Krikzz has just released a new version of their flash cart which they have named the Super Everdrive x5. This flash cart is an upgraded version of their previous flash cart.
There are many feature improvements including, faster loading, New improved menu, Memory card support up to 128gb, and much more. But is the Super Everdrive X5 any good Find out below in our review.
Pros
- Region Free Support Of Super Nintendo / Famicom Games
- Instant Loading Of Games
- Improved Everdrive Menu
- Gamegenie Cheat Code Support
- Supports Up To 128gb Storage
Cons
- Does Not Support SA-1 and SuperFX Games (Check out compatibility section below for more info)
If you are looking to purchase a Super Everdrive x5 I have found the best place to buy them is on Amazon.
Flash Cartridges Comparisons
Below is a quick comparison of the Super Everdrive with the two market-leading Super Nintendo flash drives.
Super Everdrive X5
- Max ROM Size: 7.5mb
- Special Rom Chip Support: DSP
- Regions: Region Free
- Cheat Support: Yes Game Genie Code Only
- Save Game Support: Yes
- This flash cartridge does not support as many games as the two flash cartridges below. Cheaper flash drive option.
- View the Latest Price on Amazon
SD2SNES PRO
Max ROM Size: 96mb- Rom Chip Support : DSP-1/1B, DSP-2, DSP-3, DSP-4,ST-010, Cx4, MSU-1, S-RTC, OBC-1, GSU (Super FX), SA-1
- Regions: Region Free
- Cheat Support: Yes Game Genie Code Only
- Save Game Support: Yes
- This flash cartridge costs a bit more than the Everdrive x5. For the extra money, you will get better game compatibility.
- View Latest Price on Amazon
Max ROM Size: 96mbSD2SNES Everdrive
- Max ROM Size: 9MB
- Rom Chip Support: DSP 1-4, ST-010, Cx4, MSU1, S-RTC, Super FX, CA-1
- Regions: Region Free
- Cheat Support: Yes Game Genie Code Only
- Save Game Support: Yes
- This flash cartridge costs a bit more than the Everdrive x5, Compatability is not as good as the SD2SNES PRO but is better than the Super Everdrive x5.
- View Latest Price on Amazon
Max ROM Size: 9MBWhat Is The Super Everdrive X5 Flash Drive
The Super Everdrive x5 is a flash drive cartridge that enables you to play backup copies (ROMs) of your favorite Super Nintendo / Famicom games on original hardware. You simply copy the ROM file to a memory card, then place the memory card into the Everdrive x5.
Below are the features
- Max. ROM size up to 7.5MByte
- Max. Save RAM size to up to 128KByte
- Instant Loading
- SuperKey. This function eliminates region locks
- Improved EverDrive menu (compared to previous super-ed generations)
- SDHC/SDXC MicroSD cards support up to 128GB*
- GameGenie cheat codes
- Low power consumption
- Hi-quality 4-layer PCB
- OS supports up to 1000 files per folder
- Supported with any SNES/SFC16 system
I ordered my Everdrive from Amazon just over a month ago and it arrived a few days later, so I have had it for a few weeks to review.
The cart arrived in a white box with a sticker on the front that displayed “EVERDRIVE www.krikzz.com” Inside the box I received:
Contents
- 1 x Super Everdrive X5 Cartridge
- 1 x Instructions
Below is a picture I took of the cartridge. The cartridge is universal fitting which means it will fit any Super Nintendo (PAL / NTSC ) and also Super Famicom.
At the top of the cart, there is a Micro SD memory slot. Just to the right of the memory slot is a red LED that flashes when the memory card is being accessed.
Getting Started
The first thing we need to do is prepare the MicroSD with the required Everdrive files as well as the ROMs we wish to play. To do this follow these steps:
- Connect the micro sd memory card to your computer
- Go here to download the latest operating system (Currently is it SNESOS-v1.01.zip )
- Unzip the downloaded zip file
- Copy SNESOS.SMC + SAVE and CHEATS folder to the root of the micro sd drive
- Create folders to copy your ROMs too. (It is not recommended to put a lot of files in a single folder, the cart will not display more than 1024 files per folder. Folders with a large amount of files inside may open slowly. It would be better to make a few folders with alphabetic names and put the ROM files in these folders.)
- Remove the micro sd card from your computer and place it inside the Super Everdrive.
- Place the Super Everdrive into your console and power on
Super Everdrive X5 Menu System
The controls for the main menu are as follows.
- B: Open the folder or open file menu
- A: Back to subfolder
- SELECT: Open main menu
- START: Run the last selected game
One of the advertised improvements for this Everdrive was the menu system. When I first saw the menu system I was like “REALLY???”
I have to say after using the menu I find that I really like it. You just have to make sure that you organize the ROMS into folders that you will find easily. It makes finding the game you want to play quick.
To load a game highlight the required folder and press the B button. Then highlight the game you wish to play and press the B button again.
Game load times are much faster than before!! With the previous Everdrive version it took about 20-30 seconds to load a game. With the Super Everdrive X5 it takes around 3-5 seconds, a huge improvement.
