Because we do not believe in randomly signing up to payment processors (in addition to the security issues with PayPal which we prefer to avoid!), it has taken us some time to find an alternate solution. However, we are proud to say we now have a permanent dedicated payment processor and stage one of this roll-out was completed today.

Orders can now be taken using the NDS-Gear website but we are currently only accepting VISA payments. We are working on expanding the solution to MasterCard and other cards as well later on. As soon as we knew we had VISA payments back up, however, we decided to roll out this solution straight away so that customers who have patiently hung on for us since Christmas are able to get their orders in.

For those of you on the NDS-Gear newsletter, we are also including with said newsletter a voucher code to thank you for your patience and to also allow you some money off your next purchase with us – our way of saying cheers.

We hope you’ve all had a great winter season and wish you all happy DSing!

All the best,
The NDS-Gear Team

The latest upcoming title that you cannot miss, is Resident Evil: Revelations.   It seems set to bring back all the favourite frights and action of the original iterations.  It also breaks the pattern of ports and re-releases of old property, which the 3DS desperately needs, a brand new game to call its own.

Onto more good things with the 3DS.   If Nintendo wants to continue promoting it as a platform for playing old classics, then Ambassador program final releases will put it in good standing.  For those loyal early adopters, they can now download the remaining 10 free game titles Nintendo originally promised.  You can view the titles below and there are some decently big titles to be found.

• Mario Kart Super Circuit
• Wario Land 4
• Yoshi’s Island/Super Mario Advanced 3
• Metroid Fusion
• Wario Ware/Mega Microgame$ (dollar sign, really?)
• Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
• Mario Vs. Donkey Kong
• Fire Emblem the Sacred Stones
• The Legend of Zelda the Minish Cap

The latest 3DS firmware update v3.0.0.5 has been countered!  Three card developers were able to get corresponding fixes out for their cards very quickly after this new 3DS update came out.   Certainly much quicker than the last update.

The new update relates to support for the new Mario 3DS Land game which will force the new update onto 3DS consoles.  The update is also available OTA via wifi.  As a reminder, the cards have to be updated before the 3DS is, with the exception of the M3i Zero which does not rely on any DS console for this version.

The following cards work on the latest 3DS version.

R4i 3DS (update via wifi process) – Click here to buy from NDS-Gear

M3i Zero (Update with new F_core.dat file) - Click here to buy from NDS-Gear

Supercard DSTWO (Update by latest dstwoupdate.dat file) - Click here to buy from NDS-Gear

Our humble apologies for the payment processing issues that NDS-Gear has had for about a month now – this has led to a lot of head scratching at our end and no doubt for many of our customers as well. It’s part of our customer service ethos to keep customers well-informed, so we’re posting this notice for the benefit of our customers so that you can understand the situation.

Our payment processor has unfortunately had issues processing both Visa and MasterCard payments since the 6th of October, 2011. This wasn’t a problem for NDS-Gear specifically, but a problem for the entire payment processor – and their thousands of clients worldwide. Since this date, we have been able to process American Express and Diner payments, as well as any bank-account funded payments (through our payment processor’s service). Obviously, though, this is a much, much slower process compared to the normal credit card checkout!

The reason NDS-Gear have not looked to many alternate processors for a ‘quick fix’ goes as follows:

PayPal (which is who we get a lot of e-mails about), since being acquired by eBay, does not allow the sale of game cartridges, even if blank and with the legal and usage disclaimers we have on our website. In addition, there are lots of seller-related security issues with PayPal that make it a horrible service to use from the point of view of a business, so we are unable to look at them for a solution. Similar security issues (and a lack of customer support) exist for Google Checkout.

As an addendum to the above, please note that while we recognise some customers will unfortunately be shopping elsewhere until these problems are resolved – any store claiming to use PayPal or Google Checkout are operating illegally, and your money could get trapped in a frozen account. Steer clear of these vendors at all costs (most tend to be Asia-based).

This was and continues to be a horrible blip for us going into the holiday season, but we’re currently hoping our existing processor is back up for credit card processing by the end of the first week of December (no guarantees but hopefully). In addition, we’re working towards a more long-term global solution that will allow us to constantly take payments without interruption, and with back-up systems in place as well. This won’t come into effect until a bit later unfortunately, probably not in time for Christmas orders but in time for 2012 and post-Christmas orders for anybody who would like a card for a shiny new DS or 3DS console.

In the mean time, the status of orders on NDS-Gear are as follows:

• Orders funded by bank transfer through the payment processor, OR American Express cards, are still going through as normal. If you would like to purchase from NDS-Gear, for now it is still indeed possible to fund via a bank account and make a purchase as long as you’re not located in one of the countries listed below.
• Visa and MasterCard payments are currently unable to be processed (ETA about a week, but we can’t be 100% sure).
• Due to regional bank issues, payments from the U.K., Australia and Japan cannot currently be processed.

We’d just like to extend a hand and say a massive thank you to everybody who’s shown support and patience at this time. We’re incredibly sorry that this has inconvenienced you and we’re working hard to make sure that an excellent long-term solution is in place when we come back. After all, no multimedia card store to our knowledge is in business now that was in business in 2007, except us! We pride ourselves always in our customer service and support, and we hope that this message goes a way to explaining the recent problems we’ve had.

