Should I buy a top loader nes?

[god]

If you are capable of taking out the existing 72 pin connector, then you will be able to fix it to new condition with one easy solution: boiling. I am 4/4 for boiling success. That is, four systems, four original Nintendo connectors that barely worked, four connectors boiled, four perfectly working systems afterwards.

Take out the connector. Put it in boiling water for 5-10 minutes (I recommend distilled water, otherwise you will get residue from chlorine etc). Take out, shake off in a towel, then bake at 200 degrees until it is dry. Allow it to cool, put it back in your NES, and enjoy the games. My personal system has been working 100% with absolutely no blinking since I have done this, and its seen about a year of regular usage.

The original pin connectors are best. Ideally, it will be loose enough to allow games to slide in with almost no effort, but tight enough to have a good connection when pressed down. Boiling brings your connectors back to this ideal.

Don't do any of that other crap. Don't use something to bend your pins. Don't scrub with a toothbrush (I ruined one connector this way as the pins are very easy to bend). Don't do any random voodoo you find on the internet, other than my suggestion that is.

I will totally try this. My NES sucks. I cleaned the pins with alcohol and it was ok, but pretty soon it went all blinky and stubborn again. I have given up on it for the time being.

[BurningDoom]

If you are capable of taking out the existing 72 pin connector, then you will be able to fix it to new condition with one easy solution: boiling. I am 4/4 for boiling success. That is, four systems, four original Nintendo connectors that barely worked, four connectors boiled, four perfectly working systems afterwards.

Take out the connector. Put it in boiling water for 5-10 minutes (I recommend distilled water, otherwise you will get residue from chlorine etc). Take out, shake off in a towel, then bake at 200 degrees until it is dry. Allow it to cool, put it back in your NES, and enjoy the games. My personal system has been working 100% with absolutely no blinking since I have done this, and its seen about a year of regular usage.

The original pin connectors are best. Ideally, it will be loose enough to allow games to slide in with almost no effort, but tight enough to have a good connection when pressed down. Boiling brings your connectors back to this ideal.

Don't do any of that other crap. Don't use something to bend your pins. Don't scrub with a toothbrush (I ruined one connector this way as the pins are very easy to bend). Don't do any random voodoo you find on the internet, other than my suggestion that is.

I will totally try this. My NES sucks. I cleaned the pins with alcohol and it was ok, but pretty soon it went all blinky and stubborn again. I have given up on it for the time being.

BAKE IT IN THE OVEN?!?! Are you for real?! There is plastic on those things, not just metal. I'd just towel dry it, then set it out to air dry. Aren't you worried about melted plastic?

[AppleQueso]

BAKE IT IN THE OVEN?!?! Are you for real?! There is plastic on those things, not just metal. I'd just towel dry it, then set it out to air dry. Aren't you worried about melted plastic?

200F isn't quite hot enough to melt most plastics iirc.

[Hobie-wan]

Or, you know, clean it with electrical contact cleaner... made for cleaning electrical contacts.

[Zing]

BAKE IT IN THE OVEN?!?! Are you for real?! There is plastic on those things, not just metal. I'd just towel dry it, then set it out to air dry. Aren't you worried about melted plastic?

I guess you didn't read the part where I have done this repeatedly with no damage.

I don't know what temp the plastic would melt or even become soft, but it can safely rest on the bottom of a pan of boiling water with the stove element on maximum. That part of the pan certainly exceeds 200 degrees.

[ExedExes]

I'll tell you why you should get it

You can't contain all the AWESOME

[Breetai]

I boiled my connector for 15 minutes, but it on the oven at 250 degrees for about 10 minutes (it was dry), and... it worked with some games. Maybe they needed better cleaning?

[Cody_D165]

The main reason I love my toploader is the fact that I can take any game off my shelf, pop it in, turn on the system, and play it. No blowing on the games, jiggling the cart, or anything like that.

I understand a lot of people hate the "lines" it shows, but you can mod it if you want those gone. I personally don't notice the lines when in the heat of the game (or I just don't care).

The one thing I can't compare/contrast is the dogbone controller, because mine was a yardsale purchase and it didn't have one. (But hey, for $30 with 9 games and an NES Advantage, I'm not leaving it there.)

[Zing]

I boiled my connector for 15 minutes, but it on the oven at 250 degrees for about 10 minutes (it was dry), and... it worked with some games. Maybe they needed better cleaning?

Very likely. I have acquired a few carts that needed extra cleaning. They came from one particular Ebay seller. One cart literally had dirt in the slot. Actual soil. I had given up on getting the games to consistently work (they didn't pass my "tap the cart while the NES is on" test), but I later discovered a better way to clean carts and they have since worked every time.