Recommended Flashcarts - All Systems #

Ace3DS X #

The Ace3DS X is a version of the Ace3DS+ (seen below) that also supports ntrboot with just a flick of a switch.

Ntrboot is a method that allows you to hack your 3DS easily, or fix a bricked 3DS family console. The Ace3DS X makes ntrboot easily accessible without any modification required, such as flashing the cartridge!

For general usage outside of hacking or unbricking, Ace3DS X clones are a good cheap option, however they have a few downsides. Due to iffy shell quality some report that it doesn’t fit well into their consoles. It also runs an unofficial fork of Wood which lacks anti-piracy patches for a few games, namely Pokémon Black & White 2. To play these games you will have to manually AP patch their ROMs, or use a cheat database and enable the Anti-Piracy bypass cheat before starting the game. Its biggest benefit is that it works on all DS family consoles up to latest 3DS consoles.

Obtaining and Setup #

This is recommended for unhacked DSi and 3DS users to buy, as well as people who are attempting to unbrick their console (or would like the peace of mind). Usually costs $5-10 USD.

Searching “ace3ds” on AliExpress or eBay usually returns this cart.

Links to purchase the Ace3DS X are provided below, but they may not be the cheapest option as they’re one of many listings:

• NDS-Card
• AliExpress [1]
• AliExpress [2]
• AliExpress [3]

This cart uses the same kernel as the Ace3DS+, link provided below

• Kernel: Ace3DS+/R4iLS Wood R4 v1.62

Ace3DS+/R4iLS Clones #

These carts are clones of the Ace3DS+ or R4iLS flashcarts, compatible with all DS, DSi, and 3DS consoles, even unhacked ones on the latest firmware. These carts do not work with ntrboot - see the Ace3DS X instead if this is a feature that you may need.

Important distinction: past listings of unlabeled Ace3DS+/R4iLS clones exist, but we can no longer advise the purchase of these carts as they have started mixing in older versions of the Ace3DS+ which do not work on the latest firmware. More confusion arises from the fact that there are also timebomb clones that have very similar looking PCBs to the Ace3DS+ unlabeled carts. Please purchase the other labeled variants instead, specifically the two shown below.

Ace3DS+/R4iLS clones are an excellent option, however they have a few downsides. Due to iffy shell quality some report that it doesn’t fit well into their consoles. It also runs an unofficial fork of Wood which lacks anti-piracy patches for a few games, namely Pokémon Black & White 2. To play these games you will have to manually AP patch their ROMs, or use a cheat database and enable the Anti-Piracy bypass cheat before starting the game.

Variants #

Multiple variations of this cart exist, and they’re all clones of the Ace3DS+ or the R4iLS. Here are the most common ones:

These carts are sold under a variety of brandings. The 2020 and later carts labeled as r4isdhc.com.cn and r4isdhc.hk are R4iLS clones. “208-in-1” and unlabeled carts are Ace3DS+ or R4iLS clones. All of these carts will perform the same and use the same kernel, so choose whichever label style you like.

Warning regarding r4isdhc.hk variant: Not all carts labeled with the r4isdhc.hk URL are R4iLS/Ace3DS+ clones. If you choose to buy this variant, look out for the following characteristics to make sure you get the correct cart:

• The year number on the label should have a star shaped outline, and NOT a ribbon style
• The label should be silver colored
• The label should have the text “Smart Update” on it
• The label should NOT have “Gold Pro”, “Real Time Save”, or “RTS LITE” on it
• The PCB should be a red color

Obtaining and Setup #

Searching “r4 wood” on AliExpress or “r4” on eBay usually returns this cart.

Links to AliExpress are provided below, but they may not be the cheapest option as they’re one of many listings:

• r4isdhc.com.cn carts [1]
• r4isdhc.com.cn carts [2]
• r4isdhc.hk cart

Kernel: Ace3DS+/R4iLS Wood R4 v1.62

DSTTi Timebomb Clones #

These common carts are clones of the DSTTi, and are known as “timebomb” carts because their stock kernels used to contain a date-check mechanism that would throw an error past a certain date. The latest releases of the stock kernel for these carts no longer contain this timebomb, so users who want to use stock kernel-specific features like RTS have the option of using it instead of the recommended YSMenu. These carts are compatible with all DS, DSi, and 3DS consoles - even on the latest firmware - so they make a decent choice for unhacked DSi/3DS users, but the above Ace3DS+/R4iLS clones are recommended instead if possible.

