NES cart location issue

[tz101]

I bought this DK3 game off ebay that would not play and gave the standard solid pink or blue screen, nothing else. My console has been cleaned and plays all my other games fine, so that was not the problem. I took out the three cart screws and cleaned it inside and out, sandpapering the cart pins and using q-tip with alcohol. Put the cart back together and it still had the solid blue or pink screens, nothing else. I was ready to send it back to the seller when I decided to try shifting the cartridge to different positions within the NES cartridge tray before powering it on. Presto, the game works fine every time if I push it as far as it will go to the left side of the cartridge tray inside the NES console. All I can deduce is that the cartridge pins are misaligned toward the left side of the cartridge.

Has anyone seen anything similar to this on NES, SMS, SNES, or Genesis?

[GohanX]

My NES used to be like that before I refurbished it. My money would be on a cart slot that's wearing out, but I wouldn't totally discount it being an odd cartridge.

This reminds me of an issue I had this weekend. I bought a couple of SNES games, and one of them didn't work, it only had a crosshatch screen. I cleaned and cleaned, and eventually took it apart and lightly sanded the pins. I finally gave up, defeated. Then I heard the Konami logo chime-the game is Gradius 3, and apparently it's supposed to crosshatch, I just didn't leave it on long enough.

[Guntz]

Eh, it could be a fault with be a fault between both the cart and the NES slot.

Question though, do you push the games down?

@GohanX:

The SNES isn't a NEO-GEO MVS. If a game doesn't boot, all you see is a black screen. There's no crosshatch or anything.

[GohanX]

In my defense, I do play a MVS more than a SNES!

[Nunzio]

Did you try a Game Genie?

[tz101]

Question though, do you push the games down?

Always, except if I use Game Genie bc it will not go down with that device in the console.

[eddiespruce]

Always, except if I use Game Genie bc it will not go down with that device in the console.

How often do you use your Game Genie? The contacts on the Game Genie cartridge are wider than a normal NES game, and will stretch the pins in your NES. You may have to take the NES apart, and carefully pry back the 72 pins to their original location. I've had to do it myself.

[tz101]

Rarely. Only about twice in the life of this console.

[Guntz]

In my defense, I do play a MVS more than a SNES!

I play them equally, along with all my other systems.

Always, except if I use Game Genie bc it will not go down with that device in the console.

Well there's your problem.

The Front Loader NES's cart slot, despite popular belief, doesn't tolerate Nintendo's original "design". You see, if one is to take a 72-pin connector in one's hand and attach an NES cart, you'll see that it typically sits at an angle. That's because the cartridge end of the connector is at an upward angle, it doesn't sit horizontal. When you use the pin connector per Nintendo's design, you put a ton of pressure on the pins. I suppose it was Nintendo's way of making the system look more like a VCR and less like a video game system, and also ensure better connections (which ends up wearing out the cart slot really fast).

Long story short, you should re-bend or replace your pin connector and stop pushing the games down. With a worn out connector, it can be hard to do this, but I've had good success with replacement connectors. Having the games work in the "up" position is the best way to preserve your connector. All the cleaning in the world won't fix horribly bent pins.

In fact, there's two reasons why the Game Genie works so well.

A) The Game Genie PCB is thicker than a usual NES cart.
B) It plugs into the pin connector in it's natural position.

And with a little common sense and science, the Game Genie is no longer a mystery.

[tz101]

I play them equally, along with all my other systems.



Well there's your problem.

The Front Loader NES's cart slot, despite popular belief, doesn't tolerate Nintendo's original "design". You see, if one is to take a 72-pin connector in one's hand and attach an NES cart, you'll see that it typically sits at an angle. That's because the cartridge end of the connector is at an upward angle, it doesn't sit horizontal. When you use the pin connector per Nintendo's design, you put a ton of pressure on the pins. I suppose it was Nintendo's way of making the system look more like a VCR and less like a video game system, and also ensure better connections (which ends up wearing out the cart slot really fast).

Long story short, you should re-bend or replace your pin connector and stop pushing the games down. With a worn out connector, it can be hard to do this, but I've had good success with replacement connectors. Having the games work in the "up" position is the best way to preserve your connector. All the cleaning in the world won't fix horribly bent pins.

In fact, there's two reasons why the Game Genie works so well.

A) The Game Genie PCB is thicker than a usual NES cart.
B) It plugs into the pin connector in it's natural position.

And with a little common sense and science, the Game Genie is no longer a mystery.

I see the reasoning, but here is the problem with applying it to this situation: I have hundreds of NES games in my collection. None but this particular DK3 cart have this problem. I have played numerous others in this console in the past week and they all work fine in the intended pressed-down position. If the console pins were bent horribly out of place, there would surely be other game experiencing this issue. They are not.

[omp]

Well there's your problem.

The Front Loader NES's cart slot, despite popular belief, doesn't tolerate Nintendo's original "design". You see, if one is to take a 72-pin connector in one's hand and attach an NES cart, you'll see that it typically sits at an angle. That's because the cartridge end of the connector is at an upward angle, it doesn't sit horizontal. When you use the pin connector per Nintendo's design, you put a ton of pressure on the pins. I suppose it was Nintendo's way of making the system look more like a VCR and less like a video game system, and also ensure better connections (which ends up wearing out the cart slot really fast).

Long story short, you should re-bend or replace your pin connector and stop pushing the games down. With a worn out connector, it can be hard to do this, but I've had good success with replacement connectors. Having the games work in the "up" position is the best way to preserve your connector. All the cleaning in the world won't fix horribly bent pins.

In fact, there's two reasons why the Game Genie works so well.

A) The Game Genie PCB is thicker than a usual NES cart.
B) It plugs into the pin connector in it's natural position.

And with a little common sense and science, the Game Genie is no longer a mystery.

I second this, the shop I do repairs for, when I replace the 72 pin connector with a new 3rd party item I disable the tray. I drill a small hole at the side just under the tray and put in a screw to stop the mech. being able to be pushed down. I include a 1 sheet "blurb" explaining why (and to keep your fuckin games clean) and since doing this have had not 1 return, whereas previously some would come back after 3 or so months. What a shit design, if you look at them closely the top row of pins sit further out than the bottom row and flex more.

[Guntz]

Then in that case, there's no simple answer to your problem. It could be one or many of a large number of small problems that can add up to your DK3 cart not working. Maybe in the mean time you should buy another copy, last I checked loose DK3 is cheap.

Still, an NES with a tight pin connector that can play games in the up position will work 99.9% of the time. It's seriously worth doing. That along with clean games and slot, plus a disabled lockout chip means you'll never have another gray screen... Until you need to de-dust your games again.

[tz101]

^
Y, all my games and the system pins are pristine cleaned. Nothing touches my console until it has been lightly sandpapered and scrubbed with alcohol until no black or gray residue comes off on the q-tip.

Also, I have already disabled the 10-NES lockout chip. That is why I was getting solid blue and pink screens with the DK3 game. If 10-NES was still enabled, it would have blinked like crazy.

[Guntz]

Still, it's worth considering. By having your NES play games in the up position, you're pretty much eliminating 90% of all game-not-working related problems. With your current setup, your pin connector will eventually wear down to nothing.