Hardware GBA Flash Cart

[Prashant]

Hey guys,

First of all, please don't flame me saying read the other posts on the forum; I already have.

I already know that the EZ Flash IV is the best flash cart for the GBA.

The problem is, that it's not available anywhere or if it is, then it is incredibly expensive.


So my question is this -- which are the other GBA flash carts that I can buy?
I agree that they might not be as good as the flash IV, but something is better than nothing.

If you could also point me to some reliable, trustworthy sites where I can buy them, then it would be great.

EDIT: Preferably, I'm looking for something around 20 USD or so.

If there is something a bit better for a few more bucks, then it is fine, too.

Please guide me.

 

[FAST6191]

Best you will get for 20 USD or so will be an EZ3 in 1 though that will be a hard find too, they are fine if you have a DS flash cart to flank them with but as a stanalone GBA cart it will leave a lot to be desired.

The last few years it has mainly been down to three flash carts

The EZ4. If you are willing to mod the case a bit (do not get a lite compact) then http://shop.01media.com/brand.asp?ID=434 has some lite deluxes (probably the most desirable GBA flash cart give or take some people with an affinity for the EZ3 or some models of the M3) for about 60 USD before shipping.
The supercard.
Someone might occasionally find a firecard. I do not suggest this if you do not know what you are doing with regards to GBA flash cards -- it will be better than a 3 in 1 when used on a normal GBA but not by a lot.

On even rarer occasions someone will find a proper legacy GBA flash cart but that is getting less common and was hardly common three or four years ago let alone now.

The only reason anybody had supercards kicking around for longer is because they were not good at all compared to basically every other GBA flash cart that was not a supercard clone (team cyclops made a supercard clone at one point) or one of the very first GBA cards. Slowdowns, incompatibility, annoying save methods and more are what you face if you get a supercard where every other flash card will be near flawless and with a bit of simple patching made to be so. Indeed the only reasons people got supercards back when they were the thing to run DS roms from was that they were pretty good there, owing to their inferior GBA capabilities a tiny bit cheaper, had features (cheats and homebrew hit early there) and were updated quickly (they actually kept updating for DS compatibility quite late into 2009 where the EZ4 trailed off in April of that year).

 

[Darkipod]

Best you will get for 20 USD or so will be an EZ3 in 1 though that will be a hard find too, they are fine if you have a DS flash cart to flank them with but as a stanalone GBA cart it will leave a lot to be desired.

The last few years it has mainly been down to three flash carts

The EZ4. If you are willing to mod the case a bit (do not get a lite compact) then http://shop.01media.com/brand.asp?ID=434 has some lite deluxes (probably the most desirable GBA flash cart give or take some people with an affinity for the EZ3 or some models of the M3) for about 60 USD before shipping.
The supercard.
Someone might occasionally find a firecard. I do not suggest this if you do not know what you are doing with regards to GBA flash cards -- it will be better than a 3 in 1 when used on a normal GBA but not by a lot.

On even rarer occasions someone will find a proper legacy GBA flash cart but that is getting less common and was hardly common three or four years ago let alone now.

The only reason anybody had supercards kicking around for longer is because they were not good at all compared to basically every other GBA flash cart that was not a supercard clone (team cyclops made a supercard clone at one point) or one of the very first GBA cards. Slowdowns, incompatibility, annoying save methods and more are what you face if you get a supercard where every other flash card will be near flawless and with a bit of simple patching made to be so. Indeed the only reasons people got supercards back when they were the thing to run DS roms from was that they were pretty good there, owing to their inferior GBA capabilities a tiny bit cheaper, had features (cheats and homebrew hit early there) and were updated quickly (they actually kept updating for DS compatibility quite late into 2009 where the EZ4 trailed off in April of that year).

Are the firecards bad? And what do you mean by proper legacy gba cart?

 

[FAST6191]

Bad.... they are not good and compared to a proper GBA flash cart and are not the best to use. However as they can be more or less used as a standalone GBA flash cart with compatibility up there with any of them (assuming you put the proper memory in then you can run just about every GBA game, the supercards did not and paid the price for this/needed to have speed patches all over the shop).

