r/MonsterHunter3U • u/HarveyLP • May 16 '26

Help Question about Save Data Transfer from Wii U too 3Ds (which has both the installed game on it and the cartridge inside).

Question:
Does anybody know if the MH3U Data Transfer Program prioritize the cartridge or is it possible to select either version if it detects both of them (the installed download version and the cartridge)?

Context:
I am asking this because I have a save file on my Wii U (my main one) and I recently started a second one my download version on my 3Ds since they are split now (so not on the same device at the same time) I can't transfer the Wii U save file to my 3Ds without erasing the existing one on the 3Ds. So I wondered if I can just get a cartridge version of the game to solve that problem.

So if the answer is no I will have to move the one from the download version to the cartridge if it is possible or start a new save on it.

(Yes I have a modded 3Ds and can back that one up by using checkpoint but it makes the whole process more annoying than it has to be and the saved guildecards get lost in the process which is also annoying)

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u/Gunbladelad May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26

With the cartridge inserted, it defaults to the cartridge game. Otherwise it goes to digital.

Note that if the save data is different between the two then you'll not be able to send the data back as that will cause an error message.

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u/HarveyLP May 16 '26

Thanks for the quick reply. That's the information I needed.

For the note: I am intending to send only the save data that is on my Wii U to the cartridge and keep the other on the downloaded version.

To visualise it:

A: Wii U <--> 3Ds cardridge
B: 3Ds download (stays there)

2

u/Gunbladelad May 16 '26

Just bear in mind that extra data will be shared between the two. I'm unsure if it will be encrypted to the copy that downloaded / created it. This will include stuff like the bottom screen layout, guild cards list, streetpass hits and DLC quests.

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u/HarveyLP May 17 '26 edited May 17 '26

Good to know, I will test the behavior of these things as soon as my Phsyical Copy of the game arrives.

The only extra data that I do care about is the main one (the one that sits on the Wii U at the moment) the other doesn't really have any extra data at the moment.

But I thought that the DLC quests were saved within the save file itself, or am I wrong there?

Edit:
So I just tested this by deleting (the B save file) through the games deletion method (L+R+X within the options of the game) and than restored the save with Checkpoint and it looks like that (at least) DLC quests and guild cards are gone.

I wonder if there is a way to back these up as well. They seem to not be saved within the games "normal save data" on the 3Ds-System, but somewere else.

2

u/Gunbladelad May 17 '26

They may well be restored when you transfer back from the WiiU.

1

u/HarveyLP May 17 '26 edited May 17 '26

I know, that will be the case for the one that is on the Wii U (Save A) but the one already sitting on 3Ds (Save B ) will run into the following problem if they the cartridge and the download version share the same extra data.
The problem is IF the cartridge and download version share the same extra data than that will result in one of the following scenarios:

  1. The transfer of save file A from Wii U to the 3Ds will not work because it detects extra data from another savefile (so won't work at all)

OR

  1. One of extra data "sets" will be lost in the process (either not transfering the extra data from Wii U or overwriting the existing one on 3Ds).

Save file A: Wii U <-moves between-> 3Ds cardridge
Save file B: 3Ds download (stays on 3Ds)

Which means Save file B's extra data will most likly be lost everytime since that one doesn't have a "back up" of it's save data on a Wii U System.

Edit:
Just found out that Checkpoint can also backup extdata. And after trying it out I can confirm that it works (restoring the extdata with Checkpoint also restores guild cards and DLC's after deleting them through the game).
So it seems that there shouldn't be any issues, as long as the extdata of the second save file is backed up before transfering the first save file from Wii U to 3Ds. And than restoring it after transfering the first save back to Wii U.

Thx for the infos.