RCD

RCD is a framework that manages remote controlled devices - RC toys that connect to the Nintendo Switch via 802.11 ("WiFi") link. The first (and currently only) released product to use this framework is Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit.

RCD devices must be paired to the host Switch system in some way (e.g. QR code) and contain the connection settings in non-volatile memory so that they can reconnect on next use without needing to repeat the pairing process.

The RCD framework implements a very simple TCP-based RPC protocol that allows an RCD client to invoke methods on an RCD server. Note that multiple such connections may be established between the Switch and device.

RCD RPC

A client connects to a TCP server and sends as many commands as it likes, one at a time (and reading the response after each), before tearing down the TCP connection. It is not valid for a client to send a response to a server or for a server to send a request to a client.

Commands have a 0x10-byte header, followed by a payload of any size up to some maximum (typically 0x1000). All numbers are represented in big-endian format.

Offset	Size	Description
0x0	0x2	Service being accessed
0x2	0x2	Command being invoked on that service
0x4	0x4	Payload length (PLEN)
0x8	0x4	Status code; ignored (and set to 0) for requests, an error code for responses
0xC	0x1	Flags; currently only the 1s bit is significant: it indicates a response
0xD	0x3	Padding; zero.
0x10	PLEN	The parameters to the command, or the response

In theory, multiple "services" could be multiplexed over a single TCP connection, but in practice only a single service is allowed per TCP port.

Handshake protocol

Service ID: 0x0001 Commands: 4

When a device first establishes a wireless connection, it connects to the Switch on a well-known port to access the "handshake" service and make its presence known. A successful handshake causes application-specific RCD connections to be established. Commands must be sent in order (and no more than once).