Legacy GBA flash cart. Basically another term for older GBA flash cart -- things like the EZ2 and EZ3 that were made with no other purpose in mind than to play GBA roms and GBA homebrew. They do it really well, they tend to have working cheat engines, they tend to have nice features like compression and fully sorted soft reset, they may have nice things like RTC, real time saves (RTS) and will often have patches inbuilt for everything else. The EZ4 by comparison plays GBA games and does it well but some of the other features mentioned will have to be taken care of with third party patches (not usually a great problem) though others like real time saves might not exist at all.

On the flip side those legacy things will usually be fairly fiddly, not work on anything post windows XP (you can use a VM though), be kind of limited in size (the EZ3 had an 8Gbit model at one point though that is rare as anything) and not have replaceable memory (you have what you have and if you start getting corrupt sectors then you have big problems -- if your microSD corrupts you buy another for *checks* £4 a hit if you are buying nice stuff, which you do not need to for the GBA).

 

[Prashant]

Thanks for the quick reply; but I still don't understand the alternatives.

the EZ 3 in 1 is only for DS, right? I don't have a DS, just GBA SP.

I saw some youtube videos with other carts, are they any good?
Some names I've come across:
Supercard MINI SD
Neo2-SD
M3 Perfect

This one : http://www.miniinthebox.com/serial-flash-cartridge-for-gameboy-gba-sp-gbm-nds-128m-_p78522.html

 

[FAST6191]

Every GBA cart save for the opera expansion pack will work in everything that plays a GBA. In some cases you might have to mod the case a bit to get it to work but in terms of pins and electronics it is all good.

The 3 in 1 has no options for a menu, no link port options and no cradle and as such you need a DS to manage it. You can flash a single game to its NOR with a DS and have it work on a GBA though. I should also mention some of the GBA era stuff needs the GBA serial port to work and it was removed for the DS. If you only have a GBA SP then that matters little.

The names you mention.
It is a supercard and thus not brilliant. I estimate at best it is around 80% of GBA games and that 20% that does not work includes some great games with the 80% not being flawless either. With a bit of patching on every other cart (assuming the game fits of course, more on that in a moment) then it is maybe 2 games that do not work (the organizer unlicensed cart thing and Legendz - Yomigaeru Shiren no Shima which had an addon that seems like it did things).

If you can find one of the old neoflash devices you might be doing OK actually -- they were largely rebadged GBA era things though the one you mention was one of the multi device flash carts I believe. The software was never great but fight your way through it and you should be able to a lot done.

If you can find an old M3 that plays GBA games properly you are doing better than everybody else on this forum, I have been on the lookout for one that is not hideously overpriced for years and have not found it. This was back when the EZ4 was cheap and easy to find. It is probably one of the best GBA carts ever made, they stopped making them years and years ago and most people that have one are holding on to it very tightly.

That link looks like a fire linker/fire card though I have not often seen that sticker for them (the software mentioned is the same though). I had not seen one of those for a while.
It is 16 megabytes in size where GBA games went up to 32 megabytes*, there are not many that are really good games among the 32 megs list but it does include Mother 3, Yggdra Union, pokemon mystery dungeon, Riviera - The Promised Land and the best game on the GBA in Kouchu Ouja - Mushi King**.


