How to "run" PC Cave Story on your 3DS (Homebrew Launcher Required)

Prerequisites:
A 3DS with OOT3DHAX/Ninjhax/Smashhax/Basehax/*hax with a firmware between 9.0 and Latest (11.0.0-33U as of 6/09/16) (If you don't have your 3DS homebrewed follow this link: http://smealum.github.io/3ds/)

The game currently works fine on O3DS and N3DS, O3DS however has some slowdown issues. Nightlies do not always work properly, so if a Nightly build doesn't work, try downloading a stable build from here.
Steps:

1. Download the latest nightly build of Libretro 3DS from http://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/nintendo/3ds/ and a Windows Version of Cave Story (You can only use the English translation of the game from my experience).
2. Extract the nxengine_libretro folder in the libretro_nightly.7z to your SD:\3ds\ folder on your SD card, and extract the Cave Story stuff wherever you want on your SD card.
3. Load your 3DS up and boot up your preferred *hax, find the nxengine_libretro app, and boot it.
4. (Optional) Change your Keybindings, and if you are more experienced, your audio and video settings.
   
5. Click Load Content, find your Doutsuku.exe file, boot it up, and play!

Thread Last Updated: 6/09/16

 

This makes no sense
There's already a perfectly fine 3DS port of CS

 

This makes no sense
There's already a perfectly fine 3DS port of CS

but what if you want to use the fan translation instead of the official translation

 

but what if you want to use the fan translation instead of the official translation

I still doubt it's worth it with all the issues this thing has

 

^ Which will hopefully be fixed soon.

 

^ Which will hopefully be fixed soon.

It'd still be just about worthless

 

Either way, it's impressive!

 

It'd still be just about worthless

No need to be so negative. The fan translation is one thing. Then there's the fact that this is free. And maybe it'll work with mods one day!

 

No need to be so negative. The fan translation is one thing. Then there's the fact that this is free. And maybe it'll work with mods one day!

I think it could work with mods now..

 

Then there's the fact that this is free.

I think this is where the matter would become illegal. I'm pretty sure Nicalis has ordered a stop on all ports to handhelds, and porting it freely to a handheld where they already have an official paid release seems like just asking for legal trouble, since it's basically piracy at that point (albeit a poor attempt, since it has issues?).

 

I think this is where the matter would become illegal. I'm pretty sure Nicalis has ordered a stop on all ports to handhelds, and porting it freely to a handheld where they already have an official paid release seems like just asking for legal trouble, since it's basically piracy at that point (albeit a poor attempt, since it has issues?).

But that doesn't make sense for it to be piracy though. The free version of Cave Story, is well, free. There is no profiteering done on it, nor any stealing of resources. It is being played on a device just like one would play CS on a PC or a Mac, (?) so the same should apply to other devices like smart phones, consoles, hand-helds, etc. What if I were to make a hand-held version of a PC, and played CS on it? Is that illegal since it is mobile like a 3DS?

Anyways, the 3DS port of CS costs money not because CS costs money, but because of the effort of porting it to 3DS. (For example, {Correct me if I'm wrong} most apps common between Androids and iPhones are usually free on Android because there is less hassle developing then on iPhone) So when you're buying CS on the 3DS, you're paying for his effort in porting it. Now this alternate port someone put some amount of effort into it, but isn't making money on said effort. (And isn't making money on the copy too) Nothing illegal there. Just like if someone offered a service in doing something, but for example I offered the same service for free.


All in all, this matter is an anomaly and I don't have any direct experience in answering this; so only take me seriously in a theoretical matter.

 

No need to be so negative. The fan translation is one thing. Then there's the fact that this is free. And maybe it'll work with mods one day!

Aar is always negative.
Also, Raus. GIRACHEEZER means that it would be illegal to port it to official handhelds like the 3ds or PSVita.

 

I think this is where the matter would become illegal. I'm pretty sure Nicalis has ordered a stop on all ports to handhelds, and porting it freely to a handheld where they already have an official paid release seems like just asking for legal trouble, since it's basically piracy at that point (albeit a poor attempt, since it has issues?).

