Homebrew Is possible to make a flashcart for the switch?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ankris

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
8
Trophies
0
Age
21
XP
51
Country
Spain
I have a modified switch and I was thinking to make a r4-like cart for loading games, but I have read they have implemented a lot of security things on it. Can someone explain how.it checks the cartridge? I have a hardware made for it but I need to make the switch read it
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bramzs77

Ankris

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
8
Trophies
0
Age
21
XP
51
Country
Spain
I know. I'm on it but for trying code it first needs to be detected and allowed by the switch. Because of that I need to know how works the cartridge verification on it.
 

FAST6191

Techromancer
Editorial Team
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Messages
36,795
Trophies
5
XP
28,529
Country
United Kingdom
So you want something like the Sky3ds or 360 DVD stuff where only 1:1 copies of original games in region if that is a thing for the device in question get loaded (no cheats, ROM hacks, region free, downloadable games...) but presumably working on an otherwise stock device? Or would you settle for modifying the firmware as well such that the cart could function as basically just another storage method like the USB and SD methods available already (but having whatever the current requirements are to get a custom firmware going on)?

Personally I would develop the latter first and then see about figuring out if you could fake whatever full set of read protocols, encryption and additional data (don't know if Switch games are like the 3ds and some DS stuff in having a unique header/signature somewhere in it all that could be used for authentication/duplicate detection) that might be needed, and implementing a means of switching as you would presumably not have a software means of doing it*.

*technically the 360 drive emulators also presented a USB full of pictures that it controlled, you select the picture of the game you want to play with the 360's in menu picture viewer and the drive emulator dutifully loads the disc image. Whether you could or would want to do that here I don't know.

Afraid I don't have any real technical info on the Switch like I might have for now older devices. I would probably look first at whatever open source custom firmwares have in this regard (though likely minimal as most other checks probably happen in the menu)
https://switchbrew.org/wiki/Lotus3 and https://switchbrew.org/wiki/Gamecard appear to have a few things, though probably not enough to even attempt the modded firmware approach noted above.
 

Deleted member 194275

Edson Arantes do Nascimento
Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Messages
2,685
Trophies
2
XP
4,351
For vita, we have that that you insert on game slot: https://pt.aliexpress.com/i/32964601296.html

Unless anything changed since I last used, It is by any means a flash card like R4, it just add regular storage to a modded PS Vita. For Vita it is a big deal, as the only storage options are a rare and expansive proprietary card, but for switch I don't know if it would get the same appeal.

I think what you meant (and I think what would be more useful) is a gamecard that is re writable (or accept a SD-Card) to play games on not modded consoles, and I dont believe it is coming, not because is impossible software-wise but because Nintendo is who produce the gamecarts for every single game (I think it is the only component that they make in Japan). I don't believe that the machinery to do those carts exists elsewhere, so an individual interesting in producing a R4-Switch would have to face the costs of reverse engineering the machinery and the carts, to then mod it in a way that it still is functional. It is doable, but seems not viable.
 

Ankris

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
8
Trophies
0
Age
21
XP
51
Country
Spain
Like @fastamx79 said Im going to use the first idea. But like the 3ds r4 it should emulate a normal cart in the console side. But I dunno how to do it.thanks everyone. I'm going to read all the links there.
 

Deleted member 514389

GBA Connoisseur
Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2019
Messages
509
Trophies
0
Location
the toolshed
Website
f.ls
XP
753
Country
Germany
No, as the gamecard reader's security (it even has its own FW-updates) are way to hard to bypass if your name isn't NINTENDO.

Sigpatches are the only *real* way...
Otherwise: nope.

EDIT:
Someone should really make a sticky post on "y u no switchflash cardz pl0x ?"
There are other threads alredy.

TL;DR: Nope. Impossible aaand: Nope.
 

Kopimist

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2019
Messages
357
Trophies
0
Age
37
XP
1,005
Country
United States
While I don't own a Switch so i'm not up and up on the security end of things with it (outside of following the scene a bit out of interest), I imagine, developing a flashcart would be fruitless, as Nintendo would likely find a way to block it with an update even if you found a way to get it to boot etc. I mean maybe if the flashcart has its own upgradable firmware you could play a game of cat and mouse and release new updates every time Nintendo does to keep it functional, but that seems like an awful lot of work when CFW already exists that readily available. Not trying ti discourage you in anyway just giving my 2 cents.

