Nintendo game card

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Nintendo game card
Media type ROM Cartridge
Capacity DS/DSi: 8-512 MB
3DS: 1-8 GB
Developed by Nintendo
SanDisk
Macronix
Dimensions 35.0 mm × 33.0 mm × 3.8 mm
Weight 3.5 g (1/8 oz)
Usage Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS Lite
Nintendo DSi
Nintendo DSi XL
Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS XL

Nintendo game cards are the media format used to distribute video games for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS systems. The game cards resemble smaller, thinner versions of cartridges for previous portable gaming consoles released by Nintendo, such as the Game Boy or Game Boy Advance.[1] The mask ROM chips are manufactured by Macronix and have an access speed of 150 ns.[2] Cards for the Nintendo DS (NTR-005) currently range from 64 megabits to 4 gigabits (8–512 MB) in size (although the maximum capacity is unknown)[3][4] The cards usually have a small amount of flash memory or an EEPROM to save user data such as game progress or high scores. However, there are a small number of games that have no save memory such as Electroplankton. The game cards are 35.0 mm × 33.0 mm × 3.8 mm (about half the breadth and depth as Game Boy Advance cartridges) and weigh around 3.5 grams (1/8 oz.).

Based on an IGN blog by the developer of MechAssault: Phantom War, larger (such as 128 MB) cards have a 25% slower data transfer rate than the more common smaller (such as 64 MB) cards; however, the specific base rate was not mentioned.[5]

Game cards for the Nintendo 3DS (CTR-005) are 1 to 8 gigabytes in size,[6] with 2 GiB of game data at launch, and look almost exactly the same as those of the current DS.[7] However, there is a small tab jutting out on the one side,[8] which prevents 3DS cards from being inserted into a Nintendo DS.

Contents

Format [edit]

Game Boy cartridge [edit]

Game Boy Advance cartridge [edit]

Nintendo DS game card [edit]

Nintendo 3DS game card [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Vuijk, Rafael (2006-10-11). "First Nintendo DS cartridge information". Dark Fader (Rafael Vuijk). Retrieved 2010-02-10. 
  2. ^ "Nintendo: NDS Disassembly". GainGame's Blog. 2010-01-31. Retrieved 2010-02-10. 
  3. ^ Ni no Kuni is the first DS game to use a 4-gigabit card "GoNintendo: Level 5's press conference - massive info roundup (Fantasy Life announced, Ninokuni's massive DS cart, and much more!)". 
  4. ^ Adam Riley (2007-07-15). "E3 2007 News". Cubed³. Retrieved 2007-11-04.  Text "Archaic Sealed Heat (Nintendo DS) RPG Details" ignored (help)
  5. ^ Sara Guinness (2006-06-16). "MechAssault DS Developer Diary". IGN. Retrieved 2007-11-04. 
  6. ^ Yeung, Karlie (December 17, 2010). "3DS Cartridges Could Store Up to 8GB". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 2012-01-31. "The memory size for Nintendo 3DS cartridges will range from one to eight gigabytes, reports major Taiwanese newspaper China Times." 
  7. ^ Pereira, Chris (June 21, 2010). "A Look at the New Nintendo 3DS Game Cards". 1UP.com. UGO Entertainment. Retrieved 2010-07-16. 
  8. ^ "Nintendo 3DS Game Cards Look Like This". Siliconera. June 18, 2010. Retrieved 2012-11-07.