If you want to return to the main menu you will have to restart your console.
By pressing SELECT it will take you to the options screen. I like the recently played menu as this helps you to find your recently played games easier.
Cheats
Another improvement is that you can use game genie codes. To activate the codes highlight the game you wish to play and press the B button then select cheats.
Enter the codes you wish to use and press the B button to start the game.
Super Everdrive X5 Features / Improvements
As per the official Krikzz website, there are many features and improvements to the older Everdrive carts. Let’s take a closer look at them.
Instant Loading
I can confirm that the Super Everdrive x5 loads games much faster than previous Everdrive carts.
With the older Everdrive version it took about 20-30 seconds to load a game. With the Super Everdrive X5 it takes around 3-5 seconds, a huge improvement.
SuperKey (Removes Region Locks)
The superkey is what makes the Everdrive region free. I tried games from all regions and I can confirm that they all worked. I did have compatibility issues with a small amount of games that needed the FX chip.
For more information about compatible games take a look at the compatibility section below.
Memory Cards Support Up To 128GB
My first thought is do you need that much storage for Super Nintendo games? On the Krikzz website is says
*Cards bigger than 32GB require custom formatting tools.
I tested with an 8gb memory card, I copied all the Super Nintendo / Famicom games from all regions to the memory card and there was still plenty of free space.
The speed of the memory card is more important. If you have a slow memory card it can take a while to display the ROMS when you select a folder from the main menu.
I recommend buying a fast smaller capacity memory card, also don’t place a lot of ROMs into a single folder. Maybe sort the ROMs by letter.
Save Game Support
I tested the ability to save games. I played 5 games from each region USA + PAL + JPN I then turned my console off, Removed the Super Everdrive X5 from my SNES, waited 30 minutes then turned the console back on.
I can confirm that all save games were present and loaded with no issues. Below is a screenshot of my Super Mario World save (I WISH 🙂 )
Improved Menu System
As I said above I do like the improved menu system. It took a bit of getting used to but I do agree that the menu system is much better.
The key is to organize all of your ROMS into folders like in the picture below, This way it will be much quicker to find your game.
Works With Any SNES or Super Famicom System
I tested on a PAL Super Nintendo system and a PAL Retro-Bit Retron Trio and the Super Everdrive x5 worked perfectly. The only issue I had was some games did not work, but that is because they need the Super FX chip (Starfox) which the Everdrive does not support.
The flash cartridge is designed to fit all consoles including the Super Nintendo NTSC and the Japanese Super Famicom. I did not test the cartridge on these systems but I don’t see any issues with the Everdrive x5 not working on these systems.
Super Everdrive X5 Reviews
I took a look around the internet to find out what other people thought of the Super Everdrive x5 and here is a list of reviews and the ratings that were given.
- 5/5 Fritz Esser @ amazon.com: Very easy to use and it works awesome.
- 5/5 Jeff s @ krikzz.com: “Just have to say love it so much i had bought 4 carts.. i own every Krikzz cart (except N64 ,never liked the games or system) .. works great, fast load times, any game that uses uses special chips i just use 1 of my SD2SNES’s so this is a great upgrade from the older models…as always you made this 43 year old kid very happy!! THANX!!”
- 9.1 / 10 raulpica @ gbatemp: “An excellent SNES flashcart that gives you the most bang for your buck. It has some limitations you’ll have to work around, but they’re not deal breakers. Easy to use and with no frills, the Super Everdrive v2 is for everyone, even the less tech-savvy of the retrogamers. I can definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to play most of the entire SNES collection on their original hardware.”
- 2/5 Dave Rentz @ amazon.co.uk: “The cart feels solid; not cheaply made. I found the instructions to be non-existent, the online support to be much the same, and the manufacturer’s own forums to be almost as useless.”
As you can see this flash cartridge has many highly rated reviews, Even in the 2/5 review by Dave if you read the comments he rated it low because he couldn’t get his 128 GB memory card working with it.
Super Everdrive X5 Compatability
The Super Everdrive x5 will not be able to play any games that require special chipsets such as DSP1*, DSP2, DSP3, DSP4, ST-010, Cx4, MSU1***, S-RTC, OBC1, Listed below are all the know games that do not work with the Super Everdrive x5.
*DSP1, Please note it is possible to solder on a DSP1 chip to the super Everdrive x5 which will then enable the flash cartridge to play DSP1 games.
