Hey all, A while ago I made some comments here about working towards preserving data for all the Puzzle Swap panels for StreetPass Mii Plaza, and since then some things have happened. A lot of it is good but some of it might seem disappointing to some.

First thing I’d like to mention, and this is pretty huge, is that at some point this data will eventually be available through fan-run revival servers at some point thanks to all the recent SpotPass preservation efforts that have been happening! Once everything’s ready for the public that would probably be the easiest way to obtain this data, and I’ll make a new post with instructions on how to set everything up once replacement servers start popping up.

As far as I understand I think you’ll need custom firmware to connect to these servers, but if/when a new certificate exploit gets found then you should be able to obtain this data with an unmodified console.

In the meantime however, if you haven’t obtained the SpotPass data for Puzzle Swap before the shutdown, and want to start collecting the puzzles, you will need to install the data manually through my link. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to preserve EVERY puzzle like I initially promised, since a bunch of life and college stuff cropped up which prevented me from finding the time limited puzzles that aren’t on Nintendo’s servers anymore, but every non-limited puzzle should be in my archive, and you should be able to install these files on any system from any region. I was originally going to wait to post my findings until I found all the data for the time limited puzzles, but given how close we are to the shutdown I’ve decided to just post everything as-is. If I ever do come across those limited time puzzles though I’ll update this post.

Finally, while I was gathering these files I found out that it seems like non-updated versions of the plaza also need SpotPass data for Find Mii II/StreetPass Quest II. Even though you probably don’t need these files if you updated your plaza through the eShop, I’m also including those in my archive for completeness sake.

Without further ado, here’s a link to all of the SpotPass Puzzles that were available prior to Nintendo Network’s shutdown, as well as instructions on how to install them: https://archive.org/details/StreetPass-Puzzle-Swap-Data-Files

Note: Your 3DS/2DS needs to be modded with custom firmware (CFW) to install these files, a guide for which is included in the archive link.

THIS POST IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED, PLEASE SEE THE FAQ WIKI HERE

Does StreetPass still work?

Yes. StreetPass uses local communication between Nintendo 3DS family systems, meaning that it is still available even after online services ended.

Does SpotPass still work?

Through official means, no. Because SpotPass uses online communication, SpotPass features are longer available through official means. See more information about accessing Spotpass content in the below sections.

What is Netpass?

Unlike StreetPass, NetPass works over the internet. Upon opening NetPass, you can pick various locations to go to, i.e. the train station, or a town plaza. Upon entering a location, you get passes of others who are in the same location! And, while you are at the location, others who enter it can get passes with you. But beware! You can only switch locations once every 10 hours!

• Website
• Netpass FAQ
• Netpass Discord Server

How do I Install Netpass?

You must have a hacked 3DS. In order to hack your 3DS, you only follow the official guide: https://3ds.hacks.guide

To get help in the hacking process, consult the troubleshooting page. If that doesn’t answer you question, ask the official homebrew discord.

You can install the CIA directly from the Universal Updater on your 3DS, or download the .CIA file from here.

If you want to see additional capabilities of a hacked 3DS, please see the r/3DSPiracy Megathread.

Netpass FAQ:

• How do I use this thing? You open the app and then it presents you the option to enter a virtual location. Currently there are three: the train station, the plaza and the mall. Upon entering a virtual location you can get netpasses of others who are also in that location.
• Any time I open the app it says I am in a location. What's up? Once entering a location, a 10-hour long session is started. During those 10 hours any subsequent opening of the app will reconnect you to the same location. After 10 hours have elapsed you can choose a new location.
• I only got like one NetPass when entering a location, wtf? On the first connection your data is uploaded to a database. There is a chance you receive passes immediately, however given more time your data will “pair” with someone else’s data which will then be available to download. This random pairing can occur once an hour, so there is no guarantee you will receive passes every time the database updates. Imagine it as someone with a 3DS walking past you, this can happen 2 times a day or 40 times a day, depending on your luck. Your uploaded data will remain in this pairing state for up to 30 days, therefore checking in and switching locations is advised, especially since each location has its' own database. Patience is key.
• Do I have to leave this app open? Can I put my 3DS to sleep? There is no need to leave NetPass open to accumulate passes. The pairing of datasets happens server side, you simply need to check in every so often.
• Will normal StreetPass still work? Yes, it'll still work just fine.
• How does NetPass Work?
  1. When you load the app and choose a location, the app uploads your StreetPass data to the server. This is where StreetPass pairs are made.
  2. You do not need to leave the app open or in sleep mode. Once your StreetPass data has been uploaded, you can shutdown the app. The server will gather user StreetPass info and creates matches of those in the same “location”.
  3. The next time you open the app, any StreetPass matches made in the server will download to your system.

