Newbie Guide to Nintendo DS Lite (old method)
Currently white, black or pink are the only Nintendo DS Lite colors available in America. . Supercard Lite is only available in white but they just started selling them in black also.
Fellow computer geeks, this guide is NOT for you. It's intended audience is for one who possibly has never even heard of the Nintendo DS Lite and just getting started.
The DS Lite is a handheld portable gaming system with a touch stylus with dual screens that came out in March 2006 in the U.S. It's smaller and brighter than the previous Nintendo DS which came out about a year before that. Nintendo is cranking out over 2 million of these DS Lite units per month. In Japan I was able to pick up a pink, lite blue DS Lite and over here in the states picked up a white DS Lite as well. They cost $129 at walmart, bestbuy, circuity city, etc. In Japan they cost about $20 more.
What else is cool about it. Has built-in microphone and headphone jacks. DS Lite has built-in wireless so you can play a few multi-player games like Mario Kart and Tetris and compete against each other. Also if you have a wireless router at home you can play a few of the games over the internet.
Hardware needed for Nintendo DS Lite
1) Purchase a Superkey $24 or Passcard 3 $30, both same thing just different names) which allows your DS Lite to play games from the GBA memory cart. See Superkey Review
2) Purchase either a Super Card mini SD or Super Card Lite
a) Super Card miniSD $50 (debuted May 2006) sticks out of the bottom GBA memory slot about 1/2 inch but uses
miniSD memory flash which on newegg.com cost $40 for Transcend 80X read 2GB or $20 for Transcend 80X 1GB. See SuperCard miniSD review
Pictured above is the SuperCard MiniSD. Notice how it is NOT flush with the unit but sticks out a 1/2 inch (7mm) unlike the SuperCard Lite which is flush with the unit and doesn't stick out.
b) Super Card Lite $50 (new Aug 2006) is flush with the DS Lite unit and doesn't stick out at all and uses microSD memory flash which on newegg.com cost $40 1GB for SanDisk 60X read, 12X write or you could get for $50 1GB SanDisk Ultra II 66X read, 60X write. . See Super Card Lite Review
Note: prices listed are of August 2006.
Memory flash speeds are important. You want at least 60X (9MB/s read). So decision comes down to if you want it flush and if you wish to spend more on memory having it flush.
Get your SuperKey and Super Card in the mail and your ready to play almost.
Total Cheapest Cost $50 + $5 shipping (no tax) and have friend flash it for you saving $24 plus 1GB miniSD for $20 + $5 shipping (no tax). Overall lowest cost about $55 + $25 = $80.
3) Download the latest firmware and software for your Super Card miniSD or Super Card Lite.
4) After you patch the files your have blahblahgame.nds.ndq (game) and blahblahgame.nds.sav (save file). I suggest to Enable Trim ROM on each one. Never had a problem and it can save valuable space on the flash memory card to squeeze more games on there.
5) Copy them to your flash memory stick (in a memory card reader $10) I suggest you sort them with FATSort (freeware application) so they're in alphabetical order. FATSort-1.0.4.zip 223KB. Otherwise they are based on modified file date stamps. Reason is the memory card is formatted to FAT16. Open FATSort and choose Alphabetical and then select the drive of your flash memory card. Viola.
How to hack your Nintendo DS Lite
You don't need to hack your Nintendo DS Lite to play game backups if you don't wish to. You need a Superkey or Passcard 3 to play backup games, however, if you to flash your DS Lite's firmware then you won't need the Superkey any more (only when flashing other units). So if you purchase two DS Lite's and wish to save $24 by not having to purchase another Superkey then you can flash it.
Flashing DS Lite firmware (optional)
1. Open up battery cover
with a tiny phillips screw driver.
2. Use a toothpick with aluminum wrapped on bottom 1/8 inch (not the pointy end). Then cover from edge of foil up to about half way with tape (any kind).
3. Download Flashme7 firmware monroeworld.com and see his excellent guide
4. Put flashme.nds onto root of flash memory card.
5. Power on DS Lite with SuperKey installed (this is why you need it at least temporarily)
6. Load flashme.nds and follow prompts and short SL1 hole with the toothpick foil end until it says firmware flashed 100%. Takes about 15 seconds.
7. Done and now you no longer need to use a Superkey when playing games from SuperCard, etc.
supercard official site
firmware, patch manager
Note to geeks...I know there are tons of options and opinions run rampant. I have an m3 pro miniSD but it's not worth it. Converted youtube movies and played a few more GBA games. Big deal...it's not worth the extra cash for the average joe. Plus M3 has slower boot times and you have to enter GBA mode each time you wish to play a GBA game. M3 a few games I wasn't able to trim like New Super Mario and Mario Basketball, etc. On the SuperCard I've trimmed every single one. The only title I had to do anything special is Final Fantasy III and use "Enable Patch Cartridge Access ". I much prefer Supercard now with it's save files in the same directory. I'm familiar with G6 Lite, EZ Flash IV, etc. It's just way too much to absorb and way too many pros and cons to consider when all one wishes to do is play a couple of games. Disagree that's fine...write your own page and express your own opinion...this is mine. Read your hacker guide and be content.
Updated Jan 18, 2007
