Review: M3 DS Real Cartridge SDHC SLOT-1

[bandit]

M3 DS Real Cartridge SDHC SLOT-1
Manufacturer: M3
Site: Buy from DealExtreme (w/rumble - Chinese) / Buy from DealExtreme (Chinese) / Buy from VolumeRate (Rumble Bundle) / Buy from VolumeRate (Rumble+Card Reader+Shell / Buy from ConsoleSource / Buy from Homebrew Dev (Rumble Bundle)
Price: $49.95-$54.99

Overview : The M3 DS Real is a Slot 1 all-in-one backup unit for the Nintendo DS and DS Lite. The M3 DS Real does not require any additional Passcard or Passme devices to operate. Simply copy your ROMs or multimedia files onto a low cost, high capacity MicroSD card, insert the card into the the M3 DS Real and now insert the M3 DS Simply into your DS or DS Lite and enjoy!

You can play MP3's, read TXT books, and run your homebrew applications with ease. The M3 team has made functionality their number one priority with this new generation of DS development. This simply is the best product currently available for the Nintendo DS.

The M3 DS Real supports MicroSD HC media which will allow massive storage capacity.

Features :

• 100% Game compatibility, supports clean ROM's - works on any DS.
• Extreme simple to use: just drag and drop files to the M3 Cart .. ..Standard FAT system.
• Supports the Micro SDHC specification, allowing for high capacity memory cards 4GB, 8GB
• Fully AR Cheat Code compatible engine
• A Ready-Made Cheat Code database file is available for download (English, Chinese, Japanese)
• Support reading individual cheat code file too. (xml, cht, dht)
• Special Game features can be enabled during game playing: (such as: SlowMotion mode)
• Software reset function
• Automatically detect game save type. (No need to provide save type database file.)
• Excellent homebrew support. DLDI auto-patcher.
• Upgradeable system. No size limitation of Flash rom.
• Robust and skinnable GUI.
• Built in PassMe (NO need to use with any boot cart/passcard etc. Support booting Slot1-NDS, Slot2-GBA, Slot2-NDS etc…)
• DirectBoot: Support directly booting games or applications.
• Supports Slot-2 expansions card. (Rumble, Ram , Browser memory and GBA Game card etc.)
• Includes a fully touch screen and button control operating system /GUI Menu.
• NDS-GBA Linkage works fine.
• Build-in “Media-Ex” application + “Moonshell “ media player.
• Support playing MP3 ,OGG music and DPG /DSM / GBM movies
• Super E-book function , support Word/ Txt file directly .
• Super picture viewer function , support *.BMP, *.JPG, *.GIF, *.PNG directly.
• Built in PDA (Worldwide Time ,Memo , Note ,Phone book ,Calculator.)
• Supports Multi-Language France, Germany, Italian, Netherlands, Portuguese, Spanish
• Supports DS sleep mode.
• Brightness adjustment within GUI.

Quality/Usability : The M3 DS Real comes with everything you'll need such as DS Real Slot-1 cartridge, GBA Expansion Pack, Rumble Pack, card reader and miniCD with files. You may want to download the latest from M3's website or from here as the CD may be outdated.

Setting up the microSD is similar to that of all other slot-1 cartridges. Simply download the latest files and copy them to the root of your microSD. Once files are copied over, homebrew and games will need to be copied over. NDS games would go into /NDS in /SYSTEM. GBA games would go into /GBA in /SYSTEM. If you want to use cheats, they would go in the /SYSTEM directory.

When you boot up the M3 DS Real it automatically skips the Nintendo DS firmware's selection menu and brings you to M3's GM menu. The GM menu allows you to select from seven differenct animated icons such as Game, MyCard, PassCard, Media, PDA, Setting, GBA.

The Nintendo DS game selection screen is accessible by tapping on the Game icon. This will display a list of your Nintendo DS games located in the NDS directory on your microSD. The list shows the icon, name and size of the game. By pressing on "select" a menu pops up that allows you to restore your game save or back it up.

After selecting the game you want to play, a new menu will pop up. This menu will give allow you to choose your cheats, select soft-reset, slow motion and slow motion level. The next tab allows you to choose what cheats you want to enable and disable cheats.

The GBA game screen is similar to that of the NDS but the GBA screen shows the name of the game and file size but no icon is displayed. Pressing "select" also allows you to backup or restore your game save. After selecting your game, you will be given a menu to choose your cheats and enable Real Time Save (RTS). In order to play GBA games, you'll need to have the GBA Expansion Pack since the M3 DS Real will flash the game to the Expansion Pack. If you shut off the Nintendo DS and turn it back on and want to play that same game, you'll have to flash the game again to the GBA Expansion Pack. If you dont, the game will not be recognized.

