GBA ROMs
From CycloDS
In order to get GBA ROMs running you will need a slot 2 device in addition to your CycloDS, and homebrew software to utilize the device from within the CycloDS. The most popular combination is to use an EZFlash V 3-in-1 in slot 2; and use either the GBA loader built right into the CycloDS GUI, or the slightly more stable loader, Rudolph's GBA Exploader to copy and run the GBA Roms. The lastest version of Exploader is also compatible with the M3 Real memory expansion and the Ewin expansion pack. Refer to the EZFlash V 3-in-1 page for instructions on using that device.
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[edit] Real Time Clock Support
Most PokeMon games will not work fully on the EZ-Flash 3-in-1 or similar devices, since they do not have real time clock support.
You can patch the Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire games with GBATA [1] to add 'Real Time Clock Emulation' to the ROMS, but Pokemon Emerald and other games dependant on the Real Time Clock will give you issues, unless the author of GBATA adds support to the rest of the games.
[edit] Alternative Slot-2 Solutions
The EZ-Flash IV Lite Deluxe (MicroSD) supports up to 32MB ROMS using on-the-fly loading PSRAM, and up to 48MB ROMS in its onboard NOR memory (not necessary for GBA support, since the largest official GBA ROM is 32MB). It doesn't rumble, but supports MicroSD media, so can be used as a stand-alone card, without needing a Slot-1 Flash Cart at all. This does not have a Real Time Clock either.
Since version 0.53 it is also possible to use M3 Slot-2 solutions, such as the G6 (Lite) Perfect, the M3 (Lite) Perfect and the M3 GBA Expansion Pack as an expansion pack ( use R with soft reset file SoftReset.CEVO in root directory for RAM expansion mode ). It was not until version 0.58 that auto-patching of GBA games with 1Mbit saves (most notably Super Mario Advance 4 and Pokémon) was supported [2]. All three devices feature 32MB (256 Mbit) of SDRAM, 1 MB (8 Mbit) of SRAM and a built-in RTC. G6 and M3 Perfect can be used as standalone devices, whereas the GBA Expansion Pack requires a loader software (for example GBA_ExpLoader) on the CycloDS Evolution.
[edit] CycloDS Loader
The CycloDS GUI contains a GBA loader that allows you to launch GBA ROMs right from the menu (Use of an EZ-Flash 3-in-1 is still required). As of Firmware 1.5, this should be stable enough for most people, though the paranoid would do well to stick with ExpLoader.
For more info, see the EZFlash 3-in-1 page on the Wiki.
BUGS
There is a problem with the NOR loader when using the + version of the EZ-Flash V 3-in-1, the game will not load and will result in two white screens.
Workaround: If this happens; turn the Nintendo DS off, and back on, then boot into the CycloDS menu and run the game again. It will work the second time.
