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N64 games are a nostalgic treasure trove, there’s no doubt about that. But let’s face it, nothing spoils the excitement more than a game that won’t boot up. When your cartridge is well beyond a “hot breath fix” and falling into disrepair, fear not! There are a few simple solutions to bringing these cartridges back to life. Armed with just a few basic household items, you’ll be good to go! So grab your tools, don your digital archaeologist hat, and let’s embark on a quest to restore your N64 cartridges to their former glory!
Until the development of CD-based game consoles like the PlayStation, every gamer had to deal with cartridges. For a long time, cleaning cartridges and your console’s cartridge slot was just another chore you needed to do to keep your games in good working order.
A chore most of us ignored.
Of all the cartridge-based consoles, Nintendo 64 game cartridges are some of the most notoriously difficult to keep clean. Any gamer who grew up with the system will remember furiously blowing into their cartridges when their game failed to boot up, as if that would help in some way.
In a shocking twist that ruined our childhoods, it has become clear that blowing into cartridges is not a recommended practice, and is often even counter-productive – simply pushing dirt and debris further into the internal components.
N64 games aren’t getting any younger, so it’s increasingly important to know how to take care of them properly. With these simple steps, you can keep your retro Nintendo game collection clean and functional for years to come!
Depending on how deep of a cleaning job you want to do, you may need some or all of the following gear:
Once you have all of these things checked off your list, we can start getting our hands dirty.
While taking your game cartridges apart may be more work than you’re used to, the only way to thoroughly clean a cartridge is to open up the plastic shell and access the circuit board underneath.
It might seem scary at first, but thankfully disassembling your N64 cartridges isn’t all that difficult! Just follow these steps:
Congratulations, you’ve successfully disassembled an N64 cartridge! But don’t start celebrating yet – now begins the delicate process of actually cleaning the components.
There are three main methods for cleaning the circuit board. Which one is most appropriate will depend on how old the cartridge is, and how long it has been since it was last cleaned.
If your cartridge looks like something that Indiana Jones dug up, it’s most likely well overdue for a deep clean. Besides, after all the time you’ve spent with these games, the least you can do is give them the complete spa treatment!
Whipping out an air duster is a safe and efficient way to remove dirt and other debris from your cartridges. Whether you’re using a can of compressed air or an electronic dust remover, all you need to do is blow along the bottom of the circuit board.
Tip
This method is much safer for your cartridge than blowing with your mouth, since the circuit board won't have to bathe in all the tiny moisture particles (or endure your breath, for that matter).
If you’re just trying to get a game working again, this method may do the trick. However, if the game still isn’t functioning, you’ll have to pull up your sleeves and break out the big guns with methods two and three.
The copper metal contacts on the bottom of the circuit board are the part you need to clean, as they are what interact with the console itself.
After you’re done cleaning, leave the circuit board out to dry for around five to ten minutes.
Warning
You might be tempted to use a hairdryer to speed this step up, but absolutely DO NOT. The heat can damage your game permanently!
Desperate times call for desperate measures. If your Nintendo 64 cartridge still isn’t working, you may want to do a heavy-duty clean using a metal polish like Brasso.
The cleaning steps here are identical to what you would do with rubbing alcohol, except that you want to use a very small amount of metal polish and wipe more gently (since it’s pretty strong stuff). This method is typically a last resort for games so dirty that no other cleaning method works. We’re talking about relatively heavy duty chemicals and there’s some room for error, so it’s recommended to try the less invasive ways first.
As the Hail Mary option, the metal polish method may actually help you salvage games others have given up on. So, if you see someone throwing away a dirty N64 cartridge, you might be able to save it and add it to your collection!
As time marches on, video game preservation is becoming increasingly important. You can’t just walk into a store and buy a new copy of Yoshi’s Story, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, or any of the other titles we featured in our article about super rare N64 games – so if you have them, it’s on you to keep them in good condition!
But hey, even if you don’t still have your Conker cartridge, you can still keep his spirit alive with this adorable Conker plush from our affiliate partner Entertainment Earth!
For more 90s video game content and so much more, you can follow Rediscover 90s Toys on Instagram, Pinterest, and all our other social media pages.
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To clean the cartridge slot, open it with your finger and use an air duster to blow out the debris. After that, run a cotton swab damp with rubbing alcohol along the interior of the slot.
Cleaning the inside of a Nintendo 64 is a much more complicated process than cleaning a cartridge and deserves its own guide. For the most part, similar tools and products would be used. However, the overall job of disassembling and reassembling the console will be more complex and carry a greater risk of you doing irreparable damage, so make sure you read up on it or consult an expert before you make an attempt.
Unfortunately, a corroded N64 game cartridge is beyond repair.
Mike is a video game enthusiast, a chronicler of the 90s, and a collector of many things. Born in the mid-90s, he was able to catch the wave of some of the best things the decade had to offer, like Power Rangers, Pokémon, Bagel Bites, the list goes on. Despite the amount of time that has passed, he still enjoys many of those things today! If he’s not writing or gaming, he’s probably wondering why Warriors of Virtue didn’t take off the same way Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles did.
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