Nexus3DS

Nintendo 3DS "Custom Firmware" Fork with Enhanced Features

Screenshots

Configuration Menu	Rosalina Menu

Description

Nexus3DS is an enhanced fork of Luma3DS that incorporates numerous community features and improvements. This project builds upon several Luma3DS forks, combining the best features while adding unique enhancements for an improved user experience.

Enhanced Features

Core Enhancements:

• Changed the configuration file name from config.ini to nexusconfig.ini to prevent conflicts with official Luma3DS

• Modified Configuration menu and Rosalina menu colors and layout

• Set the number of Play Coins - Original by Gruetzig

• Plugin selector - Original by Tekito-256

  Note: To access the plugin selector after setting a default plugin, hold the Select button while launching a game

• Plugin Watcher - Original by Tekito-256

  Note: Monitors and alerts on potentially sensitive plugin operations (file/directory deletion, network connections, camera access). When enabled, displays a confirmation dialog allowing you to continue or block the operation

• Support for v0.5.x 3GX plugin loading - Original by Tekito-256

• Force reboot option - Original by cooolgamer

• Time display in Rosalina menu - Original by suprdratts/hide0123

• Logo.bin loading feature - Original by Pixel-Pop

• Detailed screen brightness adjustment - Original by DullPointer

• Volume display in Rosalina menu - Original by DullPointer

• N3DS clock + L2 status display in Rosalina menu - Original by DullPointer

• Title ID display in System info

• HOME button simulation options in Rosalina menu:

  • Toggle visibility of "Return to HOME Menu" option (useful if your HOME button is broken)
  • Enable/disable HOME button combo simulation
  • Configure key combo to simulate HOME button press

  Note: HOME button key combo only works inside applications, not on HOME Menu

• Merged "Enable DSi external filters" option into "Enable loading external FIRMs and modules" option in configuration menu

• Restored "Enable dev UNITINFO" and "Enable Rosalina on SAFE_FIRM" options in configuration menu

• Re-added splash duration setting option in configuration menu (custom values also supported)

• Added no errdisp + instant reboot option - Press A+B+X+Y+Start to instantly reboot

  Note: Configurable via nexusconfig.ini only. Using instant reboot may corrupt your SD card

• Day/Night mode allowing to change the brightness, toggle LEDs, etc. At a desired time - Original by cooolgamer based on DullPointer

• Random little messages in the arm11/9 exception handler :)

• Screenshots include title ID in filename

Extra Configuration Menu Options:

• Automatically suppress LEDs - Original by DullPointer
• Cut power to TWL Flashcards - Original by DullPointer
• Cut 3DS Wifi in sleep mode - Original by DullPointer
• Save screenshots in date folders
• Combine top/bottom screenshots (saved with _cmb suffix)
• Toggle bottom LCD backlight with Start+Select
• Use Fahrenheit for temperature display (defaults to Celsius)
• Use 12-hour clock format in Rosalina menu (defaults to 24-hour)

For detailed technical information, please refer to the official Luma3DS documentation and README.

Installation and Requirements

Nexus3DS requires boot9strap to run.

Once boot9strap has been installed, simply download the latest boot.firm file from the releases page and place it on the root of your SD card to "install" or upgrade Nexus3DS. Replace any existing boot.firm file if necessary.

To build from source, see Building from source below.

Quick Start

1. Install boot9strap on your 3DS
2. Build Nexus3DS from source (see Building from source)
3. Place the resulting boot.firm file on the root of your SD card
4. Configuration menu: Press Select at boot
5. Rosalina overlay menu: L+Down+Select (default combo)

Basic Usage:

• Configuration menu: Press Select at boot - config stored in /luma/nexusconfig.ini
• Chainloader menu: Press Start at boot - payloads go in /luma/payloads/*.firm
• Rosalina menu: L+Down+Select (default combo)
• Home button simulation: R+Select (default combo, if enabled in settings)

Building from source

Prerequisites:

• git
• makerom in $PATH
• firmtool installed
• up-to-date devkitARM and libctru:
  • Install dkp-pacman: https://devkitpro.org/wiki/devkitPro_pacman
  • Install 3DS dev tools: sudo dkp-pacman -S 3ds-dev --needed

Build steps:

git clone https://github.com/2b-zipper/Nexus3DS.git
cd Nexus3DS
make

The build produces a single file: boot.firm. Copy it to the root of your SD card.

Note: For easy SD card file transfer, consider using ftpd.

Maintainers

Original Luma3DS:

• @TuxSH: lead developer, created and maintains most features of the project. Joined in 2016
• @AuroraWright: author of the project, implemented the core features (most of the baremetal boot settings menu and firmware loading code) with successful design decisions that made the project popular. Created the project in 2015, currently inactive
• @PabloMK7: maintainer of the plugin loader feature merged for the v13.0 release. Joined in 2023

Nexus3DS:

• @2b-zipper
• @cooolgamer
• @Alexyo21

See also: People who made this fork possible

Known Issues

Luma3DS (inherited issues):

• Cheat engine crashes with some games (especially Pokémon): Due to a race condition in Nintendo's Kernel11. Use dedicated game plugins as alternative.
• Games may react to Rosalina button combo: Change the combo in "Miscellaneous options" → "Save settings" to work around this.

Nexus3DS specific:

• No known major issues at this time. Please report any bugs on the Issues page.

Licensing

This software is licensed under the terms of the GPLv3. You can find a copy of the license in the LICENSE.txt file.

Files in the GDB stub are instead triple-licensed as MIT or "GPLv2 or any later version", in which case it's specified in the file header. PM, SM, PXI reimplementations are also licensed under MIT.

Credits

Nexus3DS is based on the work of many talented developers from the original Luma3DS project and various community forks.

For a complete list of contributors and acknowledgments, please see the official Luma3DS credits.

People who made this fork possible (in no particular order):

• @DullPointer - Additional features (Source Repository)
• @Tekito-256 - Plugin Selector (Source Repository)
• @Gruetzig - Playcoin maxing (Source Repository)
• @cooolgamer - Power options (Source Repository)
• @suprdratts - Rosalina menu time (by @hide0123) (Source Repository)
• @Pixel-Pop - Logo.bin loader (Source Repository)

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For detailed documentation, troubleshooting, and comprehensive information, please visit the official Luma3DS repository and wiki.