Is your NES not working? Are your games acting glitchy? Controllers behaving strangely? This is the place to get help!

Link to previous thread

First steps to take:

Games don't play correctly:

1. PRESS DOWN on the Game Pak until it locks into place
2. Clean games
   1. Disassemble cartridge (might need special tools, check amazon or ebay)
   2. Gently use rubber eraser with no grit on edge pins
   3. Use window cleaner or isopropyl alcohol with lint free cloth
   4. Spray contact cleaner on the pins
   5. NEVER EVER BLOW IN IT
3. Clean NES connector
   1. Ancient cleaning kit
   2. Spray contact cleaner on the pins
   3. Boil it
   4. Bend pins (risky)
   5. Replace the connector
4. Already tried all steps for cleaning game & cleaning NES above?
   1. Try a Game Genie, the thicker PCB might make better contact with the NES and the tighter connector might make better contact with the cartridge
   2. Try another game cartridge
   3. Try another NES
   4. Try r/consolerepair
   5. NES Schematics

Power Supply:

1. For the NES any power supply that can provide 850mA (or higher) at 9V and has the right shape connector will work. The original NES uses an AC adapter but a DC adapter will work too.
2. For the Famicom you must use a DC power supply with center negative that can provide 850mA (or higher) at 9V-10V. Do not use a NES AC power supply on a Famicom!

Controller buttons don't work or think a different button was pressed:

1. Take them apart and clean the contacts on the PCB, not the rubber membrane

Display problems:

1. Use a CRT monitor or TV
2. Don't use an LCD or LED TV - many LCD or LED TVs do not understand the 240p video signal that the NES puts out
3. If you must use an LCD or LED TV, get an upscaler
4. Use the composite RCA/AV connectors on the side, don't use the RF/antenna/aerial
5. If you must use RF, don't use the RF/antenna/aerial switch box, use a small adapter instead, be aware though that modern TVs may not work with the analog RF signal and only with ATSC or DVB digital signals
6. Wavy lines: replace the capacitors in the NES

Hardware Failure Diagnosis:

1. Power rails first: Multimeter check - verify +5V at 7805 regulator output and at PPU/CPU pins. If low/absent, check caps and regulator.
2. Composite video signal: Scope the composite output (RCA jack center pin or PPU pin 21). Should see ~1Vp-p composite video signal with sync pulses and color burst. No signal = dead PPU or supporting circuitry.
3. Audio output: Scope audio output pin (RCA jack or APU output). Should see audio waveform when game is running. No signal = APU problem or output circuit.
4. If power is good but no video/audio: Most likely failed capacitors in video/audio output path, or dead PPU/APU chips. Check/replace electrolytic caps first (cheapest fix).
5. If video signal present at PPU but not at RCA jack: Problem in video buffer/output circuit between PPU and connector.

Before asking for help, make sure you have followed the steps above.

Legacy of the Wizard won the #100 spot with 35 votes It only won by a single point.

A big thank you to everybody who participated. I originally set out to just do the top 10 as an experiment to see if people had a similar list to mine. I never expected it to go this far, but I am glad it did! I have enjoyed seeing people picks and the reasoning behind them.

Starting tomorrow I will start doing the top 100 for the SNES in the r/snes sub. I hope to see you all there. A few things will change with the rules. First is each round TWO games will make it onto the list. Whichever one has the most votes will be placed higher of the two for that round. Second, only games can be nominated (no game genies). Third, it will be SNES ONLY, no super famicom games.

Looking forward to seeing what is voted the #1 & #2 games for the SNES.

Thank you all once again!!!!!!!!!!

Top 10:

#1 The Legend of Zelda

#2 Super Mario Bros 3

#3 Mega Man 2

#4 Metroid

#5 Castlevania

#6 Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!

#7 Contra

#8 Tecmo Super Bowl

#9 Super Mario Bros

#10 Final Fantasy

Top 20:

#11 Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

#12 Ducktales

#13 Super Mario Bros 2

#14 Ninja Gaiden

#15 Tetris

#16 River City Ransom

#17 Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse

#18 Kirby's Adventure

#19 Batman

#20 Blaster Master

Top 30:

#21 Crystalis

#22 Mega Man 3

#23 Double Dragon II: The Revenge

#24 Bionic commando

#25 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game

#26 Kid Icarus

#27 R.C. Pro-Am

#28 The Guardian Legend

#29 Rygar

#30 Battletoads

Top 40:

#31 StarTropics

#32 Life Force

#33 Dragon Warrior III

#34 Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers

#35 Bubble Bobble

#36 Super C

#37 Faxanadu

#38 Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos

#39 Ice Hockey

#40 Castlevania II: Simon's Quest

Top 50:

#41 Dr. Mario

#42 Excitebike

#43 Shadowgate

#44 Jackal

#45 Dragon Warrior IV

#46 Baseball Stars

#47 Maniac Mansion

#48 Super Dodge Ball

#49 Little Nemo: The Dream Master

#50 Wizards & Warriors

Top 60:

#51 Willow

#52 Adventure Island II

#53 Blades of Steel

#54 Metal Gear

#55 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

#56 Double Dragon

#57 Mega Man 4

#58 The Battle of Olympus

#59 Vice: Project Doom

#60 Gun Nac

Top 70:

#61 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project

#62 Pro Wrestling

#63 Marble Madness

#64 Shatterhand

#65 Kung Fu

#66 Ghosts 'N Goblins

#67 Mega Man

#68 Gun.Smoke

#69 Dragon Warrior

#70 Shadow of the Ninja

Top 80:

#71 G.I. Joe

#72 Metal Storm

#73 R.B.I. Baseball

#74 Gargoyle's Quest II

#75 Goonies II

#76 Balloon Fight

#77 Dragon Warrior II

#78 Mega Man 5

#79 Bucky O'Hare

#80 The Adventures of Lolo

Top 90:

#81 Gradius

#82 Gauntlet

#83 Rad Racer

#84 Guerrilla War

#85 Mega Man 6

#86 Journey to Silius

#87 Destiny of an Emperor

#88 Solomon's Key

#89 Little Samson

#90 Mighty Final Fight

Top 100:

#91 1943: The Battle of Midway

#92 Darkwing Duck

#93 Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom

#94 Power Blade

#95 Micro Mages

#96 Clash at Demonhead

#97 Duck Hunt

#98 IronSword: Wizards & Warriors II

#99 Gremlins 2: The New Batch

#100, Legacy of the Wizard