MyCard allows you to choose NDS and GBA homebrew files and will launch from Slot-1 or flash to GBA expansion pack on Slot-2 respectively. Unlike your NDS/GBA games, they can not be in a folder. They have to be in the root of the microSD. The M3 DS Real automatically patch DLDI homebrew files.

When you select the Media icon, you will be brought to a Crystal Engine Multimedia Player. This is also featured on the G6 DS Real. For those that dont know, G6 and M3 are basically the same. The M3 uses microSD while the G6 has internal flash memory. The CEMP seems to be a modified version of Moonshell. They have dropped the normal .DPG format and are using a new format called .DSM. The CD that comes with the M3 DS Real, comes with a converter to convert you movies to a .DSM file. To play .DPG files, you'll need to use Moonshell. After a few tests, I still prefer .DPG over the new .DSM files as .DPG is better all around when it comes to sound, video and quality.

Conclusion : Overall, the M3 DS Real Cartridge SDHC SLOT-1 is a solid built product. Everything that was thrown at it such as games, homebrew, movies all played. But in regards to movies, its best to stay with the old .DPG format rather than the new .DSM format that they use for their player. It lacks the quality and sound that the .DPG possesses.

Depending on what you're looking for, M3 offers different options. Resellers sell the M3 DS Real either by itself or M3 DS Real with Rumble Pack or the "Perfect Bundle" which includes M3 DS Real, Rumble Pack and GBA expansion pak,

Please note that none of the "upgrade" products listed in this site are endorsed by Nintendo, Sony and/or Microsoft. DCEmu Reviews and DCEmu Network does not condone piracy. The primary functions of a "modchip" and/or "flashcart" are to allow you to play imported games and homebrew software that you legally own or simply just for experimenting with hardware. We in no way endorse piracy, and encourage all users to do the right thing and support the developers/manufacturers that support them. We do not take any responsibilities for any use outside of these parameters or where the use of such a device is illegal.

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Images via comments

[Nikolaos]

Is this compatible with all the emulators for ndslite? as well as all the homebrew.

Will 4 GB Micro SD fit right into this without any other peices? Also, how is speed? same as any other homebrew enabling card? I am new to NDS homebrew and I am considering to buy this if it is good and worth it.

also, what does GBA expansion pack do for me?

[bandit]

Is this compatible with all the emulators for ndslite? as well as all the homebrew.

Will 4 GB Micro SD fit right into this without any other peices? Also, how is speed? same as any other homebrew enabling card? I am new to NDS homebrew and I am considering to buy this if it is good and worth it.

also, what does GBA expansion pack do for me?

I had no problems loading majority of the homebrew applications.

4GB SDHC will fit into the M3 DS Real without any other adapters just like all other Slot-1 adapters.

The GBA expansion pack flashes the GBA game and in order for you to be able to play GBA games. Without this, you wont be able to play GBA games

[Harshboy]

I only have one thing to say, Best. Flashcard. Ever.

[mr game porter]

I only have one thing to say, Best. Flashcard. Ever.

naah, i would still recommend g6real 2gb. it has no slowdown and play ALL homebrews. and M3 DS Real uses the same system files that g6real do. so i would still recommend a g6 real.

[bandit]

naah, i would still recommend g6real 2gb. it has no slowdown and play ALL homebrews. and M3 DS Real uses the same system files that g6real do. so i would still recommend a g6 real.

Its developed by the same people. Only difference, as stated in review is that the G6 Real has internal flash and the M3 Real uses microSD. It just comes down to preference as to whether or not you want to spend extra money on a microSD or have it saved to the slot-1 card itself.

[pibs]

What store from the suggested sites do you recommend to buy this from as I am from the US? I really want to buy one as a gift, so Id like to know if it comes with English instructions.

thanks

[bandit]

What store from the suggested sites do you recommend to buy this from as I am from the US? I really want to buy one as a gift, so Id like to know if it comes with English instructions.

thanks

All ship worldwide. ConsoleSource is in Canada, Divineo US ships from the US and the other sites are obvious and self-explanatory. All come with English instructions unless its noted as Chinese.

[namar]

I've tested both, and personnally go with the cyclo... its too fluid and perfect :^)... Yeah buf the casual user that doesn't know much, M3 Real does offer everything easily especially with the runtime gba patcher.... But i still highly recommend the cyclods

[pibs]

k thanks bandit, just wanted to be clear on that.