Hardware Help me buy right devices for my needs.

[Glutonid]

Hello. It's almost 2017 and I'm finally bored with my GBA, it's time to invest money in some more advanced technology. I'm thinking of buying a DS or 3DS, I'm just not sure what would suit my needs the best and if buying a 3DS would be a waste of money for me, since I'm not really interested in playing games from 3DS library. All I need is a handheld console and flashcart that would be able to:
1)Allow me to play NDS roms from the SDHC card.
2)Emulate NES, SNES, GB/GBC/GBA. N64 would be cool but not obligatory.
3)Have decent battery life time.
Wat do?

 

[Mikemk]

Well, a DS Lite can emulate all but the SNES. With a DS2, you can also emulate SNES roms.

A 3DS gets a much smoother experience in SNES emulation.

The PSP can emulate N64, but not NDS.

 

[dimmidice]

Supposedly 3DS will be able to run DS games from the SD card. But it's still being worked on. It can emulate NES, SNES, GB/GBC/GBA. If i were you i'd get a 3DS, then hack it using this guide https://github.com/Plailect/Guide/wiki. Then perhaps get a flashcard for DS games or wait til that project is finished.

 

[Glutonid]

Getting familiar with the NDS library is the main reason I want to do this, so PSP is not for me apparently. I'd buy a 3DS, I'm just a little confused with flashcarts, software and all that stuff. As far as I know Nintendo put a lot of work into securing 3DS and making it hard to run stuff from flash carts, right? I'm just a little scared that I'll buy something that's not fully functional.

 

[Mikemk]

If you get the 3DS, make sure it's on an exploitable firmware.

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Use the r4i Gold or DS2 flashcart and you'll be fine. I'm going to recommend the ds lite+DS2 for you. Add an ez flash 3in1 if you want to natively play GBA roms on it.

 

[dimmidice]

Getting familiar with the NDS library is the main reason I want to do this, so PSP is not for me apparently. I'd buy a 3DS, I'm just a little confused with flashcarts, software and all that stuff. As far as I know Nintendo put a lot of work into securing 3DS and making it hard to run stuff from flash carts, right? I'm just a little scared that I'll buy something that's not fully functional.

You can get any DS flashcart working on 3DS if you follow that guide i linked and then there's homebrew CIAs to unlock flashcarts and a lot of other stuff. Do NOT get a 3DS flashcard. Absolute waste of money plus it might not even work. If you have questions and want to ask them in a chat. https://discord.gg/MWxPgEp is an excellent 3DS chat.

 

[Mikemk]

Do NOT get a 3DS flashcard. Absolute waste of money plus it might not even work.

Not really, the r4i gold 3ds is about $2-3 more than older flashcarts, and the website is still up such that you're actually able to download the kernel and use it.

 

[dimmidice]

Not really, the r4i gold 3ds is about $2-3 more than older flashcarts, and the website is still up such that you're actually able to download the kernel and use it.

Yes really. Support for that card ended end of 2013 ffs. And does it even work on the latest firmwares? Even if it does CIAs are free. His primary concern is playing DS games anyway, So a DS card is easier to set up and easier to use. getting a 3DS card which are more complicated to set up and which (can) conflict with other 3DS hacks would be very silly.

 

[evandixon]

Not really, the r4i gold 3ds is about $2-3 more than older flashcarts, and the website is still up such that you're actually able to download the kernel and use it.

Yes really. Support for that card ended end of 2013 ffs. And does it even work on the latest firmwares? Even if it does CIAs are free. His primary concern is playing DS games anyway, So a DS card is easier to set up and easier to use. getting a 3DS card which are more complicated to set up and which (can) conflict with other 3DS hacks would be very silly.

Pretty sure the R4i Gold is a DS flashcard that can run on the 3DS. Big difference.

 

[Mikemk]

And does it even work on the latest firmwares?

Yes

Even if it does CIAs are free.

Relevant how? DS ROMs need a flashcart.

His primary concern is playing DS games anyway, So a DS card is easier to set up and easier to use. getting a 3DS card which are more complicated to set up and which (can) conflict with other 3DS hacks would be very silly.

It is a DS mode card. It is easy to use. You copy the kernel files (Which is needed on all flashcarts), copy your ROMs (again, needed on all flashcarts), stick the microSD in the flashcart, plug it in, and play. No different than any other.
And the hacks you mention for running Gateway (not needed for Sky3DS) are also needed for patching the whitelist. Why would I even suggest a 3DS mode flashcart for DS roms when they can't run DS roms?

It's $9 on the first listed reseller, so you're really not paying extra for it. And you are getting the convenience of not having to find copies of kernels from websites that no longer exist.

Yes really. Support for that card ended end of 2013 ffs.

Nintendo hasn't blocked a DS mode flashcart since 2013, there's been no need to work around a block that hasn't happened.

Do NOT get a 3DS flashcard. Absolute waste of money plus it might not even work.

Again, $9.

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Pretty sure the R4i Gold is a DS flashcard that can run on the 3DS. Big difference.

Which should be self-evident if you look one inch below this word.

 

[dimmidice]

Wall of text

So it's a DS flashcard. Why did you then quote my post about 3DS flashcards? If it's just a DS flashcart of course it'll work just fine. I'd recommend a DSTwo myself though.

Pretty sure the R4i Gold is a DS flashcard that can run on the 3DS. Big difference.

Any DS flashcard can run on the (homebrewed) 3DS just FYI.

 

[Mikemk]

If it's just a DS flashcart of course it'll work just fine. I'd recommend a DSTwo myself though.

The DS2's main advantage is GBA and SNES emulation, which is unneeded because the 3DS' VC is much smoother. Much better battery life though if you don't use the extra CPU, but it's questionable whether that's worth $31 extra.

So it's a DS flashcard. Why did you then quote my post about 3DS flashcards?

I thought you meant the flashcarts which advertise compatibility with the 3DS, such as "r4i Gold 3DS" which has 3DS in the name.

And, are you trying to annoy me by using flashcard and flashcart in the same block of text? Hint: t is correct.

 

[dimmidice]

The DS2's main advantage is GBA and SNES emulation, which is unneeded because the 3DS' VC is much smoother. Much better battery life though if you don't use the extra CPU, but it's questionable whether that's worth $31 extra.


I thought you meant the flashcarts which advertise compatibility with the 3DS, such as "r4i Gold 3DS" which has 3DS in the name.

And, are you trying to annoy me by using flashcard and flashcart in the same block of text? Hint: t is correct.

Nope, since DS flashcarts work on 3DS naming your card "3DS" is just downright stupid. Also r4i Gold 3DS Deluxe flashcard apparently is for 3DS roms. Talk about a confusing naming system.

Also both flashcard and flashcart are used. just FYI. Googling "flashcard 3ds" and "flashcart 3ds" makes that very obvious. Hell Flashcart has less results actually.

 

[Glutonid]

The DS2's main advantage is GBA and SNES emulation, which is unneeded because the 3DS' VC is much smoother.

Isn't the amount of games playable via VC very limited?