3DS:Sonic Decompilations

This tutorial will take you through setting up the Sonic Decompilation 3DS ports.

If you are on Old 3DS, then every game except Sonic CD will not work! and Special Stages will run poorly across all games on both Old & New 3DS.

Technical Details (optional)

These ports are based on the decompilations by Rubberduckycooly for the mobile versions of Sonic 1, CD, 2, and Sonic Mania.

They require a data.rsdk file from a legal copy of the game(s) to be able to run.

Sonic 1 (2013)Sonic CD (2011)Sonic 2 (2013)Sonic Mania

Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 for New 3DS

Developer(s)	JeffRuLz, rubberduckycooly
Console	Nintendo 3DS
Version	1.3.0 (November 4, 2022 (2022-11-04))
Links
GitHub	JeffRuLz/Sonic-1-2-2013-Decompilation

What you need

• A data.rsdk file from the Mobile port
  • Tutorial can be found here.
• The latest release of Sonic 1 (3DS) (Sonic1.cia)
  • If you have issues, try to use the rev01 version instead.

Instructions

Section I - Prep Work

1. Power off your console
2. Insert your SD card into your computer
3. Create a folder named cias on the root of your SD card if it does not already exist
4. Copy Sonic1.cia to the /cias/ folder on your SD card
5. Create a folder named 3ds on the root of your SD card if it does not already exist
6. Create a folder named Sonic1 in the 3ds folder on your SD card if it does not already exist
7. Copy data.rsdk to the /3ds/Sonic1/ folder on your SD card
8. Reinsert your SD card into your console
9. Power on your console

Section II - Installation

1. Launch FBI from the HOME Menu
2. Navigate to SD -> cias
3. Press A on Sonic 1, and select "Install and delete CIA"
4. Once installed, press Home, then X to close FBI

You're done! You've successfully installed Sonic 1 on your console.

Optional - Setting up Sonic 1 Forever

This is using the outdated 1.4.2 version of the mod (latest is 1.5), but it's the most recent that works the best on 3DS.

What you need

• Sonic 1 Forever (the 1.4.2 mod only release)

Instructions

Section I - Prep Work

1. Power off your console
2. Insert your SD card into your computer
3. Navigate to /3ds/Sonic1/, then create a folder named mods
4. Extract SonicForeverMod from the Sonic 1 Forever .zip and copy it to /3ds/Sonic1/mods/
5. Reinsert your SD card into your console
6. Power on your console

Section II - Loading the mod

1. Launch Sonic 1 from the HOME Menu
2. Press A on MODS
3. Press A on Sonic Forever to activate it
4. Press B to exit the mods list
5. Once the game has reloaded, press Home, then X to close Sonic 1
6. Relaunch Sonic 1 from the HOME Menu

You're done! You've successfully installed Sonic 1 Forever (1.4.2) on your console.

Sonic CD (2011) for 3DS

Developer(s)	SaturnSH2x2, rubberduckycooly
Console	Nintendo 3DS
Version	1.3.0 (August 20, 2021 (2021-08-20))
Links
GitHub	SaturnSH2x2/Sonic-CD-11-3DS

What you need

• A data.rsdk file from either the Mobile port or the delisted Steam release
  • Mobile: Follow this tutorial.
  • PC: Browse the games local files via Steam (Right click the game on the sidebar -> Browse Local Files) and keep the directory open.
• The latest release of Sonic CD (3DS) (the .cia file)
  • For old 3DS users, download the HW version
  • For new 3DS users, download the SW version

Instructions

Section I - Prep Work

1. Power off your console
2. Insert your SD card into your computer
3. Create a folder named cias on the root of your SD card if it does not already exist
4. Copy SonicCD.cia to the /cias/ folder on your SD card
5. Create a folder named 3ds on the root of your SD card if it does not already exist
6. Create a folder named SonicCD in the 3ds folder on your SD card if it does not already exist
7. Copy data.rsdk to the /3ds/SonicCD/ folder on your SD card
8. Reinsert your SD card into your console
9. Power on your console

Section II - Installation

1. Launch FBI from the HOME Menu
2. Navigate to SD -> cias
3. Press A on Sonic CD, and select "Install and delete CIA"
4. Once installed, press Home, then X to close FBI

You're done! You've successfully installed Sonic CD on your console.

Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 for New 3DS

Developer(s)	JeffRuLz, rubberduckycooly
Console	Nintendo 3DS
Version	1.3.0 (November 4, 2022 (2022-11-04))
Links
GitHub	JeffRuLz/Sonic-1-2-2013-Decompilation

What you need

• A data.rsdk file from the Mobile port
  • Tutorial can be found here.
• The latest release of Sonic 2 (3DS) (Sonic2.cia)
  • If you have issues, try to use the rev01 version instead.

Instructions

Section I - Prep Work

1. Power off your console
2. Insert your SD card into your computer
3. Create a folder named cias on the root of your SD card if it does not already exist
4. Copy Sonic2.cia to the /cias/ folder on your SD card
5. Create a folder named 3ds on the root of your SD card if it does not already exist
6. Create a folder named Sonic2 in the 3ds folder on your SD card if it does not already exist
7. Copy data.rsdk to the /3ds/Sonic2/ folder on your SD card
8. Reinsert your SD card into your console
9. Power on your console

Section II - Installation

1. Launch FBI from the HOME Menu
2. Navigate to SD -> cias
3. Press A on Sonic 2, and select "Install and delete CIA"
4. Once installed, press Home, then X to close FBI

You're done! You've successfully installed Sonic 2 on your console.

Optional - Setting up Sonic 2 Absolute

This is using the outdated 1.1.1 version of the mod (latest is 1.2.1), but it's the most recent that works the best on 3DS.

What you need

• Sonic 2 Absolute (the 1.1.1 mod only release)

Instructions

Section I - Prep Work

1. Power off your console
2. Insert your SD card into your computer
3. Navigate to /3ds/Sonic2/, then create a folder named mods
4. Extract S2A from the Sonic 2 Absolute .zip and copy it to /3ds/Sonic2/mods/
5. Reinsert your SD card into your console
6. Power on your console

Section II - Loading the mod

1. Launch Sonic 2 from the HOME Menu
2. Press A on MODS
3. Press A on Sonic 2 Absolute to activate it
4. Press B to exit the mods list
5. Once the game has reloaded, press Home, then X to close Sonic 2
6. Relaunch Sonic 2 from the HOME Menu

You're done! You've successfully installed Sonic 2 Absolute (1.1.1) on your console.

If you want to access the Sonic Mania Plus DLC, then you must compile the port yourself.

Sonic Mania for New 3DS

Developer(s)	SaturnSH2x2, rubberduckycooly
Console	Nintendo 3DS
Version	1.0 (September 12, 2022 (2022-09-12))
Links
GitHub	SaturnSH2x2/RSDKv5-Decompilation

What you need

• A Data.rsdk file from any version of Sonic Mania you can obtain it from (i.e. PC, Nintendo Switch)
  • Switch: Dump the romfs with NXDumpTool, and copy the Data.rsdk to your PC.
  • PC (Steam): Browse the games local files via Steam (Right click the game on the sidebar -> Browse Local Files) and keep the directory open.
  • PC (Epic Games): Press the ... in your Library -> "Manage" -> press the folder icon, then keep the directory open.
• The latest release of Sonic Mania (3DS) (the .cia file)
  • If you compiled the port, you can find the .cia you built in the cloned repository directory, then /dependencies/v5_3DS/3ds/out/

Instructions

Section I - Prep Work

1. Power off your console
2. Insert your SD card into your computer
3. Create a folder named cias on the root of your SD card if it does not already exist
4. Copy SonicMania.cia to the /cias/ folder on your SD card
5. Create a folder named 3ds on the root of your SD card if it does not already exist
6. Create a folder named SonicMania in the 3ds folder on your SD card if it does not already exist
7. Copy Data.rsdk to the /3ds/SonicMania/ folder on your SD card
8. Reinsert your SD card into your console
9. Power on your console

Section II - Installation

1. Launch FBI from the HOME Menu
2. Navigate to SD -> cias
3. Press A on Sonic Mania, and select "Install and delete CIA"
4. Once installed, press Home, then X to close FBI

You're done! You've successfully installed Sonic Mania on your console.