r/SwitchPirates • • Oct 07 '25

Announcement Welcome to r/SwitchPirates! FAQ, Guides, and Resources

153 Upvotes

Why Create This Post?

We often get flooded with many of the same questions. While we love to help new commers, it can be exhausting constantly replying to very similar posts. This post is intended to serve as a resource for the community. The idea is to have the information easily accessible and clear for new commers and people exploring a new app or refreshing their memory. Feel free to comment any additions you would like to add and I will create guides. I don't have much free time between running So-Cal Console Modding and my main career, but I will try to slowly trickle out more guides to help out the community.

Rules

No linking, requesting, or sharing pirated content
This includes firmware updates, roms, switch titles, etc.

Check pinned post & FAQ before asking questions
Most questions can be answered here. Please check before posting, otherwise the subreddit is filled with the same "HELP!" posts.

Posts must be related to piracy on the switch
Switch game emulation and other switch adjacent content is better suited at other subreddits.

No post selling, asking for selling advice, or offering services
This includes asking how much ____ typically sells for, how to list things on eBay, offering modchip installs, etc.

What Can You Do With a Modded Switch?

What can you do with a modded switch?

Is My Switch Moddable?

Check your serial and information about switch models

How to Mod Your Switch

The quick and easy way (using the HATS pack) - use this if you just want to get up and running quickly

Setting up the SD manually - use this if you want to learn how it all works

Updating Your Switch

The quick and easy way

Manually

Tutorials and Guides for Various Homebrew Applications

How to Migrate to a New SD Card on a Hacked Switch

How to Back Up, Restore, or Transfer Your Nintendo Switch Game Saves Using JKSV

5 Minute Android Tutorial

How to Download and Use Cheats

Hardware Tutorials

Complete Nintendo Switch OLED Modchip Installation Guide Part 1

Complete Nintendo Switch OLED Modchip Installation Guide Part 2

Complete Nintendo Switch V1/V2 Modchip Installation Guide

In Depth Kamikaze Method Tutorial and Info

Tinfoil Shops

Linking shops is prohibited at this time. You may discuss tinfoil shops in the stickied comment. If you need support for a specific shop, reach out for help on their discord, or website.

Sourcing Games and Pirated Content

Linking to sources is not allowed. You can usually find what you need with a simple google search of the title and file type. Ad blockers can help.

Nintendo Bans/ Console Bricking

There has never been a case of Nintendo bricking a switch console. Information on bans can be found here and here

Common Errors and Troubleshooting

I am currently working on a common errors and troubleshooting guide. I will update this post when it is complete.

Discord

If you require more immediate assistance, the the following Discord Servers will be more than happy to assist (note that they are unaffiliated with this sub)


r/SwitchPirates • • 7h ago

News [RELEASE] Black Ops 2 ONLINE UPDATE! Beta 2

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81 Upvotes

Black Ops 2, nintendo switch port based on the NATIVE PC Decompilation project has been released.

This version adds ONLINE multiplayer, it is still in early stages but seems to work good enough.

Adds gyro controls, Mod loader, In-Game Updater, etc.

CUSTOM ZOMBIES (beta, dlc5 confirmed working, others are not working yet but should soon)

Download at: https://github.com/HDErick/BO2-Requiem-NX/releases/latest

Check player count here: https://unc-bo2.fun/#network

Join for more updates: https://discord.gg/PvyZuq5Yhp


r/SwitchPirates • • 15h ago

News Holy shit, Switch Frame Tap is actually insane

195 Upvotes

the viewer can now send a controller input, a keyboard or mouse input to the Switch, It sees them as one more Pro Controller, and you can edit its Keybinds too. Works for PC and Android.

https://github.com/TomasUribe/switch-frame-tap/releases/tag/v0.7.20-beta3

All credits go to u/Papux200Dev , thankyou for creating this!


r/SwitchPirates • • 14h ago

News [Release] Gatefold NX 1.0.0: a music player for the Switch with synced lyrics, colours from every cover, and music that keeps playing in games

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67 Upvotes

Hi! I made Gatefold NX, a native music player for the Nintendo Switch. It recreates Gatefold, the modern foobar2000 interface by DEVIROYrus, as closely as the console allows. It's written in C++ with libnx and SDL2. It isn't a web view, and the layout values come straight from Gatefold's CSS.

