NFC based platforms in gaming. Reverse engineering Nintendos "Amiibo"

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

1.1 Motivation

1.2 State of the art

1.2.1 Gamification

1.2.2 Mixed reality gaming

1.2.3 “Toy to life”-concept

2 Near field communication

2.1 Radio frequency identification (RFID)

2.1.1 Active RFID

2.1.2 Passive RFID

2.2 Near field communication (NFC)

2.2.1 Evolution of NFC

2.2.2 Functional principle

2.2.2.1 Power supply

2.2.2.2 Data transfer

2.2.2.3 Anti-collision

2.2.2.4 Signaling technologies

2.2.2.5 Communication modes

2.2.3 NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF)

2.2.3.1 NDEF Record

2.2.3.2 NDEF Message

2.2.3.3 NFC Record Type Definition (RTD)

3 Reverse engineering Amiibo

3.1 NFC tag

3.1.1 NFC Type 2 tags

3.1.1.1 Capability Container (CC)

3.1.1.2 TLV structure

3.1.1.3 Commands

3.1.2 Amiibo Data Page Table

3.2 Password

3.2.1 Elliptic curve cryptography

3.2.1.1 Definition of elliptic curves

3.2.1.2 Computing with elliptic curves

3.2.1.2.1 Key Exchange

3.2.1.2.2 Message Encryption

3.2.1.2.3 Message Decryption

3.2.1.3 Signatures

3.2.2 Elliptic curve cryptography and Amiibos

3.3 Communication protocol

3.3.1 Transmission protocol

3.3.2 Communication principle of Amiibos

3.4 Software project

3.4.1 Emulating Amiibos

3.4.2 Backing up Amiibos

3.4.2.1 Establishing a connection

3.4.2.2 Reading the Amiibo’s data

3.4.2.3 Writing data to the Amiibo

4 Conclusion

4.1 Conclusion

4.2 Future of NFC in gaming

Objectives and Topics

This bachelor thesis aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology and explore its application in the gaming industry, specifically focusing on the "toy to life" concept. The research investigates the technical foundations of NFC and conducts a detailed reverse engineering analysis of Nintendo's Amiibo platform, including the development of an Android application to back up Amiibo data.

• Technical principles and signaling standards of NFC technology.
• Market analysis of "toy to life" franchises like Skylanders, Disney Infinity, and Amiibo.
• Security and communication protocols used in NFC tags.
• Cryptography, specifically Elliptic Curve Cryptography, as applied to Amiibo data protection.
• Practical implementation of an Android software project for interaction with NFC-enabled gaming peripherals.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 Introduction: Provides the motivation for researching NFC in gaming and reviews the current state of "toy to life" products like Skylanders and Disney Infinity.

2 Near field communication: Details the technical foundations of RFID and NFC, including functional principles, power supply, signaling technologies, and the NDEF data format.

3 Reverse engineering Amiibo: Documents the technical analysis of Amiibo hardware, focusing on tag structure, cryptography, communication protocols, and the development of a supporting Android application.

4 Conclusion: Summarizes the research findings regarding the role of NFC in gaming and provides an outlook on the future trends within the "toy to life" market.

Keywords

NFC, Radio Frequency Identification, RFID, Amiibo, Toy to life, Gamification, Elliptic Curve Cryptography, Android, Reverse Engineering, NDEF, MIFARE, Cryptography, Mobile Computing, Data Transmission, Security

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this thesis?

The work primarily explores the integration of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology into the gaming industry, specifically analyzing how NFC tags are used in physical interactive toys to unlock digital game content.

Which specific "toy to life" products are analyzed?

The thesis covers Skylanders, Disney Infinity, Lego Dimensions, and focuses extensively on Nintendo’s Amiibo product line.

What is the main research goal?

The primary goal is to enlighten the concept of NFC-based platforms in gaming and to demonstrate the technical functionalities by reverse engineering the Amiibo technology through a custom software project.

What scientific methods are applied?

The thesis employs technical literature review, systematic analysis of communication protocols, and practical reverse engineering (software development) on Android to decode and interact with Amiibo NFC tags.

What content is covered in the main section?

The main section details the fundamental physics of NFC, standard signaling protocols, data formats like NDEF, and complex security mechanisms such as Elliptic Curve Cryptography used in Amiibo authentication.

Which keywords characterize this work?

The research is characterized by terms such as NFC, RFID, Amiibo, Gamification, Elliptic Curve Cryptography, Reverse Engineering, and Mobile Computing.

How is the Amiibo password protected?

The Amiibo utilizes a 32-bit password to prevent unauthorized memory modification, incorporating Elliptic Curve Cryptography to increase system security.

Why was the scope of the software project changed during development?

The scope was shifted from an emulator to a backup utility due to technical difficulties and constraints in implementing Host-based Card Emulation for the specific NFC tags used in Amiibos.