Introduction: How to Clean Your GameBoy Game Cartridges
So eventually you will go down to your basement, and look through all those boxes full of old electronic gadgets and gizmos. And eventually you will find your old, brick GameBoy. Boy, was that thing fun to play! Killing time while waiting in in line for the dentist, in the bathroom, grocery lines, commercials on TV, what ever it was. You pop in a game into the old brick in your hands, and slide the power switch to on. BOOM! ....... I said BOOM! ........... A pixelated Nintendo Logo comes scrolling down from the top of the monochrome screen. Now thats why you need this Instructable!
(Please remember that I take no responsibility if you screw up your Game Cartridge!)
Step 1: What You Need
For this quick & easy project, you will need the following:
- Nintendo GameBoy Cartridges (Any kind will work. I am using Original GameBoy Games for this demonstration)
- 1 to 2 Q-Tips
- A Cup of Water
Step 2: Prepare the Q-Tips
After you are done gathering all your supplies, dip one side of your Q-Tip into the cup of water. Repeat this process 2 to 4 times. Make sure your Q-Tip is only slightly damp, or the water will damage the contact pins on your Game Cartride
Step 3: Clean, Clean & Clean
Once you completed Step 2, take one tip of your Q-Tip and dip it into your Cartridge. Make sure the tip reaches all the way till the end of the plastic. Now evenly "spread" the tip throughout the whole cartridge, till you reach the end. Repeat this process 5 to 7 times.
Step 4: TEST!
TEST, TEST, TEST!
Don't just assume that your Game will just work, up and running!
Rubbing alcohol is better than water. It won't rust the contacts and evaporates much faster so is dry sooner.
Thanks for the tip. I'll be adding it to the Instructable shortly.
Come on you do this with alcohol! Not water.
when i did this tetris became frogger
if you put water on the contacts the game will delete save files if it is left in the system.
for the best result use brasso first on the qtip then clean of the brasso residue with contact cleaner and wipe again with the qtip