Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a fighting game developed by Sora Ltd. and Bandai Namco Studios, and published by Nintendo. The game was released in 2018 for the Nintendo Switch and has since become one of the most popular and iconic games in the series. In this write-up, we'll explore the world of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate XCI, including what XCI files are, how to obtain them, and the benefits and risks associated with using them.
Smash Bros. Ultimate poses a technical anomaly in the XCI format. As a "Game Card 2" title, it utilizes a larger cartridge capacity (32GB). Unlike standard cartridges, Game Card 2 technology allows for persistent writing to the cartridge itself for updates and DLC. Consequently, dumping Smash Bros. Ultimate as an XCI requires specialized dumping homebrew (such as NXDumpTool) to ensure the "trimmed" or "untrimmed" image retains the proper partition alignment.
There are several ways to obtain Super Smash Bros. Ultimate XCI, but we must note that downloading copyrighted content without permission is illegal. That being said, here are some common methods:
When running a base game XCI, the user must install the update (usually distributed as an NSP update file) to the SD card. Consequently, the user stores the 32GB XCI base game plus the 2GB+ update patch and substantial DLC files. This duplicates data—retaining the outdated base game assets on the XCI while storing the updated assets separately.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is one of the largest titles on the Nintendo Switch, with a base file size of approximately to 16 GB . Because it is a massive crossover game with frequent updates and extensive DLC (like new fighters and stages), the file structure is often complex.
A significant technical hurdle regarding Smash Bros. Ultimate XCI files is the management of Updates and DLC.