This is a two-pronged review, since I decided to test out the R4 with a third party Rumble Pak as well. Unlike Slot 2 solutions, you don’t need to convert any of the ROM files using any software, hence you don’t get bloated files and get to cram more ROMs onto a single microSD memory card. I quickly fired up Metroid Prime Pinball via the Moonshell interface, and the ROM loaded like a charm. Turning the NDS Lite on, the R4 booted without a hitch.
To remove the microSD memory card, do the same thing – push it in until you hear a ‘click’, and it should pop out without any problem whatsoever.Īfter installing all the necessary programs (actually the ‘installation’ required a simple drag and drop action) including a ROM, all I had to do was test it. The microSD cart is inserted in pretty much the same manner you insert an NDS cart – push it in completely until you hear a resounding ‘click’. Any microSD memory card up to 4GB in size can be used with the R4, ensuring you have more than enough space to store all your digital music, video, and homebrew ROMs. There is a small opening at the top end of the R4 for you to slot in a microSD memory card before you can use it. Since the R4 cart fits into the Slot 1 on the NDS, it makes perfect sense for it to come in the exact dimensions as a regular NDS cart.
The box which it came in is pretty simple, an opening it revealed a CD containing the electronic version of a user manual and Moonshell files to get you started, a microSD memory card reader, and the R4 cart itself. The homebrew scene for the Nintendo DS is pretty much alive, and one of the main reasons would be the abundance of third party carts such as the Supercard series for Slot 2 on the NDS as well as Slot 1 solutions such as the R4 (Revolution 4 DS).