Do Activision 2600 games have a self-destruct mechanism or something?

[zzip]

Over the weekend, my daughter wanted to buy a 2600 flashback system. I talked her out of it and pulled my 2600 out of storage.

 

I had not used this thing in many many years, so I was surprised that it still worked!

 

Only thing, not a single Activision game worked, but every other game did.

 

This is too weird to be a coincidence. Is there a known problem with Activision games not working after some time?

[toiletunes]

Activision edge connectors are thinner- your console might just need a deep cleaning.

[Keatah]

Oxidation could have occurred on the cartridge connector. Or the chips could go bad internally as the crystalline structure migrates over the decades. They even grow whiskers inside.

 

So there are several failure modes. And don't forget the edge connector, clean it real good.

[StanJr]

probably just need to wiggle it a bit and back it out just a tad. As toiletunes said they are thinner so they don't make as tight of a connection.

[+RichG1972]

Over the weekend, my daughter wanted to buy a 2600 flashback system. I talked her out of it and pulled my 2600 out of storage.

 

I had not used this thing in many many years, so I was surprised that it still worked!

 

Only thing, not a single Activision game worked, but every other game did.

 

This is too weird to be a coincidence. Is there a known problem with Activision games not working after some time?

Clean the cartridge slot and the games themselves thoroughly, for this I use a few quick spritzes of Johnsen's Electronic Contact Cleaner, to do the slot properly you'll need a small object to slide back the spring door and then insert the red straw, a real quick spritz will do, any more than that and it will not dry as fast, do the games AND the slot or you will just be re-depositing old dirt again

[BassGuitari]

Hmm. I don't usually have any trouble with Activision cartridges on the VCS.

 

Activision cartridges for the Atari 5200 can be a bitch to run, though.

[jaybird3rd]

Hmm. I don't usually have any trouble with Activision cartridges on the VCS.

 

Activision cartridges for the Atari 5200 can be a bitch to run, though.

Seconded! Activision's 5200 cartridge boards are too short; the card edge is barely long enough to wipe the contacts in the cartridge slot. Atari's cartridges sit much deeper in the slot and don't seem to have the same problem.

[Atarian7]

I use rubbing alcohol and q-tips to clean the contacts on the cartridge. Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 cleanings to get it to work.

[Tempest]

The only games Ive had self destruct were the CBS Ram Plus games. They all went bad on me back in the day and I have no idea why.

 

Some released games do contain EPROMs like the Bomb games. Those could very well go bad over time.

[Wyluli Wolf]

Activision games are known for being difficult. As said, clean the edge connectors really really well. I find I often have to pull mine in and out of the system several times before I can get some of them to boot up. Some are easier than others. Good games, bad thin boards...grrrrr.