*as I was already searching one list from an old post of mine

Spoiler: List of all 256Mbit commercial GBA roms

2781 - Yggdra Union - We'll Never Fight Alone (Europe)
2770 - Harry Potter Collection (Europe)
2769 - The Legend of Spyro - The Eternal Night (Europe)
2748 - 4 Games on One Game Pak - GT Advance - GT Advance 2 - GT Advance 3 - Moto GP (USA)
2742 - The Legend of Spyro - The Eternal Night (USA)
2736 - 2 in 1 - Pferd & Pony - Mein Pferdehof + Lass Uns Reiten 2 (Germany)
2723 - 2 Games in 1 - Sonic Battle + ChuChu Rocket! (Europe)
2702 - GBA Video - Cartoon Network Collection - Edition Platinum (France)
2687 - 4 Games on One Game Pak - Nickelodeon (USA)
2649 - GBA Video - Yu-Gi-Oh! Yugi vs. Joey (France)
2648 - GBA Video - Turtles le Demenagement (France)
2647 - GBA Video - Cartoon Network Collection - Edition Speciale (France)
2642 - Strawberry Shortcake - Summertime Adventure - Special Edition (USA)
2637 - Shamu's Deep Sea Adventures (Europe)
2610 - Arthur and the Minimoys (Europe)
2603 - GBA Video - Cartoon Network Collection - Premium Edition (USA)
2589 - GBA Video - Nicktoons Volume 3 (USA)
2588 - My Animal Centre in Africa (Europe)
2575 - Lizzie McGuire 2 - Lizzie Diaries - Special Edition (USA)
2573 - Yggdra Union - We'll Never Fight Alone (USA)
2570 - Happy Feet (USA)
2564 - Happy Feet (Europe)
2558 - The Sims 2 - Pets (Europe)
2543 - The Sims 2 - Pets (USA)
2541 - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon - Red Rescue Team (Europe)
2526 - 2 in 1 GamePack - Spider-Man + Spider-Man 2 (USA)
2460 - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon - Red Rescue Team (USA)
2443 - Robots (Japan)
2424 - Yu-Gi-Oh! GX - Duel Academy (Europe)
2420 - Vecinos Invasores (Spain)
2410 - Yu-Gi-Oh! Double Pack (USA)
2395 - Crash & Spyro Superpack - Ripto's Rampage + The Cortex Conspiracy (USA)
2389 - Cinnamon Fuwafuwa Daisakusen (Japan)
2375 - Double Pack - Sonic Battle + Sonic Advance Plus (Japan)
2374 - Double Pack - Sonic Pinball Party + Sonic Battle (Japan)
2367 - GBA Video - Cartoon Network Collection - Edition Premium (France)
2351 - Mother 3 (Japan)
2341 - Crayon Shin chan - Densetsu wo Yobu Omake no Miyako Shockgaan (Japan)
2322 - Yggdra Union (Japan)
2320 - Yu-Gi-Oh! Ultimate Masters 2006 (Europe)
2317 - Yu-Gi-Oh! Ultimate Masters 2006 (USA)
2315 - Yu-Gi-Oh! Double Pack (Europe)
2299 - 2 Disney Games - Disney Sports Skateboarding + Football (Europe)
2296 - Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Expert 2006 (Japan)
2286 - Double Game - Cartoon Network Block Party + Speedway (Europe)
2277 - Yu-Gi-Oh! GX - Duel Academy (USA)
2249 - Summon Night Craft Sword Monogatari - Hajimari no Ishi (Japan)
2233 - Shamu's Deep Sea Adventures (USA)
2215 - Pokemon Fushigi no Dungeon - Aka no Kyuujotai (Japan)
2205 - 2 Games in 1 - Sonic Battle + Sonic Advance (Europe)
2204 - 2 Games in 1 - Sonic Pinball Party + Sonic Battle (Europe)
