Hacking The Beginner's Guide to Nintendo DS Flashcarts

Ryukouki

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<div align="center"><!--sizeo:3--><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->The Beginner's Guide to Nintendo DS Flashcarts</div><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->

<div align="center">This guide was written as an expansion to the <a href="http://gbatemp.net/t217593-the-which-flashcart-to-get-info-thread" target="_blank">Which Flashcart to Get Info Thread</a> by DeltaBurnt. It was written with the sole purpose of helping new members just getting started with the scene to pick a flashcart based on budget and cart features. I have observed a myriad of topics full of users asking what they should buy. This thread seeks to answer those questions in the easiest way possible.</div>

<b>Question: What the heck is a flashcart?</b>
-A Flashcart is a cartridge that looks similar to a legitimate Nintendo DS game cartridge that can let users test their backups of ROMS and run homebrew. Such items are illegal, and are always in Nintendo's thoughts. Nintendo is always seeking to use their Nintendo DSi to block these flashcarts, but such updates get bypassed quickly.

<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue"><!--/coloro--><b>Acekard<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b>
<img src="http://www.kickgaming.com/images/ace_edge/acekard2c.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<a href="http://www.acekard.com" target="_blank">Acekard Website</a>

Are you looking for something with an affordable budget? A flashcart with many good and essential features? Look no further!

-Good support.
-Uses a unique interface, AKAIO, by Normmatt (I think that's how it's spelled <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/unsure.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":unsure:" border="0" alt="unsure.gif" />) and Smiths
-Decent quality
-Easy to use interface
-Abundance of features.
-Auto Anti-Piracy engine
-High ROM compatibility

<b>Price Range:</b> $11-$13
Cartridge Types: Acekard 2i, Acekard 2
<b>Comments:</b> This cartridge is good if you have a small budget to buy with. It has good features and a good group behind it.


<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue"><!--/coloro--><b>CycloDS Series<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b>
<img src="http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/6482/evocaseandcartnl1zb6.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Are you looking for a rock solid flashcart that is simple and easy to use? Scared of fancy menus? This is the choice for you!

-"Great" support teams
-Simple Interface
-Decent features
-A tad pricey
-Good ROM compatibility

<b>Price Range:</b> $30-$40
Cartridge Types: Cyclo DSi, Cyclo DS
<b>Comments:</b> Sadly, it's a tad overpriced in this day and time. Most carts sell for about $30, but this guy can easily go for $40, and has less features. I'd wait on this one.


<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue"><!--/coloro--><b>DSTT Series<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b>

<img src="http://www.dstt.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/new_tt.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Are you a cheapo? Do you want a VERY barebones cart that is extremely cheap? Here you go!

-VERY cheap
-OK ROM Compatibility, better with RetroGameFan's updates
-Good quality build
-Has clones, be careful!
-Barebones, missing crucial features.
-Yucky interface.
-Also uses YSMenu

<b>Price Range:</b> $5-$8
Cartridge Types: DSTTi, DSTT
<b>Comments:</b> I'd personally not get this cartridge. Even though it has good support with RetroGameFan, I just abhor the interface, even with YSMenu. If you want a cheap cart for a very young sibling, this will do the job. You get what you paid for.


<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue"><!--/coloro--><b>EX4 DS<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b>
<img src="http://s5.thisnext.com/media/largest_dimension/24B01F1A.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<a href="http://www.ex4ds.com" target="_blank">EX4DS Website</a>

Do you want a cartridge with simple features and a GBA Slot 1 Emulator? Don't want to spend as much as the DSTwo?

-Popular R4 Interface
-Cheaper than Supercard DSTwo
-GBA Emulator for Slot 1
-Video Player, no more DPG
-Sketchy support
-Good ROM Compatibility
-Simple to use

<b>Price Range:</b> $25-$28
<b>Comments:</b> It's a decent cartridge that you can pay a decent amount for. It has a simple interface, and has more features than some other carts. Only downside to the EX4 is that the team is rarely active.


<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue"><!--/coloro--><b>EZ Flash<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b>

<img src="http://www.thendslite.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/ez5i.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Do you want a flashcart that has a great team, a lot of features, has high ROM playback rates, and is affordable? Try me!

-Very good support team
-Frequent updates
-Lots of freebies! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />
-Decent price tag
-High ROM Compatibility.
-Good build
-No worries for clones.
-Plays GBA games with the Slot 2 EZ Flash 3 in 1.

<b>Price Range:</b> $18-$23
Flashcart Types: EZ Flash V, EZ Flash Vi, EZ Flash 3 in 1 (optional)
<b>Comments:</b> It's a really nice cartridge. It's affordable and gets a lot of good current games running quickly. Has Auto AP features, and can play GBA games with the help of a DS Lite. The team behind it has been a veteran team for the past few years, so they're reliable.


<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue"><!--/coloro--><b>iSmart Series<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b>

<img src="http://www.digimartz.com/images/l/201009/12837546730.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<a href="http://www.ismartds.com" target="_blank">iSmart Premium/MM Website</a>


Are you on the hunt for a good card that runs good games, has a good quality, and a nice support team? Try them out!

