Ok. So I finally got my NES. (I wasn't alive when it came out.) Ok so it just came in the mail and I get it out and start playing Legend of Zelda. Great game, fun game, super pwning game. Only 1 problem. After playing for like 5 minutes, I noticed that the graphics began getting worse adn worse. There were lines going accross the screen. I diddn't pay much atention at first since, it's an old game. NES is far from an Xbox 360, so I just diddn't worry about it. untill it got worse. Now when I play, the entire ground is black. If I take a break for a while and start playing again, it usually works. For about 5 minutes that is. Then the ground is black again. All of the graphics are messed up. The 0s displayed next to my keys and bombs aren't 0s. They're "G"s. I have no clue what's wrong. If someone can please help me, I'd much appreciate it. I also have Zelda II, and it works perfectaly fine. It's just the first game that's screwed up.
It sounds like the game hardware is just getting old. I've experienced similar issues with gameboy cartridges , with batteries dying causing an unableness to save games.
My family still has the old NES and I haven't noticed graphics issues with the cartriges but the ability to save is not as reliable as it once was. Might I suggest saving up for a Wii and downloading the old NES classics on the Wii Virtual Console. They have Zelda 1 and 2, the mario games, punch out, etc. You could then also play classics on genesis, SNES, etc. The emulations of the old games are perfect for the Wii Virtual Console.
You probably need to clean it. The best way to do this is first go get some windex and q-tips. Next spray windex on one end of the q-tip and rub gently on one side of the connecters. Next spray the other end and rub the otherside of the connecters gently. After this let it dry for about 5 minutes
Another cleaning alternative I use is 90% rubbing alcohol. The stronger the %, the less water the bottle contains, and the less drying it has to do before you can use the game.
There's also a chance, if this is the only game you currently have for the NES, that the connectors inside the system are dirty/getting more worn. There are ways to 'spring them back up', there are also new 72-pin connectors you can get from places like nintendorepairshop.com or ebay for under 15 dollars.
Blow it, and then blow the NES interior, if that doesn't work, try inserting the game and pull it towards you a little bit, be sure it makes contact with the chip that reads the cartridge, then without moving from this position insert it and turn the power on.
I really reccomend you buy the VC version of games if possible. They are all, as far as I can tell, 100% perfect emulation most of the time (even down to old framerate issues). The reliabilty of an archival copy is much higher than a 20 year old cart, you'd be lucky if you could even get a game with a good battery for saving still in it.
I have to say that I used to blow into cartidges/the system. While that might get rid of loose dust, it will not get rid of any corrosion/build-up on the connectors. At the same time, warm/moist air going onto/into a cartridge/system connectors will more than likely cause more corrosion than it 'cleans out'.
Recently I bought a game that looked like it had soda spilled on the connector (I didn't realize until I got home). No amount of blowing was going to fix that.
After several passes of rubbing alcohol on a qtip, in the system, off and on, and a final cleaning again of the alcohol, the game worked as good as new.
Actually, don't blow on it. Unlike what other people said, I read somewhere that blowing on cartridges is actually worse. I can't remember where I read it though. Anyway, it's probably just due to the age of the game that's causing you troubles. I really don't know what exactly to do to help out, but a couple of the guys here have some pretty good methods.
just to let you people know alcohol is a bad idea because it's to strong of an acid. If read the back of any nintendo cartridege it clearly says not to use alcohol for cleaning
just to let you people know alcohol is a bad idea because it's to strong of an acid. If read the back of any nintendo cartridege it clearly says not to use alcohol for cleaningVideogamefan123
Use isopropyl alcohol to clean the contact area on the cartridge.CheeChee_Macko
Log in to comment