Complete Rom Set Size: 3ds

The Giant in Your Pocket: Understanding the True Size of a Complete 3DS ROM Set

The Nintendo 3DS era (2011–2020) gave us a library of incredible games, from The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds to Fire Emblem: Awakening and Pokémon Sun & Moon. For preservationists, data hoarders, and retro enthusiasts, the question often arises: "What is the actual size of a complete, 1:1 Nintendo 3DS ROM set?"

If you are planning to archive the entire library, you need to prepare your storage space carefully. Here is the breakdown of the numbers, the formats, and what “complete” actually means.

The "Bloat" Factor

A significant portion of a "Complete ROM Set" is filler. 3ds Complete Rom Set Size

  • Educational Software: Massive amounts of "drilling" software and classroom tools were released in Japan that hold zero entertainment value for gamers.
  • Duplicate Regions: Unless you speak Japanese, the JP-exclusive region of the set (which is the largest portion) is dead weight.
  • 3D Videos/Shorts: Nintendo released many short 3D video clips which are included in full sets. These take up space but offer little replay value today.

Regional Variations

A "complete set" usually means one of three things:

  1. USA (North America): ~600-700GB
  2. USA + EUR (Europe): ~900GB-1.1TB (due to language packs)
  3. Full World (USA, EUR, JPN): ~1.4TB

Japanese games (Ryū ga Gotoku 1&2 HD for 3DS) tend to use larger cartridges and can inflate a world set significantly. The Giant in Your Pocket: Understanding the True

2. File Format: .3ds vs. .cia

  • .3ds (Gateway format): Direct dumps of game cards. Often larger because they retain the exact card structure.
  • .cia (CTR Importable Archive): The installable format used by official eShop/CDN. These are usually smaller because they are compressed and don't include card-specific headers. Most preservation sets today prefer .cia.

Format B: .CIA (CTR Importable Archive)

  • Nature: The installable format used by the Nintendo eShop and CFW (Custom Firmware) consoles.
  • Size: Similar to .3ds, but sometimes slightly smaller because dummy padding is removed.
  • The Twist: You can compress CIA files into .cia.lz or zip them.
    • Uncompressed CIA Set: ~2.4 TB
    • Compressed (7-Zip Ultra) CIA Set: ~1.6 TB (Saves ~800GB)

Verdict: If you are archiving for the future, keep the raw .3ds files (No-Intro set). If you are actually playing on a hacked 2DS/3DS, you want the .CIA set, and you want it compressed.

Scenario B: The Full Decrypted "CCI" Set (Trimmed & Decrypted for Citra)

This is the most common format for actual playable sets. These files are typically stored as .cci or .3ds files. If the set has been "trimmed" (removing padding), you save significant space. Regional Variations A "complete set" usually means one

  • Total Playable Titles (No dupes): ~1,800 unique games
  • Trimmed & Decrypted Size: 650 GB to 750 GB
  • Untrimmed Size: 900 GB+ (Never download an untrimmed set; it is wasted space).

The Breakdown: By the Numbers

If you are looking to download a "Complete" Nintendo 3DS ROM set (often labeled as "Full Sets" on preservation sites), the storage requirements have ballooned significantly over the console's lifespan.

  • The "Full" Set (Redump/Standard): If you are aiming for a 1:1 archival copy of every commercial game released (US, EU, JP regions combined), you are looking at roughly 2.5 Terabytes (TB) to 3.5 TB of data.
    • Why so big? While individual 3DS ROMs are small (ranging from 128MB to 4GB), the volume of titles is massive. Including "Rev 1" and "Rev 2" updates, multiple regional releases, and 3D video content drastically increases the size.
  • The "Trimmed" Set: For emulators (like Citra or Lime3DS) and flashcarts, many users download "trimmed" sets where filler data is removed.
    • Size: Approximately 1.5 TB to 2 TB.
    • Pros: Significantly saves space with no loss to gameplay quality.