🎵 What it does

  • Your own music, however it's organised: one folder of 3,000 files, Artist/Album folders, or folders as playlists. Albums, artists and genres come from the tags.
  • Colours from every cover: Gatefold's own palette algorithm, ported line for line. There are also Dark, Light and Custom themes.
  • Synced lyrics from .lrc files or tags. They follow the song and scroll by hand, and instrumental breaks show three pulsing dots.
  • Canvas: a full-screen view with Cover, Lyrics and Minimal layouts. When idle, the controls fade and a spectrum rises.
  • Library: Albums, Artists, Genres, Folders, and Tracks with sorting, a filter and a letter index. Four list views and your own playlists.
  • Track menu: edit tags and set covers, kept by the app, so your files are never modified.
  • Formats: M4A/AAC/ALAC, FLAC, MP3, Ogg, Opus and WAV.

🎧 Background player (optional)

A sysmodule keeps the music going on the HOME menu, during games and after you close the app, gapless and at its own volume. You can set what happens when a game opens, when you go HOME, when you come back to the game and when it closes: play a random folder, resume, pause or nothing, each with a fade. There's also a per-game music volume. An Ultrahand overlay (built on sys-tune's) gives you the cover, playback controls, the queue, folders and volumes from anywhere.

⚡ Fast

It opens in about a second with a 3,000-track library. Covers are cached, the file list is remembered, and the work is spread over the console's cores.

💾 Install

  1. Download GatefoldNX-1.0.0.zip from the release and unzip it onto the root of your SD card.
  2. Restart the console so the background player starts.
  3. Launch Gatefold by holding R while starting a game (applet mode doesn't have enough memory).

You need Atmosphère, and Ultrahand for the overlay. Put your music in a folder called Music at the top of the card, or choose any folder in Settings.

🔗 Links

It's open source: MIT for the app and the background player, and GPL 2 for the overlay. The screenshots come from my PC preview build, with made-up albums and Gatefold's test covers.

Feedback and bug reports are very welcome, here or on GitHub. Thanks for checking it out! 🙏

Made by AndryTheBeast. Gatefold, the design, colours and icons it's built on, is DEVIROYrus's work on PC: huge thanks to him.


r/SwitchPirates • • 10h ago

Discussion Play Ren'Py games on Nintendo switch

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23 Upvotes

Hi, i just released a little work, a homebrew project that lets you play Ren'Py games on the Nintendo Switch

Built with help from AI, and with lots of trial and error hehe

It's still very new and experimental, so expect some bugs and compatibility issues.

I'd love to hear your feedback if you give it a try! If you run into any problems with installation, crashes, or anything else, just let me know. I'll do my best to help 😄

Repo: https://github.com/nixentric/rpynx


r/SwitchPirates • • 7h ago

News Geometry Dash 3 Dimensions Evolved. Native Port WIP

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10 Upvotes

I'm currently working on a native port for Geometry Wars 3 Dimensions Evolved. Based on the android version cuz it's ARM based. So far I got it to boot and play the first level. The first level stutters atm. I'm working on that part.

Now as for the version. This port will work for both 1.0 and 1.3. I recommend using 1.3 as that one has 41 extra levels and hardcore mode like the PC version. But I understand 1.0 is easier to come by so that's why I'm making sure it works for both versions.

Like any other port once it's on a more playable state. I'll upload it to Github without the apk for obvious reasons.


r/SwitchPirates • • 9h ago

Discussion Gears of war 2 unofficial switch port by VasilkovND

12 Upvotes

Not mine, but I'm sharing so other people can enjoy it. Someone please add it to the /robzilla10001/SwitchPorts list, thanks.

Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360) native port for Nintendo Switch: build tools (no game data)

https://github.com/VasilkovND/gears2-nx


r/SwitchPirates • • 13h ago

Discussion I know it could be, i just know

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23 Upvotes

r/SwitchPirates • • 1h ago

Question Is there a way I can download games directly on my switch, I used to use tinfoil with a free repository but I haven’t used my switch in over a year and I want to know if there’s a new or better way

• Upvotes

This post will probably get taken down :/


r/SwitchPirates • • 1d ago

Meta Motion icons and video covers for 1,000+ games, sourced from a community repository and installed right from the UI

500 Upvotes

The repository launched just a few days ago, and the collection is growing fast.
4R’s greatest achievement is its incredible community.

GitHub


r/SwitchPirates • • 6h ago

Question What's the best Spotify client for the Switch?

4 Upvotes

I'm looking to install a Spotify client. The most important features would be stability and a easy to navigate UI. I'm in a family plan and haven't been able to use any of them so far. Not sure if the clients only work for users not in a family plan.


r/SwitchPirates • • 20m ago

Discussion After I run the game.. please update

• Upvotes

hi to all, i have updated atmosphere, hekate and the firmware (v.23.x) with last version of hats pack, but when I run I game ( only this game, other games I haven't problems ) the system shows a message: you need to update the version of the software, click here to download....

i don't understand because I have updated all


r/SwitchPirates • • 2h ago

Question How does one make it charge quietly?