Most of these carts sold today are labeled r4isdhc.com or r4i-sdhc.com, but others do exist. Ace3DS+ clones are recommended instead due to the Wood kernel having higher compatibility with games and romhacks, as well as certain features like Wii connectivity in DS games. One notable advantage of these carts over Ace3DS+ clones is that they support ntrboot for installing CFW on a 3DS, and can also be flashed with DSi ntrboot for unbricking DSi consoles. However, the Ace3DS X above is preferable for 3DS ntrboot use, since it has ntrboot preflashed and uses a better kernel when in DS mode.

There is a lot of misinformation surrounding timebombs and what they do. See our Timebomb Misconceptions page for more details.

Variants #

Obtaining and Setup #

This cart is only recommended if you cannot buy an Ace3DS X or Ace3DS+ clone. Usually costs $5-10 USD. Searching “r4 gold pro” on AliExpress or eBay usually returns this cart.

Links to AliExpress are provided below, but they may not be the cheapest option as they’re one of many listings:

• r4isdhc.com carts [1]
• r4isdhc.com carts [2]

• r4i-sdhc.com cart

• Kernel: YSMenu
• Alternate Kernel:
  • r4isdhc.com 4.3b
  • r4i-sdhc.com 1.87b

Other Flashcarts #

These are flashcarts which we don’t necessarily recommend but are available to buy. Information is provided here about these carts for people who may already have one.

Note: These flashcarts will only work on the DS, DS Lite, and hacked 3DS/DSi systems. They will not work on unhacked 3DS/DSi systems.

R4DS Pro #

While on the surface this may look like an original R4 clone, and is often described as an original R4, this is actually an r4dspro.com clone instead. It is based on the R4 Ultra, which is itself a derivative of the Acekard 2. However, it doesn’t pass AKAIO’s clone checks, therefore making BL2CK OS the best kernel choice like most other Acekard 2 based carts.

BL2CK tends to avoid the AP-patching issues that Ace3DS+ clones have, however it has some problems specific to this cart:

• Attempting to access the Minigames section in New Super Mario bros crashes on a black screen.
• Attempting to change WFC settings in some games will cause the console to freeze.
• DS Download play does not work in most games.
• Slow SD Cards speeds when using homebrew due to using single-block DLDI.
• Sleep mode does not work on some R4DS Pro units, causing a strobing effect (Reddit Post).

Do not attempt to run YSMenu on this flashcart, doing so will cause it to brick! This is the only flashcart listed here that will brick if you attempt to run YSMenu on it.

Obtaining and Setup #

Costs $3-8 USD. Searching “R4 DS” on AliExpress may return this cart. This cart is sometimes also sold as the “BL2CK Homebrew OS” cart with a custom BL2CK label on the front, it can also be found as an “OpenDS R4 SDHC”, both of which are sold at a slight markup.

A link is provided here, but this may not be the cheapest option as it’s one of the many listings: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007018267862.html - make sure to select 1PCS R4 DS PRO.

BL2CK is the recommended kernel for this cart. The stock kernel is also an option, although it isn’t great for playing your DS ROMs:

• Kernel: BL2CK (R4DSPro Edition)
• Alternate kernel: Stock kernel

DSTT #

The original DSTT is still being sold by NDS-Card. Since this flashcart does not work on unhacked 3DS/DSi systems, we have not added it to our list of recommended flashcarts.

This cart may be useful for ntrboot. NDS-Card appear to have sent out genuine DSTTs which can be used for that purpose. Though if you need a flashcart for ntrboot, an Ace3DS X will still be a better choice over this cart.

Obtaining and Setup #

NDS-Card charge different prices on their AliExpress store and their main website. The AliExpress listing appears to be cheaper so it is recommended to buy from there instead if you wish to buy a DSTT. You may also find one cheaper second-hand on eBay. This also does not come with the DSTT’s original packaging if that matters to you.

• AliExpress: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256806134330675.html
• NDS-Card: https://www.nds-card.com/ProShow.asp?ProID=157

You should avoid the original TTMenu kernel just in case you are sent a DSTT clone, you will risk bricking your flashcart if you attempt to use it. We would recommend using YSMenu or RetroGameFan’s repacked version of TTMenu instead.