2200 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (USA)
2193 - Fire Emblem - The Sacred Stones (Europe)
2183 - The Sims 2 (USA)
2174 - Crash Superpack - N-Tranced + Nitro Kart (USA)
2164 - Crash & Spyro - Super Pack Volume 3 (Europe)
2160 - GBA Video - Cartoon Network Collection - Special Edition (USA)
2155 - Horse & Pony - Let`s Ride 2 (Europe)
2153 - Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Gx - Mezase Duel King! (Japan)
2099 - Wagamama - Fairy Milmo de Pon! DokiDoki Memorial (Japan)
2078 - 2 Games in 1 - Spider-Man + Spider-Man 2 (Europe)
2059 - Steel Empire (Europe)
2042 - Bleach Advance (Japan)
2018 - Riviera - The Promised Land (USA)
2012 - Kouchu Ouja - Mushi King (Japan)
1974 - GBA Video - Cartoon Network Collection - Limited Edition (USA)
1968 - Kingdom Hearts - Chain of Memories (Europe)
1967 - GBA Video - The Proud Family - Volume 1 (USA)
1948 - GBA Video - Super Robot Monkey Team - Volume 1 (USA)
1946 - GBA Video - Disney Channel Collection - Volume 1 (USA)
1945 - GBA Video - Cartoon Network Collection - Platinum Edition (USA)
1944 - GBA Video - SpongeBob SquarePants - Volume 3 (USA)
1926 - Maya The Bee - Sweet Gold (Europe)
1806 - Kingdom Hearts - Chain of Memories (USA)
1792 - Cinnamon - Yume no Daibouken (Japan)
1790 - The Urbz - Sims in the City (Japan)
1743 - Kingdom Hearts - Chain of Memories (Japan)
1738 - Pferd & Pony - Mein Pferdehof (Europe)
1735 - The Urbz - Sims in the City (USA)
1711 - Ochainuken Kururin (Japan)
1690 - GBA Video - Cartoon Network Collection - Volume 2 (USA)
1668 - GBA Video - Nicktoons Collection - Volume 2 (USA)
1665 - GBA Video - Pokemon - Volume 4 (USA)
1664 - GBA Video - Pokemon - Volume 3 (USA)
1632 - GBA Video - Dragon Ball GT - Volume 1 (USA)
1564 - GBA Video - Yu-Gi-Oh! - Yugi vs. Joey - Volume 1 (USA)
1560 - GBA Video - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Volume 1 (USA)
1546 - GBA Video - The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius - Volume 1 (USA)
1543 - GBA Video - Nicktoon's Collection - Volume 1 (USA)
1540 - GBA Video - Codename Kids Next Door - Volume 1 (USA)
1539 - GBA Video - Cartoon Network Collection - Volume 1 (USA)
1532 - GBA Video - Pokemon - Volume 1 (USA)
1531 - GBA Video - Pokemon - Volume 2 (USA)
1506 - GBA Video - All Grown Up - Volume 1 (USA)
1504 - GBA Video - The Fairly Odd Parents - Volume 1 (USA)
1497 - GBA Video - Strawberry Shortcake - Volume 1 (USA)
1489 - GBA Video - Sonic X - Volume 1 (USA)
1487 - GBA Video - Dora the Explorer - Volume 1 (USA)
1469 - GBA Video - The Fairly Odd Parents - Volume 2 (USA)
1468 - GBA Video - SpongeBob SquarePants - Volume 2 (USA)
1467 - GBA Video - SpongeBob SquarePants - Volume 1 (USA)
1456 - Tennis no Ouji-sama 2004 - Glorious Gold (Japan)
1455 - Tennis no Ouji-sama 2004 - Stylish Silver (Japan)
1408 - Mermaid Melody - Pichi Pichi Picchi Pichi Pichitto Live Start (Japan)
1330 - Minna no Ouji-sama (Japan)

