Understanding Serials: Difference between revisions

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Todo: might be a good idea to move this to the dumping guide pages
This is to help you identify the exact game/version without having to dump the ROM.
(sources: gbatek, 3dbrew)
===Nintendo - Game Boy Advance===
===Nintendo - Game Boy Advance===
The ROM chip is sometimes covered up.<br>
For Game Boy Advance, the ROM image in use is identified by the combination of four-character serial and the revision number.
'''Four-letter serial:''' The first four characters of the large text, and also the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth characters of the third line of small text, on the ROM chip. Usually (always?) this will be duplicated exactly on the physical media (label) serial.<br>
To get to the the ROM chip, you will need to use a tri-wing screwdriver to open up the cart, and you may need to temporarily remove  components to get at it.<br>
'''Four-character serial:''' The first four characters of the large text, and also the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth characters of the third line of small text, on the ROM chip. Usually (always?) this will be duplicated exactly on the physical media (label) serial.<br>
'''Revision:''' The last character of the large text, and also the tenth character of the third line of small text, on the ROM chip.
'''Revision:''' The last character of the large text, and also the tenth character of the third line of small text, on the ROM chip.


===Nintendo - Nintendo DS===
===Nintendo - Nintendo DS===
'''Four-letter Serial:''' First four characters of code printed on back of card. Usually (almost always) this will be duplicated exactly as the second part of the label serial.<br>
For Nintendo DS, the ROM image in use is identified by the combination of four-character serial and the revision number.
'''Four-character  Serial:''' First four characters of code printed on back of card. Usually (almost always) this will be duplicated exactly as the second part of the label serial.<br>
'''Revision:''' Sixth character of code on back. This number is in hex, but it doesn't usually matter as it is very rare for a game to have more than 9 revisions.
'''Revision:''' Sixth character of code on back. This number is in hex, but it doesn't usually matter as it is very rare for a game to have more than 9 revisions.


===Nintendo - Nintendo 3DS===
===Nintendo - Nintendo 3DS===
'''Four-letter Serial:''' First four characters of code printed on back of card. Usually (always?) this will be duplicated exactly on the physical media (label) serial.<br>
For Nintendo 3DS, the ROM image in use is identified by the combination of the LNA/LNZ, the four-character serial and the revision number.
'''LNA/LNZ Code:''' First three characters of text printed on the front of the cart. LNA tells you its a normal cart. LNZ tells you its a demo version. It is unclear if there is an equivalent identifier on the ROM chip or the back of the cart, but all European demo carts that have been found seem to have 08B or 08H as the production run ID (the last three characters of the back of cart serial).
'''Four-character Serial:''' First four characters of code printed on back of card. Usually (always?) this will be duplicated exactly on the physical media (label) serial.<br>
'''Revision:''' Seventh character of code on back. This number is in hex, but it doesn't usually matter as it is very rare for a game to have more than 9 revisions.
'''Revision:''' Seventh character of code on back. This number is in hex, but it doesn't usually matter as it is very rare for a game to have more than 9 revisions.


===Nintendo - Nintendo Switch===
===Nintendo - Nintendo Switch===
'''Four-letter Serial:''' first four characters of the code on the card before the region code e.g. LA-H-XXXXB-USA.<br>
For Nintendo Switch, the ROM image in use is identified by the combination of five-character serial and the revision number.
'''Build (NOT revision):''' Fifth character of code on back. This is expressed as a letter "Build A, Build B, etc." This seems to denote different regional builds on occasion (many just use 'A' because of the switch's move to region free titles, resulting in a number of multiregion roms).
'''Five-character Serial:''' first five characters of the code on the back of the card. Usually (always?) this will be duplicated exactly on the physical media (label) serial e.g. LA-H-XXXXX-USA.<br>
'''Revision:''' Last three characters of the back code.

Revision as of 08:18, 1 January 2020

Todo: might be a good idea to move this to the dumping guide pages

This is to help you identify the exact game/version without having to dump the ROM.

(sources: gbatek, 3dbrew)

Nintendo - Game Boy Advance

For Game Boy Advance, the ROM image in use is identified by the combination of four-character serial and the revision number. To get to the the ROM chip, you will need to use a tri-wing screwdriver to open up the cart, and you may need to temporarily remove components to get at it.
Four-character serial: The first four characters of the large text, and also the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth characters of the third line of small text, on the ROM chip. Usually (always?) this will be duplicated exactly on the physical media (label) serial.
Revision: The last character of the large text, and also the tenth character of the third line of small text, on the ROM chip.

Nintendo - Nintendo DS

For Nintendo DS, the ROM image in use is identified by the combination of four-character serial and the revision number. Four-character Serial: First four characters of code printed on back of card. Usually (almost always) this will be duplicated exactly as the second part of the label serial.
Revision: Sixth character of code on back. This number is in hex, but it doesn't usually matter as it is very rare for a game to have more than 9 revisions.

Nintendo - Nintendo 3DS

For Nintendo 3DS, the ROM image in use is identified by the combination of the LNA/LNZ, the four-character serial and the revision number. LNA/LNZ Code: First three characters of text printed on the front of the cart. LNA tells you its a normal cart. LNZ tells you its a demo version. It is unclear if there is an equivalent identifier on the ROM chip or the back of the cart, but all European demo carts that have been found seem to have 08B or 08H as the production run ID (the last three characters of the back of cart serial). Four-character Serial: First four characters of code printed on back of card. Usually (always?) this will be duplicated exactly on the physical media (label) serial.
Revision: Seventh character of code on back. This number is in hex, but it doesn't usually matter as it is very rare for a game to have more than 9 revisions.

Nintendo - Nintendo Switch

For Nintendo Switch, the ROM image in use is identified by the combination of five-character serial and the revision number. Five-character Serial: first five characters of the code on the back of the card. Usually (always?) this will be duplicated exactly on the physical media (label) serial e.g. LA-H-XXXXX-USA.
Revision: Last three characters of the back code.