WonderSwan Set for Major Relaunch with New 'NileSwan' SD Flash Cart
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Bandai's cult-classic handheld, the WonderSwan, is receiving a fresh lease on life thanks to a new, feature-rich flash cart from developer 49bitcat. The 'NileSwan', which has been in development for some time, is set to provide a much-needed modern solution for enthusiasts of the Japan-only console, finally adding support for loading games from a standard SD card. This is a significant improvement over existing options, such as the Flash Masta, which requires users to connect the cart directly to a PC to upload a limited number of games.
Set in a transparent shell, the NileSwan functions much like a modern 'EverDrive' or R4 cart, presenting a simple menu from which to load game ROMs. The open-source, FPGA-based cart boasts an impressive feature list, including support for programs up to 16 MiB, emulation for all save types (SRAM, EEPROM, and NOR Flash), and, critically, Real-Time Clock (RTC) emulation. This will allow fan-translated games that relied on an internal clock to be fully playable. The cart also includes an accelerometer for homebrew projects, battery backup for save data, and hard gold contacts for better longevity.
The project is compatible with the entire console family: the original monochrome WonderSwan, the WonderSwan Color, and the SwanCrystal. This new device not only simplifies playing the system's library of games, many of which now have fan translations, but it also opens the door for a new wave of homebrew development, thanks to its modern features and developer tools.
The first batch of the NileSwan is scheduled to go on sale via the official 49bitcat shop on 24 November 2025 at 16:00 GMT - however as of today, the launch has been delayed to a minimum of December 2025. The cart is priced at €85 / £75 / $98 (Approx. £75 / €85 / $98, based on current exchange rates; check local retailers for exact pricing). Given the console's dedicated following, the initial batch is expected to sell out quickly.