The GBA videos were never that well liked, most double packs were double packs and individual games were smaller, most games you see only with European versions in 256 territory had US versions (with English) at 128 Mbit and many of those games are terrible cash in games right up until the last few tens of releases and indeed only released in the last couple of years of the GBA "lifetime" (way after all the old flash carts people now seek out were first made).

**it is not really the best GBA game, it is probably not even really the best fighting beetles game for the GBA.

On reduced GBA carts as I did not mention it before and you might find one still (certainly that shop01 link from earlier still has one or two of the EZ4 lite compact). Before DS slot flash carts took off (and for some time after) there were GBA slot devices that also played DS games. As these were quite expensive, especially compared to the DS slot stuff, the teams made ones without much GBA capability and at best it ended up with just small GBA ROM images (about 4 megs worth) being able to be loaded.
The ones that matter are
The EZ4 lite compact
The Supercard rumble. Again though all supercards have sub par GBA capabilities.
The M3 Lite Professional.

The very short version is you are now several years too late to the GBA flash cart party. Entrance has been difficult for years and as of the last few months it has only got far worse and does not look to be getting any better.
A few people, including myself, have looked at making GBA carts or reverse engineering the existing ones but to do it at the level where it would compare to the likes of the EZ4 is actually really quite hard. Still if you want to read up then http://www.ziegler.desaign.de/GBA/gba.htm#homebrew flash cart is a good start.

Edit if we are throwing links around I might as well add
http://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/Category:NDS_Slot-2_Carts
http://www.gameboy-advance.net/
and
http://wiki.pocketheaven.com/index.php?title=Category:GBA_Flash_Cards
to the list. Between them they cover pretty much all the GBA carts that ever mattered. Again though you will be lucky to find one.

 

[Darkipod]

Thanks for the quick reply; but I still don't understand the alternatives.

the EZ 3 in 1 is only for DS, right? I don't have a DS, just GBA SP.

I saw some youtube videos with other carts, are they any good?
Some names I've come across:
Supercard MINI SD
Neo2-SD
M3 Perfect

This one : http://www.miniinthebox.com/serial-flash-cartridge-for-gameboy-gba-sp-gbm-nds-128m-_p78522.html

The EZ 3in1 can be used to flash one ROM at a time if you have a DS. The DS will be like a computer, The SuperCards are considered poor because of how slow they are. I have heard bad things about saves with the Neo2, and all Neo products. And You will be really hard pressed to find ANY M3 stuff.

 

[Prashant]

So at this moment, my options are really slim to none at finding any flash multicarts for the gba. Even if I up the budget to let's say 50USD.

 

[FAST6191]

Someone did mention they got an original EZ4 from a site I have never heard of for just shy of 50 USD earlier (you will need a miniSD on top of that) today, likewise that shop.01 link from earlier is 60 USD before shipping (no idea what shipping will be if your flag is accurate) for an EZ4 lite deluxe.

 

[soulrazor]

to portugal it minimum would be 63,98€ close to 85$ so must be something on those values

 

[Prashant]

Thanks for the helpful replies.

I think I will change the console... that is buy a Nintendo DS and then a flash cart for it to enjoy all the GB/A/C games.

Which Nintendo system would you recommend for this? DS, DS Lite, DSi, DS XL?
And which flash cart should I purchase? EZ 3 in 1?

 

[Rydian]

Only the DS and the DS Lite have a GBA slot. The DSi, DSi XL, 3DS, and 3DS XL do not have a GBA slot.

 

[Prashant]

No, I didn't mean DS with having GBA slot.
Let it not have a GBA slot... but one which can have multicart with GBA games.

 

[soulrazor]

Then any ds/dsi/3ds usin dstwo with TempGba emulator

 

[Rydian]

No, I didn't mean DS with having GBA slot.
Let it not have a GBA slot... but one which can have multicart with GBA games.

If it doesn't have a GBA slot, then it can't natively run GBA games. This means you'll need to use an emulator, and most emulation on the DS series is pretty crappy. As far as GBA goes, the best option is the DSTwo flash cart's emulator. It's not perfect, but it's the best you can get on the DS.

 

[zfreeman]

Supercard MINI SD http://www.eachmall.me/goods-7999.html

The lag is usually not that bad. It does get pretty bad when multiplayer is used at times in games like Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.

 

[Kouen Hasuki]

Supercard MINI SD http://www.eachmall.me/goods-7999.html

The lag is usually not that bad. It does get pretty bad when multiplayer is used at times in games like Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.

Tried one of those before they are awful

 

[Count Duckula]

Tried one of those before they are awful

Yep, the supercard SD and MiniSD (only ones I've used myself) are horrible, the lag is very noticeable in just about every game with scrolling. Avoid.

 

[Darkipod]

Yep, the supercard SD and MiniSD (only ones I've used myself) are horrible, the lag is very noticeable in just about every game with scrolling. Avoid.

Are they even bad with pokemon?

 

[Kouen Hasuki]

Are they even bad with pokemon?

Wouldn't be shocked if it was bad even with that given it scrolls in the world