3DS died, I want to keep my ACNL save

[Mr. Cat]

Hey, guys. I have a bit of a complicated question. I just bought a New 3DS after my Original 3DS died and most games start up on the New 3DS right away, but I've noticed ACNL is still just ACNL and not ACNL: Welcome Amiibo, so it tells me I must update before I'm able to play the game. Will updating to Welcome Amiibo on a new DS after I already did the update on my old one mess with my save? I do have the game cart, not the digital copy, but I also HAVE NOT been able to do a system transfer from my old DS to my new one.

Or maybe I could put my SD card in and I would still have the update on there??? No clue. I don't even know how to put the SD in the new one, I just know you've got to take it apart to do it...

The first time I updated to Welcome Amiibo it messed with my clock and I had to play out of time ever since, so I'm worried I'll just lose everything doing it on another system.

 

[Mr. Cat]

I'm assuming it will be safe to download Welcome Amiibo on the new 3DS since it won't even let me open the game unless I download Welcome Amiibo, which I'm assuming means my game cart will only associate with Welcome Amiibo now that I've played Welcome Amiibo on my old 3DS?

- - - Post Merge - - -

Hopefully nothing has to do with the SD card because the old one had a full-sized SD, the new one is micro.

 

[Nekoneko]

It should be ok. I had a cartridge I was using on my 3DS, and when I went to play it on my husbands 3DS, it wouldn't show my town, it just said "start new" or whatever. I had to do the update again on his 3DS, then it let me play my town.

 

[Mr. Cat]

It should be ok. I had a cartridge I was using on my 3DS, and when I went to play it on my husbands 3DS, it wouldn't show my town, it just said "start new" or whatever. I had to do the update again on his 3DS, then it let me play my town.

Okay, this is a great response, thanks! I would have freaked out if it showed up as just "start new game", but it won't even let me open the game at all until I download the update.

 

[hoodathotit]

Just a side note as an FYI. When the New 3DS came out, the SD card was no longer compatible and cannot just be swapped. The "New" version uses a Micro SD card. Data can still be transferred from old to new via the use of adapters for your PC.

 

[AnimalCrossingPerson]

Updates are only saved on the SD card.

 

[Mr. Cat]

I know the update is on the SD and the SD card is different, my question was pretty much if I re-download it, will my game on the cartridge be unaffected?

I did download it just now, but I haven't opened the game yet since my DS needed charged after the update. The first commenter has me fairly certain it will all be alright

 

[Vintage Viola]

The first commenter is right, if you just redownload the welcome amiibo update you should be able to play your town again.