I have used a few different flash carts for the GameBoy Advance and I can say with certainty that the EverDrive GBA Pro is by far the best cart for the price. Lets go over its specs and see what makes it the must have flash cart for GBA.
The EverDrive GBA Pro stands out as a high end flash cartridge engineered by Krikzz, built on a custom 8-layer PCB with gold edge contacts for maximum signal integrity and longevity. At the core of the design is an Intel/Altera Max 10 FPGA paired with 40 MB of high speed PSRAM (320 Mbit), providing the memory bandwidth and logic density necessary for instantaneous ROM loading and complex hardware emulation.
One of the most notable technical additions to the Pro architecture is its comprehensive hardware sensor suite. Unlike previous GBA flash carts Krikzz has done and their competitors, the board integrates custom solar, tilt, and gyroscopic sensors. This hardware array resolves historical compatibility issues with specialized cartridges like Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand and Yoshi’s Topsy Turvey, allowing the FPGA to pass native sensor data directly to the host console without requiring software patches or workaround hacks.
Beyond the suite of sensors, the power and memory sub-systems have also undergone significant design overhauls. Rather than relying on a global RTC implementation, the Pro features isolated Real-Time Clock support, giving every game its own dedicated time tracking. The internal RTC battery includes active voltage monitoring within the system menu, giving clear notification before the battery drains. Additionally, high-speed microSD connectivity ensures near-instant boot times even when handling full 32MB GBA titles. The amount of tech in this cart is rather amazing and definitely worth having.
Functionally, the EverDrive GBA Pro delivers near flawless compatibility for the entire Game Boy Advance library. Software navigation relies on Krikzz’s clean OS UI, offering fast file sorting, custom menu themes, and directory searching. Through integrated emulation layers, the cartridge can even support Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and NES ROMs seamlessly from the main menu; provided the emulators for those are in the apps folder on the micro SD Card.
A standout feature of the Pro is its ability to save states. While not impressive that save states are supported, but rather that it can support up to 98 save slots per GBA title! This is done by using an in game button combination that is user configurable. So you can save and load instantly, using whichever combination you would like. This in-game overlay also grants access to a built-in cheat manager compatible with mGBA format cheat imports, alongside soft-reset options to jump back to the menu without power-cycling. The amount of save states is very welcome and a rather generous amount; and seamless menu integration means you get a very clean and responsive experience.
The Pro adds tailored functionality for Nintendo DS owners through its “Mode-B” dual-slot mode. This feature allows the cartridge to function as an expansion pass-through in Slot-2, supporting DS titles that require GBA game connectivity or rumble/memory add-ons. Coupled with sensor inversion toggles (essential for bottom-loading systems like the GBA SP or Nintendo DS), the software menu adapts smoothly across all form factors.
The EverDrive GBA Pro sets a high technical standard for modern retro flash cartridges. By incorporating solar, tilt, and gyroscopic hardware directly into the cartridge, Krikzz has removed the final hardware limitations of the GBA format. This means that all games are playable, even compatible with DS Games that require extra features or cards for functionality from the GBA slot.
While entry-level users may find cheaper flash carts sufficient for a pickup and play experience, the Pro’s feature set easily justifies its price tag for dedicated fans of the GBA library. Now those harder to emulate games have a way of being played like never before. Features like multi-slot save states, isolated per-game real-time clocks, and battery monitoring make it an ideal all-in-one cartridge for handhelds that support playing GBA games on.
Ultimately, the EverDrive GBA Pro stands as the ultimate way to experience Game Boy Advance software on original systems. Its combination of hardware design, full library compatibility, and robust software architecture earns it an enthusiastic recommendation and the definitive flash cart to have for those that own a GBA or a DS Lite!
You can check out the EverDrive GBA pro here if interested.
In addition to writing articles, Ryan Byers also creates content for his YouTube channel called "Obscure Games and Consoles", collects video games, and dabbles in video game development.