If you've often daydreamed of running Neo Geo games on your DS, but never thought it'd actually happen because of your technical incompetence, unfounded fears, or bad credit, Racketboy will make your dreams come true with a homebrew guide for loading up NeoDS and playing these expensive arcade releases.

Though the process is a bit more complicated than emulating (non-pirated) games for other systems on the DS, this walkthrough breaks down all the required steps for getting started. Jump past the post break for a video preview of Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves, King of Fighters 2003, and Metal Slug X will look like on your portable once you get NeoDS running.

All you really need to know about this morning's Nintendo press briefing is that Joystiq is liveblogging it, and we're live-chatting it, but if you're dying for the kind of information you can put into a list about the big show, we've got everything you need.

Event location
Kodak Theatre
Hollywood, California

Starting time
9:00 AM PT (Tuesday, July 15)

Live streams (free)

• G4
• GameSpot
• IGN
• Nintendo (also features a countdown)

Songs to get you pumped up

• "You're the Best Around" -- Joe Esposito (Phil & Candace)
• "Let's Get Ready to Rhumble" -- PJ & Duncan AKA (Chris)
• "Come Baby Come" -- K7 (Eric)
• "The Question Is, What is the Question" -- Scooter (Eric)
• "Black Math" -- The White Stripes (Alisha)
• "Eye of the Tiger" -- Survivor (Should be everyone!)

Don't forget your bingo card!

Our most evil and dark attempt to introduce you to the disgusting world of legal homebrew has concluded. Now that the dust has settled, we want to know how many of you actually managed to give something a try? Did you rush out and start downloading like crazy? Perhaps turned your DS into a PDA?

All of you who've now decided to take the plunge, what are you enjoying? For those of you that didn't, why? What's keeping you from the wide world of possibilities that come from the DS homebrew scene? We overcame our fears, you should at least try to overcome your own!

This week, the staff at DS Fanboy dedicated themselves to all things homebrew. If you own a DS and aren't checking out some of these hobbyist applications, you're missing half the fun of the system. Let us help you get started, find the best games and other software, and troubleshoot your problems, and you'll be reproducing Rembrandts* in Colors! in no time.

*provided you actually have some shred of artistic talent

Getting started

	DS Fanboy's (semi) ultimate homebrew guide Covering some of the most common Slot-1 cards that can turn your DS into a lean, mean, homebrew machine.
	Homebrew glossary DLD-what? Slot where? We've got the answers.

Filling up that SD card

	Widen the horizons of the DS The best apps for making your DS do all the things a handheld was never meant to do.
	Japanese homebrew games that will blow your mind From the wacky to the completely awesome.
	Emulating the gaming world on DS Your favorite old consoles, back in handheld form.
	Don't buy these: homebrew recommendations There are dozens of amazing homebrew apps available, and we've got a small sampling of our favorites.
	Homebrew: Using the DS as a PDA Why carry two things when one will do just fine?
	More Naughtiness on the Nintendo DS All the pornographic puzzles you can fit on a single microSD card.

Checking out the community

	Confessions of a Homebrew Virgin New to this whole deal? You're not the only one.
	Homebrew dev dishes on the DS scene The man behind Laser Hockey DS on the scene, his recommendations, and the lessons Nintendo could stand to learn from homebrew.
	Homebrew support group Got problems? We bet someone has an answer.

M3DS Real
Slot-1 (All-in-one)
Also needed: MicroSD card
Price: $39 - $60
Find it: Real Hot Stuff, Amazon Marketplace, DealExtreme

With the M3 Real, it's easy for even the noobiest of noobs to get a grip on DS homebrew. If you know how to a) manipulate files on a computer and b) insert a cart into your DS, then you too can master the world of DS homebrew. It really is just that easy.

So you bought the M3 Real -- what now?

Once you've got the M3, with or without accessories (other than the necessary MicroSD card), setting it up is extremely simple. Before you do anything else, you'll need to:

• format your MicroSD card (PC users, see here and here; Mac users, check here)
  
• get the latest M3 loader firmware
• copy the M3 firmware System folder to the MicroSD card
• insert the MicroSD into your M3 cart (like this, not like this)
• insert the M3 adapter cart in your DS and power it up

The first time you boot up your M3, you'll be prompted to select your language. If you happen to choose the wrong one, or decide to shift later, you can adjust this in the Setting menu from the main screen (see list of menu options to the right). After that, you're ready to go, and you've already become a part of the homebrew community. The M3 firmware comes complete with a built-in PDA app, so you've already got a program you can use. You've also got MoonShell packed in with your card, which allows you to access media files from your DS, just in case you want to, say, watch Night of the Living Dead. But in order to get that film, other media, or any other programs, you're going to have to plug that MicroSD back in to your computer and go hunting for software.

