Editing Texts

MSBT (Message Binary Text) files are used in all Tomodachi Life games to store text data, such as interface, dialogue, items, and other in-game text.

In this guide you will learn how to install and setup MSBT Editor and how to use it to modify your files. This guide is available for multiple Tomodachi Life games, please select the desired game on each section!

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream

In Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, these files are stored inside a .sarc.zs file in the romfs/Mals folder and are named as {language}.{type}.{version}.sarc.zs, where:

• {language} is the Language Code
• {type} is either Trial (if is the Demo version) or Product (full game)
• {version} is the game version (3rd line in romfs/System/RegionLangMask.txt)

Tomodachi Life (3DS)

In Tomodachi Life (3DS), these files are store inside .bin files in the romfs/message folder, being organized in folders. There is only one language per ROM, so you’ll only find the language for the ROM you dumped.

Installing MSBT Editor

MSBT Editor is the primary tool used to editing MSBT files. As it is the most feature-complete and user-friendly tool, also supports a ton of games.

1. Install MSBT Editor and open it.

2. Locate and click on the Data drop-down menu (at the very top) and on Change Game Config.

   

3. Click on Download Configs and select the desired game(s).

   • default:TomoLife_LtD for Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream
   • default:TomoLife for Tomodachi Life (3ds)
   • default:TomoLife_JP for Tomodachi Life (3ds) (Japanese Version)

4. After downloading your desired game(s), go back to the previous screen and select the game you want to edit.

   

5. Your editor should be ready to use!

Editing

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream

To edit messages is really simple, all you will need to do is localize your language in the romfs/Mals folder and open in the editor, here is a step by step:

1. Open MSBT Editor.

2. Go to File > Open File... and select the desired language in your rofms/Mals folder.

   You can also open the Mals folder directly, if you plan to edit multiples languages at the same time.

3. Expand the loaded file and find which .MSBT you want to edit.

4. Do your edits and save the file with Ctrl + S.

5. After finishing all yours edits, right click the .sarc file (the root file) and click on Save.

6. You have successfully edited your texts!

Tomodachi Life (3DS)

To edit messages is really simple, all you will need to do is open your romfs/message folder and open in the editor, here is a step by step:

1. Open MSBT Editor.

2. Go to File > Open Folder... and select your rofms/message folder.

3. Look for for the files you want to edit in the loaded directories and files.

4. Do your edits and save the file with Ctrl + S.

5. After finishing all yours edits, right click the message folder and click on Save.

6. You have successfully edited your texts!

References

Language Codes

Language	Code
Canadian French	USfr
Latin American Spanish	USes
North American English	USen
Traditional Chinese	TWzh
Korean	KRko
Japanese	JPja
Dutch	EUnl
Italian	EUit
European French	EUfr
European Spanish	EUes
European English	EUen
German	EUde
Simplified Chinese	CNzh