If you're not quite sure and need to find out which R4 3DS card supports the latest 11.9.0 Update for the Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL, New 3DS and the 2DS 11.9.0 U and E?  Then our R4 3DS update will make choosing the right R4 3DS for your console quick and easy.

Below you will find the cards that we have tested and which are confirmed to be working on even the latest 11.9.0 3DS Updates.  While our official cards have not needed an update to their firmware for some time, due to the nature of the R4 3DS cards we carry.  Our most popular card is the R4 3DS Dual Core card.  It offers the very best support for emulators for all of the popular emulators for the NES, Super NES, Neo Geo, and more.

The R4 3DS DUAL CORE cards confirmed to work with the 11.9.0 update.

The R4i 3DS card also working just fine on the latest Nintendo 3DS systems with the 10.9.0 Updates.

Regardless of your 3DS model or region, the above R4 3DS cards will work just fine.  And if your console is running a system version below 11.8.0, you're still covered and it'll work just fine for you.

Below you will find the cards that we have tested and which are confirmed to be working on even the latest 10.7.0 3DS Updates.  While our official cards have not needed an update to their firmware for some time, due to the nature of the R4 3DS cards we carry.  Our most popular card is the R4 3DS Dual Core card.  It offers the very best support for emulators for all of the popula emulators for the NES, Super NES, Neo Geo, 

The R4i 3DS card also working just fine on the latest Nintendo 3DS systems with the 10.7.0 Updates.

Regardless of your 3DS model or region, the above R4 3DS cards will work just fine.  And if your console is running a system version below 10.7.0, you're still covered and it'll work just fine for you.

If your card has not yet been updated with the latest firmware kernel version, we suggest that you download and use the latest firmware even if your 3DS system has not yet been updated.  If you have the new firmware kernel for the 10.0.0 update then you will not need to do any update whatsoever.  The very same firmware you've been using for the 10.0.0 update will continue to work for you on the 10.1.0 3DS and 3DS XL systems as well.

If you are, for some reason, running an older version of the firmware, or are using your R4 3DS on a DS or DSi console and are just now moving up to the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL or Nintendo 2DS system, then please have a look at the video below which will detail exactly how to run the firmware updater so that your card can use our very newest firmware files.  Plase note that the firmware update only has to be completed on your R4 3DS card IF you have not updated past the older Nintendo 3DS version 7.0 system software.  If your 3DS is running a version ABOVE 7.0 then chances are you've already updated the R4 3DS itself or the R4 3DS you received was update at the factory to work with the latest 3DS systems.

Along with news of this new update, we will also start covering some of the very best freeware games and applications for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL / 2DS systems.  There are literally hundreds of free games and applications that you can download and play on your handheld once you have the R4 3DS card.  Everything from emulators for the Gameboy, NES, Neo Geo and more - to re-makes of amazing classic games and brand new freeware games made by indie developers - and released for free for everyone to enjoy.

If your card has not yet been updated with the latest firmware kernel version, we suggest that you download and use the latest firmware even if your 3DS system has not yet been updated.  If you have the new kernel for the 7.1.0-14u, then you will not need to update whatsoever, as the same kernel continues to work.

If you have already updated your Nintendo 3DS or 3DS XL, you will have to perform an extra step to update your R4 3DS card.  This includes using the R4 Firmware updater file, which you will need to run on either a Nintendo DS, DS Lite or Nintendo DSi system.  Alternately, you can also run it on another Nintendo 3DS system that has not yet been updated.  Please watch the video below for details on how you run the R4 / R4i Firmware udpater to upgrade the kernel on the card itself.

Along with news of this new update, we will also start covering some of the very best freeware games and applications for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL / 2DS systems.  There are literally hundreds of free games and applications that you can download and play on your handheld once you have the R4 3DS card.  Everything from emulators for the Gameboy, NES, Neo Geo and more - to re-makes of amazing classic games and brand new freeware games made by indie developers - and released for free for everyone to enjoy.

You'll need a few things to be up and running.  And they are:

1. The HD Loader itself.

2. A PS2 Network Adapter (which you can find on eBay fairly inexpensively)

3. The Hard Disk Drive that you want to use with your PS2 And HD Loader

The install is just 3 easy steps, and we'll cover them here in detail for you to ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible.  You can even use multiple hard drives to store even more of your games all on HDD and keep your PS2 discs stored away on the shelf for safe keeping.

Step 1: Getting Your Playstation 2 system ready

On the back of every phat PS2 system, you'll find a cover, it is labelled as EXT.  So we call it the Expansion cover.  Behind this cover you'll see the space for your hard drive.  If you have never used this expansion slot, you may have to clean out some dust from inside.  This bay was made especially for a hard drive.  Keep the cover somewhere safe, in case you ever want to remove your HDD from your PS2.

You're going to replace your Expansion slot cover with the PS2 Network Adapter

Step 2: Connecting your HDD to the PS2 network adapter

Take the hard drive out of the protective bag it came in.  They usually ship in anti-static bags to keep them safe.  Also unpack your network adapter.  one the inside of the network adapter you'll see the connectors for both the POWER and the IDE for your hard drive.  They are built right in to the network adapter itself.  

Get your Hard Drive and connect it to the ps2 network adapter.

The image below shows the HDD connected to the Network Adapter.

Step 3: Now it's time to install your HDD and your network adapter in to the back of the PS2 console.