- Mega Man X3/ Rockman X3 CX4
- Mega Man X2/ Rockman X2 CX4
- Suzuka 8 Hours DSP-1
- Super F1 Circus Gaiden DSP-1
- Super Bases Loaded 2 / Super 3D Baseball DSP-1
- Super Air Diver 2 DSP-1
- Shutokō Battle 2: Drift King Keichii Tsuchiya & Masaaki Bandoh DSP-1
- Shutokō Battle ’94: Keichii Tsuchiya Drift King DSP-1
- Pilotwings DSP-1
- Michael Andretti’s Indy Car Challenge DSP-1
- Lock On/ Super Air Diver DSP-1
- Korean League DSP-1
- Final Stretch DSP-1
- Bike Daisuki! Hashiriya Kon – Rider’s Spirits DSP-1
- Battle Racers DSP-1
- Armored Trooper Votoms: The Battling Road DSP-1
- Super Mario Kart DSP-1
- Ace o Nerae! 3D Tennis DSP-1
- Ballz 3D DSP-1
- Dungeon Master DSP-2
- SD Gundam GX DSP-3
- Top Gear 3000 DSP-4
- Metal Combat: Falcon’s Revenge OBC-1
- Street Fighter Alpha 2/ Street Fighter Zero 2 S-DD1
- Star Ocean S-DD1
- Dai Kaiju Monogatari 2 S-RTC
- Super Robot Taisen Gaiden: Masō Kishin – The Lord Of Elemental SA1
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars SA1
- Super Bomberman Panic Bomber World SA1
- Shogi Saikyou 2 SA1
- Shogi Saikyou SA1
- Shin Shogi Club SA1
- SD Gundam G NEXT SA1
- SD F-1 Grand Prix SA1
- Power Rangers Zeo: Battle Racers SA1
- PGA Tour 96 SA1
- PGA European Tour SA1
- Pebble Beach no Hotou: New Tournament Edition SA1
- Mini 4WD Shining Scorpion Let’s & Go!! SA1
- Masters New: Haruka Naru Augusta 3 SA1
- Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajima SA1
- Kirby’s Dream Land 3 SA1
- Kirby Super Star SA1
- Kakinoki Shogi SA1
- Jumpin’ Derby SA1
- Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius SA1
- J.League ’96 Dream Stadium SA1
- Itoi Shigesato no Bass Tsuri No. 1 SA1
- Habu Meijin no Omoshiro Shōgi SA1
- Dragon Ball Z: Hyper Dimension SA1
- Derby Jockey 2 SA1
- Daisenryaku Expert WWII: War in Europe SA1
- Super Power League 4 SPC7110
- Momotaro Dentetsu Happy SPC7110
- Far East of Eden Zero SPC7110
- F1 ROC II: Race of Champions/ Exhaust Heat II ST010
- Hayazashi Nidan Morita Shogi ST011
- Hayazashi Nidan Morita Shogi 2 ST018
- Vortex Super FX
- Stunt Race FX/ Wild Trax Super FX
- Star Fox/ Starwing Super FX
- Dirt Trax FX Super FX
- Dirt Racer Super FX
- Winter Gold/ FX Skiing Super FX
- Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island Super FX
- Star Fox 2 Super FX
- Powerslide Super FX
- FX Fighter Super FX
- Doom Super FX
- Comanche Super FX
Sadly my favorite game of all time is on this list “Dungeon Master” but I own the original cartridge so no biggie 🙂
Super Everdrive X5 Error Codes
Below is a list of all known error codes. If you are aware of any more please let us know by posting in a comment below.
- 0x40-0x49: SD initialize error. It may happen if the SD card is not compatible with the cartridge.
- 0x62-0x63: SD read error. It may happen if the SD card is not compatible with the cartridge, or if the FAT system is damaged.
- 0x64-0x68: SD write error. It may happen if the SD card is not compatible with the cartridge, or if the FAT system is damaged.
- 0x15: ROM is too large.
- 0x52: FAT system not found.
- 0x57: Not enough space on SD card
- 0x58: Out of bounds of the file. It May happened if the FAT system is damaged.
Super Everdrive X5 Frequently Asked Questions
Q) Can I save any game in any moment, like on emulators?
A) No. Saves work only for games that have battery backup function (those game cartridges
which was with battery inside)
Q) What should I do if every time when I turn on the system, I see such message: “Settings
reset to default”
A) Probably time to change the battery
Q) I copied OS on SD, but cart still show me gray screen with error message, what is going
on?
A) Try to use another SD card. Some cards may not work with cart, especially if it some cheap
cards which was bought in internet.
Q) Can I play PAL rom on NTSC system or visa versa?
A) Sometimes it working, sometimes – not. Would be better to use ROM which match to console
region. Export ROMs may be unstable or work with wrong speed.
Q) Is there any difference in terms of gameplay between EverDrive and regular cart?
A) No, games work exactly like with the original cartridge.
Q) I am having some problems using Game Genie codes, what should I do?
A) It is highly suggested you learn how Game Genie codes work before using them on your
EverDrive-MD. The Game Genie is not a creation of KRIKzz so support regarding them is limited.
Q) Can I play those games, which used spec chips inside of cartridges?
A) DSP1 is the only supported spec chip, but only in case if actual DSP1 installed to the cartridge
board.
Conclusion
This flash cart is perfect if you want to play your old Super Nintendo games on your original hardware. The flash cart is region free so you can play any game from any region (Apart from games that require SA-1 and SuperFX support).
The experience of playing a Super Nintendo game through the Everdrive x5 is exactly the same as if you were playing with the real cartridge, no lag, no graphic or sound issues.