Check this out

[cbailey78]

Watch this video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHBhIy-Ai_s

Does this seem familiar?:D

[vegeta1215]

I don't know what made people think blowing on the game makes any difference. (I'll admit, I used to do it) Having a clean cart does help, but it all basically comes down to the pins making a good connection - that's it.

[MottZilla]

Not treating your system and cartridges like shit will fix that. Blowing on the carts is actually a very, very, bad idea. You don't want moisture from your mouth getting on the edge connector contacts. The only thing that made a difference was reinserting the cartridge. Pulling the cartridge all the way to the left or right could really be all you need to do. But anyways, honestly most people just used a game genie and never had any problems with the blinking screen of death.

[Masamune]

I actually used to clean my NES and SNES carts with rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab. :P

[MacWeirdo42]

Argh... How much of my life have I devoted to getting my NES cartridges to work? I swear, it's still a daily battle when I want to play Mario... And now the games tend to stick, too, which makes fixing 'em even more difficult.

[Warlock]

If you jam the carts in there hard enough they usually work. You just gotta match sure the connectors are all touching right :P Sometimes you have to wiggle it a little.

But ya, Game Genie solves everything :D

Edit: I watched it. He treats his game like shit and expects it to work? Also not once did he push it in well enough. You have to push it in really tight.

BTW, the blowing was a myth that if you got dust in your cartriage it wouldn't work. So ppl tried to blow the dust out. But ya, it was a very stupid thing to do.

[Dart Zaidyer]

Blowing in the cartridge never worked for the NES because dust usually wasn't the culprit: It was actually the 72-pin connector inside the machine, which was notoriously flimsy. Disassembling the thing and manually fixing or replacing the connector was the only thing that could really get rid of the problem.
Later in the SNES years, though, that wasn't much of an issue. It was only then that dust actually did play a role, and blowing helped a *little*... But a careful eye might notice that most of the dust and fine grit that can find its way onto the pins will never come off unless you clean it properly, because it has a bit of a stick to it.
Unfortunately, this resulted in constant blowing that eventually wore out the contacts on cartridge after cartridge, while getting nothing clean. My first SNES actually shorted out after trying to play a game using the aggressive philosophy shown in this guy's video, and some of the used games I bought with my second SNES years later are in such sad shape that it can be difficult to make them boot even when completely clean.

I guess what I'm saying is, stop ruining your cartridges.

[Mitsukara]

It was actually the 72-pin connector inside the machine, which was notoriously flimsy. Disassembling the thing and manually fixing or replacing the connector was the only thing that could really get rid of the problem.
Are there any documents available on actually doing that?


But a careful eye might notice that most of the dust and fine grit that can find its way onto the pins will never come off unless you clean it properly, because it has a bit of a stick to it.
What are you supposed to use to clean it off? Does alcohol work harm-free?

Also, I've never been sure; these kinds of problems will eventually develop with N64 and Gameboy and Gameboy Advance games, right? I have some not entirely dissimilar problems with a few Gameboy games already.

[cbailey78]

Thank goodness for EMULATORS! We will never have to deal with the real NES not working!

[AtmaWeapon]

I replaced my 72-pin connector and everything works fine but blowing on the cartridges worked just fine before that :) I don't care what they say about corrosion and whatnot my LoZ cart has survived since the 80s and the battery still works so I don't know what you are talking about.

Jennifer it is pretty easy to do; the hardest part for me was finding a long enough screwdriver (I had to buy one) to get the case screws off. Then, you undo the screws holding the RF shield down. Then you undo the screws holding the circuitboard to the case. Then you pull on the connector and rip your finger open by pulling too hard and scraping it across the edge of the circuit board. Then you put the new connector on and replace screws.

Also you should probably unplug the system first to avoid visits from the burn fairy.

*edit* Also I don't think the problem will present itself as quickly with the other cartridge-based systems. Notice that every cartridge-based system Nintendo has made since the NES (also the top-loading NES) has avoided the spring-loaded pin design in favor of a cart connector that provides a tight fit from the start. In theory the pins will wear down but I imagine the contacts on the game are more likely to erode away before the connector in the system breaks. Also Nintendo is good at reselling their old games so it's not like you won't be able to play them :)

[vegeta1215]

Are there any documents available on actually doing that?

http://www.classicgaming.com/features/articles/nesrepair/

I followed directions similar to that and was able to install a new connector in my NES. Now it works like new! I think that hardest part is getting the connector off the circuit board, cause it's on there so tight that you think you'll break something trying to get it off.

In the future I have to do the same for my SNES because the connector in it is just so worn down that even having a top loading system doesn't prevent the games from not working sometimes.

You can get the parts here: http://www.gameasylum.com/

[punkonjunk1024]

you know what? A cartridge reinserted 50 times would not work, where as a cartridge licked/blowed on worked immediately. Time and time and time and time and time again. Sure, it's stupid, but it must do something, because 6 year olds everywhere did it, and it worked. Again and again.

[Grasshopper]

I would insert the cart and pull it out a bit so that when pushed down the edge of the cart would be touching the edge of the drawer. I never had to blow on my cartridges, as this worked just as good as "the blow".

[MottZilla]

you know what? A cartridge reinserted 50 times would not work, where as a cartridge licked/blowed on worked immediately. Time and time and time and time and time again. Sure, it's stupid, but it must do something, because 6 year olds everywhere did it, and it worked. Again and again.

It does do something. Again, reinserting the cartridge does help. But blowing on it could help the contacts conduct between eachother but again, at the cost of eventually degrading both the contacts on the cartridge and the system. Really if you don't treat your systems like crap and store them properly, it won't be a problem. If it's too late for that, buy that new connector for NES to start over. Or if you aren't tech minded, just use a damn emulator. Or buy a new NES with a new connector already installed.

[MANDRAG GANON]

I used to blow into my carts. Then I found a better way to get them to work. I'd just put the Cart in the system and turn the game on and jiggle it till i saw some form of blinking sprites rather than a blinking wall of colour. Once I saw that I hit reset and it would work fine.

I recently found that Classic Gaming site for repairing your NES and have been meaning to do it, I've got to do it for my SNES too if it will work (have to check into it) because alot of my SNES carts are losing sprite information when I play them. Most of my SNES games I have to play with out any menus anymore or mario has legs for a head and a goomba for a body or something :\.

[MottZilla]

Mandrag, your contacts are probably dirty, get a SNES cleaning kit.

[punkonjunk1024]

This place called videogamestar here in appleton will replace NES connectors for you, for like 20 bucks. They also sell a wierd "retro cart player" which is basically a hardcore, durable NES made by some third party.

[MottZilla]

This place called videogamestar here in appleton will replace NES connectors for you, for like 20 bucks. They also sell a wierd "retro cart player" which is basically a hardcore, durable NES made by some third party.

Actually, it's a cheap ass clone of a creatation that is VERY old, around since the early 90s called the "NES on a Chip", aka NOAC. All "3rd party" or pirate NES/Famicom systems are these. They will play many games fairly well, but they are FAR from perfect. Do not pay more than 15$ for a non-official NES. They are a dime a dozen really, but they will try to stick you for it. Also use a tradition grey NES or a Famicom incarnation of your choice. Maybe use a top loader NES if you have it modded for Composite video.

So ya, probably the most common NES clone is called the "NeoFami" or "NeoFamicom".