• Kernel: DSTTi Clone YSMenu/TTMenu

These are carts that you may encounter but are generally NOT recommended.

EZ Flash Parallel #

The EZ Flash Parallel is a new flashcart on the market with a fairly stylish shell design. It will work on the DS/DS Lite as well as unhacked DSi/3DS consoles. It comes pre-flashed with 3DS ntrboot meaning that you can use it to unbrick your console or to install custom firmware. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives mostly end for this flashcart.

There are several issues that result in this flashcart not being recommended:

• Slow SD card speeds, which cause slowdown in games, with some homebrew applications not even working.
• Multiple reports of fitment issues with the cart, with the shell being too thick for some DS consoles, therefore not fitting properly.
• Reports of users also needing to use the paper trick to use the cart with the PCB pins not making good contact. Both these issues demonstrate the inconsistent build quality of this flashcart.
• Sleep mode is non-functional, causing a strobing effect when it is used (GBATemp Post). It is not clear if this issue will be fixed any time soon.

FPGA Misconceptions

One common misconception about the EZ Flash Parallel is that the FPGA on the cart is currently being left unused. This isn’t true. The FPGA is the brains of the flashcart, it is being used to handle cart commands and SD I/O, much like how other flashcarts with an FPGA use them. The actual reason why the FPGA was listed as a selling point on EZ Flash’s website is because it is being made entirely within China, though the meaning behind this seems to have been lost in translation.

GPL Non-compliance

Other issues which some community members feel are worth mentioning about this cart is EZ Flash’s attitude to open source. EZ Flash stated they were planning to release the source code to their DLDI - which they aren’t required to do. However, this has not happened, many months later. Similarly, they are refusing to give out the source code to the cart’s kernel. The EZDS kernel is based on WoodRPG, which is licensed under GPLv3. Since the license requires them to publicly provide their source code, they are violating the license terms. They are also violating the GPLv2 license of Homebrew Menu as functions from it have been found in the EZP’s firmware. In the past, EZ Flash have respected the licenses of any open source software that they used in their products, which is why it’s strange for them to not do so now.

Due to this flashcart’s unusually high price - which often sells for around 25 USD, whereas most other carts sell between 5-10 USD - and the issues listed above, we cannot recommend this cart to people looking to buy one. If you own an EZ Flash Parallel, please update to the latest kernel (1.06) as soon as possible as it fixes a bug where the game Casper's Scare School: Spooky Sports Day can brick the flashcart due to a missing save patch.

AliExpress “DSTWO”s #

There are flashcarts currently being sold on AliExpress which claim to be a SuperCard DSTWO. In reality, they are Ace3DS+ clones with a misleading description and sticker. Due to the misleading information in these listings and their high prices, we do not recommend that you go out and buy one.

These carts typically come with a pre-loaded SD card. The files on the SD card includes a maintained version of AOS (known as Wood Beyond) which has been skinned to look like the DSTWOs EvolutionOS, as well as some pirated scene ROMs. The SD cards are low quality and will fail fairly quickly.

DSTWOs haven’t been in production for a few years now. If you see a listing for one on AliExpress, chances are that it is just an Ace3DS+ clone with a false description.

R4 Gold 3DS RTS #

This is a flashcart by r4i-gold.com which appears to be a clone of the pk3ds.com cart. It has both a micro SD card slot and a proprietary USB port. The USB port appears to be used to provide power to the flashcart so that it can upgrade it’s firmware from the micro SD card. We currently do not have any archive of the firmware upgrades for this flashcart.

This flashcart was also being sold as a “DSTTi Gold from ndstt.com” on AliExpress. This flashcart wasn’t made by the DSTT team, it’s just a relabelled version of this flashcart.

We have decided to move this flashcart to the non-recommended list due to reports of carts being dead on arrival. We cannot guarantee that you will receive a working flashcart if you decide to buy one of these.

R4 DS #

Identical (1:1) clones of the original R4 cart are available on AliExpress, but they are not recommended due to only supporting 2 GB or smaller microSD cards. They also do not work in unhacked DSi and 3DS systems. Even on hacked 3DS and DSi systems, they can only be launched via TWiLight Menu++ or homebrew like NTR_Launcher, due to not showing up in the console’s home menu when inserted.

