The NES was always broken

I'm sure plenty of you remember the NES. That ulgy grey square box thing, with the ugly square cartridges, and the ugly square controllers...

I just thought of something. It's bugging me. Why don't these old Nintendos ever work? I mean, of course, a 18 year old Nintendo isn't going to work as well as it did when it was new... but I always have had memories of blowing into the cartridge, and turning the game on and off trying to get it to work. The damn red light would always just blink! ARG!

WTF was wrong with these damn Nintendos? I'm sure it isn't just mine.

[BinjinPurj]

I have two of them. It usually just takes a little patience. And, if that doesn't happen to work, I take an axe to it, hack it to pieces, and buy another one.

lol

Not really. To make them work, you must put them in a special way because they have been used so much that the starter mechanism is screwed up. You push the cartridge in untill it can barely be pushed down, then push it down. It may make a poping sound, but thats normal. Then once its pushed down, you push it back, and turn it on. It will work, with a clean game, about 85% of the time. Just continue to do it. If you can't get it to work, go with method #1 and hack it to pieces. = )

Just Hack it, lol
BinjinPurj

At 12/20/03 01:59 AM, Binjin_Purj wrote: To make them work, you must put them in a special way because they have been used so much that the starter mechanism is screwed up.

Yeah, I just figured something was fuckin' loose in there.

They aren't meant to last 18 years, I guess.

That fuckin' sucks though. They don't make them anymore, so eventually, all the working Nintendos will die, and the NES will be extinct!

OMFG That would be the worst thing that ever happened EVER!

[Jackal]

I have the NES, all you gotta do is wiggle the cardridge in there, i mean, back then, american engineering wasnt all that good, and you have to spark the chip to get the game to play, but some games will work right away if you clean them.

[BinjinPurj]

I know. I really do belive that the NES was the best console of all time. But I guess that is because I grew up with it. But is still pretty kool. But if your serious about not being able to find one, go to www.ebay.com and search for new NES. There are quite a few that are brand new in the box!

And there you have it
BinjinPurj

[Ozcar]

Mmmm.. this is funny: You are 15 years old, and you can remember a console from 18 years ago...

I remember how I started playing there: Mario, Super Mario bros 3, the flintstones... Ah! Those days are in the past...

But they were great games in their days!

I just remember that some days ago somebody posted a kick ass movie about a guy that beated the SMB 3 in 11 minutes...

At 12/20/03 02:08 AM, Binjin_Purj wrote: There are quite a few that are brand new in the box!

Damn, that shit qualifies as mother fuckin' antique.

How much money would that be? I mean, if it hasn't been opened...!?!?!?!

[BinjinPurj]

Yeah. Downloaded that off of Download.com. That was truely amazing. I simply sat here with my mouth open the entire time. My best time for that game was like, a week. lol

Yeah, a week, lol
BinjinPurj

At 12/20/03 02:10 AM, Ozcar_Needs_Prozac wrote: Mmmm.. this is funny: You are 15 years old, and you can remember a console from 18 years ago...

Ah yes...

The console is from 1985, and I was born in 1988. But, Nintendo was popular for a long time. I guess consoles lived longer back then.

[BinjinPurj]

Well, heres a good link to tell you a price:
The Mint NES in Box

That really isn't nuthin, check this out:
The Atari 2600 Mint in Box

Thats good bit of dough for a uselss, outdated console, wouldn;t you agree?

Yep
BinjPurj

[PsiGuy]

Man, some of the best games were on the NES, then again, I was pretty young then, and didn't care about new techknowledgy. FOr my NES, the wiggle technique doesn't work. I have to take a second cartridge, and stick it in the system to hold the first one down lower. I have duct tape around the side, so the top doens't pop off. This usually doesn't work, and I also have to stick paper under that metal bar in there, to hold the game at just the right angle. Hence, I don't play on THAT system anymore... *sigh*

[Spike-J-Wolfwood]

I remember having to use those black plastic sleeves to edge the spring loaded cartridge dock in place because after a while the springs would get loose and not hold the game in place. And blowing into those things just made me feel stupid not to mention I’d get dust in my eye every now and then. God I’m glad Nintendo faunally stepped up to disks.

[WavyGravy]

All technology had to start somewhere. ;-)

I myself never had a nintendo system, but rather Sega Master System (i believe). Sure enough, I remember the NES.

