3DS Title Key DB - FAQ

This page was made to list information about the completion of the 3DS Title Key Database website at any given time. It is automatically updated once a day and so will always have up to date information.
Still not sure what all of this is for? Read below.


What is all this about title keys? What are they and what do they do?

Title keys, put simply, are a way to download games directly from Nintendo's servers and install them to your hacked 3DS, without having purchased them. This includes downloading from eShop and using other tools that download from Nintendo's servers. Doing this requires generating tickets, which can be generated using nothing but the title key.
All you need to do this is a tool that supports title keys directly and automates most of the process (CIAngel or TIKDevil for example), or a tool that can generate tickets (.tik files) from them that you can install with FBI. There are multiple tools for generating tickets.
As long as you have the correct ticket installed to your system and you are using CFW then you can download the games from eShop without any other homebrew or programs. Installing these tickets does require homebrew though.

FBI can install these tickets for you so you can download the game using the eShop app, or it can download the game directly from Nintendo's servers and install it, without using the eShop app, both from .tik files and already installed tickets.
CIAngel uses the title key website directly, and so it doesn't require pre-generated tickets. It can download and install games directly from Nintendo's servers without using the eShop app. and you don't need any other programs or homebrew other than CFW to use it.
TIKDevil is the counterpart to this, it also uses the title key website and can generate and install tickets for all known title keys giving you the ability to download most popular titles and a lot of less popular titles directly from the eShop app. The installed tickets can also be used with FBI to download the game from Nintendo's servers without using the eShop app.

A few PC-side programs also exist that can generate these .tik files for you as well, for use with FBI.


I don't get it. What's the point of this website?

The purpose of this website is to serve as a tool for people to check if the games they own are already in the list or not, so missing games can be submitted to the title key website more easily, and to provide statistics on overall completion for the curious and as a way to compare the usefulness of the title key database compared to other methods of obtaining 3DS games. It also serves as a convenient and easy to use way to tell you exactly what you'll be able to download with these tools, and what games are missing.


How does it work?

Once a day, the JSON file (json_enc) from the title key website is downloaded.
Then Nintendo's servers are parsed for all listed and released downloadable games, in other words, games not currently listed on the eShop, unreleased games or games only available at retail are not listed. Updates and DLC are also not listed on this website, since they are part of the game and aren't listed as separate entries.
The results are compared and stored into a JSON file containing all listed eShop titles and whether their title keys are already dumped.

All this website does is display those results in an easily accessible and readable way.

Currently, localized games (Spanish, French, German etc.) are not listed, nor are Korean, Taiwanese or Chinese titles. Only titles released in Great Britain, United States and Japan are listed. This could be changed however, if there is a demand.


Okay, I got it, now where can I find these title keys?

Unfortunately, I can't link to them here, as that would be akin to linking to ROMs directly, and for obvious reasons that's not something I want to risk.
The website is fairly well known, however, so you shouldn't have much trouble finding it.