Is there something wrong with my Super Mario Bros. 3 NES cartridge?

[MaximRecoil]

It doesn't fill the whole TV screen on the left side; there is about a half inch gap there. There are a few other minor graphic oddities as well that are hard to describe. Otherwise, the game plays fine. Other cartridges don't have these issues on this NES, and this cartridge does the same thing on my 3 other NESs (one of them being a top-loader).

 

So if you have an SMB3 cartridge, does it completely fill your TV screen and is it free of graphical oddities?

Edited August 19, 2009 by MaximRecoil

[Frizo]

It doesn't fill the whole TV screen on the left side; there is about a half inch gap there. There are a few other minor graphic oddities as well that are hard to describe. Otherwise, the game plays fine. Other cartridges don't have these issues on this NES, and this cartridge does the same thing on my 3 other NESs (one of them being a top-loader).

 

So if you have an SMB3 cartridge, does it completely fill your TV screen and is it free of graphical oddities?

 

Well, I have an SMB 3 cart, it doesnt do that... Have you tried cleaning it with some Rubbing alcohol or even water?

(Yes, you CAN do that, the official NES cleaning kit was 50% Rubbing Alcohol and 50% Water.)

[MaximRecoil]

Well, I have an SMB 3 cart, it doesnt do that... Have you tried cleaning it with some Rubbing alcohol or even water?

(Yes, you CAN do that, the official NES cleaning kit was 50% Rubbing Alcohol and 50% Water.)

 

Yes, the card edge contacts are very clean and in good condition. I've taken the cartridge apart and cleaned it with a pencil eraser and then alcohol. Nothing changed. The cartridge was in a box of random cartridges so I don't know when exactly it started doing this (maybe it's done it since it was brand new).

 

I'm thinking about reflowing all the solder joints on the PCB. If that doesn't fix it, then it has to be a defective chip or component, but I don't know which one. There are only 5 chips on the board, plus an electrolytic capacitor, a disc capacitor, and two resistors.

Edited August 19, 2009 by MaximRecoil

[Frizo]

Well, I have an SMB 3 cart, it doesnt do that... Have you tried cleaning it with some Rubbing alcohol or even water?

(Yes, you CAN do that, the official NES cleaning kit was 50% Rubbing Alcohol and 50% Water.)

 

Yes, the card edge contacts are very clean and in good condition. I've taken the cartridge apart and cleaned it with a pencil eraser and then alcohol. Nothing changed. The cartridge was in a box of random cartridges so I don't know when exactly it started doing this (maybe it's done it since it was brand new).

 

I'm thinking about reflowing all the solder joints on the PCB. If that doesn't fix it, then it has to be a defective chip or component, but I don't know which one. There are only 5 chips on the board, plus an electrolytic capacitor, a disc capacitor, and two resistors.

Buy another one...I got mine 5 bucks boxed with free shipping off eCrater.

And what a deal that was...

[MaximRecoil]

Okay, I just checked the game on an emulator, and it does the same thing, so I'm guessing it is just a design flaw of the game. In the attract mode, the game perfectly fills the screen, but in gameplay, it looks like a half inch or so is cut off on the left side of the screen. You can see it in

gameplay video on YouTube as well. You can also see the same graphical oddities on the right edge of the screen as it scrolls that my cartridge has (those were the oddities that I don't know how to describe; just watch the right edge of the screen as it scrolls). Edited August 19, 2009 by MaximRecoil

[Lincoln]

what kind of tv are you playing on? on a crt tv that part of the screen would be drawn where you wouldn't normally see it. on an lcd or plasma set the whole picture gets drawn where you can see it so you see the stuff at the edge of the screen. if you're seeing this on a crt I would guess it could use an adjustment.

[MaximRecoil]

what kind of tv are you playing on? on a crt tv that part of the screen would be drawn where you wouldn't normally see it. on an lcd or plasma set the whole picture gets drawn where you can see it so you see the stuff at the edge of the screen. if you're seeing this on a crt I would guess it could use an adjustment.

 

I'm not talking about the pillar boxing in that video; which is just the result of displaying a 4:3 video in a 16:9 player.

 

This screenshot from that video shows what I'm talking about:

 

 

See how the graphics don't go all the way to the left, but stop short about 1/2"? Also look at the thin strip of of graphics that don't belong on the right edge of the screen. Those flash as the game scrolls to the side. You can see it in the video. It does the same thing on my console.

[uglyclone]

I have the gap on the left side of the screen when playing SMB3 as well. I believe it is just a technical limitation but since I don't know anything coding or hardware that is just my guess.

[+atari2600land]

Mine does the same thing, too.

[Lincoln]

<!--quoteo(post=1819611:date=Wed Aug 19, 2009 2:52 PM:name=Lincoln)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lincoln @ Wed Aug 19, 2009 2:52 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1819611"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->what kind of tv are you playing on? on a crt tv that part of the screen would be drawn where you wouldn't normally see it. on an lcd or plasma set the whole picture gets drawn where you can see it so you see the stuff at the edge of the screen. if you're seeing this on a crt I would guess it could use an adjustment.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

 

I'm not talking about the pillar boxing in that video; which is just the result of displaying a 4:3 video in a 16:9 player.

 

This screenshot from that video shows what I'm talking about:

 

<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2519/3837803054_a403070daa_o.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

 

See how the graphics don't go all the way to the left, but stop short about 1/2"? Also look at the thin strip of of graphics that don't belong on the right edge of the screen. Those flash as the game scrolls to the side. You can see it in the video. It does the same thing on my console.

 

yes, that's what i'm talking about. the blue bar on the left and the wrapping graphics on the right aren't normally visible on a crt set. you didn't answer my question about what kind of tv you have.

[MaximRecoil]

yes, that's what i'm talking about. the blue bar on the left and the wrapping graphics on the right aren't normally visible on a crt set. you didn't answer my question about what kind of tv you have.

 

A TV would have to be severely overscanning for that left blue bar to be hidden. I have a normal 4:3 standard resolution CRT TV. The NES is a normal front-loader hooked to the TV with a composite video connection.

[MagitekAngel]

I'm pretty sure the bar is a programming glitch and that your cartridge is not defective or damaged. As far as I know, its not generally noticeable when using a genuine NES, but on an emulator (including Virtual Console) or Famiclone it's more apparent.

[+atari2600land]

I'm pretty sure the bar is a programming glitch and that your cartridge is not defective or damaged. As far as I know, its not generally noticeable when using a genuine NES, but on an emulator (including Virtual Console) or Famiclone it's more apparent.

I'm using a top loader and I see it.

[MagitekAngel]

Oh, it's visible no matter what, its just a lot more apparent in emulation. I have a toaster and I see it.

[MaximRecoil]

I'm pretty sure the bar is a programming glitch and that your cartridge is not defective or damaged. As far as I know, its not generally noticeable when using a genuine NES, but on an emulator (including Virtual Console) or Famiclone it's more apparent.

 

All of my NES's are genuine, and it is very noticeable. It is not there when you first turn on the machine and it is in attract mode. Once you press the start button to bring up the 1 or 2 player game selection option, the bar instantly appears. If you don't press anything else and let it go back into attract mode, the bar goes away. It is always there when playing the game.