Super Card SD & Super Pass 2 Review

Introduction

I would like to thank KickTrading for supplying both the Super Card and Super Pass. The products were reviewed on a US Mario Kart Hot Rod Red DS. This review will be covering the Super Pass 2 and the Super Card SD from a simple, DS rom perspective. If you just want to get your stuff setup so that you can play DS games, just be sure to read this review and follow the rules. Other superfluous uses of the Super Card, like image viewers or movie viewers, can be found in other reviews.

Super Pass 2

The Super Pass 2 looks like some of the other passes around. It looks to be made of cheap plastic and held together by glue. There is a slot for the real DS game, a switch that has to be pulled down in order to flash the Super Pass, and a cool Star Wars sticker. In order to flash the Super Pass, you need to plug the programmer into the LPT port on your computer as well as plug in the USB cable. After this is accomplished, you plug your Super Pass into the programmer. Make sure both are pushed in all the way because my programmer was a tight fit on my LPT port, and the Super Pass was a tight fit in the programmer. Also make sure that the switch on the side of the Super Pass is pulled down towards the middle.
After you hook both up to your computer, run the Super Pass software. Have the software check to make sure that it can find your Super Pass. If the Super Pass is recognized, its now as simple as choosing the corresponding code for the real DS cart. Once you select the right code, simply hit the Program button and it should flash within a few seconds. Once the Super Pass is properly flashed, make sure to push the switch back up to the top. Insert the real DS game into your Super Pass and set it aside until you get your Super Card set up.

Quick Instructions

1. Plug your programmer into both the LPT port and USB port on the back of your computer.
2. Push the switch on the side of your Super Pass down towards the middle.
3. Put the Super Pass into the programmer.
4. Run the Super Pass software.
5. Choose the code that corresponds to the real DS game you are going to be using.
6. Hit the “Program” button and if your Super Pass is properly installed, it will be flashed within a few seconds.
7. If the error window pops up, make sure that all your stuff is connected properly. Some computers need to be tweaked in order for the programmer to be recognized.
8. Once you do get your Super Pass properly flashed, move the switch back up and put the real DS game into the Super Pass. Now set them aside until you get your Super Card set up.

Pros:

• Super Pass software comes with the JED, .gba file, and .sav file needed.
• Allows your DS to sit flat.
• Has a cool Star Wars sticker.

Cons:

• Made of cheap plastic and held together with glue.
• Switch is fragile and breaks rather easily.
• Super Pass and programmer fit really tight.
• Programmer has trouble being recognized by some computers.
• When pulling the Super Pass out of your DS, it sounds like you are bending the connectors inside of your DS.

Overall Score:
6.5/10

If you get the Super Pass, I highly recommend flashing your DS on the first use because the sounds the Super Pass makes when removing it from your DS made me and others leery. If you don’t want to flash your DS, I suggest you get a different bypass device.

Super Card SD

The Super Card itself is made of transparent blue plastic and is held together with screws. It also has the same Star Wars sticker as the Super Pass. The Super Card fit inside my DS rather tightly and makes it a pain to take out at times. One of the downsides of the SD version of the Super Card is that you have to remove the whole apparatus in order to take the SD card out. With my Super Card atleast, the distance the Super Card is pushed into the DS in rather touchy. If I push mine in all the way, the DS doesn’t recognize the cart so I have to push it in only the majority of the way.

While the Super Card has other applications that can be used on it, I’ll only be dealing with the rom aspect. From what I’ve read, the GBA rom compatibility leaves something to be desired, so I really wouldn’t recommend this for GBA use at the moment although the Super Card people are constantly updating their GBA Patch. Almost all of the DS roms work with the Super Card, but some have problems that prevent them from fully working with it. One of the downsides of the Super Card is that it can only read SD cards that have been formatted as FAT, not FAT32. This is a pain for people like me who would like to be able to use the SD card in both my camera and Super Card without having to format each time between the devices.

In order to get commercial roms onto your Super Card, you first have to run them through the Super Card software. Once you add all the games you want inside of the software, you output the files into a folder you designate. You then just copy the outputted files onto your SD card. All homebrew roms should not be run through the Super Card software, they should be put directly onto the SD card. On your first use of the Super Card, you should update the kernel. I did this by running the updated kernel software through the Super Card software and then booting into DS mode. You then just run the file and once it says its done updating, you are good to go.

Quick Instructions

1. Download and install the newest Super Card software.
2. If needed, download the newest kernel file.
3. Format your SD card with FAT, not FAT32, formatting.
4. Copy the .gba and .sav file from the Super Pass folder (the folder that you installed the Super Pass software into) directly onto your SD card.
5. Run the Super Card software and “Add” whatever roms you want.
6. Output the files into the output folder and then copy them over onto your SD card.
7. When you are done loading the files onto your SD card, stick the SD card into your Super Card.
8. Stick your Super Card into the GBA slot on your DS and power up.
9. Once your DS is on, go into GBA mode (if it didn’t automatically) and run the .gba file.
10. Once your screen says “SRAM Written”, stick in the Super Pass 2 that already has the DS game in it and then power off and then on quickly.
11. If you are having problems doing Step 10 quick enough, stick your Super Pass into your DS slot halfway so that you only have to push it down a little when the time comes.
12. If you get the pass to work, you will go straight to the Super Card menu once your DS powers up.

Pros:

• Super Card is held together with screws, not just glue.
• The transparent blue looks kind cool.
• Doesn’t stick out too far past your DS.
• Had good DS rom compatibility.
• Has a cool Star Wars sticker.

Cons:

• You have to take the Super Card out in order to access your SD card.
• My Super Card fits a little too tight in my GBA slot making it hard to put in and take out.
• The distance you push in the Super Card is a bit touchy and sometimes takes a few tries to get your DS to recognize it.
• Currently has lower than desired GBA rom compatibility.

Overall Score:
8.5/10

The Super Card is a nice flash cart, but it has its drawbacks. The limited GBA compatibility and hard to access SD slot may turn some people off. The Super Card is a nice low price alternative is you just want something to play your DS games.

Links:
You can buy the SuperCard and SuperPass at SHOP.01media.com - just click here.
You can buy the SuperCard and SuperPass at Kicktrading - just click here.





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