Got my brand new 3DS XL - now what please?

Let me just put this straight since you're specifically directing part of your post towards me; I totally understand your doubts about stuffs like this NDS gaming and all, since you're doing this for your kids and yes they aren't cheap, so you want to be absolutely sure before going ahead which is normal, while surely also your knowledge about gaming had past your time (childhood time). The things you played then, and what you are dealing now are different. Totally understood why you kept asking the same things over and over just to assure yourself is on the right track. However you also need to understand that asking questions online would return you with diverse responses which could lead you to the correct path or send you off a cliff. It's important that you make your own judgment on what is correct and real from the misleading, and decide what to do/choose yourself based on the ones you think are best. Even in doubt, you need to have confidence in your decision. Even though you might not know about something, you need to just rely on your instincts and logic. Sometimes asking something over and over doesn't result to better understanding, more often causes you more doubt and confusion. It's like asking 3 doctors for diagnosis; if at least 2 out of 3 gives you similar response, naturally you'd follow the majority. Now what if the one correct is actually the doctor that said differently? Think about it. Cause I can tell you such happens in real life. So have faith in your own judgment, instincts, and logic. Trust in yourself.

Anyway,

Here are the answers to your questions;

1. I have read that new consoles have versions 6x etc. Is there another setting where I will see this or have I possibly fallen 'lucky' and got older version, new models?
No. They are not new model. And they (the product you bought) haven't been upgraded by the seller. In a sense, yes, you are
lucky. Cause this means you can use GATEWAY/R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe/3DS Linker. It doesn't matter if it's new model or not.
But just so you know, the new one is called 2DS, and it's without 3D ability but same features and almost half the price of the
3DS XL.

2. So, are the versions I note above, the firmware versions?
Yes, what you wrote/see are the firmware version of your 3DS console. And yes, the latest firmware is v.6.3.0-12.
The ones in your possession hasn't been upgraded to the latest version.

3. If this is the firmware version, I'm guessing that my XLs will play 3DS ROMs with a Gateway cart?
Yes, you can. Also with R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe or 3DS Linker. Probably choose either the Gateway or R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe.
I'm not sure about how credible the 3DS Linker is.

4. But, as the Gateway cart is really expensive and due to the fact that it sounds complicated to run 3D ROMs (changing memory cards for each game/no simple save game method etc) I think I'm looking to play all the old games from a R4i.
Gateway is sold at around USD81 online, some stores sells at USD70. R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe is at USD70, not sure about how
much the 3DS Linker costs. It may sound complicated to setup but it's quite easy actually. The installation manual
is straight forward from the official site of those carts. But no, you don't need to change memory cards for each game. 1 SDHC card
can only be fill with 1 game rom per gaming. Keep the other 3DS rom in a hard drive. It's not like the NDSL/DSi flash cart where
you can put multiple rom in 1 SDHC card.

If the flash cartridge that your kids are using in their flash cart's official website shows ability to run on 3DS, it should work on
that 3DS console you bought since they are running old firmware. You do want to make sure the kids don't accidentally upgrade
the console in the case you buy Gateway/R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe/3DS Linker. If the current carts you got for DSi isn't compatible,
then buy the R4i Gold 3DS from r4ids(.)cn site or any cart that shows ability to be upgraded to v.6.3.0 (just in case your kids
accidentally upgrades the console to v.6.3.0 which could spell disaster for you). Which you can prevent by using the parental
control feature found in that console to block it from going online.

For your consideration; The Gateway/R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe/3DS Linker, they are expensive, yes. But on the bright side, it'll allow
you to play 3DS rom (except Pokémon X & Y and Animal Crossing New Leaf). An original 3DS cartridge game costs around USD34
- USD40, so USD81 is quite a bargain in a sense. If I were you, I'd wait until Gateway releases it's firmware v.2.0 (currently
their cart is v.1.2). If the new firmware shows significant update, go for it. The R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe already released it's v.2.0
firmware but the upgrade is not so significant. Only allowing you to play rom from any region, which at current the Gateway
can't do. People are hoping to see either cart releasing firmware that allows multiple rom use in 1 SDHC. It'll be a break through
when that happens.

5. Anyone have a recommended seller from the R4i.cn link as there are loads?
Sorry, no suggestion about it. I've never bought any electronic devices online, only books.

There'll be others responding to you and suggesting various things. In the end it's really up to your own judgment on which best.

Note:
Just in case you're confused;
R4i Gold 3DS is a flash cartridge to play NDS game rom.
R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe is a flash cartridge to play 3DS game rom.
They are both made by the same producer namely r4ids(.)cn.

 

In point no. 4, the first portion was directed to the 3DS flash carts, the next portion was directed to the NDSL/DSi flash carts. To elaborate;

The flash carts for playing NDS game rom are/is able to read an SD Micro which contain several NDS rom in it. But at present, the flash carts for playing 3DS game rom only able to read 1 3DS rom per SD Micro. You don't need to have multiple SD Micro in your possession. Keep any 3DS rom you have for your kids in the hard drive, and replace the one in the SD Micro with what the kids wants to play when needed. Saves money that way, rather than having to buy many SD Micro unnecessarily. It's not like the kids will be able to play multiple games at one time anyway. It's also good in the sense they concentrate on playing 1 game until finish and not be distracted by multiple games at once but not finishing any in the end.