-Good support
-High ROM compatibility
-Supposed to be made with the EZ Flash teams
-Nice interface
-Easy to use.
-Decent price tag, not too expensive
-iSmart MM has a GBA Emulator and Video playback
-The poor man's DSTwo

<b>Price Range:</b> iSmart Premium $18-$20; iSmart MM: $30-$33
Cartridge Types: iSmart MM and iSmart Premium
<b>Comments:</b> This is a relatively new cartridge. So far, they're doing a somewhat decent job. However, personally, there are better teams out there that I would aim for. This team is fast becoming a popular team, so keep your eye out on them.


<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue"><!--/coloro--><b>M3 Adapter Team<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b>

<img src="http://www.ps2cover.com/images/products/nintendo-ds/m3-ds-simply-contents.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<a href="http://www.m3adapter.com" target="_blank">M3 Website</a>

Are you an old fan of the original DS Games? Look for this cartridge then!

-Decent ROM support
-Dying team support
-Slow updates
-Uses fancy Sakura interface
-OK price tag
-Low build quality
-can self update it's DSi cart, M3i Zero

<b>Price Range:</b> $18-$21
Cartridge Types: M3 DS Real, M3i Zero, M3 Perfect
<b>Comments:</b> This team is slowly dying, they have not updated in a while. Although they have a nice interface with Sakura, its features pale in comparison to other teams. I would pick a different team...


<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue"><!--/coloro--><b>R4 Series<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b>

<img src="http://shoptemp.com/product_images/f/651/r4v2E__12214_zoom.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Are you a lucky guy? Are you trying to find a decent priced cartridge? Are you into a clone rage? This cart has a ton of stories to pack with it!

-LOTS AND LOTS OF CLONES
-Official support died in 2008, reborn with Wood firmware by Yellow Wood Goblin
-Great compatibility with Wood
-Fast updates with Wood
-Simple, easy to use.
-Lots and lots of features
-Multilingual
-VERY VERY cheap pricetags!
-No SDHC support

<b>Price Range:</b> $6
Flashcart Types: So many, I don't even want to begin to think about it.
<b>Comments:</b> You can end up with a world of hurt on this series. The clones are everywhere. Just be sure to ask some well-respected member if you should buy any R4 cartridge. If it looks sketchy, it is. Google Wood compatible cartridges. They have a nice tag for a good set of features. Be very careful with your R4 purchases. If you hate someone and want to pay them back, get them a clone! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />


<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue"><!--/coloro--><b>Supercard Series<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--></b>

<img src="http://www.mygamingcard.net/19-61-large/supercard-dstwo-gbatemp-limited-collector-edition.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<a href="http://www.eng.supercard.sc" target="_blank">Supercard Website</a>

Do you want the best of the best? Are you a fan of complex looking interfaces? Do you have a large budget? Stop looking then.

-EXCELLENT support.
-Plays GBA games and SNES games on SLOT 1!
-Has a PDF reader!
-Can view images with iReader software
-Self Updates
-Evolution OS
-Very shiny
-Great interface
-No slowdowns
-Big price tag...
-DSTwo has controversial build quality...
-Heats up quickly due to higher CPU
-Decreases battery life substantially
-For a little more depth:


DS / DS Lite
The card will work on an original (fat) DS or a DS Lite.
DSi / DSi XL
The card will work on a DSi or DSi XL as well.
Game Updates
Firmware updates are what let cards play newer games, these are the life-blood of the card.
SDHC
SDHC refers to SD cards larger than 2GB (gigabytes). If there's no SDHC support, you can only use SD cards up to 2GB.
WiFi Update
The Acekard 2i can update it's cheats (and get minor bug fixes) over WiFi without having to connect to a computer.
Auto Ap Bypass
Some carts have special features to ignore AP in most games, letting you play them without having to wait for a firmware update first. The Acekard only has partial support for this right now.
RTS
The Real-Time Save (Save State) function lets you save and reload your game progress at any moment you wish.
In-Game Guide
You can pull up text files and images in-game, in order to check a walkthrough or map you downloaded at any time during a game.
Slow Motion
The card lets you slow down the game speed as you wish.
In-Game Cheats
The card lets you create and modify cheats while the game is running.
Special Homebrew
The card has multiple pieces of special homebrew, such as it's own GBA and SNES emulators, as well as text/PDF reader and video player.
Battery Life
Unfortunately the DSTwo's extra CPU and RAM (which give it the special features) eat into the battery life a bit.

<b>Price Range:</b> Supercard DSonei/Mini series: $17-21; Supercard DSTwo: $34-$37
Flashcart types: DSOnei, DSonei Mini, DSTwo
<b>Comments:</b> This is truly the top of the line. It may be expensive, but it's worth it. Go for this if you get the chance to, you certainly won't regret it.


<div align="center"><!--sizeo:3--><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><u>Question and Answer- Have Something to Ask? I'll Answer It!</div><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--></u>

<b>Do you plan to write about 3DS Cartridges?</b>
-As of now, I don't know. If we get a lot of them, count on it.

