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What is Kaeru Team?
Kaeru Team is a small volunteer group that reverse engineers and rebuilds online services for discontinued Nintendo platforms and mobile games. Its stated goal is to give old systems new life after official support ends, and to preserve user-generated content that would otherwise be lost. The team works across the 3DS, DSi, Wii U and mobile, and describes itself as doing "what Nintendon't."
What they actually run
- Kaeru Gallery — a replacement server for Flipnote Studio 3D, aimed at keeping the game's sharing and gallery features usable.
- Kaeru WFC — lets Nintendo DS owners play online through Wiimmfi without homebrew or ROM hacks, which matters if you want to avoid modifying your console.
- Kaerutomo — a custom Miitomo server that restores function to the app after its official shutdown.
- Kaeru Duel — a replacement server compatible with Pokémon Duel, bringing back online play.
- Kaeru Patcher for Android — patches legitimate installations of supported apps so they connect to these revival services.
- Kaeru Team Repo for jailbroken iOS — because of Apple's security model, iOS users need a jailbroken device and install tweaks to use the same services.
Who this is for
The audience is preservation-minded players and tinkerers: someone with a DSi who wants Mario Kart DS online again without flashing custom firmware, a Flipnote Studio 3D user who wants their old drawings and gallery back, or a Miitomo or Pokémon Duel player who misses the app. The Android and iOS tools exist precisely because the alternative — manually redirecting an app to a new server — is impractical on locked-down phones.
Trade-offs to weigh
Revival servers are unofficial, run by volunteers, and depend on continued community effort, so uptime and longevity are not guaranteed the way a first-party service is. The DS route through Kaeru WFC is the least invasive; the mobile routes require patching a legitimate app on Android or jailbreaking on iOS, which carries its own risks. If your priority is simply playing DS games online with minimal changes to your hardware, start with Kaeru WFC; if you want Flipnote Studio 3D's sharing features, Kaeru Gallery is the relevant project. The team page lists Lauren Kelly (thejsa) as team lead and Kaeru Gallery developer, alongside Shutterbug2000, FairPlay137 and JoshuaDoes.
How can I play Nintendo DS games online after the official servers shut down?
For most people, the practical route is Kaeru WFC, a project from Kaeru Team that lets Nintendo DS users play online through the Wiimmfi service without installing homebrew or modifying game ROMs. That matters because the DS has no system-level online replacement: each game's online mode has to be redirected, and doing that usually means either patching the game or running custom firmware. Kaeru WFC is aimed at the simpler case, so it is the first thing to check before assuming you need to hack your console.
What the options actually require
| Approach | What you need | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Kaeru WFC | A DS and the Kaeru WFC setup, no homebrew or ROM hacks | Easiest entry point; depends on Kaeru Team's service and Wiimmfi staying online |
| Homebrew-based alternatives | Custom firmware or a flashcart, plus per-game patches | More control and works on more titles, but more setup and more ways to get stuck |
| Doing nothing | Nothing | Official Nintendo WFC is gone, so most first-party online modes simply won't connect |
A realistic scenario
Say you want to race online in Mario Kart DS on an original DS or DS Lite. You don't want to install custom firmware, and you don't want to hunt down patched ROMs. Kaeru WFC is built for exactly that situation. If your game instead relies on a service Kaeru Team hasn't covered, or you want features beyond online play, you may need a different community project.
Kaeru Team's wider work is worth knowing about if you own other retired Nintendo hardware. Kaeru Gallery replaces the Flipnote Studio 3D server, which also helps preserve user-generated animations that would otherwise be lost. Kaerutomo and Kaeru Duel revive Miitomo and Pokémon Duel respectively. On Android, Kaeru Patcher patches legitimate app installs to point at those revival services; on iOS the same services require a jailbroken device because of Apple's security model, so Android is the easier mobile path.
Next step
Go to Kaeru Team and open the Kaeru WFC page to confirm your game is supported and follow the current setup steps, since the exact process can change as the service is maintained. If your title isn't listed, search for a game-specific Wiimmfi compatibility list before buying any extra hardware.
Is it possible to use Flipnote Studio 3D online again after the service ended?
Yes. Kaeru Gallery is a replacement server for Flipnote Studio 3D, built by Kaeru Team to restore online functionality after Nintendo's official service ended. It also aims to preserve user-generated content that would otherwise be lost.
How it fits together
Kaeru Team reverse engineers and runs network services for older Nintendo platforms, including the 3DS, DSi and Wii U. Alongside Kaeru Gallery, the team maintains:
- Kaeru WFC — online play for Nintendo DS games via Wiimmfi, without homebrew or ROM hacks
- Kaerutomo — a custom Miitomo server
- Kaeru Duel — a replacement server for Pokémon Duel
- Kaeru Patcher for Android — patches legitimate app installations to reach these revival services
- Kaeru Team Repo for jailbroken iOS — tweaks that enable the same services on Apple devices
For Flipnote Studio 3D specifically, Kaeru Gallery is the relevant project; it is a server replacement rather than a patch to the game itself. Kaeru Team is led by Lauren Kelly (thejsa), with Shutterbug2000, FairPlay137 and JoshuaDoes also contributing.
What to weigh before diving in
- Platform matters: iOS users need a jailbroken device because of Apple's security model; Android users have a dedicated patcher app. The 3DS route is the project's native focus.
- Expect unofficial infrastructure: these are community-run services, so uptime and features may differ from Nintendo's original service.
- Preservation angle: if your interest is in old Flipnote content rather than just posting new notes, Kaeru's stated goal of preserving user-generated content is directly relevant.