Regarding the Acekard2i, if you go to the Acekard2i's website, you should be able to see that the cart is no longer getting any support from the maker because it has hit dead end in term of making it work on latest 3DS and DSi firmware ever since it can't work on DSi v.1.4.5 and 3DS v.4.5.0. Given that your 3DS is v.4.4.0 and v.4.2.0, that is the maximum the Acekard2i will still work on. So be sure not to accidentally upgrade the console to any newer firmware or else those Acekard2i you have would not be useful on the 3DS. Which if upgraded would mean having to buy new carts for playing NDS game rom on the 3DS console.

Flash carts are region free in the sense it works on any console from any region. So you should see no problem buying it even if your consoles are UK region. As it stands for now, the R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe has v.2.0 update, which allows any rom from any region to run on your UK console. Unlike the current Gateway v.1.2 that can only run rom from the same region as your console's region. Hopefully that would change once Gateway releases it's already due v.2.0 update. They will run ok on both your DSi and 3DS as it stands since both devices you got are below v.4.5.0 for the 3DS and v.1.4.4 for the DSi.

From what I know, the Ace3DS+ doesn't work on the latest 3DS firmware. It's highest current supported 3DS firmware is v.5.1.0. It can run the latest NDS game rom since it supports using latest WOOD R4 as it's secondary firmware. It can work on your 3DS consoles, but not if the 3DS console is accidentally upgraded to v.6.3.0 or higher.

In business it's normal to see one company duplicating the other's successful product. In the end it's the market to decide which is better. Yes, the Gateway team are the first to make 3DS rom flash carts. But they too cloned the R4i cart for one of their 2 carts. And we must not forget, they all are doing an act of piracy. Honor among pirates? What matters the most is how each shows ability to continue developing what been made or duplicated or pirated. I wouldn't fully take what the Gateway team have to say about their competitor who copied their brain child as true. It could just be they want to sway indecisive buyers from going to the competitor who stole their hard work and probably had made it/would make it better. The fact is at the moment, the R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe is a step ahead with it's current v.2.0 update which the Gateway hasn't released for unknown reason. Probably the Gateway has better update later on when they release v.2.0, but they haven't done so to date. Thus that too isn't a final verdict on which is best, it has to be seen in the long run, not short term appraisal. For now, I don't see any being the likely winner in the long term given both (since I've no say about the 3DS Linker) still couldn't make it past v.4.5.0 firmware.

I wouldn't say "Pay a bit more for a product that will last a lot longer", you don't know how long that "last a lot longer" be. If I were you, I'd say "Pay a bit more to support the original developer". Also when you say, "not any of the other clones", we need to remember most of us these days tells people to buy the R4i Gold 3DS from R4ids(.)cn, which if we think back, it's a clone of the R4 Original. And that clone lasted longer in the competition than the one it pirated from, and the R4 is a second generation NDS flash cart, there are first generation carts that most people had long forgotten, they were the pioneers. So I'd say it's better to be neutral, we don't know how those 3DS rom player would fair in the long run, at present it's hard to put our money on any. Too early to tell which is better. For now, I don't see any as the winning horse, thus I don't support any yet.

At most time, buyers don't go for the original makers, it's not because they support "duplicators/cheaters/stealers" whatever you'd name such an act, but there're more to it. One of which would be how that "stealer" further develops the product they 'stole', and the other is the after sales service, not to mention price. Naturally, the one to cost lesser would be the one who 'stole', they didn't spend money/resources on developing from down-up. The down-up development costs the most. Unfair as it may be, that's business. Whine about it, sue it if must, but in the end it's boils down to whom the market chooses to put their money on who wins and have the final laugh. You can have more than 2 shops standing side by side selling exact same products, again the market decides who they would choose to buy from. The factors involved in who wins when it comes to selling identical products aren't decided by the product itself, but the factors that accompanies it, it may not be who sells at lower price, it could be service related. Bitter fact in business competition.

 

Yes, it will enable you/kids to create a proper save file if you did the steps as instructed by the 3DS rom flash cart player website.

I won't say the R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe is the way to go, it's up to you to decide which to choose; the Gateway or the R4i Gold Deluxe. Check both their sites and read further what each have to say about their cart's features and compatibility. After that, it should be easier to make your choice.

It was Gateway who claimed that their cart can run rom dumped prior to March 2013. But as it turns out, they could run newer game dump too, just not the ones I stated in the other topic. Though I won't rule out the possibility of other rom yet mentioned to not work on either carts. Keep in mind, that the Gateway, R4i Gold 3DS Deluxe, and 3DS Linkers are all 'pioneers' for playing 3DS rom, so naturally they would have limitations at some point along the way.