There’s a new entry in the small “DS save adapter” market. The eggy R4i Save Dongle allows users to copy, back up, and restore save data from 3DS and DS games, by putting the cart directly into the adapter and then attaching that to a computer via USB.

R4i-SDHC is giving away a bunch of units, if you’re daring enough to give them your info…

Buy: Nintendo 3DS console (Flame Red, Black, & Blue)

Find: Nintendo DS/3DS release dates, discounts, & more

See also: More accessories

[Via DS-Scene]

tags / r4 / r4i / homebrew / save dongle / nintendo ds / nintendo 3ds / jc / gaming

Bad news for homebrewers (and pirates)!

Reports from Chinese gaming community Hacken.cc indicate that Nintendo has taken a page from Sony’s PSP-3000, increasing its anti-piracy measures with the Nintendo DSi and stonewalling slot-1 flashcarts.

Some carts like the ubiquitous R4 fail to show up at all when inserted into the new hardware, while others, like the EZ Flash V, will appear on the main menu but will generate an error when launched.

The following carts have been tested with the DSi and do not work with the updated handheld:

• CycloDS
• FCard
• G6 DS Real
• iTouch DS
• M3 DS Real
• M3 DS Simply
• NCard
• Supercard DS One
• U2DS

We’ll likely hear more about what our options are for a workaround (e.g. firmware update for carts, FlashMe) once the system officially launches in Japan tomorrow and is in more hands.

tags / ec / dsi / import / piracy / homebrew / flashcart / r4

Despite Nintendo suing five vendors from Tokyo’s Akihabara district earlier this year for selling DS flashcarts — which spooked many shops into pulling R4s from their shelves — the piracy/homebrew tools are still popular in the electronics corner, as evidenced by the above image.

According to AkibaBlog, you can find a slot-1 cart in the area “without looking for it seriously.” The flashcarts are still commanding higher-than-usual prices, however, with some R4 and DSTT kits selling for $60.

Also, check out this awesome art — it looks like a group of Klansmen are surrounding the corpse of “Four Rs,” with the man next to the body saying, “Confirmed dead.”

tags / flashcart / r4 / akihabara / piracy / ec