Best DSi flashcart?

[riggs]

Ok, so I sold my old DS a few years ago and I'm actually starting to miss it. Looks like there's a ton of new games for me to play, so assuming I get a fat paycheque at the end of the month I'm gonna treat myself to the 25th Anniversary DSi XL (which will look nice next to my 20th Anniversary Game Boy Micro!)



Anyhoo, back when I was rocking a DSLite, I was using a SuperCard micro, which at the time was one of the better flashcarts (this was before the days of slot-1 carts mind you). I've done a little reading into modern flashcarts but I'm unsure what to get. I like the look of the SuperCard DSTWO and all it's bells and whistles features, but I'm unsure whether it offers full compatibility (specifically, the DSi 'enhanced' games like Pokemon black/white). I'd prefer to stick all my games on the flashcart rather than having to carry around any 'enhanced' carts I pick up...

Also, in terms of homebrew, I'll probably be looking into GBA/NES/SNES emulation and well as SCUMMvm.

Any of you guys got opinions on which is the best flash cart at the moment? I keep hearing things about the acekart(?), but I've never heard of that one before...

Ooh, and what's the deal with DSi firmware updates? Anyone know what the latest firmware is and whether flashcarts are compatible? I'm assuming you can still connect to the Nintendo WiFi wotnot without updating (ie, opposite of the PS3 FW/PSN situation)?

(currently got an R4 which I picked up for free from work (seeing as we can't sell them) but I might just chuck it in the bin as it seems like it's a total pile of crap in comparison to newer carts)

[Flake]

I'm of the opinion that if you can afford to buy a limited edition DSiXL you can probably afford to buy games to go with it.

[riggs]

Indeed I can, and that's what I'll be doing. The flashcart is purely a space-saving thing for me; rather than carrying around multiple carts I can use backups and have all my games on one cart.
Back when I had my DSLite I had around 40 games for it, all of which lived on my shelf, with backup copies running on the old SuperCard. Maybe I didn't make it clear in my first post (or you just skimmed through it and assumed I was waving the pirate flag), but I did mention I don't want to carry around multiple carts.

I know it sounds like the same old story, but I tend not to pirate games for current-gen systems. PS1/XBOX/Dreamcast/GBA, yes, I'll admit I have copies/ROMs for those systems as I don't think it 'hurts' the industry seeing as they're no longer in production, or making money off them. imo, you can't beat buying a new game, ripping off the cellophane, skimming through the manual and redeeming those Club Nintendo points (which so far have bought me a Zelda statue, mario hat, hanafuda cards, mario party playing cards, mario/luigi statue, mario/zelda notebooks and a Wii-SNES pad).

So, back to the question in hand, any other opinions?

[Flake]

You know, it's not even the piracy that bothers me so much. It's the BS excuses. If you're going to do a thing, fricking man up and admit what you're doing. The Cyber Police are not going to back track you or anything. Just stop insulting everyones intelligence. Kay?

Oh yeah, those damn DS games. So large and cumbersome to carry around.

[irixith]

The following is based on you owning a DSi XL.

A lot of people would probably recommend the Acekard 2i (for price/performance), or the SuperCard DS2 (for additional features).

I wouldn't recommend the Acekard 2i for the DSi XL, because the card has a lot of 'contact issues'. I.E. you have to put paper/card behind the connectors of the cart to have it make contact with the pins in the DS. If you move the DS around while playing, put it down, etc, the pins will lose contact and your game will freeze. Not cool. Not everyone experiences this issue, but it's so widespread in the poor construction of the cart that I find it very difficult to recommend. On the plus side, the alternative firmware for it (called AKAIO) is excellent in terms of compatibility, cheat support, and being able to bypass anti-piracy protection.

The Supercard DS2 has an additional CPU on-board, which allows for things like (poor to mildly acceptable) emulation of SNES games, or GBA games without requiring a slot-2 cart. It also allows for things like day one anti-piracy bypass on almost all recent games. It has excellent compatibility, great cheat support (including the ability to search for and make your own cheat codes), an in-game text reader and many more. Outpriced only by the Cyclo DSi Evolution, making it the second most expensive cart. Due to the extra CPU onboard, you get significant battery drain while playing. The CPU is always on, and it can shave hours off your playtime even if your battery is brand new.

I'd personally recommend the R4i Gold (this one ONLY), as it is inexpensive, and supports the excellent 'Wood' alternative firmware. Wood is based on the Acekard RPG source (just like AKAIO for Acekard), and therefore offers the same benefits of owning that cart. Great cheat support, game compatibility, and frequent updates for anti-piracy checks.

Carts to avoid: DSTT, Edge, any other R4, Cyclo, iSmart, etc.

If you have any other questions, or just want to avoid the judgment being tossed your way, shoot me a PM.

[Golgo 14]

You know, it's not even the piracy that bothers me so much. It's the BS excuses. If you're going to do a thing, fricking man up and admit what you're doing.

Okay, I admit it: I copied that floppy.

[GSZX1337]

You know, it's not even the piracy that bothers me so much. It's the BS excuses. If you're going to do a thing, fricking man up and admit what you're doing.

I use a my M3 Real so that I can have all my DS games on one cart. And for LameBoy.

The Cyber Police are not going to back track you or anything. Just stop insulting everyones intelligence. Kay?

What if I dun goofed?

Oh yeah, those damn DS games. So large and cumbersome to carry around.

For me, it's not really so much that the games themselves take up so much room. I just like the idea of having the cart in my DS and only having to keep track of the console.

[Niode]

Why would you buy a DSiXL when the 3DS is literally a week away? Even if you don't want a 3DS you might as well wait and see what effect the release of the 3DS has on prices of the DSiXL hardware, it's hardly going to go up in price is it?

[Lokkenjawnz]

I agree with Niode, either wait and buy a 3DS for 3DS exclusive games, or wait for the XL to drop in price, because it's pretty awesome.

As far as the best flashcart, I'd recommend the M3i Zero. It has an upgradeable kernel which means it can be updated to deal with new firmwares and such on the DSi. One thing to note though is that all DSi flash cards can only run DS games, they currently do not support any DSi features whatsoever. Still a great thing to have with you, it sure makes it easier for me to keep my DS on me, as I'm always afraid I'm going to lose those tiny DS cartridges.

[riggs]

@irixith
Thanks for the very informative post! Never even thought about possible battery drain from the DSTWO CPU. Is it quite considerable? I mean, what's the average battery life of an XL anyway? Quite high, right? I was pretty much set on getting a DSTWO until I read your post...I own an R4 at the moment and did try out the Wood FW (just to see if Pokemon White actually works). Not too keen on the GUI, but I could skin it if needs be.
Damn, got some thinking to do. Cheapest I've found a DSTWO is £33, not sure about the R4i price though; I'd probably be buying from here (http://www.xpertron.co.uk/-nintendo-dsi-xl_c883) seeing as flashcarts are illegal in the UK. There seems to be so many different version of the R4 I'm not sure which I need. But, if the price difference only ends up being £10 or so I figure I might as well get the DSTWO (assuming I can find more info on battery drain with real-world tests - even then, I'll probably be mostly using the DSi in bed, with access to a power outlet if needed).

Or maybe I'll just save my cash, stick with the R4 for the time being, and get a 3DS instead! Hmm, dunno. Need to try one out first...
Anyone know if UK game shops have 3DS display models yet? I may have to take a trip into town next week and have a looksy...