Take care when installing the HDD in to the drive bay.  Thought you can't mess it up - you do want to make sure your HDD remains connected to your network adapter.  All you have to do is slowly slide the hard drive in to the bay on the back of the PS2.  Don't force it. Some hard drives seem to be slightly bigger, not by much, but just enough that you want to make sure it slides in nice and tight.  Some hard drives are not compatible, and this external site lists which models do and don't work. Most however do, so you should be just fine.

And that is all there is to it.  Now that you have everything installed and ready to go, you connect the PS2 back to the power cable and to your TV and insert your HD Loader disc.  On first boot, it will format the hard drive for you and have it all set up and ready to use.

The truth is, setting up the right way, will mean that you can get it going out of the box and instantly. And to tell you the truth setting up the are four card is as simple as can be. It is actually a lot easier than most people would like to admit. And just following the step-by-step instructions will make the difference between you being able to use it right out-of-the-box, or you searching around for drivers and firmware files until you get it just right.

The steps are easy!  You have to get the right our four firmware files in order for your R4 3DS card is to be recognized Nintendo 3DS.  You have two choices, the first choice being the official R4 3DS firmware. While this firmware comes directly from the manufacturers. Read on to find out why it may not be the best choice for you.   The second option is the wood R4 firmware. This is a third-party firmware file that you can use with your R4 3DS card that offers much better compatibility and support for the latest games apps and homebrwe then even the official firmware does.

Just do a search in Google.com for R4 3DS firmware, and you'll find hundreds of sites with download links. However, your best best is to download it right from our R4 3DS firmware section, as this is the only way you'll be able to ensure that the firmware files you have are the right ones for your systems.   Once you find it, you just download to your computer.

You'll need winRar or WinZip in order to extract the files from the Archive.  Once that's done, you only need to cop over the files to your micro SD card.  All of the R4 3DS cards come with their own micro SD card reader / writer.  Simply copy over the firmware files to your micro SD, and you are all set.

The biggest task you have now, is to find all of the amazing homebrew and freeware games, applications and emulators for your Nintendo 3DS and R4 3DS card.

Below you'll see the Hokuto No Doom, Doom remake for the Nintendo 3DS system.

As our way of saying sorry, we're happy to announce that we're offering 15% Off on ALL products in our store as our way of making up for the downtime.  Simply use our coupon code during checkout, and your order will receive a full 15% OFF.  This coupon is not limited to any individual products as it is valid for any and all products in our store.

During checkout, in the discount coupon code section, simply enter in:  15down  and refresh your shopping cart for instant savings.

Many of our visitors may not know this, but we were the first company ever to manufacture our own PS2 Flip Top covers, which enabled the the Playstation 2, with the help of the swap magic discs, to play import and backup games, without the need to install any complicated mod chips or wiring an insane number of wires in to your console. We pride ourselves on making some of the best modding products for the Playstation 2, PS3 and more.  And we continue to support those of you that still love using your Playstation 2 systems, or are perhaps enjoying them for the very first time ever by picking one up second hand.

Swap Magic 3.8

For this very reason, we have recently received our newest shipment of the Swap Magic Disc and have made sure to have only the latest version 3.8 available.  Now, this upgrade does not mean that both discs are updated, as the factory themselves have decided not to update the cd discs to 3.8, because there was simply no need for the addition of compatibility for the newest games, considering that cd based games have stopped completely and every single ps2 game that has come out for the last handful of years have all been on DVD.

When you place your order for the Swap Magic 3.6, you will get an automatic upgrade to the newest 3.8 version of the discs as no additional charge.   Any pending orders will also receive this update at no cost as well.  We want to make sure that all of our customers always have the latest products and their latest versions, and we simply won't ship you an older version of the discs.

Check out our various Swap Magic PS2 combo packages for the ultimate in import and backup games on your Playstation 2 system.

Swap Magic Slide Card Combo

Swap Magic Slim Tool Combo

Just what was the issue with the discs?  Well, it's not quite as easy to explain as we'd like.  But our understanding is that there are 2 disc makers that can make bootable ps2 discs.  Of those 2, both of the machines were causing problems when they were making the discs themselves.  This resulted in scratched and damaged discs, right off the manufacturing line.  It wasn't because of human error, or due to anything other than the machines themselves, showing the discs as verified and working, when in fact a lot of the had issues.  Not so much with boot up, but with read errors after the fact.  This of course meant that we refused to ship out any of the discs we received, until we were certainly that the problem was resolved.  We don't feel right sending out a product that will end up not working for our customers.  And certainly not send out products that we are certain have problems or issues.

We'd like to thank all of you for your patience as well as your continued business and support!  All of our swap magic shipments which have been delayed, shall start shipping out to customer during the whole of next week.

For those of our readers that don't know, the HD Loader is a PS2 disc.  But it's no ordinary disc.  It allows you to load and store all of your games on your PS2 hard drive.  With the HD Loader, once you install a hard drive on your PS2 system, you'll be able to backup all of your games using the HD Loader.  Once the games are backed up on to your HD, you'll then be able to load those games right from your hard disk.  What does this mean?  Well, for starters, you'll have all of your games in one place.  No more searching for your game discs or worries about scartched discs still working.  They will load right from your PS2 Hard drive.  Even more important than that though.  You'll be able to play all of your games much faster than you would from the discs themselves.  While the PS2 has a really fast DVD drive, it's still slow when it comes to loading the next level, or loading cut scenes and animations.

Get the HD Loader from our PS2 Section today. It's in stock and ready to ship immediately.