A How to Guide for Nintendo DS Homebrew

I love my Nintendo DS. Without a doubt, I spend more time playing more games on my handheld than any other console or computer. Why? Homebrew.

For the uninitiated (truly, this is why I’m writing this), homebrew is basically a collection of applications and games made by programmers in their spare time. For no cash. Believe me when I say that these are great people, who deserve the full support of the community. Examples of homebrew on the DS include:

• Emulators/Engines which will run Scumm games (PC classics such as Monkey Island or Sam and Max), Amstrad CPC games or Megadrive games on your DS.
• Made from scratch games or ports, such as Lemmings, QuakeDS or DoomDS.
• Applications which will turn your DS into a personal organizer or a media player.

Point is, these applications/games/ give the DS a whole new dimension, and it’s well worth configuring your machine to access it.Configuring your DS, I suppose, is the main problem. Homebrew applications will NOT run off your DS from the box. Not at all. The process to enable it to run homebrew, fortunately, is a simple one but (and there is a but) not without risk. By changing your DS to accept homebrew code, you could brick it. By bricking I mean you could render your DS into a useless block incapable of anything. Well, I say incapable of anything. You could use it as a fancy paper weight. But come on, that isn’t what your DS is for!

Now, I’m going to be straight and admit that my method of executing homebrew may be out of date. There may be easier ways, but I can only tell you of my own experience, so that’s what I’ll do.

I use something called a Supercard SD to run my homebrew, and basically, it is a Gameboy Advance Cartridge that has a slot in for an SD card. The model of Supercard SD I use is an older one, and you can now purchase Supercard SD’s that are trimmed in size so they don’t protrude out of your DS Lite or DS. There are also Slot 1 (Slot 1 meaning NDS slot as opposed to GBA slot) Supercards now available, but if you want to know more you’d have to look elsewhere. I don’t intend to talk about anything I don’t have experience with. The Supercard SD does not have internal memory – you need to buy an SD (micro and mini cards are required for the smaller Supercards) card for it aswell. SD memory is dirt cheap, I use a 1GB Viking SD card that cost me about £15 a year ago. You can probably pick up a 2gb card for the same price now, and I’d recommend it.

Anyway, you can’t just buy a Supercard and expect the code to run on your DS straight away. This is the bit where you have to actually physically take your DS apart and ‘flash’ it. By flash, I don’t mean run around exposing it to unsuspecting passers by, but rather I mean you change the process in which your DS turns on, essentially, which will let you run your Supercard with your homebrew on it.

Flashing the DS is a relatively simple process, but as I have already mentioned, it is not a risk free process. For anyone with a DS lite, the process is also apparently more risky than with a DS Phat.

You will need 2 things to flash your DS – your Supercard SD, and a Passme device. There are a few passme devices out there, the most convenient appears to be the Superkey as you don’t have to connect another NDS cartridge (as with Superpass or Passme). The Passme device is required in order to let you run the flashing software from your Supercard SD. Once you’ve flashed, you won’t need the passme device ever again. However, you could just always use the passme to run your homebrew via the Supercard without flashing. It’s really up to you.

Anyway, if you did decide to flash, you need the software to flash the DS with. It can be found here.

I would recommend downloading the alternate version on the site that leaves the health and safety screen intact. Some people find that screen annoying, but I’d rather keep it. Of course, it’s down to personal choice. Put the software onto your SD card and then slot it into your Supercard.

When flashing the DS, it’s very important to have it plugged into the mains AND have it fully charged. I’ve flashed a DS that wasn’t plugged in, but it was fully charged, but it’s best to be safe than sorry. If your DS powers off during the flash, it’s not good.

You’ll also need some type of tool for touching the connection next to the battery (see video) during the flash. A toothpick wrapped in tinfoil, a small piece of metal wire, anything that’s thin enough to go into the hole, but thick enough to bridge the connection properly. The video below shows the process, but without a voiceover. That device you see him plug into the NDS slot is not a superpass, but a passme. They both do the same job – you have to plug an NDS cartridge in it to make it work.

For more detailed instructions, go here

If you have a DS Lite, however, the flashing process is slightly different. Below is a video tutorial which seems to explain the process quite well. I have no experience of flashing a DS Lite, so I’m afraid I can’t really comment on the process.

I hope this article has clarified some things, and maybe given people a few things to think about. I also hope that it might persuade people to dip their toe in the seemingly murky yet undeniably rewarding waters of the DS homebrew scene.

For a complete index of homebrew projects on the NDS, I particularly recommend a visit to this site.

And yes, you CAN run NDS and GBA roms using a Supercard, but it’s illegal and naughty.