What kind of homebrew programs do you want to get? Frankly, that's up to you, and we'll provide some resources later that should help you choose. For now, however, we're just going to tell you how to work with your new homebrew cart.

How do I manage files so that my homebrew software will run correctly?

You'll need to place all of the loader files (.nds files) in the root directory (unless directed otherwise in the instructions for various programs) on the MicroSD card. This allows for automatic DLDI patching, which some applications require in order to run correctly. If your files are not in the right place, your programs may not work. If you're having any trouble, make sure the files are in the right place!

Your media files, however, can be organized as you see fit. Only .nds loader files for your homebrew programs need to be in the root directory. MoonShell has its own file browser, and supports several audio formats, including MP3, most basic image formats, and DPG video files.

As an aside, we recommend fiddling with your new M3's menus. You can't really mess anything up, after all, and you'll learn more about it. The firmware comes with several skins already installed (accessible through the 'Setting' menu), and you can cycle through those and familiarize yourself with the menus before digging too deeply into various programs.

To the right, you can see the basic menu options. You'll spend most of your time in "My Card," which is a file browser that lists all your homebrew programs. Open My Card, and from there, you can select the executable files.
For example, on the above screenshot, lj.nds is selected, which loads LOCKJAW, an excellent Tetris clone. Chat Noir is also shown. To get here, select My Card from the main menu, and scroll down to the files you want. Tap the desired file once with your stylus (or alternate pointing device), and again to load it. Or, if you prefer to use the buttons, A selects, and B will move back to previous menus.

Sound simple? It is. The interface is easily navigable, and the beauty of the all-in-one Slot-1 carts is that running homebrew apps is nearly as easy as booting a commercial cartridge. So many steps that were necessary with earlier Slot-2 homebrew solutions are automated here. Now anyone can get in on the homebrew experience.

Where can I go to for more in-depth information on the M3 Real?

Check out the official M3 Team site or the M3 wiki, as well as great community sites like GBATemp.net.

Features: Built-in media player and PDA functionality, HDSC compatible, skinnable interface, automatic DLDI patching, supports Slot-2 expansions
Possible problems: Official site difficult to navigate if you're looking for firmware updates; some people don't like the necessity of keeping things in the root directory
Accessories: GBA expansion, rumble pak
Language support: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Korean, Thai

Jargon flying right over your head? Check out our homebrew glossary for more information!

CycloDS Evolution	Back	Revolution for DS

CycloDS Evolution
Slot-1 (All-in-one)
Also needed: MicroSD card
Price: $53
Find it: Real Hot Stuff

Though it's well regarded by many for its high compatibility with commercial ROMs, the CycloDS Evolution is also gaining popularity for the ease with which one can install and load homebrew games and applications using the slot-1 cart. Its capabilities and dead-simple features come at a premium, and you will need to buy a microSD memory card to use with the cart (we suggest 1GB+), but you'll find very few people who're unhappy with the Team Cyclops product.

So you bought the CycloDS Evolution -- what now?

As with the R4, the CycloDS Evolution kit includes a USB microSD card reader/writer which you can plug into your computer. Both the slot-1 cart and the card reader/writer lack spring mechanisms for popping out the microSD cards, so you'll need to pull them out with a fingernail. This isn't as awkward as it sounds!

The first two things you'll want to do is make sure you have the latest firmware and the MoonShell media player. The official CycloDS Support and Downloads page has links to the latest versions for you to download. Unpackage the files and drag everything into the root of your microSD card (do not rename the "moonshl" folder).

The next time you run the CycloDS cart on your DS, you'll receive a prompt asking if you'd like to update the firmware. Make sure your battery light is green -- you might even want to hook the system up to its charger -- and press A to start the process. It's imperative that you do not turn off your system during the update. After the firmware update is complete, you'll need to restart your DS. The firmware upgrade file will be automatically deleted.

That's easy enough, but how do I set it up for homebrew?

Running homebrew off this cart couldn't be any easier. With the CycloDS' automatic DLDI-patching, you should be able to run most games and applications without having to patch the software. Just drag and drop the NDS files you've downloaded, and you're good to go. It's suggested that you organize your files into folders if you plan to keep a lot on your cart, as the cart's file browser will only list 128 ROMs in a single directory. As the folder named "/CycloDS" is a system folder, make sure not to drag any homebrew files that you plan to play into there.