[SWINUBLOLOLO]

nono NES is a really really cool console½!

[jonthomson]

At 12/20/03 01:51 AM, MichaelBiIlings wrote: I'm sure plenty of you remember the NES. That ulgy grey square box thing, with the ugly square cartridges, and the ugly square controllers...

Yes, my first ever console, back in the early 90's...

I just thought of something. It's bugging me. Why don't these old Nintendos ever work? I mean, of course, a 18 year old Nintendo isn't going to work as well as it did when it was new... but I always have had memories of blowing into the cartridge, and turning the game on and off trying to get it to work. The damn red light would always just blink! ARG!

That was part of the special charm of them, gently persuading them to work. Then hitting them with large objects if that doesn't work :-)

WTF was wrong with these damn Nintendos? I'm sure it isn't just mine.

They attract dust like Hotmail accounts attract spam...

[cylon]

At 12/20/03 02:10 AM, Ozcar_Needs_Prozac wrote: Mmmm.. this is funny: You are 15 years old, and you can remember a console from 18 years ago...

I don't think that's strange.

I went to a friend's house last night with some people from my class. I'd never been there before because it's the complete opposite side of the city to me.

Anyway, she had an old NES hooked up and had games for it and everything. Her kids are like, 2 and 5; they'll be remembering the NES when they're in their teens, even if every other kid will think the X-BOX is old school or something dumb like that.

[AntiTanner]

At 12/20/03 03:56 AM, Spike_J_Wolfwood wrote: God I’m glad Nintendo faunally stepped up to disks.

The problem with disks is the loading time and the fact that you need a memory card to save. I hate having a "now loading" screen every 10 minutes.

[bumcheekcity]

At 12/20/03 08:31 AM, TannerCenterwall wrote:

At 12/20/03 03:56 AM, Spike_J_Wolfwood wrote: God I’m glad Nintendo faunally stepped up to disks.

The problem with disks is the loading time and the fact that you need a memory card to save. I hate having a "now loading" screen every 10 minutes.

Yer. I love my N64 and my collection of, must be 100 games over 4 years. Put it in, turn it on and BAM! You're in!

[TFate]

Haha my N64 is about five years old and I have trouble turning it on and off. Some of the games we got were from some crappy store and don't work well... we have to blow on the cartridge, stick it in, turn the power on, off, on, off, on, off, on, off until it works.

To get our Sega Genisis to work we have to wrap the wires around the cartridge to hold it study, and we have to sort of find a way to keep another wire in place for the sound to work correctly. It's a pain to try and get it to work though.

[vibes]

I wonder how long it would be if they calculated all the time people spent blowing into a nes system.... it would be like a couple of years at least.

[HighDefinition]

That's what i liked about the Sega Master System... it had a game built in the electronics, it didn't need blowing.. it was pure ownage back in the days... i think the game was Alex Kid in Miracle Game, that scissors paper rock game is so silly

[RUDE]

At 12/20/03 01:51 AM, MichaelBiIlings wrote: WTF was wrong with these damn Nintendos? I'm sure it isn't just mine.

You're begginning to make me rethink things, I'm considering buying a brand new nintendo for 35 dollars from this video game shop near me, apart from what you posted I've also heard that the nintendo cannot be hooked up to certain television sets (which sucks), as far as the games go I thought that they were all cheap. I saw FF for nintento just yesterday for 18 dollars, I couldn't help but laugh.

[RUDE]

At 12/20/03 11:02 AM, NewEvolution wrote: 2) If you get that blinking-power-light-with-flashing-solid-colors-on-the-TV effect going on, just press the reset button repeatedly, as fast as you can. Jiggle it until when you stop, the game runs right. I actually read this somewhere....I forget where, but it works like a charm.

I've also heard of another technique that involves actually putting wateron the inside part of the catridge and drying it (properly), works like a charm from what I've heard.

[RUDE]

At 12/20/03 11:09 AM, Pokeater wrote: Why did we had to blow on them anyway?

To arouse the cartidges clitoris of course. Everyone knows that.