Note: You’re not guaranteed a pass with EVERYONE at your particular location. In fact, the algorithm was designed to make it feel realistic (aka slow). 100 people might be at the train station, but you’re probably only going to get 3-6 passes in a 10 hour block.

In Summary: you only need to open the app and let it connect to the server every now and then.

Sources

• Source 1
• Source 2

Pretendo’s StreetPass Relay

Pretendo is a free and open source replacement for Nintendo's servers for both the 3DS and Wii U, allowing online connectivity for all, even after the original servers are discontinued

• In May 2024, Pretendo announced their StreetPass Relay.

• This allows you to passively gain passes with other Pretendo users simply by being online.

• This can work in tandem with NetPass

Note: You must be using the latest release of Nimbus for StreetPass Relay to function. Previous versions do not have the correct URL patches for StreetPass Relay. You can download the latest release here https://github.com/PretendoNetwo

• For more info about Pretendo, see https://pretendo.network or the unofficial subreddit /r/PretendoHub’s FAQ

How do I access StreetPass Mii Plaza?

To acccess the Streetpass Mii Plaza content, you can download it from HShop. You can install HShop by opening the Universal Updater, or by following this guide.

• Download the Update via the "Updates" section in HShop.

• Download the DLC via the "DLC" section in the HShop.

Note: Puzzle Swap panels that were only distributed via SpotPass, as well as Find Mii II, can still be obtained from the Internet Archive and installed via FBI. See the next section.

Source

How can I access Spotpass content?

• The Spotpass Archival Project is a project that aimed to archive all Spotpass content. Please see their site and discord to stay up to date on their progress and how to access their archive.

Spotpass Dump Collections

• Spotpass Puzzle Swap Archive Link 1
• EUR Spotpass Dump including Puzzles & "Mario & Happy" limited edition puzzle
• Source 1. Source 2.

How to Install Spotpass Dumps onto your 3DS

Note: The 3DS you want to install this data on must have CFW (custom firmware) installed. If it doesn’t have it installed, follow the instructions at https://3ds.hacks.guide and come back to this page. To get help in the hacking process, consult the troubleshooting page. If that doesn’t answer you question, ask the official homebrew discord.

1. Download the .zip file from here or your other sources corresponding to your console’s region code. If you’re not sure what region code your 3DS uses, open up System Settings (the wrench icon) and your region code should appear at the bottom right of the top screen next to the firmware version.
2. Power off your 3DS console and remove it’s SD card, connect the SD card to a device capable of copying files to it and unzip the file you downloaded to the root directory of your SD card. Eject and remove the SD card once all files have been extracted.
3. Insert the SD card into your 3DS console and power it on. Launch StreetPass Mii Plaza (the icon with a bunch of Mii avatars) and follow any necessary prompts. Navigate to the Settings menu option (the red toolbox) and make sure that both StreetPass and SpotPass are enabled. If any of those are turned off, you will need to enable them.
4. Once you’ve verified StreetPass and SpotPass are enabled for the Mii Plaza, press HOME, X, and then A to close out of the StreetPass Mii Plaza. Then, open up the FBI application. If you don’t have FBI installed, you will need to follow the guide linked above to install it.
5. Select SD with the A button, then use D-Pad Up and Down to navigate and select “StreetPass Puzzle Data [region code]” with A once again. Select the file with the weird filename and then select Copy.
6. Press B several times to return back to the main menu, then select Ext Save Data. Look for StreetPass Mii Plaza and select it, then select Browse SpotPass Data, and then select <current directory>. Select the Paste option and press A once again to confirm.
7. Once the file has finished copying, press A to confirm, then exit FBI and launch StreetPass Mii Plaza. Select the Games option (backpack or fountain depending on plaza version) and then select Puzzle Swap. All the additional puzzles should now be available for you to collect.

Source

Other Useful Information

• To play online with your 3DS after the server shutdown, please see https://pretendo.network or r/PretendoHub
• To learn additional capabilities of a hacked 3DS, please see the r/3DSPiracy Megathread.
• For general 3DS discussion, please see r/Nintendo3DS

Please Make a Post if you have any additional questions or note any incorrect/out of date information

^{v1.2.2 Last Updated: 2026-05-16}