Hacking EZ flash or R4

[Chaguri]

Hello everyone.
I recently got a Nintendo DS Lite for casual gaming. I bought it an used and it came with no games.
I'm looking for an easy way to play NDS roms and possibly GB/GBA roms.

I'm wondering what is my best option for a flash cart that would get me as most games from these systems as possible: a EZ Flash Omega or a R4 (don't know which version I'm looking for here).

I'm assuming Supercard Dstwo is out of question since they are nowhere to be found.
Could you guys please give me some pointers on where to go?

Any help is appreciated.
Thank you!

 

[Vovonator]

Not an specialist by any means, but at least where I live, EZ flashes are very expensive. As far as I know, you can achieve the same with an R4, and for much less money.

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[FAST6191]

The EZFlash Omega is a GBA flash cart, and has no real DS capabilities. It is a top notch GBA flash cart and will do well for GBA stuff, in terms of features only the Everdrive competes but the older EZ4 models will also run just about every game quite happily - http://gbatemp.net/threads/buying-a-gba-flash-cart-in-013.341203/page-18#post-4756995

The R4 (which these days is a "family" of clones) is a DS flash cart without much in the way of GBA capabilities (DS code emulation of GBA ROMs is very very limited, and not a patch on either running in actual hardware like the EZFlash Omega would do, or in cart emulation like the DSTwo). The original R4 runs wood which is one of the better firmwares, however if you get an original R4 or clone thereof it is limited to 2 gigabytes microSD (no SDHC or newer). There are some R4 clones also running wood that support SDHC, however they might come with "timebombs" which is where the cart makers make things stop working based on the internal clock. I don't know what we are suggesting here on the cheaper side of DS slot flash carts at this point in time. EZFlash did also have a line of DS flash carts (see EZ5 and EZ5i) but they stopped being updated shortly before DS ROMs stopped being dumped so they can be a bit fiddly with those games (for most it is pokemon conquest and pokemon black and white 2).
If you can find an original DSTwo or the newer supercard 4 in 1/SuperCard DSTWO PLUS then it will be a top notch DS flash cart, and also have some nice GBA emulation to boot.

 

[Chaguri]

Not an specialist by any means, but at least where I live, EZ flashes are very expensive. As far as I know, you can achieve the same with an R4, and for much less money.

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Hello, friend.
Thank you for your reply.
I think the R4 might run GBA games, but it's not optimal since is via emulation.
Do you know what version of R4 is currently working for regular DS roms?

 

[Vovonator]

Hello, friend.
Thank you for your reply.
I think the R4 might run GBA games, but it's not optimal since is via emulation.
Do you know what version of R4 is currently working for regular DS roms?

I have the R4i Plus. It already comes with emulators in its default firmware and, for what I know, it's not timebombed.

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[Durelle]

Any r4 will run NDS, there's is a GBA emulator called gbarunner , but it's not very good... The timebomb is not a issue either side you can get ysmenu firmware and it removes it.

https://nds-card.com/ProShow.asp?ProID=575

 

[FAST6191]

Hello, friend.
Thank you for your reply.
I think the R4 might run GBA games, but it's not optimal since is via emulation.
Do you know what version of R4 is currently working for regular DS roms?

Non enhanced flash cart* GBA emulation is really not fit for prime time. It is a wonderful tech demo but of very limited practical use, certainly not something I would suggest someone go explore the GBA library with. That said you don't have to spend out for an enhanced flash cart or GBA flash cart right away and can wait a while before you get a GBA cart.

*technically the DSTwo, iplayer and ismartMM all have GBA emulation capabilities, most will only be able to find the DSTwo (either original or plus) today though.

No DS flash cart was ever blocked on the DS or DS lite. It is only the 3ds and DSi that blocked things. The trouble will come where said DS carts stopped getting updates before the end of the DS ROM release period, and with the timebomb stuff I mentioned last post. Now it is not so bad these days as we have stuff like https://gbatemp.net/threads/backup-of-ds-scene-rom-tool-ap-database.472348/ to make up some of the gaps but if you are going for just drag and drop DS ROMs to a cart then you will need to go looking, sadly though I am not current on all my R4 clones and whatnot.

 

[Technicmaster0]

Just a small correction: I don't know of any wood r4 cards that have a timebomb. The cards with timebomb usually use another kernel.

 

[Durelle]

Like I said, timebomb isn't a issue anymore with the ysmenu kernel

https://gbatemp.net/attachments/ysmenu-primary-boot-7z.82447/

https://gbatemp.net/threads/retrogamefan-updates-releases.267243/


You could always buy a acecard 2i I had one before and it worked great

 

[Chaguri]

So basically there is not "one-miracle-cart" that will run all.
R4s are great for DS games but no good for GBA's
EZ flash are great for GBA only.

 

[Durelle]

So basically there is not "one-miracle-cart" that will run all.
R4s are great for DS games but no good for GBA's
EZ flash are great for GBA only.

Correct, like I said get a r4i or a acekard for NDS.

And I mentioned gbarunner2 for GBA emulation, it is the perfect .but playable. For RPGs and stuff it be great.

 

[Chaguri]

Correct, like I said get a r4i or a acekard for NDS.

And I mentioned gbarunner2 for GBA emulation, it is the perfect .but playable. For RPGs and stuff it be great.

About the R4
I see there are many versions out there
Could you point me for the "official" one?

Also, do you know this website?
nds-card dot com

 

[Durelle]

About the R4
I see there are many versions out there
Could you point me for the "official" one?

Also, do you know this website?
nds-card dot com

That website is the official sponsor of gbatemp it's a safe site. And the official one I'm not sure tbh. That's why I also recommended the acekard 2i no clones and it works as good.

 

[Chaguri]

That website is the official sponsor of gbatemp it's a safe site. And the official one I'm not sure tbh. That's why I also recommended the acekard 2i no clones and it works as good.

Acekard 2i will run NDS flawlessly?
I see they have it in stock.

 

[Durelle]

Acekard 2i will run NDS flawlessly?
I see they have it in stock.

Yup, any NDS Flash cart will run them flawlessly.

 

[Chaguri]

Yup, any NDS Flash cart will run them flawlessly.

Great, thank you very much.
That shall be my choice.
Please, if you could guide me (send the links or where to look) to other features besides NDS games that Acekard 2i is capable, it would be great.

 

[Technicmaster0]

Another option would be the r4i gold 3ds plus, which is more or less the successor of the ak2i (there are features that one has but the other doesn't).

 

[Durelle]

GBA
https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/GBARunner2

Nes
https://sourceforge.net/projects/nesds/

Gameboy
http://lameboy.nutki.com

SNES
https://wiki.gbatemp.net/wiki/SnesDS
(It's not perfect but functional)

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Another option would be the r4i gold 3ds plus, which is more or less the successor of the ak2i (there are features that one has but the other doesn't).

This is a good option to, it's the one I'm currently using, and if you ever decide to get a 3ds it'll work in that to.

 

[Technicmaster0]

The links durelle posted are DS homebrew apps that will work with most flashcarts. I think that the main differences between the wood r4 and the rpg are that the ak2i has another way to list favourite games and it has flash advance support while the r4i gold 3ds plus has better homebrew compatibility, real time save for most games, works with the latest 3ds ver and has a simple way to enable ntrboot if you ever decide to hack a 3ds.

 

[Chaguri]

Another option would be the r4i gold 3ds plus, which is more or less the successor of the ak2i (there are features that one has but the other doesn't).

Will that run homebrews also? Like the ones Durelle suggested?