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DS-Linker Official Review
Introduction & Packaging
The DS-X was the only Slot-1 Flashcard that had built-in memory, but now the Supercard Team distributed the DS-Linker. The DS-Linker is a flashcard that comes in 1Gbit, 4Gbits, or 8Gbits.
Some people actually feel that the DS-X and the DS-Linker are one of the best Slot-1 cards available. The reason for this is because of the memory built-in. The reason that it is good is because people don’t need to buy a Micro SD, SD, a Mini SD, and a Card Reader. We all know that can get expensive.
The main characteristics are :.
- Original Size of a DS game
- No need for Flashme, Passme, or convert
- Boot from DS slot directly
- Built-in memory design
- Clear ROM support directly
- Fine support
- U-Disk Operation, just Drag 'n Drop
- MoonShell support, MP3 & Movie
The DS-Linker looks great so far however I would recommond using a usb connection directly to the DS card. Instead of using the U-Disk as a GBA Card.
The DS-Linker comes in a small black box, just like the SuperKey. It has the same design, and you can easily see it was made by the SuperCard Team. Inside the box is a DS-Linker (why is it white? When the box shows its black), a transparent Gba Blue Writer, and a usb cable.
Playing with the DS Linker gave me some general impressions. The build quality was great. The plastic of the DS Linker was high quality, and the casing fit very well. Only complaint I can find is the chip sticking out, however, it is fairly minor, and barely noticeable. If I were to categorize the build quality, it would be above that of the R4’s, and slightly below the build quality of the DS Link. The cable that was included with the DS Linker was fairly standard, and so was the slot-2 cart. It didn’t surprise me, there was nothing great about the build quality, nor were there any complaints.
Hardware
The DS-Linker is the same size as a normal DS Card. When comparing to the other slot-1 Flashcards it does not have a Micro SD slot. Which in turn makes it a little more easier to put into the DS slot. That way, you won't be afraid to break anything. The Gba cartridge is an excellent quality. The only problem I encountered was the usb did not insert fully.
Software
The package does not come with a CD. However on the DS-Linker website, they have a OS with MoonShell. Just in case you accidently delete the information.
When you want to put on a game or file, you must plug both the DS-Linker and the Gba Card into the Nintendo DS. Plug the usb cable to the PC and the Gba Card. When you do, turn the Nintendo DS on and a blank screen will appear. The screen will say that it connected with U-Disk. Once it does that, the PC will detect it. All you need to do now is copy and paste the games or files you want
Game Compatibility This cart is one of the greatest flash carts on the market in terms of running games. Because of the built-in memory, it runs games at full speed, even the problematic Castlevania series and the Tony Hawk series. It impresses me how there is zero lag for the intro video of Castlevania – Dawn of Sorrow. To put it simply, not even the R4 using the fastest MicroSD cards can run this intro with zero lag. Before I had this cart, I thought that the R4 using a made in Japan Kingston 1GB MicroSD was running the intro as a retail cart, although laggy, it still ran full time. However, now I have seen it, there is no lag, stops or stutters. PLAYED FINE
Animal Crossing Wild World – (EUR) – Setting the save to 2Mbit
Big Brain Academy – (EUR)
Brain Training – (EUR)
Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow – (EUR)
Castlevania Portrait of Ruin – (USA)
Cooking Mama – (EUR)
Electroplankton – (EUR)
Elite Beat Agent – (USA) - Setting the save to 2Mbit
Final Fantasy III – (EUR)
Jump Super Stars – (JAP)
Jump Ultimate Stars – (JAP)
Pokemon Diamond – (JAP)
Polarium – (EUR)
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam – (EUR)
Trauma Center – (EUR)
Save Games
Most of the games work just fine with the save settings they have. However you need to force save on certain games. For example Elite Beat Agents, and Animal Crossing Wild World. When you enter the game you want, it will create a .Save. That way you can back up anytime you want and later put it on the card again.
Homebrew Compatibilty Homebrew is a major concern of every person buying a flash cart. It was a shame that early reviews of the N-Card and its clones missed the release of the DLDI support, and concluded that the N-Card and all of its clones had almost no homebrew support. However, at the time of this review, DLDI is semi-finished for this cart. It has read support. This means that most homebrew work, however, there is no write support. This means that things such as keeping scores, saving levels, don’t work. However, the Neo MK5 team has promised a release of full DLDI support, and it should be released soon. This will put the DS Linker’s homebrew support up with the R4, the EZ Flash V and the Supercard DS ONE. One of the more interesting things I have found about the DS Linker was from the time I ran Moonshell. I was running Moonshell 1.7 courtesy of Neo MK5’s support, and I found that fast forwarding and rewinding video on the DS Linker is actually slightly faster than doing so on my R4DS and my Supercard. It seems that the incredible speed of the DS Linker is affected by Moonshell as well.
Conclusion
Overall, the cart is sturdy and it runs games and homebrew well. It does all of this with the lowest price on the market (other than other N-Card clones). I am thoroughly impressed by this cart, but how can I expect any less from a cart that is distributed by the Supercard team? However, if you don’t like to wait for games to be loaded onto the card, and you really love the soft reset button, then this may not be the card for you. In conclusion, the DS Linker is certainly worth a look. If you were planning to buy a DS Xtreme, the DS Linker is a great alternate. If you were planning to buy a flash cart supporting MicroSD cards, why pay extra money for a memory card, when the DS Linker can easily match it with a lower price. It is certainly cheap, and easy to find.
PROS
+ I did not find a single game, that did not work correctly
+ Easy to use, except for some games that you need to force save
+ Great speed when putting a game on through usb
+ MoonShell built in for watching movies, and listening to music
CONS
- Does not support homebrew
- No Gba support
- The Box tells you the DS-Linker is black, when in fact it is white
- Uses U-Disk with Gba
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