Despite all these flaws listed above, they do however use a great kernel - Official Wood R4 1.62, which has near-perfect game compatibility.

These clones on AliExpress can be identified by their green PCB with the text “ROHS Card 7a”, inside of a grey, unlabeled shell. It usually costs around $5. Even though they are relatively cheap, your money would likely be better invested in one of the recommended carts above instead.

R4i Gold 3DS Plus #

This cart halted production at the start of 2020. They were formerly highly recommended carts with a highly compatible and feature-rich kernel (Wood R4 1.64), but their last batch was faulty and cannot play NDS ROMs on their stock kernel - thus, they are no longer recommended. Do not follow any old advice saying to buy them.

This refers specifically to the R4i Gold 3DS Plus from r4ids.cn, they should not be confused with carts from any other website.

If you do have one of the faulty carts, you can use BL2CK or TwiLight Menu ++ instead to play NDS ROMs. Though you will miss out on the features that Wood R4 1.64 provides.

Stargate3DS #

Stargate3DS flashcarts are still being made to this day. However, they are not recommended in the context of a DS flashcart for a few reasons. The major reason being that it is only usable on a 3DS, you cannot use it’s DS mode on a DS, DS Lite, or DSi due to the shape of the cartridge. The DS mode of this flashcart becomes inaccessible once you have installed custom firmware onto your 3DS. The final nail in the coffin for this flashcart is it’s lack of an available DLDI, meaning that some homebrew cannot be used on it. If you are looking for a DS flashcart to use in your 3DS, consider an Ace3DS X instead.

In the context of a 3DS flashcart, it’s not really recommended either. Installing custom firmware to your 3DS is easy to do and it allows you to install 3DS backups directly to your console. You need custom firmware to dump your 3DS ROMs to use in the flashcart anyways, making this flashcart a gimmick more than something useful given it’s price.

On the DSi/DSi XL consoles, Nintendo introduced a whitelist and RSA signatures in an attempt to prevent flashcarts from functioning, so you need to be careful which flashcart you buy to use it on a DSi. Because of this the Ace3DS+ clones are recommended if you choose to buy a flashcart for use on a DSi, as they are supported all the way up to the latest firmware version.

If you boot an unsupported flashcart on a stock DSi, it will show black screens with white text that says “An error has occurred”. This can be bypassed by installing CFW on your DSi. Specifically, Unlaunch is required - with it, you will be able to load the flashcart from the DSi Menu if it was installed with launcher patches enabled or from Unlaunch itself, TWiLight Menu++, or hiyaCFW regardless whether or not Unlaunch’s launcher patches are enabled.

On a hacked DSi, there is also the option to play DS games using nds-bootstrap (via TWiLight Menu++). This allows games to be loaded from the DSi’s SD card without needing to purchase anything besides an SD card if you don’t already have one. However, nds-bootstrap’s compatibility isn’t quite as good as that of flashcarts so buying a flashcart can still be worthwhile if you run into incompatible games. It is generally recommended to try the CFW route first, and only buy a flashcart if you want to play a game that isn’t compatible, or want the portability of a flashcart - being able to share the same save files by simply moving the flashcart over to another DS console.

See dsi.cfw.guide for a guide on how to install CFW on your DSi.

On the 3DS family of consoles (including the 2DS and XL variants) there is a distinction between flashcarts that play 3DS games and flashcarts that play DS games. Flashcarts that play 3DS games are rendered mostly useless by the existence of CFW, which has better compatibility and is completely free, while 3DS flashcarts are very expensive. CFW also has other benefits over 3DS flashcarts such as the ability to run homebrew and emulators.

Flashcarts for playing DS games on the other hand can still be useful, and everything in the DSi section above applies to DS mode flashcarts on the 3DS as well. That is, TWiLight Menu++ being a good option, but flashcarts for DS games having slightly higher compatibility. The Ace3DS X carts are the recommended DS flashcart for 3DS users as they support the latest 3DS firmware without needing CFW, and provide ntrboot in the case you may need it. Any DS flashcart can be run with CFW, either from the 3DS HOME Menu or TWiLight Menu++.

See 3ds.hacks.guide for how to install CFW on your 3DS.