Hacking GBA Flashcard

[shawty00]

I am planning on getting either a Gameboy SP or Micro, so I was looking into getting a flashcard for one of them. Which is the best and why?

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

EZ Flash IV, It is not a matter of what to buy, but as a matter of whats left to buy. Your other option is the M3 perfect from ishopvideogames.


RHS (USA):
http://www.realhotstuff.com/-c-124_58_109.html

DX (Hong Kong):
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.22019

 

[plaig]

I've been a lurker on this forum for years, but this is my first time posting.

First, I love GBA, but I've never had a card setup that worked perfectly (or at least close).

I have an M3 DS Real with the Expansion Card (perfect bundle) that I got in early 2007. At first, it was awesome. Later, in 2008, I tried to replace the battery in the slot 2 expansion card thing, as I was having big-time issues with saving any GBA games, but I ended up breaking it because apparently they felt it necessary to solder it right to the stupid board.

More recently, I made the mistake of purchasing a Supercard SD from Kickgaming as a desperate last-ditch attempt to play GBA games only to find out it has slowdown issues with some games, namely F-Zero Climax and the like (actually, I couldn't even get it to boot). All I wanted was a system that worked flawlessly with all of my games and held saves. Very simple, one would think. I've been hearing reports that the EZ 3-in-1 is ok, too, and fine for my current setup, but I'm a bit skeptical about it saving properly; the batteries might start going dead and they would need replacements (at least it's possible to do with those, haha), too.

Instead of messing with all of that, I took your recommendation to try the EZ-Flash IV. It seems to be the best card left, as it is compatible with GBA systems, too, which is critical for multiplayer (and someday I might get into that since there are three awesome F-Zero games on GBA).

So basically, thanks for the helpful links! I purchased the EZ-Flash IV today. I hope it doesn't have all the issues that this Supercard SD seems to have. I actually thought about buying four of them in case I ever get my hands on some cheap GBA units...but I'll wait to see how this one works first.

One final question, though: does the EZ Flash IV have a battery in it to manage savers (not RT Save, I don't use that as it always seems to get corrupt somehow)? If so, would it be easy to replace, too, down the road? I want longevity in this hardware, as I want to be able to play these games for like ten years at least. =)

Again - thanks!

 

[how_do_i_do_that]

It has a battery to keep your save until reboot, then it just autodumps your save to file.

You will need the EZ4 Client software here, it will allow you to patch and add cheats to any game you need:EZ4 Client

It is 25 bucks at DX, thats as cheap as your gonna get right now for something with no RTC (Real Time Clock).


10 years? start learning how to solder, your gonna replace the batter at least twice in 10 years if not 3 times.

 

[Kalisiin]

Never had anything but the Supercard.
Once you learn how to use it, the Supercard is pretty good. but I might look into a Flash-IV as well. Just for something different to compare with. Because you can't seem to find an M3 out there, not for any price, anymore.

The thing with any available GBA card is...they don't work straight out of the box. You have to patch your ROMs thru a patching program...and not all of them work with all ROMs.

Personally, I have no real problem with my Supercard. It works, and that is the important thing.

I think you will find it just comes down to a matter of taste, and what someone is used to using...what they will recommend for a GBA flashcart. I like that the Supercard has emulators built in...and so, with all but .gba ROMs....you CAN just drag and drop them on the card, and they will usually work.

Don't know if that is the case with the Flash IV.

 

[DanTheManMS]

The emulators that are built into the Supercard firmware are so ancient that not having them built-in would actually be a benefit since it would force users to grab the updated versions. Goomba Color in particular is much better in its current state than it was back in Alpha 6, which is the version the SC has built-in.

 

[Kalisiin]

The emulators that are built into the Supercard firmware are so ancient that not having them built-in would actually be a benefit since it would force users to grab the updated versions. Goomba Color in particular is much better in its current state than it was back in Alpha 6, which is the version the SC has built-in.

Even if you put the updated Emulators on the system, the point still is, that, for all but .gba files, you can just drag 'em and drop 'em. Only .gba files have to be run thru the patching software for the Supercard.

and there's no reason you can't put the more recent emulators on the Supercard. That said, I don't seem to have any real problem with the built-in emulators. I honestly don't see any real difference or improvement.

P.S. Then again, I play all old-school games where, usually speed isn't all that important. These whiz-bang top speed complicated games that today's youth play....well, I have no real interest in them, they are too complicated for one thing...and for another most of them either

A- have plots/objectives that honestly offend the hell out of me, like GTA, or
B - are stupidly themed after dumbass movies or "celebrities" that I could give a rat's ass about.