The most commonm problem I run into with them is the side buttons stop working or you have push them real hard. I have a mattel intellivision that has intv system iii controllers for that reason. I bought the controllers from intv when they were still selling stuff mail order in like 1992.
I dont push mine down after a new connector either. Cutting the pin to the lockout chip is also a good idea. I had some games that wont blink constantly even after cleaning with deoxit. Also makes playing the 3rd party games easier. I always had trouble with the camerica and wisdom tree games before I lifted that pin.
I did mine. I reccomend the slim if you wanna use the tv output to watch stuff. With a component cable you can display games on a tv. Otherwise there really is no difference. I would buy pre modded because not all slims can be hacked. Psp-mod.com is a pretty good forum for it.
Try deoxit. Its expensive but works. Use it on a q tip instead of spraying it on and it goes alot further. I used on a n64 game that got wet in a basement flood and it resurected it. It's all I use now to clean stuff. I would also clean and reseat those ribbon cables if possible.
I have been trying to play through all the dk country games on snes. Got to about 20% in the 2nd one so far. Also been playing intellivision mr. Basic that i just got from venezuela.
When i was a teen (mid 90s). I would buy stuff at goodwill and return it to target. Goodwill here used to get all the unsold stuff amd returns from target and it usually still had the target tag on it. With out a reciept i only got store credit.
It will fail again. Ive never seen one last that wasn't reflowed on a bench last very long. If it was me i would send it to one of the guys on ebay that does it. Last time I looked it cost less than 50$. I sent in my 360 a year ago and it still works. I heat gunned it myself prior to sending it and it lasted a week.
I have mega key for sale or trade if anyone wants it. It allows you to play japanese and brazillian games without any mods. Its the one with the dip switches on it. Looking for genesis, sega cd or n64 stuff if trading.
Picked up 3 game gears and 6 games for 20.00 and intellivision defender and a mega key for 13. Of course the game gears all need new caps. 2 no sound and 1 with bars in the screen. Mega key is for sale or trade if anyone wants it.
I have never had a cart die on me. I had a few doa (had 2copies of vectorman that had to be exchanged) when new but nothing i bought used has died or arrived broken. I think alot of cart failures are due to plugging it in to the wrong system or shorts from people spilling stuff on them. I know a c64 cart will fit an intellivisions slot and short it out.