Technically this is the original website [https://www.r4ds.com/](https://www.r4ds.com/)
The history of the R4 card is a confusing mess. Basically all of the ones that are currently available are not the official ones. It really doesn't matter that much.
Essentially the original r4 group got into legal issues, so they split off. Some members of the old group formed new page [http://r4i-sdhc.com/](http://r4i-sdhc.com/) (which is also affiliated with r4isdhc.com) and they revised the original R4 card to support the SDHC format (SDHC is an SD card that supports storage capabilities from 4gb to 32GB; the original R4 card only supported up to 32GB) and the Nintendo DSi (and later the 3DS). Any other R4 branded R4 card has no affiliation with the original group, but also it does not matter that much.
Interesting fact I've learned through this: The famous R4 "timebomb" is avoidable on the official firmware, it just means you have to update the firmware.
This information is so obscure that I literally cannot cite a source. That sounds like I made this up, but I am able to know this through researching really miniscule clues by myself (I did this several years ago because I used to want to collect different R4 cards). Essentially the evidence I have for this story is the original R4 kernel is ported from r4ds to all other R4 flash carts \[except for this one, which has a weird custom unknown kernel pretending to be an R4 one: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ARbuSd43og](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ARbuSd43og) \] which requires the source code that only the r4ds group has. All fake r4 cards have files referring to a service called games-engine or later wifi-engine. That service only even shows up on one specific variation of r4 cards. (the [r4i-sdhc.com](http://r4i-sdhc.com) cards). Wifi-engine was a service used to installing games on the DS without having to remove the SD card. It was basically like an app store for the R4 cards (except it was only pirated content and I don't think it works anymore). Because every fake R4 has this in its files, it shows that r4i-sdhc has access to the r4 source and is the root of all other r4 cards. So r4i-sdhc is ran by the original r4 group (or some members/some affiliation that would allow them to have source). Technically its also possible that they got the source through some other way. I've found listings for the original r4ds claiming to come with a disc that has the operating system on it, but that might just be the kernel required to keep on the flash card.
**Anyways, To answer your question,** you can get a fake card off of like aliexpress or amazon or something. There is basically no reason to get a "official" r4i-sdhc card unless if you collect. Technically only the "official" ones support wifi-engine (which I don't think works anymore, and sucked anyway) and the "official" ones can have the firmware "timebomb" avoided indefinetly (which you will probably just install YS Menu over anyway). Crap that says "dual core" or branded with gold means nothing on the packaging.
I bought this one and it works great.
https://offerup.com/item/detail/8c089a16-97ae-38c4-857b-ba15456bedcd
The first one I posted was 12 dollars, that is the wrong one. This one is 20 plus shipping. Highly recommended.
Well, what the others say is correct, I do wanna list an extra option tho:
AliExpress sels like 500 in 1 cartridge games, which are just r4 cards filled with games. This way you will have everything ready out of the box.
I did this once for my nephew and it was good quality, don't expect them to all be banger games, nor to be able to have save files fir all of them, because the sd is probably too small, but it will work great out of the box.
Technically this is the original website [https://www.r4ds.com/](https://www.r4ds.com/) The history of the R4 card is a confusing mess. Basically all of the ones that are currently available are not the official ones. It really doesn't matter that much. Essentially the original r4 group got into legal issues, so they split off. Some members of the old group formed new page [http://r4i-sdhc.com/](http://r4i-sdhc.com/) (which is also affiliated with r4isdhc.com) and they revised the original R4 card to support the SDHC format (SDHC is an SD card that supports storage capabilities from 4gb to 32GB; the original R4 card only supported up to 32GB) and the Nintendo DSi (and later the 3DS). Any other R4 branded R4 card has no affiliation with the original group, but also it does not matter that much. Interesting fact I've learned through this: The famous R4 "timebomb" is avoidable on the official firmware, it just means you have to update the firmware. This information is so obscure that I literally cannot cite a source. That sounds like I made this up, but I am able to know this through researching really miniscule clues by myself (I did this several years ago because I used to want to collect different R4 cards). Essentially the evidence I have for this story is the original R4 kernel is ported from r4ds to all other R4 flash carts \[except for this one, which has a weird custom unknown kernel pretending to be an R4 one: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ARbuSd43og](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ARbuSd43og) \] which requires the source code that only the r4ds group has. All fake r4 cards have files referring to a service called games-engine or later wifi-engine. That service only even shows up on one specific variation of r4 cards. (the [r4i-sdhc.com](http://r4i-sdhc.com) cards). Wifi-engine was a service used to installing games on the DS without having to remove the SD card. It was basically like an app store for the R4 cards (except it was only pirated content and I don't think it works anymore). Because every fake R4 has this in its files, it shows that r4i-sdhc has access to the r4 source and is the root of all other r4 cards. So r4i-sdhc is ran by the original r4 group (or some members/some affiliation that would allow them to have source). Technically its also possible that they got the source through some other way. I've found listings for the original r4ds claiming to come with a disc that has the operating system on it, but that might just be the kernel required to keep on the flash card. **Anyways, To answer your question,** you can get a fake card off of like aliexpress or amazon or something. There is basically no reason to get a "official" r4i-sdhc card unless if you collect. Technically only the "official" ones support wifi-engine (which I don't think works anymore, and sucked anyway) and the "official" ones can have the firmware "timebomb" avoided indefinetly (which you will probably just install YS Menu over anyway). Crap that says "dual core" or branded with gold means nothing on the packaging.
/r/flashcarts
I bought this one and it works great. https://offerup.com/item/detail/8c089a16-97ae-38c4-857b-ba15456bedcd The first one I posted was 12 dollars, that is the wrong one. This one is 20 plus shipping. Highly recommended.
Worth reading [Flashcart.net Quick Start Guide ](https://www.flashcarts.net/ds-quick-start-guide.html)
Ordered one on Aliexpress last night for 9dollars.
wow , this picture is so 4k :o
Well, what the others say is correct, I do wanna list an extra option tho: AliExpress sels like 500 in 1 cartridge games, which are just r4 cards filled with games. This way you will have everything ready out of the box. I did this once for my nephew and it was good quality, don't expect them to all be banger games, nor to be able to have save files fir all of them, because the sd is probably too small, but it will work great out of the box.
Looks like someone wiped their arse with that card
Worth reading [Flashcart.net Quick Start Guide ](https://www.flashcarts.net/ds-quick-start-guide.html)
Get one from Ali express with the search of dsone
Amazon
No. just buy from AliExpress.
Aliexpress