Help:Dumping games
In order to get a copy of the content files and executable, you will need to dump the game from a console. This article provides instructions for Switch users.
Switch
Dump the game files directly to your SD card using nxdumptool. Update data can only be processed if the base game is available, because they share the same filesystem.
Warning: Running homebrew on the Switch can get you banned from Nintendo online services if you aren't careful. If you do not want to leave any traces, turn on airplane mode, back up your NAND before running any homebrew and do not ever go online before you have restored the backup.
Prerequisites
- nxdumptool.
- Keys file generated using Lockpick_RCM, located at
sdmc:/switch/prod.keys. Run the payload on your console through RCM in order to dump the keys needed by nxdumptool to decrypt contents.
Dumping game files
- On your Switch, open nxdumptool. Afterwards:
- If you have the gamecard: Select
Dump gamecard content. - If you have the eShop version: Select
Dump SD card / eMMC content, then select the game.
- If you have the gamecard: Select
- Select
RomFS options. - Highlight the
Use update/DLCoption and use the left/right buttons to cycle through the available updates for the game.- If you have no available updates, this option won't appear. You'll only be able to dump the files from the non-updated base game (which is the same to just leaving this option set to
No). - Updates are tagged as
(UPD), and they use01006BB00C6F0800as their ID.
- If you have no available updates, this option won't appear. You'll only be able to dump the files from the non-updated base game (which is the same to just leaving this option set to
- Select
RomFS section data dumpand wait for the process to finish. This will dump the internal filesystem from the selected update to the inserted SD card.
Just like it was previously mentioned, updates share their filesystem data with the base game, so dumping the RomFS from an update is equivalent to dumping the whole filesystem from the updated game data. In other words, it isn't necessary to dump the base game filesystem separately if you choose an update.
When you're done, you'll be able to find the output dumps in sdmc:/switch/nxdumptool/RomFS.
Dumping binaries (executable files)
Binaries in Switch titles are stored in a different section known as ExeFS, which is only available in base games and updates. Unlike RomFS data, ExeFS data isn't shared between the update and its base game.
These files can also be dumped using nxdumptool.
- On your Switch, open nxdumptool. Afterwards:
- If you have the gamecard: Select
Dump gamecard content. - If you have the eShop version: Select
Dump SD card / eMMC content, then select the game.
- If you have the gamecard: Select
- Select
ExeFS options. - Highlight the
Use updateoption and use the left/right buttons to cycle through the available updates for the game.- If you have no available updates, this option won't appear. You'll only be able to dump the binaries from the non-updated base game (which is the same to just leaving this option set to
No). - Updates use
01006BB00C6F0800as their ID.
- If you have no available updates, this option won't appear. You'll only be able to dump the binaries from the non-updated base game (which is the same to just leaving this option set to
- Select
ExeFS section data dumpand wait for the process to finish. This will dump the binaries from the selected update to the inserted SD card.
When you're done, you'll be able to find the output dump in sdmc:/switch/nxdumptool/ExeFS.