NDS Flashcart FAQ

[junalorca]

This will serve as a guide for new DS users on which flashcart you should use... if you got any flashcart related problem, you may post it here. Hope it helps!

Please dont update your DSi/XL to 1.4.3 (latest) as some flashcarts were blocked by these updates

What is an "NDS flashcart"?

Flashcarts are used to play NDS roms and homebrews... think of it as a custom firmware of a psp so that it could play isos/homebrews. The good thing about "most" flashcarts, it doesn't brick the unit as the firmware is on the flashcart, not on the NDS itself.

List of good flashcarts:

Supercard DS two

The Supercard DSTWO, with its beautiful Evolution (EOS) operating system and a powerful on-board processor offers unique and exciting features that you won't find anywhere else. Features such as full GBA emulation, a powerful new GUI, a real-time guide, an integrated auto-patch database, as well as being one of the few flash carts that allows users to upgrade the core firmware. If you're in the market for a sleek and feature-rich flash cart for the Nintendo DS, DS Lite, DSi or DSi XL, the Supercard DSTWO is the one for you.

My verdict:
The best flashcart, if you have the money. Lots of emulation to choose from (GBA, SNES, DOS etc). Newest DS roms can be played as it has an auto-patch database, bye bye AP... :P

Acekard2i

The Acekard 2i /AK2i adapter is the latest development in flash cartridge technology made specifically for the Nintendo DSi. The card is also fully backwards compatible and works on the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite and the Nintendo DSi. If you currently have a Nintendo DS / DS Lite, it may be worth getting the Ak2i card rather than the Ak2 so that you don't have to replace it at a later date if you update to a Nintendo DSi.

My verdict:
Cheaper but gets the job well done. It has AAP (Anti-anti-piracy?) so it could play new NDS roms with AP with no problems at all.

IEdge/Edge

The iEDGE is the long awaited replacement of the legendary EDGE DS, which was the most stable and reliable DS / DS Lite card ever to be released. With new Nintendo DSi / DSi XL / DSi LL support, the iEDGE comes in an incredibly robust casing which makes it incredibly sturdy. The iEDGE is also the only DS / DSi card that comes in a specialty box, a triangular shape. This makes the iEDGE especially attractive, especially as a gift.

My verdict:
Great flashcart, last year.... Now, it had trouble on updating its firmware so it only rely on using AP patch/fix. It had delayed firmware updates but it better late than never. A clone of CycloDS.

R4 DS Revolution (Not to be confused with R4i[insert word here] clone)

The R4 DS Card is the most popular Nintendo DS card on the market today. It has been available for quite some time now and it is still one of the favourites available today. The R4 DS Card does all our would want to be able to play music and watch videos on our DS. The limitations with this card are that it does not accept memory cards with capacities bigger than 2GB as this device is not SDHC compatible. However 2GB is more than enough space for most people. The other limitation is that this r4 ds card is NOT compatible with the latest Nintendo DSi game console.

My verdict:
Last original firmware update was 1.18. It was almost the laughing stock of all flashcart last year or two ago. But then comes the wood R4 firmware update (a firmware clone of acekard) it skyrockets the DS roms compatibility. If you got an R4 like this, get the wood firmware update asap!

Other good R4 flashcarts were R4iDSN, R4iGold and R4iLS as they are compatible with wood R4 firmware

DSTT/DSTTi

The DSTTi is effectively a slightly less efficient but just-as compatible version of the R4 DS. You will notice slightly slower loading times, but compatibility is still good on the card . The DSTTi has a list-format user interface, making it ideal for playing homebrew applications/games only without multitasking. It is also able to take up to 32GB of memory.

My verdict:
This cart had the best compatibility on homebrew applications/games but DS roms compatibility sucks.... well as long as you are using retrogamefan's update and fixes, you will be fine. :P

The R4 Clones

Too many clones, some of them are worth it... most of them sucks.

Special Mention:

Galaxy Eagle i (GEi)

Clone of R4i Ultra +acekard2i.