Once you've started up your Nintendo DS, tapped past the Health and Safety screen, and selected "CycloDS Evolution" from the initial menu screen, you'll be greeted with the simple user interface pictured above. In case it's not obvious, the DS icon will bring you to a file browser that will load the software you've copied onto the microSD card. The headphones icon will open the Moonshell media player for any compatible photos/music/text/video files you have. The third icon, a briefcase, will let you configure different settings, including your DS's current LCD brightness.

How do I customize the CycloDS's main menu?

Ever wanted to see your true love, Sasuke, as soon as you turned on your DS? Or maybe you'd just like a sleek menu screen to match your iPhone? Here's your chance to make your system's graphical user interface really feel like yours!

1. Find and download a skin you like -- try NDS Themes or the skins section of the Team Cyclops' forum
2. Unzip the skin folder from the file you've downloaded (e.g. LePetitPrince.zip -> "/LePetitPrince")
3. Open the "/CycloDS" directory in your microSD card
4. Create a "/Skins" folder in "/CycloDS"
5. Drag the skin folder you downloaded into the "/Skins" folder (e.g. "/CycloDS/Skins/LePetitPrince")
6. Slap the microSD card and CycloDS cart into your DS
7. Load the CycloDS Evolution cart from the DS's initial menu screen
8. Head into "Settings/Misc" from the CycloDS menu
9. Select the "Skin" line and hit the A button or use the directional pad to pick your skin
10. Voila! You've added and enabled a new CycloDS skin!
    

What about this "Enhanced Mode" I've been hearing about?

The CycloDS has a unique "Enhanced Mode" menu which users can access at any time, even while playing a game, by hitting A + B + X + Y + L + R buttons simultaneously. The menu offers some really slick options, some of which we'd love to see implemented by Nintendo for future versions of the DS -- LCD brightness adjustments, an in-game reset for returning to the CycloDS main menu without restarting the DS, real-time saving for saving/restoring game states at any time, cheat code toggling, variable slow motion, and a display for the current time.

Unfortunately, at the time of this guide's posting, this Enhanced Mode is only available for commercial games and not for homebrew software. If you're the type to crank up Aerosmith and live on the edge, Team Cyclops currently has a public beta for its new firmware (v1.4 Beta 2) adding an in-game reset for homebrew games and applications, allowing you to return to the CycloDS main menu without restarting the DS. It's not as impressive as the full Enhanced Mode, but the soft reset is still very useful!

Why are some people choosing the CycloDS Evolution over the cheaper R4?

While it's onboard firmware, microSDHC support, and Enhanced Mode offerings are all significant advantages for the CycloDS Evolution, the biggest reason why many are happy to pay $10-20 extra for this cart is its excellent, English-speaking (this is a huge deal!) support staff. In addition to providing great technical support and firmware upgrades with new fixes/features, Team Cyclops keeps an active presence in its own forums. You would expect these points to be standard with most flashcart teams, but it's rare to see a group support its cart this well.

Where can I go to for more in-depth information on the CycloDS Evolution?

Try Team Cyclops' CycloDS Evolution Reference Manual or The CycloDS Wiki!

Features: Automatic DLDI-patching with excellent homebrew compatability, media player (Moonshell), user-friendly and skinnable interface, OS built into onboard flash memory, Enhanced Mode, auto-boot and auto-execute options, and microSDHC support
Accessories: EZ-V 3-in-1 Expansion Pack
Language support: English, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Portuguese, Latin American Spanish,
Korean, Dutch, Greek, Indonesian, Malaysian, Russian, and Tagalog


Jargon flying right over your head? Check out our homebrew glossary for more information!

---

plctext	Back	M3 Real

R4DS
Slot-1 (All-in-one)
Also needed: MicroSD card
Price: $35-$50
Find it: Gameryeeeah, Real Hot Stuff, Modchip Store

Probably the most popular storage device cart (or at least the most well-known), the R4 is a safe choice for people new to the homebrew community. It's essentially the same as the M3, and just as easy to set up. Also, it's unlikely that you'll ever have to deal with DLDI patching with an R4.

Just follow our directions below or check out our step-by-step picture guide, and you'll be experiencing homebrew in no time.

So you bought the R4DS -- what now?

