Cyclo DS Evolution Review - 8/10

You've just bought a flash cart! OMG!
What the heck is it?
How do I use it?
Did I buy a good one?


What's In The Box?
- Cyclo DS Evolutions Cartridge(Moonshell pre-loaded)
- Micro SD USB Reader
Comes in a nifty metal tin.



What the heck is it?
A Nintendo DS Flash Cartridge is a cartridge containing flash memory that has been developed for use in the Nintendo DS. There are the Slot- 1 cartridges and slot- 2 cartridges. The Cyclo DS Evolution is a Slot- 1 device. It is developed by Team Cyclops, the makers of the Cyclo Wiz, a Nintendo Wii modchip. A flash cart enables you to run homebrew applications, emulators, games and even play your media such as videos and music. So basically, it unlocks the full potential of your DS. You can run applications like mail, paint, Lemmings DS homebrew, Quake DS homebrew and even a NES emulator. Set up is very quick for the Cyclo and you can be running homebrew in no time. You can also load Nintendo DS games straight from the Micro SD and use the inbuilt action replay to get past that hard boss.
The Cyclo DS come in a variety of different languages and is also upgradeable via firmware upgrades.



How Do I Use It?
As mentioned before, you can run all your homebrew and media(via Moonshell) on your DS.
But how do you get all this fabulous data onto the Cyclo?
Simple, the Cyclo has a Micro SD Adapter so all you need to do is get your Micro SD and plug it into your computer using the USB Reader and Drag and drop! It's that easy.
Unlike the R4, you can boot up the DS menu without it going straight to the flash cart. Upon initial setup, it will install some files on the root of your Micro SD. These files are important and should not be deleted. After it's done, your ready to go! You can even put themes on it.



Did I Buy A Good One?
To answer this question simply, yes.
There is much debate over which one is better, the R4 or the Cyclo DS. Both are excellent flash carts so it really depends on preference. The Cyclo has hardly any loading time as the R4 has a bit longer loading times. The Cyclo DS uses an Automatic DLDI patching feature, meaning you don't even need to apply DLDI patches to your homebrew software like you have to in the R4 in some cases. It also boasts a 100% Download Play compatibility for ROMs. The Cyclo DS has realtime saves while your inside a game and also has the option to slow down your game. This takes a toll on the CPU of your DS, so it should not be on for extended periods of time.
The Cyclo can support up to 8GB Micro SD cards also. The Cyclo DS is more expensive than its R4 competitor. But more money doesn't necessarily mean more value. But in the end, you have bought a fantastic card. No matter which one you chose you will be happy.
I am giving the Cyclo an 8 out of 10 because of its ease of use, functionality and compatibility.

Cyclo DS Mac OS Theme

Cyclo DS running Moonshell for your media

Quake DS homebrew game


I hope you enjoyed my review, please leave your thoughts and suggestions in a comment.
Thanks!
Jaden Dique

Submitted by ShuffleZ 03/07/2008 726 24

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Cyclo DS Evolution Flash Card

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