NES Games and Save Compatibility?

[Aamp]

Hey, I'm wondering why certain nes consoles are not working with certain games whereas they worked before with other copies of the same game.

 

What I did is got rid of my worse for wear but trusty duplicate games. I pop in my "new" Zelda cart yesterday and there's no save files and I can't save a new one so I think the battery is dead. Still play it for a bit anyway and the screen transitions start scrambling. Cleaned the cart and the system and still the issue. I wondered if it's an older cart as it has the same style screws as a 5 screw cart but it's a 3 screw one.

 

Then I noticed that it takes a while to "boot up" to the title screen whereas the one I had before was instant. There's a solid screen for like a good second or two. Frustrated at my choice in keeping this cart based on "condition" instead of the other, I try another system. Thank goodness I kept those. These are the results:

 

System 1 is a trash find which has been my go to for years - No saves and garbled glitching screen transitions and delayed start of game (worked 100% with my other Zelda I got rid of).

 

System 2 is a thrift store find which is in better shape I got as a backup - No saves but no noticeable glitches and the game starts instantly.

 

System 3 is another thrift store one I grabbed since it appears minty; I believe it's the newest one too - Game starts instantly, no glitches, and saving works!!? Yeah, save works now, left it overnight and the file is still there. Returning the game to the other 2 systems wipes it out tho.

 

I did one thing further.. Grabbed my Shadowgate game which I've had for as long as System 1. Threw it in system 3 and SAVED A GAME! For the first time in nearly 2 decades the save now suddenly it works!?!

 

What's going on here? lol

 

[icemanxp300]

 

System 3 is another thrift store one I grabbed since it appears minty; I believe it's the newest one too - Game starts instantly, no glitches, and saving works!!? Yeah, save works now, left it overnight and the file is still there. Returning the game to the other 2 systems wipes it out tho.

 

 

 

You can't properly test a battery this way. While the game is inside the system the save will hold. You have to take cartridge out of system and replace. I'm unsure if unplugging the system is the same or not. The system itself has capacitors I am inclined to believe the cartridge can draw power to keep saved game.

 

Anyhow place game in system 3 and see if it has save, if not make a save. Remove cartridge from system 3 for a good minute and replace. If save is gone battery is no good.

Edited January 9, 2015 by icemanxp300

[TPA5]

You could also just replace the batteries anyway, just to be safe. You can get batches of them (CR2032) relatively cheaply on Amazon or eBay, and they're pretty easy to change. As icemanxp300 said however, the best test is to remove the cart and replace in the same system where the save seems to hold. The first thing I do when I get a cart for NES, GB, etc, is swap the battery to ensure painless-saving, and avoid any nasty surprises.

 

 

Also Aamp, I see you're from Winnipeg! It seems we share the same province

[Aamp]

Ok. I left it in the system which was unplugged all day while I was at work and it kept its save. I pulled the game out for 5 min and it still kept it so now I'll try it out for a couple hours. I actually expected it would lose it after reading here so now I'm a bit more puzzled

[icemanxp300]

Ok since you specifically said zelda i will cover a basic. I only mention because zelda does not save on its own. You have to die and choose save in order for it to save. Just ruling out this as to possible reason the game didnt originaly save on the other systems.

 

As far as save working then not working on other systems I'm not really sure. That's a bit too technical for me. I would guess maybe a certain pin is not making good contact in the other 2 systems. Try seeing if a certain pin reads the saved games portion.

Edited January 10, 2015 by icemanxp300

[Aamp]

I had it out until now. I came down with the flu but the save was still there . Maybe it is a pin not making contact then. I saved both by dieing and holding up and a on the second controller. It's weird that also Shadowgate is doing the same but all my other games that use saving work on the other systems. @TPA5 - greetings, from another part of MB.

[Aamp]

I felt well enough to play Zelda a bit today and I think it's the cartridge that's bad. It gave me the same issues but just took longer to show up. I guess I got rid of the wrong one but it's better that way I suppose otherwise someone else would be having these problems. The contacts are clean as can be but Idk maybe there's a hairline crack or some bad solder joint. What makes a cart game go bad?