As always, please e-mail any suggestions, comments or support, to sales@nds-gear.com. Many thanks once again for your continued support and patience.

All the best,
The NDS-Gear Team

There is a new update out for the 3DS.  This brings it from 2.1.0-4 to 2.2.0-4.  The new Super Mario 3DS games purportedly forces this update on users, and it also fixes many other minor bugs.  As before, do not allow this update to be installed or you will lose compatibility with many cards.  You can manually turn off the Wifi so that there is no chance of it being installed without your knowledge, and avoid running Super Mario 3DS until you can get a fix for your card.

Two developers have been very quick to respond though, and as of right now, there are fixes for the Supercard DSTWO and the R4i 3DS out, so users with those cards can immediately enjoy the new update and the new Mario game.  Links well be updated shortly for the new Supercard DSTWO fix, and the R4i 3DS as before will be released via wifi.

If you are able to get a hold of an iEDGE, or have one form before, then mind that it is NOT compatible with DSi v1.4.3, the current latest version or any future versions.  Do not update your DSi if it is v1.4.2 or lower as it will permanently block the card.  It is unlikely that the Edge team will release a fix now that the card is not being produced.  We cannot confirm if the Edge team is or is not working on a new card.

If you had your heart settled on the iEdge platform, then you might consider the Cyclo iEvo.  The Edge was based on the Cyclo Evo card originally and the new iEvo has a host of other features that justify it’s increased cost.  It operates in much the same way and both have the platform stability each card is legendary for.

You can purchase the Cyclo iEvo here.

This card is still a ways off from final release, and only one game has been shown to run.  We will certainly keep abreast of new developments and if everything goes well for them, we may see the first true 3DS card on the market with the Crown3DS.  Once it is properly released, we will be able to assess the general stability and usage of the Crown3DS as well as what features it offers.  Stay tuned for further information as things progress.

You can check out the video proof below:

For you RPG fans out there, this new one coming out looks very promising, and it’s kind of refreshing to get something new to be excited about for 3DS.  Bravely Default: Flying Fairy judging just on the title sounds like the worst game since Nights Into Dreams, but you’ll have to see for yourself as to why this might be worth checking out.

It looks like a classic Japanese RPG looking at the world map, and the backgrounds are lovingly painted environments.  Gameplay looks smooth and the animations seem polished.  It will be hard to tell until a proper review comes out at the time of release, but definitely keep an eye on it if this is your thing.

\You will need to have access to the card menu to apply the update, so if your DSi is already updated to v1.4.3, then you should know better next time . But you can simply borrow a DSi 1.4.2 or older, DS Lite, or a 3DS with a lower firmware to get into the menu again.  Remember, always hold off updates from Nintendo until your can verify that your card is updated first.  It may be up to several weeks wait after new updates come out.

Get to updating, and get back to gaming!

The Cyclops DS iEvolution card is a premium DS card with a prestigious background from one of the top DS flash cart developers in the industry.  Commonly referred to as the Cyclo iEvo, it is the direct successor to the Cyclo Evo card with many added features and compatibility for both DSi and 3DS systems.  It was in fact the first DSi capable card to come out well ahead of any of the other developers, and it has enjoyed frequent updates and solid support since its release.

The biggest feature of the iEvo is without a doubt, the Cyclops team itself.  This team has continued to hold favorable status in the industry for their great support, frequent updates, and careful attention to customer comments and complaints.  Having a foundation like that gives great confidence for the longevity of a product, especially when coming from a cheaper R4 clone card.

Every advanced feature found across other cards separately is built right into the Cyclo iEvo card.  The iEvo card can safely load a large percentage of the available DS and DSi library right out of the box and improvements are being made every month.  A big part of the Cyclo iEvo’s strength in running games comes from its unique compatibility layer which lets you switch between DS and DSi mode to take advantage of your updated DS console’s improved hardware or match the higher compatibility of an older one.

The Cyclo iEvolution card has additional technologies to aid with current and future compatibility with games and consoles.  The stealth mode also provides increased compatibility with AP-Protected games over that of other cards.  GBA games are also supported natively, something no other cards allows without a slot-2 device.  The iEvo even comes stock with cheat passes for over 300 games.  The iEvo also uses a hardware usb update method for its firmware so that it is safe to update even if you update your DSi or 3DS beyond the Cyclo iEvo card.

All of the Cylco iEvo’s features can be accessed via the menu even while browsing games.  You can also perform desktop like functions like move, delete, copy, or even add shortcuts to files and folders for quicker navigation.  Skinning is supported and you can tweak other aspects of the GUI to suit your tastes.  You also find the usual advanced feature like soft-reset and Real Time Save.

Everything about the Cyclops DS iEvolution card speaks of its premium status.  From the custom tin and foam die-cut packaging to the smooth and clean GUI, there will be no doubt that you have the finest and most dependable card your DS will ever know. It’s expensive, but definitely worth it.

To take a look at and buy your very own Cyclo DS iEvolution for either yourself or as a gift for someone else, visit our Cyclo DS iEvolution page!