ACNL digital game disappearing from home menu?

[dizzy bone]

So I've heard of people's games corrupting but not just flat out disappearing from the home screen. That's what happened to me a while ago.

I haven't touched my 3ds in over 5 months. I moved houses during that time, so my 3ds has been knocked around a little but nothing too bad. I opened it earlier and the ACNL digital game I had just disappeared entirely from the home screen. The box where it should have been was empty and unclickable. My other downloaded games like Mario kart and Ever Oasis were there... but not ACNL. I freaked out a bit, because it was my main town and my pride and joy lol. I thought it might be because I haven't updated my system but my internet connection is not stable enough here so I haven't managed to do it yet.

I popped the SD card open and put it back in, restarted the system a couple times and nothing. Then I got a little frustrated and smacked my 3ds with my hand and it finally appeared. wtf?? My town and everything is safe, but now I'm worried it's going to just disappear again and I don't want to have to get my violent with my 3ds hahaha.

Has this happened to anyone else? My 3ds is around 5 years old and my town is maybe 3 years old.

Btw I put this in the ACNL section because it only happened to my ACNL game and no other downloaded games.

 

[stitchmaker]

I had problems with another game. It said there was no SD card when I closed the game.
The spot was empty. When I shut the 3DS down and started it again the game appeared. It kept doing it and Nintendo said to buy a new SD card. It was working until I tried an older ACNL cartridge. While playing it said it need to shut down. Moved the cartridge to a NEW 3DS and it has been working with no problems. That 3DSXL was bought when the system was released. It's getting old.

If you have the old ACNL digital game you can import it to the NEW Welcome Amiibo ACNL game cartridge.
Old ACNL game only work with the importing. NEW Welcome Amiibo ACNL digital games wouldn't work with the import a game.

1. Put the NEW Welcome Amiibo ACNL game in the system. Turn it on and click. It will at the bottom of the options. Import is the one you click.
You'll be on the train and Rover will ask if you want to import. Say yes and it will find your digital copy. Follow Rover steps and the game will be moved over.
It took a few minutes to complete the transfer. A streamer on Twitch tried it after I did mine. It worked for both of us.

I did lose my showcase houses and my dream address changed. I did this with an old digital copy that I was worried about. I also moved my old release date main town cartridge to an NEW Welcome Amiibo cartridge. It was popping out of the 3DS and it started to close slowly. For cartridge to cartridge you have to say no to the digital transfer and than it will ask you to put the old cartridge in. It was easy to follow Rover instructions.

The old digital copy can be made into a new town.

 

[Alexis]

So I've heard of people's games corrupting but not just flat out disappearing from the home screen. That's what happened to me a while ago.

I haven't touched my 3ds in over 5 months. I moved houses during that time, so my 3ds has been knocked around a little but nothing too bad. I opened it earlier and the ACNL digital game I had just disappeared entirely from the home screen. The box where it should have been was empty and unclickable. My other downloaded games like Mario kart and Ever Oasis were there... but not ACNL. I freaked out a bit, because it was my main town and my pride and joy lol. I thought it might be because I haven't updated my system but my internet connection is not stable enough here so I haven't managed to do it yet.

I popped the SD card open and put it back in, restarted the system a couple times and nothing. Then I got a little frustrated and smacked my 3ds with my hand and it finally appeared. wtf?? My town and everything is safe, but now I'm worried it's going to just disappear again and I don't want to have to get my violent with my 3ds hahaha.

Has this happened to anyone else? My 3ds is around 5 years old and my town is maybe 3 years old.

Btw I put this in the ACNL section because it only happened to my ACNL game and no other downloaded games.

I would suggest getting a New 3DS. If you can smack it and your SD card will suddenly work, something is very wrong. A similar thing happened with me, my SD card would stop working if I smacked my device and vice versa. The constant damage of my 3DS from me smacking it caused the lower screen to alter its pigmentation. The alter of the pigmentation made all games which accessed the lower screen unplayable.

This is very serious. A lower screen replacement cost only $10 but the replacement process takes almost 4 hours. I decided against replacing it myself and bought a new second-hand 3DS from gamestop. That cost me $120.

What I'm saying is: 1.) Stop smacking your 3DS to stop this from happening, and 2.) You will eventually need to buy a new 3DS because it is irreversably damaged. Either buy one now while it is on sale at gamestop or spend an extra $20 later buying it out-of-holiday-season.


Disclaimer: I am no Tech expert, I am just speaking from my personal experience with this issue.

I hope this helps. Happy Holidays!

 

[dizzy bone]

stitchmaker: Thanks so much! I had no idea you could transfer digital games into a cartridge like that. I'll look into it when I get a new game. So what you're saying is that my digital game that I downloaded years ago can be manually transferred to a new welcome amiibo cartridge through rover right?

Alexis: haha yep, I knew that having to smack it meant my 3ds was coming to the end of its life. I'm annoyed because I only recently replaced the joystick on this one after it broke

 

[Alexis]

stitchmaker: Thanks so much! I had no idea you could transfer digital games into a cartridge like that. I'll look into it when I get a new game. So what you're saying is that my digital game that I downloaded years ago can be manually transferred to a new welcome amiibo cartridge through rover right?

Alexis: haha yep, I knew that having to smack it meant my 3ds was coming to the end of its life. I'm annoyed because I only recently replaced the joystick on this one after it broke

Don't worry! It costs way less than buying a new one, and gamestop has a plethora of colors to chose from.

 

[stitchmaker]

stitchmaker: Thanks so much! I had no idea you could transfer digital games into a cartridge like that. I'll look into it when I get a new game. So what you're saying is that my digital game that I downloaded years ago can be manually transferred to a new welcome amiibo cartridge through rover right?

Alexis: haha yep, I knew that having to smack it meant my 3ds was coming to the end of its life. I'm annoyed because I only recently replaced the joystick on this one after it broke

Yes but it has to be the old ACNL digital town. The digital copies that were released in 2016 with the update doesn't work. You also need to buy the NEW Welcome Amiibo cartridge that comes with a card. When you start up the game it will have new town and other options below. The import town is at the bottom of the list. Follow the instructions with Rover. I've moved 2 digital and 1 cartridge copy and everything still works.

 

[dizzy bone]

Yes but it has to be the old ACNL digital town. The digital copies that were released in 2016 with the update doesn't work. You also need to buy the NEW Welcome Amiibo cartridge that comes with a card. When you start up the game it will have new town and other options below. The import town is at the bottom of the list. Follow the instructions with Rover. I've moved 2 digital and 1 cartridge copy and everything still works.

ok awesome thanks for the information!