My N64 game won't save

[WESTOLEABALLOON]

I bought a copy of Super Mario 64 (that has rumble pak support) from Japan and it won't save games. I looked at its pins and they have green stuff on it. Is it corrosion and can it be fixed?

[CRTGAMER]

Some bad corrosion, hopefully your console contacts didn't get contaminated. Clean the cart with a QTip and alcohol. There is Electrical Contact Cleaner at Home Improvement stores. There is also a special bit to take the cart apart.

Unplug the power
For the console a piece of cardboard lightly saturated with the cleaner, plug in and out a few times. Blow off with a can of air.

[equalsign]

It might be one of those rare games on the 64 that uses a battery only to save. I think there were only a dozen, and I know Ocarina and Ogre Battle were on the list. I don't remember them any more. Is the rumble version of Mario a rerelease? If so, I'd be surprised if they were still relying on batteries that far into the console lifespan.

[WESTOLEABALLOON]

It might be one of those rare games on the 64 that uses a battery only to save. I think there were only a dozen, and I know Ocarina and Ogre Battle were on the list. I don't remember them any more. Is the rumble version of Mario a rerelease? If so, I'd be surprised if they were still relying on batteries that far into the console lifespan.

It is a rerelease. I cracked into it and there was no battery.

[WESTOLEABALLOON]

I cleaned the contacts with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol and managed to get most of the corrosion off, but there are still little spots in it.

The most time the cartridge has spent in my console is about 5 days. Should I be concerned?

[Ack]

I cleaned the contacts with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol and managed to get most of the corrosion off, but there are still little spots in it.

The most time the cartridge has spent in my console is about 5 days. Should I be concerned?

First off, why not step it up to 90% Isopropyl Alcohol. That's what most of us use. And second off...yeah, you might want to clean it too, just in case.

[CRTGAMER]

I cleaned the contacts with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol and managed to get most of the corrosion off, but there are still little spots in it.

The most time the cartridge has spent in my console is about 5 days. Should I be concerned?

No worries. Just plugging good carts in and out a few times cleans the contacts of the console. The cardboard trick will help, or a QTip with some alcohol or contact cleaner. Be sure to fully dry before powering back on.

Since you do have the cart apart, maybe rub a good pencil eraser over the contacts.

[Ziggy]

An old toothbrush or a horse hair brush will help to scrub the contacts. That's what I usually use. Don't be afraid to soak a toothbrush with 90% rubbing alcohol and scrub the cart pins, they wont break. I mean, you gotta do what you gotta do to get the stuff off the pins. Just be sure to let it all dry before you put it back in the cart (which shouldn't be long at all - alcohol dries very fast).

But yeah, definitely clean your console too. The cardboard trick that CRT mentioned is great. Just don't use a piece of cardboard too thick (you want it about the same thickness as a N64 cart's PCB). You can even use a (clean) rag or old cotton t-shirt to put around the cardboard, dab some rubbing alcohol on there, then insert it into the console pin connector. Go in and out with it a few times to scrub the pins off.

Again, allow some time for it to dry before trying to power it on again. As CRT mentioned, a can of air will help to dry it, as well as clean out any debris.

[WESTOLEABALLOON]

I can only find 91 percent iso alcohol. Is that alright?

[Ziggy]

Yeah, that's fine. Basically, the higher the percentage the better.