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DS homebrew special: slot-2 carts round-up

Which one is right for you?

DS homebrew special: slot-2 carts round-up
By Andy Robertson
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DS

So, you've got your head around the weird and wonderful world of DS homebrew – you know, all those non-commercial projects ranging from map viewers to water colour simulations to music makers? Good. (If you haven't, you might want to catch up by looking through our introduction to DS homebrew, followed by our step-by-step guide to getting started with DS homebrew.) You're now ready to dive digit deep into its bottomless goodness? Great.

But like not being able to find your bathing shorts when everyone else (including the girl you've fancied since, like, ever) is already playing about in the pool, you're possibly frustrated by not knowing which homebrew cart to splash your cash on.

Well, frustrate no longer because we've rounded up some examples for you.

First, however, some basics. Slot-2 refers to the location on the DS into which the homebrew carts are inserted. If you flip over your DS you will see that the small DS slot at the top is Slot 1 and the wider GBA slot at the bottom is Slot 2.

In this review we're looking at three slot-2 devices designed to be used to run homebrew software on your DS. The trio have been chosen as they represent a good range of different slot-2 devices:

Right, let's get on with it, shall we?

EZ-Flash IV Lite

The EZ-Flash IV Lite is a card that enables you to run homebrew applications on the DS Lite. It's the 'Lite' version of the larger EZ-Flash IV, in other words. Whilst the older product will work on both the original DS and the revised slimmer, sexier version, it protrudes from the bottom slot on the DS Lite and compromises the new handheld's sleek lines. The EZ-Flash IV Lite solves this problem with its diminutive design that fits snugly in Slot 2 of the 'new' DS. (It's worth noting, however, that because of its smaller size it does not fit in Slot 2 of the original DS.)

The EZ-Flash IV Lite comes packaged in an attractive clamshell box that holds the cart itself, a USB cable, a microSD card reader, a mini-CD driver disc and a set of different coloured cart housings (blue, white and black) to enable you to match the colour of your DS.

This comprehensive pack is still lacking a slot-1 key that you need if you want to run DS homebrew, rather than older GBA programs. Apart from that, you just need to get hold of a microSD card on which to store your homebrew software.

Running homebrew itself is pretty straightforward. Any programs that use the DLDI file libraries can be patched as usual with the provided patch on the DLDI Device page. The overall support from the homebrew community for this card is not as complete as the others in the review here, but the majority of applications we tried could be used with a bit of work.

Scoring
Build quality: 6
Value: 8
Ease of use: 7
Overall: 7
Supercard SD

Supercards were one of the first widely adopted homebrew carts. They offered both ease of use and build quality that made them very popular for homebrew enthusiasts. The Supercard SD version was the follow-up to the popular CF version that used the older media. This newer version has the benefit of using common SD cards that are shared by other devices, and you're quite likely to have lying around.

This slot-2 cart is a little larger than a normal GBA cart and as such protrudes from both the old and new DS. This is less of a problem on the original machine, but on the new DS Lite its more refined dimensions make this cart a bit more of an eyesore. (If you want a snugly fitting Supercard for the DS Lite you should consider the Supercard Lite, reviewed below.)

The Supercard SD comes in a slipcase pack that houses the card itself and some form of slot-1 key to enable you to run the DS homebrew code. In addition there is a mini-CD that includes the driver files. This provides everything you need to get started with homebrew on your DS, apart from the SD memory card itself. It also assumes you have some means of reading and writing the SD card as no bespoke hardware is provided for this.

Running homebrew on the Supercard SD couldn't be simpler. Any programs that use the DLDI file libraries can be patched as usual with the provided patch on the DLDI Device page. Additionally, due to its high popularity, many homebrew software authors provide bespoke builds of their applications that are specifically designed for use on the Supercard.

Scoring
Build quality: 8
Value: 7
Ease of use: 8
Overall: 8
Supercard Lite

This cart is an update of the Supercard SD for the DS Lite and as such shares many of the benefits of the earlier model. It fits snugly in Slot 2 of your Lite (although can't be used in the original DS) and to achieve this smaller form factor the Supercard team has moved from the larger SD card to the small microSD cards. It should also be noted that you cannot change the colour of the device so consider matching your order with the colour of your DS.

The Supercard Lite comes in a slipcase pack containing the card and a mini-CD that includes the driver files. In addition to this you'll need to purchase a SuperKey slot-1 card to enable you to run DS homebrew code. Finally, find yourself a microSD card and reader hardware and you're away.

Again, running homebrew on the Supercard SD is super easy. Any programs that use the DLDI file libraries can be patched as usual with the provided patch on the DLDI Device page. It takes advantage of any bespoke Supercard SD homebrew programs and therefore provides a great introduction into the world of DS homebrew applications.

Scoring
Build quality: 9
Value: 7
Ease of use: 8
Overall: 8

Conclusion
The EZ-Flash IV Lite cart may provide the most comprehensive package, but there's no denying the Supercards edge into the lead because of their high build quality and ease of use.

Of the two Supercard devices on offer, then, the one to choose depends on whether you have an old or new DS. The sleek lines of the DS Lite demand that the device fits snugly into the slot, so while the Supercard SD will fit, Lite owners are likely to be tempted by the Supercard Lite. One element to bear in mind is the additional requirements of the purchase of a slot-1 key for the latter, which may be enough to convince some DS Lite homebrewers to stick to the more complete package offered by the Supercard SD (standard DS owners have no such choice to make, obviously).

Whichever Supercard you ultimately go for, however, at least you'll spend your money knowing they'll fulfil their role in impressively competent fashion.

One final point, if we may. Good as these slot-2 carts are, they're increasingly facing competition from the new up-and-coming slot-1 devices. Rest assured, we'll have a round-up of those for you soon so if you can hold on, watch this space.