When Terry Cavanaugh’s VVVVVV first released in 2010, critics praised the game for its minimalist aesthetic and its ability to dredge up tender nostalgia for gaming’s early years. It was an outlet for exploration and creativity. Recently, it’s also become an outlet for playing homebrew games on the Nintendo 3DS.
Last Sunday, Cavanaugh shared an article from programming and homebrew website Wololo that highlighted a game save vulnerability in VVVVVV discovered by independent developer ShinyQuagsire. Ever the easy-going fellow, Cavanaugh expressed bemusement and surprise at the exploit:
To sum up how the exploit works, the hack – called (v*)hax – must be installed on a 3DS console as a“primary” entry point (which refers to an unhacked or unmodded system that can support the conditions for exploits such as browserhax or the infamous Cubic Ninja exploit). An SD card and a homebrew launcher kit are also required.
Once installed, (v*)hax will overwrite any existing VVVVVV game save data and will be able to be launched by loading the save. From there, players will be able to launch *hax homebrew apps and services.
If you’re into the technical nitty gritty of creative hacking and circumventing rules, you can read the creator’s explanation of how the hack works here.
Nintendo, as expected, didn’t take kindly to such an exploit. They’ve since removed VVVVVV from the 3DS eShop. Those who already own the game are still able to play it.
Cavanaugh, meanwhile, outwardly expressed his relief at not having to patch his own game. Maybe.
Nintendo hasn’t yet released a date for VVVVVV’s return to the 3DS eShop. Hopefully that day will be soon, so the greater 3DS populace can experience the simple joys of defying gravity once again.