Next step
Visit Kaeru Team and open the Kaeru Gallery project page for setup details specific to your device. If you also want DS online play, check Kaeru WFC on the same site; it works without homebrew or ROM hacks, which makes it the easier starting point for many users.
How do I revive Miitomo on my phone after its shutdown?
Kaeru Team's Kaerutomo project is a custom Miitomo server built to make the app functional again after Nintendo's shutdown. On Android, you don't need to modify the APK itself: Kaeru Patcher patches a legitimate installation of the app so it connects to the revival service. On iOS, the team notes that the platform's security model requires a jailbroken device, and the connection is enabled through tweaks from their repo.
Practical path
- Install Miitomo from your app store history if it's still available to your account; if not, sideload a legitimate copy you own.
- On Android, get Kaeru Patcher from the Kaeru Team site and apply the patch to the installed app.
- On iOS, jailbreak first, then add the Kaeru Team repo and install the tweak.
- Launch the app and confirm it reaches the Kaerutomo server rather than failing at login.
Android vs iOS
| Android | iOS | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Kaeru Patcher app | Jailbreak + tweaks |
| Skill level | Moderate | Higher |
| Main obstacle | Obtaining a legitimate install | Jailbreak availability for your iOS version |
The Android route is the more accessible one for most people. The iOS route is viable only if your device and firmware can be jailbroken; on newer iOS versions that may not be possible at all, so check your model and version before committing.
Who this is for
This suits people with an old phone or a spare device who want to revisit Miitomo and don't mind a setup process. It is not a one-tap restoration, and it won't work on a device that can't run the original app. If you want to see what else the team maintains, their project list covers other Nintendo revivals at Kaeru Team.
Can I play Pokémon Duel online again, and if so, how?
Yes, Pokémon Duel can be played online again through a community-run replacement server. The Kaeru Team lists Kaeru Duel among its projects: a replacement server compatible with Pokémon Duel that restores online functionality after the official shutdown. In practice, this means the game's networking calls are redirected to Kaeru Duel instead of the dead official servers, so matches and online features that depend on a server can work again.
What you need to know
- It is a fan-run revival, not an official service. Expect occasional downtime, resets or missing features, and no Nintendo support.
- The original app is still the client. You are not downloading a new game; you are pointing an existing installation at a different server.
- Getting connected usually requires patching. On Android, the team offers Kaeru Patcher, an app that patches legitimate installations of supported apps so they connect to its revival services. On iOS, the team notes that users need a jailbroken device, because the revival services are enabled through tweaks.
- Availability depends on your platform and app version. The team describes supported apps and platforms rather than a universal method, so check the project page before assuming your setup qualifies.
A practical path
- Start at the Kaeru Team site and open the Kaeru Duel project page to see the current connection method and any stated requirements.
- Identify your platform. Android users should look at Kaeru Patcher; iOS users should note the jailbreak requirement for the team's tweaks.
- Follow the project's own setup steps rather than improvising, since patching the wrong build is the most common way to end up with a client that still cannot reach the server.
- If something fails, check whether the service is temporarily down before changing your setup.
Related projects from the same team, useful if you also want other shutdown games working: Kaeru Team hosts Kaeru Gallery (Flipnote Studio 3D), Kaeru WFC (Nintendo DS online via Wiimmfi, no homebrew or romhacks required) and Kaerutomo (Miitomo). Wiimmfi itself, the long-running Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection replacement, is at Wiimmfi.
What do I need to do to connect my jailbroken iOS device to Kaeru Team's revival services?
You need to be jailbroken and install Kaeru Team's iOS tweaks from their repository, then use the Kaeru Patcher approach on the supported apps themselves. Kaeru Team states plainly that, because of the iOS security model, Apple users must be jailbroken to use its revival services, and that those services are enabled by "tweaks" — so there is no non-jailbroken route on iPhone or iPad. The team also lists a Kaeru Patcher for Android that patches legitimate installations of supported apps to point at its revival servers; on iOS the equivalent job is done by the tweaks rather than a standalone patcher app.
Practical steps
- Confirm your device is jailbroken and that you can add third-party repositories to your package manager.
- Add the Kaeru Team repo for jailbroken iOS and install the tweak for the specific service you want — for example the Kaeru Gallery server for Flipnote Studio 3D, Kaerutomo for Miitomo, or Kaeru Duel for Pokémon Duel.
- Install the matching app legitimately (App Store purchase history or your existing installation), since the tweaks are designed to redirect an already-installed app rather than to distribute the app itself.
- Launch the app and check that online features load. If a service still fails, the likely causes are a tweak not enabled for that app, a version mismatch, or a server-side change.
Choosing what to set up
| Service | Game/app | What you need on iOS |
|---|---|---|
| Kaeru Gallery | Flipnote Studio 3D | Jailbroken device plus the Kaeru Gallery tweak |
| Kaerutomo | Miitomo | Jailbroken device plus the Kaerutomo tweak |
| Kaeru Duel | Pokémon Duel | Jailbroken device plus the Kaeru Duel tweak |
| Kaeru WFC | Nintendo DS online play | Not an iOS service — it works through Wiimmfi without homebrew or romhacks |
A useful next step is to start with one service rather than all of them: pick the app you actually still want to use, install only its tweak, and verify it works before adding others. That keeps troubleshooting simple, because a single non-working service points to one tweak or app version, while several failing at once usually means the jailbreak environment or repo access is the problem. If you are on Android instead, the Kaeru Patcher app is the intended route; if you are on DS hardware, Kaeru WFC needs neither homebrew nor romhacks. The project pages at Kaeru Team list each service and its developer, which is the fastest way to check whether your specific app is covered.
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