGB_FIRM is the Game Boy Advance's native firmware and it is used to run Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games.[9]
The nomenclature of a firmware version, as it's shown on the 3DS System Settings, is divided into three parts: the first three digits represent the firmware version without eShop features (which is the one stored on retail cartridges); the number after the dash represents improvements related to the eShop and can only be obtained via online update; and finally, the letter at the end represents the region of the console. The possible letters are for the Americas (U), Europe and Australia (E), Japan (J), South Korea (K) and Taiwan (T), which are the five regions with exclusive firmwares for each one.
1 Credit card information stored on the Nintendo eShop will be deleted after this update is performed or after linking a new Nintendo Network ID 2 SpotPass must be enabled to use this feature
^[a] The ability to update within StreetPass Mii Plaza and purchase paid content is only available to users in regions where the full version of the Nintendo eShop is available.
Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user's experience.
Please note that the 3D video that was offered for a limited time only and included in system 1.1.0-1E will be removed from your Nintendo 3DS system with this system update.
Other gaming platforms from Nintendo:
Other gaming platforms from this generation:
Gaming platforms from the seventh generation:
Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, Netflix, YouTube, Nintendo
House of Cards (U.S. TV series), Arrested Development (TV series), Portugal, Linux, Orange Is the New Black
Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo, Nintendo Network, Wii U
PlayStation 3, Html5, Javascript, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation Store
Nintendo 3DS, List of best-selling game consoles, Wii, YouTube, Nintendo Network
Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo eShop, YouTube, Nintendo, Video game music
Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Network, Animation, Shigeru Miyamoto, YouTube