Ideas on how to check Genesis carts?

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Scooter
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Ideas on how to check Genesis carts?

Post by Scooter »

I've never had a Genesis cart that didn't work. I've bought some that didn't load right away and needed to have the contacts cleaned. I've had trouble with a 32X game but after cleaning the dickens out of the various parts in the 32X I finally got that trouble behind me.

I recent bought a somewhat hard to find game I've been looking for for quite some time, Zany Golf. It's an EA game. Well, it won't load. The contacts looked pretty good but I cleaned them up and still nothing. All I get is a blank screen but no "licensed by Sega..." screen, nothing.

Are there any other tests I could do to see if there is a way to know if it's just burned up or just not connecting? I have a multi-meter but I've no idea what to check. The Genesis has been cleaned within an inch of it's life so I don't think that's the problem. Any number of Sega and EA carts will load on the same console. I'm going to try it on a friend's console tomorrow, but I'm not holding out much hope.

TIA.
Niode
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Post by Niode »

You could try opening the cart and check that all the traces are still intact? If you have any broken traces you can always get some small gauge wire and solder them back in, if you're savvy with that sort of thing?
Marurun wrote:Don’t mind-shart your pants, guys
Scooter
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Post by Scooter »

Everything inside looks great. Even the contacts looked nice and clean but I cleaned them anyway. I was surprised at how small the entire board was given how large the cart is. Given the condition of the cart, the box and the instruction book, I don't think this one was ever played much. It's probably just not making good contact on one pin or another, but how can I figure that out? Short of blasting too much electricity through these things, carts are pretty durable.
El_Deguello
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Post by El_Deguello »

Zany Golf is one of the few early EA games that won't work on Genesis consoles that display the "Produced by or under license ..." white text on black screen. The other games are Budokan, Ishido: Way Of The Stones, Populous, and Onslaught.

Sega implemented a lockout chip after EA refused to sign and pay for a licensing agreement. EA later signed this agreement and all subsequent titles worked on all Genesis consoles.

My old Genesis from 1989 doesn't display the white on black "Produced by or under license" screen and I can play those early EA games.

However, according to some sources, you can use the Game Genie to bypass the lockout screen. From what I understand, the Game Genie has the lockout code/chip and you are effectively "adding" this code/chip to the original game.

Hope this helps...
Scooter
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Post by Scooter »

It looks like I'll have to find a Game Genie then......

Thanks.
Niode
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Post by Niode »

El_Deguello wrote:Zany Golf is one of the few early EA games that won't work on Genesis consoles that display the "Produced by or under license ..." white text on black screen. The other games are Budokan, Ishido: Way Of The Stones, Populous, and Onslaught.

Sega implemented a lockout chip after EA refused to sign and pay for a licensing agreement. EA later signed this agreement and all subsequent titles worked on all Genesis consoles.

My old Genesis from 1989 doesn't display the white on black "Produced by or under license" screen and I can play those early EA games.

However, according to some sources, you can use the Game Genie to bypass the lockout screen. From what I understand, the Game Genie has the lockout code/chip and you are effectively "adding" this code/chip to the original game.

Hope this helps...
Great first post! Welcome to the forums!
Marurun wrote:Don’t mind-shart your pants, guys
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