3DS Factory reset 3DS without losing purchased games

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targaid

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I have just bought a 2nd hand new 3ds for my daughter, but it has been sent with the nnid and store accounts still on it. Normally, I'd just do a factory reset for this but as it has Happy Home designer pre installed and I'm not sure if it will be possible to to reinstall it if I do.

All the guides I've been able to find are for the older model and do not have the same options (for example the delete account option seems to be missing from the e-shop settings).

Can anyone advise the best way to proceed, please?
 
In my experience you pretty much have two options:

1. Erase everything and lose the game.

2. Keep the game and don't buy digital games.

There might be another way, but it would probably take extra work. Maybe someone else can chime in with their experience.

What if you just play the Animal Crossing game until you are tired of it, then do a factory reset?
 
i typed into google: how to reset 3ds but keep downloaded games (something like that) and it turns out to be a very hot topic. This is what Nintendo has to say about it. Id be terrified to try this but I've always heard nintendo does right by downloaded games that get erased. Supposedly there will be a "redownload" option in the e-shop, but you will need the old NNID so keep that in mind. Good luck and let us know how this goes @targaid

http://en-americas-support.nintendo...orming-a-new-nintendo-3ds-or-new-nintendo-3ds
 
Shane, one of the reasons for getting the system was so my daughter can use the preinstalled game but I don't want the system saying she's someone else.

Dustin, thanks for the link but that's for transferring from another system to a new device. I need to know how to get rid of ids etc. There is an option to wipe it all but it says it will remove all licences. I don't care about the other games as I know my daughter won't play them. I'd expect to have to sign new licences but it's not clear if this will also delete the games and, if it does, allow reloading them.
I'm going to try nintendos chat service on Monday.
 
This is why I'm adverse to buying/selling consoles with digital games. Those games are licensed to the original owner and are not legally transferrable - even on the Wii U and 3DS with their messed up system linked setup. If you're buying a console expecting to use a bunch of digital games purchased by someone else, then you are in no better legal standing then someone that hacked their console to get the games for free.
 
^ Which is why it's chancy to tell Nintendo about his situation, in my opinion.
 
I'm not trying to keep the downloaded stuff from the previous owner. The console is sold with the animal crossing game installed. I'm just unsure if a factory reset might wipe it.
 
You don't understand. Digital games are one redeem only. Despite the system being a bundle, if it's used he should not have sold you the game with the digital download attached. Nintendo will probably just say the same thing and delete your game, unless you get someone really nice.

Shane said:
play the Animal Crossing game until you are tired of it, then do a factory reset
Click to expand...

This is my advice to you.
 
Not going to be an option since it uses the last owner's name in everything. Not a very personal touch, sadly. I'll just have to hope that I get 'someone nice' on Monday.
 
from what i read, you'd be in the same boat. They would let you re-download but only using the same NNID. Problem not solved. I am very curious as to what they will tell you though.
 
I haven't had time yet today, but since it's on the SD card I'm hoping that, if worse comes to worst, then I'll try taking the card out before resetting the ID. I don't hold put much hope for that, but you never know.
 
So, after a while with Nintendo mii service agents it seems that a simple factory reset was all that's needed. The game can then be reloaded for free. (If anyone has to do this note that the estore will list the game at full price but when you go into the listing it will have a button to allow reloads)
For something so simple it took a lot of clearing up with Nintendo.
Oh, apparently using the option of deleting the original nnid would not work which seems a bit odd to me, but I'm not arguing about it. Removing the sd card would also have failed as it has to be present when formatting the system.
 
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