I’ve been into NES games for about a decade now, and I’ve noticed that I have to really push hard to get the cartridges to fit into my NES. It feels like they’re crunching against a wall of pins when I insert them. I’ve seen others online just sliding their games in without hassle. Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong? What can I do to fix this?
5 Answers
That crunching sound is often referred to as the ‘death grip’ syndrome, mainly from third-party connectors. If it hasn’t loosened in ten years, maybe it’s time to invest in a new system or consider upgrading to a ‘Blinking Light Win’ adapter.
Pro tip: Boil that 72-pin connector to clean it! And give the motherboard contact a good scrub while you’re at it. It can make a world of difference!
In an ideal scenario, inserting a cartridge should feel like plugging in a USB—slight resistance but definitely not a crunch! If you’re forcing it, there’s a good chance you could be damaging the games. Maybe check to ensure your connector isn’t overly worn.
If you have a top loader, they tend to be a bit tighter, but neither design should give you that crunch feeling. If your front loader hurts the games, it might be better to look for another NES.
It sounds like you might have a worn-out or replacement cartridge connector. The original 72-pin connectors can be pretty tricky and often need more force to get the games in. Have you thought about replacing it? That might help with the crunching issue.
