Game Cart Contact Cleaning Guide - Atari Sega Famicom NES

[Evildeadmanwalking77]

What would you guys recommend for cleaning the vents and shell/surface of the consoles themselves? I was thinking of using the Blow Off Aersol cleaners that they sell in electronics stores. There's only so much you can get clean w/ a rag or paper towel. My modded XB is filthy and I'd like to keep it squeaky clean and running for a long time.

[CRTGAMER]

Just blowing the dust in the slots might contaminate the inside. Since it is already modded, you don't have to worry about breaking the warranty sticker. Pop the shell off, give it a good dusting with a clean paint brush and blow with a can of air.

[retrosportsgamer]

Any advice on cleaning a Super Nintendo system? I'm having a heckuva time getting mine to play games. The games are really clean also. I've used 91% isopropyl on the top part of the connectors. I do have some old SNES cleaning kits - would you just put the isopropyl or is there a mix of another solution? THe problem is the pads kind of dry out and may not perform as well as prior.

[CRTGAMER]

Any advice on cleaning a Super Nintendo system? I'm having a heckuva time getting mine to play games. The games are really clean also. I've used 91% isopropyl on the top part of the connectors. I do have some old SNES cleaning kits - would you just put the isopropyl or is there a mix of another solution? THe problem is the pads kind of dry out and may not perform as well as prior.

The alcohol is fine. Either Q Tips, the cleaning kit or a sheet of folded thin cardboard. You can follow thru with a dry side of the QTip, cardboard or a can of air.

[retrosportsgamer]

^ Thanks.

I'm worried on this one as everything checks out great on my other SNES but the regular one is either scrambled or comes up completely black.

Do you think that could be the S-video piece? I've gotten it work with different games (sometimes glitchy) so I have to think if it was a S-video thing it would never work.

[CRTGAMER]

Do you think that could be the S-video piece? I've gotten it work with different games (sometimes glitchy) so I have to think if it was a S-video thing it would never work.

An easy way to confirm if its the the video connection and not a bad cart contact is try to run the game. If the sounds or music is working then its likely the video connection and not the cart contacts. Try a composite cable just to confirm the signal, but stick with SVideo for the Chroma Luma separation. SVideo cables are fragile, check that all four pins are protruding equally. Test the same cable on your other good console, maybe the video contacts on the bad SNES need cleaning?

[retrosportsgamer]

Yeah nothing plays - no sound or anything. It's a SNES issue as I tested the cable (non s-video though) on my SNES mini and everything was flawless.

[CRTGAMER]

Yeah nothing plays - no sound or anything. It's a SNES issue as I tested the cable (non s-video though) on my SNES mini and everything was flawless.

Not a good sign. Hopefully its just the contacts. Since the game cart and video cable is consistently reliable in your other SNES then you are right to first try cleaning the contacts. Does the SNES seem to display power at least, does it try to display something on the TV indicating power? The next stage would be to pop the cover off and look for any swollen or leaking capacitors. While you have it apart, take a closer look at the spring pins of the game cart connector, see if any need a slight bend with a pin.

[retrosportsgamer]

Yep, power and everything is good. Something with the contacts (I'm hoping it is just this)

[CRTGAMER]

I took apart a 3rd party cart for cleaning. There is a screw hidden under the label, managed to get the PCB out without damaging the cart or labels. Updated the OP.

I sometimes buy games that are unusual from a collector stand point. Yeah the game is crap, but the blue cart was the draw for me. You can't even duck to shoot the short enemy worm in this sideways scroller. One of the reasons why the game has poor reviews, I though that was a programming error. However perseverance pays off, once collecting a zig zag bullet power up any short enemies can now be hit.

One unfortunate thing about Captain Comic is the connector is a little thicker then 1st party Nintendo game carts. Not as bad as a Game Genie, but a concern of bending the contacts a little far. My NES has the original true "ZIF" connector where a regular cart can easily slide in without any drag. The Captain Comic cart hits the NES Toaster contacts upon insertion even before pressed down. A pain to remove due to the ZIF loss.

Any game cart I buy gets a thorough case and connecter clean before play testing. This thing had rental and theft deterrent stickers plastered all over it and covering the screw holes. Look closely, you can see how years of sunlight "aged" the fire retard plastic where there were no stickers.

Any game cart I buy gets a thorough case and connecter clean before play testing. This thing had rental and theft deterrent stickers plastered all over it and covering the screw holes. Look closely, you can see how years of sunlight "aged" the fire retard plastic where there were no stickers. Interesting how the PCB has another connector inside, curious what it was for.