The R4DS storage device comes with a USB MicroSD card reader/writer and a protective case to hold your cart. As stated above, though, you'll need a MicroSD card. (Note: The R4 is only compatible with MicroSD cards that are 2GB or less.)

Once you have your card, insert it into the USB MicroSD card reader (be careful!). Then, pop the USB reader into your computer's USB port. When prompted by "AutoPlay," click on "Open folder to view files." (Note: If you're not prompted, make sure that your computer is reading your USB drive properly. If it is, just open the drive manually through your "My Computer" folder. If not, there may be a problem with your USB drive or MicroSD card.)

That's easy enough, but how do I set it up for homebrew?
Just go here to download the most recent kernel and the extract the files onto your computer. In the "English" folder there will be four files to copy/paste onto your MicroSD card:

• _system_ folder
• moonshl folder
• _DS_MENU.DAT
• _DS_MSHL.NDS

So now that your homebrew is set up, how do you actually do stuff?

Congratulations! You've set up your R4, complete with MoonShell. The rest of what you do simply depends on your own needs and wants. If you want homebrew games, make a "Games" folder and put it in the root directory. If you want music, make a "Music" folder; if you want applications (like iPod DS or PictoDrive), make an "Applications" folder, and so on.

Now, get to the downloading

It's nice that you have all these nifty folders, but it's no fun if they're empty -- so go on and add some programs and multimedia! If you have no idea where to start, check out some of our past recommendations by scanning through our homebrew category.

Be careful to check if what you're downloading has special instructions. Some programs (like DSOrganize, for example) might need to be installed into the root directory. Otherwise, just put your homebrew games into your "Games" folder, music files into your "Music" folder, etc.

So you have the programs you want -- now what?

Remove your USB reader from your computer, take out the MicroSD card carefully, put the MicroSD card into the R4 storage cart, and put the R4 storage cart into your DS. Then, turn on your DS. Once it loads, you'll notice a menu that's split into three different sections: Game, Multimedia, and Boot Slot-2.


"Game" (left icon) is where you go to open all .nds files, such as DSOrganize, iPod DS, emulators, and any homebrew games that you've downloaded. Only folders and .nds files will show up here, so don't worry if everything else appears to be missing. "Multimedia" (middle icon) takes you to MoonShell, where you open multimedia files. "Boot Slot-2" (right icon) is what you'd use if you had a GBA expansion pack or other slot-2 device inserted into your DS.

Where can I go to for more in-depth information on the R4DS?

Still confused? Use our step-by-step picture walkthrough to make setting up your R4DS even easier. If you have other questions, though, your best bet would be to visit community sites like GBATemp.net or the (unofficial) R4DS Support Forums.

Features: Built-in media player (MoonShell), skinnable interface, automatic DLDI patching, Slot-2 expansion support, Wi-Fi compatibility, operable with both the touchscreen and buttons/d-pad, constantly updated firmware (available on the R4DS website)
Possible problems: Not as power efficient as a normal DS cart, some programs must go in the root directory, not compatible with MicroSD cards over 2GB (MicroSDHC cards)
Accessories: USB MicroSD card reader/writer, protective case to store the R4 cart
Language support: English, French, and Korean

Jargon flying right over your head? Check out our homebrew glossary for more information!

M3	Back	Other

All of you hopeful chefs living in Europe, it looks like we may finally have a date for when Cooking Navi is to release in your region. According to a German gaming site, Nintendo-Online, the title is due to hit on June 20th. Some other poking around the net shows that GAME also has a listing for that day.

We'd like to check more on this, but, in all honesty, there's just not much retail competition for GAME. So we can't exactly go looking up other listings for the game. Even Nintendo of Europe's site has nothing on the title, so we're really up the creek without a paddle here. For the time being, we're considering this a rumor, but just wanted to let you all know that you should be taking this "news item" with a grain of salt.

[Thanks, isaac3k!]

Tetris DS has become a hard-to-find item, leaving the DS with the distinction of being the only Nintendo handheld (except for the Pokémon Mini stuff) without a ubiquitous Tetris game. And that just feels wrong. The surprising rarity of the Nintendo-nostalgia-themed puzzler has driven prices on eBay way up. In order to clear lines without clearing their bank account, many would-be Tetrists are buying Japanese copies -- including DS Fanboy staffers eager to drop Tetriminoes every Game Night.

It's easy enough to play Tetris DS even without understanding the menus. Just push enough buttons and eventually something will happen. But it's somewhat trickier to engage in multiplayer without being able to read the interface. In order to help anyone stuck in such a situation (and to encourage online Tetris-ing, of course!) we've gone through the menus in a Japanese copy of Tetris DS and translated the screen text.

