nds-bootstrap:

Thanks to the work of ahezard, Gericom, Apache, Robz8, _catcatcat, and shutterbug2000 and other contributors, we can now load NDS games from the SD card, without any flashcard/SLOT-1 card.

Don't expect high compatibility, but do expect many, many updates.

Compatibility listing:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LRTkXOUXraTMjg1eedz_f7b5jiuyMv2x6e_jY_nyHSc/edit#gid=0

The official Discord server for nds-bootstrap:
https://discordapp.com/invite/7bxTQfZ

The thread for the recommended loader (by Robz8):
https://gbatemp.net/threads/twloader-ctr-mode-nds-app.448375/

SRLoader for softmodded DSis (by Robz8):
https://gbatemp.net/threads/srloader-nds-app-for-dsi.472200/

If you're more of a forwarder person:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/nds-forwarder-cias-for-your-home-menu.426174/

Link to the releases page:
https://github.com/ahezard/nds-bootstrap/releases

Anti-Piracy patch list by Robz8
https://gbatemp.net/threads/ap-patch-preservation.477536/

Also, thank you to our testers:
Historian
JoshuaDoes
thejsa
Alerdy
PokeAcer

Spoiler: Videos

Also, a video thanks to Robz8:


And another thanks to Alerdy:

 

[RocketRobz]

Just to be sure, what do you have to do to reinstall the TWLNandside.cia? Is it ok to just go to it and click install it again after updating to the latest unofficial through TWLoader or should I delete it first then reinstall it?

Just install it again.

 

[TheNative]

Can I use this homebrew to launch an old r4 for nds

 

[RocketRobz]

Can I use this homebrew to launch an old r4 for nds

No. This runs roms on the 3DS system's SD Card.

 

[lordkaos]

Can I use this homebrew to launch an old r4 for nds

use twloader for that:

https://gbatemp.net/threads/twloader-ctr-mode-nds-app.448375/

 

[SlimPortable]

Just install it again.

Cool thanks! Yugioh Nightmare Troubadour boots up now but it's stuck at the title screen because it plays the intro too slowly. Awesome to see the progress this project is having though!

 

[NightScript]

Cool thanks! Yugioh Nightmare Troubadour boots up now but it's stuck at the title screen because it plays the intro too slowly. Awesome to see the progress this project is having though!

Try installing the latest release of nds-bootstrap. Just go into settings and press the X button...

 

[SlimPortable]

Try installing the latest release of nds-bootstrap. Just go into settings and press the X button...

I'm on the latest unofficial release. Before it wouldn't boot at all. It would just white screen. Now it can at least get to the intro.

 

[NightScript]

I'm just curious, what release made Super Mario 64 work past Bomb-omb Battlefield?

 

[RocketRobz]

I'm just curious, what release made Super Mario 64 work past Bomb-omb Battlefield?

Improvements to the card read code, I believe.

 

[NightScript]

Improvements to the card read code, I believe.

https://github.com/ahezard/nds-bootstrap/releases/tag/V0.1.0

So this one is the minimum version required?

 

[RocketRobz]

https://github.com/ahezard/nds-bootstrap/releases/tag/V0.1.0

So this one is the minimum version required?

Nope. Use the latest version.

 

[NightScript]

Nope. Use the latest version.

So, anything before 0.3.0 will not work? Got it. Well, time to start debugging the hell out of SM64DS...

Thanks...

BTW: I'm actually doing this for debugging purposes...

 

[Damin72]

I don't know why, but Ace Attorney 3 work good... before first dialog. After - lags with text... But sprites works good.

 

[Bedel]

I don't know why, but Ace Attorney 3 work good... before first dialog. After - lags with text... But sprites works good.

Afaik this is because the text is readed from the ROM directly, so that's why it's so slow, but I'm not really sure.

 

[pikatsu]

Is it possible in the future to make this ndsbootstrap-twl loader thing to work with unpacked nds roms? I think unpacked games should run faster if that was possible

 

[metroid maniac]

Is it possible in the future to make this ndsbootstrap-twl loader thing to work with unpacked nds roms? I think unpacked games should run faster if that was possible

You're making that up.

 

[Giodude]

Is it possible in the future to make this ndsbootstrap-twl loader thing to work with unpacked nds roms? I think unpacked games should run faster if that was possible

As shown on the wii u with loadiine, and the 3ds with saltysd, unpacking a rom greatly increases the loading times and all around slows down the game.

 

[TheArcadeStriker]

Namco Museum DS and Konami Classics Series Arcade hits both give failed to read save data errors when they load in both official and unofficial bootstraps.

Odd. Namco Museum DS works perfectly for me, even it did before in 0.2.0 and does in the latest unofficial commit.
I don't even patched it with MCM, it just seems to run fine (though IDK if it saves)
You tried removing the cart from the slot-1?

 

[shinyrocara98]

Did work Animal Crossing Wild World?

 

[bakawun]

Is it possible in the future to make this ndsbootstrap-twl loader thing to work with unpacked nds roms? I think unpacked games should run faster if that was possible

You're making that up.

As shown on the wii u with loadiine, and the 3ds with saltysd, unpacking a rom greatly increases the loading times and all around slows down the game.

Yeah i think the opposite is actually true. /IF/ we have enough cpu cycles available, compressing the data may actually lead to faster loading times.
there is a delicate balance between i/o speed and decompression overhead.

Maybe @ahezard can toy around with the idea of something like a tiny zram

Based on the various reports here i also think there is a noticable difference in SD card speeds and maybe even o3ds vs n3ds