Nintendo's 3DS region-locking can be circumvented

Enterprising 3DS owners have discovered an exploit that will disable the handheld's region-locking.

The 3DS is the first Nintendo handheld family to pose restrictions on all of its games from other regions - meaning that you can't import games from Japan or North America unless you also have a 3DS from the same region to play them on.

Happily, the method does not involve any tampering with the hardware itself - nor does it allow for the booting of pirated game ROMs.

But you will need a certain amount of know-how to implement the solution, which is described in full over at the GBATemp forum (thanks, Kotaku).

Both the 3DS and Wii U have region-based locks on games. The sole exception is the Nintendo 3DS Louvre Guide, which is region-free.

Eurogamer has contacted Nintendo for comment.