Click the picture to browse the entire gallery, or you can pick your starting point from the list below. We hope this guide is the I-piece in the prospective Tetris that is your Tetris DS experience!

• Single-player
• Multiplayer
• Wi-Fi
• Options
• Records
• Pause menu

As excited as we always are when it comes to free stuff, we're ten times more thrilled with this excuse to reuse our Unsolved Dungeon Mysteries image. What better way to introduce a paranomal Pokémon preorder?

To promote the April 20th release of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness, Nintendo is offering a free strategy book to anyone who reserves either edition of the roguelike. The Explorer's Guide will contain game tips, interviews, and an original manga from Ken Sugimori, likely similar to (if not the same as) Ginji's Rescue Team.

For the uninitiated, the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games, like Shiren the Wanderer, are all entries in Chunsoft's Fushigi no Dungeon series. Catering to the license's audience, Explorers will be significantly less difficult and punishing than its peers. Having a strategy guide on hand should increase your survivability chances even more! If you're looking to ease yourself into the dungeon-crawl genre, this is the game you'll want to try out.

[Via press release]

Something faintly unsettling happened to this blogger recently. For the first time since Grim Fandango left me utterly bamboozled, yours truly turned to a guide for help while playing a DS game (one that will remain anonymous, to save the already battered, tatty remains of my gamer cred).

As a rule, I don't like using guides. Not because I am fantastic at playing games (any of my opponents at Game Night will confirm that I am rubbish) but because I'm simply happy to sit there for unhealthy periods of time, brow furrowed and stylus poised, and break down the puzzles a game throws at me, come hell or high water. How about you guys? Are you happy to use guides, or do you steer clear and stubbornly try to fight your own way through?

Following rumors that DS was to test out a program where patrons could utilize their DS as a guide (among other things), we here at DS Fanboy envisioned others following Disney's lead, giving us the kind of functionality that the handheld enjoys in Japan and abroad. We were excited at the possibility of using our DS to send in food orders over wi-fi and perhaps checking out movie trailers while waiting in line at the theater. Fun stuff of the sort is always bouncing around our brain.

Imagine how we felt after seeing some leaked shots of the Disney DS guide in action. We pretty much received what we expected in that department. But, our excitement for the prospect might be unfounded, as families just didn't seem excited to come use the device. The ones that did sign up seemed to be genuinely impressed with the features and exclaimed that it enhanced their park experience, however getting families to come and give it a whirl seemed to be a tough sell.

Still, if the functionality is there and those than used the device generally seemed to be pleased with what it did.

[Thanks, Chris!]

Back when we reported on Disney testing out a program where the DS would be used as a tour guide, we had nothing to go on visually. We were left with only our imagination and a text description of some features. It was enough back then, but now we crave more.

And, thanks to one forum poster over at the WDMagic forums, we're actually shown what it looks like. So head past the break for some screens of it in action.

[Via WDMagic.com]

As if we don't already hear enough on the lack of separation between reality and games, a new Japanese title will use real-life locations in its game. It isn't anything that would cause alarm, like murder or something, but it is something that definitely caused a "!" here at the DS Fanboy offices. Mainly because we think it's such a cool idea.

We can definitely say that Zenrin Co. Ltd., the title of this game, is right up our alley. A detective title that asks players to visit tourist hot-spots and other locales of interest, we find the idea of a game sending us on a hunt for things in real life very intriguing. It's funny, because we can't imagine anything other than gaming to cause us to want to leave our dungeon of business (the years have made us fond of the stench and cage we're forced to live with down here).

[Via Nintendic]

Hot on the heels of the rumor that Disney would be trying to utilize the DS as a tour guide in its parks comes word that the company is currently in the testing stage. According to Jim Hill Media, the Magic Kingdom is already conducting field tests with its wireless device (which is utilized with a DS). And, the supposed functionality of this device is one that totally destroys anything else we were lead to believe.

Not only will you be able to use your DS to guide you around the park, but it will also give you some very dynamic information. In real time, it'll tell you current wait times on rides at the park, as well as the best time for shortest lines at a certain ride or attraction. There will also be a function that tracks your favorite characters, allowing you to stalk Mickey like a champion.

Everything that's being said about this new idea from Disney points to "success," if you ask us. It seems like an incredibly intuitive and functional device that should make the experience of being at one of Disney's parks that much better.

[Thanks, Chris!]