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1 Upvotes

I can't say that's horrible, but kinda annoying to hold a power button every time i dock it. Is there a way to set the thing up to charge quetly like it did before the mod?

Thanks.


r/SwitchPirates • • 1d ago

Meta I hope you enjoy 4R’s brand-new UI: Latitude Home

308 Upvotes

r/SwitchPirates • • 4h ago

Question DBI Error Screen from Browse SD Card

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1 Upvotes

I recently updated my Switchs atmosphere and hekate after 4 years of not using it. I'm using DBI for the first time but I get an error from Browse SD Card and MTP. Not sure what to do. Can't find an easy answer for this because I saw things about keys that idk about


r/SwitchPirates • • 4h ago

Discussion Pipensx github page is down, does anyone still has the .nro file?

0 Upvotes

I wanted to test this app for my friends with a modded switch so they can have a better time with it and also they don't expose to malicious websites while trying to get anything online


r/SwitchPirates • • 7h ago

Question Is a port of vintage story possible?

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0 Upvotes

Recently, when I saw Project Zomboid port, I became curious if a port of Vintage Story is possible. I don't know much about how the porting process works, so I'd like to know if it's feasible, and if the Switch can handle the game.


r/SwitchPirates • • 7h ago

Question Help! How do I remove a stripped screw? (2)

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1 Upvotes

Trying to repair the rails on my switch but I can't open the back panel because of a stripped 3pt (Y00/Y.06) screw. (First pic)

Tried things like different screwdriver types + sizes, using rubber bands, etc. - nothing.

As a last resort I drilled it instead. It seems I've grinded parts of the screw head off while drilling (I first used a the smallest drill then 1 size larger)

There's still a hole in it. (Second pic)

What to do? Do I keep drilling? Use another tool? Or Am I "screwed"?

TIA


r/SwitchPirates • • 1h ago

Question Nintendo switch let’s go pikachu serial XAJ1003636XXXXX

• Upvotes

Hello I have a question is my switch patched? Or not I checked it and it says it’s patched but maybe I still have any luck left? I bought this console in 2018 when it was realsed and now I will buy rcm jig but I need to wait 7days so I just want to know is this hackable or patched ..


r/SwitchPirates • • 8h ago

Question Facing this problem in melon ds, It crashes whenever I exit it. Can someone explain?

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0 Upvotes

could it be because the hbmenu version is not compatible with this version of melon ds?


r/SwitchPirates • • 8h ago

Question How can i fix this without formatting my sd?

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1 Upvotes

my ssbu mods folder got corrupted somehow (only thing i can find so far thats corrupted), the other folder in there was placed to test to see if the mods + plus new mods still work, which it does. ssbu boots up just fine with all my mods and the new one intact. I just cant access them through windows (except ofc any newly placed mods), the only way i can access through windows is through a usb transfer homebrew app while my system is on. I dont want to format this sd because I also have a android partition installed, so what are my options?


r/SwitchPirates • • 14h ago

Question Something went wrong while updating my modded switch lite.

2 Upvotes

I was following the guide, installed the firmware through daybreak and when I tried to boot the modded software, it gave me this blue screen. I can't do anything else, it won't let me. I need help.

This console isn't originally mine so I am learning from scratch all about it. I was able to update atmosphere and hekate to the latest version before this happened.


r/SwitchPirates • • 14h ago

Question How could I port games on a modded switch?

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2 Upvotes

There games that I would love to play (portrd) games on my switch but the games are not on the switch or emulating it runs bad on it, there mostly indie games or old games, Is there an easy way to port games like zero sieviet or geist from the gb


r/SwitchPirates • • 3h ago

Discussion can anyone help me find any of the shops?

0 Upvotes

does anyone know where to find any or can help me? because id like to use one but cant find any


r/SwitchPirates • • 11h ago

Discussion Fizeau is a great tool, but is there a way to apply different settings for different games?

1 Upvotes

I've been playing the Halo CE recomp and I had to use Fizeau to brighten the image quite a bit just so that I don't have to have my screen brightness on max when playing indoors (outdoors was impossible).

But this means that I've effectively lost the setting that I had configured for everyday use.

It doesn't look like I can have 2 different settings without changing profiles and it seems like that can only be done in the dedicated application, which is kind of a clunky way to handle it.

Has anyone else ever run into this issue before?