fix games

[lcvolt]

hi, i recently bought a copy of f zero and it doesn't work. according to the seller it should work properly. which methods do you use to fix games? any clues about f zero cartridges not working properly (i know the game is "old"). this very same thing happened to my copy of mario party 3. is one of the most expensive games i've bought and it stopped working in less than 5 years

[WolfAlmighty]

I haven't taken apart an SNES cart yet, but I know NES carts can sometimes get crud between the contacts.  If there's enough crud to cause a short between two contacts it can cause the game to not boot up.  I had this happen with a copy of Indiana Jones I got off ebay that the seller couldn't get working, but a little help from my pocket knife to clean between the contacts and now it's as good as new.  If you have the means to disassemble an SNES cart, try taking out the board and check for any such debris or any popped capacitors, etc.  These old games are very resilient, especially compared to today's CD/DVD format which can malfunction with just the slightest scratch.  I'm almost certain your game will still function with a little cleaning and some TLC.

[lcvolt]

ok, thanks, this might work with my copy of revenge of the joker on batman. i forgot to mention it was f zero x, on 64

[Harp00nX]

When a cart wont load in a known working console it usually just needs the contacts cleaning. Personally I use steel wool to clean up the edge connectors but you can use rubbing alcohol amongst other things. Search for how to clean carts on youtube there are tons of videos about it using all kinds of methods. It's worth investing in the gamebit screwdriver pieces so you can open carts when you need to, you can also take a scrubbing brush to carts that need cleaning this way as well.

[lcvolt]

i've alredy tried cleaning it. the contacts look perfect. i've alredy tried for hours and wont work. according to the seller, he tried it and worked before he gave it to me.
i cant find a gamebit because i live in mexico and the mexican ebay is not secure enough (besides not being available.) also ive tried making my own, but the pen method doesnt work and
the clock screw just wont come out.
what do you do to make your n64 games work? i pull it out a little bit after placing it so that it makes the "click" and starts working. this 2 cartridges (f zero and mario party 3) do that, but the black screen doesnt change at all.

[wiggy]

Oddly I have a copy of F-Zero for the N64 that doesn't work.  Looks fine and dandy, absolutely cannot get it to work no matter what

[lcvolt]

i changed my expansion pack for the regular jumper pak to see if maybe changing the termination circuit would work. nothing happened. is such a shame that n64 games are easy to find, but the hardest ones to rum properly.

[wiggy]

Makes me wonder if F-Zero 64 has a specific defect. My cart is like new. I bought it new, I always kept it store in a dry place, and it just randomly stopped working. My Japanese copy works just fine :/

[zakurowrath]

It could be a number of things since cartridges have numerous parts in them. Most likely it's the capacitor that regulates the voltage to one of the circuits. Oddly enough, the way I get my stubborn N64 carts to start up, is the old fashioned blow into the slot, then here's the magic, I yell "work" into the cart and sure enough, it fires right up. Maybe the vibration from my voice does something to the board but it has never failed me to this day.  Now it's not an over the top rage yell, but it's loud enough to make people go wtf 

[lcvolt]

to get my games to wurk i push them all the way down and then pull them up a little bit from the right side, it never fails, except but with these 2 games. anyone knows a tutorial or something on how to fix games, i mean, FIX (im tired of going thorugh youtube videos only to see people telling you to blow on it).

[wiggy]

It could be a number of things since cartridges have numerous parts in them. Most likely it's the capacitor that regulates the voltage to one of the circuits. Oddly enough, the way I get my stubborn N64 carts to start up, is the old fashioned blow into the slot, then here's the magic, I yell "work" into the cart and sure enough, it fires right up. Maybe the vibration from my voice does something to the board but it has never failed me to this day.  Now it's not an over the top rage yell, but it's loud enough to make people go wtf 

LOL!

to get my games to wurk i push them all the way down and then pull them up a little bit from the right side, it never fails, except but with these 2 games. anyone knows a tutorial or something on how to fix games, i mean, FIX (im tired of going thorugh youtube videos only to see people telling you to blow on it).

That's a pretty sure sign of dirty terminals.  Clean the cart port on the N64 and that should solve most, if not all of your problems.

No "fix", just cleanup.

[Super GDubs Fighter II Turbo: Championship Edition III]

Huh, that's weird... I myself have a copy of Cruisn' USA for N64 that doesn't work.  Could it be that some games were produced defective, much like Sega Dreamcast titles?

[wiggy]

Well, my F-Zero worked like a champ for about 6-7 years, so I have no idea if there was some weakness in any of the parts that lead to the failure, or if it was just some sort of fluke.  But it seems completely possible that it's an engineering boo-boo.

[Moviefan2k4]

When cleaning my game carts for Nintendo systems, I use a 3.8 mm gamebit head to get everything apart. Then, I take out the circuit board, and clean both sides of the metal contacts with Brasso polish. After that, I use a 1/1 mix of alcohol and water with Q-tips, and dry everything with an old shirt or soft cloth. If needed, I may also clean the inside of the cartridge shell with just the water and alcohol. Once everything's done, just screw it all back together, and that's it. Hasn't failed me yet.

[wiggy]

Yeah, my F-Zero is fucked. I do all that except I just use 000 steel wool instead of Brasso.