This is NxEngine, not Cave Story. Remind me why you're still here?

 

q3hardcore as long as the original resources are being distributed then this is piracy

 

This is NxEngine, not Cave Story. Remind me why you're still here?

Nicalis still (likely) has full rights to the distribution of the game and its assets. And since this uses the Cave Story assets, freeware or not, I imagine Nicalis won't be happy with this.

Anyways, the 3DS port of CS costs money not because CS costs money, but because of the effort of porting it to 3DS. (For example, {Correct me if I'm wrong} most apps common between Androids and iPhones are usually free on Android because there is less hassle developing then on iPhone) So when you're buying CS on the 3DS, you're paying for his effort in porting it. Now this alternate port someone put some amount of effort into it, but isn't making money on said effort. (And isn't making money on the copy too) Nothing illegal there. Just like if someone offered a service in doing something, but for example I offered the same service for free.

But you aren't legally allowed to port it to the 3DS. Nicalis owns this right now (I'm pretty sure they bought all distribution rights from Pixel). They don't make money because of the "effort", they make money because of their licensing rights.

 

Aar is always negative.

Knowing his predicament, it shouldn't be much of a surprise...

Also, Raus. GIRACHEEZER means that it would be illegal to port it to official handhelds like the 3ds or PSVita.

Still, CS is free. The port costs money because of the extra effort put into porting it; What he did is offer a service of porting CS to 3DS. There really is no such thing as "pirating" or stealing services, cause that would be silly. As such, when someone else puts effort into porting -pretty much offering a service- and does it for free, there's absolutely nothing wrong.

Going off of what q3hardcore mentioned, NxEngine isn't illegal in its own right just like emulators aren't illegal in their own rights. But unlike emulators and illegal roms, there is no such thing as an illegal executable copy of CS. Therefore, it should be legal.

 

Still, CS is free. The port costs money because of the extra effort put into porting it; What he did is offer a service of porting CS to 3DS. There really is no such thing as "pirating" or stealing services, cause that would be silly. As such, when someone else puts effort into porting -pretty much offering a service- and does it for free, there's absolutely nothing wrong.

This isn't about pirating services or the NxEngine, it's about the distribution of the freeware CS content onto a platform which it wasn't meant to be used on. Just because CS is free doesn't mean you're allowed to do whatever you want with the game or its resources.

 

This is why I severed myself from law and politics. Loopholes and false loopholes are too confusing. I say it's a bit of both, which still means it's illegal, but if it where to only be used for mods... We might have something.

 

This isn't about pirating services or the NxEngine, it's about the distribution of the freeware CS content onto a platform which it wasn't meant to be used on. Just because CS is free doesn't mean you're allowed to do whatever you want with the game or its resources.

So all the unoficial ports and fan translations being made are illegal? No, they aren't. It's a free game, distributed freely to this day. If having NxEngine running freeware cavestory isn't OK, why hasn't NiCALIS taken legal action on Libretro? Or this site? Or anywhere else that contains the freeware version of Cave Story?

I think this is where the matter would become illegal. I'm pretty sure Nicalis has ordered a stop on all ports to handhelds, and porting it freely to a handheld where they already have an official paid release seems like just asking for legal trouble, since it's basically piracy at that point (albeit a poor attempt, since it has issues?).

This isn't a port. We are still running the original game, there's just an engine that has been made to support running a Windows version of the game on something that is not Windows. Kinda like running Windows aplications in Wine on Linux or Mac.

 

Sorry but the notion of porting the freeware release to the 3DS, where a commercial release is already available, is dodgy as. While the "original translation" argument might seem to hold water, I am quite sure that 90% of the people who use it will not give a shit about the translation but will instead do it because they are cheapskates that don't want to pay for CS on their 3DS. In the end time is better spent porting to other consoles/handhelds/devices that actually can't play CS rather than punch holes in the game industry. The legality of it is questionable, but the morality in doing this is entirely absent.