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How to download hi-res replacement docs for DS and Wii games from Nintendo servers

(I suppose that actions described by me are legal since we are downloading files from public Nintendo servers, and these files are just digitized manuals. However, mods are free to send me a notice or lock the thread if I violate the law somehow.)

So, with Wii U's downloadable Wii games and DS Virtual Console, Nintendo started to use the PDF browsing capabilities of system's Internet browser. When you launch a Wii or DS game, you can press the "View original instruction booklet" button, and the system will launch a slimmed-down browser, go to the Internet and open the PDF version of the original instruction booklet.

Since the feature uses a slimmed-down browser, with a lot of UI options missing, you cannot really see where the browser goes... until you concentrate and try to memorise the string that is displayed on to of GamePad's screen for half a second. I just tried to do it with Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training and memorized this string:


I tried to do the same with Pandora's Tower (Wii) and got this:


So, what do we see? Nintendo keeps their manuals on http://m1.nintendo.net/docvc/, using original three-element product ID of original games:

z7sqUgF.png


The first three letters identify the system (NTR - Nitro - Nintendo DS; RVL - Revolution - Wii), the four next symbols identify the game, and the last three ones shows the region or country.

So, to access and download digitized manuals for some DS/Wii game, you need to take the product ID of the game (System-Game-Region) and go to the page:

Code:
http://m1.nintendo.net/docvc/[System]/[Region]/[Game]/[Game]_[Language].pdf

You might need to replace detailed region IDs (UKV, HOL etc.) with the general one (EUR). Use one of these variables for Language:

E - English
S - Spanish
F- French
G - German
I - Italian
Other letters, like R, work too but send you an English manual.

Of course the game needs to be released digitally to have the downloadable manual. I tried to do the same procedure with not yet released games and their IDs and failed. Even EU Yoshi Touch & Go manual is absent, and the game comes out in a few hours alongside with Yoshi's Woolly World.

EDIT:
Works for Nintendo 64 games, too. Super Mario 64 for example: http://m1.nintendo.net/docvc/NUS/EUR/NSMP/NSMP_E.pdf

Why am I bothering with all this stuff? If you open some of the files, you will see that their quality is so high they are basically ready to be printed as replacement docs. They are not scanned, edited or compressed, there is no watermarks, some manuals have fully-digitized text... it's a miracle for those who want to reprint missing manual by themselves.

I hope that was useful.
 
Wow, thanks for the heads up. This could be a nice way to get some high-res art to.

Haven't thought about that, but yes, that's definitely the possibility. The world deserves high-res Dr Kawashima's flying head. :)

Uh, that Padnora's Tower one you linked to is just images, not digitised text etc.

My bad! Soory for the confusion... I only checked the DS titles. Still, the manual is in very good condition.
 
Works for Nintendo 64 games, too. Super Mario 64 for example: http://m1.nintendo.net/docvc/NUS/EUR/NSMP/NSMP_E.pdf

Oh snap, I forgot that N64 VC manuals are browser-based too! I tried the GBA ones but they are hardcoded into the game so there was no files on Nintendo servers.

While the images have some clear artefacts the text in this scales perfectly. It's clearly not just a scan.

What's the possibility of that being the actual original manual file made back during the N64? If so that's pretty wicked.

That's why I am really excited about this stuff.

EDIT: You are probably right. No way Nintendo traced controller graphics just for Virtual Console manuals.

 
While the images have some clear artefacts the text in this scales perfectly. It's clearly not just a scan.

What's the possibility of that being the actual original manual file made back during the N64? If so that's pretty wicked.

My original SM64 manual is in color, this one is in black and white. That's weird.
 

ChrisD

Member
That's quite the find - thanks for sharing, OP!

I'll have to look through a few of them later. I loved old Manuals.
 

MisterHero

Super Member
While the images have some clear artefacts the text in this scales perfectly. It's clearly not just a scan.

What's the possibility of that being the actual original manual file made back during the N64? If so that's pretty wicked.
lol the Mario renders are individual, copiable elements

cool
 
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