Nintendo 3DS/Flash Cards

Nintendo produced various kinds of flash cartridges for the Nintendo 3DS.

Most were meant for developers, while some were used in factory testing.

The cartridges can be flashed with a PARTNER-CTR Debugger, PARTNER-CTR Writer or IS-CTR/SPR/SNAKE.

There are 2 different types of flash cartridges used for the 3DS. These are called CARD1 and CARD2.

The main difference between them is in how they can be used for storing save data.

• CARD1 is similar to older DS style and uses an external flash chip for save data
• CARD2 uses a part of the NAND to store save data.

CARD2 cartridges also normally contain a flash chip for compatibility with CARD1 software.

Thanks to Voodooween and j4m13c for some of the information and images.

Standard

These are similar in size to the black label DS developer cartridges, but use a white case with a blue label.

Earlier versions have a slightly different label and use a green circuit board, while the later versions (which are much more common) use a white circuit board.

This revision can only be used with CARD1 software.

There is 1 flash chip on board, a 16 gigabit TC58NVG4S2ELA48, made by Toshiba.

There is a MegaChips MA91707 controller, presumably used to handle communications between the flash chip on the cartridge and the console.

There is no switch on board, even though the footprint for it exists.

A 16 gigabit cartridge of this type is known to exist.

CTR Flash Card 16G (E203344)

• 
  K01-02 - cart front
• 
  K01-02 - cart back

CTR FLASH CARD 16Gbit (E203344)

• 
  K01-03 - cart front
• 
  K01-03 - cart back
• 
  K01-03 - board front
• 
  K01-03 - board back
• 
  K01-03 - pamphlet

Low Profile

Following the "standard" sized developer cartridges, low profile developer cartridges were released. The prototype version is shaped like a retail 3DS cartridge, while the rest are shaped like a retail DS cartridge without the notch on the right.

This revision can be used with both CARD1 and CARD2 software, and the backup size on the label corresponds to CARD1 usage.

The main chip on the board, which combines both the NAND and controller, is a 32 gigabit R20KG2241A.

There is a flash chip on the board, which is either 1Mbit (128KB) or 4Mbit (512KB, MX25L4001).

A 32 gigabit (4 gigabyte) cartridge of this type is known to exist.

CTR FLASH CARD 4GB Prototype (E203492)

• 
  D01-10 - cart front
• 
  D01-10 - cart back
• 
  D01-10 - board front
• 
  D01-10 - board back

4GByte CTR Flash Card with 128KByte Backup (E203518)

• 
  K05-01 - cart front
• 
  K05-01 - cart back
• 
  K05-01 - pamphlet

4GByte CTR Flash Card with 512KByte Backup (E203500)

• 
  K05-01 - cart front
• 
  K05-01 - cart back
• 
  K05-01 - board front
• 
  K05-01 - board back

Others

CTR FLASH CARD 16Gbit Trade Show Sample

This is shaped like a retail 3DS cartridge. These are not sold to developers, but privately used by Nintendo to showcase game demos at events.

• 
  D01-01 - cart front
• 
  D01-01 - cart back

Save sub-boards

The "standard" sized developer cartridges do not come with backup save functionality. Save sub-boards would have to be attached to the connector on the cartridge to provide save functionality.

CTR SUB CARD 1Mbit FLASH (E203328)

• 
  CTR-SUB01-01 - front
• 
  CTR-SUB01-01 - back

CTR Sub Card 4M FLASH (E203336)

These go with the earlier version of the cartridge with the green circuit board.

• 
  Front

CTR SUB CARD 4Mbit FLASH (E203336)

There is a 4 megabit flash chip on the board, a MX25L4001.

• 
  CTR-SUB01-01 - front
• 
  CTR-SUB01-01 - back

Factory Testing

These cartridges were used to test 3DS systems in the factory and are commonly seen with 3DS factory software on them (e.g. CTR EVA).

Inspection Flash Card CTR

This cartridge can only be used with CARD1 software.

There is 1 flash chip on board, a 16 gigabit TC58NVG4S2ELA48, made by Toshiba.

There is a MegaChips MA91707 controller.

There is a flash chip on the board which is 4Mbit (512KB), a MX25L4001.

• 
  FCARD-03 - cart front
• 
  FCARD-03 - cart back
• 
  FCARD-03 - board front
• 
  FCARD-03 - board back

SPI Communication Flash Card CTR

This cartridge is similar to the above, but has the SPI (HDMI style) connector on the top.

• 
  FCARD-03 - cart front
• 
  FCARD-03 - cart back
• 
  FCARD-03 - repro board front
• 
  FCARD-03 - repro board back

Inspection Flash Card V2 CTR

This cartridge supports CARD2 software.

The main chip on the board, which combines both the NAND and controller, is a 32 gigabit R20KG2241A.

There is a flash chip on the board which is 4Mbit (512KB), a MX25L4001.

• 
  FCARDC-01 - cart front
• 
  FCARDC-01 - cart back
• 
  FCARDC-01 - board front
• 
  FCARDC-01 - board back

SPI Communication Flash Card V2 CTR

This cartridge is similar to the above, but has the SPI (HDMI style) connector on the top.

• 
  FCARDC-01 - cart front
• 
  FCARDC-01 - cart back

CTRC-FMCOM

There is 1 flash chip on board, a 16 gigabit TC58NVG4S2ELA48, made by Toshiba.

There is a MegaChips MA91707 controller.

The port on the top would deliver the save data.

This sub-board can be connected to either a TWLC-WRITEDUMMY or TWLC-FMDUMMY.

• 
  CTRC-FMCOM-01 - board front

• 
  TWLC-WRITEDUMMY-X1 - cart front
• 
  TWLC-WRITEDUMMY-X1 - cart back