<b>You suck at making guides.</b>
-Sorry, try elsewhere then.

<b>If I have $X, what can I buy?</b>
-Look at the features, and the price tags on each series. Pick what you want.

<b>Is there a best flashcart out at the moment?</b>
-I would say the Supercard DSTwo at the time... it has a lot of good stuff with it.

<b>What's with the R4 clone mess?</b>
-The R4 died in 2008 because Japan ousted the official team. Now, a lot of clones are trying to earn some cash. Don't be fooled, ask if you are unsure! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

<b>What is a clone?</b>
-In my eyes, a clone is something that is a replica of another. In this case, a clone is a flashcart that tries to imitate another team by using their software and modifying it to make it look like it belongs to them. In the R4 case, you get all sorts of clones. They have the R4 sticker followed by some stupid thing like ADVANCE, 3DS, etc, but they aren't that great. The quality of the software is on a lower tier compared to the actual cart made officially.

<b>It's too long! I don't want to read!</b>
-I found a condensed chart made by one of our members. I think it was Rydian...?
<img src="http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/2258/cardchart.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<b>Where should I buy my flashcart?! I don't know who's good anymore!!!</b>
-There are quite a few choices. Pick and choose.
:<a href="http://www.lightake.com" target="_blank">Lightake</a>
:<a href="http://www.0shippingzone.com" target="_blank">0ShippingZone</a>
:<a href="http://www.realhotstuff.com" target="_blank">Real Hot Stuff</a>
:<a href="http://www.gameplayfun.com" target="_blank">GamePlayFun</a>
:<a href="http://www.%5bcensored%5d.com" target="_blank">EnnDeeEss Card Sale</a>
:<a href="http://www.gamekool.com" target="_blank">Gamekool, so Jakob95 isn't upset -.-</a>
There's a lot more, but those are some!

<b>How were price ranges determined?</b>
-As I have been working with many flashcart dealers in the past few years, I have knowledge as to how much they are priced. I merely took the average of what I saw, and gave or took a few bucks.

<b>Do you plan on going into each individual flashcart of each flashcart line? It seems way too big of a mistake and it looks confusing as well.</b>
-Rest assured, yes I will do that. This guide is just the rough beta and after more thought and once I get more time after finals, count on it. This should hopefully quell SOME of the questions going around.

<b>Will you be covering homebrew?</b>
-I can try. I'm not a homebrew bookie but I'll do my best. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />


Well guys, that's it! Thanks for reading. If you have any questions, let me know right away so I can try and answer the questions. I got this information based on my observations of each team through reviewing and lots of time on this forum. If you see an error or a typo with the guide, PM me. I'll update it as soon as I can.
 
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Terminator02

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i'm sensing a slight bias towards ez flash and supercard, but otherwise very nice guide

Edit: yeah Rydian did make that

just to clarify, you mention none of the bad aspects of either of those two cards, and the general tone seems to favor them
 

Ryukouki

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I've seen a LOT of people here touting the two. I wrote this with the community opinion and some of mine, but I wasn't biasing any one team.
 

Ryukouki

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Ahhh, as long as facts get out, I'll be happy.
smile.gif


...and maybe a sticky!
EDIT: You certainly bring out some good points. Let me justify this. When I started writing it last week, I actually didn't know what I could possibly criticize with the EZ Flash team. I'll admit, I don't frolic at the EZ Flash boards as often, so I don't know what kind of mess goes on there, but with Supercard, I will try and make some more amends to the guide. Thanks for your insight!
smile.gif
 

Etalon

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That's actually well written. And funny.

The first article about all this crapcards that's fun to read. Congrats!

I don't understand the "budget" thing about Acekard. Yeah, it's not expensive. True. But it's simply the best. And it would still be the best card if i'd cost $40.

Thanks for your work, Ryukouki.
 

Ryukouki

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Maybe... I don't know what the plan is for sure yet, so if it ever comes out, I might just add a tidbit on it.
 

Ryukouki

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Amended. With more fun added.
smile.gif


EDIT: @Rome, I plan to go far more in depth after finals. Instead of just attacking the line itself, I'll go into the individual flashcarts themselves, except for the R4 series.
 

Rydian

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The chart I use only lists what I and others consider the decent carts to get nowadays, that's why it only lists like 5. If I update it I'll try to remember to give it to you, but you can just pick the new version out of a post of mine if I forget.

Any chance you could split the sections into spoilers? One for the list of carts, one for the FAQ and the chart, but add one at the top where you explain what a flash cart is and how it's used. Some screenshots of good homebrew like Colors! and StillAliveDS and such (also the Lone Wolf series for how well they're made) would really help make a godo impression.
 

Ryukouki

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QUOTE said:
Do you plan on going into each individual flashcart of each flashcart line? It seems way too big of a mistake and it looks confusing as well.
-Rest assured, yes I will do that. This guide is just the rough beta and after more thought and once I get more time after finals, count on it. This should hopefully quell SOME of the questions going around.

Will you be covering homebrew?
-I can try. I'm not a homebrew bookie but I'll do my best.
smile.gif

Does this answer your question?
smile.gif
 

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