Flashcart compatibility on NDS system:

For NDS phat and Lite:
All flashcarts were compatible

For DSi/XL:
-DSTTi
-iEdge
-R4i
-Acekard2i
-Supercard DStwo
-GEi

For DSi/XL with 1.4.1 firmware:
- Acekard 2i > Firmware Update for AK2i for DSi 1.4.1 video tutorial
-DSTTi > firmware for DSTTi 1.4.1 video tutorial
-iEdge > Bootstrap V3 for 1.4.1 + OS 2.0 total PACK Video Tutorial
-Supercard DStwo > Supercard DSTWO Fix for DSi 1.4.1U Video Tutorial
- Galaxy Eagle > Galaxy Eagle (GEi) Fix for DSi 1.4.1


Knowing what kind of R4 or DSTT clone is your flashcart:

if it gives an error=-4 on a certain game, it is an DSTT clone.


Flashcart Firmware Download Index

link

note that they are all the official firmware updates

By Other members:

Slot 1 comparison from rocksoft pero outdated, atleast it will give idea

http://www.rocksoftonline.com/document_general_info.html?products_id=130

Some infos were taken at Gbatemp and Filetrip...

 

[geeway619]

salamat dito boss Juna, need ko pa naman to kasi bibili na ako ng DS Lite next week or next2 week...hehe...salamat po

 

[marvel6869]

pafs console ko NDS LITE namo ba ang dapat kung bilhin. yung talagang ma aasahan po . may malaki akong budget po.... salamat pafs

 

[arjaylight]

Slot 1 comparison from rocksoft pero outdated, atleast it will give idea

http://www.rocksoftonline.com/document_general_info.html?products_id=130

 

[marvel6869]

thanks pafs. sa rocksoft ka rin ba bumibili?

 

[arjaylight]

yup, okay dun mga items, for the win!

 

[geeway619]

bakit puro NO yung sa R4, so mas maganda pa rin ba ang ibang Flash Cart kesa sa R4?..at ung Wood FW, magnda ba talga? lahat ba ng games nalalaro??...tnx po..pati ung RTS saving, malaking Up yun for other Card...sayang naman

 

[arjaylight]

under rated ang R4 dati, kung walang wood, walang kwenta R4 kase di na sya compatible sa mga bagong games. ung original developer kase na behind R4 scene ay wala na ngayon

 

[junalorca]

@arjay
boss, salamat sa attached files.


@marvel
the best flashcart talaga ang supercardDStwo... mahal sya pero its worth it.


@geeway
kung walang wood firmware at ysmenu, wala ng gagamit ng R4... :P (R4 user here)

 

[xxx123098]

anung flashcarts ba ang compatibe sa 32gb SDHC .. ? compatible kaya to sa R4DS ..??

 

[junalorca]

@xxx123098
ang alam ko lang na may limit ng 2gig ay ang R4 Revolution na original....

the rest like acekard, edge etc. pwede ang mas mataas since sdhc compatible sila.

 

[subsonic007]

help: ano bang pwedeng firmware dito sa R4 na to.. www.r4i-advance.com
mejo matagal ng walang update eh di ko na magamit sayang naman..

 

[junalorca]

@subsonic
try mo gumamit ng ysmenu.

 

[marvel6869]

junalorca thank sa bibili ako sa sahud ko dis 31. sa rocksoft okay ba yun doon? at ilang gig ba pwed ma suport sa dstwo yung hindi namn mag lologing po. thnx

 

[junalorca]

@marvel
sa rocksoft lang ang alam kong may available na supercarddstwo. about sa gig na supported, pwede ata kahit 8 or16 or even 32 gig (although kahit 2 or 4 gig sulit na sa lahat ng games na magaganda, pero alam ko walang limit sa supercard dstwo dahil sa sdhc supported)

 

[kelaidoscope01]

r4i gamit ko, sa ngayon may problems lang sa ibang games kahit updated na ang firmware niya

 

[junalorca]

try mo gumamit ng ysmenu or wood R4 kung compatible sayo...

ysmenu = for DSTT/i clone firmware
wood R4 = for original R4 and some clones

 

[marvel6869]

@junalorca salamat pafs cge 4gig nalng bibilhin ko ngayon po. okay salamt po

 

[geeway619]

pede nyo po ba i-rate ang mga flashcart. alin ang number 1( syempre supercard) number 2 and so on..

 

[marvel6869]

mga guys besides sa .nds games sa acekard2 ano pa pwed po pwed ma layag sa sd pwed na emulator po?