[bigbadron]

At 12/20/03 11:02 AM, NewEvolution wrote: 1) Take the cartridge and put it right up to your mouth, then exhale gently into it, as if you were trying to fog up a window. The condensation from your breath lightly moistens the contacts on the cartridge and makes for a better electrical contact when you put it in the NES

yes, it also FUCKING CORRODES THE FUCKING CONNECTIONS!!

blowing in the cart is one of the worst things to do. before i give you some general care tips, the reason why the old neshad problems was do to its cart docking bay. instead of having a stationary bay (like the top loading nes, that doesnt have any problems), it had to be pushed into postion.

ok, call up nintendo and ask if there are any stores that repair in your area. my work is one of those places.

now for games, do not blow in them with your mouth. get moisture free air cans. also, if you have the screw bit to open the carts, use and eraser to clean the connections.

now i must get to work.

At 12/20/03 08:24 AM, benu wrote: Her kids are like, 2 and 5; they'll be remembering the NES when they're in their teens, even if every other kid will think the X-BOX is old school or something dumb like that.

Holy crap... such a scary thought. Soon children will have no idea what old school games really are. They'll see a Nintendo and think it's a VCR. My youngest brother is 3 years old, and I'm beginning to wonder if he's the kind of kid who's gonna grow up with XBOX and PS2 and GCN... Probably not because we do still have a Nintendo and a Sega Genesis, and we'll let him play them first... but if he ever forgets NES, I'll have to beat him up.

At 12/20/03 10:43 AM, TittyOnASticky wrote: I've also heard that the nintendo cannot be hooked up to certain television sets.

I think you can play Nintendo on all TVs... because the Nintendo only needs a power cord for the wall, and a wire to put into the TVs cable/antenna plug. All TVs have that, right?

However, not all old TVs can play the newer systems. They use the three little audio/video wires, and not all TVs have those. But, if you have a VCR, than you can make it work.

Super Nintendo is the best system ever, because it can use the audio/video wires or the antenna/cable thingy. Like w00t.

At 12/20/03 11:02 AM, NewEvolution wrote: If you get that blinking-power-light-with-flashing-solid-colors-on-the-TV effect going on, just press the reset button repeatedly, as fast as you can. Jiggle it until when you stop, the game runs right.

Yeah, sometimes if the game starts blinking on and off, you can hit the reset button and then it stops blinking and just works. But your way seems more complicated so it probably makes more sense.

[Shrapnel]

At 12/20/03 08:31 AM, TannerCenterwall wrote: I hate having a "now loading" screen every 10 minutes.

That's why I stopped playing console games.

I have lots to do with that 10-20 seconds of AM LOAD.

[FR3DD]

At 12/20/03 01:51 AM, MichaelBiIlings wrote: I'm sure plenty of you remember the NES. That ulgy grey square box thing, with the ugly square cartridges, and the ugly square controllers...

WTF was wrong with these damn Nintendos? I'm sure it isn't just mine.

In 1993, around the system's dying days, Nintendo set off on a marketing plan to re-release a newer, top loading version of the NES. Across seas in Japan, the A/V Famicom - top loading version of the Famicom - had already been out in stores. The domestic console sported a smaller and sleeker design and new controller (a.k.a. Bones Controllers).

Currently in the collecting scene of today, the top loader is one of the most sought after finds. The control deck's "no blinking guarantee" top load insertation, comfortable controller, and very cool design. A must-have.

Eventually the SNES was selling at that time and the "Toaster Style" will always remain a classic..

[MAYORMCHEESE]

I still have a 14 year old NES. It actually still works if you just warm it up a few times. As far as I know two of my games don't work properly but that's really about it.

Apparently the reason the NES fucks up after it's years is because the loading pin inside starts to age, and the pin reads off the game data so yeh. There have been some new pins all over ebay that when you put in, the problems start and it's like new. example: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...m=3065823160&category=3605

I'm probably talking shit tho, bigbadron shut me up. kthx.

[HAQnSPITT]

At 12/20/03 11:07 AM, TittyOnASticky wrote:

I've also heard of another technique that involves actually putting wateron the inside part of the catridge and drying it (properly), works like a charm from what I've heard.

Yeah, I do that. We used to have a Nintendo cleaning kit, that contained tools to clean both the games and the console. It was expensive though, so after our game cleaning wands got too dirty we started cleaning them with Q-tips instead, which were actually much more effective.
Just moisten one Q-tip and run it along the opening of the cartridge and pick up all the dust. Then use a dry Q-tip to wipe away the leftover water.