Would it be cool to see a flashcart on the Switch? yes of course it would be, would it be worth all the effort though when there's already solutions readily available (although on newer consoles, soldering is required but still)? Idk.
 

Ankris

Member
OP
Newcomer
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
8
Trophies
0
Age
21
XP
51
Country
Spain
and would be possible launch a dongle from the cart slot in rcm mode? it would be easier to carry, and i can launch sx os or anything from it without having literally a block of circuits connected to the charge port
 

Draxzelex

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2017
Messages
19,214
Trophies
2
Age
30
Location
New York City
XP
13,940
Country
United States
First off, "RCM Mode" is redundant as RCM stands for Recovery Mode. Secondly, the console only reads from the USB port in RCM; nothing is read from the cartridge slot until the operating system, Horizon, is initialized.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    @NinStar, Depends on what you want to use. It's definitely great that I can hold handheld consoles in a comfortable way, the DSi and Gameboy Pocket are the perfect size, never had a micro though so idk. It's a pain though on other stuff like finding a comfortable mouses, there are good mouses on the small side like the Razer Orochi v2 or the Logitech g305 and the Fantech Aria XD7 which are a bit bigger but you have to make a good deal of researches to find them, and they're not the standard anyway. The expensive, competitive mouses are all way too big for my hands so I don't really have any choice if I want to buy more premium mouses for esports or things like that
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    Damn I wrote an essay there
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    Kinda hard to find a fitting MMO mouse too
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    @_Ruri_, You should make a blog entry about it. :D
    +1
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    Bring back 3d to phone people will love flip phones again
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    @SylverReZ, Yeah, the thought came to me too lol. I like writing but I never got into making reviews, blog entries and similar stuff. Maybe I could try in the future.
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    Apple DS sued by Nintendo
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    @NinStar, Depends on what is comfortable and right for you. For me, my hands are not the manliest in the world (haha) they're quite small. What comes to mind in terms of handhelds, the most comfortable has to be the 2DS. Not only does the corners not dig into your palms but it's probably my favourite in terms of ergonomics. The buttons are made out of a soft plastic, not too mushy to press, a huge advantage over the 3DS. Doesn't feel too bulky and it could be compared to the DS Lite.
  • D @ DemiV:
    when the xbox series was launching, phil spencer or someone else there did say that targeting smaller hands improved the ergonomics of the controller for more people.
  • D @ DemiV:
    that's phil, though. the guy is always targeting small hands,
    can't go within 500ft of a school.
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    @SylverReZ, The 2ds is definitely the one people find the most comfortable lol. People with big hands love it and it looks like people with smaller hands love it too. I find holding the normal DS/3DS consoles more comfortable and I prefer their build quality. The 2DS looks smaller when you hold it because you hold onto the whole console, not just the bottom, but it's actually the right size. The problem I have with it though is that the screen is a bit too small and holding the entire console while looking at a just few small screens makes it a bit less practical imho.
    +1
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    @DemiV, Huh, he definitely made a good job, it's the perfect controller to hold for my hands. A bit on the heavier side though.
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    Wouldn't a ps controller be more comfortable for small hands
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    @K3Nv3, Hmm, it would be but the thumb stick is way too far and I have to stretch my finger to reach it and it's a bit uncomfortable
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    Xbox stick is in the perfect location though and this basically sold be the entire controller
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    Compared to the og Duke controller
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    Wait I was talking about modern controllers lol, never tried the og but I'm curious to see how big it'd be in my hands lol
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    Even DS4 shouldn't be that far apart
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    Original PS controller (both with or without sticks) is absolute perfection
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    I don't think I'll ever find a more perfect controller to hold
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    DS3 triggers were garbage
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    Never had a PS3
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    Doesn't look much different from the PS2 controller at least in pictures
  • _Ruri_ @ _Ruri_:
    Aside from a few buttons
  • K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3:
    They had a spring back function that always felt too slippery
    K3Nv3 @ K3Nv3: They had a spring back function that always felt too slippery