Serials

This page talks about the 3DS products' serial strucutre. (The console, Its manual, its accessories, its games, etc...)

Codenames

The original 3DS called CTR.

The 3DS XL is codenamed SPR (maybe Super?)

Serial structure

[Product][Retail/Demo]-CTR-[Type][Identifier][Region]

Product: Length=2, LN - Product type (Cartridges are LN, Game boxes are TS, Instruction manuals are MA, leaflets are FA, Quick-Start guides are MK)

Retail/Demo: Length=1, [A/Z] - Retail / Demo

CTR - 3DS' Codename Rumored to be Horizon

Type: Length=1, [A/C/H/J/S/P/T] - Retail / C is part of the default Serial 'CTAP' / H is used for built in applications like Mii Maker / J is for a normal eShop Title / S is 3D Classics eShop title / P is used with GBA e-shop titles / T is used with NES e-shop titles.

Identifier: Length=2, Game's name (made from letters and digits)

Region: Length=1, [E/P/J] - English (US) / Pal (Europe/Australia) / Japanese (Japan)

The longer version of the serial number adds a geographical region (usually because of extra languages)

Those are 3 letters codes at the end of the serial (can be found mostly on demos).

i.e. The code of the Canadian version of Mario Kart 7 is CAN [1]

Product Code

This is similar in structure to the serial, this is like the Title ID in the sense that it is a per title Identifier, but it is not checked by the 3DS Applications (It's like an internally used name). And follows this structure:

CTR-[P/N/T]-[Type][Identifier][Region]-[Region]-[Digit]

• P/N/T - P Generally used for games (note: for retail and dev games this is the same) / N Used for built in applications like Mii Maker and some eShop titles / T is used in some e-Shop demos
• [Type][Identifier][Region] - Same as in serial structure
• [Region] - A three character representation of the title region, i.e. 'EUR' (Not always present)
• [Digit] - A single digit usually '1' or '0' (Not always present)

So for example a Japanese copy of Ridge Racer 3D would have a Product Code of "CTR-P-ARRJ" and a Serial of "LNA-CTR-ARRJ"

Some eShop titles have Product Codes which differ from the above format:

CTR-[Type][Identifier][Region]-[Region]-[Digit]

• [Type][Identifier][Region] - Same as in serial structure
• [Region] - Same as in normal Product Code structure
• [Digit] - Same as in normal Product Code structure

Note: the additional [Region] and [Digit] identifiers aren't present in the actual Product Code, as found in the game's CXI. They are only found in the game's Home Menu Manual, and on the game's packaging/external labeling.

The Product Code "CTR-P-CTAP" is the default Product Code for developers.

You can check the product code at the end of the 'Health & Safety' section of the 'Manual' of your application in the Home menu.