Nintendo game card

Nintendo game card

Media type	ROM Cartridge
Capacity	DS/DSi: 8-512 MB 3DS: 128 MB-8 GB
Developed by	Nintendo SanDisk Macronix
Dimensions	35 mm × 33 mm × 3.8 mm (3.50 cm × 3.30 cm × 0.38 cm)
Weight	3.5 g (0.12 oz)
Usage	Nintendo DS Nintendo DS Lite Nintendo DSi Nintendo DSi XL Nintendo 3DS Nintendo 3DS XL Nintendo 2DS New Nintendo 3DS New Nintendo 3DS XL Nintendo Switch

A Nintendo game card (trademarked as Game Card) is a read-only memory cartridge format used to physically distribute video games for some Nintendo systems. The game cards resemble smaller, thinner versions of the Game Pak 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]

Unlike preceding Game Paks, Game Cards use flash memory instead of volatile memory, therefore the save data is stored permanently and can only deleted manually within the game's save menu.

Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS Game Card (NTR-005)

Cards for the Nintendo DS ranged from 64 megabits to 4 gigabits (8–512 MB) in capacity ^[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]

Nintendo DSi Game Card (NTR-005)

In 2009, the Nintendo DSi was launched. The console offered various hardware improvements and additional functions over previous Nintendo DS iterations, such as the inclusion of cameras. While many Nintendo DS titles released afterwards included features that enhanced gameplay when played on the Nintendo DSi console, most of these games retained compatibility with the original DS iterations sans enhanced features. However, a select few retail game titles were released that worked exclusively for the Nintendo DSi consoles for reasons such as requiring camera functions, and these titles have game cards with white-colored casings (all DSi-exclusive games are region locked). Examples of such game cards include Picture Perfect Hair Salon. While these white game cards can be physically inserted into original Nintendo DS consoles, their software did not function due to the missing hardware features. These DSi-exclusive game cards are fully compatible with the Nintendo 3DS family.

Prior to the release of the Nintendo DSi, Nintendo encouraged developers to release DSi-exclusive games as DSiWare downloadables instead of retail game cards that would not function on older Nintendo DS consoles.^[6]

Infrared support (NTR-031)

Despite all iterations of the Nintendo DS line lacking native infrared support, certain titles made use of this type of communication function using game cards with their own infrared transceivers. These game cards are generally glossier and darker than common Nintendo DS game cards, and reveal their translucency when exposed to light. Examples of such game cards include Personal Trainer: Walking, which connect to the included pedometers, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, which connect to the included Pokéwalker accessory, and Pokémon Black and White and Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, which connect to other games.

Although all iterations of the Nintendo 3DS family support native infrared functions, Nintendo DS games still use the infrared-enabled game cards themselves when played on a 3DS system, reserving the native infrared for Nintendo 3DS-specific software.

Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS Game Card (CTR-005)

Game cards for the Nintendo 3DS are from 1 to 8 gigabytes in size,^[7] with 2 GB of game data at launch.^[8] They look very similar to DS Game Cards, but are incompatible and have a small tab on one side to prevent them from being inserted into a DS.^[9] However, R4 flash cartridges designed for the 3DS still incorporate the same design as the original DS game card.

Newer flash cartridges for the 3DS, such as the Gateway or Sky3DS, uses the 3DS card design.

Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch will use game cards.^[10] However, the Switch will not be compatible with DS and 3DS cards.^[11]

References

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 was 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 - Archaic Sealed Heat (Nintendo DS) RPG Details". Cubed³. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
5. Sara Guinness (2006-06-16). "MechAssault DS Developer Diary". IGN. Retrieved 2015-04-09.
6. Craig Harris (2009-03-25). "GDC 09: DSi Hybrid, Exclusive Carts Soon". IGN. Fox Interactive Media. Archived from the original on 2009-03-27. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
7. 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.
8. Pereira, Chris (June 21, 2010). "A Look at the New Nintendo 3DS Game Cards". 1UP.com. UGO Entertainment. Archived from the original on May 30, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
9. "Nintendo 3DS Game Cards Look Like This". Siliconera. June 18, 2010. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
10. "Nintendo Switch will use cartridges". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
11. Arnold, Cory (21 October 2016). "Nintendo Switch not compatible with physical 3DS or Wii U games". Destructoid. Retrieved 21 October 2016.